TERRY RILEY — Shri Camel (review)

TERRY RILEY — Shri Camel album cover Album · 1980 · Third Stream Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
js
The one feature that usually sets Terry Riley's music apart from all the electronic minimalists and new age hucksters that followed in his path is just intonation, a method of tuning instruments in which the frequency of notes are related by ratios of small whole numbers. The end result is a harmonic sound different from modern (post 18th century) western harmony that instead leans toward a sound more similar to ancient music from around the world, particularly Asia. Its this just intonation that gives Riley's music a natural grit that raises it above overly pretty new age homogeneity and makes it part of the natural world of wind whistling through the branches and small life setting a field a buzz with minute interconnecting noises. 'Shri Camel' is similar to other well-known Riley masterpieces, such as 'Rainbow in Curved Air', in that the major sound component is Riley's interweaving electronic keyboard lines treated with slightly psychedelic production. The difference with 'Camel' is a more stately classical Asiatic sound that is accented with a more pronounced just intonation than usual, and a slower unfolding of events that mimics classic Chinese and Korean court music. The end result is one of the finest compositions in Riley's career and one of the most beautiful albums I own.

This album is pure magic from start to finish. I read an interview with Riley in the mid-80s in which he described living on the edge of the California dessert and arising each morning before dawn to face the east in prayer and meditation. This album perfectly captures that unbelievable feeling that arises from the dessert during those poignant pre-dawn moments. Listening to this music can release long lost somber feelings of religious sobriety in the most cynical doubting Thomas.

On a compositional level I think 'Shri Camel' stands just above much of Riley's other work in the rich detail of the interconnecting melodic lines used here. The music constantly shifts in a mirage like manner as lines come and go in subtly unpredictable ways. Since Riley plays everything manually without any sequencing, the lines can be altered ever so slightly which adds even more interest if one is trying to follow solos lines in the thick contrapuntal textures.

I've done my best to describe this album, but it is difficult, like an ancient forgotten religious ritual or mother nature itself, this music carries an ethos and magic that is hard to capture and define. It is possible though, that the beautiful art work on this album's cover captures the essence of this composition much better than my words.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Bow Code Post-Fusion Contemporary
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Anthem For No Man’s Land Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ANDREAS SCHAERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 8 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 22 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed