LIVE AT MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL

An excellent live document of Anna's "Dead Magic" album which dominates the concert. While this recording was released in 2022 it was recorded in 2018 the year "Dead Magic" was released. Recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival in 2018, in Auditorium Stravinsky. About two thirds of this is "Dead Magic" material with the rest coming from the previous album "The Miraculous". A seven piece band here with two guitarists and another member adding keys and percussion when needed. Anna's sister adds vocals, we also get bass, drums and Anna singing, playing organ and acoustic guitar.

I was a a little surprised that I only heard that dusty old organ on the opener "The Truth, The Glow, The Fall" and it's not that there isn't anymore on this record but it doesn't lead the way or standout much either. Her vocals are in fine form with those theatrical expressions and yells every once in a while. We get crowd noise and applause. It was interesting hearing that second track "Pomporipossa" from "The Miraculous" for the first time as it so reminded me of PINK FLOYD the way the sounds cascade downwards.They close the concert with the other "The Miraculous" track "Come Wander With Me/ Deliverance" at over 15 minutes.

My top three are all "Dead Magic" tracks including the opener I already touched on but also "The Mysterious Electra" and Electra is one of Anna's middle names and my favourite "Ugly And Vengeful" a monster at over 19 minutes and the centrepiece here. It has it all. Interesting in the liner notes that they grouped the songs into three sections with "Ugly And Vengeful" having it's own section "II" and the first three tracks "I" while the final two are the "III" section.

A solid 4 stars and the art work is beyond cool as it conveys the style of music Von Hausswolff plays so well.