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Jazz-Rock Fusion - 22/05/11 A small UFO hailing directly from the French territory, Suranné (Live) is alto saxophonist and composer, Julian Julien’s, first product to be published under the name Fractale. I say UFO because this jazz group is a septet consisting mainly of wind instruments, but also of drums and a synthesizer thereby creating, as in the excellent "Part V," a deep background sound. Like it or not, the whole is, as so often for the jazz-rock/fusion, instrumental.
Note: Suranné was recorded live February 18, 2008 at Zebra Belleville in Paris. The recording dates for the two bonus tracks remain to be verified.
The five main titles along with two bonus tracks on this disc are treated by blending jazzy and organic rhythms (one thinks immediately of zeuhl) with sharp touches of electro. Furthermore, the electro music dimension in some compositions is very welcomed. The instruments are mixed with loops and computers to create a mystical atmosphere that’s quite admirable. Suranné harbors so many facets that it is difficult to assign a genre to Fractale’s set. One would say that this is an energetic jazz-rock with multiple experimental influences like zeuhl or nu-jazz with a predominant wind section.
As for the melodies, they are closed, but fit well with the mood. So no solos, just well-framed progressions without downtime, except for the bonus track "Sans-Papiers (Undocumented)," where the excellent solo takes us to a more Oriental destination. In itself, Suranné is a rich partition where everything is beautifully interwoven. Another honor, this time attributed to Julian Julian’s composition!
It’s difficult not to succumb to the charm of this group and this Suranné that will delight new experimental fans. Nevertheless, we’re left wanting more after our 27 minutes of this first vintage album. I bet that this first production will push Fractale to a real studio album. And why not seek the talent again of the sound engineer Guillaume Billaux, who achieved a work of great finesse for this first attempt? We look forward to seeing what the future holds!
Alessandro Caruana, France.

Fractale is a group launched by Saxophonist, Julien Julian, who has composed several albums under his name, including the excellent “Strange” in 2006, strongly recommended to all progressive rock amateurs (purely instrumental, save some extreme-oriental voice samplings, and given the dominance of occidental voice in progressive rock, this works extremely well). Fractale’s live album “Suranné,” is emblematic of Moondog’s Sax for a Pax for its profusion of brasses (saxophones, trumpets, tuba…) and strong drum rhythms. It’s somewhere between jazz and rock, without being neither progressive rock nor jazz rock! The brasses are played in tune to a pulsing, lively rhythm that is accompanied by seemingly analogical electronic sounds (they’re actually taken from computer, that borrowed its name from a famous Beatles’ label). What’s more is Fractale’s at times intense and electrifying baritone saxophone and tuba. Thus, in each of the five titles, a powerful and stellar groove takes hold. Latin American and Australian aboriginal rhythms accent the ensemble, and the solos are always propitious and fitting. An impeccable sound enriches our musical appreciation. Simple accents progressively, naturally, and unpretentiously appear throughout the edge of compositions and improvisations, for the pure pleasure of musical energy.
Néosphère, France.

We all know about marriages that are harmonious at first, but get a slap of reality and break apart after a decade. A contrario, rare are those couples that, off from a rocky start, begin to work better over time. Yet, the sound of this album, after the discovery of Fakir Djako this summer, seems to suggest that a successful electric-jazz combo is in the works. The computers’ textures and the brasses throughout the disc create a rich and happy balance. Track 4, really makes you want to take off. In any case, I almost did! In sum, it remained a bit too close to the pier. The overuse of the baritone saxophone, or a primarily rock, as opposed to a groovy, rhythm, may be to blame. Nonetheless, a CD to discover with potential to follow.

Jazz in France: A CD Selection Suranné, Julian Julien’s fourth disc, and the first to come out under Fractale’s name, doesn’t subscribe to a specific musical genre. Not quite jazz, not quite progressive rock, this set, split into non-successive parts and recorded at a concert at Le Zèbre in Belleville in February 2008, is inspired from films or literature, ultimately creating atmospheres set apart from anything else. From the brasses in Part XV to the electronic sound in Part V, we travel into an unknown world while still thinking of Michel Portal at certain moments, or at others, of old jovial and eclectic fanfares (Dollar Brand) churned out by an electro sound. The sound of the baritone saxophone and tuba, both electric, create an overall unique dimension, yet on the whole, there are few solos, massive echoes, guided by small synthesized loops, continually spread among repetitive and heavy melodies. The format is precise and there are no lulls, the titles are concise, dense, self-structured, and offer scant space for improvisation. Sans Papier is featured on the two added bonus clips, most recently recorded at a concert in Sunset: the electronic sound is less obvious and laced around a rhythm efficiently supported by the brasses, that allows a chorus to finally emerge. It evokes trance, a street parade, and a 21st century urban clique all at once. As for Clementine, the seal of this short album (27 minutes): it’s a nostalgic composition, full of sound effects that could’ve served as a soundtrack to a 1950s popular Italian film. Julian Julien’s strange music has certainly not explored its full potential.
P. Dulieu – France

Welcome to another dimension, the Fractale dimension! Halfway between a movie soundtrack and Electro-Jazz, this strange group’s music has traditional instruments (saxophone, trumpet, drums...etc) that combine with computer-programmed loops. You’ll appreciate the synthesizer’s use, such as that of number three in this shocking live performance! Indefinable, belonging neither to Jazz nor Rock, but more so a musical experiment that seeks to blend and combine songs, creating an ethereal and mind-blowing dimension! In sum, a pretty bizarre disc, one would classify as surrealist and original!
France

Fractale is a group formed by saxophonist Julien Julian who delivers an exclusively instrumental assemblage. This artist’s fourth album was recorded live on February 18, 2008 at Zebra Belleville (Paris). Storming sounds oppose time between jazz and progressive rock, Julian accompanied by Vivien Philipot (tenor sax), Patrice Cazeneuve (trumpet), Jennifer Quillet (trumpet), Jon Lopez de Vicuna (electric baritone saxophone), Lorenz Steinmueller (electric tuba), and Varro and Benjamin on drums, offer us an original and at times, indifferent, landscape playing in timeless hues. The brass profusion embarks us towards Moondog’s "Sax for A Pax". These brassy choruses pulsated by a lively rhythm and punched with electro tunes, with an occasional saturation of the baritone saxophone and tuba, create, on the whole, a very special dimension. The five titles available offer a well-mastered and stratospheric groove. They literally take us on into the unknown, in a completely original, unformatted genre.
It’s well understood we are not in front of a book belonging to clearly defined style but before an assembly of live atmospheres cut in nonconsecutive parts. Each part has its own logic. There are few solo flights, but an effect of mass sounds that turn on themselves to form set as a concise, dense, fractal music offering little room for improvisation. The two bonus tracks including the excellent "Sans Papiers (Undocumented)", recently recorded at Sunset, have an effective and brassy rhythm. "Clementine" closes this short album with nostalgic sounds and a soundtrack worthy of an old Italian film.
Julian Julien’s strange album has a lot of potential but whoever listens to it must do so with a certain approach and drop things very quickly. The cover shows a very psychedelic fractal garish leaves me somewhat cold because it’s a bit too flashy for the content. A progressive set that hints at the side that was worked over and the rich compositions for listening pleasure and energy that transpires.
3,5/5 Gérard, France

 Since when I have listened to the short samples provided when this band was suggested for inclusion I have liked them.
Later the band founder Julian Julien sent me a link to the whole album and what? Its only defect is the length. It's an EP recorded live and I'm really impressed by the skill demonstrated by the players.
First of all this is an orchestral ensemble, look at the lineup. Then think to how the music is arranged to supply to the absence of bass and more traditional "rock" instruments. Let me say that I don't think that bass, guitar and keyboards are a must, but when a band sounds "rock" without using them it means that the arrangement work is excellent. I have to say that specially the opener made me think to the Italian avant band Quintorigo, but this is effectively pure Zeuhl.
Julian has mentioned Magma, Soft Machine and Pink Floyd as influencers. I have to say that I have immediately thought to Magma (otherwise this wouldn't be Zeuhl....), I can find even a bit of Soft Machine, but I have struggled a bit to find any Pink Floyd. Well, listen to "Partie XVI" and "Partie XVIII" and probably they are hidden there.
A bravo to Fractale who have just used those influences to create (good) new music. My favorite track is probably the easiest, "Partie V", because it contains spacey elements that add a touch of psychedelia to an environment that's midway between classical and jazz. I really agree with the applauses at the end of this track.
The two bonus tracks are not part of the same performance and the recording is less good than on the rest of the album, but it's not that poor. "Sans Papier" (Witout Papers, a phrase which is referred to clandestine immigrants) is more jazzy and dramatic. It's a very good track which would have been better served by different recording devices. As counterpart, it has that "live" sound that makes it a good listening experience in any case.
The second bonus "Clementine" has more Avantgarde characteristics, specially because of the intro, but this doesn't mean that it's difficult for the listener. The rhythmic part played by the tuba and probably the baritone sax (I'm not so expert tho understand exactly which is the instrument which provides this sound) together with the percussions make a sort of "tarantella" and the minor chords on which the melody is based have a very Mediterranean flavor.
It's a 4 stars for me. I hope that a full length album is released soon as this is very promising.
As I have written, it's a pity that it's so short. When it finishes I'd like to have more. I think that I'll give a spin to MDK now.
Review by octopus-4. Collaborator RIO/Avant/Zeuhl Team

 This short album is a live recording of sax player Jilian Julien and his band of horns and drums.
The recording quality is a bit choppy, but the music more than makes up for it. I can't wait to hear what this band can do in a studio.
The songs are all rhythmically based, with the horns playing sort of in a marching band style. Except what they play would never be heard from a marching band. Wild leads, that sound similar to Ian Underwood's solos with Uncle Meat era Mothers Of Invention, fly over electronically treated trumpets, saxes and tubas. The result is like nothing I've ever heard before. But I love it!
Review by Evolver, special Collaborator Crossover & JazzRock/Fusion Teams

 Fractale's "Live Suranne" is a very accomplished musical concert experience that focuses on an extreme jazz fusion style merged with spacey effects.
It was recorded in 2008 at Zèbre de Belleville, Paris. The line up of the band is impressive in itself with virtuoso musicians that have a dynamic sound. Julian Julien, the key founder for the group, is a revelation on alto sax, Jon Lopez de Vicuna plays Electrified baryton sax, Vivien Philippot is on tenor sax, and together they generate a mesmirising quirky psych prog sound. The sax and violence of the jazz dominates throughout the concert and reminded me of fractured versions of early Van der Graaf Generator's Banton, and Mahavishnu Orchestra in places.
On the trumpets are Patrice Cazeneuve and Jennifer Quillet who create a storm of brass atmospherics. There are some innovative sounds made on the Electrified Tuba from Lorenz Steinmueller and it is all capped off by some outstanding percussion from Benjamin Vairon. The concert has a unique soundscape from beginning to end, the ruptured rhythms are brutally shattered across spacey Hawkwind like effects. At track three I was impressed with this spaceyness, it tends to build as the concert progresses. Some straight forward jazziness is really treated with a heavy hand as the trumpets blast out polyrhythmic notes, similar to Soft Machine. Staccato jabs of sax are intense, and especially the drumming metrical patterns that form anti-rhythmical shapes. The dark textures of the duel saxophones is as good as I have heard and as weird as Gong in places.
It is difficult music to get into at times due to the high emphasis of splintered cadence but it is compelling music nonetheless. I would like to hear a whole album rather than an EP, and perhaps some more structured music rather than improvisation. Soft Machine is not a band I can get into but I think Fractale have more to offer as far as the music is concerned. I am not a massive fan of this style of improvisational music, it is okay as a diversion from structured music, but I can appreciate the ferociously original approach, similar to Mahavishnu Orchestra or Gong. This one will definitely please the Zeuhl prog connoisseur and it is a delight to hear a different form of jazz played with passion and totally out of the box.
Review by AtomicCrimsonRush, special Collaborator Symphonic Team

 Fractale is a one man project (Julian Julien) and a collective musical ensemble on stage.
From a geometry-philosophical angle, the Fractale concept allows flourishing, proliferating particles / flux which can seriously be associated with the explosive multi-directional musical identity of this new Julian Julien project. Julian Julien already made a name on the underground psychout jazzy scene with a handful of official CDs releases such as Tuperware et bibelot (1998), Terre (2006) and Strange (2007). This new release entitled Suranné delivers a sonorous and cosmidelica trip through semi-improvised sessions largely devoted to brass sequences / soloing parts. The music is sustained by a dynamic-pulsating rockin accompaniment: great mention to the bass / drum sections as well to the textured moving electronics. Recorded live this album enables to appreciate the intuitive intensity and the musical communion between the musicians. The album starts with a tense-super catchy brass hymn, admitting some punchy "dramatic" / "spleen" alike grooves. The style is not so far from a few German acid jazzy rock combos despite that the influence comes from classichighly acclaimed bands. The album carries on with a nebulous-spiralling synthesized / heavy-fuzzing brass dialogue, intriguing and enigmatic at the same time, always very groovy with a spacious cosmic electronic approach. Just before to listen to the two bonus tracks, this improvised session is closed with a superb cinematic-retro-ish musical "march", quite languorous and emotive. A pleasant listening experience and way recommended for fans of Soft Machine, Sun Ra (?) and those who are into the perpetual jamming heavy psych-jazz of Et Cetera, Alcatraz and more recently the Japanese of Ghost.
Review by philippe, special Collaborator Content Development & Krautrock Team

 Now for something a little different... Suranne is the debut live EP of French saxophonist Julian Julien's group Fractale.
He has released some solo studio albums previously but this is the first release of his new group. Julian studied classical music before discovering Jazz and, later, progressive rock. This project was originally inspired by the Javier Marias book "Tomorrow In Battle, Think Of Me." There is in fact a lot of inspiration from books and film on the music of Fractale. Some of the musical ideas were taken from background music in some films for example.
The music of Fractale is entirely instrumental and features just wind instruments (sax, trumpet, tuba, etc.) and drums. However, the baritone sax and tuba are electric and put through effects pedals. In addition, Julian has pre-programmed sounds playing from his laptop while the band plays in time to those sounds. If this wasn't a live recording you might be fooled into thinking it was somebody playing a synth. The music itself is generally lively and is maybe too jazz to be considered rock and too rock to be considered jazz. The laptop adds a welcome spacey element to the proceedings. The rhythm is more of a rock or funk type most of the time. The wind instruments make great interplay with each other but rarely solo as such.
This music is tightly composed and leaves little room for improvisation; that is one of the things it has in common with Zeuhl. The rhythms are fairly Magma-esque, but unlike the majority of Zeuhl, vocals and bass guitar have no place here. Stated influences include Miles Davis, Soft Machine, Pink Floyd and Genesis. Now the last two throw people off, but I detect some influence from the horn-heavy Atom Heart Mother. The spacey vibes puts the music more in a Gong vein. For a jazz-rock oriented group they tend to stick to a groove, as 12 opposed to many fusion groups who try to be as technical as possible. The sound is decent but not crystal clear; this music must be more powerful being in the audience.
The first five tracks were recorded in 2008, I'm not sure when the other two were. The last two tracks are sonically inferior to the main five tracks. Those five do not have a title and are presented not in any kind of numerical order. On Youtube there are also videos of the group performing numbered pieces not on this EP. The two recording dates contain slightly different line-ups and instrumentation. "Partie VI" is the shortest track and may be more improv oriented. "Partie V" is the longest track of the main five and is probably the highlight of the whole EP. A little bit more spacey than the other tracks.
The first bonus track "Sans papiers" is a highlight and is generally a very upbeat and happy sounding song for the most part. Some actual soloing here. "Clementine" is more chamberprog sounding compared to the rest of the EP. Great guitar-like solo from I don't know which instrument. The electronics here benefit the song. This is a mix of Zeuhl (both the darker, rhythm heavy as well as the lighter, soulful variety), spacey electronics, jazz-rock and a little bit of avant-prog. I really like the cover and pictures of fractals in general. I enjoyed this music very much and hope they record a proper studio album in the near future. A studio recording will not improve the performance but will give the music clarity and an extra punch. Recommended to Zeuhl fans, although don't expect any vocals or roaring bass.

 Julian Julien introducing his new venture Fractale.....
Actions speaks louder than words. In particular in the music business which is rich on hype and poor on substance and action. I believe Julian Julien has understood this by releasing a live album with his new band instead of just hyping it up. Actually, Julian Julien has not hyped Fractale at all to my knowledge. I really like this approach ! It is really an approach more bands should take instead of twenty on the dozens hypes. Live Suranne is a demo(nstration release) by approach and intent.
Fractale has been put in the Zeuhl label and that is probably right too. But I as a fan of the jazzier side of the Canterbury scene does find a lot of pleasures on this album too. The music is dominated by alto sax and other woodwinds. The music is a blend of Latin-American jazz, Zeuhl and some Balkan jazz. That and RIO too. The chamber rock orchestra vibe from the RIO scene is clearly there. The melodies are both accessible and avant-garde at the same time. The sound is very good too.
Very good is the verdict I would give this album. Fractale still has some work to do before they are where they want to be. But this demonstration of their intentions still promises a lot and I am sure they will extract the last percentages and become a force to be reckoned with. In the meantime; this is a release well worth investing in.
Review by toroddfuglesteg, special Collaborator Interview

 And how little remains of each individual in time, useless as slippery snow, how little trace remains of anything, and how much of that little is never talked about, and, afterwards, one remembers only a tiny fraction of what was said, and then only briefly?
Extract from « Tomorrow in the battle think on me » by Javier Marias. These words are written in the liner notes, and to a guy like me, it really gets my imagination firing.
Fractalé is what I´d call a philosophical sonic rendition of time and how slippery this sucker is. The spaces between spaces, and the creation of music in a place that´s indifferent to the perception of time. Like other reviewers have commented on, the only thing about this release relegated to time, is perhaps the lack of minutes. I personally want more of this stuff!
This work is almost entirely made up of wind instruments. 3 saxophones, 2 trumpets and a tuba! Add to this enchanting image, some drums and the odd percussive snaps, and if I´m not mistaken some underlying synthesizers bubbling beautifully from underneath.
This album took me completely off guard! I was expecting some Teutonic Magmaesque flavoured fusion, and much to my surprise I was met by what truly sounds like Duke Ellington on shrooms playing Zeuhl!
The piece Fractalé was written by Julian Julien, who also handles the alto saxophone. There´s a sneaky facet to the way these wind instruments are handled, and at times they sound like some mischievous back alley soundtrack - tiptoeing elegantly through dark and brooding streets like a black cat dancing ballet with Lucifer himself.
Going through different pastures of tempers, ranging from some rather esoteric electronic landscapes with the synths forming like small swampy puddles on the base of the music, and these old school big band sweeps of jazzy flavourings - to the towering creatures of sound created by those very same instruments, now snarling and buzzing like gigantic humming bees shouting out in alternating choirs. The whole feel of this live serving by Fractalé strikes me as an unbelievably original take on the theme from Top Cat mixed up with some spacey evil sounding flutters of psychedelic oscillations.
It could be an epilogue of time itself - encapsulating the final chapter of this rather unfathomable concept, which in itself should be quite a handful, but to these ears - Live Suranné stands like a masterly conducted piece of revitalized big band music - played in a way that would make good old Duke soil himself.
Like I said: I want more!!!
Review by Guldbamsen, collaborator Progressive Electronic Team

 When bandleader Julian Julien contacted me asking if I would be interested in doing a review, he described his music as influenced by Magma, Genesis, and Zappa. That's enough to intrigue any prog fan, and Fractale's "Live Suranne" certainly lives up to its influences. While Magma definitely comes through the most (to my ears at least) this is such a dynamic and sonically diverse album that I hesitate to even call it pure Zeuhl. This is some kind of avant-spaced out jazz fusion, and if that's not an interesting combination of genres then I don't know what is. Rambling aside, this live album is a great listen and certainly one of the more interesting things I've heard in a while.
"Partie XV" starts the album off on an energetic note, with some excellent horn work that reminds a bit of a smoother Magma; much less percussive and militaristic sounding but no less compelling. Fractale has a very unique sound that is really highlighted on this track; so much that I struggle to find comparison. Sections almost have a big-band sound to them, but the whole thing has such a zeuhl mentality that the end product here is really quite unlike much that I've ever heard.
"Partie VI" is a bit of a more psychedelic track, a bit like a much trippier Magma with some spacey effects thrown in for good measure. It's much more languid than "Partie XV," but no less compelling, as it's two minutes sound very melodic but also completely avant-garde and "out-there." My only complaint with this one is that I wish it was longer!
"Partie V" starts off on yet another note, with some very cool synth-sounding atmospheres starting off the track before a rather dark horn line enters. This track feels to me like it could serve very well as the background music to an extraterrestrial film noir (how's that for a comparison?), as the whole track has a very dark, jazzy feel to it that feels very alien at the same time. This track I think highlights one of Fractale's greatest strength's, which is their ability to play incredibly "out-there" music while not losing one whit of musical cohesiveness or completeness of idea. The backing notes (I think it's a keyboard, but I don't see one listed in the credits so I'm not sure how the sound is made) really help to differentiate Fractale's brand of Avant-Space-Jazz from the harsh, punctuated zeuhl sound of a lot of other groups. One of my favorite tracks on the album.
"Partie XVI" has a heavier sound that really highlights the variety of sound that these players are able to get from their instruments. "Partie XVI" features a very cool low rhythm line from what I'm assuming must be the electrified tuba, and as with all these tracks features some very dynamic, expression filled soloing on top. This is one of the more uptempo tracks and it's very impressive how tight the band sounds considering that this is a live album. These guys and gals are clearly very talented and very disciplined players.
"Partie XVIII" is a much slower, more somber track, almost having the feel of a funeral dirge. The main melodic line almost has a spaghetti-western type feel to it, though the very interesting textures backing it up give it a totally unique and interesting sound. The track's pacing is very good, and despite its brevity it's a great conclusion for the main sequence of tracks on the album.
There's more though, as the bonus tracks are excellent as well. "Sans Papiers" almost has a flamenco flavor to it, which combined with the obvious Zeuhl influences make this an incredibly compelling track to listen to. There's some very jazzy soloing toward the end as well. The recording on this bonus track doesn't sound as pristine as the main sequence of the album but it certainly doesn't detract from the sound and, in my opinion, actually adds to the atmosphere.
"Clementine" is the other bonus track provided here. It starts with some distorted horn sounds before transitioning into a horn melody that reminds me of, of all things, Tchaikovsky. It has a very "eastern-folk" feel to it, which really highlights the astounding range of influence on this album. "Clementine" is a bit sparser and more repetition based than the other tracks on the album, but it's definitely still an engaging listen and a fun track to end on.
Overall, this live album from Fractale is an excellent (if a bit short) offering and one that I would highly recommend. I really haven't heard anything this diverse in quite some time and I tremendously look forward to hopefully hearing more from this group.
Review by VanVanVan

 I'll be honest, because I'm an honest fellow; upon being summoned by this group, Fractale, to listen to and review this album, I was not expecting anything special at all and had low hopes (I'm typically the pessimist type). To my great surprise, Suranne turned out to be an absolutely wonderful listen and has started off this new year with a positive note (though this isn't a 2012 recording).
I'm usually not so satisfied with the noisy and super-active post-bop or avant-garde jazz improv artists that are very popular because it only comes off as just that: noisy improvisation. Improvisation obviously works great with jazz, and being able to improvise well says a lot about the musicians, but I mostly have a taste for song-based jazz that sticks to a memorable riff and has tasteful and sparse improvisation as an additive. On Suranne, Fractale play a very memorable, dark, forceful, and somehow very smooth type of jazz that is very reminiscent of the earlier French jazz-rock style of zeuhl, but eshews the imperialistic chanting or operatic vocals and instead focuses on the jazz aspect. Though the tracks themselves are memorable and relatively simple, the tasteful and reserved improvisation is obvious, and the fact that these musicians are able to play in such a reserved style while still proving that their musicianship is impeccable really speaks to me as a listener and shows that these musicians are definitely highly skilled in their craft.
To compare the music on Suranne to other artists or albums, I'd have to say that the music here has a similar tone and infectious grooving tendency as Weidorje's only album albeit less distorted and with more emphasis on horns. There is also a considerable touch of kosmische electronic music that really adds to the overall dark, unearthly mysteriousness of this album. I'm definitely no expert on trumpet, but the tone and overall playing of the trumpets present here almost sound comparable to a much more energetic Mathias Eick, which is a huge compliment. In comparison to other style of jazz: this album sounds like equal parts zeuhl, jazz-fusion, and nu-jazz.
The only problem that I have with this album is that it is too short (just over 27 minutes), but this isn't entirely bad; the short length has me craving more, and I'll be willing to jump instantly at the chance to listen to Fractale's next release. Very well done, very impressive jazz.
Review by colorofmoney91

 Julian Julien composes and plays music with his band, Fractale. Here he releases a live album (which I presume is his first Fractale release), called "Surann'", which was recorded in Paris at "Zebre de Belleville". Aside from shows in Paris, Julian says they travelled in the USA in 2009 (Baltimore, NYC, Chicago and Atlanta).
This release is quite short and to the point. The music is upbeat, jolly and accessible. Though uncredited, there are small embellishments of electronic sounds that add a mysterious flavour to the music. The sound is pretty good for a live show, particularly on the first 5 tracks. The last two tracks are of lower sound quality.
To give you an idea about the music, here's the instrumentation:
First 5 tracks lineup: 3 saxophones (alto, tenor and baritone), 2 trumpets, 1 tuba and drums. 16 Last two track lineup: 4 saxophones (alto, soprano and two baritones), 2 trumpets, 1 clarinet, 1 tuba and drums.
While I dislike making comparisons to other bands and stating influences, I have to say that the minute I started listening to this, I was reminded of Miriodor's sound and style. That frisky and humorous brand of music that also incorporates saxophone, trumpet and trombone. Julian states their influences to be Soft Machine, Pink Floyd, John Surman. As I'm only familiar with the first two, I can only say that I don't hear their influences in the music on this album. This sounds like a brass big-band playing lively tunes. There are two pieces that are without drums and include electronic sounds that are more abstract in nature, though the saxophone leads the way, preventing the melody from losing focus. Those are nice interludes and experimentations that contrast nicely the vibe of the other compositions. Partie V is a nice combination of the two sides of the band; the brass-dominated aggressive side and the spacier and electronics-dominated element. This is a direction I'd like to hear Fractale take and develop.
This is a self-released and limited live release and so considering this, I think this is a good product. But I hope Julian can get to record another release with more tracks and consistent sound quality.
Review by avestin, Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

 This terse live album offers a quirky blend of instrumental big band and psychedelic effects. The first piece is the most accessible, and reminds me of a high school band at a pep rally (I assure the reader that I do not mean this derogatorily- I have many fond experiences of such ensembles). The second piece is far more bizarre, with strange psychedelic noises not unlike those found in Genesis' "The Waiting Room." The third blends both into an exercise of experimental yet structured jazz. The fourth part is more straightforward power jazz with layers of brass. Up next is a more plodding, darker tune that borrows a bit from Latin music. The first bonus track has a backing riff that in tone reminds me of ELO, while the soloing over it is more traditional funk. The second will appeal to those who enjoy Henry Cow. "Partie XV" is the best of the bunch for me.t, jolly and accessible. Though uncredited, there are small embellishments of electronic sounds that add a mysterious flavour to the music. The sound is pretty good for a live show, particularly on the first 5 tracks. The last two tracks are of lower sound quality.
To give you an idea about the music, here's the instrumentation:
Review by Epignosis, special Collaborator Eclectic Prog Team

 Julian Julien of Fractale contacted me along with several other progarchives reviewers to solicit our opinions on this debut release by the band. For my part, I'm favourably impressed (and I'm not just saying that because they flattered me with the invitation to review their music - Nurkostam were the last group who asked me to review their stuff and I was far from positive about their output). When the opening track started I thought this had been misfiled - the musical style presented sounded to me a lot like straight jazz. But as the composition progressed I noted a mysterious, dark presence lurking in the composition, as well as a few foreboding rhythms that put me in mind of Magma. The second track, with its psychedelic freakout opening, cemented the connection still further.
What the band have accomplished is to produce a hybrid progressive fusion/Zeuhl style of music based almost entirely on brass instruments; whilst some synthesisers can be heard here and there, at other times the only accompaniment to the six (!) brass players the band brings to bear is drummer Benjamin Vairon. But with six different varieties of brass instruments being played by a range of talented performers, the sound of the group is a lot more diverse and versatile than one might expect. This brief live EP is a fun listen which has made me appreciate just what is possible with the approach Fractale have chosen, and I eagerly await more from this innovative and novel grouping.
Review by Warthur, collaborator Crossover Team

 Some time ago I was asked by french musician Julian Julien if I would like to listen to the new album of his progressive jazz band named Fractale.
The name of the album is "Surann' - Live", and as it's said in the title, the whole album is recorded while live performances.
I have to say that I didn't realise that it was really a live album after I heard some claps at the end of the first song. The sound quality it's so good that it could be released as a studio album instead.
I was told about the influences of the album, including bands like Pink Floyd and Magma. And it was right, because the sound of both those bands can be recognise in the album. The space rock psychedelic music from Pink Floyd and the great jazz sound from Magma. So I would finally describe this band as an Experimental Jazz one. It's and album that every jazz fanatic should like, with great trumpets riffs and improvisations from all the instruments.
I personally really liked it since the very beginning and it would be great for everyone, including Julian and his band, that more people could know about this. It's a pity that the sound of some great bands like this one gets lost due to the mainstream sound which big music business needs to be listened. I hope Fractale gets as high as it can in music industry.
Review by Paleoprog

 Julian Julien's group based on large brass ensemble supported by drums whip out their release debut as live recording. The stands as a great way of presenting new music, giving a very convincing first impression on the performers, and allowing to hear the real interaction of players.
The music has quite clear themes, multiple harmonies in structured and controlled musical entity, pulsing on tunnel of rhythmic groove, and enriched by myriad details of instrumental solo decorations. More traditional jazzy tones merge to cosmic electronics, introduced on the spacey second track, and later hovering around the compositions as a fully adopted aural element. The Suranné suite evolves from the upright start and ethereal celestial moment towards more anticipating feelings, both cosmological surroundings and earthbound lead themes circling each other. The intense growth of composition is honored with fine tight arrangements, and sharp concentrated playing.
Though the cover picture and group's name gave me some chaotic association, the music is very coherent, improvised variations bursting as logical branches supporting the main compositions. I actually studied the booklet quite much before starting to listen, and I think this affected my experience and thoughts on the album decisively. The pictures within seem as glimpses of life, and the theoretic time qualities of fractal mathematics and contemplations of Javier Marias were declared as philosophic basis of this music. Forming my own understanding to this, which might deviate from the artists intentions, the song chapters and their musical progression started to appear following the logics of human lifespan; most early chapters like memories of childhood missing, and the last movements growing longer, stagnant, and separate from the most concentrated and intense middle sections... So I thought the word "Live" on the album title could have another larger semiotic meaning for this release, in addition of describing the recording method on stage. From the quotes of the book mentioned as inspiration, I found some correlations with essays of cosmological and quantum physic writes, referring to reductionism as quality of consciousness observing the information from human senses. I have found all kinds of approaches to metaphysics as interesting attempts to try reach answers for the fundamental questions of life's true essence, and I recognize art as one of the most interesting channels to this quest man almost seems to be made of. From the void of energy fields ghostly flickering shapes emerge, these fusing together, creating units and functions which meaning might be only a creation in minds of performer and listeners; however these sensations are factual to the entities in the world, and though man's created fractures in time might not be infinite like the theoretical mathematic forms of chaos, they are permanent on human life scale, like this pleasant evening on Suranné caught to the tapes.
The two bonus tracks outside this concept have slightly different lineup, and the sound quality on these earlier captures from Paris aren't as good as on the main tracks. However stylistically being quite similar, these pleasant brass lounging colored by the electronic aural illuminations document the progress of this fine French cosmic brass rock group.
Review by Eetu Pellonpää, Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

 This is a short but wonderful EP that can be easily loved by any progressive rock fan.
And it is not common that I start with a phrase like that, actually I would finish my review with it, but this time I did it the other way around because I have truly enjoyed this album every single time I’ve listened to it, and believe me, there have been at least 10 so far. Fractale is the project of French sax player Julian Julien, who with the help of some friends and of course high-quality musicians have created a wonderful mixture of rock fusion with spacey textures.
This EP entitled “Suranné” consists of five live pieces which does not really have a name, and two bonus tracks. Actually, and it is worth mentioning, this is like a taste of Fractale’s sound, since Julien have created a bunch of songs that can (and should) be listened in a row, without any distraction, in order to have the feeling of being reading a book or watching a movie, I mean, the images created by the music are countless, all depends on the listener.
“Suranné” sadly is pretty short, I always have that empty space where I am asking for more, but as I said, this is only a taste of their sound, and what a taste! It opens with “Partie XV”, and since the fist seconds we will listen to that jazz oriented sound, with lots of wind instruments, percussion and synthesizers. The music is really friendly; it will put a smile on you, and surely will make you move your body. I cannot help but enjoying it.
“Partie VI” has a slower rhythm, but it is full of atmospheres and spacey effects that in moments remind me of Daevid Allen’s Gong. This also sounds like an improvisation, and it is the shortest piece of the album.
“Partie V” is wonderful, with a rich blend of winds and electronic elements that together create new images, atmospheres and nuances. The different trumpets and saxophones do not really sound jammed, them all sound clean and clear, one can easily recognize each one of them. This is one of my favorite tracks!
With “Partie XVI” the band follows the same line, but this time they have quite an addictive sound. The name of Gong springs to my mind once again, which does not mean I am comparing them, not at all, but they might have been an influence. You will have four minutes of addiction, of craziness and adventure, but the sad thing is that it all of a sudden finishes, when you are totally caught by its sound.
The concert part finishes with “Partie XVIII” which is another cool song, but with a slower and more melancholic sound, like announcing the end. I would have really loved to hear more of this bunch of live parts, it would be a complete trip. The last two additional songs are “Sans Papiers” and “Clementine” which together make the final ten minutes of this EP. The road is practically the same, cool and addictive rhythms, excellent blend of jazz with space and electronic elements; wonderful winds and constant drums.
What a pity it ends so soon, but well, the only thing I can do is waiting for a full-length release and why not, to see them live someday.
Highly recommendable! Enjoy it!
Review by memowakeman, special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

 Julian Julien's group based on large brass ensemble supported by drums whip out their release debut as live recording. The stands as a great way of presenting new music, giving a very convincing first impression on the performers, and allowing to hear the real interaction of players.
The music has quite clear themes, multiple harmonies in structured and controlled musical entity, pulsing on tunnel of rhythmic groove, and enriched by myriad details of instrumental solo decorations. More traditional jazzy tones merge to cosmic electronics, introduced on the spacey second track, and later hovering around the compositions as a fully adopted aural element. The Suranné suite evolves from the upright start and ethereal celestial moment towards more anticipating feelings, both cosmological surroundings and earthbound lead themes circling each other. The intense growth of composition is honored with fine tight arrangements, and sharp concentrated playing.
Though the cover picture and group's name gave me some chaotic association, the music is very coherent, improvised variations bursting as logical branches supporting the main compositions. I actually studied the booklet quite much before starting to listen, and I think this affected my experience and thoughts on the album decisively. The pictures within seem as glimpses of life, and the theoretic time qualities of fractal mathematics and contemplations of Javier Marias were declared as philosophic basis of this music. Forming my own understanding to this, which might deviate from the artists intentions, the song chapters and their musical progression started to appear following the logics of human lifespan; most early chapters like memories of childhood missing, and the last movements growing longer, stagnant, and separate from the most concentrated and intense middle sections... So I thought the word "Live" on the album title could have another larger semiotic meaning for this release, in addition of describing the recording method on stage. From the quotes of the book mentioned as inspiration, I found some correlations with essays of cosmological and quantum physic writes, referring to reductionism as quality of consciousness observing the information from human senses. I have found all kinds of approaches to metaphysics as interesting attempts to try reach answers for the fundamental questions of life's true essence, and I recognize art as one of the most interesting channels to this quest man almost seems to be made of. From the void of energy fields ghostly flickering shapes emerge, these fusing together, creating units and functions which meaning might be only a creation in minds of performer and listeners; however these sensations are factual to the entities in the world, and though man's created fractures in time might not be infinite like the theoretical mathematic forms of chaos, they are permanent on human life scale, like this pleasant evening on Suranné caught to the tapes.
The two bonus tracks outside this concept have slightly different lineup, and the sound quality on these earlier captures from Paris aren't as good as on the main tracks. However stylistically being quite similar, these pleasant brass lounging colored by the electronic aural illuminations document the progress of this fine French cosmic brass rock group.
Review by Eetu Pellonpää, Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

This is a short but wonderful EP that can be easily loved by any progressive rock fan.
And it is not common that I start with a phrase like that, actually I would finish my review with it, but this time I did it the other way around because I have truly enjoyed this album every single time I’ve listened to it, and believe me, there have been at least 10 so far. Fractale is the project of French sax player Julian Julien, who with the help of some friends and of course high-quality musicians have created a wonderful mixture of rock fusion with spacey textures.
This EP entitled “Suranné” consists of five live pieces which does not really have a name, and two bonus tracks. Actually, and it is worth mentioning, this is like a taste of Fractale’s sound, since Julien have created a bunch of songs that can (and should) be listened in a row, without any distraction, in order to have the feeling of being reading a book or watching a movie, I mean, the images created by the music are countless, all depends on the listener.
“Suranné” sadly is pretty short, I always have that empty space where I am asking for more, but as I said, this is only a taste of their sound, and what a taste! It opens with “Partie XV”, and since the fist seconds we will listen to that jazz oriented sound, with lots of wind instruments, percussion and synthesizers. The music is really friendly; it will put a smile on you, and surely will make you move your body. I cannot help but enjoying it.
“Partie VI” has a slower rhythm, but it is full of atmospheres and spacey effects that in moments remind me of Daevid Allen’s Gong. This also sounds like an improvisation, and it is the shortest piece of the album.
“Partie V” is wonderful, with a rich blend of winds and electronic elements that together create new images, atmospheres and nuances. The different trumpets and saxophones do not really sound jammed, them all sound clean and clear, one can easily recognize each one of them. This is one of my favorite tracks!
With “Partie XVI” the band follows the same line, but this time they have quite an addictive sound. The name of Gong springs to my mind once again, which does not mean I am comparing them, not at all, but they might have been an influence. You will have four minutes of addiction, of craziness and adventure, but the sad thing is that it all of a sudden finishes, when you are totally caught by its sound.
The concert part finishes with “Partie XVIII” which is another cool song, but with a slower and more melancholic sound, like announcing the end. I would have really loved to hear more of this bunch of live parts, it would be a complete trip.
The last two additional songs are “Sans Papiers” and “Clementine” which together make the final ten minutes of this EP. The road is practically the same, cool and addictive rhythms, excellent blend of jazz with space and electronic elements; wonderful winds and constant drums.
What a pity it ends so soon, but well, the only thing I can do is waiting for a full-length release and why not, to see them live someday.
Highly recommendable! Enjoy it!
Guillermo Hernández Urdapilleta October 27, 2011

 Interview by Prog Archives
If I have got this right, you started Fractale after releasing two solo albums Terre (in 2000) and Strange (in 2007). Why go from being a solo artist to the stress of starting up a band ?
I really love the idea of working on two different projects which are different and yet complement each other at the same time. Having written and produced three albums, I realized that there wasn’t enough saxophone in my albums. Above all, I like to take risks and to go on new adventures. Day-to-day life is boring which is where I got the idea of a learning tour which from the start was aimed at live music.
I do not know your solo albums. But what is the difference style wise between your solo output and Fractale's music ?
With my self-produced solo albums, I tell stories in my own way with quite evocative titles like “ L’attente (Waiting)”, “Terre (Earth)” and “Strange”. The idea was to start with a colour or a feeling to then make an array of sounds. With Fractale I wanted to emphasize the present moment instead, like the old Kodak. Without thinking, without knowing where it would lead me. It’s like an Indian with an enormous number of spices in the sauce… so light… It’s like Soft Machine had begun to dance with Mingus or if Tom Waits was drinking a beer with Pink Floyd. So no metaphysical questioning just a pure energy. However, unlike previous albums, I was inspired by a book by Javier Marias, (a Spanish writer). Afterwards, I wanted to create additional bridges and excursions to other universes. In literature I like Moravia, Buzzati, Hermann Hesse, Colum Mc Cann or Asimov in science fiction. I am also a big comics fan, especially Corto Maltese, De Crecy, Boucq and above all any ‘Strange’ from programs sixty to a hundred and ten. Ah! The death of Captain Marvel, great moment… Cinema too with directors like Kubrick and Ettore Scola. Fellini nurtured me and influenced me a lot. Finally, I would say that Fractale is at a crossroads of several worlds and currents coming from the Prog but I don’t want to redo or copy what has already been done in the past. I think that at best the result would be average. However, it seems to me to be more creative to divert the big sounds, (Magma), or colours, (Pink Floyd), in order to reshape them to my needs. That’s where the work on the notion of time comes from. There’s no song titles on purpose but instead numbered tracks that ask questions and answer them. In fact, I think it’s ambitious as a project but that’s what makes it exciting.
The first sign of life from Fractale was a live album called Live Suranné which saw the light last year. Please tell us more about this live album and why the debut album is a live album.
Yes, I know it sounds weird to have a live album before a studio album but in fact after ‘Strange’, where I spent an incredible amount of time in the studio, I really wanted to play. So the quickest way was to organize concerts and then to play, play! Then the choice of songs came naturally thanks to my eighth musician, Guillaume, the sound engineer. For the future, I wrote more than twenty compositions that we have already played on stage and which bring lots of surprises. (Electro Ambient or 70’s Disco) So once again, we have new directions but instead ones that open new doors and new horizons from a common base. In the end, Fractale wants to be a timeless sonic creation; past, present and future form a whole. This is a distortion in time; a Fractale.
What have you been up to since the recording of that album and what is both yours and Fractale's plans for next year ?
Since then we’ve done a dozen dates in the US, (Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, New York), and played at Sunset in Paris. For our tour, the welcome was very warm and I admire the level of musicians over there. It was impressive both technically and the level of composition. In the future, I will be working on my next solo album, (Terre II), and going into the studio with Fractale for the next album which will, I hope, be the first of many.
How is the music scene in France these days and do you find it easy to get gigs ?
In France, everything is complicated; you know how it is in our culture. Everything takes time… Next year, we’ve got quite a few projects and some good contacts for the festival season, mostly abroad.
To wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this interview ?
I’d like to thank Philippe Blache from the bottom of my heart for all his precious help as well as all my musicians. A big thanks to Torodd for this interview too.

Fractale : Live – Surrané (2010)
Artist : Fractale
Album : LIVE – Surrané
Released Date : 2010
Label : A Bout De Son
It’s true that music is one of the most important entertaining media. But some creative artists can exploit it much more than that. These geniuses often create a window to go back in time, a vehicle to go across musical layers that seldom visited, or even to give a sonical experience into the other dimension. What’s more amazing is that many of them keep the entertaining factor at the same time. In such a case we have Julian Julien, a saxophonist, composer and band leader who also stands as a classical music professor coming from France. Some time in 2010 he released an album entitled LIVE – “Suranné”, which could be ‘shocking’ to whoever listen and might as well change their perception musically with his ensemble called Fractale.
Julien is someone who can bring his musical backgrounds, experiences, likings and fantasies altogether, creating such a concept that we might have never thought and listened before. It’s like a case of how a dangerous mind is used positively to make something new and challenging. Julian learned classic at the Conservatoire National de la Region in Paris. Later on he realized that he wanted to explore more notes’ variations and discover new horizons. By having that in mind, he made his encounter with jazz. Somewhere down the line, he should be a big fan of classic progressive rock too, as reflected in many parts of this album.
Soon after the release of his third solo album entitled “Strange” he established his new band called Fractale. “I just wanted to do exactly the opposite of my previous album.. I wanted to make a live band and did a lot of show. I didn’t want to do the recordings in the studio too soon.” he said. It was about time for Julien, since the first two albums of him were deeply dipped in classical, while for the third one he went on showing his electro flavor. In making up this fourth album, being loose was what he kept in mind. “I just wanted to enjoy myself! I wanted to use the brass differently to have another different kind of sound.” he continued. And the outcome appeared as something so unique and different. Call it a creativity, Julien does surely know how to bring the most of it.
The word Fractale refers to geometric patterns/objects that are repeated at ever smaller scales to create irregular shapes or fragmentation, something that can never be represented by the normal geometry. It’s not a usual name to choose, but he got the idea from 22 a 1994 published novel of Javier Marias, Mañana en La Batalla Piensa en Mí (Tomorrow in the Battle: Think of Me). Julien personally picked the quote that inspired him from that book: “And how little remains of each individual in time, useless as slippery snow, how little trace remains of anything and how much of that little is never talked about, and, afterwards, one remembers only a tiny fraction of what was said, and then only briefly..” Julien explained: “Fractale is directly inspired by that book. Its genesis is time, fragmented or not. The black back of time, the one we see and the one we live, the one we perceive, the one we conceive, the one we guess or sense. Fractale is an irregularity through time and it is meant to be so. That’s the reason why there is a work about sonorous masses (as opposed to “times”) and shape (in reference to rock and jazz).” And now this concept has brought alive by the release of Julian Julien’s fourth album or the first album as Fractale, “Suranné”.
“Suranné” was recorded live on February 18, 2008 at Zèbre de Belleville, Paris, with two bonus tracks from 2010. The band consists of Julian Julien (alto saxophone/composition), Michael Havard (sopran saxophone), Yann Lupu (trumpet), Jennifer Quillet (trumpet), Laurent Dessaints (baritone saxophone), Xavier Sibre (clarinet and baritone saxophone on the last bonus track Clémentine), Lorenz Steinmueller (tuba) and François Favreau (drums). As you can see, the septet formation is dominated by the winds instruments (horns/brasses) to bring this new experience of sound into reality. It’s something that we don’t hear often, but Julien and the band managed to keep the listener’s attention with rhythmical and melodical approach at the same time. While letting us entering the new musical dimension, Fractale also gives the cinematic, literature and surrealistic experiences clash together by tributing various music shapes.
Julian Julien basically describes his music as “progressive rock with winds”. He also said that he leans towards the progressive rock with wind instruments, pedals and effects. But he clearly doesn’t stop there. Within his music he also presents the elements of jazz from funk, progressive jazz to experimental and also some world music ambiences from Latin to the Aborigine rhythmical accents. You can get some atmosphere of Pink Floyd, the early Genesis or the English legendary prog-rock group Yes. In some other parts you get the high octane improvisations a la Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie et compagne. Fractale also represents the adventurous Space Rock territory and the vintage movie soundtracks from 60s or 70s all over the compositions. It can sound eerie in some parts, but in other parts the music can sound rich in melody, challenging, and even provocative. Sometimes they are like taking you inside strange, unknown space exploration, some other times the music appears infectious that will make you at least tap your feet if not grooving along the rhythm. Julien inherits Frank Zappa‘s wild experimental mind in creativity, 23 only Julien makes ‘much friendlier’ melodies and approaches. Another very important thing to mention is the decision of mostly depending on wind instruments. While most of the bands highly depend on guitar and piano/keyboards, Julien shows that he can still make a brilliant music without using these instruments. It’s difficult to find any similar artists, since the concept is indeed original.
In writing up the compositions, Julien did it in a democratic way. He made up the partitions, played it first, and then discussed it with his fellow musicians. Interestingly he didn’t find it important to make wordy titles for the tracks. Instead, he let them appear to be in numbered parts which were not made in order. Every part opens the door to something else, some of these parts started with almost the same intro but then headed to different directions. Eventhough Julien came from Classical discipline; he loves to have the essence of jazz, the so-called improvisations in. Altogether, these fragmented elements in the end painted the whole picture.
The album starts with “Partie XV” where we can feel the strong traditional funk-based rhythm layered the grandeur winds parade. A 2:57 minute opening is enough for Fractale to give an introduction of their music. Move on to the second track “Partie VI”, Julien demonstrates the deep, dark and mysterious ambient of space music that can make the astronauts hold their breath instantly. After this comes the glittery flowing “Partie V”. Funk is back on this one by still holding on to the space rock from the previous track plus more melodious tunes inside. The intensity rises in the next song, “Partie XVI”. This time Julien leads the ensemble to make a visit to the vintage 60?s- 70?s movie scores, the sound of action from TV series to James Bond and the likes during that era, enriched with the Latin sounds brought by the trumpets. Uniquely, this track also includes the full freedom of improvisation through a saxophone. All of these are presented only in a 4:31 minute track.
The cinematic experience continues on with “Partie XVIII” where we can feel the kind of scores from the fine works of Italian cinematic masters such as Federico Fellini, Ettore Scola or the collaboration of movie director Sergio Leone and composer Ennio Morricone in those classic’ Spaghetti Western’ movies. Near the end, the space trip music appears again to conclude the whole parts served in this album. Two bonus tracks are included. The first one is “Sans Papiers” which appears in the 70?s disco beat, reminding us of Walter Murphy & Big Apple Band‘s classic, “A Fifth of Beethoven” which came out in the 1977?s Saturday Night Fever movie. Again the wild exploring saxophone sound can be heard in this one. Imagine of having Coltrane in a disco beat with brass section behind him, that’s the feeling of 24 this stunning track. Finally the album ends with Clémentine. The melody is created by combining some Asian ethnical music like Japanese to a little Middle Eastern. This song comes in syncopatic tune and rhythmical bouncy.
Fractale’s first album LIVE – Suranné stands out in its originality, creativity and braveness. Six wind players plus one drummer have opened up a new dimension of surrealistic world through their ‘strange’ music. It’s a quite short length album which runs only 27:20 minutes, but nonetheless it’s more than enough to demonstrate the out-of-the-world concept which came from Julian Julien’s mind. Though it’s shorter than the normal duration of an album, there are so many things offered in this one that can span our horizon and experience in listening. As a famous quote cited from Pierre Corneille said: “A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire” (to win without risk is a triumph without glory), Julian Julien dared to take the risk and came out as a winner. Sited somewhere between jazz and rock, with some world music nuances, space rock/music where cinema and literature became the inspirational elements, Fractale’s Suranné gives something new into the music world. It’s an electrifying wind instruments’ showdown at its best, it’s mind-bending. An album you must have if you have the adventurous spirit and are into the bizarre, surrealistic and originally challenging different music concept. C’est magnifique.
“Au final, Fractale se veut être une création sonore indifférente au temps ; passé, présent, futur forment alors un tout. Ainsi se crée une distorsion dans le temps : une Fractale.” (“In the end, Fractale is meant to be a sonorous creation which is indifferent to time. Past, present and future form a whole. Therefore a distortion in time is created – a fractal.”) – Julian Julien
Fractale are: Julian Julien (alto saxophone/composition) Michael Havard (sopran saxophone) Yann Lupu (trumpet) Jennifer Quillet (trumpet) Laurent Dessaints (baritone saxophone) Xavier Sibre (clarinet and baritone saxophone on Clémentine) Lorenz Steinmueller (tuba) François Favreau (drums) For more info, log on to Fractale’s official myspace and Julian Julien’s website, and follow
Fractale’s twitter: @groupefractale
Reviewed by: Riandy Kurniawan 2011 – Indonesia

FRACTALE. La palabra Fractale (fractal) es usada para referirse a objetos matemáticos cuya creación o forma encuentra sus reglas solo en la irregularidad o en la fragmentación.
«Y cuan poco va quedando en el tiempo, como la nieve, de qué poco hay constancia, y de ese poco tanto se calla, y de lo que no se calla se recuerda después tan sólo una mínima parte, y durante poco tiempo»
Extracto de «Mañana en la batalla piensa de mí» por Javier Marías
Fractale está inspirado directamente por ese libro. Su genesis es tiempo, fragmentado o no. La negra espalda del tiempo, la cual vemos y vivimos, esa que percibimos, la que concebimos, que adivinamos o presentimos. Fractale es una irregularidad a través del tiempo y está destinada a serlo. Esa es la razón por la que hay un trabajo de masas sonoras y figura.
Masas Sonoras: entendido como opuesto a “tiempos”.
Figura: referencia al rock y al jazz.
Al final, Fractale está destinado a ser una creación sonora que es indiferente al tiempo. Pasado, presente y futuro forman un todo. Por lo tanto una distorsión en el tiempo es creada – un fractal.
Traté de traducir con la mayor fidelidad que pude este escrito que viene en el libreto del álbum. Es tal vez la justificación artística o quizá una explicación ante este EP en vivo y el proyecto entero Fractale, creado por el saxofonista francés Julian Julien.
Tuve la suerte de leer esto antés de escuchar el disco y de sentirme identificado con los mismos intereses de Julian. Ese fragmento del libro de Marías, al igual que la música de Fractale, no son productos ideados para que el público entienda palabra por palabra o nota por nota, más allá de eso es arte y eso impica sentimiento y sensibilidad. Hay algo en el que lo lee o escucha que hace click con lo que quiere transmitir el artista. Por lo tanto mi perspectiva ante la música de Fractale estuvo sugestionada de antemano y mi acercamiento a ella fue más subjetivo.
En mi perspectiva, me da la impresión que el EP representa una pequeña parte de lo que en realidad es Fractale, las primeras cinco canciones son tomadas de un concierto en vivo en Febrero del 2008 en París y son pequeños extractos de la obra completa, compuesta por Julian Julien, que consta aproximadamente de 20 partes sin nombre específico, puesto que su música al estar influenciada por películas y literatura está diseñada para ir ligada, para oírse entera. El disco se complementa con un par de bonus tracks y tiene una duración menor a los 30 minutos.
Es entonces, tan solo una probada del fractal, que se va como agua y que deja con ganas de escucharlos en su ambiente natural, con un público en vivo, con las partes entrelazándose y creándose al instante a base de improvisaciones. Julian buscaba crear música atemporal y funcionó a través de un septeto (3 saxofónes, 2 trompetas, tuba y batería) nada convencional, repleto de instrumentos de viento, algunos de ellos con efectos eléctronicos, en donde la psicodelía, el rock progresivo y la melodía hacen el amor a ritmo de jazz. Oyéndose por momentos viejo, por momentos futurista y por momentos de otro planeta Fractale nos ofrece internarnos en sus sonidos y serle indiferente al tiempo.
Carlos Munoz 2011 – Mexico

FRACTALE - la expansión del jazz vanguardista francés
HOLA, AMIGOS DE AUTOPOIETICAN, LS SALUDA CÉSAR INCA.
Hoy es la ocasión de hablar del grupo francés de jazz-rock experimental FRACTALE, un proyecto dirigido por el bien recorrido saxofonista Julian Julien. FRACTALE dejó en el año pasado 2010 una estupenda constancia fonográfica de su visión musical con “Suranné”, un EP en vivo que dura menos de media hora, tiempo que resulta suficiente para demostrar su ingenio vitalista para la vanguardia jazzera de nuestros tiempos… ¡y también un tiempo demasiado corto para complacerse en el disfrute de esta peculiar belleza sónica! Los vientos ocupan un protagonismo nuclear en el sonido de FRACTALE, y no m refiero solamente al saxo de Julien, sino a todo un ensamble de metales que incluye a dos saxofonistas (Vivien Philippot y Jon Lopez de Vicuna), dos trompetistas (Patrice Cazeneuve y Jennifer Quillet) y el tubista Lorenz Steinmüller, ensamble que desarrolla sus motivos sobre la base rítmica de Benjamin Vairon y sampleos armados por el mismo Julien.
Comenzamos con la secuencia de los cinco primeros temas. Durando casi 3 minutos, ‘Partie XV’ da inicio al disco con un colorido optimista sobre una contenida cadencia funky, un poco a lo WEATHER REPORT con aires de big band y su oportuna dosis moderada de psicodelia: el núcleo de la composición está indudablemente en esa arquitectura de los metales que porta una cualidad efusiva a través de su persistente vivacidad. Acto seguido emerge ‘Partie VI’ para plasmar una atmósfera muy diferente, armada sobre una calma siniestra, un coqueteo claro con la faceta más minimalista de la tradición chamber-rock, un momento de oscuridad antes de que ‘Partie V’ devuelva la vivacidad expuesta en el primer tema para capitalizarla con un dinamismo más contundente. Un aspecto adicional de esta ‘Partie V’ es que añade una cierta aureola de inquietud por obra y gracia de las envolventes capas de sintetizador desarrolladas a contrapelo de las orquestaciones de saxos; esto, combinado con la cadencia casi “mecanizada” de la base rítmica en sus aspectos más recurrentes, parece establecer nexos con ciertas modalidades del krautrock dentro de un bloque sonoro general que se mantiene firmemente asentado en la ideología jazz-rockera. En el caso de ‘Partie XVI’ sí tenemos un retorno en pleno al vigor colorido de ‘Partie XV’ que se hace eco de la intensidad especial de ‘Partie V’ pero sin mayores atisbos de inquietud. La labor de los saxos se siente más suelta, robusteciendo así los aires celebratorios sobre los que se construyó la idea compositiva. ‘Partie XVIII’ tiene un aire de elegía solemne, al modo de un bolero sinfónico que homenajea la gloria dichosa de una etapa pasada que dejó tras de sí una pesada carga de melancolía: un final estilizadamente explosivo para esta secuencia.
Los dos últimos temas del disco son explícitamente designados como bonus tracks: para estos temas, los músicos de apoyo son Xavier Sibre (clarinete bajo y saxo), Francoise Favreau (batería), Yann Lupu (trompeta) y Laurent Dessaints (saxo). ‘Sans Paiers’ regresa al colorido ágil de los momentos más alegres de la secuencia precedente, estableciendo un interesante punto de encuentro entre el WEATHR REPORT de “Sweetnighter” y el SOFT 27 MACHINE de “Seven”; por su parte, ‘Clémentine’ elabora una idea consistentemente nebulosa sobre una cadencia juguetonamente entrecortada, generando así una imagen sonora de oscura travesura para concluir el álbum, algo así como un “Zeuhl canterburizado” al modo de EGG. De este modo concluye “Suranné”, una exhibición del enorme talento e infatigable espíritu de aventura que Julian Julien exhibe como músico y compositor: este proyecto FRACTALE es, por cierto, un estupendo vehículo de expresión para exponer renovadoras modalidades de jazz vanguardista como ésta. Dijimos en el primer párrafo que menos de media hora era tiempo más que suficiente para que el genio musical se muestre de forma clara e inequívoca… pero cuando hay un repertorio tan bueno como éste… ¡¡qué corto se siente este tiempo!!
Cesar Inca Maendoza Loyola 2011 – Peru

Fractale : Un Viaje al Jazz Fusión Progresiva
Ultimo proyecto de Julian Julien (Francia) , música atemporal plagado de influencias diversas: jazz, sicodelia, rock progresivo, podemos encontrar cosas de Mahavishnu Orchestra , King Crimson,Magma, Soft Machine, Frank Zappa todo revuelto en una amalgama de sonidos basados en un grupo formado con instrumentos como saxos, trompetas, tubas, set de percusión, teclados.
La música transporta a espacios repletos de matices, siendo un disco en su totalidad en vivo conserva la frescura de lo inmediato, no carece de improvisaciones, mas bien las utiliza.
Obviamente para los que escuchan Rock Progresivo tiene demasiado de Jazz y para los que escuchan Jazz tiene mucho de Rock .
Los temas son bastante cortos ( 7 en total) 2 minutos el mas corto y 5 el mas largo , haciendo un disco, a pesar de la complejidad que conlleva , bastante digerible para publico en general.
"Suranne" es un disco para tener en cuenta, para degustar con una copa de vino, un cafe o un cigarrillo, musica fina, experimental y ritmicamente bella.
Blog de Giuseppe Risica Carella 2011 – Peru

The French band FRACTALE was formed by composer and instrumentalist Julian Julien sometime around 2007, and consists of one drummer and six brass players. The "Live Suranne" EP is their first ever release. And it's quite an adventurous production one encounters. The steady rhythms form a solid foundation for the more or less improvised tapestry of brass instruments on top, with electronically treated instruments providing futuristic sounds contrasting the jazz and brass flavors of the additional brass section quite nicely, the latter divided between rhythm duties and improvised sounding intertwined soloing by two and occasionally three instruments. The arrangements are majestic, and the description “brass rock in space” is a tempting one to use on what the band itself refers to as electro jazz. The five parts of what appears to be a substantially longer whole presented on this EP are tantalizing, intriguing constructions, and of the two bonus tracks appended the latter one, Clementine, is a brilliant piece of work in its own right; this specific item without drums, and all the more impressive and interesting for that fact alone. This is a highly promising initial excursion by the French ensemble, and well worth seeking out by those who found the above descriptions interesting.
Olav M Bjornsen: April 19, 2012 - Norway

Fractale is a jazz rock ensemble from France by the saxophone wizard Julian Julien, who is also in charge of the compositions. Suranne is the title of their live EP, which they released in 2010. The first thing you notice about this album is the immense array of horn players and I certainly expected a huge sound.
What grabs you most about Fractale is that the amazing groove and vibe the songs have. Many jazz rock bands nowadays focus too much on the technical aspect, while Fractale really do have a great feel for the music, which occasionally goes into funk territory as well, which is definitely a plus as far as I'm concerned. Here, I could draw associations with the Swiss band Spaltklang, as they show a similar amount of groove in their jazzier sections, but Fractale manage to hold their mood for longer stretches, which will certainly get you in the mood for swinging your hips.
The big band sound of the horns certainly brings up associations with Zappa's jazz stuff, except that Fractale maybe add a few more atmospheric space rock segments, mostly due to the great synths working as accompaniment. The sound of the band revolves very much around the horns, in particularly Julien’s saxophone, but occasionally the piano also takes the lead. The synths play a backing role, as does the rhythm section, but they’re vital to the overall unique sound of the band.
Suranne may be a live recording, but it comes off as a studio EP (27 minutes long) because the clapping is done only at the end of each song. Fractale definitely seem to be a band to watch out for and with an amazing feel for the music like they have, their future seems secure, at least as far as quality is concerned.
8,5/10 - Rok Podgrajšek - Slovenia

Julian Julien launched his band “Fractale” after the release of his solo album “Strange”. The band, which has changed its cast several times since the beginning of 2008 is composed of several wind instruments (saxophones, trumpets and tuba), a computer (its manufacturer’s name being the same as the former disc label of the Beatles) and a drummer. For the most part they give public performances so that Fractale’s 2010 debut album, “Live”, contains concert recordings of the band (mainly from 2008, with two bonus tracks from 2010). You can download the album from a link of the band’s Myspace website for a couple of Euros.
Julian Julien defines his music as “progressive rock with winds”. As his influences he quotes Michel Portal, Keith Jarret, Soft Machine, Magma, Bach, Ravel and Stravinsky. And as we have recently learned he appreciates the music of Niels Petter Molvaer (see “Strange”). In addition to that there are several albums by Pink Floyd and Genesis where, as Julian said in an interview, some interesting things happen. But none of these bands and musicians has really left an imprint on the sounds of Fractale.
The concept is quite original. There are various, mostly electronically amplified and alienated wind sounds, diverse saxophones, a bass clarinet, trumpets and a tuba which are tuned on a computer based electronic sound mix and are driven by a rather discreet drummer.
The result sounds like an altered and distorted swing band, droning, horning and hooting along to more or less dominant electronic acoustic landscapes. That really rocks at moments (as in “Partie XVI”) and makes for rather interesting and unusual experience, somewhere between Prog, Electro and Jazz – without nonetheless being either of them.
“Live – Suranné” is an interesting album by a band which is not less interesting and is recommended to those readers of Babyblau who are looking for new sounds and don’t have an aversion to Jazz and wind music. It is a pity that the whole thing is quite short (was the February 2008 concert from which the first five tracks have been taken really that short?) and that the sound quality is rather sub-optimal. But should Julian Julien and Fractale succeed in transferring their headstrong concept to a sound studio and bring it to full album length, something great could see the day.
10/15 - Achim Breiling - Germany

(Fractale (Julian Julien) - Suranné
(Eigenverlag) Bämm! Frankreichs anderste Musikkarte „Suranné“ wird von Saxophonist Komponist Julian Julien überwiegend digital vertrieben und verdient sich diesen von uns verliehenen Ehrentitel durch den jeweils verschärft anderen Ansatz, Stilmix (Psychedelic meets Jazz meets Prog) und vor allem die andere Instrumentierung (Saxophon, Trompete, Bassklarinette, Tuba, etwas Schlagzeug + Loops vom Apple-PC). Die würde auch ein harmloses Dixie- Jazzfrühstück hergeben, aber was dieses (überwiegend) im Februar 2008 in Paris aufgenommenen Live-Album enthält, darf man schon als Heavy Blechblasing bezeichnen. Das klingt manchmal, als sei eine Ladung LSD zur Balzzeit in den Froschteich gefallen. Die Tonqualität ist dabei i.O. bis etwas trötig (bei den beiden Bonustracks). Für noisyNeighbours wird die zutiefst originelle Musik besonders interessant durch die elektronische Verfremdung des Gebläses und durch den Alarm, den man erwiesenermaßen mit dieser Mucke veranstalten kann. Gut, dass wir verglichen haben: Mit „Suranné“ lassen sich Parties gründlicher aufmischen, als mit dem in dieser Hinsicht bekanntlich auch keine Gefangenen machenden „Agartha“ eines noch bekannteren Blechbläsers. Probehören und Kaufen (für freundliche 4,50 Euro) unter myspace.com/groupefractale!
12/15 - Klaus Reckert - Germany

It is difficult for me to describe the French septet’s music. Its make up is unusual. Fractale is composed of three musicians playing the saxophone, two playing the trumpet and one playing the tuba, and a drummer. Thus the winds are in the foreground. But the band succeeds in keeping the audience’s attention with its very rhythmical compositions. The pulsing structures, all sorts of electronic effects and quite a few solo interludes compete against one another compete one against another to win the audience’s favor. Fractale banks on bass-stressed music. Thus, the tuba and the baritone sax have an accompanying function and are very dominant in the sound, whereas the tenor sax and the two trumpets hold the lead. The groovy, loop-like structures make me somewhat reminiscent of the music of the Aborigines as well as Latino influences.
The music of Fractale can be situated somewhere between Rock and Jazz, flirting also with more modern elements like Electro or even Trance. It’s an interesting experience for an open-minded listener and admirer of World Music. To those who’d like to check it out I strongly recommend the band’s.
I’d like to thank band leader Julian Julien who’s concern it is to bring his music to a broad public and I feel honoured to introduce his acoustic food, which honestly speaking isn’t easy to digest, on Proggies.
Daniel Eggenberger - Germany

Fractale - Live - suranné (A Bout De Son 2010)
Fractale ist das Bandprojekt des französischen Altsaxophonisten Julian Julien. 6 Bläser, zwei davon an elektrisch verstärkten Instrumenten, und ein Schlagzeuger versuchen Genregrenzen zwischen Jazz und Rock auszuloten. 7 Tracks sind auf dem Album enthalten, das als Download angeboten wird. Deren fünf erste als Parts mit Nummern bezeichnet sind. Die beiden letzten Tracks (mit schlechterem Sound) sind als Bonus gelistet, während anderer Konzerte aufgezeichnet worden als die am 18. Februar im Zèbre de Belleville in Paris gespielten ‚Parties' (die wiederum keine laufende Nummerierung haben und scheinbar nur ein kleiner Ausschnitt eines größeren Programms sind).
Die elektrisch verzerrten Instrumente - Baritonsaxophon und Tuba - klingen einmal wie blecherne Gitarre, einmal wie Synthesizer, verblüffend und überraschend, wie sich die akustischen und elektrischen Bläser in dem großartigen Arrangement begegnen. Die rein instrumentalen Songs beginnen mit dramatisch-düsteren Intros, die stark rockgeprägt sind und gut abgehen. Die Bläser dröhnen tiefe Sounds, die ungemein fett und voluminös wirken, äußerst cool! Der Schlagzeuger spielt sich zwar warm und wird im Laufe der Songs besser, kommt aber über Standardwerte kaum hinaus, komplett rockgeprägt, kann er zwar Breaks veranstalten, hält sich mit allen Extras aber stark zurück und baut lieber am Fundament, das die Bläserschar stets zu erschüttern und aufreißen versucht.
Die rund 27 Minuten der 7 Tracks sind nicht sonderlich viel, dafür gibt es keine Längen und einen feinen, fetten, rasanten Sound, der zwischen knackigem Big-Band-Jazzrock und modernem Brassrock gute, wenn auch nicht außergewöhnliche Unterhaltung bietet. Mehr davon bitte!
Volkmar Mantei - Germany

Fractale: Suranne Well, what can we say about Suranne Julian Julien's fourth release, under the name of Fractale, which doesn't really prescribe to any specific music genre? If I was to categorise this album then I would say that it is an experimental, electro jazz soundtrack a washed with some space rock tones.
This is an album that isn't quite jazz and in the same breathe isn't quite rock, it is progressive in its approach which broaches all the commented areas in an experimental atmospheric kind of way. It is however quite interesting, if short, a live album that is only punctuated briefly at the end of each composition by the audience. Fractale are French, which is quite evident from the sound and approach that draws to mind for me two comparisons, Swiss band Spaltklang and Frank Zappa.
The melodies and harmonies are quite catchy and memorable being saturated with electrified tuba and saxophone tones, there aren't many solos, but those that are present are rather captivating, whilst the whole set is held together by some succinct synth interaction and precise drum patterns. The band has displayed a headstrong approach which makes what has been presented here very interesting indeed. At only just over twenty seven minutes long this is definitely a band and album that has got a lot to say, being an album for those who don't have an aversion to wind instruments, jazz or the more experimental end of the market.
John Oboyle - UK

Fractale - Suranné
Label : Eigen beheer
Bandsite: fractale
Jaar : 2011 Duur : 27:20
Recensent : JProg
Datum : 03-2011
De Franse componist en saxofonist Julian Julien zal voor liefhebbers van progressieve muziek geen bekende zijn. Echter, hij speelt met zijn band muziek die tussen jazz en rock ligt en deze noemer is dusdanig ruim dat er mogelijkheden voor herkenning en waardering zijn. Zeker als Julien zelf zegt beïnvloed te zijn door o.a. Soft Machine, Genesis en Pink Floyd en het resultaat progressief noemt.
Zijn vierde album, ‘Suranné', is een bandproject onder de naam Fractale. Dit zevental, drie saxofonisten, twee trompettisten, een tubaspeler en een drummer vormt op dit digitale album niet de bezetting waarmee in het algemeen rockmuziek wordt gemaakt. Maar ook zonder gitaar en toetsen kan fantasierijk geëxperimenteerd worden resulterend in electro-jazz. De vijf songs zijn live opgenomen en bij de digitale aanbieding worden nog twee ook weer live geregistreerde bonustracks geleverd. Julien lijkt met zijn groep als doel te hebben gesteld anders dan gebruikelijk te musiceren en niet de melodie te laten prevaleren. Dus de luisteraar wordt wat gevraagd en moet er voor open staan hoewel het met nog geen half uur geen hele zit is.
De genoemde referenties hoor ik er niet direct in, daarvoor is de muziek voor mijn gevoel teveel vanuit een andere niet songgerichte aanpak opgebouwd. Buitenissig en tegendraads is de teneur waarbij de Van Der Graaf Generator met David Jackson een goede vergelijking is. Ondanks dat Fractale in meerdere mate jazz en in mindere mate rock speelt is het voor liefhebbers van dit progressieve segment een verkenning waard.
Waardering: Jan Eearland - Netherlands

De Franse saxofonist Julian Julien werd geboren in een topjaar voor het nooit erg scherp omlijnde genre van de Psychedelische Muziek: 1969. En misschien heeft dat wel een Magische Invloed gehad op de muziek die Julien zelf later is gaan maken, vanaf de jaren ’90. Hij was op jonge leeftijd al actief in uiteenlopende big bands en rockgroepen, produceerde in 1998 op eigen houtje een solo-album: Tupperware et bibelot, en acht jaar later, in 2006, verscheen de CD Terre, in 2007 gevolgd door de CD Strange. Op zijn eerste twee albums werkte Julian Julien met een kleine bezetting: strijkkwartet, piano en slagwerk in combinatie met saxofoon. Op Strange doen Indiase instrumenten hun intrede, naast de electrische gitaar en de nodige samples en electronische effecten. Inspiratie haalt Julien uit stripboeken en films, maar toen zijn laatste project Fractale vorm kreeg was er toch aanvankelijk een muzikale inspiratiebron: de klank van de blazers op de befaamde LP Atom Heart Mother van Pink Floyd. Maar wat er al was, en bovendien ook al goed gedaan is, dat hoef je niet nog eens over te doen, realiseerde Julien zich. Om vervolgens onder invloed van de Spaanse auteur Javier Marias, die tamelijk hermetisch werk over het thema tijd heeft gepubliceerd, geïnspireerd te worden 34 tot het schrijven van muziekstukken die met tijd te maken hebben. En dan vooral tijd als oneindige herhaling van patronen, regelmatige en onregelmatige – vandaar de naam Fractale. De titel van de CD is Suranné, en die titel heeft evenzeer met tijd te maken: suranné betekent zoiets als “uit de mode” of “ouderwets”, niet meer van deze tijd… Live opnamen, gemaakt tijdens concerten in Parijs, met als bezetting: twee trompetten, een tenorsax, een baritonsax voorzien van versterking en effectpedalen, een electrische tuba met effectpedalen, slagwerk en altsaxofoon.
Aad - Netherlands

Fractale
Live - Suranné
(2010, album koncertowy CD)
07/07/2011
Fractale to francuska grupa jazzrockowa prowadzona przez saksofoniste; Juliana Juliena. Grupa kompletnie nieznana, próbuja;ca wypromowac' sie; w?asnym s'rodkami, walcza;ca o s?uchacza na w?asna; re;ke;. Przy czym Fractale jest kapela; zdumiewaja;co dobra;! ?atwo powiedziec', z.e znakomita muzyka obroni sie; sama, ale to niestety nie jest do kon'ca prawda. Bo z.eby w ogóle mia?a sie; przed kim bronic' to najpierw trzeba umoz.liwic' jej wejs'cie na ring.
Muzyka, która; zespó? zaprezentowa? na Live - Suranné to mieszanka jazzu z avant progiem. Ponieka;d brzmi jak jazzowa odpowiedz' na dokonania Art Zoyd, czy Univers Zero. Moz.na takz.e przyrównac' ich do Henry Cow, czy solowych dokonan' Roberta Wyatta. Moz.na wreszcie skojarzyc' jej atmosfere; jazzuja;cego, kosmicznego odlotu z Pierre Moerlen's Gongiem. A czy Fractale osia;ga poziom wyz.ej wymienionych? Nie, az. tak to nie, ale tez. trzeba przyznac', z.e momentami naprawde; niewiele im do tego brakuje. Bez dwóch zdan' ta grupa ma moc, której wielu innych, bardziej utytu?owanych powinno sie; od niej uczyc'.
I jeszcze jedna uwaga - ta kapela, chociaz. gra muzyke; wydawa?oby sie; nie?atwa;, chociaz. instrumentarium ch?opaki maja; wybitnie nie rockowe (perkusja, tuba, dwie tra;bki i cztery saksofony - bez gitar, linie basu gra tuba), to jednak ich muzyka jest wyja;tkowo przyste;pna. Zespó? ma typowo rockowego kopa, melodyka utworów, chociaz. nie le;kaja;ca sie; odwo?an' do avant-jazzu nie powinna byc' dla nikogo niezrozumia?a. Przeciwnie - kompozycje Fractale sa; na tyle klarowne, z.e kaz.dy s?uchacz bez wie;kszych problemów be;dzie w stanie je za?apac'.
Live - Suranné to pia;ty album Juliena. Trwa niespe?na godzine;, ale autor uznaje go za pe?noprawnego longplaya. Rozumiem, z.e miejsce takich artystów jak on zawsze be;dzie w podziemiu, z.e nigdy nikomu z taka muzyka nie uda przedostac' sie; do mas. Ale bardzo nie chcia?bym, z.eby do tego, równiez. mojego, podziemia nie zagla;da? pies z kulawa; noga;, ani, z.eby wszyscy traktowali je po macoszemu. Tak wie;c zache;cam wszystkich do zapoznania sie; z jazz-rockiem fraktalnym. S'wietna muzyka, wielka szkoda, z.e tak nieliczni maja; moz.liwos'c' ja; doceniac'.
Bartosz Michalewski - Poland

Julian Julien è un sassofonista, tastierista, compositore e arrangiatore parigino dalle mille influenze musicali e dai mille progetti aperti. Con questa band propone un jazz rock molto ricco, dinamico e dai ritmi serrati. La particolarità del progetto è la band stessa, che è formata da una sezione fiati variabile da quattro a sette elementi e da un batterista. Pur non essendo riportato nelle note, risulta chiaro dall’ascolto che per alcuni suoni di synth venga utilizzata una base, pilotata da un portatile che si vede nelle foto del booklet. Per il disco in analisi parliamo di un mini CD della durata limitata a circa 27 minuti, registrato live in due diverse serate parigine, la prima del 2008 e la seconda, dalla quale sono estratti due soli brani a mo’ di bonus, del 2010.
La prima parte è composta da una serie di frammenti che, spiega l’autore, sono ispirati ai classici della letteratura e della cinematografia (Fellini, Moravia, Buzzati, Hess, Javier Marias (nume ispiratore della stessa band). I brani, semplicemente individuati da un numero romano, sono indirizzati verso un jazz progressive dai caratteri decisi. La ritmica, oltre che dal bravo batterista Benjamin Vairon, è supportata dal basso tuba elettrificato e spesso dal sax baritono che surrogano egregiamente il basso, mentre il sax alto dell’autore e le trombe girano libere su melodie piuttosto ariose, mai troppo complesse.
Tanto per dare qualche riferimento, pur essendo molto difficile, vista la particolarità della proposta, si può parlare di jazz orchestrale alla Dollar Brand, mi saltano alla mente Mike Westbrook, Zzebra, Frank Zappa, Soft Machine, i lavori solisti di Surman e Dean, Alan Bown Set e altre brass band dei ’70.
Parlando delle singole tracce, vale la pena citare la ricchezza e la dinamicità dell’opener “Partie XV” i temi quasi space rock della jam “Partie V” e l’ottima bonus “Sans papiers” registrata con formazione più recente e quasi totalmente diversa dalla precedente. Prodotto particolare e di carattere, che fa ben sperare per un lavoro in studio che riesca a sfruttare bene idee e temi certamente già ben impostati con questo mini CD.
Roberto Vanali - Italia

Surannè - Fractale
I Fractale sono un'interessante band francese, capitanata dal sassofonista e compositore Julian Julien, dalla composizione davvero insolita. Per rendersene conto, basti osservare le due formazioni riportate nella loro pubblicazione live chiamata "Surannè", testimonianza, in verità piuttosto concisa, del loro show tenuto al "Zebre de Belleville" di Parigi, il 18 febbraio del 2008: ben tre sax (alto, baritono elettrico e tenore), due trombe, una tuba, sempre elettrica, e batteria. Il risultato è un piacevole art-rock dalle sonorità retrò, sopratutto per il frequente utilizzo di un sintetizzatore per arricchire il già sostanzioso sound. Quest'ultimo può infastidire alcuni ascoltatori meno legati a certe sperimentazioni, pan forte di alcune band di diverse decadi fa, ma dona un tocco di psichedelia che si contrappone in maniera interessante alle composizioni acustiche che i francesi propongono.
Non è quindi un caso che i Fractal indichino i Pink Floyd e i Soft Machine tra le band che hanno maggiormente influenzato la loro arte, è il caso però di notare la forte affinità con certe composizioni dei King Crimson di "Red" e "Lark's Tongues in Aspic", in particolare la fuga strumentale chiamata "Partie XVI".
Ad ogni modo, lo stile della band d'oltralpe resta personale e la prestazione live è talmente impeccabile da tradire la sua natura solo allo scrosciare degli applausi alla fine di ogni brano. Notevole la foga esecutiva mostrata nella già citata "Partie XVI", foga che tiene sempre alta la tensione pur non compromettendo la pulizia e precisione di questi notevoli musicisti.
Altro episodio da sottolineare è "Partie V", il brano di stampo più progressivo del lotto: un'azzeccato e "morbido" fraseggio alle tastiere (delle quali curiosamente non viene riportato l'esecutore, nel libretto dell'album) fa capolino tra un break e l'altro, sempre dominati dall'immancabile trio sax, veri e proprio padroni della situazione, e perfetti sostituti delle "solite" chitarre elettriche.
Purtroppo l'esiguo minutaggio del loro EP (poco più di 25 minuti) non permette di esplorare meglio la proposta musicale della band, la quale comunque sfrutta al massimo il tempo a disposizione.
Le due bonus track finali, rinforzate da un ulteriore sax baritono e un clarinetto basso, sono tutt'altro che riempitivi. In verità, "Sans-Papiers", registrazione purtoppo mediocre di un live parigino al "Sunset", non è particolarmente sorprendente, ma la traccia da studio di "Clementine" è davvero una prova di classe: una straniante intro con sax elettrico, dal suono distorto e graffiante, lascia spazio ad un breve fraseggio di clarinetto. Difficile sospettare la maestosa marcia che prenderà corpo man mano, con il graduale ingresso degli altri strumenti. Il gran lavoro della tuba elettrificata rende massiccio l'avanzare dell'armata di fiati, guidata dal solito clarinetto, neanche fosse un pifferaio magico.
Il brano è evocativo e straordinariamente efficace, degna conclusione di un manifesto di una band davvero dotata ed elegante; da tenere d'occhio!
Michele Bordi 18/10/11 - Italia

Saxophonist and composer, Julian Julian has a quite impressive academic background with the Conservatoire National de la Région de Paris (The National Regional Conservatory in Paris). Before the group Fractale saw the day, this young, talented man released three solo albums that really captivated critical attention. The work "Strange," in particular, from 2006, must be part of any decent music collection. In this new album, "Live Suranné", he takes us through a musical journey rich with a diverse, very exciting, intense, and deliciously varied music.
Julian also has a fairly original approach of music since the septet, Fractale, consists of three saxophones, two trumpets, a tuba and drums! When the composition is done this well, it really becomes progressive music in stark contrast to all the music called prog, which recycles old ideas and does not innovate. On the contrary, Fractale renovates and explores unknown musical territories, and they often do so with such elegance that it is truly a delight.
It is also a delight to hear that Julian Julien listens to a lot of Nils Petter Molvær!
Other sources of inspiration are Stravinsky, the album Mekanïk Destruktïw` Kommandöh of Magma, Bach, Keith Jarrett, Soft Machine, Michel Portal, Ravel and some of the early Genesis and Pink Floyd. The disc includes five instrumental tracks and two bonus tracks recorded live in Paris at “Zèbre de Belleville,” a former movie theater that is now a theater and a place of celebration, fun and excitement.
Indeed, party, fun and excitement are in many ways indicative of the lush music of "Live Suranné.” Rhythmic, “Live Suranné” offers something that is lush and vibrant, original and sometimes hypnotic. The “live” aspect allows the baritone saxophone and tuba to be reasonably electrified and "computerized" and essentially create sound landscapes that aren’t exactly common – sounds that some ears have never been exposed to (shocking!)- and thus, our progsensitive ears just love it.
The use of instruments in innovative ways is always commendable, and when the result is this good, it's just wonderful to listen to. Moreover, they are also very good songs that are both catchy and psychedelic at the same time. Verses and refrains include many fun improvisations, solos and scathing riffs, and a great musicality. When the interaction is this great, it’s really the material for prog lovers, to say the least!
Ulf Backstrom - Norway

Fractale - Suranné
2011 Julian Julien (Independent)
Possessing a unique sound, France's Fractale bring about a horn driven sound with the experimental influence of King Crimson, Gong, and Soft Machine with a knack for more sophisticated free-form jazz ala Davis & Coltrane - yet the music is all about the groove, also giving into a jam-band vibe without being too 'out there.' Led by saxophonist Julian Julien, instead of leading the way with guitars, Floydian soundscapes, or dominating the music with synthesizers, Fractale brings about a full horn section - soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone sax, with two trumpets and a tuba, along with drums to bring out a powerful sound for something that is different and 'progressive' in the true form.
Recorded live, Suranné features a five-part jam session utilizing harmonizing horns, building up to a powerful wall of sound, often creating chord structures to give the tunes 'body' rather than simply being a series of arpeggios. "Parte XV" opens the performance with its' funkified 'wah wah' baritone sax, leading up to the space rock of "Parte VI"& "Parte XVIII," then moving on to a Fripp/Eno style overtones of the electronic oriented "Parte V," and even portraying a more cinematic approach with "Parte XVI," sounding like a 70's action film theme with a massive psychedelic tinge. The performance itself, is well rounded with diversity, and shows what a band like this can actually do without any paint-by-numbers instrumentation.
Also there are two bonus tracks, the jam session of "Sans Papiers" and the low end groove of "Clementine." The whole live vibe, brings about the organic vibe between the band, as the music has the unique Zappa styled improvisation, yet composed & conducted sound. Something different than what most bands are doing, and hails to Fractale for really attacking art rock genre with full fervor on their own terms.
Tommy Hash - USA

Fractale - SURANNE (CD)
Julian Julien is one of today's top French jazz musicians on the scene today. Saxophonist, composer extraordinaire, he placed first receiving the Silver Medal at the CNR in Paris. He played in several big bands before self-producing his first album, TUPPERWARE ET BIBELOT in 1999. That was followed by the excellent TERRE in 2000 for the Prikosnonevie label, then STRANGE for Cristal Records in 2006. After that he formed a new band called Fractale and recorded this Live album, SURANNÉ. Fractale is a septet composed of 3 saxophones, 2 trumpets, a tuba and drums. The music they make owes a slight debt to the pioneering Zeuhl movement. The music is propelled by deep bass lines, powerful ensemble melodies and fiery solos, but also contains deep soulful moments and subtle touches as well that gives the overall listening experience a much more diverse impact stylistically. If you long for the good old days of French fusion when the scene overflowed with experimental jazz rock then Fractal will be a real treat. Julian has a new music project for Japan in the works. Based on samples I've heard it should add a brand new dimension to his recorded catalog.
Archie Patterson - USA

Fractale – “Suranné”
His is instrumental music that borders between progressive rock and jazz. Nothing here really stands out as better than anything else, but it never feels redundant or samey. This music is not for everyone, but it’s quite cool.
Track by Track Review :
Partie XV : There’s a cool rock groove to this, but it’s built on serious jazz. It’s doesn’t wander far, but it’s very tasty.
Partie V : This comes in more tentatively with weirder jazz and space rock textures creating a strange ambient element. It never really grows very far, staying in this mellower motif.
Partie XVIII : Science fiction elements meet a rock groove and jazz overlayers on this killer piece. It’s a little weird, but also quite entertaining. Around the two and a half minute mark they take it into more melodic and electronic prog directions to great effect. The horns take it back to the jazzier sounds, but it seems to alternate between the more jazz and more prog sections. This is a lot longer than the previous pieces.
Partie VI : They bring this one in with a rather ominous and somewhat weird musical tone. It powers out from there in some cool jazz stylings. By about the three minute mark they work it into some of the coolest and most energized jamming of the whole set.
Partie XVI : This is slower and has a bit of Dixieland built into it, along with the more rock oriented fusion sounds. It works to a little bit of space to end.
Sans Papiers : There’s all most a school band kind of texture to this number. It’s cool, but not as potent as the previous pieces. It gets somewhat better later, but still has an air of “not quite right” about it. It’s the first of two bonus tracks.
Clementine : Feeling a bit more mysterious, this (the final track and final bonus track) one oozes cool, but is also a little strange. It’s a step up from the last number. There’s a bit of world music later in the piece, but overall it remains pretty constant.
Review by G. W. Hill - USA

The world of jazz and fusion has become so diverse and open-minded anymore that you feel you have heard it all and then every now and again something very unique comes along. Such is the case with Fractal’s “Suranne” EP. Fractale has an odd lineup that consists of three sax’s, two trumpets, tuba, drums and synthesizer. This is a great instrumental combination that sometimes recalls early big band experimenters with electronics such as Gil Evans and Don Ellis, as well as early horn driven psychedelic jazz rockers like Soft Machine. The difference being that Fractale’s rhythms are less jazzy, but more deliberate in a rock way. Another difference is that Fractale uses a tuba for the low end, instead of a bass, which gives the band a very earthy sound and takes some of the predictable gratuitous ‘punch’ out of the rock beats making the band sometimes sound more like older traditional European music. Many of the songs feature the horns playing persistent repeating lines that are similar to experimental rock in nature but also sometimes feature sections where several horn players will improvise simultaneously in a polyphonic style similar to the earliest days of jazz in New Orleans. This is Fractale’s first release and some freshman issues arise with the production. It would be nice to hear Fractale’s next album with a stronger production including a little more low end and more space and clarity between the instruments. Overall this is a very promising start for a new band, the writing is excellent and very creative and hopefully there will be a lot more to come.
3,5/5 - John Sanders – November 2011 - USA

Julian Julien composes and plays music with his band, Fractale. Here he releases a live album (which I presume is his first Fractale release), called "Suranné", which was recorded in Paris at "Zebre de Belleville". Aside from shows in Paris, Julian says they travelled in the USA in 2009 (Baltimore, NYC, Chicago and Atlanta).
This release is quite short and to the point. The music is upbeat, jolly and accessible. Though uncredited, there are small embellishments of electronic sounds that add a mysterious flavour to the music. The sound is pretty good for a live show, particularly on the first 5 tracks. The last two tracks are of lower sound quality.
To give you an idea about the music, here’s the instrumentation:
First 5 tracks lineup:
3 saxophones (alto, tenor and baritone), 2 trumpets, 1 tuba and drums.
Last two track lineup:
4 saxophones (alto, soprano and two baritones), 2 trumpets, 1 clarinet, 1 tuba and drums.
While I dislike making comparisons to other bands and stating influences, I have to say that the minute I started listening to this, I was reminded of Miriodor’s sound and style. That frisky and humorous brand of music that also incorporates saxophone, trumpet and trombone. Julian states their influences to be Soft Machine, Pink Floyd, John Surman. As I’m only familiar with the first two, I can only say that I don’t hear their influences in the music on this album. This sounds like a brass big-band playing lively tunes. There are two pieces that are without drums and include electronic sounds that are more abstract in nature, though the saxophone leads the way, preventing the melody from losing focus. Those are nice interludes and experimentations that contrast nicely the vibe of the other compositions. Partie V is a nice combination of the two sides of the band; the brass-dominated aggressive side and the spacier and electronics-dominated element. This is a direction I’d like to hear Fractale take and develop.
This is a self-released and limited live release and so considering this, I think this is a good product. But I hope Julian can get to record another release with more tracks and consistent sound quality.
Assaf Vestin - USA

Fractale
Suranné
2010 (Self-released) | rock in opposition
Progetto, segnalatoci appena oggi, ispirato al libro "Tomorrow In The Battle Think Of Me" di Javier Marias che si presenta con inedite geometrie di fiati ad aprire questo dischetto dal vivo - assolutamente imperdibile per ogni estimatore che si rispetti del Frank Zappa di "Hot Rats", dei Gong di "Flying Teapot" e capace di rinnovare, mai così intensamente, il ricordo della generazione più viva del Canterbury sound fuso al jazz-rock degli anni 70, alla psichedelia più legata a suoni analogici e "astrali", qui dovuti all'elettrificazione di fiati, all'esperienza degli Air e ad arrangiamenti mediati dal Rock In Opposition più oscuro e meno cerebrale (Magma), le musiche per matrimoni e funerali di Goran Bregovic.
Il tutto, non bastasse, data la combinazione degli elementi citati, riletto con un'identità fiera e assolutamente originale, cosa più che rara di questi tempi in cui l'identità progressive è ormai relegata a cliché antichi, discutibilissimi, quanto distanti da un contesto socio-culturale autenticamente contemporaneo. Già la formazione è di per sé quanto di più bizzarro e interessante ci sia stato dato da ascoltare e accogliere ad oggi: sei fiatisti (in qualche caso, come anticipato, elettrificati) e una batteria. Assenti basso (il cui ruolo è spesso affidato a una tuba), chitarra elettrica (qui appannaggio di un sax baritono, of course, elettrificato), tastiere e voci.
Per quanto la musica si riveli da subito nella sua forza espressiva, è con "Partie V" e "Partie XVI" (eccezionale il contributo degli aerofoni) che le composizioni - e in questo caso la definizione è a dir poco appropriata - di Julian Julian prendono quota e si rivelano nella loro essenza più autentica, carica di elementi di interesse. Intervalli inusuali ma mai sgradevoli; capacità di creare atmosfere suggestive, imponenti talvolta quanto sfuggenti, senza essere trionfali e fini a se stesse; organizzazione formale delle composizioni compatta e mai prevedibile.
Al tutto va aggiunta la capacità di gestire il colore musicale in maniera davvero affascinante, da pittori e architetti al contempo. Da segnalare, come cameo, il solo di sax alto dello stesso Julien in "Sans-Papiers", sostenuta da un ostinato di tuba e sax baritono che rimane nella mente a lungo e la litania funebre e ritmata della conclusiva "Clementine".
Altro punto a favore: il dono della sintesi. Questa release dura meno di trenta minuti - cosa che, a fronte della natura della musica, risulta solo un pregio, tale da non portare a definire il dischetto un Ep ma un album completo, così come nella tradizione più attuale (ricordo diversi - acclamati - album italiani degli ultimi anni di dodici-venti minuti presentati come dischi compiuti, a testimonianza che ormai, finalmente, non è la durata ma il contenuto di un lavoro a giustificarne il valore).
L'unico neo di "Suranné" è invece la scarsa profondità nel mixaggio e nel mastering, ma né questo né l'artwork amatoriale di certo scoraggeranno chi deciderà di avvicinarsi a un progetto così valido.
Un disco probabilmente non "bello" nell'accezione comune del termine (è un po' come mettere sullo stesso piano un capolavoro del cinema indipendente e un film hollywoodiano), ma che rimane nella mente assai a lungo scavando un posto tutto suo, come solo la creazione autentica o ARTE, termine odiosamente abusato al punto tale che ormai se ne sono perse le coordinate, è capace di fare ed essere. Uno dei dischi più ed emozionanti e di maggiore interesse realizzati fin qui giuntoci, pur con ritardo, nel 2012.
Voto? 7,5 approssimato a 8 sulla base di una musica che di giorno in giorno si ricava uno spazio nella mente e in quell'astrusa cosa che chiamiamo... "anima", sempre più grande e vero.
di Claudio Milano, 09/07/2012

LinasJazz – France : Can you present yourself to our listeners?
Julian Julien: I’m a musician, and a saxophone Jazz and Classic music professor. I was classically trained at the Conservatoire National de la Region (National Regional Conservatory) in Paris where I received a beautiful…chocolate medal (Laughter) and a first prize in sight-reading. For a bit of time now, I’ve also being composing music. Suranné is my fourth album and the first with the group, Fractale.
LJ: Coming from a classical background, how did you come to play jazz?
JJ: I wanted to listen to more notes, discover new horizons. I’ve always listened to FIP and I’ve watched lots of concerts.
LJ: How did you form this group?
JJ: Everything started out from a book by Javier Marias, Tomorrow while in battle, think of me. It takes off from writing that strongly resembles that of Thomas Bernhard. There are no periods, no commas, or almost none, and that turns things around. It’s just like certain jazzmen, Charles Mingus, for example, when a melodious line constantly loops without ever leading to an end. That’s what really interested me for Fractale. The format is gradually built in affinity with the musicians. Last year, we went to the United States, and the same musicians weren’t always there. There are long-standing pillars: Xavier Sibre (baritone saxophone), Jennifer Quillet (trumpet), Michael Havard (tenor saxophone), Lorenz Steinmueller (electric tuba), François Favreau (drum), and Guillaume Billaux (sound engineer). They’re always there, but as for the rest, it depends on the project.
LJ: How do you create the compositions?
JJ: I write and compose them, then the musicians come, bring their own touch, like in a solo, for example. Sometimes we also modify the structure. I’m pretty open. We give it a try, and see where it goes. Xavier Sibre also does the clarinet bass. Together, we produced a clip on Re-Re by piling on layers of bass clarinets [currently playing].
LJ: How would you classify your music?
JJ: What I do leans towards progressive rock with winds, pedals, and a mac effect.
LJ: Why the name Fractale?
JJ: I was looking for a formation’s name. The project was to make a scene, contrary to the Etrange album composed in a studio played in quarter-time by ear. It was a tremendous task. I was looking for something that could resemble different waves all within the same entity. Fractale seemed fitting. And Magma was already taken (Laughter).
LJ: Was it easy to produce the album?
JJ: It wasn’t complicated in the sense that it was a live album that’s easier to produce than a studio recording, but risk-taking is much more important. The album was recorded at le Zèbre in Belleville. The sound has its imperfections and its good qualities. There’s no cheating, unlike other live albums that have been tinkered with. Hence, the idea not to give the clips titles, but rather to split them into numbered parts. Since my music is inspired from cinema and literature, everything clashes together in every part. Everything opens the door to something else. This references The Desert of the Tartars by Dino Buzzati, Herman Hesse, Javier Marias, Alberto Moravia or the Italian films by Fellini and Ettore Scola. The idea is to bring all of these elements into music, to paint a picture. The album is a work of music. There are certain clips that have the same introduction, but then head in different directions. That’s jazz’s idea, Coltrane’s music. You have a theme that lasts thirty seconds and then an improvisation that can last half an hour, and then a return to the theme. Part XVIII is a very slow clip by Dirty Dozen Brass Brand where everything is written, but it could all be an enormous improvisation. The idea is to create a breach and dive into it. There’s a video called Undocumented that speaks well to its name. I’m against all racist laws to the last degree. It was a position I took. So I used oriental loops in which one could not determine which country they came from. Thus, it worked really well. I also produced the album’s photos and drawings, each one referring back to a part in the disc.
LJ: Do you develop new ways of writing or is it all composed in the classic format?
JJ: No. I compose it “grandpa style” (Laughter). When there are double hooks, they’re doubles. I like to come in, show the partitions, play it a first time, and then follow by discussing with the musicians. I’m not one to classify a serial music track. I don’t know how to do it. I don’t have that ambition.
LJ: Who are your influences?
JJ: Michel Portal, Keith Jarret, Soft Machine, Magma. Mekanïk Destruktïw` Kommandöh’s album for his bass lines. And then Bach, Ravel, Stravinsky’s suites and world music. There’s old Pink Floyd or Genesis’ albums where some interesting things happen. Some have perhaps not grown well with time, but there were some interesting directions they took, especially the Soft Machine’s album, Third. I listened a lot to Niels Peter Molvaer. I was able to see him several times, notably at New Morning. One evening, there was a full stage, and taken off from a piece; they started to go faster, not knowing where to stop. We couldn’t foretell the end of the piece, and it was fantastic to see the way they managed to conclude it. That’s how jazz is made: through accidents. A mistake can always lead to something else.

Interview made by Klemen Breznikar / 2011
Klemen Breznikar: When and where was Fractale born?
Julian Julien : Fractale was born four years ago in my apartment (!) in Paris.
I was actually looking to do this since my last album, creating a group for the long term and not just stringing together studio albums.
KB : Tell us about the beginning.
JJ : To begin this project, I had the incredible opportunity to have real work days (like anyone who heads to the office) and also the fortune of heading in the wrong musical direction. In fact, I initially had something else in mind. I wanted to form a brass band but not just any brass band! But rather, a band oriented towards "Dirty Dozen brass band ," with shades of Pink Floyd from the "Atom Heart Mother" period and with a sprinkling of the Bach cello suites (just that ...!). However, I quickly realized that I was heading for disaster, it had already been done and better! Meanwhile, I was lucky, or unlucky, enough to fall in love twice at the same time: a book and a woman ... but we’ll talk about the book, it’s less risky! It deals with a twentieth-century Spanish author, Javier Marias and one of his books, "Tomorrow in Battle, Think of Me". For me, it was a real discovery due to the book’s construction, barely any punctuation, as well his own sense of time. This book and this author (I have since read all of his works ...) were the genesis, the starting point of Fractale.
KB : Why the name Fractale?
JJ : In fact, the name has not immediately imposed. Only when I had thirty “first draft” compositions did I realize I was working on time. "The black back of time" in the words of Javier Marias.
The word Fractale comes from Mr. Mandelbrot, the father of a mathemics branch which
means irregular or broken. Thus, the idea of forms that are infinitely repeated and form a whole, appeals to me. By extension, it's like an obsession that spins and spins...
KB : What are some of your influences?
JJ : In no particular and especially not chronological order : Magma, Soft Machine (Third), Miles (Silent Way), Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here), Niels Petter Molvaer, John Surman, Michel Portal, Michael Nyman, Bach, Ravel, and Indian music. But also a lot of literary and film influences. Through my music, I try (humbly!) to build bridges or paint "sound pictures".
KB : Were you in other bands before forming Fractale? I know you produced 3 solo albums and I would be really glad if you can share a few words about them.
JJ : Yes, I was part of a lot of big band jazz and rock bands when I was younger (but it was whoever played the loudest who won ... much ado about nothing!). My first self-produced album was released in 1998, it’s called "Tupperware et bibelot (Tupperware and trinket)." At the time, I worked a lot with a string quartet and percussion (djembe, gong). My choice was already made on instrumental music. It was my first album, so it wasn’t perfect but served as a stepping stone for the rest of my work. My second album was released in 2006 under Priskonovenie’s label, it's called "Terre (Earth)". They are also instrumental pieces with a string quartet, percussion and piano. The titles are evocative enough to tell stories in my manner, like in the titles "L’attente” (The wait), "Promenade" (Walk), etc. The third album was released in 2007 under Crystal Records’ label, called "Strange." It draws as much from comics as from photography or film. For this project, I integrated a lot of Indian instruments like the sitar and tablas in an attempt to wed them to other instruments like the electric guitar or strings. One also finds a few veiled references, such the song "Cosmos" which is dedicated to the series "Space 1999" (I know that brings us back...) or "Indian Night" which refers to Tabbuchi’s book, or the beautiful soundtrack of Wong Kar-Wai’s "In the mood for love." Finally, as for the title "Strange," it’s inspired by the world of comics with the use many voice samples.
KB : You have an album out called Suranné. Can you present us your new album (how do you like it, how it was produced and recorded etc.)?
JJ : "Suranné”, released in 2010 under my label "A Bout de Son” (The Edge of Sound) is a live album from one of our concerts in Paris (at Zebra of Belleville). It consists of five songs and two bonus tracks. The group is composed of two trumpets, a tenor, a baritone saxophone electrified with effects pedals, an electric tuba also with effects pedals, a drummer and myself on alto sax. Onstage, I also use the computer for more organic textures. With Guillaume, my sound engineer, (the eighth musician in the group, he did a great job!) we made choices and selected only five songs for the album. I chose the title "Suranné" (which means outdated, outmoded) precisely because I wanted a ride that is fractal in time, without constraint, without time or mode, or power: in other words, outside of time .
KB : Would you also mind telling us about the songs. If you can share a few words about the songs on the album?
JJ : The pieces are parts. About twenty parts were written to form a whole. Within this set, the parts interact, respond, or take an intro from another part to go in a different direction. Part XV, for example, is based on a bass line repeated in a scene from Brian De Palma's "Phantom of the Paradise." Part VI is dedicated to the poor computer Hal 9000 in Kubrick’s "2001: A Space Odyssey," but it can also be any of the 70 Italian films such as Ettore Escola’s, "Ugly, Dirty and Bad," for example.
KB : How is touring going for you? Are you satisfied with it? Share an interesting experience you had from concerts...
JJ : We had a great opportunity to do a tour in the United States - a dozen dates in just 15 days. It was a particularly grueling uphill battle, but we were able to play in Baltimore, Richmond, Atlanta, Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York. The welcome was very warm and during our tour we often jammed with American musicians and the standard was incredibly high! So I keep a very fond memory of this because I think it's always formative to rub elbows with others in your field. This can only be enriching.
KB : How about some future plans for the band?
JJ : Just to finally go the studio in time (!) And tour in France and abroad.
KB : Thank you very much for your time and effort. Do you have anything else to say about the band or yourself, that I didn't ask?
JJ : Yes, I particularly wanted to thank all the musicians and the sound engineer who participated in this adventure. I’m hoping it’s just the beginning ...