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Francois' Kitchen, duets with Francois Grillot

by Francois Grillot & Matt Lavelle

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catherinesikora
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catherinesikora It's so great to hear these duets, deep conversation between two friends! It also brings me back to François' kitchen. Thank you Matt for putting these out!
Neil Hobkirk
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Matt Lavelle
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1.
Basting 03:25
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2.
Marinate 09:10
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3.
Saute 04:39
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4.
Roast 11:59
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5.
Knead 03:17
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6.
Grill 09:26
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7.
Poach 05:08
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8.
Simmer 09:24
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about

I first met Francois Grillot in the early 90’s when we were both in the trenches working at Tower Records at Lincoln Center in NYC. Francois was looking to do overtime in the department that I supervised. I recall that he was wearing a shirt with wolves on it.

At the time, I ran a jam session at a place in Chelsea called Rainy Daze and I needed a bass player. Francois said “Hire me man, I can do this shit, for real!” I hadn’t heard him play yet, but I didn’t doubt it. He showed up for the session wearing a coat with a giant lion on the front. We were solid from the first note. So began our 30 year musical conversation and brotherhood.

We were playing it straight back then, but got more and more open. In 1999, drummer Ryan Sawyer introduced me to the free scene downtown and I in turn introduced it to Francois. He took to it like a fish takes to water. It really opened him up and he went all the way, using all his ideas and musicality in those environments to great effect.

One thing I truly loved about Francois was the way he played bass. His sound was very distinct and he was especially free with the bow. He was also a true master at listening and co-creating - in time or out. He could be the bass player but so much more at the same time. In this way he was a master at harmelodics. This is one reason he and Bern Nix were so good together and why Francois was the producer of Bern’s quartet record Negative Capability.

Francois was a musical big brother, and we talked about everything. He had serious writing chops and I trusted him completely. When I needed a flute for 12 Houses, he recommended Mary Cherney. When I needed a viola he recommended Stephanie Griffin. Both have been in the 12 Houses Orchestra ever since.

He was the kind of friend who could and would tell you when you were messing up. His honesty and insight were something I always cherished, and in fact enjoyed, particularly when he would get into it with drummers. With drummers Francois was passionate about listening and not role-playing. Often, after sessions I would ask him how the drummer did. Francois would let me know when I was repeating myself, which reminded me to keep trying to come up with something new.

Over the years, hundreds of music sessions took place in the kitchen of Francois' 5th floor walk-up on West 56th St and 9th Ave. That’s where almost everything we did with Bern Nix and Giuseppi Logan took place. Around 2011 I decided to make a record of improvised half duets which were all recorded in Francois' kitchen. Some of these are on my record Goodbye New York, Hello World. This newly discovered session is material that did not make the record. Francois’ personality was very much like the way he played, and I think that comes through on these improvised duets. You can hear him listening and reacting to every note.

This music is what occurred when we played together. It only existed when we did, and can never exist again.

Now that he’s on the other side, I often feel his presence. This was especially true when the 12 Houses Orchestra recorded his piece Hymn to the Universe. He seems happy over there, but I suspect he may be bored.

Francois was all about the music, and all about living, and I hope he’s getting into something now.

Sail on my brother, we miss you down here

Dedicated to Francois

credits

released November 21, 2022

Francois Grillot-Bass
Matt Lavelle-Flugelhorn, cornet, alto-clarinet

recorded by Francois Grillot at Kitchen 56

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Matt Lavelle New York, New York

Matt Lavelle plays trumpet, alto and bass clarinet, is a bandleader, painter. and writer based in Philadelphia and NYC

"You have to be who you are in this world, no matter what" (Denzel Washington)

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