Obradovic-Tixier Duo originated from the communion of intents between the French pianist David Tixier and the Croatian drummer Lada Obradovic. The duo, guest at Candiani Groove on December 11th, produces a contemporary and elegant sound that combines acoustic and electronic instruments, Moog, Fender Rhodes, glockenspiel, mbira and other toys. A soft but surprising performance in which David’s sophisticated harmonies and lyrical drama intertwine with Lada’s polyrhythm, weaving a captivating tale in which a piano melody filled with digital sounds is pleasantly distorted by a blast of cymbals, which makes us fly away as if we were carried on wings that lift us into the air. Two thirty-year-old musicians, well anchored in their time. Obradovic’s strike force is a delight. It’s punchy, precise, sharp, groovy. It contrasts beautifully with David Tixier’s rounded touch, whose flowing harmonies outline the space. Here and there, between an improvisation punctuated by a hypnotic motif of a well- looped bass synth, we will hear the ghost of Bach. The game is also completely visual, direct, far from any abstraction. The duo effortlessly evolves among instruments that spread and master with class, the effect is handled thoughtfully with subtlety. The group already has three record releases to its credit, between 2017 and 2019, and has won ten awards in just a few years. Lada Obradovic also works for a Netflix series dedicated to jazz, while the group’s videos posted on YouTube faithfully symbolize her music, with multiple, time-lapse shots revealing the art of their original compositions.
