Sierra 2010

This recording presents first performances of four recent scores by Arlene Sierra (b. 1970), the American composer, now living in London. Arlene Sierra’s music packs volcanic rhythmic power into compositions that are at once atmospheric, yet possessed of inexorable forward drive. The subject matter of Sierra’s compositions is far flung, and includes East Asian studies, evolutionary biology, entomology, game theory, siege engines, and architecture, to name but a few. ...superb performances capture the visceral quality and detail of Sierra’s virtuosic scores.

In addition to its stated purpose of paying tribute, a tribute album presenting a variety of cover versions of songs associated with a major artist may also demonstrate the artist's influence on others and the quality of the artist's songs as performed in ways other than the original versions. The Putumayo World Music label has specialized in genre samplers of a given musical style as performed by various artists, but here changes its approach by having various artists from different styles perform the songs of "a reggae legend." Actually, "the reggae legend" is what the title should say, since, of course, the legend in question is Bob Marley. The artists are from Hawaii, the continental U.S., Canada, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, India, and Sierra Leone. For the most part, they succeed in paying tribute and demonstrating Marley's influence on them, but they do not show off his talent as a writer by performing his songs in different ways.