French keyboardist Alain Mallet creates a Raphaelesque tapestry of sounds and moods with a mix and match collection of artists that include Daniel Rotem/ts, Anat Cohen/cl, Jamey Haddad/perc, Leandro Pellegrino/eg, a string section that includes oud, sinter, violin and lauto and a wide range of vocals in the fore and aft.
The sixteen pieces include a handful of short vocal and musical vignettes, but for the most part you get Mallet’s earthy vocals rasping with accordion on “Joy”, rich singing from Alex Alvear teamed with his electric bass on the percolating “Requiem” some vocal improvisations along with a byzantine choir along with ethereal wounds on “Hesitatio n(to the Polka Queens of Shikoku Island)” and soulful keyboards on “Water Creatures.” Cohen’s clarinet gallops with the leader on the deep “Prepare To Stop” and the two get dreamy for “3 Funerals”, while Stephen Byth gurgles his bass clarinet for Breach (For Jamey)”. The moods are kaleidoscopic, creating new colors with every turn of the dial and glasses. Fascinating colors.