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Cirrus - Lands End
Opus 3 CD 19803 Reviewed by SG
This album was briefly mentioned in my Opus 3 overview in issue 8, but I feel it requires a fuller examination. As I noted, the sounds are suggestive of the best of ECM's jazz recordings, with Ari Haraldsson's sax sounding like a less disconsolate version of Jan Gabarek's. The music is a pleasant mix of, evocative, new age with a hint of the avant-garde. The occasional appearance of the Didgeridoo brings an ethnic feel to the proceedings - Nordic trolls and dragons go down-under! All the compositions are original, and the album is full of expression, invention, and proficiency. The sound is excellent, in the usual Opus 3 way, but with one of the largest, and deepest, soundstages I remember from this source. The guitars can appear way outside the speakers and you can sit back and wallow in the natural acoustics. Very natural tones, and a tangible sound to the percussion, help to give the sound real life. Each time I have heard this album it has grown on me more. If you are not sure of this CD on your first listen, give it time. You could be pleasantly surprised.
Available from Pentacone Tel/Fax: 01924 445039

Gentle Waves - Swansong for you
JPRLP011 Reviewed by JH
Back in issue 3 I reviewed the first album by this winsome side shoot from those masters of understatement Belle and Sebastian, and there I described the sounds captured in the groove as "music of rare beauty" and so it continues with Swansong For You. The band is still completely acoustic employing, to very good effect, everything from brass through to harps and always overlaid with Isobel Campbell's quiet and self effacing vocal delivery. Is there anything new here? Well this album is very retro, from the Judy Garland cover to the overall layout and detail of the sleeve which both recall the early 60s, and whilst much about this band is bang up to date, many of the songs hark back to earlier times with one or two jiving along very nicely. Added to this is a general increase in musical range so that the album as a whole is even more interesting and varied. Fortunately the tunes and melody are equally as glorious this time around. Carefully crafted songs have always characterised this band, but in spite of all I said above I can still see some people finding this style of music and its delivery a tad irritating. Personally I would urge a second listen, because there is real quality here.

The Cure - Bloodflowers
FICTION RECORDS FIXCD 31/543123-2 Reviewed by RP
Classic Cure. Intense, guitar-laden rock pierced by Robert Smith's anguished vocals which have always been capable of stretching lyrics and songs to emotional breaking point - a taught 'Watching Me Fall' (at over eleven minutes) is a prime example of his acute wordiness. This indulgent bloody imagery, strong on sexuality and racked with personal hurt, eats away at you until you are living his pain - and oh how Bloodflowers is so full of the pain that comes from close self-scrutiny. It's a worthy successor to the 1996 album Wild Mood Swings, where the lyrics revealed that all was not well in the Smith household. Extremely demanding music of least for as long as these open wounds continue to be picked over, but fortunately stability in the band (following Tolhurst's acrimonious court action) has ensured that Smith, Bamonte, Gallup, Roger O'Donnell (keyboards) and Jason Cooper (drums) have established an enviable rapport that instrumentally conveys each twist of the lyrical scalpel blade just enough to soak the dressing in sufficient colour without letting the patient bleed to death.

Joe Jackson - Summer In The City
Sony SK 89237 Reviewed by PW
Maybe I'm seeing the start of the rehabilitation of the much maligned live album. I've bought three recently (this one, Tori Amos and Heather Nova) and loved them all. Perhaps now that most studio based pop recording is so far removed from live performance that it all but counts as a different art, the discipline imposed by playing a gig is beginning to result in a rich, new, best of both worlds phenomena? Having said that, this particular live recording is predominantly of material from the 70s and SOs and is by an artist with a long track record of bringing a live feel to his studio recordings. Britain produced some wonderful songwriters in the late 70s and 80s. Elvis Costello, Paddy McAloon, Andy Partridge, Roddy Frame and of course Joe Jackson. Simply through the accident of timing, Jackson was always associated with "punk" and "new wave" but was in fact a far more accomplished musician than many of his contemporaries. And for those who cared to listen it showed. This disc records a rare gig for Jackson and his long time bass and drums collaborators Graham Maby and Gary Burke and while some may question the selection of songs, and others might have the odd criticism of the recording, it is absolutely everything I, for one, hoped for. Unreservedly recommended.

Eric Bibb - Just Like Love
Opus 3 CD 21002 Reviewed by SG
After about three years, Eric has returned to Opus 3 and his recording roots - sounding much happier for it. Completed in just four sessions, his relaxed state shines through. Musically, the album consists of mainly original ballads, with influences coming from his past, friends, and most importantly, family, and gone are the gospel songs of the last two Opus 3 releases. This album is much simpler, but more personal. Eric is at his intimate, soulful, best -sounding comparable to a refined Muddy Waters - with highlights including the title track, She's Still With Me, . and That's Why I'm Here. This is Opus 3's first release on Super Audio CD, and it sounds amazing! Being a "hybrid", it can be played on either a machine designed for the format, or an existing CD player. I have heard the HDCD version of this disc, and although good, it pales in comparison. The SACD produces a three-dimensional soundstage that you can almost walk into, more natural tones, and far more detail. With so much more life and presence, I would not even think of buying the standard disc - this is that good. I think I have just heard the future!
Available from www.hififorsale.com Tel: 0870 2412469

Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard - Gladiator OST
Decca 467 094-2 Reviewed by RG
There's never been much that's original about film music: it's always felt free to rifle existing genres and the classical canon, until many current soundtracks are a simple cut and paste job, rolling together as many pop hits as they can in a scatter-gun approach to extended marketing. At least the Gladiator sound track follows the tradition of borrowing from 'serious' music, blending traditional orchestral arrangements with guitar and haunting vocals. The latter come courtesy of Ms Gerrard, previously of This Mortal Coil, and roll together TMC . with a serious slice of Holst (Mars appears almost unchanged) and you'll get a fairly good idea of what to expect. Tremendous dynamic range and sheer power counterposed against fragility. There's even a sense of humour at work, as themes from The Rock and Crimson Tide make brief appearances. Huge, sweeping, bombast and thunderous percussion contrast nicely with the more reflective moments, and let's face it, if you are going to do the epic thing then there's no such place as over the top. If the movie didn't live up to its natural fore-bears Ben Hur and El Cid, how much more impressive would they have been supported by this kind of musical heavy artillery. Wry, derivative and populist it may be (and all the better for it!) but this is one soundtrack that's capable of standing alone. And impressively so.
Supplier: hififorsale.com Tel: 0870 2412469

Ennio Morricone - Once Upon A Time In America
OST BMG 7432 161976 2 Reviewed by RG
If Hans Zimmer is the new star of the Hollywood soundtrack, how does his work stack up against the acknowledged masters? Necessarily derivative in nature (so many films are, after all, historical) film music becomes strangely comparable across time. I could have gone for Korngold, Rozca or Williams, but instead I plumped for Morricone, partly because people think that they know what to expect, and partly because they ain't gonna get it. Once Upon A Time In America may be Leone's time fractured sequel to Once Upon A Time In The West, but despite common themes (institutionalised violence, an urbane villain and a reluctant antihero) this is no spaghetti western. Tracing the links between bootlegging, organised crime and the unions this inhabits an urban landscape and a different cultural milieu. The soundtrack writer's skill art is that of the chameleon, and here Morricone draws on the period themes of prohibition jazz, the hauntingly beautiful Amapola and strong personal motifs for the individual characters. Spread across some fifty years and nearly four cinematic hours, the film's action flits through time and it needs the strong resonance of Morricone's music to anchor it. The maestro doesn't disappoint, and if you want to step beyond the familiar spaghetti westerns to his deeper and more studied work then this is a good place to start. It's a pretty good movie too!

Hans Zimmer - The Thin Red Line OST
RCA 09026 63382 2 Reviewed by RG
Terrence Mallick's impressionistic masterpiece is by far the most intelligent comment to emerge from Hollywood on' the randomness; incomprehensibility and aimlessness of the condition of war. It stands in stark contrast to that tub-thumping, over sentimentalised and historically editorial tosh Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg's schlock-buster that received all the attention and Oscars. The Thin Red Line is less about action than it is about atmosphere: anonymous characters occupy an unidentifiable landscape, fighting a largely unseen enemy. I didn't realise just how much of the movie's impact depended on the soundtrack until I heard it in isolation. Zimmer takes the tonality and themes of a Barber and oriental instrumentation, and grafts them onto orchestration reminiscent of Shostakovich at his bleakest. It's a powerful aural counterpoint to the beauty and serenity of the landscape on screen: in isolation it is haunting, even disturbing. Powerful stuff, Zimmer shows his ability to shape music to the task at hand, and whilst it is less obviously approachable than his Gladiator soundtrack it is musically far more profound. Beautifully recorded, with the power and range that comes with the cinema, this will last long after the deep bass has impressed your neighbours' neighbours.
Supplier: hififorsale.com Tel: 0870 2412469

U2 - All that you can't leave behind
CIDU121 Island 2000 Reviewed by MC
U2 have been telling us for years about their intentions to make a happy rock and roll album that goes back to their roots. This, apparently, is it. The album opens with the cheery "Beautiful Day" and behind the song's smile and slightly banal lyrics lies a guitar line that affirms what we had hoped all along; the Edge is back on form. In fact the whole album is classic U2, Larry and Adam provide solid rhythm duties, leaving Bono and the Edge to carve out that big, fat U2 sound. Yes, big choruses abound, Bono's voice is the best it's been for years and the Edge seems to have been allowed to let his guitar off the leash, for a while at least. Okay, so it's slightly predictable, and at times, even a little dull, but when it's good it's awesome. "New York" and "Elevation" provide the thrills here, whilst "Ground beneath her feet" and "When I look at the world" are almost painfully exquisite. In all, though patchy, it's their best work for years by far. It's not Joshua Tree but it's at least Unforgettable Fire.

Santana - Supernatural
Arista 07882 19080 2 Reviewed by DA
Have you been disappointed in Santana of late? I know I have. Long gone are the fiery multiple percussionists of the first few albums, and the corresponding excitement of a band running on full throttle. To these ears Carlos has been disappearing into a quiet mist of lightweight funk, pleasant enough but ultimately dull. It would appear that his record company feel the same as they've been touting the CD round the music press as Santana's comeback album; the one where he willingly acted in the role of guest guitarist for the contemporary luminaries drafted in to produce, and play on, the various tracks. With a build up like that one should expect great things, but as is usually the case, it's just so much hyperbole. Having said that, this is still a good album. I'm not sure what's catalysed Carlos but it really is something of a return to form. You've probably heard the singles, and this should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect, at least from the first two thirds of the CD, as it does creep back into quiet harmlessness towards the end. Despite the 'guest guitarist' comment, it still comes out as a real Santana album, demonstrating a sensitivity from the guest artists that I really wasn't expecting. It seems to me that this is one guitar icon that is well on the road to musical recovery.

Moloko - Things To Make And Do
Echo ECHCD31 Reviewed by DA
Whilst 'The Time Is Now' permeated my consciousness over a period of time, it was watching the band play 'Pure Pleasure Seeker' on Later With Jools Holland that reeled me in. With Roisin sounding like Beth Gibbons from Portishead, albeit on happy pills, and an R&B strut that would have made the Spencer Davies Group proud, it's the perfect opener to an album stuffed full of cracking tunes. 'Dumb, dumb, we're dumbing it down' sings Roisin on 'Dumb Inc.' and in a way she's right, for whilst the previous albums had many more ideas, they come across as clever, clever rather than intelligent. With TTMAD less is more. There's still enough strangeness to mark the band out from the pack, but this time round there's a cohesiveness that results in real drive and purpose. Presumably for marketing purposes, the band has seen fit to tack on a dance mix of 'Sing It Back' that sticks out like a sore thumb. Perhaps the band have realised this, as there's a monster gap after the penultimate song. Whilst not a classic, I find myself returning to this CD again and again because it's fun. Now Moloko have deconstructed themselves, they have an opportunity to once again blend their intelligence into the mix and perhaps the next album will be something truly special.

Doves - Lost Souls
Heavenly 2000 HVNLP26CD Reviewed by MC
The Doves have had a good year. Formerly SubSub, now part time backing band for Badly Drawn Boy, the Williams twins and their bearded lead singer dropped their sequencers for guitars two years ago and never looked back. Lost Souls gives no hints as to the bands past. Skillfully crafted, it was two long years in the making. It treads no new ground ideas wise, but the sheer beauty of the songs, and its effortlessly laid back sound makes the competition seem lame. "The cedar room" stands out as one of the most powerful songs written this decade. Criminally ignored at release, it clocks in at a staggering seven and a half minutes. However unlike most epic tracks, each and every second of this one is heavenly. The music washes over you in layers and when the song finally stutters to a halt you want more, much more. Jimi's voice, being naturally low and slightly flat, tends to lend a slightly weary, mournful sound that Contemporaries like Coldplay sorely lack, and when it lifts, it soars. Every so often an album comes along which doesn't try to compete, it just sits there in a different league. No one has tried to recreate The Bends or Achtung Baby. And in the same way no one will try to challenge lost Souls, the album is a timeless classic, slow to warm to, but immensely satisfying.

Cosmic Rough Riders - Enjoy the melodic sunshine
MC5015LP Reviewed by JH
When I explained to the editor that I was reviewing an album by the Cosmic Rough Riders I could tell he was impressed. Well when I say impressed, perhaps amused would be more appropriate. OK he laughed - out loud, and yes I guess the band name is a bit silly, but the music they produce is simply excellent! Lyrically this band range from the comical, through the wistful to sharply observed social comment. Pile it on top of jaunty rhythms and away you go, but it's the melodies that really reach out and grab you. Writing this review of the album I was typing in time (fortunately the pace allows my typing to (almost) keep up!). This is Indian sub-continent meets country with a few beach boy surf rock riffs thrown in. It's strongly reminiscent of 60's San Francisco, and sometimes they even approach the anthem (although subtly). These are strange but inspired combinations that are present across the album, although more daring at the start. I guess this might have been done before, but I really enjoyed it, and it was obvious that this was a year 2000 record not a re-release.

David Bowie - Bowie At The Beeb (limited edition box set)
EMI 7243 528958 2 3 Reviewed by DA
I would just love the chance to rifle through the BBC radio archives, it's an absolute treasure trove of wonderful music. The latest gem to be unearthed is this limited edition box set covering the Dame's 1968-1972 visits to Auntie, plus a bonus disc from July this year. The first CD covers his early period, with tracks from the Anthony Newly days through to 'Kooks' from Hunky Dory. Most of the songs come from Man Of Music, Man Of Words (re-released as Space Oddity), and as such is the sound of a man who has yet to find his true path. The second disc is predominantly culled from Hunky Dory and ZiggyStardust Here we find fledgling confidence, with good but somewhat considered performances all round. Surprisingly, the Spiders only really let loose on 'Waiting For The Man' and 'White Light, White Heat', but it's a cracking disc for all that. As with the Zeppelin sessions from a couple of years ago, there are multiple versions of the same song, but unlike the Zeppelin there is little to choose between the versions. Getting to the third disc finds us in the company of a man who knows he's a legend, and he's comfortable with that. With nothing to prove any more, he just gets on with the job of entertaining the audience of 230 lucky people, a job that he and his excellent band do extremely well. Priced at around f20 for 52 tracks, this has to be the bargain of Y2K..

Gomez - Abandoned Shopping Trolley
Hotline - HUTLP64 Reviewed by JH
This, the band's third album, is their most difficult for the listener (and reviewer) to date. It contains plenty of previously recorded but unused material - third album and already a retrospective? Are Gomez getting too big for their boots? I don't think so, but then I can forgive them almost anything because they are so good and this album is very enjoyable, although it is not the first Gomez album you should buy (Liquid Skin in case you were wondering). The various influences that have made the Gomez sound are even more clearly shown with this album than either of the previous two. Here for example, we have trancy beats nuzzling up to old school acoustic Blues, and that pervasive get up and boogie Tijuana next to good old rock guitar. But here it's carried a little further, making the mix that much more obvious. Not surprisingly, some of these tracks are a tad weaker than you would perhaps expect to be gracing a Gomez album, but conversely it is hardly believable that 'Bring your loving back here' has not previously appeared. There is also a wonderful meandering rewriting of several tracks including '78 Stone Shuffle: Another Gomez album, and another great review, although this is both their third album and the third one you should buy.

Thea Gilmore - The Lipstick Conspiracies
NAIM CD 046 Reviewed by RP
Much has been made of the raucous side of Thea Gilmore. Those barbed lyrics and a fearless use of colourful invective have rained blows upon thickskinned bastions of prejudice like a smithy's lump hammer. The sensitive natured among us might see this as an ugly scarring that disfigures and diminishes the impact of a song. I disagree. Gilmore is an intelligent and articulate lyricist. She knows that sometimes. the use of coarser language is necessary. Of course an audience can respond to this in one of two ways. Either they don't get it and simply walk away or, as witnessed at the Manchester show, those who stop to listen relish the challenge thrown down by her words. From eighteen to eighty, and crossing the gender divide as well, they sat enthralled both in the sparse presentation (just Nigel Stonier and Thea working acoustic guitar) and by the resonant messages contained within songs like 'Bulletin Britain' or 'Resurrection Man: In an age where popular music is increasingly bland - the tunes may be good but the lyrics are woefully banal - a singer/songwriter whose convictions (political or otherwise) are worn on her sleeve is a rarity, a novelty, even. Switching to the CD and naturally enough, as you'd expect, the mixes for these tracks are tighter and more sophisticated. However, the arrangement never detracts from a kind of verbal "precision accuracy" that leaves her targets (be they shadowy Corporations, Governments, the Media, fractured relationships of sexual inequality) reeling from a venomous humour and observational maturity. The dissection is beautifully done. Listen to 'See If They Applaud' (a personal favourite) and you'll understand exactly what I mean. Fantastic, lyrical images shift from the personal to the public and back, with lines like, "I had too much to drink last night / Now I'm lying on the floor / Watching the coloured patterns in my eyes / Leftovers from the light..." to "Now the grey suits and the big boys / They're all slaves to their bank balance see / The media mass market freedom/ As the ultimate commodity" followed by a return to the acutely personal "And you tattoo my image / On the lips of all your friends / As some tight c**t to f**k and leave / And f-k again..." which makes a whole lot more sense than an angrily twisted diatribe you'd expect from some artists. The fine-tuning of this song is in the delivery. Thea's softly doubletracked vocals and a subtle colouring of acoustic guitar and kalimba delicately underpin the sentiments - sublime! Throw in catchy pop songs 'Generation Y?', 'Edge Of My Seat' and 'Forgotten' and you have a precocious talent that will (frighteningly) get even better. Comparisons to Chrissie Hynde, Sarah McLachlan and Paula Cole, respectively, on these tracks, serve only as convenient reference points for the uninitiated. Thea Gilmore is a musician who deserves all the superlatives which have been heaped upon The Lipstick Conspiracies. As it's my pop album of the year it only remains to score this recommendation.. and oh! how I've agonised. I desperately wanted to award top marks but I just know she'll get better and I'd have to give the next album eleven out of ten!
Artistes Website: www.theagilmore.com

Radiohead- Kid A
CDP7243-5-27753-2-3 Reviewed by MM
The anticipation of Radiohead's Kid A album was too overwhelming for this reviewer's mind. Being a long time fan, I was anxious to see how they would (or could) follow up the provocative and mind boggling OK Computer, their previous release. Upon it's arrival I found myself amidst the plight of an unusually entranced maniac. I tore the plastic from the jewel box, tossed the CD in my work desk system, a bread and butter Sony playback system with Yamaha NS-10ms for monitors. This is the system I initially play albums on as I feel it depicts a more "average" interpretation of recordings. Those of you familiar with recording studios should know the NS-10s. They're usually a staple in any control room. The reference system always follows (and then, the headphone listen of course). My initial impression: Disbelief. It seemed Radiohead had developed and, perfected the ability to apply organic textures to technological instrumentation. Computer generated sounds can occasionally come off as artificial and unemotional artifacts. Not in this case my friends. Meet the coming age of rock-n-roll. As I listened I ravaged through the liner notes looking for explanations, lyrical content, anything that could bring me to some understanding of the mission behind the record. What I found only enhanced my belief in this bands pure genius. No lyrics, no thank yous, just artwork. Pictures, which depict abstract landscapes, ethereal images, and poignant color schemes. The artwork is in fact a direct reflection of the music itself: Transcendent, colorful, and mysterious. A perfect explanation which far surpassed the norm. I was on a journey, one that I have been waiting for. "Everything in Its Right Place" possesses a true Spiritualized kind of sound. But there was something more soulful and arcane about it. Vocoderized ramblings pan from left to right, accompanied by spacey arrangements and perfectly centered lead vocals. The simplistic synthesizer rifts are enveloping and pleasing to the senses. Thom Yorke sings in a way that only he can. He rips open his inner self and slides right down the middle of the soundstage with unruly emotion. The energy left me searching for the right adjectives. I feel I may, for the first time, be at a loss for words on this one folks. The terribly cliché "breathtaking" comes to mind, sorry. "How To Disappear Completely" soars with cosmic guitar rifts. The song bears a striking resemblance to Pink Floyd's early days. Yorke's vocals are dreary and engaging, the string arrangements are dark, with ethereal reverb that creates a truly atmospheric soundscape. Kid A's sonics are simply stunning. The stereo imaging is resplendent, and beautifully executed. Effects, vocals, and instruments are transformed into surreal waveforms. This album clearly demonstrates what one can achieve with the guts to truly experiment with the boundaries of recording technology.

Deep Dish- Renaissance Ibiza
YHCDLP2 Reviewed by MM
After quite a long wait (too long for yours truly) Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi, a.k.a. Deep Dish, have released Renaissance Ibiza, a slamming two CD set. Renaissance is a club in the UK where the duo holds a bi-monthly residence. Renaissance Ibiza acts as a storytelling compilation of the great parties that took place this last summer on the beautiful island off the coast of Spain. Ali and Sharam have managed to re-create their sets from the Ibiza festival, giving us mere commoners who could not make it to the island the ability to indulge in it's musical magic at home. The double CD set plays like same of the best Raves I've attended (and I've been raving since the early 90's). The album is masterfully mixed. Dish's cross fading is so fluid and the beat matching is executed with extreme precision. One mix that particularly stands out is Everything But The Girl's 'Temperamental' into Jah Scoop's 'Loch Dub Part II'. 'Dreaming' a song by the great B7 is also included in the mix. This track soars with beautiful choruses and unconventional percussive modulations. Other tracks include 'Ubik' by Timo Mass, 'Flash' by Green Velvet (remixed by Danny Tenaglia) and 'Porcelain' by Moby (the Futureshock Remix version). This set possesses a multitude of fantastic transitions that are wonderfully climatic and awe inspiring. Deep Dish mixed, edited, and tweaked the album themselves. Engineering credits have been given to Richard (I can't get no sleep) Morel. Their combined efforts as a production team work very well. The soundstage is deep and wide. Low-end frequencies are tight and punchy without murkiness. The treble is pleasantly transparent and well balanced. This is one for a true electronic music fan. Don't hesitate to buy this jewelbox.

Shades of Dring- Chamber Jazz Arrangements by Lennie Niehaus
Cambria Records C-1016 Reviewed by DD
Based on music by Madeleine Dring (no, I'd never heard of her either), this is pretty much what it says on the tin: chamber jazz, so don't come here if you want your soul moved. If however you want light, undemanding very nicely played Sunday morning after a particularly heavy Saturday night fare, then step right up. Here's an album that especially on the flute-heavy side one will make the MJQ sound like Eric Dolphy at his most extreme. Despite the presence of sterling players like Bud Shank, Ray Brown and Shelley Manne, this is essentially very high-class elevator music. Fortunately I occasionally have a heavy Saturday night or two and crave no more than the musical equivalent of a Radox bath whilst the Anadin Ultra kick-in. For times like those this music has its place, and delightfully retro sleeve and all, that place will be on my shelves. The '81 recording incidentally is very good: clean and open with good staging and on the couple of occasions when Shelly Manne is allowed to stretch out on the drums, plenty of attack. Recommended in small doses when circumstances demand.
Supplier: Vivante Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600

Hank Mobley- Roll Call
Blue Note 84058 Reviewed by DD
Freddie Hubbard who plays trumpet on this '60 session is quoted in the sleevenotes: 'I learned a lot about how to swing just being there. I felt so much freer than I ever had before in a recording studio and that's because it's so easy to play with the kind of talent of the guys on this date. And we had just about the best rhythm section there is -Blakey, um, ah, yes! He fills up the whole studio. He makes you open up - he made everyone open up: The truth of this is evident throughout the album. Blakey's drumming powers the whole session along fantastically. Driving, precise and powerful. In a lesser band playing of this calibre might overshadow the other musicians. Fortunately with Hubbard, Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers joining Mobley, there's not a chance of that and each get their chance to shine. There's some superb interplay between the two horns, plus fine soloing from both, particularly from Hubbard on 'Take your Pick: Kelly plays beautifully taking some great solos as does Chambers. For all that it's Blakey's drumming I notice throughout the album he's just in such fine form he's impossible to ignore. The 180g Blue Note pressing is clean and quiet, and the recording good.
Supplier: Vivante Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600

Gosta Rundqvist Trio- Treecircle
Opus 3 CD 19801 Reviewed by SG
This album is all about the evolution of interplay - from the Trio and its playing, to the recording itself. The music is smooth, free flowing, jazz played to the highest standards. An acoustic double bass, and sensitive drumming - similar to that of the great Jimmy Cobb - back Rundqvist's wonderful piano tones, but it is the interaction of the performers that impresses most. The rhythm and .flow of the music seem to grow, as they entwine each element of the music, letting it breathe and then grow. While each instrument is coherently isolated as an individual source, they advance into a single entity, manifesting the ascendancy of each phrase. This is all made possible by Jan-Eric Persson's single point recording. With one microphone the musicians are able to, directly, connect with each other. The acoustics of the Nacka Hall are superb, and while larger than locations usually used for jazz, the recording sounds very natural. The instruments are well defined, with the size of the piano realistically portrayed. This is a very pleasant album that should appeal to all those who have heard and love the great jazz issued by the Mapleshade label. Highly recommended.
Available from Pentacone Tel/Fax: 01924 445039

Blue Mitchell- Out of the Blue
Riverside/ Alto AA 020 Reviewed by DD
Fronting a fine band comprising Benny Golson, Wynton Kelly, Art Blakey and with Paul Chambers and Sam Jones sharing duties on bass, this '58 recording, the second ever recorded under his own name, is one of Blue Mitchell's best. A straightahead bop session it's clear from the start that the band are realty enjoying themselves. The Golson penned mid-tempo opening number 'Blues on my Mind' engages immediately and really springs to life when the composer's tenor kicks-in. This sets the scene for a superbly relaxed and classy set. There are no frenetic fast runs, no obvious pyrotechnics, just a laid-back (the shortest number here is five minutes), easy session that allows each player to shine. Golson gets to work out in the faster paced Clark Terry number 'Boomerang', but really the main treat throughout is the interplay between the two horns and the ace support they get from some of the finest players in jazz. The album closes with a version of 'When the Saints go Marching In', that should help banish all memories of Acker Bilk. The recording is fine, a little lightweight in the bass maybe, but the Alto pressing is excellent.
Supplier: Vivante Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600

Gerald Presencer- The Optimist
Linn AKD 069 Reviewed by DD
It was with a sinking heart that I received this CD for review from RG. At first glance it looked like yet another bland modern jazz set from an undistinguished band. Just goes to show how wrong first impressions can be. It turns out that 'though still in his twenties, Presencer has recorded five albums and has played with such luminaries as Chick Corea, The Brand New Heavies, Joni Mitchell, and Herbie Hancock. He was also voted best trumpeter at the British Jazz Awards in '95;97 and '99. Clearly I must get out more. Presencer's intention in making this album was to 'make it groove' and he's succeeded. From the 'Siesta' period Davis influenced opener 'blah de blah' the album has a solid bass-driven groove throughout. The band line-up includes John Parricelli, Jeremy Stacey and Lawrence Cottle along with Jaqui Dankworth on vocals. The playing throughout the session is seamlessly interwoven, driving ahead with such cohesion that you barely notice the gaps between numbers. The recording, even though it's HDCD (and I have an HDCD equipped player) is nothing special. A bit flat, and lacking in real punch and definition which is a shame because the music demands a bit more. A highly enjoyable album nonetheless.

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks- Beatin' The Heat
Surfdog Records SD-67112-2 Reviewed by DD
I've been a fan of Dan Hicks from his early seventies recordings and still have treasured and much played vinyl copies of 'Strikin' it Rich' and 'Last Train from Hicksville' And although I've never really felt that Hicks went away (he cropped up from time to time, notably on a 'Mountain Stage' live album with 'Hell I'd Go!' a number that's finally appeared here) this is his first studio recording in a good long time. And it's as if no time has passed. Sure his voice is a little more gruff, but joined again by Sid Page on violin from the original line-up along with some all new but damn near identical sounding Hot Licks, time could well have stood still. I always felt a little alone in my dogged persistence in listening to Hicks daffy music, whilst all around me were into The Incredible String Band and other less uplifting stuff. It turns out that I wasn't alone at all, and guests like Elvis Costello, Rickie Lee Jones and Tom Waits celebrate his return by guesting on this album. There's not a weak number here, but stand outs include a great take on Wait's 'The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)', a different spin, with Rickie Lee Jones on 'I Scare Myself, and the aforementioned song of alien abduction 'Hell I'd Go!: With a good, warm, punchy recording this is an essential purchase for all right thinking people!

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