Sounds, directions and ideas cut from the cloth of Brian Eno are taken to the next logical level in the hands of leader Jim Combs, who leads his ten piece band through a two disc collection of rehearsals and improvisations that have been reworked put through a clever series of loopings, splicings and re-orchestrations. Combs himself plays keyboards and drum machines, contributing some poetry and field recordings to team up with his intuitive collective of Tom Carleno/g, Brian Donohoe/ts-cl-fl-key, Brian Good/ss, Paul Nagle/synth, Josie Quick/vi, Giles Reaves/synth-dr-perc, Mitchell Sosebee/dr-perc, Ryan P. Taylor/g-b and Diane Arkenstone/voc.
As you can tell by the roster, there is a predominance of electronics and rhythmic instrumentation, but the never over-power the directives, rather they create a palpable mix of gentle pulsations and soundscapes for the melodic and dreamy solos.
For example, Taylor’s sinewy electric guitar and Donohoe’s soulful tenor sax veer around and over the gentle tropical and synthy groove of “Fauna Funk Fusion” while Good’s soprano delicately dances over the walking steps of “Backyard Limbo”. A lullaby-like piano delicately floats to the effects of “As Night Unfolds” whereas dreamscapes of keyboards and draperies give a static reflection on the meditative “Watching Embers Glow”. Gorgeous dimensions are created with an amalgam of juxtaposed sounds ranging from a church organ, breathy tenor sax and even motorcycle effects on the optimistic “Cosmic Orchestra” and spacey reflections serve as drapery for Arkenstone’s poetry before the rhythm team kicks in for a joyful gallop on “Snow Laughing Matter.”
Most of the pieces take their time to hold your hand through the journey, clocking in at a relaxed 6-9 minutes, with the exceptions being the easy paced funky feel delivered by the synths with sax-scapes created by the multi-layered Donohoe as he melds to the Asian motif on the cheerful 15-minute cruise “Fast Driving Open Road”, and the 30 minute wind chimed breeze of “Kimono My Bliss” that closes the album with a majestic and panoramic climax.
The 108 minute album can successfully serve as creating a ruminating mood for a lonely soul in search of a spiritual retreat, or can work just as well as for being a soundtrack for a cruise away from the city with the top down and the windows open. A musical Esalen Institute without the smell of the hot tubs.