Sounds Of The Caucasus

Typically ECM New Series, this is a gorgeous disk called Chants, Hymns and Dances by cellist Anja Lechner and pianist Vassilis Tsabropoulos.The music consists of one piece composed by Tsabropoulos himself and two pieces from G I Gurdjieff as transcribed for piano by Thomas de Hartmann. The Gurdjieff pieces form the chants and dances while Tsabropoulos has written his piece around Byzantine hymn tunes. The extensive booklet notes tell the fascinating story of the Armenian Gurdjieff, philosopher, reconciler of science and esoteric lore, seeker after truths that link a multiplicity of spiritual traditions having studied over 200 religions. There's no spce for me to regurgitate the booklet notes here, suffice to say he will repay further study and the music as represented on the disk reaches back to old folk and religious traditions, leaning much more towards an eastern than occidental sound. The performances by Lechner and Tsabropoulos are excellent and the recorded sound world is sparklingly clear, giving the hypnotic quality of the music the clarity that it needs. The disk could be used as late night chill out music but there is much more depth and soul to the improvisatory, occasionally even jazzy, playing.