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Reviews

Hermes Orchestra — Live
(New England Records 9-60212, 2003, CD)

by Roel Steverink, Published 2007-03-01

Live Cover art Dan Hermes is a jack-of-all-trades and music is just one of his passions. On this album professionally trained musicians play the compositions of Dan Hermes. All this was performed live at the Tremont Theatre in Boston. Instruments involved are piano, guitar, clarinet, flute, cello, bass, and drums. Keyboards are the conspicuous absentees. I detect a clear basis of classical music, which forms the starting point from where the improvisations can freely take off. Molly Eckman (flute) and Christine Hatch (clarinet) give impressive, sensitive demonstrations of their playing skills. Cello pops up on the very classical (but not without improvisational moments) layered “Quartet: mov. II.” The piano of Hermes himself is the spill that all the other instruments circumvent; always present, working together with flute, clarinet and acoustic guitar, all backed by an tight bass-drum section. In David Patterson’s electric guitar playing I hear hints of Gary Moore’s blues, the latin master Santana and even the doleful, but spicy Iconoclasta. Recommended.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 34, 2003 releases

Related artist(s): Hermes Orchestra

 

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