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61 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
His best in years, September 23, 2004
Possessed of perhaps the most distinctive and instantly recognizable sound of any living saxophonist (pace Pharoah Sanders), Jan Garbarek has not always found the proper context to bring forth the extent of its glories. One thinks (recently) of the overlong Rites and the undistinguished Twelve Moons.
I've always been wooed by Garbarek's sax conception, as well as his sound. It's very what I call "elegiac," or, one might say, "melancholy," and for me it constitutes one of the most important jazz moves--the conjuring of the splendid sorrow of human existence. But if it's not properly presented, it can all too easily lapse into mere sentimentality.
Well, he's fully on his game here. This is his best work, I believe, since his great Legend of the Seven Dreams, and right up there with Witchi Tai To, his musical salute to the late, lamented Jim Pepper, my personal favorite of his. If there is nothing quite as compelling as the opening track of Legend, "He Comes From the North," a reworked traditional Lapp tune, there's at least as much Nordic mystery, arcane beauty, and shear sonic gloriousness--plus more continuity--happening on this altogether satisfying disc.
In the sixteen years since Legend, Garbarek has mastered the role of Rainer Bruninghaus on keys, providing similarly conceived although even subtler keyboard stylings. He's also recruited the marvelous Kim Kashkashian on viola, who weaves stunningly rich and sonorous lines, now doubled, now contrapuntal, with Garbarek's soprano and tenor saxes. Long-time associate Manu Katche's also here on drums, easing into the mysterioso vibe with one of his more nuanced performances. Add some very delicate percussion stylings from Garbarek, and you've got an album that almost redefines ethereal, but still remains sufficiently grounded by virtue of the leader's huge sax presence.
Jan Garbarek has always been a major artist on the ECM label. With this magnificent recording he more than repays label founder Manfred Eicher's decades-long trust and investment in him. Must-have for all Garbarek freaks, and a great introduction to Garbarek/ECM newbies. Highest recommendation.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Integrating a career and distilling new joy, October 27, 2005
I had not intended to join in the flock of reviews, but I really want to make sure that no potential listener is put off by the few negative remarks. This is not "smooth jazz" or MOR classical/world beat. "De gustibus non disputandum", tastes are unarguable perhaps, but dispute I nonetheless must. This is my single "desert island" CD, and I don't say that lightly. The interplay between Kashkashian on viola and Garbarek on sax brings together two great currents of music, the "classical" compositional with improvisational jazz. The dialogue between the viola and the tenor sax are amazing in the closeness of their ... their ... is it tone? Texture? Timbre? I'm not fluent in the terms of musical description, but certainly I listen, and say to myself, "Here comes the sax!" only to realize a moment later that it is Kashkashian's viola.
The sound is often mournful, but not sad; it's uplifting. It is a clear sound, although Garbarek's usual coldness is tempered by the viola. The sax-viola duets are augmented by gentle keyboard work as well as a great performance by the drummer, Manu Katche, who has to be mentioned. He builds patterns that go a long way to providing a framework for the music.
Garbarek has had other opportunities to improvise over classical compositional structures - most famously, his lovely sessions with the Hilliard Ensemble, but he also joined on the CD "Monodia", where Tigran Mansurian composed expressly for Kashkashian and him. But here, on "In Praise of Dreams", Garbarek is both composer/arranger and improviser, and this CD gives him the opportunity to emphasize his strengths in composition. His strengths here are remarkable.
If you are looking for the soulful jazz sax in the sparse Nordic tradition of Garbarek's earlier work, you will still find it here - although the context may seem odd. But this is not MOR, nor world beat, nor a commercial sellout by an aging artist. This is an artist integrating the experience of a lifetime in music, and finding something new to synthesize from it all. I wish long life to Mr. Garbarek, and more opportunities to distill wisdom from his years. For anyone who has a love for the great traditions of western music, this disc is one great joy.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Depth as well as immediate appeal, November 17, 2004
I'd give this album four and a half stars if I could.
I'm a relatively young Garbarek fan and my old favourites of his are albums like "Took up the runes" and "Twelve Moons". This album is much more evenly downtempo and the viola lines are always conventionally melodic, which means that this album probably has the potential to appeal to a much wider audience than much of his other recent work.
Garbarek works his usual sax improvisations over the viola lines. The album has a folk music-like character, but freer in the form than traditional folk, which is often found in Garbareks work. However, I miss the variation of the greater inventiveness and quirkyness on some of his other recent works, and the dancing, playful beats that he otherwise uses. Nevertheless, this album is very pleasing, and my initial reaction that this music lacked some of the depth which I appreciate in Garbareks work seems to be unfounded, since I appreciate the album more and more every time I play it.
I recommend this especially to anyone who is curious about Garbareks music, but has not yet bought any of his works. And obviously also to old fans.
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