Bass Refractions

An album of solo bass music may not sound the most enticing of prospects but this disk by Eberhard Weber, Pendulum, might confound expectations. His aim is to feature the bass as orchestra and to this aim, incorporates echo effects, tape delays and amplification to alter tones. There aren't any synthesizers though, thw music could be reproduced live on stage given the requisite hardware. So what of the actual musical content ? Weber would be put into a bag labelled "jazz", mainly because of past associations and band membership, although many jazzers might froth at the mouth at such a suggestion. There certainly isn't much connection to the American jazz tradition but it gets bracketed there by a process of elimination since it certainly isn't pop or folk, nor in any way traceable to a classical tradition. Mainly slow to mid tempo, it has a gentle melodic and hypnotic ease. Chill out ? It could be used as such, there are also occasional hints of exoticism and world influences. Vaguely fitting that Nordic Jazz bag that can get tiresome but is also refreshing if taken in small enough doses and this album is digestible enough for me.