BODAN ARSOVSKI — Endless View (review)

BODAN ARSOVSKI — Endless View album cover

Album · 1995 · Post-Fusion Contemporary

5/5 · 2011-06-01
1967/ 1976

Bodan Arsovski is the incredible bassplayer of Leb i Sol, a great macedonia Fusion Jazz Rock band. "Endless View" is his debut solo album, recorded in "Ezgija" studios, Skopje (Macedonia) in 1994, 1995 and it is a great example of Jazz with ethnic elements and Folk music treatment.

The fist track ("Stina Lisa") is the only track not penned by Bodan but penned by Pete Atanasovski and it is a great piece of Balkan Folk with great ethnic bagpipe and great acoustic guitar, played by the same Bodan Arsovski. It is present also a big bass solo. The style of "Stina Lisa" is close to Mahavishnu Orchestra, also if it is distant 1000 miles. The second song is a sort of Metheny style song but with more emotions in veins. The title is "Letter To You", another point of contact with Metheny. But this is only fortuitous. This song present great bass and acoustic guitar that transform this ballad in a journey for mind, certainly important for a good pleasure. "Sunrise" present a great North American indian intro but the melody is another surprise: bass invent a lot of rock music but with Folk treatment and this is important because it is clear that Pat Metheny is a good reference but the flute and the remineces of Classic Music melodies are the distinctive points. "Last Train" is a song song for electric bass but in Rock field. Not distant from the other song of this album (also this song present ethnic moments) also "Sunrise" is a reflective Jazz song, probably more adventurous but too reflexive, due to melody and rhythms. "Magic Baloon" is a song close to Easy Listening music with another emotional bass melody and with some small use of Space Rock sounds in Mini Moog and keyboards parts. Magic and Emotions are in first line, in a great combinations of soul power. "Gypsy Town- Sredorek" is a song 100% Bodan Arsovski. The use of Sax, acoustic guitar, keyboards and voice and, in general, the final result remember Weather Report. "Gypsy Town- Sredorek" would be perfectly presentable as a tribute to Weather Report. "Endless View" is more colourful song but not because more aggressive. "Endless view" is more clourful because is the summary of the precedent compositions and, in this sense, because with more overlap of the various instruments, so much so that talk of Classic Fusion is not incorrect, although the music is basically acoustic. "Gift" close this album in the same way but also with a POP melody that not present a female voice being replaced by electric bass and soprano sax. The ethnic/ Folk part is good but not memorable as the rest of this beautiful song.

So is "endless View" a masterpice? In my humble point of view yes. "Endless View" present simple songs close to Easy Listening music But Arrangements with great Jazz and Folk / Ethnic parts. The end result is similar to certain music of Pat Metheny, but in a personal view. I also feel this album tons of emotion and dedication that should never miss in music.

At the end, in a few words, "Endless View" is a genuine gem not only for Jazz world. A great album for all great discographies.