Record Reviews

NOA BABAYOF ~ FROM A WINDOW TO A WALL ANOVA 004 (Barcode: 7290011799045) ~ ISRAEL ~ Folk-Rock Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 1st album by Israeli singer / songwriter Noa BabayofFind albums by this artist and a striking debut. Noa wrote all the music and the lyrics (in English) and performs them utilizing her exceptional voice accompanied by some of the most interesting and intricate string arrangements one can imagine. The entire album is completely acoustic, with guitar, violin, cello, flute, recorder, harp, etc. used to create the highly atmospheric and often mystical ambience. Noa’s voice is clear and precise even in the most difficult passages and her expressionism remarkable. The album was produced by US producer Greg WeeksFind albums by this artist (who also wrote all the string arrangements) and recorded in Philadelphia, and the sonic quality is superb. The overall effect is a timeless beauty somewhere between Sandy DennyFind albums by this artist and Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, which should appeal to all music lovers who are ready to make an effort when listening to their music. The album is exquisitely packaged and beautifully designed, which complements the music content perfectly. This release is another proof that the local Israeli music scene is capable of producing works of high quality, which easily match anything coming from abroad. Highly recommended!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

AL DI MEOLA ~ ORANGE AND BLUE WOUNDED BIRD 9197 (Barcode: 664140919723) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1994 Released: 2005 Although concentration mostly on acoustic projects, Al Di MeolaFind albums by this artist’s love for the electric guitar remains intact, as does his ability to use it. This incredible record brings Di Meola back to his familiar Fusion / Jazz environment and with the help of some of the best musicians on the scene at the time (Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist / Steve GaddFind albums by this artist – drums, Marc JohnsonFind albums by this artist – bass and many others including the Israeli singer NoaFind albums by this artist and Greek superstar George DalarasFind albums by this artist) he produces a highly spirited album. The music, composed almost entirely by Di Meola, is of the highest quality, mixing superbly Fusion, Jazz and World elements. The guitar parts are elegant and dazzling, as always and the entire crew follows the leader supplying sympathetic support, which compliments his playing with excellence. In short this is one of those albums that never let you down and repeated listening presents no danger of boredom whatsoever. Highly recommended!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

NOAM ELRON ~ FLUCTUATION NOT ON LABEL ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is the debut album by Israeli Jazz bassist / composer Noam ElronFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with flautist Hadar NoibergFind albums by this artist, guitarist Dima GorelikFind albums by this artist and drummer Noam LandsmanFind albums by this artist. Yohai CohenFind albums by this artist plays the daf (a Middle-Eastern drum) on a couple of tracks. The album presents eight pieces, six of which are originals by Elron, one is co-composed by Elron and Gorelik and one is an Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist composition. As most of Jazz albums created in Israel, also this one presents a strong World Music influence, mostly of Spanish but also of Middle Eastern origins. The intimate atmosphere and almost completely acoustic sound dominates the proceedings, which enables the listener to hear every singular sound made by the musicians. Noiberg and Gorelik, who are the main soloists of course, perform passionately and elegantly both on the calm and the up tempo numbers, with the rhythm section providing the solid backing, which drives the music forward. The most fascinating aspect of this album is its polyrhythmic nature, which perhaps requires a more advanced listener to comprehend the complexity, but is definitely fascinating. In retrospect this is one more of the many excellent Israeli Jazz albums that somehow managed to be passed by almost unnoticed, which of course is a great pity. Sadly the miniscule local Jazz scene is simply overwhelmed with local talent, absolutely unable to cope with its richness and versatility. With some luck this album might have been very well received on the European market at the time, but alas that never happened. Since music of such quality does not expire with time, I urge all the listeners who like challenging original music, which is completely non-conservative, to seek a copy of this little gem ASAP. These days Elron is a member of the superb ensemble SavannahFind albums by this artist And The Stringz, which is also a unique piece of Israeli music worth discovering. Perhaps it´s about time to consider another solo effort to follow this one?

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ANNA MARIA JOPEK ~ ID (POLISH EDITION) UNIVERSAL 602517348424 (Barcode: 602517348424) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2006 - 2007 Released: 2007 Twelve brilliant albums in just ten years are surely an awe-inspiring record for even a most accomplished musician. Polish singer / composer / lyricist extraordinare Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. AMJFind albums by this artist) seems to be unstoppable in her continuous path towards a secure position in the Pantheon of contemporary Jazz vocal achievements. Classically trained (at The Warsaw Music Academy) as a concert pianist, her Jazz singing was a second career opportunity, inspired by her stint at the Manhattan School of Music. The world of Jazz opened an entire new universe, which she embraced wholeheartedly and never looked back. Stars certainly smiled upon her as her career in her native Poland literally exploded, with her albums reaching Gold and Platinum sales one after another. Her big international break happened when Pat MethenyFind albums by this artist agreed to record an album with AMJ entitled "UpojenieFind albums with this title" (note also Metheny’s memorable cooperation with Israeli singer NoaFind albums by this artist a.k.a. Achinoam NiniFind albums by this artist). This opened a gate for AMJ to cooperate with many more world-class musicians, as demonstrated on this album. AMJ sings mostly songs she either wrote herself or were written by her husband / musical soul mate Marcin KydrynskiFind albums by this artist. Over the years the couple created a vast songbook, which deserves praise and admiration for it’s consistent quality. This album is in many respects a glorious expansion of AMJ’s already remarkable accomplishments. The creative process took over a year until fruition, with recordings in studios located across Poland, Paris and New York, with tragic personal events lurking in the background, which inevitably had a momentous influence on the outcome. The list of participating musicians is very impressive and includes such renowned Jazz and World Music artists as saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist (his solos are a sweet reminder of his fabulous work alongside StingFind albums by this artist), percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist, bassist Christian McBrideFind albums by this artist, bassist Richard BonaFind albums by this artist, singer and oud player Dhafer YoussefFind albums by this artist, singer and guitarist Oscar Castro NevesFind albums by this artist and percussionist Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist. Top Polish players like Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (flugelhorn) and Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist (piano) also participate, alongside AMJ’s regulars: Pawel Bzim ZareckiFind albums by this artist (keyboards), Marcin Kydrynski (guitar) and Marek NapiórkowskiFind albums by this artist (guitar). The music (as already mentioned) is an extension of AMJ’s existing repertoire, with the usual deeply lyrical / melancholic ballads and highly expressive vocal improvisations beautifully spiced with World Music elements. Vocal duets with the African / Middle-Eastern motifs sung by Youssef are among the best of the kind ever attempted. Although profoundly melodic, AMJ’s music is full of surprises, with ever changing rhythm patterns, unusual harmonies and intelligent instrumentation. Songs are often multi-layered and complex technically, but the overall effect is easy on the ear and goes straight into the listener’s heart. This fantastic talent to weave this musical tapestry is something I admire in AMJ above all her many virtues. Of course her outstanding delivery is right on the money time after time. Regardless of the mood, tempo or harmony, her deep voice modulating between whisper and shout remains clear, expressive, sexy and enchanting. The entire album is very skillfully put together, with exceptional sound quality and superb recording. Definitely a masterpiece of contemporary Jazz-World Fusion and an essential piece of evidence pointing to the fact that music (and Art in general) know no bounds, no borders and no limits. 100 % Brilliant! Side Note: This is a Polish edition of the album. Apparently an international edition (with different contents) is due to be released later this year. Well, I can’t wait to put my hands on that. BTW the album went Platinum in Poland just 3 weeks after its release – apparently I’m not the only person who loves this stuff.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

NOA ~ NOA SOLEIL ZEUHL 26 (Barcode: 2090503519145) ~ FRANCE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1980 Released: 2011 This is a reissue of the only album by the obscure French band NoaFind albums by this artist, a great gem of the French Zeuhl with strong Jazz influences, modeled on the work by Henry CowFind albums by this artist and many other experimental / Avant-Garde ensembles of the day. Fronted by wordless female vocals (vocalese) with saxophone, flute, guitar and drums this is a superb document of an era, when music was still made for the sake of Art. Remastered to CD by Udi KoomranFind albums by this artist, this is a must to all fans of great strange music and another great release by the excellent French Soleil ZeuhlFind albums on this label label.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend