Nearly three decades ago, Jack DeJohnette and Lester Bowie went into
Grog Kill Studio in Woodstock to record "Zebra", a unique album that
went virtually unnoticed when it was released, and has yet to be much
discussed or appreciated to this day. Inspired by the photography of
Tadayuki Naito, it was used as the soundtrack to a video program
entitled "Tadayuki Naito/Zebra."
In recent years listeners have found that the film scores of composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams (Scott of the Antarctic, Costal Command, The 48th Parallel, etc) and Aaron Copland (Music for a Great City, The Red Pony, etc) , even those seemingly weakened without video context, can have tremendous value as musical expressions in their own right. "Zebra" can easily be added to this list of the worthy, particularly the central track, a tone poem entitled "Aho."
"Aho" according to Wikipedia, is the Lakota word for "Amen." So sparsely orchestrated, yet rich, Jack DeJohnette's undulating synthesizer provides a landscape not unlike his drumming, warming the canvas for Bowie's chant-like meditations. The synth part is not so simple as it initially sounds, yet neither does it busy itself.
The rest of the album is certainly worth having, though I would warn buyers that the drum machine Jack uses on other tracks, as well as some of the synth settings, will seem dated and perhaps less impressive to some (is the drum machine a tongue in cheek joke from a legendary drummer?) Having said this, I highly recommend the opening and closing tacks, "Ntoro I" and "Ntoro II".
But it is "Aho" that makes this album truly important. Get a copy while you still can.
In recent years listeners have found that the film scores of composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams (Scott of the Antarctic, Costal Command, The 48th Parallel, etc) and Aaron Copland (Music for a Great City, The Red Pony, etc) , even those seemingly weakened without video context, can have tremendous value as musical expressions in their own right. "Zebra" can easily be added to this list of the worthy, particularly the central track, a tone poem entitled "Aho."
"Aho" according to Wikipedia, is the Lakota word for "Amen." So sparsely orchestrated, yet rich, Jack DeJohnette's undulating synthesizer provides a landscape not unlike his drumming, warming the canvas for Bowie's chant-like meditations. The synth part is not so simple as it initially sounds, yet neither does it busy itself.
The rest of the album is certainly worth having, though I would warn buyers that the drum machine Jack uses on other tracks, as well as some of the synth settings, will seem dated and perhaps less impressive to some (is the drum machine a tongue in cheek joke from a legendary drummer?) Having said this, I highly recommend the opening and closing tacks, "Ntoro I" and "Ntoro II".
But it is "Aho" that makes this album truly important. Get a copy while you still can.
Tracks Listing
Ntoro I 8:40
Jongo 4:53
Aho 9:42
Kpledzo 7:58
Ntoro II 9:17
Line-up / Musicians
Synthesizers - Jack DeJohnette
Trumpet - Lester Bowie
Ntoro I 8:40
Jongo 4:53
Aho 9:42
Kpledzo 7:58
Ntoro II 9:17
Line-up / Musicians
Synthesizers - Jack DeJohnette
Trumpet - Lester Bowie
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ReplyDeleteThanks for this creative combination of synth and trumpet
ReplyDeleteany chance for a reup? thanks
ReplyDeleteNew links!
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ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/QPDFT4QLZzw
Amazing! Thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteMuch thanks for sharing this album. Never encountered it before and I must say that it is brilliant! One of the best - have now bought a vinyl copy. Woooooffff!!
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