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review by Bill Binkelman Bansuri and western flutist John Wubbenhorst heads up a quintet who record as Facing East (as in facing towards India, I would imagine). Other members of the group are Subash Chandran (clay pot and "vocal percussion"), Ganesh Kumar (South Indian frame drum), Steve Zerlin (bass), and Jorge Zamorano (guitar). You can correctly infer that rhythm plays a significant part in these musical proceedings, as some of the tracks here (including the aptly titled opening number "Continuous Celebration") explore kinetic world fusion music, propelled by hand percussion that chugs, churns, and bubbles along, buoyed by Wubbenhorst's superb flute playing, as well as Zamorano's dexterous guitar work. While this CD is best described as world fusion, there is an accent on East Indian rhythms and melodic sensibilities. However, by injecting elements of jazz and Irish music here and there (two back-to-back songs are "Irish Prelude" and "Irish Raga") and also bending traditional genres in unexpected directions ("Bass Alap" features Zerlin's bass going solo against a steady alap tamboura drone), the music is diverse, intriguing, and maintained my interest easily. One of the highlights of this fine CD (arguably, its best track) is "John Beyond" which, per the liner notes, is Wubbenhorst's tribute to famed guitarist John McLaughlin (of the Mahavishnu Orchestra). The standout part of this ten-plus minute song is Subash Chandran's jaw-dropping display of "konnakol," a form of vocal percussion that has to be heard to be believed-he's a truly amazing talent. Other elements that make this a special piece include Wubbenhorst's smoky sensual flute playing and the atmospheric electric guitar work of Zamorano (reverbed strummed chords and plucked notes in the background. The percussion work on clay pot and frame drum (Chandran and Kumar, respectively) is equally impressive. On the two part "Irish" number mentioned earlier actually Wubbenhorst's flutes take on a lilting Irish sound and the lively and bouncy rhythms firmly anchor the music in the land of leprechauns, (with some Indian spices as well, reflected in "green" flute married to Indian percussion). In addition, the song also features fine accompaniment from guest musicians Dave Pietro on soprano sax and, especially, Alexander Mitchell on violin. The album's "thematic" centerpoint is the fifteen-plus minute title track, a piece that evolves through several movements and graced by excellent solos from both percussionists. At times wafting upwards like smoke in the air, and at other times exploring moments of controlled passion, the number is marginally closer to "traditional" Indian music than a lot of the other numbers here. When you gather talented musicians together, one of two things will inevitably happen: you'll get a lot of pointless noodling or too much showmanship as each one tries to out-perform the other, or you'll get a wonderful symbiosis of assorted instruments and artistic virtuosity, showcasing a true collaborative efforts toward a musical goal. The latter is the result on Facing Beloved. Like the fantastic American Indian-fusion ensemble Autumn's Child (also led by a flutist, Mark Holland), Facing East understand the meaning of fusion at its most basic level. The end result is an album that both celebrates the differences in various cultures and also unites them. While East Indian music fans will almost certainly enjoy this album, I also think lovers of world music from other cultures might also dig it, as well as jazz hounds who favor flute as the lead instrument. Recommended. |
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