Life Enigma

Jean-Luc Ponty | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Jlp Productions
• ASIN: B00005N8ZD
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,610 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Jazz Fusion
  • #18 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Progressive
  • #69 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > General

Track Listings

1. Two Thousand-One Years Ago

2. Signals from Planet Earth

3. The Infinite Human Caravan

4. Lonely Among All

5. Firmament

6. Pizzy Cat

7. Life Enigma

8. Even the Sun Will Die

9. Love at Last Sight

10. And Life Goes On

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ponty's Best, October 4, 2001

By 

Georgia (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life Enigma (Audio CD)

I was stunned by a review I read at this site attributing the words "mediocrity" and "sterile" to this album. Anyone who follows Jean-Luc Ponty's contribution would recognize this falsehood. Ponty's range and musical integrity are huge and his creativity far exceeds most world-class jazz artists of our time. Life Enigma is a rich, subtle,and beautiful work- a culmination of Ponty's timeless repertoire and true personal expression. His creativity even extends to using Pat Metheny-like sounds in his own musical context (beautiful). African melodies are put on hold - though not the percussion. This album is about Ponty's prime directive: sublime mystery and joy as interpretation of his own life's experiences - expressed frequently through an earthy, hypnotic beat. Ponty himself says that he returns on this album to his melodic and harmonic style of the 70s and 80s but with "his best ever sound production" (state-of-the-art, 24-bit digital, computer-aided recording) including acoustic sounds and a "rhythm section a lot more percussion oriented". The style may harken back to the 70's or 80's but this is definitely new music -Ponty has matured and developed and his music has a new level of integration and sophistication which is far reaching, gorgeous and unsurpassed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Improved Ponty Music, August 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Life Enigma (Audio CD)

I have just listened to Life Enigma for the third time in a row.It is fantastic!I've been a fan since the early 70's.This album has all the great elements of a classic Ponty album-great melodies,beautiful harmonic changes,driving rythms, vituoso performances and cutting edge production and sound quality.The more I listen the better it gets!Bravo Jean-Luc!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Life Enigma" is fascinating!, September 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Life Enigma (Audio CD)

It's really interesting to hear the different things going on musically here that Jean-Luc Ponty does. On a few songs like "Two Thousand-One Years Ago" and "Lonely Among All," Ponty goes solo and plays violin (obviously), keyboards and electronic percussion. That gives them some air and room to breathe. But his talented band is featured on several songs too, and my favorite cuts here are "Signals From Planet Earth" and "Firmament" as well as "The Infinite Human Caravan," "Life Enigma" and "Even The Sun Will Die." Since Ponty is unique as a jazz violinist, to hear him play with his band in a jazz structure is somehow both familiar and fresh. The sound quality is amazing too -- crisp and rich. Ponty's violin has a very warm sound, even when hitting high notes. I think "Life Enigma" is one of those records that rewards listeners with repeated listenings because each time I've listened to it, something new has jumped out at me.