Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project A Thousand Pebbles Review by Gary Hill This is one that I probably should have landed under non-prog as a pure jazz release. All of it fits under that category. That said, there is an experimental nature to a lot of this. Add in some classical music and world sounds, lending more of a fusion vibe, and I think the argument can be made that this is progressive and art-based music. Whatever you call it, though, this is an intriguing set with some real magic. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Catamaran A playful piano line serves as the backdrop for some melodic right hand work over the top. Other instruments join after a while, and we're taken into a classy jazz arrangement as they do. This is quite a musical journey of the melodic jazz variety. It gets into some world music territory at times.

Bulgares The world music concepts are all over this number. There is some killer guitar work on this, and the cut drives with a great jazz turned world music concept.

A Thousand Pebbles: Intro A slow moving, horn driven movement is on the menu here.

A Thousand Pebbles, Pt. 1: Road to Recollection This is a powerhouse number that gets into some killer jamming as it marches forward. Eventually a crescendo gives way to a trippy psychedelic dropped back section that takes the track out.

A Thousand Pebbles, Pt. 2: The Gathering We get more of a cafe sound at the start of this movement. That returns throughout, but it's also tempered with more standard jazz elements and some exploratory stuff. This eventually gets quite powerful and much noisier and bombastic in some real experimental ways. It becomes quite the powerhouse.

A Thousand Pebbles, Pt. 3: Living Streams Piano brings this in and holds it for a time. Some guitar rises up to take control for a while. Then a more full jazz arrangement becomes the dominant feature. It gets pretty involved before it's all over.

The Bell from Europe A much mellower piece as it gets going, this is so pretty and captivating. There are definitely some classical music based moments as strings drive the tune. One of those sections ends the piece.

The Village Steps Starting on percussion, this works out into some fusion-like jazz zones from there. This gets quite exploratory and experimental as it continues, really becoming art music. There are hints of cafe music at times here. This drives with some smoking hot jazz jamming at times.

Lilian Mellow and slow moving, this is quite pretty. I really love the piano work on this so much. There are some spacey, almost trippy vibes here, and the stand up bass playing is so strong. The number shifts to more powered up jamming later along its run.

Song of the Sabiá This comes in based around symphonic strings, bringing a definite classical angle to it. The cut twists toward experimental for a time. Then it shifts to cafe music. It continues to evolve and grow. I particularly dig a guitar jamming section that pulls it closer to fusion.

Implicit Attitude More of a traditional jazz stomper, this is energetic and classy. It has some great drumming, but everything about it works well.

Return

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2024 Music Street Journal Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com