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The Whistle Blower is not only a great jazz CD, but it doubles up as a celebration of the 15th anniversary of Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House Ensemble. As with their back catalogue, this album is an eclectic mix of jazz numbers which showcase both the collective and individual talents of four of the finest musicians playing in the UK. It is often said of the best collaborative ventures that they are better than the sum of their parts. When the parts are already all brilliant in their own right, by adding them together you have something truly special. And so it is with the Orient House Ensemble.
As is customary with this group, the CD draws on a mixture of styles and themes and whilst sometimes the combination might seem a little odd (their last album saw the capital cities of ‘Berlin’, ‘Moscow’ and ‘Paris’ sharing space on Songs of the Metropolis with ‘Scarborough’!), it invariably works. Coincidentally The Whistle Blower makes me think of Paris and not simply due to the use of accordion on ‘The Song’ (which could almost be a lost track from the Soundtrack to the film, Amelie). No, it reminds me of Paris on a more esoteric level. The presence of the dreamy and chaste ‘Romantic Church’ on the same album as the sensual ‘For Moana’ (apparently dedicated to an Italian porn star) evokes for me the 18th arrondissement where just down the hill from the Sacré Cœur Basilica you find Pigalle’s seedy emporia of unbridled sexual pleasure. This album celebrates saints and sinner alike.
The CD opens with a very personal homage to Gaza (‘Gaza Mon Amour’) – a place that must surely feel God-foresaken to its inhabitants. As well as being an immensely gifted musician, Gilad Atzmon is also a passionate advocate for human rights. It is understandable therefore that he regularly uses his talent to remind the world that there is a place called Gaza and that its people continue to suffer long after the news cameras have left. There is understandably a Palestinian vibe permeating this piece which fuses both eastern and western musical genres. It’s jazz alright but perhaps not as some ears may know it although anyone familiar with this band’s past catalogue will be used to such a fusion and will already appreciate how well it works. The piece is not an overtly political statement, but rather a celebration of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.
I am not familiar with the cinematic output of Moana to whom the seventh track on the album is dedicated but I imagine that she would be flattered to have such a beautiful melody penned for her. I am not sure if it is deliberate, but the preceding track, ‘To Be Free’ ends quite frenetically in some sort of rapid, orgasmic climax to be followed immediately by ‘For Moana’ which acts as a warm, soothing “afterglow”. It does not get much more blissful than this.
The only track that I cannot really fathom out is ‘Let us Pray’. As a man of faith myself, prayer is something I do. That can be alongside others at my local church or privately either at home, when travelling or even sometimes at work. Prayer for me is a time of quiet reflection and communion with God. Even when undertaken at the most stressful times it always brings serenity and acts as a personal, spiritual sanctuary. As with every track on the album, I love ‘Let us Pray’ but the composition does not reflect how I feel when praying. That is especially true the passage between four minutes and five minutes thirty where Atzmon pushes his sax to the limits and the tempo increases. So the title of the piece doesn’t work for me but that really is my only criticism of the album….the title of one track! Don’t let that put you off though. It is a great track. It just has the wrong name in my book.
It is not my intention to describe every track on the album but I assure you there is not a duff one amongst. The album ends with the title track. ‘The Whistle Blower’ reminds us that we are undoubtedly indebted to the brave men and women who over the years have exposed some of grubby workings of corrupt governments and institutions; often at great personal cost. Despite the serious subject matter this number has a whimsical feel to it. I have always adored Tali Atzmon’s vocals (particularly on the title track of Atzmon’s collaborative album with Wyatt and Stephen, ‘For the Ghosts Within’). On ‘The Whistle Blower’ she delivers once again with some exquisite “girl from Ipanema-esque“ dah de dah de dah de dahing whilst the guys perform wolf-whistles and join in with their own exuberant singing. The last track on OHE albums usually ha a light and joyful tone, perhaps fulfilling the role of “signing-off” the suite. The Songs of the Metropolis ends with ‘Berlin’ which sounds a little like bunch of boozy blokes in a bierkeller having the time of their lives. The last number on the Tide Has Changed (‘We Laugh’) oozes circus fun, again conveyed by enthusiastic singing. They may not have the range or angelic voices of a cathedral choir but the Orient House Ensemble boys have passion in bucket-loads. At the end of the CD, as with every other OHE album, the listener is left craving more.
As I write this, I know that in a few hours I will have the pleasure of seeing this album played live at a performance sponsored by Birmingham Jazz. The Orient House Ensemble’s recordings are always first class, but they are also one of the greatest live acts around. So I am salivating!
In short – another masterpiece from Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble and definitely deserving the full five stars that I have awarded it.
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Top reviews from other countries
Steve Cleveland
Gilad Atzmon, passion, purpose, beauty
Reviewed in the United States on 18 March 2015Bruce Bradley
Terrific Album From A Brave Whistleblower
Reviewed in the United States on 31 May 2015
