Music Style Fusion

Musical Influences Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Miles Davis

Similar Artists Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Miles Davis

Group Members Tristan des Pres: Keyboards -- Jerry Goodman: Electric Violin & Viola -- Hollis Gentry: Saxophone -- Bunny Brunel: Fretless Bass -- Davis Delia: Vocals -- Carolyn des Pres: Vocals -- David & Joe Delia: Background Vocals

Press Reviews Tristan des Pres "Altered States" Playback Records DM-774452-2Reviewed by Paul Remington Rich texture, color, solid rhythms and atmospheric landscapes are some of the aural treasures Tristan des Pres creates on this new CD released in January 2000 through Playback Records. Altered States borrows some of its influence from John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, and the performance of the material created is a superb next-generation. No surprise . . . Violinist Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs) fronts the ensemble, and provides some mind bending jams that'll make your eardrums quiver with delight. Tristan des Pres is clearly the ensemble's centerpiece. His multi-faceted talent spreads from composition to performance. His sound is steeped in precision and detail, polished musicianship, and a wonderful ability to extract the most heartfelt moment by aurally painting a landscape of sound. Freeform and relaxed, then grooving with blistering improvisation. The disk is primarily instrumental, although Tristan des Pres, Carolyn des Pres, and David Delia provide vocals on three pieces--Purple Sunset, Lost Land, and Dancing in the Moonlight. Angelique, The Shadow of the Sword, and Conflict of Interest find des Pres performing all instruments. Taking into consideration des Pres also produced and engineered the disk, this means 25% of the disk's content is pure, unadulterated des Pres. With the exception of vocals, at no time does des Pres appear with more than three musicians. Altered States is clearly a product from des Pres' creative mind and talent. Also appearing on the disk are Bashiri Johnson on percussion, Robert Campbell and Hollis Gentry on tenor saxophone, and Bunny Brunel on fretless bass. Brunel appears on one piece, Lost Land. While the material on this disk crosses from contemporary and progressive jazz-rock fusion to ethereal soundscapes, des Pres' background in music originally began with classical influences. Trained in classical performance at a young age, des Pres broadened his musical voice to an improvisational genre. His compositional style incorporates rhythmical influences stemming from many years of touring the world. Altered States contains many different styles, each peppered through the disk, making it an enjoyable and unpredictable listen. There is no "formula" behind the writing, and the flow from piece to piece captures the ears and interest of the listener with new and challenging material.

Location Carlsbad, Ca - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).