Sarah Pillow Nuove Musiche

Fascinating attempt to fuse Baroque and jazz. This is not quite as it seems. The concept was to make contemporary treatments, "poppy" in parts, of classical charts / libretti resulting in an eclectic album of pop, jazz, rock and progressive rock. It is most pleasing when rapid-fire Latin-inspired guitar and vibes licks snake around Sarah Pillow's angelic voice, not a classic falsetto but an impressive range, however, her vocal dynamics (particularly vibtrati) sometimes conflict with the modern setting. The progressive rock element is understandable on learning that Brand X provide the support, with John Goodsall's guitar runs at times John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana-inspired, and Percy Jones' bass fiery and swerving. Nuove Musiche doesn't quite make the fusion as achieved by Garbarek's Officium and Mnemosyne, but good fun all the same.