Oriental Winds of the Baroque

There can be no doubting the ambition of Norwegian saxophonist Rolf-Erik Nystrøm and his ensemble on this release. In the liner notes Nystrøm states that he made the album as an antidote to anti-immigration rhetoric across Europe, wanting to show that there is no ‘authentic’ Europe; it's always been a combination of global influences. Taking Baroque music as a starting point, the group utilises rhythms, melodies and instruments from Africa, Asia and South America to highlight this, showing that even in Europe's most cherished conservatories, music's identity has always been in flux.

Conceptually, it's a beautiful idea, but by following Baroque structures – each track being a suite of original and traditional melodies – and due to the methodical nature of the songs themselves, it's hard to know whether this album has wider appeal outside of Baroque circles. There are beautiful moments: the opening section of album centrepiece ‘Canzonetta Spirituale… Part I’ is a haunting mix of voice, sax and ominous bass line, and the transformation on ‘Tantie Beiko Justine…’ from Holmertz's beautiful soprano to Sereba's raspy vocals, before eventually coming to life, is a delight. Unfortunately they serve as mere moments in a dense album whose message is more powerful than its music.