Matti P
THE WATERCOLORS is a Finnish act playing compositions of its leader Janne Saarinen, whose instruments are oboe and cor anglais, both very rarely heard in jazz. On this second album he's accompanied by vibraphones, double bass and drums -- like on the debut --, plus violin, viola and cello as later additions to the line-up. I'm not familiar with the first album, but at least La Grande Odyssee is a charming work of purely acoustic Third Stream Jazz combining chamber music and jazz aesthetics in perfect harmony.
The seven pieces of this 42-minute album are between four+ and eight+ minutes in length. 'Aurora (the Dawn)' is perhaps my favourite as it has such "cantabile" melodies. The whole combo sounds inspired. 'Headwaters' is a bit more angular and less flowing as a composition but not without jazzy spirit which is best guaranteed by the vibes.
'Dance of the Cranes' features pizzicato of strings as a basis. The piece is thoughtful and playful simultaeously, as if the wind and string instruments were having a philosophical conversation which is paused by a lighthearted solo for vibes. On the slow and introspective 'Wildflowers' the spotlight lingers on the string trio, and later on the double bass when the others play fewer and fewer notes. Beautiful minimalism.
Another melodic highlight is 'Atlantis' where the vibes nicely increase the jazziness. 'Evening Star' is very delicate in its serenely slow tempo.
This album's music is organic, free-flowing, elegant, sophisticated and intimate. I believe the classically oriented music lovers would easily connect with it even without having strong ties to jazz. The drums are played moderately enough not to break the pastoral-like chamber feel. And vice versa, the jazzheads even without a strong classical orientation may be charmed by the seldom heard and yet the most harmonic combination of the two worlds.