La Fasciculation

Their name translates roughly as the ‘Sons of a French Gypsy poodle.’ They were the official group at the annual Roland Garros tennis tournament, and they play what they describe as jazz manouche décalé, or off-centre Gypsy jazz. Intriguing, and more than a little eccentric. On ‘Tabadabada’, the opening track of this, the four musicians' fourth album, Samuel Thézé's mournful bass clarinet sounds close enough to a duduk to remind the listener of French world-music stalwarts, Hadouk Quartet. Then, as soon as Stéphane Cozic's double bass kicks in, one could be listening to a Balkan wedding group in full flight. Elsewhere, the interplay between the accordion and the accomplished acoustic guitar of leader Xavier Margogne points to their acknowledged influences of Astor Piazzolla and Django Reinhardt.
The off-the-wall quartet was formed in 2005 and they have been appearing at festivals and gigging extensively throughout France and Europe ever since. Such a degree of familiarity and experience finds its expression in a terrific upbeat album, brimming with feisty rhythms and swinging self-penned songs that borrow from tango, rumba, jazz manouche and plenty more besides.