Manu Katche Unstatic

Al Di Meola is back with a vengeance on this 1994 studio release featuring his best world-music fusion since 1990’s ‘World Sinfonia’. Guest musicians include the multi- talented Greek George Dalaras, Peter Erskine, bassist Pino Palladino, and Israelis Achinoam Nin (Noa) with her luscious vocals and string player Simon Shaheen among others. And a first with Hernan Romero sporting a double-neck charango.

OVO is not really a Peter Gabriel solo album, but more of a soundtrack with Peter at the helm. The project was kicked off in 1997, when Gabriel was invited to join in the creation of "a visual and musical experience for London's Millennium Dome"…Right from the start it is clear that "OVO" leans heavily on the "Real World" sounds which Gabriel has investigated and nurtured for many years. A glance at the line up reveals renown musicians such as Ravi Shankar, Tony Levin, and Richie Havens all contribute to the diverse sounds on which the album is built. Anyone who is not familiar with the wonderful voice of Richie Havens should hear his performance on this album, he has one of the finest voices in modern music.There really is something for everyone here. One minute we are being uplifted by a Celtic reel ("The weaver's reel"), the next we have a delicate Gabriel vocal ("Father son"), and no sooner is that finished but we have a "Sledgehammer" type piece of heavy rock ("The tower that ate people")…For what is essentially a soundtrack, "OVO" is a very strong album. I actually find myself preferring this to some of Gabriel's official solo releases. The enormous diversity of the music, the engaging of top musicians, and the strength of the compositions combine to result in a fine album which will be around far longer than the Millennium Dome!

First release from a new trio of Norwegian jazz veterans, Remembrance features Ketil Bjørnstad and Jon Christensen, musical associates for almost 40 years, alongside saxophonist Tore Brunborg for some joyful playing. Strongly melodic in both extroverted and introverted modes, the music is by turns reflective and outgoing - and likely to connect with a large audience.

A more eclectic release than his preceding releases, Jan Garbarek's I Took Up the Runes satisfies listeners who had been more or less impatient for something with some meat and some muscle. Opening with a jazzy cover of Mari Persen's "Gula Gula," made fuller with bass guitar accompaniment that modifies the chord structure of the whole tune, the album next features the five-part "Molde Canticle," which spans from a dreamy esoteric sound to African folk music. Garbarek really wails in places, and it is a welcome surprise – he should wail more than he does. Synthesizer sounds are starting to become less prominent as well. There is excellent piano work by Rainer Bruninghaus and excellent vocalizing by guest artist Ingor Antte Ailu Gaup. A sign of good things to come.