Oregon's storied past and relevance to jazz cannot be undermined. In addition, this outing signifies only the band's third live recording to coincide with its 30-year legacy. Besides Oregon's somewhat organic approach to jazz or world jazz, drummer Mark Walker adds pop, dazzle, and polyrhythmic fury to the ensemble's often-emotively actualized songbook. Guitarist Ralph Towner augments the overall tonal palate with synths on several pieces, while all of the instrumentalists get equal opportunities to stretch their wares. Beautifully recorded, the artists' well-placed dynamics and intuitive exchanges come to fruition once again. They explore swing grooves and perky rhythmic structures amid woodwind ace Paul McCandless' customary insertions of wistful themes and touching interludes. No major surprises here, but a first-rate effort that should appease the band's longtime admirers. (Recommended.)
Oregon has been a unit long enough that Apollo astronauts carried their music around the moon, which lead to the moon craters "icarus" and "Ghost Beads" being named after two of their compositions. Ralph Towner and Paul McCandless are multi-instrumentalists. Towner plays twelve-string and acoustic guitar, piano, the Prophet synth and trumpet. McCandless plays oboe, soprano sax, and bass clari...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Pounce |
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| 2 The Prowler |
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| 3 Distant Hills |
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| 4 Short n' Stout |
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| 5 Green and Golden |
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| 6 I'll Remember August |
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| 7 Raven's Wood |
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| 8 Crocodile Romancing |
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| 9 What River Is This? |
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| 10 Witchi-Tai-To |
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