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Johan Moir Ensemble: Chasing Shadows
ByThe ensemble experiments with the seminal sound of many ECM releases of European artists, especially Scandinavian ones, but avoids the lyrical, impressionistic tone of the ECM school. Moir melodic, well-crafted compositions embrace the vocals of Casey Moir and suggest nuanced, cinematic narratives. Casey Moir wordless acrobatics and urgent delivery intensify the dramatic elements of compositions as "Like a Film/One Year Of Waiting" and "Scaleo" and her delivery stresses its fragile emotional core. In these songs Wättring and Sakata color these compositions with clever, improvised ideas.
The most impressive pieces are the ballads. On the touching "Layers" Casey Moir sings in an untypical reserved voice, using it as an added color to the beautiful soprano sax solo of Wättring and Sakata abstraction of the melody. The song "Grief" begins as a ballad but adopts later another approach that opens the interplay to some intense improvisation. The last song, "Wings Of Gold/Emptiness" builds carefully its dramatic progression until the cathartic, emotional climax.
Highly recommended.
Track Listing
Like a Film/One Year Of Waiting; Scaleo; 31st Floor; Crashing; Layers; Grief; Majoren; Wings Of Gold/Emptiness.
Personnel
Malin Wättring: saxophones; Casey Moir: vocals; Naoko Sakata: piano; Johan Moir: double Bass; Carl-Johan Groth: drums.
Album information
Title: Chasing Shadows | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Hearhere Records
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