First Light by Kevin Kendle (Reviewed 26 July, 1996)
Wrapping itself around me like a soft, comforting blanket this is one of the most relaxing, feel good albums I've heard for a long while.

The opening title track aptly describes the setting for the album which was inspired by early morning scenes of the English countryside. A low introductory chord holds the listener in the darkness just before a soft, bell like, phrase heralds that first faint touch of daylight breaking over the horizon. And as the music builds images of the sun warming an awakening landscape clearly come to mind.

The following track, _Dawn Chorus_, opens as a simple two chord progression played on a fender rhodes piano sound - a sound I love and which is featured on many of the tracks. As the track progresses an acoustic guitar picks out an occasional melody or phrase which mixes well with the early morning bird song recorded by Kevin himself.

With the third track, _Moonset_, we are in to one of my favourites. The interplay of sampled flute, played by Kevin, and saxophone, played by Andy Hamilton, on a gentle, uplifting melody makes this listener feel good each time he hears it - whoops, there go those goose-bumps again!

Magical pictures of fields and trees lightly dusted in white come to the fore on _Silver Frost_ as more bell like tones ring, reminiscent of the drops of water formed by the ice, warmed by the morning sun, slowly melting away.

_Stillness_ is the first of two 'soundscapes' on the album. Sounds weave in and out of each other over a sustained chord at that moment just before dawn when the world seems at it it's most quiet. Meanwhile the portamento effect used on the background chords of second soundscape, _Cloudless Sky_, has you falling and rising on a gentle breeze. Almost impercetibly the track grows from shimmering sound to short musical phrases with an acoustic guitarist quietly 'doodling' in the distance...

When I've been away for a few days there's always a rising sense of well-being as the local landmarks show me I'm close to the welcoming arms of home and _Journey's End_ captures that feeling. Again it is the combination of saxophone and flute (sampled, like the acoustic guitar, but played so well by Kevin that you're hard pushed to realise it's on keyboards) with a touching melody that works so well.

_The Mooring_ watches the ripples on the river gliding by while a surprise awaits on _Morning Dew_. A repeated keyboard phrase lies behind oboe and saxophone soloes when the unexpected ethereal sound of monks singing brings in to focus a picture of hooded figures walking through monastery grounds to early matins.

_Awaken_ is a pleasant, refreshing arrangement of acoustic guitar, keyboards, oboe and flute which ends an album that has quickly become a favourite of both my wife and I.

Produced with James Asher (of 'The Great Wheel' fame) at his London studio, the whole album is a well crafted work - even down to the atmospheric cover art by Glynn Mathews. This is definitely one for those looking for something to smooth a furrowed brow.

For more information contact Kevin

In Concert with The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Reviewed 18 September, 1994)
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra Live - Wilton Church, Nr Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Set in Wilton Church, I attended one of the best concerts of my life. There was no lasers, no massive backdrops (apart from the stained glass window behind the main altar), no pyro-technics (apart from a few candles) and no state of the art electronic instruments (aprt from the fretless bass guitar!). So why was this one of the best? Quality musicians, quality music and quality acoustics.

The stage was set in front of the altar of this high roofed, mediteranean style church. The seating for the audience was in the church pews - cushions were availble on the way in :-). At 6.30p.m. PCO led by Simon Jeffes took to the stage. The house (church?) lights were switched off and they began the first peice "Air a Danser". My immediate surprise was being able to hear every instrument clearly; from trombone to cello and from ukele to percussion, and this was the same through out the 2 and half hour concert. After the opening track Simon Jeffes asked for the subtle lighting to be raised a little and small candles appeared giving the stage and even warmer glow!

Cage Dead version 2.0 was the next peice. Written as a tribute to John Cage this haunting track is availble on the "Union Cafe" album which a number of tonights peices came from. Other tracks included "Air", one of my favourites and I wish they recorded this one live as it was even more subtle then the studio version, "Perpetuum Mobile", "Telephone and Rubber Band" featuring a tape loop (the only nod to electronics tonight) of a combined ringing and engaged tone - wonderful fun!

After a break of some 15 minutes (to stretch the legs and un-numb our bums :-)) the second part of the concert began with the upbeat "Beanfields". The mood was calmed with "Vega", a floating, modulating peice which, considering the venue, carried me off amongst the rafters. "Music for a found Harmonium" was written on a harmonium Steve Jeffes (PCO leader and composer) actually found on a scrap heat in Kyoto - and there he was playing that very harmonium stage left! This half went of the concert passed all too quickly for me as the PCO went into a resounding version of "Giles Farnaby's Dream" covering renaisannce music, world music and funk all in one peice!! Marvellous.

Much clapping and cheering from the 800+ audience, including a deep rumble from the stamping of feet on the wooden floor :-), and PCO returned for three encores. I can't remember the title of the final slow peice but at the end the final notes just hung in the air ... and then the audience broke into rapturous applause again.

A night of music at it's best!

Digital Planet by Steve Verity (Reviewed 10 September, 1996)

The whole of side one, _Tales from a Digital Planet_, has this listener carried, floating, through varying landscapes as you're taken on an aural tour of this otherwordly planet. Delicate use of original synth pads add extra weight to an album of deep emotion.

Images of multi-coloured rivers flowing by rolling planes, through deep canyons and under tall, sky touching mountains. Storms pass over head and the rain swells the flow before joining an emerald sea stretching to the far horizon.

My wife, Tina, refers to Digital Planet as the 'shimmering' album as the higher register sounds do give you the impression of light glinting of crystalline forms. In fact on first hearing there seemed to be a noticable lacking in bass sounds over all. However, repeated listenings reveal how subtle the use of lower register sounds and how they make more impact when they do come in.

Side 2 and _Forests of Nereid_ show how a mixture of music and environmental sounds can work well together to present a complete picture. Bird calls, insect song, the distant cry of an unknown beast mixed with organ and bell like sounds and you can see the crystal leaves on the towering trees. At one point the feeling of oppressive heat and humidity comes across so strongly that you could almost break into a sweat. Yet just around the corner the echoing of water dripping into a limpid pool brings refreshment.

_Almathea_, track 3, is the fullest sounding track and also the most surprising. A mellow mix of organ and arpeggios has me become more and more relaxed when, almost without warning, a short peice featuring drums and guitar appears. Nice picking but it certainly wakes you up!

The final tracks, _Acending I + II_, are beautiful. Bubbling synths and the evocative whistling melody of Ascending I lifts my spirit while the gentle chord structure of Ascending II lifts the imagination high above the surface of this Digital Planet; Taking a long, lingering look at a world you'll want to visit again and again.

For further information contact Steve

Art Can't Hurt You by Doug Robinson (Reviewed 18 June, 1996)
I'd bill this as a contemporary jazz album with enough variety to interest anyone with an open mind (ear?) as it crosses the boundaries of modern jazz, rock and new age with a dash of latin thrown in for good measure.

_MANDU_ eases you in with a smooth arrangement and laid back melody used as a great foil for an inspired sax solo by Hollis Gentry. _LIZ BARBER_ presents a more complex track with a harder edge. It features a massive build up to a blistering guitar solo by Byron Hori which drops to Doug's syncopated piano. This in turn builds and builds 'til we reach a cushioned landing on the original melody.

Now imagine you're off on a long car journey. Turn on the ignition (cue hammond organ intro), ease off the hand brake and put the stereo on loud. With the pedal to the metal you can't do anything but start playing along to _SEQUOIA SHUFFLE_ on them steering wheel bongos! Definitely more rock than jazz, reminding me of Colliseum II in some respects, this really is one for the road with Byron once again unleashing a guitar solo that wouldn't go a-miss in a stadium rock band, this time complimented by Bruce Gilbert on sax.

After a journey like that - "Speed limit? What speed limit, officer?" - Doug wisely lets you take a breather. _LITTLE TRAIN_ has you sitting on the edge of the road watching the sun go down over a cooling, desert landscape. This track brings up one of the most satisfying aspects of the album - Doug's use of instruments not usually featured on a jazz recording. Here there's a banjo and bandoneon, with steel drums and electric sitar yet to come.

The sun shines through _RADDISON_ . A nice little tune which makes for an ideal wake up call preparing you for the toe-tapping, rump-tickeling latino of _DELGADO!_. Carl Evans Jnr. takes centre stage with a fiery synth solo followed by a call/response game played by Doug and Hollis on percussion and flute.

_SAD INTERLUDE_ is a short but sweet (50+ seconds) improvisation. And then while the background is restrained in _DANCE OF THE MOONCALF_ we hear another cracking sax solo by Hollis Gentry. It also shows the best of Doug's arrangements as he allows each instrument space to breath. There's no clutter what so ever.

Now to my favourite track of the whole album, _ALTO BALLAD_, written, arranged and played solely by Doug. I just can't get enough of the dream-like sound of this electric sitar as it floats over a very smooth, smoochy, rythm section. A track to seduce, or be seduced by. This is 7 minutes of pure heaven.

With an album at over an hour long it's difficult to sustain the quality of some of the earlier pieces and, for me, _PHILLY JAZZ_ is the least satisfying track. A little experimental, it seems to try to hard to be clever moving from one style to another. The unusual string arrangement at the end would probably make a fine start for another track. But this is an other wise small blemish as _BIG RAIN_ picks it all up again. A deceptive intro, featuring acoustic guitar, slowly builds until percussion and Bruce Gilbert's sax introduces a quite stunning piano improvisation by Doug which doesn't lose grip when the synth takes over.

Finally, to round of a fine album, _PRAYER_. A gentle piano melody and sympathetic arrangement make this introspective piece a soother for the furrowed brow.

For further information contact Doug