CD Review: Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - The Whistle Blower

http://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.co.uk/

Gilad Atzmon (alt/sop/clt/acc/gtr/vcl); Frank Harrison (pno/keys/vcl); Yaron Stavi (bs/vcl); Chris Higginbottom (dms/vcl); + Tali Atzmon, Antonio Feola (voice).
(Review by Lance).
It's not for me to comment on anything other than the music - not even the title! Gilad's political views have long caused controversy but - freedom of speech, Je suis, and freedom in music too. Gilad represents freedom in music without losing qualities that are music. The Whistle Blower is an emotional release that contains excitement alongside the most romantic saxophone playing I've ever heard in contemporary (ish) jazz. Maybe if Hodges or Webster had been born on the day they died they could have found in Gilad a soulmate.

His portrait of Moana Pozzi (Italian 'Adult' actress who died aged 33) is beautifully painted in sound on the track For Moana. Gilad goes further and writes in the notes:

I am old fashioned

A reactionary existentialist

The enemy of progress

A Kantian rebel in your midst.

But I love Moana Pozzi

My vintage romantic heroine

When she passes by

I stare...

She glances at me and beams gently.

I am old fashioned

An honorary knight of The Romantic Church

I am the Iman of retro

And I am happy.

It's an impossible disc to describe fully. There is so much happening - sadness, love, explorative excursions, beauty - put beauty top of the list - and the quirkiness we've come to expect from the Orient House Ensemble is in there too and I wouldn't have it anywhere else. Sadly it is everywhere else! The band's tour runs from January to April 30 and they are everywhere else - apart from the north east that is!

Seems to me I'm ending a lot of reviews like this lately...
Lance
Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - The Whistle Blower is available now - check out Samples Link.