Seigen Ono

The second volume of his music for the Commes des Garcons fashion show found Seigen Ono distributing the composer duties more widely to his cast of downtown New York all-stars and the result was a stronger, more varied release. The beautifully wistful album opener "Julia," co-composed by Ono and violinist Jill Jaffe is a wonderful introduction, featuring Alfredo Pedernera on bandoneon and giving a hint on the Brazilian tint partaken by much of the recording. This aspect reaches a thunderous height with the uni-named singer Marlene; her "Galope" is an incredible romp, her voice ranging from a sexy, guttural growl to wild whoops, all riding on top of a furiously boiling rhythm section. Much of the middle of the record is given over to variations worked by Roy Nathanson, a former Lounge Lizard and, at the time, co-leader of the Jazz Passengers. His homages to Louis Armstrong and (perhaps) Nino Rota ("Roman Marching Band") are joys as is his vocal rendition of "On the Sunny Side of the Street." The last cut, "Finale" is an enticing oddity where Brazilian rhythms are mixed and matched with traditional Korean percussion in a spirited, if oddly off-kilter, experiment. One can only imagine how this music was used in a fashion show context, but it's certainly highly enjoyable for the eclectic listener. Recommended. ~ Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide