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theBABAorchestra
Marigold
(2019 - Thirsty Owl Records - USA)

https://thebabaorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/marigold

With an unusually sparse and singular piano, followed by similar fashioned flutes, the intro to 'Marigold' begins what is surely a four suite cargo load of fellowship between orchestral complexity, fraught with independence, daring peculiarity, high emotion, wistful inventive, and fully engaged musicianship. Crawling with RIO elements, especially Univers Zero and their roots of classical composers such as Bartok, Dvorak, and Stravinsky, Baba displays many of the same influences from her debut 'Another Ride on the Elephant Slide' (2017), which at this point, has become a status and style of her own.

Using an adept 17 piece outfit, Lauren Elizabeth Baba conducts and leads her own compositions with incredible results. This experimental big band treads where ensembles like Flat Earth Society (Belgium), Carla Bley, and Hermeto Pascoal challenge, with a list of more too long to list. 'Marigold' is inspired by Baba's family immigration from Syria and Greece. The four compositions, are actually a "loop with no beginning or end" representing all the characteristics of life, "understanding that the past, present, and future are simultaneous experiences".

This musician, composer, conductor, bandleader, has an already fine resume as a guest conductor, award winner, guest violinist/violist (on various projects including her Seattle friend and creative big band composer-trumpet player Samantha Boshnack's release ' Seismic Belt', and the illusive progressive alt band Fell Runner's 'Talking'). With her second release, this continual four part composition of just under 42 minutes, does all the things that made her debut so fantastic, and stretches out even more. The avant-garde aspects give Henry Cow lovers a rush, the jazz fusion is out of this world, and the rock impact keeps the floor vibrating, along with a the wild roller coaster ride which is a thrill you will not believe. The outcome is overflowing and with very few moments of respite, the listener receives what almost feels like a succession of encores. In the same time span you are being lulled into a tepid labyrinth of mystery, one is also suspended in the canopy of brilliant fifth dimension. UNCONDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION. 

   ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 11 - 9 - 2019

 
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ACQUA FRAGILE
Moving Fragments
(2023 - Maracash - Italy)


https://maracashrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-fragments


  A group who have the uncanny talent of keeping their classic  sound along with staying up tpo date. This amazing return is from 1970's Italian progressive rock outfit, with frontier man lead vocal Bernardo Lanzetti, who made this band and some PFM albums so specifically brilliant. At this decade, to expect more beauty would be a fantasy, yet it is set before your ears, even with the first notes, this masterpiece of Italian, (and not only Italian) progressive rock that certainly grasps the notion of what the genre of "progressive" was always meant to be. ACQUA FRAGILE create another sweetly classic knockout recording, not with even a heavy breath of past to present effort.  In fact, it sounds and feels more authentic than ever.  Bernardo sounds as if he never aged a week, and all muscians present are at full force, not passing up the chance to make another massively classic album.   An album to put Acqua Fragile at the top of the few chosen progressive rock choices of all time. The first song ('Her Shadlows Torture' 05:52 - editors note:  A misspell on the 'Shadows' which is on Bandcamp at this writing - but is correct as 'Her Shadow's Torture' on physical CD)  hug you and give all relief, as to any possible doubts of a long awaited fourth album by this top notch Italian band. I claim it will leave your heart lay bleeding. Grab the spectral energy and enjoy a glimpse of beautiful cocoon birth.

  Not one song is with sacrifice, even a wink of lamb. In fact, some elements are added to further enchance and stun the audience, such as inclusive female vocals by Rossella Volta. The bulk of the outfit is Piero Canavera (drums, percussion, vocals),  Franz Dondi (bass), Bernardo Lanzetti (lead vocals, guitar, Glovox),  Stefano Pantaleoni (keyboards),  Claudio Tuma (guitars), with special aid by (aforementioned vocalist Rosella Voita) ,  Gigi Cavalli Cocchi - drums (1,6),  Sergio Ponti - drums (4,9), Stef Burns- guitar (2),  Brian Belloni - guitar (4),  Davide Piombino - 7 string guitar (5),  and David Jackson - sax & flute (6). Could you ask for more?   After one listen you cannot want more. Thank Maracash label (Italy) for standing behind so many great Italian artists who have done the blood, sweat, and tears in earlier years, and deserve the attention now.
Although the band name translates to 'Fragile Water', it might be better described as Precious Water at this point and time in our decreasingly cared for world. Perhaps even better, Rare Water. The beauty of this entire recording is apparent, true, sincere, and a step forward. Better than one would dream of, past the point of how all old fans could imagine, and  actually done in the upper atmospheres of what anyone could have dreamed of. Everyone is top notch and most of all, Lanzetti is 100% present, making it another masterpiece.  It is my deep recommendartion for all fans of both classic progressive rock and the new fields of progressive music to give this a direct and full attention (no distractions) listen. RECOMMENDED.
  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 1 - 19 - 2024


 

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