Sylvain Leroux – Qromatica (Fula Flute & Meta Dash, 2023)
Sylvain Leroux, an inventive Canadian musician and flute maker, patented the “qromatica” a decade ago, an ingenious fully functional chromatic version of the Fula flute, a traditional West African flute from Guinea. Notably recognized for its evocative sound and stunning flute/voice effects, the innovation has opened up new avenues for the instrument as its powerfully expressive qualities can now be applied to “fula-ize” music of all idioms, whether old or new.
Leroux’s latest album, titled “Qromatica,” echoes the new flute’s name, which he masterfully uses to explore the instrument’s possibilities across diverse musical genres. This precious and beautiful album takes listeners on a journey from Africa to Monk, through India and Bach, following the path Leroux embarked on in his previous, critically acclaimed release “Quatuor Creole.”
The album features talented musicians including Julia Haynes on the accordion and harp, Mamadou Ba on electric bass, and Andy Algire on congas, balafon, and percussion. The quartet, led by Leroux on qromatica and alto sax, delivers a cohesive and transcendent sound.
Leroux’s innovation with the qromatica has transformed the instrument, making it accessible to a wider audience and allowing for diverse musical expressions.
Leroux says about the album: “All the flute playing on this album was executed on the chromatic tambin, my (patented) modification of the traditional tambin, or Fula Flute, from Guinea, which, I have studied, played and fabricated for more than 25 years. The addition of three finger holes to the existing three transformed it from a diatonic to a fully chromatic instrument, opening its powerful voice to a wide range of music.
It has been an extraordinary blessing a decade ago for me to discover that innovation, as it opened up a whole new life project of mastering its mind-bending intricacies. This album only hints at the possibilities and my deepest wish is that others might fall in love with it, as I did, learn it and take it to places that I could not have imagined. The Fula flute profoundly enriched my life, taking me on an ever interesting, always evolving journey. I am very thankful that her spirit allowed me in, which opened so many doors, inner and outer…”
Sylvain Leroux hails from the city of Montreal, where he received his classical flute training at l’Ecole de Musique V incent d’Indy. He furthered his musical education in New York City, where he studied improvisation and composition at the Creative Music Studio. There, he had the privilege of attending classes by renowned luminaries such as Don Cherry, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Anthony Braxton, Karl Berger, and several other notable figures in the music industry.
Sylvain Leroux is recognized as a foremost player of the Fula flute, a traditional instrument from West Africa. In 2002, he released his Fula Flute album, which received global acclaim. Furthermore, his 2012 Quatuor Creole CD was widely praised for its exceptional musical quality. Sylvain Leroux has brought traditional African music to prestigious venues such as Zankel Hall with his Fula Flute Ensemble, and he has curated the New York Griot Summits.
In addition to his exceptional musical talent, Sylvain Leroux has also contributed significantly to the development and enhancement of traditional instruments. He invented and patented the chromatic tambin (qromatica), which revolutionized the traditional instrument by providing it with full functionality. As a result of his innovative work, he established l’école fula flute, a music education project based in Guinea. This educational initiative has produced several talented young flutists who are now reinvigorating an endangered flute tradition.
The album is available at Bandcamp.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.