L'Orkestre des Pas Perdus - T'Auras Pas Ta Pomme

All Music Guide

This first CD by Montreal avant funksters L'Orkestre des Pas Perdus is a tightly coiled bundle of fast-moving energy that hardly lets up once over the course of its 12 tracks. The band charges relentlessly through most tunes as if the musicians are operating on double their typical morning caffeine dosages. Leader and trombonist Claude St-Jean obviously loves speed and forward momentum, and is also a skillful writer who packs each tune with memorable hooks. He is also an ingenious arranger who can make the band sound larger than a sextet, as trumpet, flügelhorn, trombone, alto and tenor saxophones, and piccolo slip back and forth from prominent solo spots to tightly scored supportive roles. The reed and horn players all have chops to burn; they manage to squeeze much feeling, and even soulfulness, into their compact solos. Once you've got L'Orkestre des Pas Perdus figured out after the first few tracks, there is a certain inevitability to the proceedings with few surprises hiding aroun...d the corners. Only the most dour and serious music listener, however, would not want to be taken along on this hugely entertaining ride. - Dave Lynch, All Music Guide Read more Less