Tama Waipara
Triumph of Time
ObliqSound
Triumph of Time is a very unusual CD. I’ve never listened to an album that evoked memories of Peter Gabriel, Ben Sidrian and Chet Baker all at once. Maybe some of the jet setting culture shock is due to the blending of cultures taking place in the life of Waipara. Tama Waipara is a Maori, a native of New Zealand, who now makes his living in New York City. Lyrically, Waipara looks to the poets A.C. Swineburne and William Shakespeare for inspiration. I like the way jazz elements combine with Maori rhythms on some of the songs. I like Waipara’s soothing vocals. This is generally a pleasant album best suited to quiet times. I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t advise that some tracks, “All the World” in particular, collapse under the sheer weight of Waipara’s pretense. When he isn’t pushing things too far, this is a good record.
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