Joachim Govin's quartet convinces the Casa des Poble d'Esporles

SporesWith over 80% capacity, the Casa des Poble d'Esporles hosted a solid performance by the Joachim Govin Quartet, a group that has been working together for ten years and has made its mark with its albums Items (2015) andPresent (2020). On stage, Govin—discreet in presence but firm in direction—set the course with a double bass that defined the contours of each piece and maintained the group's balance.

Pianist Tony Tixier was one of the standout musicians of the evening. With a precise sound and a highly personal style, he immediately connected with the audience and brought intensity and dynamism to several moments of the concert. On drums, Gautier Garrigue displayed a surprising polyrhythmic language that, despite venturing into unconventional territory, kept the quartet cohesive and constantly evolving.

Saxophonist Ben van Gelder completed the group with clear and expressive phrasing, providing the main melodic line and balancing the more rhythmic and harmonic aspects of the quartet. His sound gave coherence to a repertoire that alternated between more intimate passages and moments of more open energy. The audience response was warm and attentive, and the hall's acoustics contributed to an intimate concert where each instrument could be clearly followed. The result was a tight performance from a quartet that knows how to leverage shared experience to stay fresh live.