“This is Not Art” is the recorded beginning of a second life for the duo maintained by Benjamin Duboc and Jean-Luc Petit, finally justifying the name of the project. Before switching for the contrabass clarinet, Petit played tenor and baritone saxophones and “Double-Basse” wasn’t quite what it announced, a pair of basses. Now, Duboc’s contrabass violin has a most appropriated companion. Because of the timbral proximity of the two instruments, wonderful things happen in terms of dynamics and harmony, resulting in one of the most original proposals in creative music these last years, in France and everywhere. Duboc became a top bassist, acting in the international jazz and free improvisation fields. He played with many of the best, from Sunny Murray, Henry Grimes, Roy Campbell and Joelle Léandre to Jean-Luc Guionnet, Oliver Lake, Jean-Luc Cappozzo and Tom Chant. Petit may not have the same public projection as his partner, but his importance is growing fast, mainly because no-one else masters the lowest specimen of the clarinet family like him. He does impossible things with it, but going beyond mere technical virtuosity. The resulting music is heavy, full of grain, dense, but at the same time delicate, sparse and detailed. You must listen to believe it.

All music by Double-Basse

Recorded Église St Martin à Bignac, April 2013 / Mixing and mastering by Benjamin Duboc
Produced by Double-Basse / Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul / Design by Travassos