Few performers command the kind of respect that Jean-Sebastien Audet does with Un Blonde. Wednesday (February 1), the chattering room at Le Temporaire fell silent as Audet picked up his guitar and approached the mic flanked by his bassist and drummer. The silence was immediate, and felt as though Audet was projecting it himself with his sheer presence alone.
Breaking into songs from his most recent album, Good Will Come to You, the trio locked in immediately. There was no two- or three-song stretch of working out the kinks — there were no kinks to speak of. They're a tight band, but they have a loose, swinging, relaxed playing style, resulting in part from skilled musicianship and but also through feeling. The players all listen closely to and watch one another, which is evident from the intuitive, live arrangements of the songs from Good Will Come to You that hone in on the essence of the studio versions so well. The songs, steeped in gospel influences, become much groovier, funkier versions of themselves.
Audet's output has been fairly regular over the years, and so even though it's been a few months since his last record, he delighted the audience with a few new tracks, which may end up on his next album. Audet closed out the set by switching from guitar to keys, rewarding the audience's quiet attention with a glimpse into the future.
Breaking into songs from his most recent album, Good Will Come to You, the trio locked in immediately. There was no two- or three-song stretch of working out the kinks — there were no kinks to speak of. They're a tight band, but they have a loose, swinging, relaxed playing style, resulting in part from skilled musicianship and but also through feeling. The players all listen closely to and watch one another, which is evident from the intuitive, live arrangements of the songs from Good Will Come to You that hone in on the essence of the studio versions so well. The songs, steeped in gospel influences, become much groovier, funkier versions of themselves.
Audet's output has been fairly regular over the years, and so even though it's been a few months since his last record, he delighted the audience with a few new tracks, which may end up on his next album. Audet closed out the set by switching from guitar to keys, rewarding the audience's quiet attention with a glimpse into the future.