French clarinet master Louis Sclavis, one of the central figures of European improvised music for four decades, distills a long musical partnership into the spare and searching duo of Unfolding, recorded with the pianist Benjamin Moussay. Stripped back to just clarinet, bass clarinet and piano, the album is the most intimate of settings, and it allows the two musicians to explore the full range of their rapport. Moving freely between composed material and open improvisation, Sclavis and Moussay trace delicate, chamber-like dialogues that are full of color, tension and quiet drama. Sclavis's woody, expressive clarinet and the darker hues of his bass clarinet wind through Moussay's resonant, beautifully voiced piano, the two instruments alternately leading, shadowing and challenging one another. There is a strong sense of structure and intent even in the freest passages, a hallmark of Sclavis's long career, and the music never lapses into mere abstraction; melody and atmosphere remain central throughout. By turns lyrical and austere, playful and brooding, Unfolding showcases the kind of deep listening and instinctive interplay that can only come from years of shared experience.

Rigorous yet deeply expressive, it is European improvised music at its most refined, and a superb example of the duo form as a vehicle for genuine musical conversation. Sclavis remains one of the great voices of European jazz, and this duo setting offers an unusually intimate window onto his art. On vinyl the woody grain of the clarinets and the resonance of the piano are captured with striking presence, making it a rewarding listen for admirers of chamber jazz and free improvisation alike.