Jazz Weekly - Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble: The Whistle Blower
by George W. Harris • November 12, 2015
Gilad Atzmon has one of the warmest sounds on sax and clarinet, and he milks it for all its worth on this wide ranging collection with Frank Harrison/p-key, Yaron Stavi/b, Chris Higginbottom/dr and guest vocalists Tali Atzmon with Antonio Feola.
You get moods as celebrative as a Middle Eastern wedding on the infectious “Gaza Mon Amour” while most of the time reflective passion is in the air. Altzmon’s alto teams with Harrison’s piano on the lovely “The Romantic Church” and “For Moana” is a romantic ballad about a tragic cultural figure whol lost her soul and life way too soon. A dash of Coltrane rubato builds up on “Let Us Pray” where everyone gets a chance to step up in front of the congregation, where a complete change of mood closes the session with a tongue in cheek lounge act performed for the title track. Atzmon’s horn, and the bands ability to milk a gentle groove win the day here.
MoonJune Music