Alexandra Lehmler & Franck Tortiller

There is something extremely permeable, floating, almost delicate about this duo. When the vibraphone creates fragile, repetitive, rhythmic and at the same time harmonic patterns, the soprano saxophone meanders almost delicately between the individual notes, sometimes evoking 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 further introduction at this point, met French vibraphonist and composer Franck Tortiller for the first time in 2014. The two have recorded several albums in a quartet with Patrice Héral (dr) and Matthias Debus (b) - and have of course already been guests at Enjoy Jazz in this formation. It is not without reason that they call their duo project "Aerial". "Airy, fiery, energetic, versatile, wholeheartedly committed to the sensuality of groove and melody and timeless in a very contemporary way," says Lehmler's homepage. That's all true. But "aerial" has at least one other meaning besides "airy": "antenna". And this term can also be played with. Because a dialog involves not only sending, but also receiving - the sensorium for the vibrations and sounds that emanate from the other person. Lehmler and Tortiller certainly have antennae for each other.