Mixing sounds and like flavors of a Moroccan tagine stew, the Austin, Texas based but world focused band Atlas Major creates exotic moods, harmonies and melodies that change directions like a whirling dervish. The core team of composers Josh Peters on oud and piano alongside alto saxist Joshua Thomas joined with drummer Gray Parsons and bassist Josh Flowers, are mixed and matched with guests on this travelogue of a vinyl album.
The songs are roller coaster rides with kaleidoscopic vistas of free jazz meeting the Atlas Mountains as Thomson traverses Mt. Toubkal on the swirling switchbacks of a modal “Basalt” while his vibrato is languid on the acerbic “Ignis Fatuus” Peter changes the mood with his oud. The journey continues through Asia Minor as the tempos change like a local bus through Campadoccia on the rambunctious “Hadal” while a Sahara windstorm swirls through Thomson’s alto on the maniacal “Fata Morgana”.
The team takes the Darjeeling Express as Ali Pervez Medi sings in the language of Sarika on the gorgeously melodic “Nazuk” and the team takes a sharp turn to the Southern Hemisphere via Essaouira as some Afro Cuban grooves with northern Mediterranean on “Ya Ali” A couple remixes include an earthy Indian pop on “Jah Ali” , completing the musical circumnavigation. Exotic tastes that linger!