Gino Foti
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Review of "Orbis Terrarum"
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By: Gerald Van Waes
rbis Terrarum shows a combination of improvisation on mostly progressive electric
and bass guitar in (jazz) fusion style, but also some Spanish guitar, combined with
some keyboards (like jazz piano) and with the use of some sampled and rearranged
percussion, as strong rhythmic and colourful grooves, using the latest sampler
techniques on computer and on MIDI bass guitar, that uplift the use of sampling to a
smaller detail and to the level of composing with a certain spontaneity as if a few
extra musicians governed by the composer were also participating and even
interacting with the musical evolution in studio.
At several times, Middle Eastern percussion is used, but also Latin rhythms, even in
combinations (like on "Credo", in combination with jazz piano), making appealing
drives into the music. The first track, "Dionysian Stream" is more progressive rock,
with Dave Kulju on electric guitar. "Kujichagulia" is a mix of exotic percussion
with African vocal samples and fusion bass improvisation, in a rather simple but
effective mode. "Ultradian Rhythms" combines Latin rhythms with jazz piano, bass,
flamenco guitar and keyboards. Each track is arranged in such a way, in many
different varieties. "A Smile For Every Tear" is only based upon rather classical
piano with Spanish guitar. "Apollonian Stream" goes one step further to Baroque
piano played with a jazz effect, and with Middle Eastern percussion in a Latin jazz
way. That track reminds me of the 'Mozart in Egypt' project, from a few years back,
with an album that for me wasn't so convincing (while the previous 'Lambarena-Bach
in Africa' was); here it is more fitting together, even when the idea of it still is
a simply-doing-the-combination, it is done with a feeling for harmony.
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©
Gerald Van Waes / Psyche van het Folk
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