TERRY RILEY — Descending Moonshine Dervishes (review)

TERRY RILEY — Descending Moonshine Dervishes album cover Live album · 1982 · Third Stream Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
Of the three electronic Terry Riley records I own ('Rainbow in Curved Air', 'Shri Camel' and this one; 'Descending Moonshine Dervishes') this one is probably my least favorite. Its not a bad record, just not as good as the other two. Recorded six years after the groundbreaking 'Rainbow', and five years prior to the more complicated and ornate 'Shri Camel', 'Dervishes' can't compete with the other two because it is a live album and does not sound as full as his studio albums. To his credit, Riley uses tape loop echoes to sound like approximately three Terry Rileys, but its still no match for the rich tapestry of his studio albums. The usual Riley ingredients are here; a crystal clear Yamaha organ tuned to Terry's ancient Asiatic just intonation playing layers of raga like improvisations in the right hand while the left hand provides repeating ostinatos in somber half notes for accompaniment. Its hard to tell which parts are Terry live and which parts are tape loops, his technique in this area is flawless. The overall effect is somewhat similar to a live version of Riley's previous 'Rainbow' release. This is a beautiful and meditative record that only pales when compared to Riley's more developed works, but still, if you enjoy 'Rainbow in Curved Air', you will probably find much to like here.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Marimbissimo: A Latin American Suite For Marimba And Big Band Latin Jazz
JUAN ÁLAMO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Luniwaz-Live : The Music of Joe Zawinul Fusion
SCOTT KINSEY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Musings of a Bahamian Son : Poems and Other Words by Joe Mcphee Avant-Garde Jazz
JOE MCPHEE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Xperience feat. Tim Armacost Post Bop
KLEMENS MARKTL
Buy this album from MMA partners
30/108 Nu Jazz
CORTO.ALTO
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Reborn Blues (feat. Tim Armacost, Alan Bartus & Stefan Bartus)
KLEMENS MARKTL
snobb· 5 hours ago
Troy Roberts - "Green Lights" out now!
TROY ROBERTS
js· 1 day ago
ABSURD by Benjamin Koppel - ? Single out now! ?
BENJAMIN KOPPEL
js· 1 day ago
Benjamin Koppel & Mames Babegenush - THE WORLD OF YESTERDAY
BENJAMIN KOPPEL
js· 1 day ago
Miles Away
ALEX MERCK
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed