Greg Wall
Later Prophets
Tzadik
With his first outing as leader, Greg Wall (Hasidic New Wave) has crafted nine thought provoking instrumentals. I say the music is thought provoking because the tunes feel like somber meditations. Wall’s horn lines float atop haunting rhythms and electronic textures. On “Among the Exile, by the River Kiver,” it sounds as if Sam Rivers is playing off one of Brian Eno’s ambient installations. That’s the sort of sound that can lead to pondering deep thoughts. This sort of dichotomy is maintained through much of the disc, leading Later Prophets to feel like something Weather Report wishes they’d had the restraint to pull off.
Later Prophets is also thought provoking because it is based on the prophecies of Ezekiel. Some of the melodies played by Wall are variations of chants used in synagogues to accompany Torah readings. The liner notes mention that the passages of Ezekiel are highly regarded among practitioners of Kabala. There is more going on here than I can fully comprehend. For those of us who can’t appreciate the nuances of this disc’s Judaic references, it is still good music to put on and think about whatever comes to mind.
Tzadik: http://www.tzadik.com
