Record Reviews

MARKUS REUTER / OCULUS ~ NOTHING IS SACRED MOONJUNE 105 (Barcode: 692287910525) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by German touch guitarist / composer Markus ReuterFind albums by this artist, recorded with a group of musicians associated with the MoonJuneFind albums on this label label and the producer Leonardo PavkovicFind albums by this artist as well as his cohorts from other projects like Stick MenFind albums by this artist: Israeli drummer Asaf SirkisFind albums by this artist, Italian bassist Fabio TrentiniFind albums by this artist, British violinist David CrossFind albums by this artist and guitarist Mark WingfieldFind albums by this artist and American Ambient composer / keyboardist Robert RichFind albums by this artist, collectively known as OculusFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the usual "crime location", i.e. Spanish studio La Casa Murada, by Reuter, Sirkis, Trentini and Cross and later overdubbed by Wingfield and Rich. The album presents five extended pieces, all more than ten minutes in duration, which are not credited and assumed to be co-credited to the participating musicians. The music, although mostly improvised, is based on strictly pre-designed structures created by Reuter, which the musicians had to follow in order to create a coherent development of the music. However, for the listener the music offers a flux, which can be individually interpreted, and the listener´s perception is in fact a crucial ingredient in the music itself. Ambient vistas, supported by leading bass lines and rhythmic structures created by the drums take the listener on a journey, which can only be enjoyed under a total submission to the music, without involving intellectual analytic processes. The music manages successfully to avoid genre limitations and attempts to be categorized. Each listener can find whatever he sees fit in this music, from Avant-Garde electronic music, via Improvised Jazz and Rock Music or Fusion and Progressive Rock. It is an excellent example of contemporary music, which basically ridicules genre classification, which music criticism suffers from constantly, and proposes an opportunity to accept it for what it is: simply music. Of course there are plenty of superb individual statements by all the participants, and again each listener will probably enjoy certain aspects of the music that others might overlook, but this is exactly the point. Like all great Art, music is completely individual (not subjective, as is often wrongly stated). The beauty of Humanity is all in our individualism, which makes us what we really are, of which the perception of music is just one facet. This music, as I have repeatedly stated, comes with a price tag ;) It is not for a casual listener nor can it be enjoyed without a considerable emotional effort, which if often way too much to ask from people these days. Oh well, c´est la vie!

Updated: 24/09/2020Posted: 24/09/2020

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SOFT WORKS ~ ABRACADABRA IN OSAKA MOONJUNE 112 (Barcode: 692287911225) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2003 Released: 2021 This is an archival album documenting a live concert by the short-lived British quartet Soft WorksFind albums by this artist, comprising of ex-Soft MachineFind albums by this artist members: saxophonist Elton DeanFind albums by this artist (who also plays Fender Rhodes here), guitarist Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist, bassist Hugh HopperFind albums by this artist and drummer John MarshallFind albums by this artist. The music was captured during the group’s tour in Japan in 2003. The 2CD album presents eleven tracks, some of which were originally composed for the group’s only studio album “AbracadabraFind albums with this title”, and others which belong to the classic Soft Machine repertoire. With tracks running on average over the ten-minutes mark, the music is everything the listener familiar with Soft Machine stuff might expect, i.e. long instrumental jams, featuring extensive improvisations by Dean and Holdsworth, superbly supported by the rhythm section. As a result, the music constantly swings like a pendulum between Jazz (Dean) and Fusion (Holdsworth), with the rhythm section swinging on its own right. Probably the most impressive are the solo parts played by Holdsworth, who obviously feels unconstrained by any time limit obligations and psychological pressures, and simply pours his heart out, producing some of the best guitar oriented Fusion moments ever. I always thought that Holdsworth was one of the tragic figures on the guitar arena in many respects. He was simply too talented for his own good, never actually managing to create the music he really wanted to, from the earliest days of his career and to the very end of his life. His studio recordings are all very far from what he really had to say and as a member of group efforts he simply never found a team that could march his stratospheric imagination, which always soared to the stars. This album probably captures some of his best playing ever, like what I remember when he used to play in dinky pubs around London, completely relaxed sitting a couple of feet away from his audience. Although there is a lot of open space in this music, with pretty wild improvisation around, the music stays well organized for the duration, and eschews the Free Jazz idiom, which might have disrupted the connection with the audience. Complex and challenging – yes, but never chaotic, would be the best description of these proceedings. Overall this is a wonderful document of this particular chapter in the long Soft Machine family tree history, which is of course fascinating and absolutely worthy of exploring. Thanks to Leonardo PavkovicFind albums by this artist, the one-man musical army who made it all possible at the time as a tour organizer and now as the owner of the MoonJuneFind albums on this label label, which released this music on record. Pavkovic tells the story behind the music in the album’s booklet, but the story of his collected activities can fill a huge volume, hopefully to be properly written. Proud to be your Friend, Amigo!

Updated: 25/04/2021Posted: 25/04/2021

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STICK MEN / DAVID CROSS ~ PANAMERICA – LIVE IN LATIN AMERICA STICK MAN 1911 (Barcode: 4260139121502) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This monumental Box Set presents recordings by the "Progressive Rock" trio Stick MenFind albums by this artist (American Chapman Stick player Tony LevinFind albums by this artist and drummer Pat MastelottoFind albums by this artist and German touch guitarist Markus ReuterFind albums by this artist), expanded for the occasion to a quartet with the addition of the British violinist David CrossFind albums by this artist (all four associated to some extent with the legendary King CrimsonFind albums by this artist of course), captured during the quartet´s Latin America tour in 2018 (sixteen concerts in ten countries). The Box Set consists of no less than five CDs, three of which present selections illustrating different aspects of the music created by the quartet, appropriately sub-titled "Improvs", "Suites" and "Soundscapes", and the remaining two present one of the concerts in its entirety. Although usually classified as Progressive Rock, the music of Stick Men and Cross has very little to do with what can be considered as classic Prog defined in the late 1960s / early 1970s. Over time is has become much closer affiliated with Avant-Garde Rock, Jazz, Ambient, Electronic and even contemporary Classical Music than Prog, so anybody expecting to hear something like the classic Prog stuff will be completely disenchanted. These musicians refused to stand still and perpetuate stale formulas (as most so called contemporary Prog bands do), moving ahead and embracing the possibilities opened up by new instruments, sound technology and the expansion of musical horizons and creating a completely new and original universe of musical expression. Rather than based on the conventional musical approach of melody, harmony and rhythm, this music is all about atmosphere, soundscapes, flux and associations, which are invoked in the listener´s brain while listening to this music. There are no rules and no limitations, other than the possibilities embedded in the instruments played. The music is mostly spontaneously improvised, like in the Jazz Improvised Music idiom, but distinctly different as a result of the Rock roots obviously present herein. However, this music comes with a price tag ;) It is definitely no for the weak hearted or for the superficial listeners. The two minutes long average attention span of today´s listeners won´t cut it in this case. This music develops slowly, sometimes painfully so, building up complex structures and convoluted relations, demanding unscrupulous concentration. Don’t try to play this music while driving! Overall this Box Set is a marvelous document not only of the actual tour and the music played while it lasted, but more importantly a document capturing the development of the Stick Men phenomenon and the process of the development of contemporary music in general. Beautifully conceived, performed, recorded, edited, packaged, photographed and finally released, this is a true gem and a must to all searching music lovers! Thanks to my buddy Leonardo PavkovicFind albums by this artist, the head of MoonJuneFind albums on this label Records, the person behind much of the ambitious music still created made these days, against all odds, for sending me this musical treat. I am much obliged Sir!

Updated: 24/09/2020Posted: 19/09/2020

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TOHPATI ETHNOMISSION ~ MATA HATI MOONJUNE 082 (Barcode: 692287908225) ~ INDONESIA ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Indonesian ensemble Tohpati EthnomissionFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer TohpatiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Tohpati Ario HutomoFind albums by this artist) and including flautist Diki SuwarjikiFind albums by this artist, bassist Indro HardjodikoroFind albums by this artist, drummer Demas NarawangsaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Endang RamdanFind albums by this artist. On the opening track the ensemble is accompanied by the Czech Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all composed and arranged by Tohpati. The music is archetypal Jazz-Rock-World Fusion, full of beautiful melodies, exotic aroma of Far East folklore inspirations and energetic Jazzy improvisations. The rhythmic setting features odd meters and polyrhythmic passages emphasized by the drums / percussion collaboration. The expanded treatment of the individual tunes features plenty of solos and tempi changes, which keep the listener on his toes at all times. The album presents plenty of opportunity for all the participants to show their chops, which are all quite extraordinary. Tohpati brings on the Jazzy elements, Suwarjiki represents the World Music aspects and Hardjodikoro plays superb Funky bass layers. Together with the drums / percussion the ensemble displays a kaleidoscope of musical shapes and colors, which is truly irresistible. Although the music does not break any new ground, the album is perfect in what it represents: an amalgam of multiculti musical influences which is elegant, enjoyable and exquisitely executed. For the many guitar fans, this album delivers some of the nicest guitar solos one can wish for, which are a true joy to listen to. Well done Gentlemen! Fans of Indonesian Fusion, which has been gaining a lot of international attention due to the efforts of MoonJuneFind albums on this label Records under the helm of the label´s owner Leonardo PavkovicFind albums by this artist, will also find here everything they wish for. Pavkovic surely deserves a medal for his ambassadorial efforts to bring Indonesian music to listeners all over the world. Hats off Leonardo!

Updated: 28/02/2017Posted: 28/02/2017

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