Search - Art Lande :: Skylight

Pastoral, colorful, tuneful, playful...

Bryan T. Dechter | Zionville, NC USA | 07/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Paul McCandless first used this instrumentation (I believe) on his "All the Mornings Bring" album (now out of print), with the delightful combo of vibes, piano and oboe. This album is colorful and quirky, soothing and surprising. The interplay is fluid, delicate, yet earthy. The improvisation is seemlessly woven with the melodic compositions, which to my mind is the best of jazz artistry, much in the tradition of not only Oregon, with whom Paul McCandless has played for almost 30 years, but of course Weather Report and many others whose melodic/harmonic/compositional sense is so attuned that the "written" and the improvised are simultaneous. This is a joyful album simply by virtue of the sonic dance, yet contempative in measures too. Great for a rainy day or lightly energetic alone time.... Sadly, this album has not been available domestically (I think) at all, and the price can be daunting, but for any who love the music of Oregon (and/or any of its members' solo projects), this is a must-have. If you can't afford it, I recommend Paul McCandless' "Heresay" album, which though more lush in arrangements, equals if not exceeds the listening rewards of this project. Ah, heck, buy them both!"

T'is a pity...

Bryan T. Dechter | 01/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of Paul McCandless for years. Together with Ralph Towner's compositions, Colin Walcott's percussive heart beat, and Glenn Moore's passionate bass, Paul Mccandless was truly the voice of Oregon. This a great, great cd with McCandless at the height of his powers.Unfortunately, the "Made in Germany" ECM import with a price tag of $... for 40:53 minutes of music, is an outrage."

Skylight...Worth Owning

S. Smith | Washington, DC | 03/23/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"1981 recording featuring all original compositions by Art Lande, David Samuels, and Paul McCandless. This is a fun album; bright and sunny. It reminds me of the McCandless solo album, "All The Mornings Bring," probably because that record also featured Lande and Samuels. Although I think this effort is better. The vibe is really good and the musicians compliment each other very nicely. And the songs are constructed well, which obviously helps. In some ways it feels like Oregon without Ralph Towner. Recommended."