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ROBBIE BASHO Twilight Peaks Smeraldina-Rima 20
Of the guitarists who recorded for Takoma in the 1960s and 1970s, Robbie Basho is by far the most obscure outside a dedicated coterie of admirers. These include guitarist Glenn Jones, who has masterminded this CD and LP re-release of Basho’s last recorded album from the original demo cassette tapes sent to Jones in the early 1980s. It seems almost typi- cal that Basho was ignored by the then lead- ing guitar labels, such as Windham Hill, and the album was released in cassette form only on a New Age label, The Art Of Relaxation, finding its way quickly to bargain bins. All this is documented by Jones in the fascinating liner notes, but one vital question remains: what on earth would the original purchasers have made of Basho? Relaxing it ain’t. Intense, driving, immensely personal, yes. But relaxing, no.
By 1984 Basho had abandoned the 12- string guitar that dominated his Takoma releases, in particular the The Falconer’s Arm duo, but you wouldn’t know it from the opening title track, which shimmers through the twists and turns that characterised Basho’s raga influences. In this and Nice Enough For Love, there are hints of a blues- based progression of chord sequences, but these are quickly overtaken by the more sitar- and veena-like flurries of notes; the pieces sound spontaneous and improvised but were thoroughly worked out, tribute to Basho’s discipline and breadth of composi- tion. Afternoon And Evening and Japan Idyll could be called classic Basho in their rises and falls and stretches of what I’d call ‘Eastern rasquedo’ picking, while Camelot II is a mas- terpiece of unexpected grandeur that brings to mind some of the work of James Black- shaw, the guitarist who appears to have most assimilated Basho’s aims without being a soundalike. There is the obligatory song, Kingdom of Love, but this is mercifully short (there are those who dig Basho’s singing, but I’m not one of them) and a couple of live outtakes that show his technique and power had not waned before his extraordinary early death in 1986.
He’s often described as a ‘spiritual’ gui- tarist, and although this is often taken as syn- onymous with ‘slow/noodling/ethereal’, here it’s his personal fierce compositions and play- ing that stand out as clearly as ever. It still isn’t relaxing, thank goodness.
www.smeraldina-rima.com Ian Kearey
KLEZMAFOUR 5th Element AKW Karrot Kommando KK45
An exuberant and joyful klezmer release, this is ambitious, flawed, and very disrespectful. The flaws, of course, are fascinating. And the disrespect is a refreshing antidote to the overly staid tones of many recent collections. The band might have considered investing a little more emotion and reverence in some of the more traditional material here, though that would have meant jettisoning the flip- pancy that makes listening to them such a fine guilty pleasure.
Recorded in just one day, the record appears at first to be both multilayered and multifaceted, though this impression does not last through repeated plays. But turn up Gabriel Tomczuk’s innovative electric bass lines during its first few spins for an experi- ence that is both infectious and impressive. Then dig out KlezmaFour’s Karrot Komman- do labelmates (the likes of Warsaw Village Band and R U T A) and witness a similar joie de vivre, punk ethic and real understanding of Balkan music.
ALLAN YN Y FAN Pwnco Steam Pie Records. SPCD1016S
“Oh go on, give us something different, you know you want to.”
I can just hear the voices, urging on Allan Yn Y Fan: “Go the whole hog, push the enve- lope even more.” And it’s true their last album, the beguiling Trosnant was a career high. This time however they’ve had space to do a bit of considered crusading, think about crossing traditions and undertaking eyebrow- raising alliances. It all began with a chummy, amiable EP they recorded with Delyth Jenk- ins, but here the boat’s definitely been pushed – no – launched out and they’re questing. As a result, they’re wearing black and shades, the image is sharp to start with, but hang on, there’s a huge injection of brass and a nyckelharpa, anthems to blue collar heroes, moments of madness which divert to Albania, tunes for bad travellers and even Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Yes, it’s a right old kettle of a different fish. But lest you think they’ve somehow for- gotten they’re Welsh, let me relate that the title Pwnco is a melodic component of the
Allan Yn Y Fan & equestrian chum The band were able to record the album
so efficiently because of their collective understanding, a unified voice that is only occasionally splintered by sheer virtuosity.
The traditional Glezele Yash has one of those superb bass lines, a constant through experimental squalls of accordeon. And while Golem Fury sees technology rather gratu- itously employed to ratchet up the artificial tension in a showy and rough production, it is dramatic nonetheless, working itself out into a neat and risky set of clarinet improvs, cuts and twists and turns so unexpected that an early ’70s metal pastiche is even briefly threatened. These fellows have done an awful lot of eclectic listening, and they want us to know about it.
Rubezahl daringly moves into witty theme tunes of ever-increasing tempos that repeatedly fade and reprise through a sub- lime clarinet that dominates the sparse melodies and characterful drumming
Album coda, Urke, tells the story of Urke Nachalnik, a local hero who was born in wealth, turned to crime, and then letters, before sacrificing his life as a resistance lead- er. Another cult local figure, Karrot Komman- do colleague Pablopavo, leads the mis- chievous and jaunty rap.
www.karrot.pl John Pheby
Gwent Mari Lwyd tradition, horse’s skull, singing, music, drinking – all the regulation elements – and they cut a splendid jib with a new arrangement of the old vocal used in the custom allied to a tune from accordeonist Chris Jones. Up goes the tempo significantly with a set of jigs rattled off on the back of saxophone, trumpet and trombone, honking out melodies and filling the gaps around. Dic Penderyn is an old Chartists item that’s sud- denly relevant again given the straitened times we live in. Wisely Allan leave the tale of wrongful hanging as an acoustic ballad whose closing is tracked by mournful fiddle, haunting flute and picked guitar. Likewise Tra Bo Dau the sort of Welsh longing love item that Sian James usually makes her own but here Meriel Field matches that sainted voice with a rare grace.
Elsewhere just to add to the variety they come on as merry minstrels from the middle ages. Death In Ennis is nothing to do with ter- rorism, more audience absence which led to an almighty session, and I swear Neidod Twm Bach is Lillibullero in disguise. Dammit they even celebrate growing grey in stately, appeal- ing manner on Arafu. Not that they’d ever want to! Grow old whilst remaining young at heart and above all always throw in a curve ball like Lle Arall with the aforementioned nyckelharpa and its owner Thomas Roth, a beguiling slow air, as well as – ahem – Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star which closes an item of bold experimentation with a fairytale innocence. As somebody I know only too well says, it’s a case of something familiar and everything differ- ent. Now isn’t that attractive?
www.ayyf.co.uk www.steampie.com
Simon Jones
EAST GIPSY BAND Ageless Message Fonó FA 262-2
Hungary is currently showing a worrying rise in political representation of nationalist igno- rance, including anti-Roma hate. Yet many of its most sophisticated and brilliant young musicians are Roma, and here is sparkling, gorgeous evidence.
The seven members of the East Gipsy Band are masters of music that truly and nat- urally pulls together the improvising freedom of jazz with the melodic riches of the wider spectrum of musics created and played with such skill by Roma musicians across Europe.
Gusztáv Balogh, who wrote most of the song lyrics to traditional or original melodies, has a huskily subtle voice that makes very
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