ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER

6. Quiet Observer begins to observe nature, the owl as a reference; the sax and the harp curl up together on a melody which could be by VANGELIS 7. Silver Wheel follows between a bucolic jazz-rock climate and a serenade from which we no longer know which instrument is featured; a melody that invites contemplation with repetitions and a rare final guitar solo 8. Drown In Pale Light the Japanese rattles intervene bringing to a divine arpeggio crystalline dry guitar and harp; VANGELIS with 'China' is not far away; 9. The Secret, The Candle, And Love yes the blue sweater in the swimming pool I thought about it a little; well let's return to this crystalline piece, yes again, a pure beauty with some choirs to spend an unforgettable moment alone or in company 10. Hush - Patience At Bamboo Forest for a beat of percussion, bamboos before 11. Three Silver Ladies Dance and a little more guitar which lends a hand to the Japanese harp; yes this album has a myriad of sounds from the Empire of the Rising Sun and 12. The Moon and the Child as a majestic finale; it feels like 'The Last Emperor'.

One could approach this from the opposite camp and assess that, given cheesy lyrics, relatively conventional or at least habitual arrangements, and diffident vocal style, subtracting out the ethnic fusion that somewhat elevated its immediate predecessors, it's a wonder that "Vox" isn't a total botch job, which it assuredly is not.

Vollenweider's earnest and understated manner works wonderfully on "these Hearts of Gold", "Home of Love", "Pilgrim" and "Ripples in the edge of time", as he intuits brilliantly what his fans might want from his own lips as opposed to second hand deliveries via ELIZA GILKYSON or CARLY SIMON.

Unfortunately, the rest just doesn't quite rise to the level of succinctness required in this genre, and much is stuck in cliches of the 1980s to which Vollenweider didn't even stoop in the heart of that decade. I'm thinking "Wake up and Dance", "Sons of Sisyphus" and "What if it wasn't a dream" in particular.

Though Vollenweider is to be commended for finally giving voice to these interests for the first time, he unfortunately didn't stick with it for the duration so "Vox" is the quintessential fan only release, though probably not for all fans.

Bobby McFerrin's versatile vocal exercises warm the catchy "Elle Chelle". The Basque accordion of Kepa Junkera imparts an open air nostalgic scent to "Petit Smile". "Peachtree Valley" is perhaps his best fusion with Oriental motifs courtesy of Pingxing Xu's Chinese hammered dulcimer and Vollenweider's own erhu. Also of note are the Celtic inspired numbers "Under One Moon", which could pass for a mid period ALAN STIVELL track, and "At the Forest Fountain", benefiting from spirited piping by Spain's CARLOS NUNEZ. "Your Silver Key" is a brief but resounding contribution from CARLY SIMON, the best I have heard between these two artists, like a wayward JUDY COLLINS. VOLLENWEIDER plays the ancient wind instrument ocarina on "Long Road to You", backed elegantly by a string quartet.

The latter 4 tracks plunge with abandon into self possessed improvisation with more mixed results, with the accomplished guests occasionally drowning the arrangements, as they did on the earlier "Hush, My Heart, Be Still" and "Ancient Pulse" (where one might well be ok with ABDULLA IBRAHAM's kidnapping job) but "Cor do Amor" is a pitch perfect duo with MILTON NASCIMENTO.

While admittedly the catchment area of this release is a bit sprawling, "Cosmopoly" affirms that VOLLENWEIDER, while perhaps not in same division as his invitees, is worldly enough to pull off a project that both compliments and complements all involved. 3.5 stars

"Kryptos" veers resolutely into the orchestral man-cave of the Vollenweider estate. Sure, the first true composition is the familiar sounding and downright catchy "Morgana Palace", but this time around the victors are the Celtic infused symphonic gems like the breathtaking "under the Tree of Hope", the guided travelogue "Wanja the Wanderer", the whimsical and rambunctious "Forest Folk", the most overtly progressive "Trigon" (with show stealer Michael Brecker on sax), and the OLDFIELD inspired "May Green be the Grass".

All the while the listener is faced with an essential quandary at the core of this man's music. Is he just a "nervous composer" as some have suggested, flitting petulantly between attention starved themes, or is he not a composer at all in the "classical" sense, but just a "player" for those with no formal musical knowledge or appreciation? The true answer is an amorphous third option hidden in stark view on "Kryptos", in which his perfectionism achieves a brightness that can only make one squint with awe and delight.

To be fair to Vollenweider, at least he tried to change. "Eolian Minstrel" was his first song oriented album, enlisting durable American folk pop singer Eliza Gilkyson on most tracks, with predictably middling results. One might have expected a more Celtic accent, but I hear almost as many jazz and pop shadings, which further dilutes the potential impact. Still, "Reason Enough" thrusts forward like the best OYSTERBAND intro and doesn't let up, while the more strictly rock oriented "Harvest" veers from the track most likely to be skipped to the one most likely to be skipped to. "Desert of Rain" generates a swirling wiccan atmosphere like the best of STEVIE NICKS, and the sole spot by CARLY SIMON, "Private Fires, may not be a barn burner but it's intimate enough. "Leaves of the Great Tree" adds a welcome country-ish impurity to the catholic diorama.

The few instrumentals fail to build momentum or bridge the vocal tracks, while certainly offering agreeable passages in a more Celtic or Native American vein. The exception is the elegant "Leaves of the Great Tree" with the violin and sax coaxing each other into climactic levitation and the harp making sure they don't stay airborne. It's a rare emotional crest for music that is often rightly accused of being too sedate for its own good.

While Vollenweider and friends might not be recommended for the graduate level prog fan, "Eolian Minstrel" doesn't let down the listener who craves integrity with a light touch.

Unfortunately, for every such triumph we can point to a failed idea like yet another misplaced LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO guest spot, a tepid bore like the title cut, or the excruciating death by vocal of "The Birds of Tilmun" and "Manto's Arrow". At best these missteps are failed transitional pieces, but at worst they sabotage momentum and derail what could have been his masterpiece. Arguably VOLLENWEIDER's most progressive release, "Book of Roses" might be the first one you open on that basis alone, but it's not quite a page turner.

"Dancing with the Lion" courted risk by diluting the signature Vollenweider sound that only just been fully realized a couple of years earlier. It is to the credit of the man's honed instincts that, in the mane, the step was worth taking.

The unique harp that he created and plays remains in the foreground throughout, and the production is absolutely crystalline. The acoustic guitars, played by Max Laesser, are far more predominant than before, and eclectic influences from the Americas, and near and far East are more discernible. "Moon Dance" marks further maturation that began with "White Winds" - a central jaunty theme with distinct offshoots and a modicum of voice as is his wont. I wouldn't doubt that Japanese band ASTURIAS listened closely to this album before embarking on their career shortly thereafter, adopting the lucidity and elegance of such numbers as "Silver Wheel" and "Three Silver Ladies Dance". A few tracks are much more reflective, such as "Water Moon" and "Quiet Observer".

It's probably been decades since I listened to Vollenweider in this detail, and I'm surprised how much better "Down to the Moon" sounds than it did 30 years ago. If you want one representative from his comprehensive discography, nay, from the whole new age genre, you could do far worse than land right here.

While the man himself exuded gravitas even at a younger age, this is the first release where he manages to infuse his music with that earnest sense and deliberateness which might resonate more with prog fans. He didn't turn into MIKE OLDFIELD or JEAN LUC PONTY to be sure, but "Hall of the Stairs" and "The Glass Hall" play much more like epics while warmly showcasing his harp throughout, such that even the occasional chanting complements rather than detracts. These pieces are propelled forward by the naturally rhythmic nature of the harp, unencumbered by excess baggage. When he does include guests, such as Joerg-Peter Siebert on winds, the effect is more memorable still. Even his more docile arrangements like on "Phases of the Three Moons" and "Flight Feet and Root Hands" retain a simple charm and elegance.

I'm not saying that fans of complex progressive rock should visit every Unitarian Church sale looking for "White Winds", but at least here the gentle breeze of new age seems to buffet the good ship prog while assuredly not rocking the boat.