Charmediterraneen [Import]

Anouar Brahem, Orchestre National de Jazz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 25, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Ecm Import
• ASIN: B000067FHR
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,223 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good big-band compositions., November 9, 2004

By 

William Jens Jensen (North America) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Charmediterraneen (Audio CD)

Here is an exciting CD of jazz composition featuring a big band. But if you're buying it to hear Anouar Brahem, you will probably be disappointed. It's essentially big-band jazz, albeit modern and quite interesting. Leader Paolo Damiani plays cello, and even he is largely overpowered by eleven other musicians plus Anouar Brahem and Gianluigi Troversi.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mediterranean as metaphor for musical re-invention, November 27, 2010

By 

fCh "fCh" (GMT-5, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charmediterraneen (Audio CD)

Beginning with Monteverdi (L'Orfeo), then racing through the film noir musical genre, touching Arab styles, going from maxi- to mini-malist, sounding ancient and modern, big ensemble and solo(s)... Yes, this is a musical gem, like few others, the labor of love of many a distinguished musician on his own and the ONJ. It shows what new music can be, just as Monteverdi did at his time.

If you are new to (this) music, don't worry all the references to the past, just invest some time in it with the idea of hearing where the music may be headed to. For those who've been listening to music as if it were their 2nd job, Charmediterranéen, "Mediterranean Spell," is the brainchild of cellist Paolo Damiani while in charge of ONJ. Damiani said that this album was "inspired by the sea which, like music, moves fluidly and can seep into and unite rigid and separate worlds". In other words, the Mediterranean becomes the metaphor for this musical re-invention.

Judging from the only other review, which I am trying to complement here, some may hear too much music and not enough Brahem/Trovesi/Damiani, as it were. Maybe it's meant to be this way, to puzzle the casual listener and reward the repeated visitor. In most cases, I guarantee this CD is likely to grown on you like old wines/friends. Salute!