PIIMA

Estonian Prog/Jazz-Rockers Phlox were formed during the 99'-00' winter in Tallinn by guitarist Kristo Roots and bassist Raivo Prooso along with some other musicians who left the group too soon.However the band did release the self-produced CD ''Fusion'', followed by the sophomore album ''Piima'' four years later with a more stable crew, featuring also drummer Marko Pajula, keyboardist Pearu Helenurm, wind instrumentalist Kalle Klein and guitarist Alan Prooso.The album was recorded in May 2004 in Kanuti Guild Hall in Tallinn and released under the non-profit artists' label MKDK.

While the band seems to hide some great energy and passion for contemporary Jazz/Fusion, the lack of orientation in the compositions and the extended improvised parts wiouldn't help them jump out of the mass of modern Jazz/Fusion groups.And the same problem like other groups of the style appears constantly.These musicians are good.And the individual performances on the improvised parts show a group of musicians with talent.But there is no actual composing focus in ''Piima''.Too many and pretty forgettable free solos, regarding drum parts, saxes, electric piano and guitars.The grooves are nice and energetic, the more psychedelic hypnotic passages are decent as well, but the overall performance relies too much on the individual performances.There is no sense of melody and sometimes true teamwork in this release.

Not a very succesful wider introduction for Phlox.''Piima'' prooves that this group of guys should function more as a team than a simple group of soloists.This is unmemorable Jazz/Fusion with the focus on the jazzy side, only recommended to fans of the style.

This band should definitively have more recognition on this site.

This is pure and mellow jazz-fusion with a very present Canterbury flavour (hear those keyboards!). I even find this album to be comparable to Soft Machine's Fifth and/or Six and some Phil Miller solo works, not my favourite music but very nice to hear for sure. In fact, there are several moments of improvisation and free jazz arrangements scattered along the album, like the sax on the first track, the drum improvisation on the second one or the Phil Miller-like guitar on the first minutes of the third track, that I'm sure fans of the bands I mentioned will find enjoyable.

My only issue with this kind of music is the absence of memorable lines, that is why I only give it three stars.