Abdullah Ibrahim goes gentle and pastoral here in an album that mixes ruminating moods. He cuts and pastes with a team of Cleave Guyton/fl-cl-sax, Eugen bazijan/cello and Scott Roller/cello while the leader brings his own piano, flute and voice to the table. A series of genteel chamber pieces such as “Dream Time” and “Serenity” include some marvelous mix of strings and flute, while Guyton’s pastoral clarinet oozes calm on “ Mississippi” and “In the Evening.” Most intriguing are the reflective solo piano works, most of them sounding like recitatives from a country church service, as on “Cara Mia” “Devotion”and “Root.” Dreamily moody and reflective in a good sense.
Sunnyside Records