- Audio CD (19 Dec 2001)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Bmg Japan
- ASIN: B00005S05Y
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Ruckus |
| 2. Witness |
| 3. One More News |
| 4. Woman at Point Zero |
| 5. Kidnapping Kissinger |
| 6. Mahfouz |
| 7. Episode for Taslima Nasrin |
| 8. Child of All Nations |
| 9. Sozaboy |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In a harsh commercial climate, it's odd to see a company like RCA issuing not only one of its most uncommercial jazz CDs, but also an outspokenly political one. In Witness the brilliant young trumpeter Dave Douglas leads a 10-piece ensemble in tribute to such activists as the Palestinian-bred scholar Edward Said and exiled Bangladeshi poet Taslima Nasrin (whose words inform soprano sax great Steve Lacy's opera, The Cry). Steeped in modern classical influences, the music is rich in complexity and mood. It's also texturally alive, what with Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto contributing samples to two songs and vibraphonist Bryan Carrott, electronic percussionist Ikue Mori and tuba player Joe Daley expanding a cast of Douglas regulars which includes violinist Mark Feldman and cellist Erik Friedlander. But for all that, there isn't much melodic involvement or rhythmic drive to draw you into the songs. Douglas's passion for his subjects is frequently lost in conceptual space. "Mafouz", a 24-minute stream of consciousness on which a half-asleep, barely audible Tom Waits intones the words of Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz, is especially tough sledding. --Lloyd Sachs
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Dave Douglas....woah
11 April 2002
Format:Audio CD
From the very first note of "witness" you may think to yourself "what on earth!?!". The sounds that this cd produces are just awesome! Its so exciting and outrageous to listen to this and it makes me jump inside. The selections are incredibley well-written, emulating hints of different styles everywhere you look. I love "one more news" and "witness" personally. But i'll have you know that i've listened to the first 5 songs so much, i haven't really had a chance to go to the last part of the cd yet. But so far, this cd sounds like another masterpiece in Dave's seemingly never-ending list of music-changing albums. If you love strangely cool and highly immaginitive sounds with expressive and passionate melodies, you NEED this album. you CRAVE this album. GET this album
9 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Perhaps premature in my assessment
26 Aug 2001
Format:Audio CD
As I put this one on I was just awestuck by its beauty and complexity at the same time. The instrumentation is a mix of his sextet and string groups with some "extras." Up until the long, episodic "Mafouz" Witness was shining brighter than anything this already accomplished musician-composer had previously done. Perhaps its a personal prejudice, but mixing spoken word, no matter how compelling, with music usually doesn't work for me. Maybe it will grow on me, but I find that even when I like speaking on musical pieces at first, once I am use to it it grows old fast. These piece reminds me of Zorn's "Spillane." The music on this album is incredible, I still recommend it as highly as any other of Douglas' works. With out "Mafouz" this is at least 7 or 8 stars out of five. WHo knows I might change my mind!
carla bley meets luigi nono
24 Mar 2007
Format:Audio CD
this was the first recording by dave douglas i heard. since then i've listened to, and bought, more than a half dozen recordings by him as well as seen his recent group, his quintet, live. with witness, douglas was at the top of his game.
the political essay and names from current events are groaners if you came just for the music. politics, except for a title or 2, don't intrude on the music, except for tom waits' wonderful voice droning the prose of the writer, mahfouz, on the 23 minute track named after him, inaudibly, which functions operatically similar to a foreign language. i was reminded of political texts spoken, chanted and sung on recordings by luigi nono. the music mahfouz reminds me of gary burton's genuine tong funeral as performed by carla bley.
the other tracks are of a similar tone.
maybe this recording should not be categorized as jazz. world music might be a better category. then witness does nod toward late miles davis, particularly aura, and if aura can be classified as jazz...the important thing is the music is on disc, and well worth the listening experience.
the political essay and names from current events are groaners if you came just for the music. politics, except for a title or 2, don't intrude on the music, except for tom waits' wonderful voice droning the prose of the writer, mahfouz, on the 23 minute track named after him, inaudibly, which functions operatically similar to a foreign language. i was reminded of political texts spoken, chanted and sung on recordings by luigi nono. the music mahfouz reminds me of gary burton's genuine tong funeral as performed by carla bley.
the other tracks are of a similar tone.
maybe this recording should not be categorized as jazz. world music might be a better category. then witness does nod toward late miles davis, particularly aura, and if aura can be classified as jazz...the important thing is the music is on disc, and well worth the listening experience.
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