Pour son nouvel album, Lollo Meier s’est cette fois-ci offert une rhytmique britannique, carossée comme une Jaguar et ronronnante comme une Rolls ; Andy Crowdy dèjà entendu au côté de Gary Potter outre-manche tient la contrebasse, et c’est Dave Kelbie (qui accompagna un temps Angélo Debarre et Fapy Lafertin pour leurs albums en Albion...) qui assure la pompe. Rien à dire, il y a du métier, de l’efficacité, et même un joli chorus de contrebasse.
Pour le répertoire, Lollo a l’élégance d’alterner standards et compositions, valse et swing, ballade et bossanova, l’éclectisme seyant parfaitement à notre délicieux guitariste qui prouve une fois encore qu’il peut tout jouer en conservant sa touche personnelle délicate et sensible. Pour ce qui est des compositions, on retrouvera une sympathique ballade bucolique La route de Paris déjà entendue sur Hondarribia et la très jolie Valse à Lollo qui illuminait son premier opus "Rencontres". Et quelques inédits plutôt bien tournés (Rosas...)
On a déjà dit ailleurs tout le bien que l’on pensait de Lollo Meier. Et bien répétons-le et crions le sur tous les toits : Lollo Meier est un grand guitariste ! Malheureusement encore trop méconnu dans nos contrées et bien trop mal distribué dans nos bacs ; les organisateurs de concert auraient tôt fait de s’intéresser sérieusement à son cas et de le faire venir jouer en France. Un son précis et qui sent bon le vieux bois et les années de pratique, une sensibilité laissant plus parler les arpèges aérés et aériens que les déluges de mineures harmoniques, une virtuosité employée à bon escient, un placement rythmique donnant le sourire, et un petit quelquechose de Fapy qui nous rappellerait aussi Django... Tous ses chorus se chantent : Lollo semble avoir le culte de la mélodie et celui du bon goût.
Plus de réserves, en revanche, avec le jeu du jeune prodige venu des Flandres Tcha Limberger ici au violon (il est également excelent guitariste...). Capable du meilleur comme du pire, il illustre assez bien la célèbre maxime de Bobby Lapointe comme quoi le violon peut être jouer juste... ou tsigane ! Formidable sur certains titres (exceptionnelle ambiance sur "What is this thing called love" avec une intro prise très lente sentant bon la Roumanie, les forêts transylvaniennes et, plus loin encore, les mystères de l’orient...), il déçoit sur d’autres par une justesse discutable : "Blues Skies", un très joli titre avec un beau chorus de Lollo, aurait amplement mérité une seconde prise moins hasardeuse au violon ; tout comme "Step swing" qui finit carrément "out". Et que dire de "I surrender dear" chanté par le jeune homme d’une voix aux limites de ses capacités et bien mal maitrisée (ça passe sans doute en concert, mais ça a du mal à passer le cap de l’enregistrement...) C’est un peu dommage, car Tcha Limberger peut s’avérer par ailleurs un remarquable swinger aux idées passionnantes.
On conseille tout de même largement le disque car on y trouvera de beaux moments de musique. Et puis il y a Lollo Meier, et rien que ça, ça vaut l’investissement.

The city of Maastricht is known for its ambition to uphold an international status as a beautiful, historical, contemporary and exciting town where people like to live, study, work and visit. Maastricht attracts visitors from all over the world and in the past twenty years, it gradually grew into a center where major and important events take place, whether they're of political value, focused on innocent entertainment and leisure time or based on the efforts to do business and keep economy flowing.

Amidst all of this, people find ways to build communities much needed, such as De Muziekgieterij, located in the former building of the regional radio and television network L1. It's a community for music and culture, for the young and restless, the wise, the curious, the eclectic and open minded. A perfect place for the Lollo Meier Quartet to celebrate the release of their new CD "Rosas" and present themselves to a willing and eager audience.
Violinist Tcha Limberger took it upon himself to host the concert and introduced the songs in a charmingly and often humorful way. Lollo's compositions and the (gypsy) jazz standards excelled due to the quartet's virtuous performance, each of these four musicians truly master their instrument: Lollo's gift for lyrical melodies were carried by an outstanding rhythm section, Andy Crowdy on double bass and Dave Kelbie on rhythm guitar. Tcha Limberger added an extra dimension to the music, to hear and watch him play his violin is a real treat!

Songs like "I Love You", "Step Swing", "Blue Skies", "Dinette" and the title track "Rosas", their melodies linger on, so does the powerful swing in "Brazil", the Lollo Meier Quartet highlights another side of this popular Brazilian tune, written in 1939 by Ary Barroso and Brazil's most popular song before the bossa nova era.
Tcha Limberger is special. He isn't just a gifted violinist with a talent for stand up comedy, he's also a wonderful vocalist who delivered "I Surrender Dear" with so much conviction you could easily picture yourself in those long gone eras of the 30s, 40s and 50s. The romance, the lyricism and the beauty of those years came to life again, this very evening in De Muziekgieterij.

Although Lollo's gypsy jazz is based on familiar rhythms and grooves the Gypsy music is famous for, there were moments when the music seemed to transcend itself onto higher planes, the "one of a kind" kind of moment that never repeats itself again. Bassist Andy had a real good time, it showed in his smiles and guitarist Dave proved himself an ideal partner to complete the "Lollo sound" we experienced this night. They must have played this music a zillion times before, but one could still sense the electricity at times, when either Tcha's perfectly pitched scat singing and violin, or Lollo's feather-light accuracy met the steady ease of Andy's basslines and Dave's rhythmic quietude.
GINA VODEGEL


Just after 8pm, the lights dimmed and rhythm guitarist Dave Kelbie walked on stage, guitar in hand, leading the blind violinist, Tcha Limberger.
Following them came the stand-in bass player, Andy Crowley, and Lollo Meier himself.
They sat down and launched straight into a wonderfully quick, light-hearted tune ñ but all their music is joyous, even the melancholy songs.
They played an array of original and standard tunes, featuring some classic Django Reinhardt such as Nuages and Djangology. But of special note were the Quecumber Waltz and the two songs on which Limberger sang.
His voice, mostly light and romantic, would suddenlydevelop a harder, louder edge, then fall back into more mellifluous tones.
Likewise, he treated us to an astonishing display of virtuoso playing equalled only by Lollo Meier himself on the guitar, with the two of them swapping high-speed licks to great effect by the end of the evening.
A full minute's ovation greeted the last number then the group gradually faded awayover three encores, finallyleaving Meier to perform a short guitar solo piece to end a perfect concert. The festival is off to a swinging start.
PAUL BRAZIER

Rarely is there such a perfect meeting of minds and music! Dutch Gypsy guitarist Lollo Meier has released several albums of stylish string jazz in recent years. Yet joining forces now with clarinetist André Donni results in a stellar duet.
Hondarriba revives the guitar-clarinet swing of Django Reinhardt's World War II-era Nouveau Quintette du Hot Club de France. Emulating Benny Goodman, Django replaced Stéphane Grappelli's violin with the modern woodwind sound of first Hubert Rostaing, and later Gérard Lévêque. This is a period of Django's music often overlooked in the United States as recordings from this time are tough to find.
Now, Meier and Donni remind us all that the acoustic guitar and clarinet seem to be made for each other.
Donni's tone is near magical - warm and pure and resonant. It's the perfect foil for Meier's charging, dynamic guitarwork, and together, they trade solos and lines with a fluidity that creates true jazz.
Their repertoire includes the usual Django tunes as well as several strong original compositions and an innovative take on neuvo tanguero Astor Piazzolla's Libertango Excellent!
MICHAEL DREGNI

This second album of Lollo Meier refers to the sound of the second quintet of Django Reinhardt, the lesser known period of the forties with Hubert Rostaing with the clarinet. Lollo Meier and André Donni do not hide their admiration for this formidable clarinettist of Django and the result exceeds our hopes; with Domenica Piérard and Jonny Gee in the rhythm section, the two soloists offer up a marvellous homage, without hustle but... in music! Great spirit and very Hot Club! Also three splendid compositions of Lollo: two whirling waltzs (Melody for "Quecumbar" which turns and will turn a long time, and Hondarribia with a superb arrangement) and also a pretty ballad (the La Route de Paris whose intro will work the fingers in the thatched cottages!). The guitarist appears a formidable melodist here, very much like the musical quality and singing air that one associates with another formidable improviser, Fapy Lafertin. Virtuosity and technique, always present but remaining in the service of the music; one is in the spirit of Django, no doubt! As for Andre Donni, his playing marries that of Lollo admirably; these two were there! A soft and light sound, a constant inventiveness, lyrical flights never shouting at us... On the ballades, one would believe that the wind is blowing delicately! A very pretty disc, made from the heart and which you should order directly from the producer! DJANGO STATION


With this second disc, Manouche Dutch guitarist Lollo Meier has found the partners he needed: Andre Donni on clarinet, the guitar of accompaniment of Domenique Pierrard (ex of Waso) and Jonny Gee on double bass: an unbeatable quartet lean towards one particular period of Django, (from the war where the famous Gypsy replaced the violin of Grappelli, who remained in England, with the clarinet of Hubert Rostaing), and they interpret it in very classic fashion. The rhythm section unrolls a carpet of light and airy swing leaving the two soloists particularly inspired. As for Lollo, he is a designer in the style of Fapy Lafertin, virtuosic phrasing paired with beautiful articulation (witnessed clearly at the festival de Django Reinhardt in Samois last June) He plays with sensitivity and always within the service of the music letting it breathe (for example on his solo on Lentement Mademoiselle) and playing as much with the heart as with the fingers.
14 titles alternate Django (Daphne, Melodie au Crepescule, Minor Swing, Clouds) with the standards (Just one of those things, I surrender Dear, I've found has new baby...)
Also included are three of Lollo’s beautiful compositions: Melody for Quecumbar, his splendid sentimental ballade Route de Paris, and the removed swing and title track Hondarribia. With this very beautiful disc of very traditional style, the four-star quality of Lollo Meier shines through and should logically find him a label very quickly! FRANCIS COUVREAUX


European stars beating a path to le Quecumbar’s door include Dutch virtuoso Lollo Meier and his Belgian colleague, the blind violinist-guitarist Tcha Limberger. Backed by two British experts, Jonny Gee (double bass) and Dave Kelbie (rhythm guitar), they made some wonderful music last night.
Dutch players are reputedly more subtle than their French and German counterparts, and sure enough Meier was caressing the strings at the fiercest tempos. Limberger varied his attack, sometimes making the violin speak in a tender, breathy tone. Having warmed up with some Reinhardt favourites, Limberger began switching between violin and guitar, and then singing.
Brilliancies came and went so fast that there was hardly time to applaud until the end. Nobody had used amplification or even a microphone, Limberger simply rising from his chair between numbers to deliver his announcements. JACK MASSARIK

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