VIOLIN

For this album, Oregon brought in famed Polish jazz violinist Zbigniew Seifert who sadly died of cancer not long after this was recorded, at the age of 32. His rich playing here is all the more special although this album is not an easy listen but rather demanding.

This is some serious acoustic improvisation with Seifert's violin, Towner's guitar, oboe, clarinet, bass and tabla. It reminds me instantly of the Third Ear Band I just reviewed but much more frantic. You have the standard Oregon sound of explorative acoustic world-jazz with the often edgy and harsh violin coming and going. There are only a few quiet meditative moments here and there, this is not a calming album. It's quite active and unsettling.

This is certainly an impeccably played album by very good musicians. It would be recommended to serious acoustic jazz purists, fans of rather difficult music who like the idea of a frenetic edgy violin over the top of Oregon. I confess I have heard only a few of Oregon's many albums, but of those I would certainly recommend starting with "Moon and Mind" before this unless you are a big violin nut in which case this is essential.

Here are two informative quotes from the CD liner notes: "The music of Oregon.is hard to define.a volatile space where there are no laws.and coming from serious musical backgrounds as all four do they have found and reveal the infinite applications of historical and traditional forms of their own music. Exploring all of the fine points of dynamics, rhythm, tone color, and a sharp ear for form and harmonic detail. Oregon is an experience in an unexcelled tradition, from Beethoven, Debussy and Gershwin to Shankar." [Bill Breeze, Great Speckled Bird Atlanta]

"The band is equally at home with baroque counterpoint, Indian raga, harmonically advanced improvising, rock rhythms, and contemporary classicism..the individuals are all able soloists, but they have chosen to work together toward an ensemble sound." [Bob Palmer, Rolling Stone]

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