Jonny
Greene's comments -
www.planetgong.co.uk
Totally
superb, near faultless live double CD
I
can't rate this release highly enough, the playing,
recording and artwork are all near perfect. It was recorded
in Paris at Radio France on 9th October '03 for a live
radio broadcast. Such 'pressure' sometimes makes a band
freeze a little and the resulting recording is clean,
but stiff. However shear depth of musical experience
and excellence in Hadouk is so immense that they rose
to the occasion quite magnificently from the very first
notes.
The
playing is fluid and sinuous - we all know how good
Didier's flute playing is, but his Doudouk playing!
When it's not soulfully mysterious and deep is positively
sexy, can there be a better non-Armenian practitioner
of that unique instrument? Steve Shehan's percussion
breaths effortless life through the CDs, he's got to
be one of the very best around. And Loy Erlhich's sensitive
expertise on all the stringed instruments is a wonder.
All three of them takes turns to shine individually
- and collectively they just flow telepathically. Each
of the three guests enhance the tracks they appear on,
which is not always the case with guests when a gig
is going so obviously well, but they all bring something
good to the feast.
The
perfection of the recording and playing is carried through
to the triple-fold didgi-pak cover which is exceedingly
elegant. This could be the ultimate Hadouk CD. Quite,
stunning - totally cosmic in places, track 7 on the
first CD, 'Barca Solaris' - wow!
From
the warmth of the audience reception you can tell they
knew they were at a very special concert indeed. Highly
recommended.
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