Odyssee: A Journey Into the Light

Since their conception in 1996, this German outfit has toured the globe, released a raft of albums and scooped countless honours, including the German Phono Academy’s prestigious award in the Jazz/World Music, Best Live Act two years running. A Homeric voyage by sailing ship around the volcanic Aeolian Islands north of Sicily provided the creative energy and raw material for their latest album, on which the four regulars are joined by four other lotus-eaters to fill out the sound. The result is a coherent suite of exquisitely atmospheric numbers inspired by Greek mythology, with colour and texture created by the contemplative interplay of the various musicians.

On guest guitarist Paulo Morello’s beautiful waltz-time ‘Between the Waves’, for example, tenor sax, flute, guitar and accordion together daub a kind of sonic canvas of light. Pianist Chris Gall and saxophonist Mulo Francel take the lion’s share of the composition credits. The latter’s ‘My Name is Circe’ is suitably seductive and hypnotic, while his catchy theme tune that book-ends the other dozen numbers has a jaunty, almost subliminal ska rhythm in keeping with the delicate use of hand-drums throughout. This gorgeous creation carries the listener away on a voyage of discovery.