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Product Description
Review
Arun Ghosh has arrived, seemingly from obscurity, with this winning debut disc. His background flies from Calcutta to London, with some Bolton and Manchester experiences in-between. But rather than being a Nitin Sawhney successor, Ghosh is closer in feel to Gilad Atzmon in the way he chooses elements from his heritage culture and then pushes them through a jazz vortex. He gives equal attention to clarinet and piano, playing both simultaneously, for most of the time. If 'spiritual' jazz does indeed exist, then maybe Ghosh can float inside its realms. His is a calmer evocation, more along the lines of Alice Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders (the latter when in a more inward state). The core combo is augmented by Aref Durvesh (dholak and bayan drums), Corey Mwamba (vibraphone) and, most frequently, Idris Rahman (tenor saxophone).
The opening Aurora track is set to appear on Gilles Peterson's next Brownswood Bubblers compilation, so a target audience is already in place. Even so, this album will have strong appeal in the mainline jazz and global camps too. Ghosh's compositions are imbued with a sense of exoticism, but no strict geographical source. His very vocal clarinet escalations have roots in a streamlined version of the shehnai reed-flute tradition, though Arun is probably just as likely to be influenced by Don Byron. The first four pieces are enjoyable enough, but something spectacular happens from the fifth track onwards. Uterine sees Ghosh ascending on a steady curve, his clarinet underpinned by Rahman's tenor. A slurred Orientalism takes over Longsight Lagoon, a slogging procession towards the sweeping Come Closer, Ghosh continuing his dance. Then, clarinet and piano are highlighted against sparse percussion and vibraphone, before a morose bass-key flourish introduces the driving finale of Greenhouse, decorated with slapping and wobbling drumheads. We're on the edges of klezmer here, oddly enough. This entire second-half run has a sustained momentum that lends the listening experience a cumulative power. Ghosh is gently intense, quietly screaming. --Martin Longley
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Review
Razor-sharp playing and melodic invention mark out this debut from Midlands-based clarinettist Ghosh. From the bright opening track 'Aurora', this is Indo-jazz fusion with a kick.
Ghosh has assembled a fine ensemble of UK-based players including Soothsayer's saxman Idris Rahman, percussionist Aref
Durvesh and sitarist Jonathan Mayer (son of original Indo-jazz godfather
John Mayer). 'Longsight Lagoon' and 'Greenhouse' have a hard-edged, funky swagger, while the poignant 'Where Shall I Live Now' and a beautiful arrangement of the poet Tagore's 'O Amar Desher Mati' showcase Ghosh's reflective side.
This is a fully-rounded and impeccably performed release one of the best of the year so far. --Jamie Renton, Straight No Chaser website
Ghosh has assembled a fine ensemble of UK-based players including Soothsayer's saxman Idris Rahman, percussionist Aref
Durvesh and sitarist Jonathan Mayer (son of original Indo-jazz godfather
John Mayer). 'Longsight Lagoon' and 'Greenhouse' have a hard-edged, funky swagger, while the poignant 'Where Shall I Live Now' and a beautiful arrangement of the poet Tagore's 'O Amar Desher Mati' showcase Ghosh's reflective side.
This is a fully-rounded and impeccably performed release one of the best of the year so far. --Jamie Renton, Straight No Chaser website
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good debut album,
By Half a loaf of Tao (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Northern Namaste (Audio CD)
I went to see Ghosh perform Live at the London Jazz Festival a few weeks ago. Needless to say, his live performance ranks higher than the recorded format, particularly since he had some different instruments accompanying him. His performance inspired me to get the album, and I'm glad I did.
Because it's Jazz the music flows ok from one track to the next. My favourite tracks are Bondhu, Deshkar and Uterine - lots of repeat listening value here. Aurora and Greenhouse are good. The remaining tracks aren't as interesting although still worth listening to. Overall this a good buy. And I recommend going to see him live if you can.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Golly Ghosh what a fantastic album !,
By
This review is from: Northern Namaste (Audio CD)
In my opinion,quite simply the best indo-jazz fusion album around.Having listened to recent albums by The Teak project,Miles from India,Mukta, Indian Core and many more - this is the album that really tops them all. Led by clarinetist himself Arun Ghosh, he has created an album of creative,spiritual and very beautiful music.Using fourteen different musicians in many different lineups is, i feel, one of the albums strengths because every tune has a completely different feel to it."O amar..." and "Come closer" are quite serene and beautiful with the latter having a fantastic string backing with a gentle funky/Indo groove laid over the top."Aurora" and "Longsight Lagoon" are different prospects altogether with a more traditional Indian feel to them but the passionate solos from Ghosh himself and Idris Rahman on tenor sax give the music a creative jazz element."Uterine" is very spiritual with the simple but dominant base riff ,Ghosh's mystical sounding clarinet weaving it's magic and added depth from Rahman's saxophone making this possibly the pick of the album.Ghosh and rahman combine superbly again for the final track "Greenhouse" which i could best describe as a funky middle eastern flavoured piece.There are too many high points to mention in one review so the best way is to check it out yourself.Quite simply a stunning debut album and for all those fans of Indo/jazz, from Mayer and Harriott, through McClaughlin and Shakti, right up to the present day with the Teak project, this album is, quite simply the BEST.Buy now.
5.0 out of 5 stars
totally brilliant!!!!!!!!,
By tobi321 (wales uk) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Northern Namaste (Audio CD)
One of my all time favourite albums, this gets played again and again. Arun is brilliant live as well, an all round nice bloke and supremely talented.
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