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David Torn - Cloud About Mercury CD (album) cover

CLOUD ABOUT MERCURY

David Torn

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

4.40 | 44 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

snobb
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Very rare album from almost forgotten great experimentalist David Torn. Searching on his own sound in the field of experimental guitar music, David Torn tested many electronic devices and techniques. But it is a case, when deep experimentation gave excellent musical result.

Just imagine King Crimson's rhythm section (Tony Levin + Bill Bruford), David Torn on guitar ( he has very own sound, but nearest example is Robert Fripp) and excellent jazz trumpetist Mark Isham as one band. That is it, this album.

Very first album sounds are guitar soundscapes, similar to Fripp's. But very soon the music goes to the fields of world-avant-fusion (where Torn plays strings in a manner of French- Vietnamese guitar player Nguyen Le).

Step by step trumpet takes his leading role, and doesn't surrender till very end of the album. Fripp-like guitar and bass stick build very multi textured background for trumpet improvisational sound it.

But guitar will have its moments many times. Sometimes duelling with trumpet, or going over it , it builds great aerial sound constructions ( elegantly mixed by EMC characteristic sound mixing). Rhythm structures are complex, influenced by African and Caribbean drumming.

All the album sounds as one excellent piece of music. Possibly, the best fusion album coming from eighties!

Very recommended for any jazz rock fusion fan. Masterpiece!

snobb | 5/5 |

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