Search - Lan Xang :: Lan, Xang: Hidden Gardens

Exciting, intriguing jazz sounds

Ian Muldoon | Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia | 07/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Let's say it up front - these four have got it; great ideas, technique, heart and dedication and they're lucky enough to have Mr Mike Nock as executive producer. At first glimpse this CD looks like a Greek label (Naxos) featuring Chinese music (Lan Zang). But it's a German label featuring American musicians with the reproduction of a contemporary Japanese painting adorning its cover. But over the last twenty years, labels of all kinds regarding music are starting to be quite irrelevant. Was it Louis Armstrong who said there are only two types of music good and bad and " all music is folk music. I ain't ever heard a horse play a trumpet." But, back to Lan Xang, which is the name given to the group featuring Mr Donny McCaslin on tenor and soprano sax, flute, Tunisian horn, and percussion; Mr David Binney on alto sax, clarinet and live samples; Mr Scott Colley on bass and percussion; and Mr Kenny Wollesen on drums and percussion. When we investigate the music on this CD we realise that the executive producer (A&R man?) is no Mitch Miller. Lan Xang has been given the freedom to provide a programme of their music without constraint and with no commercial imperatives dictating the direction it might take. The results are an entrancing 55 minutes of music. Six tracks appear to be be brief free improvisation interludes, three are compositions by Mr Binney and four are by Mr McCaslin with two by Mr Colley. One by the latter called SEGUE features the Mr Wollesen on drums to great effect augmented by a simple saxophone harmony creating an hypnotic effect - as if the drums were playing the melody. Intriguing percussion sounds play a big part on this CD. The group seem indeed to be painting sound pictures. But there are tracks like MODE FOUR which swings and cooks just like REGULAR JAZZ (eh eh!) with upbeat saxophone conversations of hip proportions, a bowed bass and a drummer all over his kit with excitement. Or romantic sensibility like INCURABLE DREAMING where Mr McCaslin solos on flute. A rewarding listening experience at a bargain price. My feeling is that this CD will be around a long time, and like much music on Black Saint, Blue Note, Soul Note and ECM is there for the long haul."