After 2009’s dark and angry Hamada, Norwegian trumpeter and sonic provocateur Molvær returns with gentler sounds and a new trio featuring fellow countrymen Stian Westerhus on guitar and Erland Dahlen on drums. Together they carve out a unique musical niche that falls somewhere between electronica and jazz. On ambient pieces like “A Small Realm,” “Bloodline” and the Zen-like meditation “Blue Fandango,” Molvær plays warm, forlorn-sounding, unaffected trumpet not unlike Miles on “My Funny Valentine.” This softer approach is also carried out on the aptly titled “Prince of Calm” and the first half of the restful title track. (The last part builds to a highly charged drumming crescendo that sounds like portions of Peter Gabriel’s soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ.)
Nils Petter Movaer: Baboon Moon
Bill Milkowski reviews trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær's new release
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