Ton's Musical Musings: Cryptonique at Sfinks

This year's edition of Sfinks (festival for world music just outside Antwerp) was number 29, making it one of the oldest of its kind. The program was a mixed bag with quite a few disappointments but also some remarkable highlights.

By far the most surprising of those was a magic performance by Cryptonique, the bellows duo of composer and accordion player Fabian Beghin and diatonic harmonica virtuoso Didier Laloy, both hailing from Wallony, the French speaking part of Belgium. I was already familiar with their repertoire from the excellent CD Cryptonique they released in 2006, but their spectacular live performance rendered that album bleak in comparison.

Aside from their playful and intense interaction, the show highlighted the differences between the chromatic accordion with its orchestral sound, and the bright, sparkling tone of the small diatonic instrument. When asked if ever envying the little squeeze box, Beghin smiled and said: "Not at all. But in my compositions for the two combined I try to make optimal use of the difference. My role is indeed that of the orchestra, with Didier as a soloist." It seems odd that musicians of this class are not yet international stars, so I asked them if the fact that they come from such a small country is an obstacle in finding world wide recognition. To my surprise Beghin replied that the real problem lies elsewhere: "You know, there are many great musicians everywhere. No shortage in that department. But good agents and bookers, on the other hand, are a rare breed."

Fortunately Cryptonique is supported by one of the most interesting record labels in the Benelux, Home Records in Liège.

More info at www.homerecords.be

Listen to a short clip here: