Customer Reviews

Metamorphosis

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1990 CD is the first one the World Saxophone Quartet did with outside help. "The Holy Men" is a short fanfare which gets "Metamorphosis" off to a good start. "Lullaby" starts with percussion and singing by Mor Thiam, Chief Bey, and Mar Gueye. True to its title, it's a gentle song. The title track is another short swinger. "Su Mama Ah Zumu" has some free-ish playing while the percussionists chant the song title, giving it a shamanistic feel. "Africa" has a lot of percussion and bluesy saxophone. "Ballad" is similar, though it has a more defined melody. "Masai Warriors Dance" has a catchy melody, and a hypnotic rhythm. "Love Like Sisters" is a very nice ballad. "Lo Chi Lo" feels like an extension of "Love Like Sisters" but develops into a rowdy jam and then settles back down. "Feed The People" starts with another fanfare, and then gets into soloing and group improvisation. It's the best song on the CD.

The addition of percussion to WSQ simply makes explicit what was earlier implied. It can also give the songs some breathing room because David Murray, Oliver Lake, Arthur Blythe, and Hamiet Bluiett can stop playing at points without ending the song's momentum. Melvin Gibbs plays bass on a few songs, but he is felt more than heard. The WSQ later recorded "Four Now", where Thiam, Bey, and Gueye return. I've read one critic say the later CD is better, but I think "Metamorphosis" is slightly better. If you can't find this CD, "Four Now" makes a fine substitute, though.

A WSQ album for the mind and the feet. One of my favorites.

Though this is a post Hemphill session, its a great place to start with the WSQ. 4 unaccompanied sax palyers can be hard to deal with. This session includes 3 african percussionists, varying the sound a bit. Funny thing is- the percussionist actually loosen up the WSQ rhythm.

The African drums soften up the harshness of the group, but I'd still rate this disc as average at best. Although the quintet is very talented, the periods in which multiple players are improvising at once are chaos (and not good chaos like Mingus' Moanin). There's too much going on, usually including obnoxious honking or squeaking, and it is very difficult to listen to. As with the other WSQ album I own (Dances and Ballads), I find myself skipping around while listening to it. If you want to hear an excellent all-sax group and are a fan of Charlie Parker (who isn't!?), do yourself a favor and purchase a Supersax recording (I have Stone Bird and both live discs from the Japanese tour and they are ridiculously magnificent albums!)