4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creative Tribal Big Band Avante Garde Hip Hop Swing, July 5, 2008
This review is from: Transmigration (Audio CD)
Overview:
Transmigration features a live performance in France of a 39 piece orchestra lead by Kahil El'Zabar. The concert is a raucous affair and is just overflowing with raw energy. The swing arrangements of El'Zabar have a very simplistic, soulful, tribal feel to them. The texture and tone sound like something from the McCoy Tyner, Alice Coltrane, or Pharaoh Sanders might write. The many brass and reed performers take turns soloing over the top of repetitive chant like chord structures. Several tracks are augmented by DJ turntable scratching and one track even has a brief rapper, rapping in French. Zabar is primarily the conductor, arrange, and leader on the performance. He does have one solo in Speaking in Tongues.
Songs Highlights:
Speaking in Tongues: This 24-minute track is the most traditional swinging orchestra piece. Many soloists take turn ripping out solo after solo. The tune opens with a balophone solo, and features another balophone solo by Zabar himself in the middle of the song.
Nu Art Claiming Earth: This track opens with battling DJ turntables, and features a French rapper. This is really wild stuff. It is the most unconventional of the tunes.
Transmigration: A very soulful and mood inflicted piece. Sad sounding reed players wail and moan, to augment a slowly descending bass line, while a female singer softly hums.
Return of the Lost Tribe: At its heart the song is 3 chord chant-like structure that repeats over the top of a thick "drum circle" of percussionists. At times other orchestra members come in with a counter melody, and at other times soloists shred over the top of the simple structure.
This is a truly unique performance, and I highly recommended it.
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