by François CoutureRecorded over three days of September 1991 at the CCAM studios in Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy with François Dietz handling the sessions, L'Élémentaire Sonore captures Michel Doneda's art ready to jump into abstract free improv. The 1990s saw the saxophonist move more and more away from jazz and into uncharted territories, leaving the French avant-garde jazz tradition behind to focus on something more British school. This CD illustrates the two temptations, which could be personified by Steve Lacy -- not French but as close as it gets -- and Even Parker, like a voice caught in the act of being forged. As a comparison, his solo album Anatomie des Clefs, released at the other end of the decade, would consecrate a fully matured improviser. The undisputable quality of that album should not overshadow L'Élémentaire Sonore, still an important document in understanding the saxophonist's evolution. Most of these eight pieces have been written down, at least in the form of a canvas. The melodic material in "Le Souffle Tranche l'Ombre" and "L'Oiseau Rassemble la Terre" sound too carefully studied to be spontaneous. These lines, unintuitive but heartfelt nonetheless, alternate with episodes of circular breathing and notes/sound events trading that create a palpable tension. Dominique Regef sits in on hurdy-gurdy and israj in "Un Ruisseau Est une Conférence" and "L'Armada Scintillante," the two most atonal, noisy pieces. Strategically placed between them, Doneda's rendition of Claude Debussy's melody "La Chevelure" creates a sharp contrast, destabilizing but quite powerful. The last piece, "L'Oiseau Rassemble la Terre" ("The Bird Gathers the Earth"), ends with six minutes of a field recording of a brook. Soothing, yes, but this unexplained and unexpected ending is awkward and leaves the listener with the impression that the artist had squeezed the last note out of his soprano sax.