"All World Fusion" music reviews

East-West Rec./private Lloyd Miller & Press Keys Quartet : Oriental Jazz (US,1969??)****

I found out that some of Lloyd Miller’s releases were available (from what was not sold out) from at least two online shops, so I tried the title which assumed inherited most “fusions”. A real fusion in the new sense it still isn’t. All early attempts to fuse and blend were built from mutual understanding and respect and knowledge from the genres playing them very strictly and stylish. In this case, it means that Lloyd Miller learned several world music genres, like santur with Iranian master Daryush Safvat in Paris, while his core thinking remains jazz. Rhythm and melody always swing in cool jazz and swing while the improvised instrument or melody is the ethnic origin. On “Gol-E Gandom” he plays the santur. The band drops such a respectful jazz background for it. On “Yona” Sudanese style is played by piano and clarinet. This breaks into a bar jazz improvisation on drums, bass and piano, but also returns just slightly melodically to the theme. “Tanya” is pattern based old jazz on piano and trombone. “Güzel Gözler”(Amber Eyes) then is called Arabo-Turkish jazz. For Lloyd Miller this must have been a new experiment. And it sounds much more old time (cool) jazz (swing) compared to what came to existence most spontanuously as Turkish jazz a few years later. Here the swing is very fast, almost nervous. “Nathanie” is a “light waltz with a classical prelude”, somewhat improvised. “Hue Wail” is jazz mixed with Vietnamese solo in folk tradition. Here the jazz dominates the background swing (bass, drum, piano), not renewing, but finding a meeting point. Another meeting point is found for another Indonesian theme/tune later on. The last track makes a true starting point of a more typical Persian typed improvisation with a jazz background. It takes off well, but does not try to go to much elsewhere either. A very enjoyable release mixing old time jazz with ethnic elements. Replica picture cdr.

Audio and info : www.myspace.com/drlloydmiller

& http://www.rushhour.nl/... & description on http://www.dustygroove.com/..

Video's on http://www.youtube.com/...

Info on Lloyd Miller : http://www.jazzscope.com/OJ.html

& http://www.sommamusic.com/jazz.htm

& http://keepswinging.blogspot.com/2008/07/lloyd-miller-in-europe.html

Other album reviewed on http://psychemusic.org/PERSIAreviews.html

private Azigza : Kriya (US,2003)****

It is rather late that I discovered this now 5 year old release which fuses different styles and influences ranging from World Fusion to progressive rock with RIO/contemporary/jazzrock-alike flavour. The group also has vanished already a year after this release (2004). Their strength is a composer’s view blending the different style, and the fluency they combine this whole range of styles, which is divided into structural ideas and sections. There are themes from Arab-African (1-3), Indian (10), semi-iddle Eastern but Bulgarian inspirations (9), heavenly vocals, over one small rock part, all embeded in rather long tracks with rather progressive fusion-rock evolutions, with mostly a bit more electric but also more acoustic parts. Especially the driven electric violin approach (combined with Indian flute or with electric guitars) in moments bring easily Mahavishnu Orchestra or Shakti in mind.

From all the backgrounds and side-project of the individual members, I’d like to pick out the fact that Pierce McDowell, who studied besides 20th century and electronic music, and sitar with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan also is writing/peforming with Gilli Smyth (Gong, Mother Gong) under the name Gong Matrist. Also interesting to know is that Rasaki Aladokun, the Nigerian talking drum player, was a valued member of King Sunny Ade's band for over twenty years. Most other side-projects of the members include other world groove or fusion related music.

Homepage : http://www.lionharp.com/azigza/

& info (with audio) : http://cdbaby.com/cd/azigza2

Other reviews : http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=azig-kriya

& http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue29/azigza01.html

& http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/azigza.htm

& http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=32251

& http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=2854

Ancient Rec. Mawwal : Black Flies (US,2008)***°'

The group Paranoise lately evolved into a more acoustic band, and after a while changed its name to Mawwal. By the time of this album they assembled a whole group of dedicated people who together made an example of new World Rock music ready to launch in the world. The idea might originate in the moment when Peter Gabriel launched his Real World label, with his ambitious soundtrack “Passion” that featured many traditional World Music artists, combining their talents but still keeping each original style, mixed only with modern effects and rhythms to a differently packed introduction in a suitable form for the Western world. No matter that this was a great example, it also confirmed the further evolutions with some prejudgements towards World Music. On one hand there were the serious cultural organisations that choose to book and stimulate islands of traditional music and bring them into our own world to feed the kick of tourism, to discover and experience something new, on the other hand there is the exploitation of traditional music by adding modern beats, or even New Age contexts. It is time for something more serious. It is also the time for a growing consciousness that the standard economic and political power based upon oil (and gas) can no longer stand. When this falls away different things can happen. Either political powers wants to rule further with a different state dependency while looking for comparable solutions to keep control, religion will become one of the last try-outs to win this control, leading dangerously to what they already foresee as a clash of religions, where certain groups want to keep themselves separate from or even superior to others, so that in the end also the concurrent parties can only think about trying to gain control (economically or just ruling). But on the other hand the same foundation of change brings in an awareness that creative persons have been shut up for too long. At the same time, there's a tendency making the end of science because of it's taken over by political, company-related or even religious control, and the ignorence it propagates in the public while being controlled by these tendencies. But on the other hand there are many creative persons who are able to work with progress towards solutions that, for instance in ethno-folk music, are able to make the whole world work better as one entity, as a cooperative entity. While Paranoise was a politically shocked group (having had its eyes opened after too many confrontations with dominating propaganda within the US), it is in fact much more with Mawwal that they take creative action. Just the respect to these ‘islands of traditions’ does not help the world so well to evolve with foundations of communicative processes. While each country has its own conditions and traditions that bring out its best specific colours of talents, combining these talents into a group entity makes the possibility of forming a New and cooperative and also a much more creative sort of World music, with each member bringing their own elements in a bit more spontaneously, just like in a normal rock group that seeks an expression that they at least feel themselves completely related with. Also only those traditions are expressed that feel to stimulate their own personal needs, tastes and creative process.

And there surely is an impressive crew. First of all are featured some Bulgarian voices, a group called Yasna Voices. Bulgarian voices are female choirs famous for their quality of harmonic power, which you cannot find elsewhere in the world. In the recording however they sound much more often like a popularisation of African singing, with its own optimistic and mobilizing power. I also immediately noticed a powerful fretless bass with a beautiful sound and technique, which seemed to be played by Percy Jones (known from Brand X, Philip Collins first jazz-progrock band ; he was also featured on Steve Hackett’s debut). Further there’s beautiful violin by Rohan Gregory, throat (or harmonic) singing by Jim Cole, powerful electric bass by Tyler Van Ostrand, poly-rhythmic and colourful percussion, played by Geoffrey Brown, sometimes in combination with Ken Matarazzo and Indian tabla by Harshal Tole, laouto (Greek lute) with a Northern African feeling by band leader Jim Matus, improvised violin by Rohan Gregory, funky bansuri flute by Jay Gandhi, solo singers with their own character like the Bulgarian Vlada Tomova, or the Indian Chakkraborty Khare, or the classically trained (if it’s the right voice I noticed on 7) Galen Brandt, and a few guests.

Two pre-recorded vocals were used from the famous Pakistani Sufi-singer Nusrat Fateh-Ali Khan (now deceased), in a new, perfect arrangement giving the impression it was recorded with him in person in studio (1,6).

The tracks are often inspirations from traditionals, from Libya (1), Syria (3), a part from a song from Uzbekistan and Russia (4), parts from a West African song (5), A Sufi lyric (7), Yemen (8), a part from a Bulgarian song (9).

The tracks hang well together and are performed in a rock way with lots of contrasts, and are rather rhythmic, with power in the bass parts as well as in the choir parts. Last track includes a politicized conclusion, with still the music having the last word.

PS. Very funny is the front cover, showing the Middle East full of flies which are coloured in the form of American flags, spreading over the area. The American influence during history we must remember wasn’t just about keeping control and economic balance over areas. The individual soldiers often spread the interest for certain areas, and for years there has been lots of cross-cultural hybrids, which in the 60s and 70s also brought many people lots of enjoyment. Later the mentality changed because propaganda takes even more part of the targets of certain groups, having its influence also over the freedom of citizens, stimulating too often extremist groups that keep under restraint creativity. Mawwal in their turn could eventually start to work, in future, like bees (instead of flies) bringing their idea of cross-cultivation, but they are themselves still traumatised by the general tendencies of politics that for the moment they only bring their new standard exactly for the Western world.

Info & audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/mawwal & http://www.myspace.com/mawwal

Homepage : http://www.mawwalmusic.com/

with audio : http://www.mawwalmusic.com/music.htm

Info on http://www.gepr.net/mas.html#MAWWAL

Description on http://www.waysidemusic.com/...

& http://zookeeper.stanford.edu/...

Other reviews : http://aural-innovations.com/issues/issue37/Mawwal.htm

& http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=4219&bhcp=1

Other live album for download : http://www.paranoise.com/Mawwal.htm

Previous project of Paranoise first release is reviewed on next page->

Niel Golden Niel Golden : It's a journey (CAN,2008)****

Niel Golden is an experienced tabla player who had the opportunity to play and record with a wide diversity of musicians. When listening to this album it is clear how he managed to make with this diversity of contributing influences, to make it sound like a musical journey, where it no longer matters where or when it is recorded and with which or whose specific influences and backgrounds, because each moment and contributing element captures the spirit of a trans-cultural new world music experience. Not only the tabla pulls the strings ; some tracks find inspiration in playing the ‘hang’, a modern hybrid steel pan invented some years ago in Switzerland after investigations on instruments that produced comparable sounds. Most tracks feature Niel on tabla, on ‘hang’ (or steelpan), and sometimes on other percussion instruments. Stand by artists are Ken Hall on guitar, and Scott White on the double bass.

I will mention some of its diversity. Rolling Stones’ song “Paint It Black” is covered as an instrumental with an interesting guitar improvisation (by Kenn Hall), as a bluesy semi-Indian flavoured improvisation. We hear it interpreted by the new world music trio Saffron, with Ken Hall on guitar, Enrique Rivas on tres, and Niel on percussion, with additional bass, fiddola and harmonica. On “Hari OM” Indian traditions (in Bhajan style) are mixed with blues. It features Harry Manx who has experience in this field, playing on mohan veena, lap slide resonator guitar and resonator guitar and voice. It also features some harmonica, and also accordion. “Next Stop Timbuktu” has a Northern African flavour on oud, some flute improvisations, and thoroughly shows a rather jazzy evolution. “Celtickle” has some Celtic traditions (on fiddola), a chamber-like arrangement, mixed with steelpan, guitar and double bass, and of course tabla. “Maliwood Drive” has a real happy swing ; it features also kora (which sounds harp-like). “Garden Of Delight” features George Koller on sitar. Different is also “Gabriel’s Wing” with a Latin-jazzy swing featuring Latin-jazz-harmonies on vocals (Emily Braden) and jazzy soprano sax. Also “Mariam” has a great, “Celtic” swing (on kora, steelpan, percussion and bass), although it is associated with an experience in Mali on their way to Timbuktu. And also “Flying Away” has a melodic swing, on steelpan and soft percussion, and what I will mention as a Latin-flavoured acoustic guitar. It also features a chamber-violin arrangement. After the Indian flavoured “Bhangraroo”, the last track, “Blu Z”, once more changes shape showing different influences of blues (mouth harmonica), and blues-jazz swing (acoustic guitar, bass, vocals by Emily Braden), while the tabla swings somewhere in between a jazzy and Indian style, with some strong tabla conversation conclusion at the end.

Info & audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/nielgolden

Homepage (with audio on discography) : http://nielgolden.com/

Review of Harry Manx solo release : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/Indianrockfusion.html

More about the 'Hang' : http://www.hang-music.com/hang.php

Face The Music Brian Bender & Little Shop of Horas : Eyn Velt (US,2008)***

I was contacted asking to check out Brian Bender’s albums; I found it strange how one man could lead and play in so many styles, and I wondered how he would blend them. I could only find out by listening. Brian’s latest album is called “Eyn Velt”, which combines Jewish melodies (from Klezmer and Chassidic origins or interpretations, and flavoured by his experience in Hebrew music) mixed with Latin, Caribbean, African and Middle Eastern rhythms. For each section and tune he used musicians who specialize in a certain genre to keep things authentic. Brian himself is used to playing in various traditions of genres of African reggae, Jewish folk, Celtic, World Beat, Afrobeat, Juju, Brazilian, Salsa/meringue, Latin Jazz, blues, Dixieland jazz, jazz and ska. He himself plays trombone, keyboards, trumpet, melodica and percussion. The blend between them gets richer by the way of playing, and is not just a way of playing or certain tunes to different rhythmic areas. Basically Brian is a player whose own style, here, is a blend of jazz flavoured more “tragic” sounds of the melodica, Klezmer and Hebrew melodies, while the new blending sounds optimistic and light and also, so easy. The “blend” is not in that it changed anything from the original sources of traditions, which was also the intention, no matter how unusual combinations of tunes and melodies in theory might be. The compositions hang well together and sound like one logical compositional concept, making in music a bit of a meeting place where each person keeps this whole identity intact. On the Turkish melody “Artik” were added some personal fantasies, making it fit perfectly within the other tracks. A perfect listen showing a playground of traditions blended with a personality.

Guests on the album were Frank London (Klezmatics, Hasidic New Wave), Alicia Svigals (Klezmatics, Mikveh), Charles Neville (Neville Brothers), Stuart Brotman (Brave Old World), Grant Smith (Klezmer Conservatory Band), Jose Gonzalez (Bando Criollo), Raquy Danziger (Raquy & The Cavemen) and Backa Niang (Gokh-Bi System).

Face The MusicBrian Bender & The World Beatniks : Urban Jungle (US,2007)**

Even when the same talent is present in this album, the ‘Urban Jungle’ is much lighter entertainment, played with pleasure by Brian on trombone mostly, but with a feeling he’s playing much more along, like a player, a bit more than being a composer. Jazz makes most links, but we also hear a Turkish and rather Balkan (actually klezmer/Arabic) making an alternation point, afrobeat, samba, reggae and funk have its share as well. Enjoyable music, but still, the new album shows a much stronger vision. Besides, my interests are creative blends, crossovers and fusions with a creative vision, and I'm more enthusiastic when that comes out best. This is more an album that presents an urban exoticism of enjoyment that can easily be adapted in a jazz flavoured context.

Guests on the album were Eric Krasno (Soulive), Adam Deitch (Avarage White Band, Lettuce), Charles Neville (Neville Brothers) and Jose Gonzalez (Bando Criollo).

Audio Eyn Velt : "Di Grine Cuzine", "El Judio"

Homepage : http://www.brianbender.com

with audio on http://www.brianbender.com/musicstore.htm & http://www.myspace.com/brianbender

& for "Urban Jungle" on http://cdbaby.com/cd/bbtwb

& "Eyn Velt" : http://cdbaby.com/cd/bblsoh

Article : http://www.jazzworlddatabase.com/SearchMoreInfo.aspx?ID=72470

Drag City Suarasama : Fajar Di Atas Awan (INDO,1998,re.2008)****'

Suarasama Ensemble is a North Sumatra based group of up to 20 musicians around two ethnomusicologists who finished their master degree in Seattle. They have released two albums so far (1998 & 2002) of which this is the first one that is reissued and made more widely available.

For this release they were a quintet mostly, playing Persian, Indian and Indonesian instruments. Their goal was to make contemporary music based upon world music traditions, while having also their own specialisation in music and dance of Northern Sumatran origin.

The first few tracks have the more European styled acoustic guitar leading the improvisation, mixed with Indian ways of singing and percussion, the next few tracks are with a more African typed string instrument, playing and devotion, while most of the other tracks show more of a Middle Eastern and Persian core, with oud and Persian percussion bringing back in a combination of this with Indian traditions. This gives pretty much the restoration feeling how music belongs to the world and that a certain type of semi-improvised mood can be approached in its purity like something which refers the universality of humanity.

The female’s singer has a crystal-sweet voice, and also the male singer adds his own gentleness to the subtle feelings provoked in the music.

Some people will recognise some essences that can be recognised in the late reissue of the Habibiyya, who had shown Sufi-musical besides other ethno-world music interests.

70 minutes of enjoyment of an experience for global enjoyment.

The group since 2002 has since then performed in various parts of the world.

Homepage : http://www.suarasama.com/

Review with audio : http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?a=22150

Label info : http://www.dragcity.com/bands/suarasama.html

or on http://www.normanrecords.com/records/101019

Other review : http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/Suarasama_Fatas_Di_Atas_Awan

One track was released on a compilation reviewed on http://psychedelicfolk.com/guitar10.html

Suisa Stephan Rigert's Talking-Drums : Between (CH/IND/BF/ML/JAM,2002)****

Talking-Drums not only is a band. It also is an agency consisting now of 5 different World Fusion bands, with masters and musicians from different parts of the world. ‘Between’ is a project with members of India (flute, tabla), Burkina Faso (djembe), Mali (balafon), Jamaica (bass) and Switzerland (guitar & composition, percussion & arrangements). The group hangs together very well. But immediately I noticed the talent of the Indian flute player, Rupak Kulkarni, who plays lightly fluently and vividly, a bit like Malherbe with an Indian touch, ranging from Indian flute playing to jazz flute, playing with a freedom and melodic range that is inspiring. Fitting with that energy is the balafon or wooden xylophone (Lassana Diabeté) with its own vividness, adding exotic colours in the rhythmic range of the band, which is already alternated with hand rhythms on jembe by Adama Dramé and tabla by Anindo Chatterjee. Some themes were clearly led by guitar compositions, but are performed by flute, or in duet with guitar (Marc Liebeskind). There are jazzy flavours, small funky elements in bass, and exotic world music themes (Indian, African and others) with some rhythmic solos in rich chromatic sounds (Stephan Rigeet). Even when one track starts with rhythm also, the group sound succeeds with a language of its own to create even from this something rich and vivid with melodic themes within its range of a way expressing the handed themes. Very good !

Audio : http://www.talking-drums.com/soundBetween.php

Homepage : http://www.talking-drums.com