RAINBOW

A very colourful, personal and polyphonic album by this curious American jazz rock artist. The main objective pursued is to create a ravishing mental journey through ragas and different jazz like improvisations. Bobby Callender easily used the traditional instruments of eastern classical music for circular motifs (but without turning minimalist or obsessional) and combines this force with groovy & jazzy experimentations. The title track is a brief western raga featuring floating sitar lines, echoing manipulated voices (which provide an "acid" temper) and orchestral arrangements. The atmosphere is very "kitsch" and romantic but definitely curious. "Nature" is an impressive psychedelic raga rock composition with "stoned" vocals, electric guitar sections and usual eastern ingredients. "Sade Masoch" includes a jazz part for trombone mixed to a dancing sitar / voice duet. "Purple" is closed to new age (before time); a long flowing, ethereal composition with easy effects and charming sounds taken from the elements. "Mother Superior» is a melodramatic ballad for orchestra. "Autumn" is a track for piano and violin which covers different kind of "world" jazz and popular music. "Man" is a sleeping pop jazz ballad which meets a hippie-like background. This album is not a milestone in jazz indo fusion for the reason that it sometimes turns "raga" into an object of "common" meditation and mainstream ballad...abandoning the goal of trancey state and visceral, emotional effervescences. However it's a nice addition for fans of "world" music and fusion jazz.