Customer Reviews
lifeless - By: G. Smith, 21 Jun 2006 
This is a peculiarly lifeless record. There's that beautiful saxophone tone of course, but unfortunately there are no stories being told with it. It's a pity that the writing gives wonderful players of Garbarek & Kashkashian's calibre so little to chew on.
This music is emotionally empty & one-dimensional, with little ambiguity or mystery. To my ears it seems that Garbarek's signature style of combining jazz & folkish melodies with minimalist intensity has resultedin something entirely numb this time around. The cheesy & unimaginative electronic backings don't help matters. There are plenty of good records exploring the possibilities of jazz & electronica, give yourself a treat & try Arve Henriksen's 'Chiaroscuro' instead.
Excellent Jazz Saxophony. - By: , 21 Jan 2005 
Never heard of Jan Garbarek befor. Caught the tittle track on, I think it was the Bob Harris show, & ordered the album on the strength of it. Wasn't dissapointed. The whole album is excellent.
Thoughful and beautifully crafted - By: C. H. Shaw, 02 Jan 2005 I bought this CD on impulse & I'm very glad I did! This CD takes Garbarek away from his usual partnering with Eberhard Weber & Rainer Bruninghaus to give some beautiful, thoughtful melodies intertwining the saxophone with the viola of Kim Kashkashian. The viola is very powerful, sounding almost like a cello at times with its flowing deep tone, perfectly complemented & counter-pointed by Garbarek's atmospheric saxophone playing. Track 2 sets the 'theme' which is picked up again at points though the CD. I find the samples on this site pretty useless as they tend to finish before the track get going, but try the sampler for track 4 to give an idea.
Modern, Cool and Delightful - By: Lewis Graham, 30 Dec 2004 
This is different to the hard, avant-garde Garbarek of the 70's & 80's. Here he mixes synthesisers, viola & his own fluid saxaphone sound to produce a series of ethereal sounds. Track 6 - Scene From Afar - is a lilting tunein tango time which haunts & delights.
If you enjoyed his work with the Hilliard Ensemble, this will be a pleasant instrumental alternative.
In praise of dreams - By: , 29 Dec 2004 
I found this a rather boring unchallenging album with not enough playing from Garberek to enage me . Saw his concert at Birmingham Symphony Hallin December & , apart from the over busy drummer/percussionist , was a good nights cool jazz . As for the album well there just isn`t enough of his playing on it frankly . I gave the disc away it impressed so little .
