1000 Kilometers

Oregon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 28, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cam Jazz
• ASIN: B000TP5SP8
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,618 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1000 Kilometers is the second album by Oregon for CAM Jazz and is the follow up to Prime , the long awaited comeback album by this glorious group. For over 35 years, Oregon has been personifying their own way of making music, which is a natural meeting point between diverse sounds and equally diverse cultures.
The music by this American quartet is always one without boundaries, an adventurous fusion of jazz, chamber atmospheres, and folkloristic scents coming from various latitudes and longitudes.
But Oregon s music is also one where composition and improvisation find the right balance, in the depth of a profound melodic breath that in the course of time has remained one of the principle characteristics that distinguishes the group.
Most tracks on 1000 Kilometers are newly written by guitarist Ralph Tower who also plays synth guitar, piano and keyboards. But there s space for tracks by the other members Paul McCandless, Glen Moore and Mark Walker, as well as for two collective improvisations. Walker writes the track that opens the CD, Deep Six, which genius melodic design rests on insistent rhythmic themes. The track From A Dream follows, a tasteful entr'acte of classical style, and Catching Up, another episode that encompasses the truest spirit of Ralph Towner and his partners. The long, evocative title track is dedicated, as is the entire album, to Thomas Stöwsand, manager and great friend of Oregon for more than 30 years. 1000 Kilometers is a testimony of the rediscovered creative vein that has brought the group to express themselves on highly qualitative levels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As good as one can expect......, October 14, 2007

By 

David J. Ohanlon "David J OHanlon" (Lilyfield, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1000 Kilometers (Audio CD)

Over his long, illustrious career Ralph Towner has rarely had a mis-step. Acknowledged as one of the world's leading 6 & 12 string acoustic guitarists his critical involvement in Oregon since its inception 35 (yes, that's right 35!!) years ago is often overlooked. It's not just his adroitness at the keyboard on show here but also his ensemble compositions that beget the wonderfully sensitive & seamless interplay amongst this most esteemed ensemble. Gone are the overly-conscious nods to world music of past albums (not including Prime here as I haven't yet listened to it) & instead we have a group that is clearly relaxed in terms of its own sound & individual abilities. Paul McCandless' tone on his varous reeds is at once delightful, understated & integral to each & every piece. Indeed it's fair to say that it is McCandless who provides Oregon with its unique voice & place in the "Jazz" pantheon. Album highlights are undoubtedly the long, evocative title track, the almost balero-like Bactrian & the delightful Simone, featuring gorgeous interplay between McCandless & Towner on acoustic guitar. But what's perhaps best about the album is there's no showing off here, nor any need to.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still making great music!!, July 17, 2010

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P. Street (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1000 Kilometers (Audio CD)

I bought this album on the glowing reviews and it is stunning work. I actually like the fact the percussionist takes the band away from the world music track this time and more towards the jazz world. Every track made my ipod and that is a rare thing. Fabulous to hear them making the same high level of music as they did when they started over thirty years ago.

5.0 out of 5 stars Three years later, still sounds great., December 12, 2009

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J. Betancourt - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1000 Kilometers (Audio CD)

What is there to say? If you know the Oregon band you know they always create good if not always great music. This CD is no exception. While the title track "1000 Kilometers" is superb, all the others also stand out. For example, "Catching Up" captures that unique Chamber Jazz like feeling, its Jazz but its not, just cuts across boundaries. I can imagine J.S. Bach grooving on the bass accompaniment and Mozart enjoying the sweeping melody hook, yet others may hear strains of a Latin bounce. Recommended.

As another reviewer mentioned, the Prime CD was so good its hard to keep that quality up. Prime was just such a peak. Yet, this is also worthy. The only bad thing about Oregon is that it takes so long for a new work to come. It's almost 2010 and I'm still playing a 2007 CD on my daily drive.