Record Reviews
12 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | DON CHERRY / NANA VASCONCELOS / COLLIN WALCOTT ~ THE CODONA TRILOGY
ECM 2033/35 (Barcode: 602517674202) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1978 - 1982 Released: 2008
This wonderful Box Set contains the three albums by the legendary trio comprising of trumpeter / composer Don CherryFind albums by this artist, Brazilian percussionist / composer Nana VasconcelosFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist / composer Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist recorded in late 1970s and early 1980s and released on the ECMFind albums on this label label, which are "CodonaFind albums with this title" (ECM 1132) recorded in 1978, "Codona 2Find albums with this title" (ECM 1177) recorded in 1980 and "Codona 3Find albums with this title" (ECM 1243) recorded 1982.
These albums are magnificent examples of early Jazz-World Fusion, which precede what has become a trend on the contemporary music scene by decades. All three musicians are absolute virtuosi and the fact that they come from such diverse musical backgrounds and yet are able to create music together with such harmony and mutual understanding, is truly amazing. In the process of recording these albums all three musicians play several instruments each. The listener can hear Cherry play the flute for example, which is quite unusual and a plethora of various ethnic instruments like sitar, tabla, talking drum and many others are used throughout.
This music lost absolutely nothing of its original charm and fascination and sounds every bit as enchanting as it did at the time of the recording. Walcott´s tragic death in 1984 unfortunately put an end to this unique trio, but their legacy stays with us forever. It is still one of the most profound and best examples of what Jazz-World Fusion is all about
Side Note: These albums are not available on CD individually, so this is the only way to obtain them in CD form.
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 3 Digisleeve Box Set Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ 1974
MOOSICUS 1218 (Barcode: 885513121820) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2021
This is an archival live album by the legendary American quartet OregonFind albums by this artist, recorded in Germany by Radio Bremen. It presents the original lineup of the quartet with guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe and English horn player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist, bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist and percussionist / sitar player Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents nine tracks, all composed by Towner, most of which are well over ten minutes in duration.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The four members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical.
Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively. Following the early years spent with VanguardFind albums on this label Records in the US, they later released their albums on several European labels, including ECMFind albums on this label, IntuitionFind albums on this label and CAM JazzFind albums on this label. The members of Oregon recorded and performed also as solo artists and members of other ensembles.
The music on this album is a wonderful document of the early period of Oregon, and offers a relaxed environment, which inspires the musicians to improvise intensively and extensively on the beautiful themes, which is much different to the same music appearing on the early studio albums. For Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre. The enthusiastic audience seems to be well aware of the greatness of the hour.
Overall, this is a superb document of the Artistry represented by one of the finest American Jazz-World Fusion ensembles ever, captured in an ideal aura created by attentive and enthusiastic audience. For the many Oregon followers, this is an absolute must and a true revelation.
| | Updated: 27/12/2022Posted: 27/12/2022 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ ECOTOPIA
ECM 1364 (Barcode: 602517775947) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1987 Released: 2008
This is a reissue of an album by the legendary American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist, featuring the three founding members: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn / saxophone / bass clarinet player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist and the Indian drummer / percussionist Trilok GurtuFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original drummer Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died in a car accident in 1984, three years before this album was recorded. The album presents eight tracks, all original compositions, five by Towner and one each by McCandless, Moore and Walcott. The music was recorded at the legendary Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg, Germany and offers a spectacular sound quality.
Following the tragic loss of their founding member, the quartet managed to regroup with Gurtu as an ideal replacement both musically and spiritually, who stayed with the band for five years and recorded three albums with them, of which this was the first.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical. Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively and recorded often.
Overall, the music on this album is a wonderful document of the artistry of Oregon, and offers a relaxed environment, which inspires the musicians to improvise intensively and extensively on the beautiful themes. For Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre.
| | Updated: 07/11/2026Posted: 07/11/2026 | CD 1 Digisleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ IN MOSCOW
INTUITION 3303 (Barcode: 750447330320) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 1999 Released: 2000
This is an album by the legendary American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist, recorded in Moscow, Russia in 1999 and featuring the three founding members: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn / saxophone / bass clarinet player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist and the drummer / percussionist Mark WalkerFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original drummer Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died in a car accident in 1984. They are accompanied by the Tchaikovsky Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist of Moscow, conducted by the Armenian conductor / composer / saxophonist George GaranianFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents fifteen tracks, all original compositions by the ensemble members. The album, despite the fact that it was recorded in Moscow, offers a superb sound quality.
The music includes pieces that were previously already performed by Oregon or individual Oregon members with orchestras, especially those performed with various orchestras around the world, conducted by the American conductor / pianist Dennis Russel DavisFind albums by this artist, but also pieces prepared especially for this project, as well as a few pieces that were performed without the orchestra.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical. Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively
Overall, the music on this album is a wonderful document of the artistry of Oregon, and offers a wonderful example of Jazz-Classical Fusion at its best. For enthusiasts of such orchestral Jazz projects, this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre.
| | Updated: 07/11/2026Posted: 21/10/2026 | CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ LIVE AT YOSHI`S
INTUITION 3299 (Barcode: 750447329928) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2002
This is a live album by the iconic American group OregonFind albums by this artist, recorded at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, CA in 2001. It features three founding members of the group: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist, and drummer Mark WalkerFind albums by this artist, who replace the original drummer / founding member Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died tragically in 1984 in a car accident. The album presents ten tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Towner, one was composed by Moore, one is credited collectively to the four members of the group and finally on was composed by Jim PepperFind albums by this artist. It was the third live album in their impressive recording legacy, that spans thirty brilliant releases.
The music presents a selection of the group’s repertoire, going back to their early material and more contemporary (at the time) compositions, performed luminously by all four musicians and splendidly recorded. The music, as always, is an amalgam of highly melodic tunes, often spiced with World Music influences and of course extensive improvisations. The unusual, purely acoustic sound of the group remains as one of the most unique and instantly recognizable Jazz phenomena.
Overall, this is an absolute gem of an album, as are all of the Oregon recordings, which I personally like to return to, often when the bleak reality becomes hard to bear. I had to opportunity to hear them often live in the 1970s / 1980s, but even after losing Walcott they managed to continue to play sublime music until the end of 2010s. A true balm to one’s soul.
| | Updated: 21/02/2026Posted: 21/02/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ NORTHWEST PASSAGE
INTUITION 3191 (Barcode: 750447319127) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1996 Released: 1997
This is a studio album by the iconic American group OregonFind albums by this artist, which features the three founding members of the group: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist, and drummers Mark WalkerFind albums by this artist or Turkish / Armenian (resident in USA) Arto TuncboyaciyanFind albums by this artist, who replace the original drummer / founding member Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died tragically in 1984 in a car accident. The album presents fourteen tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Towner and the others are by other members of the group. It was the first of four albums by Oregon released on the German IntuitionFind albums on this label label and it continues their impressive recording legacy, that spans thirty brilliant releases.
The music offers a set of new compositions, strongly influenced by the presence of Tuncboyaciyan, performed luminously by all the musicians and splendidly recorded. The music, as always, is an amalgam of highly melodic tunes, often spiced with World Music influences and of course extensive improvisations. The unusual, purely acoustic sound of the group remains as one of the most unique and instantly recognizable Jazz phenomena.
Overall, this is an absolute gem of an album, as are all of the Oregon recordings, which I personally like to return to, often when the bleak reality becomes hard to bear. I had to opportunity to hear them often live in the 1970s / 1980s, but even after losing Walcott they managed to continue to play sublime music until the end of 2010s. A true balm to one’s soul.
| | Updated: 11/03/2026Posted: 11/03/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ PRIME
CAM JAZZ 5010 (Barcode: 016728501026) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
This is an album by the legendary American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist. It features three founding members of the group: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist, and drummer Mark WalkerFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original drummer / founding member Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died tragically in 1984 in a car accident. The album presents thirteen tracks, five of which are a suite commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival. Most of the music was composed by Towner, two tracks are by McCandless and three tracks are credited to the entire ensemble. This was the first album released on the Italian Cam JazzFind albums on this label label and it marks the 35th Anniversary of Oregon’s recording career, which started in 1970. The album was recorded at the legendary Rainbow Studio in Oslo and engineered by the no less legendary Jan Erik KongshaugFind albums by this artist, and not surprisingly offers a spectacular sound quality.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical.
Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively. Following the early years spent with VanguardFind albums on this label Records in the US, they later released their albums on several European labels, including ECMFind albums on this label, IntuitionFind albums on this label and CAM Jazz. The members of Oregon recorded and performed also as solo artists and members of other ensembles.
Overall, the music on this album is a wonderful document of the late period of Oregon, and offers a relaxed environment, which inspires the musicians to improvise intensively and extensively on the beautiful themes. For Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre.
| | Updated: 23/09/2026Posted: 23/09/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ TREFFPUNKT JAZZ 1990
SWR JAZZHAUS 485 (Barcode: 730099048552) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1990 Released: 2024
This is an archival live album by the legendary American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist, recorded in Ludwigsburg, Germany in 1990 and featuring the three founding members: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn / saxophone / bass clarinet player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist and the Indian drummer / percussionist Trilok GurtuFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original drummer Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died in a car accident in 1984. The 2CD album presents fourteen tracks, all original compositions, mostly by Towner but also by all the other ensemble members. The album, recorded by the SWR German Radio, offers a superb sound quality.
The music includes a few tracks from the ensemble’s last studio album “45th ParallelFind albums with this title”, recorded in 1988, but also a wonderful collection of music from their earlier albums. The musicians are obviously in a great spirit and the improvisations are truly stellar for the entire duration of the concert. The music, as usual, is an amalgam of Jazz, World Music and Avant-Garde influences and simply takes no prisoners.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical. Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively
Overall, the music on this album is a wonderful document of the artistry of Oregon, and offers a relaxed environment, which inspires the musicians to improvise intensively and extensively on the beautiful themes. For Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre.
| | Updated: 07/11/2026Posted: 16/10/2026 | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ TROIKA
INTUITION 2078 (Barcode: 750447207820) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1993 Released: 1995
This is an album by the legendary American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist, featuring the three founding members: guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, oboe / English horn / saxophone / bass clarinet player Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist and bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist. It is the first of the two albums they recorded as a trio (the other is “Beyond WordsFind albums with this title”). Indian drummer / percussionist Trilok GurtuFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original drummer Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, who died in a car accident in 1984, joined Oregon for a five-year period, and following his departure they continued as a trio, later returning to the quartet format again. The album presents twelve tracks, all original compositions, five by Towner, two each by McCandless and Moore and three co-composed by all three members. The music was recorded during all of 1993 at four different studios, and offers the usual spectacular sound quality.
The trio lineup results in a much more intimate / introvert music, and obviously less rhythmic driven, but by no means less complex or innovative. Alongside the usual Jazz-World Fusion motifs, these are also some improvised tracks, and Towner uses more synthesized sounds than earlier on. But of course the general atmosphere and artistic creativity are fully preserved.
Oregon were undoubtedly one of the most eclectic, unique and revolutionary cross-genre American ensembles, which managed to combine Jazz improvisations with World Music, strongly influenced by Indian music, Classical Music, Avant-Garde and New Age and even Psychedelic and Space elements. The members of the band were virtuosi on their respective instruments and their collective performances, which I managed to hear in person many times over the years, were simply magical. Not surprisingly, Oregon achieved acclaim and Artistic recognition predominantly in Europe, where they toured extensively and recorded often.
Overall, the music on this album is a wonderful document of the artistry of Oregon, and offers a relaxed environment, which inspires the musicians to improvise intensively and extensively on the beautiful themes. For Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts this is some of the finest and most sophisticated embodiment of the genre.
| | Updated: 09/11/2026Posted: 09/11/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | OREGON ~ VIOLIN
WOUNDED BIRD 9397 (Barcode: 664140939721) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1977 Released: 2019
This is a reissue of an album by the American ensemble OregonFind albums by this artist, which comprised of oboist Paul McCandlessFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist, bassist Glen MooreFind albums by this artist and percussionist Collin WalcottFind albums by this artist, with legendary Polish Jazz violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, the first of which is a collective improvisation, three are compositions by Towner and one is a composition by Moore.
Oregon, formed in 1970 by the above listed four founding musicians and still existing today (2019), has always been one of the most outstanding, open-minded and pioneering American music ensembles, characterized by its consistent search and exploration of new musical paths, which encompass Improvised Music, Jazz, World Music and Avant-Garde elements. The group enjoyed more appreciation in Europe than it ever did in the US and recorded for several European record labels after the initial stint with Vanguard Records, on which this album was initially released in 1978.
An incidental meeting between the members of Oregon and Seifert, which happened in France, let to their invitation extended to him to record an album together in 1977. Later on, in late 1978, Seifert also took part in the recording of a solo album by Moore. Seifert died in February 1979, aged thirty two, as a result of loosing his battle with cancer, which was one of the greatest tragedies in the Polish Jazz history.
On the album´s artwork Seifert is listed simply as one of the ensemble members, which is also perfectly reflected by the music. He developed an incredible affinity to the Oregon musicians, and the music sounds as if they have been playing as an organic unit since many years. His incredible violin parts blend perfectly with the other instruments, in a truly spiritual sense, way beyond just pure musical connection.
In retrospect this album is an extremely important part of Seifert´s sadly limited recorded legacy and shows him in his absolute prime, when his personal style reached maturity and confidence. It is one of his latest recordings, followed only by his last album "PassionFind albums with this title" and the above mention recording with Moore.
It is great to see this monumental album back in circulation and although a more proper reissue accompanied by extended liner notes would have been welcome, at least the music can be heard again. Of course this is an essential part of any serious Polish Jazz record collection or any refined music collection in general. A must!
| | Updated: 24/12/2019Posted: 24/12/2019 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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