Search - Fred Ho & Afro Asian Ensemble :: Underground Railroad to My Heart

Ho delivers future classic

Larry Bauman | Columbus Ohio | 05/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you just discovering Fred Ho, you are in for a sonic journey which embarks upon both rural China as well as the smoky jazz-filled clubs of New York City. Fred's musical education spans several genres in time and space as he bravely intertwines this knowledge into his music. Ho, at times, distinguishes the culture and era (you will hear both Chinese opera and Count Basie at his best in this album) from which it draws upon... yet, Fred is clearly not bound to simply paying tribute to music-past, he is able to mix and match, cut and paste a beautiful aural canvas which has drawn me back to this album (as well as his other albums) over and over. Some moments in Railroad are lullaby soft, but can easily slip into chaos. The metaphoric overtones of this album are fascinating (the title alone suggests that), but throw all of this aside on your first listen. Just dim the lights, sip some kava and clear your head. This masterpiece will both enlighten your head and entertain your ears.
*For those of you who have heard Fred's work, you know where I'm coming from. For those of you that have yet to hear Fred Ho, treat yourself today to this modern musical marvel whom will be referred to in future days as a legend."