WAY OUT WEST — Old Grooves for New Streets (review)

WAY OUT WEST — Old Grooves for New Streets album cover Album · 2007 · World Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
'Way Out West' is an Australian band that slides quite nicely into World Fusion, bringing elements from Western jazz together with Vietnamese stringed instruments and African percussion.

It's a fascinating mix and 'Old Grooves for New Streets' shows just how effective a fusion of styles and sounds can be in any form of music. Led by trumpeter and composer Peter Knight (whose sound, when muted, can be likened to Davis) and the rest of the band have created a blend of music that is evocative of the modern multi-cultural city, and in this case, their native Melbourne.

Dung Nguyen is a huge part of the band's sound. His modified electric guitar, dan bau (a monochord) and dan tranh (a plucked zither) all help provide part of the otherworldly sound to the pieces. And when backed with African percussion and trumpet and saxophone, the result is a sinuous, octave-sliding sound that sneaks through the ensemble playing and holds the listeners attention whenever used as a lead instrument, especially on the more atmospheric pieces like the opener.

And 'Old Grooves...' is heavy on atmosphere. While there are many bursts of energy from Beck's drum kit and from trumpet or sax (particularly during the 'Old Grooves' trilogy or 'Cafe Afrique') the album creates a unified mesh of mystique and confidence - obvious examples being the funky opening to 'Old Grooves For New Streets 2' or the 'eastern bazaar' feel to '...and the half light' the album's most compelling track.

Songwriting credits, while mostly Knight's, are also given to the band as a group on three of the eight songs. Despite this perceived imbalance, the set doesn't sound like a Peter Knight solo album with anonymous sidemen. Longer solos are present, but they are shared between stringed and horn instruments. In fact, a significant portion of his playing is supportive, contributing to a mood or a theme. The only piece he really takes center stage on for pretty much the whole of its duration, is the meditative closer, 'Boy in the City' where he's backed by Nguyen and the echo of tram bells.

Each player shines here. It shows the fruits of a convincing group that have played together for nearly ten years, who tour internationally and who are clearly dedicated to creating music that is an interesting and satisfying blend of styles and cultures. Four stars.
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