HEAVENLY BODIES

Referring to a recent discussion on Earthworks, I too would welcome more reviews, and knowing that there are some fans here, it's kinda sad to say that I (as the first rater of Heavenly Bodies) am not one of them. I've had this compilation for two and a half years but probably have listened to it less than seven times. I enjoy contemporary jazz in general. I would enjoy this just fine if there weren't some extremely irritating tracks with electric drums. Quite a false move from one of the best drummers in the world, I think. But naturally in most tracks the percussion is excellent; not so much in a lead role as the group's name could suggest. Earthworks' music is very much a team work and also the compositions are usually by Bellamy (sax) /Bates (keys, horn) /Bruford together. And I'm pretty sure Bruford is the least of a composer of them: I like Bellamy's or Bates' solo compositions the best.

My latest listening did raise this CD up a bit in my scales. I didn't remember it's just a few tracks I don't like; I thought it was overall milder, colder, theoretic- sounding, 'less jazzy', but happily I was wrong about that. This is good modern jazz from England (which as a jazz country has always been far behind from the States). But nothing VERY special really, in my opinion. I prefer some Nordic (especially Norwegian) and continental jazz as more atmosperic and personal.