Oregon Flac

Ecotopia was the last album that Oregon released through the ECM label, and the first that the band - now with a new fulltime percussionist in the person of Gurtu (Walcott was never truly replaced, but continued and still does continue to inspire and propel the band ever onward). The music on the album is vivid and fresh, but like the half a dozen albums (including the ones they released up to Northwest Passage), there is a sense of mortality in the music an urgency in the tone and flow that suggests that Towner, Moore and McCandless have survived a catastrophe and are now tread softly into the future aware of the impermanence of things.

This is an odd entry in the Oregon catalogue. At no time do the whole group play together. Rather it is a collection of nine duets, combining instruments such as guitar and tabla, sitar and bass, piano and oboe, piano and bass etc. The tunes are excellent, and the matchless playing of these superb musicians work together at their usual high standard

What a milestone: 40 years! It seems like yesterday that "Our First Record" changed the course of events, arriving in a flash at this latest release "In Stride", with the same energy, the same desire to explore and keep in the game, consistently, and once again. «In Stride» envelopes the entire history of this band; it enhances the compositional talent of these four musicians, magnifies their voices as soloists and, above all, recalls in case you need reminding that strange and magical alchemy which transformed this quartet into Oregon.

It seems like yesterday that "Our First Record" changed the course of events, arriving in a flash at this latest release "In Stride", with the same energy, the same desire to explore and keep in the game, consistently, and once again. «In Stride» envelopes the entire history of this band; it enhances the compositional talent of these four musicians, magnifies their voices as soloists and, above all, recalls in case you need reminding that strange and magical alchemy which transformed this quartet into Oregon.

A 1992 CD reissue of their 1979 album, among their only releases ever issued by a major label. It was characteristically free-wheeling and eclectic, with long stretches of classical, Asian, African, and jazz coming together, and the group mixing structured ensemble work with surging free solos.

Down Beat (9/95, p.41) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "…Creative spontaneity informs a dozen songs….Throughout TROIKA…the three musicians achieve a politely passionate rapport through mutual admiration."