Why No SACD? This is a great record. Engineer Kavi Alexander and his tube equipment captures Hassell's harmonic trumpet like nobody else has before, and pianist Jacky Terrasson sounds stunning, full, vigorous. As compared to, say, "Fourth World Volume 1; Possible Music," or "Aka Darbari Java" "Fascinoma" is relatively tame, and perhaps more jazz then ambient, but the lines blur and categories demonstrate their uselessness with an artist like Jon Hassell.
My question is this: Since Water Lily made another album from the same session into an SACD ("Hollow Bamboo by Ronu Majundar,) then why not the increased realism afforded by the SACD for "Fascinoma"? We need some ambient SACDs
Listen to it forever This CD is never going to be very far from my player. It is the type of music that unfolds to you over time, again and again giving you something new everytime. It doesnt demand your attention but if you want, you could be utterly absorbed in the infinite improvisation, moodiness, and mirage like tempos. Besides the bamboo flute player, Hassell, Cooder and drone players, the pianist is about as good as it gets.
Beautifully Stange I just heard this CD a few nights ago at a friends dinner party and it grabbed my attention right away...(in a subtle way, that is).
It is a strange sonic mix of electronics, primitivism and jazz. The mood is predominately VERY subtle and hypnotic; if I remember correctly, there is not a bar faster than andante on the entire CD. But trust me, this is a good thing.
And so is the fact that Ry Cooder produced it...
Best of Outside Ambient The opening amazingly beautiful reading of "Nature Boy" is so stunning when Ronu Majumdar's flute begins it's circling run around Hassell's solo trumpet. wow. we know we are in for something unique and amazing.
This is Hassell's first CD to include covers and as a fan, I welcome this as a trend. This CD is at once beautiful, odd, provocative, and occasionally challenging. I suppose you could expect that with a meeting of Hassell, Cooder, Majumdar, and Terrasson.
Like most Water Lily cds, it's Recorded live to stereo master in that Santa Barbara seminary with all that fetishist tube gear as usual. Music like this sums up the underlying vibe of Santa Barbara.
Perfect Misty like a winter evening. Gradually, evening images give their place to night dreams. It is incredible that such things can happen on disc.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
