OUT OF THE WOODS

This is the edition issued on 1978, instead the re-mastered version dated 1995 of course is the best one, regarding of such an interesting chamber jazz, fusion-tinged...in fact the orchestrations- by means of the woodwind- are enhanced in a remarkable manner and in particular the job performed by Paul McCandless at the bass clarinet and the horn too! Moreover I've re-discovered such a good Collin Walcott's skill, after his departure from the Oregon ensemble in the course of 1984...after that event the ensemble won't be the same anymore...but coming back to the present issue, despite being not suspenseful (like in a few true progressive works nowadays and something more in the seventies, I mean), it's stunning. Otherwise- actually- the music of Oregon is intelligent fusion and nothing else, but you can find some fine music breaks-through inside and this feature alone could be enough to judge the album as well worth checking out, at least!! At the end nevermind if their music is an hybrid genre, in the middle between the chamber jazz and a kind of world music, cause in its particular style is unique!!

So my evaluation is "4 stars" inside a collection of experimental acoustic jazz..."3 stars" in a normal prog collection, especially if this "Out of the woods" is judged by a "prog purist".