some reviews:
“Fortunately Chris Joris refrains from artificially embracing world music on ‘Bihogo’. He doesn’t renounce his affection for African rhythms and melodies. No, but he threw over ballast. ‘Bihogo’ is a lot more plain and balanced than its predecessor ‘Songs For Mbizo’. The alliance with soprano saxophone player Pierre Vaïana yields profits. Vaïana’s bare, melancholic sound and rugged, zigzagging phrasing do fit wonderfully well with the delicate percussion and the plain piano playing by Joris. There are charming, attractive themes like ‘Bihogo’, the Coltranesk and plaintive ‘Naima’s Tree’ or the more skipping ‘Zapata’s Tune’. With inventive playing the wool-dyed American bassplayer Cameron Brown leaves his mark on the title song or on ‘Irungu’ and with ‘The Window’ we also get an exotic flavour. Joris invited a few guests as well. The improvised duet with trombone-player Annie Whitehead is a strike.”
Karel Van Keymeulen in “De Standaard” (Belgium), January 1, 1994
“Chris Joris est à la fois un conservateur et un aventurier, un explorateur de la musique moderne qu’il élabore avec la richesse du passé. ”
Philippe Renaud in “Improjazz” (France), April 1994
“All in all, an enchanting set, that lingers in the mind long after individual tracks have faded from memory. ”
Simon Adams in “Jazz Journal International” (U.K.), September 1994
|
|