Friday, June 3, 2011

Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius and Heard: Karibu


Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius. Composer, pianist, vocalist, putter-together of world, jazz, and compositional traditions to make it all sound new. Her album with Heard, Karibu (Heard Music HP-1010) has a different slant. It's a kind of mellow African-Latin blend of gently pulsing percussion,Jonathan Green's pelucid clarinet, John Ehlis on guitar and mandolin, the flute of Rebecca Kleinmann, plus bass, two percussion and two cello. Oh and of course Elizabeth herself on keys and vocals. They take what still is called ethnic music in some circles and turn it into an almost ECM-like jazz-classical hybrid.

It's a recording that fails to summon lengthy discourses from my typing fingers. Not this morning. Something this laid-back music is meant for is quiet listening, not a lot of words. It's most certainly interesting music and I suspect lots of people who might not enjoy some of the more earthy things from which this music derives will find Karibu a congenial listen. Kudos to Elizabeth and her clarinetist Jonathan Green.

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