French electronic music guru Jean Michel Jarre returns to recording after a seven-year studio hiatus. Many have accused Jarre of being in a musical rut since the '90s, but as evidenced by Téo and Téa, he may be retro but he's far from tired. This album includes the bad-ass title track single that has been taking over dancefloors in Europe since the end of 2006; its four on the floor house rhythm is shaded and textured with all manner of narrated voices, programmed analog synths, polythrythms and all manner of slamming, over the top house. Its cheesy sounds blend seamlessly with the more substantive ones. Jarre collaborates with string arranger and guitarist Claude Samard who also uses all manner of digital equipment to get delays on orchestral textures and sonically enhanced analog sounds to behave…
Although billed as a Jean Michel Jarre recording, Odyssey Through 02 is actually a remix project by various artists, each taking a cut or two from his groundbreaking Odyssey album. Perhaps the reason Jarre's name is on it as one of his own is because he had final say over the end result. Here, countryman DJ Cam, Loop Guru, Apollo 440, Hani, Resistance D, the Sunday Club, and Boodjie & Veronica take elements from the classic "Oxygene," and re-create it in three "phases" completely out of sync with the source material and out of context. In other words, track ten is first and done three different times by different artists and "Oxygene 8" is done four times! DJ Cam remixes "Oxygene 7" and it is the only time it appears here; he remains somewhat faithful to the source, though he warps its time/space continuum a bit…
Destination Docklands was an event consisting of two concerts by musician Jean Michel Jarre on the Royal Victoria Docks, Docklands, London on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9 October 1988, to coincide with the release of Jarre's new album Revolutions. The concerts were attended by 100,000 people on each night. Accompanied by fireworks and a light show, the concert also featured The Shadows guitarist Hank Marvin who joined Jarre on the tracks "London Kid" and "Fourth Rendez-Vous". The Saturday performance was broadcast on BBC Radio One. The Sunday show, during which it rained heavily, was recorded for a live album and VHS released in 1989. The Sunday show was also recorded for TV and shown on C4 some weeks or months later.
The compositions herein are performed by two of the famed Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop groups and they are considered among his best recorded works. These 1954 recordings represent the grass roots from where all the innovative forms and expressions of tomorrows jazz conceived by Mingus really began. From then on, Mingus became the most influential composer and bassist of various generations in jazz history. After its first date, he said about the improvised interplay between every instrument: I feel that it is usually impossible to attempt such delicacies with musicians who do not enjoy the unusual freedom or understand the thought of the leading instrument. Teo Macero, John LaPorta, George Barrow and Mal Waldron, of course, are just as responsible as I am for the final construction.
Pianist Geri Allen has thus far been a very consistent performer, and all of her recordings are easily recommended. This particular set finds her in a trio with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams performing six of her originals along with six jazz standards. Allen's style is fairly original, with hints of Herbie Nichols, and her chancetaking but logical solos are generally quite stimulating.
The complex music on this LP finds bassist Charles Mingus looking toward contemporary classical music in some of the rather cool-toned arrangements. It was not until later in 1955 that he found the right combination of influences in which to express himself best but these slightly earlier performances have their moments. Four of the selections feature tenor-saxophonist Teo Macero, pianist Wally Cirillo, drummer Kenny Clarke and Mingus in a quartet while the other five tracks showcase a sextet with Macero, George Barrow on tenor and baritone and clarinetistaltoist John La Porta.