Fantomas: Le Faux Magistrat

James Blackshaw
Fantomas: Le Faux Magistrat
Tompkin's Square


Personally invited by James Blackshaw, experimental musicians Duane Pitre and Simon Scott (also of Slowdive) contributed drums, electronics, synth, bowed guitar, bass and more to Blackshaw’s nylon string guitar and grand piano, with multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Glasson adding violin, vibraphone and several wind instruments to the 75 minute long work performed and recorded live - a soundtrack to the silent film Fantomas: Le Faux Magistrat.

Fantômas – a master of disguise and symbol of terror – is one of the most popular characters in French crime fiction, as well as a favorite with the avant-garde, particularly the surrealists.

Alternately dark and dramatic, jazzy spymaster with a swagger

(1:14:26) Dramatic piano and violin and drums keeping time - gets more intricate becomes more strident. Saxophone adds flourish to the piano march, gets a little jazz swagger. Pause. Calm, beautiful guitar with hints of flamenco, voices ahhhh-ing in the distance, vibraphone . Guitar and violin, vibraphone, piano layering. Saxophone jazz spy feel back. Tender piano and violin memories, black and white romance. Rocking guitar and flute. Pause. Low bowed bass pulsing, outsider vocals gets really rocking with a drums and piano and bass. Soaring melodies, chills out, varied up until the end