Celebrating The dark side of the moon

"Lê's Celebrating The Dark Side Of The Moon is not the first time that Roger Waters, Dave Gilmore, Nick Mason and Rick Wright's opus has been stripped of its progressive mantle and rebuilt upon an entirely different aesthetic but it is, in all likelihood, the first time DSOTM has been addressed with jazz sensibilities ... There are several notable soloists in the NDR's ranks: alto saxophonist Christof Lauer gives no quarter on "On the Run" with a searing free-jazz improvisation; Vladyslav Sendecki's piano solo on "Hear the Whispering" is achingly lyrical; alto saxophonist Fiete Felsch carves a mellifluous solo on Lê's haunting arrangement of "Us and Them." Lê too, is in inspired form, peppering the suite with a number of electrifying solos ... The success of CTDSOTM, however, lies more in the arrangements for the whole ensemble. There are many highlights to be sure, but the final stretch beginning with the dreamy "Us and Them" through "Purple On Blue" and on to "Any ColorYouLike," "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" stands out for the myriad moods, accents and shifting dynamics that unfold".

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