Alexandra Lehmler & Franck Tortiller

This duo has something extremely permeable, floating, almost delicate. When the vibraphone creates fragile, repetitive, rhythmic and at the same time harmonic patterns in the space, the soprano saxophone meanders almost filigree between the individual notes, sometimes awakening flute-like associations with Persian music, sometimes radiating something dance-like and folkloristic. Being on stage as a duo offers freedom, and this is used to go far beyond the boundaries of traditional jazz forms. Alexandra Lehmler, who really needs no introduction at this point, first met the French vibraphonist and composer Franck Tortiller in 2014. The two have recorded several records in a quartet with Patrice Héral (dr) and Matthias Debus (b) - and have of course also been guests at Enjoy Jazz in this formation. They call their duo project "Aerial" for a reason. "Airy, fiery, energetic, versatile, wholeheartedly bound to the sensuality of groove and melody and timeless in a very contemporary way," Lehmler's homepage says. That is all true. But "aerial" has at least one other meaning besides "airy": "antenna". And this term can also be played with. Because a dialogue involves not only sending, but also receiving - the sensorium for the vibrations and sounds emanating from the other. In any case, Lehmler and Tortiller have antennae for each other.