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THE REVIEW
Dreams reflected in the sky vault.
In his long career, the Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek has explored the universe of music far and wide, adorning his discographic history with very bright stars. Indeed, he has played with some of the greatest contemporary jazz musicians - Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell - and with musicians from every language and place from Pakistan, to India, Greece, and Brazil. He has touched upon the contemporary music of Giya Kancheli and, together with the vocal sacred music quartet "The Hilliard Ensemble," has created one of the most indefinable and yet fascinating albums of the last twenty years (Officium - ECM 1993). An itinerary spanning over 35 years, made of experimentation, research, beauty, imagination, and audacity, characterized by the unmistakable, evocative, clear, and chilly sound of his saxophone, capable of evoking the boundless spaces of his homeland.
To this rich journey, six years after his last album (Rites - ECM 1998), today is added another beautiful work: In Praise of Dreams. Already from the title, one can sense the substance of which this ethereal music is made, dreamlike, crystalline, and impalpable. Music that seems to come from nowhere, expanding continuously. Music in praise of dreams, to detach from the earth and remain suspended in space and time. On this occasion, Garbarek is joined by Armenian/American violist Kim Kashkashian and drummer-percussionist Manu Katché. The three bring to life a magical, nocturnal, and mysterious album where Kim Kashkashian's viola challenges and is challenged by Garbarek's measured improvisations on tenor and soprano sax, creating a hybrid sensation between warm and cold, while Manu Katché's percussion gives depth and rhythm to the music, blended with the constant presence of synthesizers and electronic effects. From time to time, déjà vu of other sounds can be felt: echoes of Nordic folk, ambient, and classical resonate in this album, reflecting indistinctly, like an opaque mirror, music without precise boundaries, surreal, but at the same time free, for free listeners and dreamers.
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Summary by Bot
Jan Garbarek's 'In Praise of Dreams' is a stunning jazz album characterized by dreamlike, ethereal soundscapes. Joined by violist Kim Kashkashian and percussionist Manu Katché, Garbarek blends jazz with folk, ambient, and electronic elements. The album evokes boundless spaces and surreal atmospheres, showcasing Garbarek's signature clear and chilly saxophone tone. It is a profound exploration of musical imagination and collaboration.Tracklist
Jan Garbarek
Jan Garbarek is a Norwegian saxophonist closely associated with ECM Records, known for a clear, spacious tone and for blending jazz with Nordic folk colors, ambient textures and sacred choral music. He has collaborated with The Hilliard Ensemble, Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Kim Kashkashian, Manu Katché and others.06 Reviews
Other reviews
By The Punisher
Everything seems unchanged and identical as if nothing has changed, as if these 10 years have remained the same.
When the tracks are mere tedious executions or routine jobs that add nothing to what has been done so far.
