Search - Jon Hassell :: Earthquake Island

Subdued grooves

A. Dutkiewicz | Norwood, South Australia Australia | 11/07/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"What a superb assortment of musicians: along with Hassell and his trumpets and synths are Miroslav Vitous on bass, Nana Vasconcelas on percussion, Badal Roy on tabla, Dom um Ramao on percussion, Clarice Taylor doing vocals (with Nana), and Claudio Ferreira and Ricardo Silveira playing electric guitars.The music is jazzier and more energetic than his later projects, probably influenced by Miles's On the Corner and Weather Report and other world music practitioners of the time, but the moods evoked here are not hot, with melody lines and interplaying leads, rather the ryhthms and textures are more important.Like Eno's Music for films this music tends to disappear into the background a little, it doesn't grab you and rivet you to the chair. It's a pleasant rather than intense experience."