XAAL have existed since 1986. The original trio of Laurent Imperato (guitar), Patrick Boileau (drums) and Nicolas Neimer, which had trained itself to play some revivals of jazz-rock along the lines of Jeff Beck, rapidly took the decision to tell their own story and started a personal repertoire two years later, in 1988. As the music had at long last stabilised, the group added a keyboard player, Stephane Jaoui, but instead of the latter adapting to their music, it was the music that changed, however the group continued in this form for roughly seven months before returning to the trio formula and to record three tracks in a studio in Brest. Then it was back to a quartet in the summer of 1989, with the arrival of Jad Ayache on guitar-synth. But hardly had this new line-up recorded four songs before Laurent Imperato left the band. Jad took over the guitar, to form the actual XAAL, a really stable band now, with an original repertoire and with ambitions to record a CD soon, at last ready to open to a larger public.
The music of XAAL, which is purely instrumental, by its impact should please three types of public: The Prog-rock fans who will be sensitive to the melodic aspect and to the style of compositions; The MAGMA fans who will jump for joy hearing the breakings of the bass / drums tandem; The jazz-rock fans at last who wouldn't remain insensitive to the instrumentalist qualities of our three friends. On listening to Patrick Boileau (27), the drummer, it is difficult not to think of Christian Vander during the great period of MAGMA and of Bill Bruford at the peak of KING CRIMSON, to think of them when he plays his pieces with a wonderful power. Nicolas Neimer (23), the bassist doesn't hide the fact that his influences are Jannick Top and Bernard Paganotti, thus a great noise and bass notes to take your breath away. But the music of XAAL has nothing to compare with the music of MAGMA or KING CRIMSON. XAAL is original. Jad Ayache (25) is left with his guitar out of which the most diverse and interesting sounds emerge. He admits listening to pianists, saxophonists, and principally a guitarist... Jimi Hendrix. Their tape which can be ordered, care of C. BEERENS is the occasion of killing two birds with one stone: To help the band to produce its CD and to give you pleasure as you discover one of the strongest European music's.