Noma/Tom Walsh / Diversion
Album: Diversion   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Noma/Tom Walsh   Added:May 2004
Label:Ambiances Magnetique  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2004-06-07 Pull Date: 2004-08-09 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Aug 8 Aug 1 Jul 18 Jun 27 Jun 20
Airplays: 1 1 1 1 3

Recent Airplay
1. Aug 04, 2004: Civil Society
Bud's Dub (1)
4. Jun 25, 2004: Memory Select
Art and Arthur
2. Jul 30, 2004: Memory Select
Bud's Dub
5. Jun 18, 2004: Memory Select
Capacity
3. Jul 16, 2004: Memory Select
Africa Prayer
6. Jun 15, 2004: Umami Jazz Program
Bud's Dub

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2004-06-10
Guitar and electric bass, joined by a few horns here and there, and lots of effects. A pastiche of rock-like instrumentals (4, 10, 14), snappy jazz jams (9,24), and strange soundscapes (6,11,23). Happy mood overall; the later tracks are more energetic than the earlier ones. Nice stuff.

Most songs are split into multiple tracks for no apparent reason ("17-22," for example, is one song, with each "verse" given a new track number.) Makes it a bit tough to navigate through the tracks, but it's an enjoyable and varied listen overall.

1,2,3 - Small twangs and burbles; abstract

*4-5- Midtempo guitar riffs, angular twang and a prog-like beat. Mildly psychedelic

6- Distant piano, in snippets of melody

7,8,9 - Eerie soundscape intro, into jazz: midtempo bebop beat

10- Light sci-fi stomp, midtempo
11- Fast, shimmering conclusion to 9 & 10

12-16 - Shimmering guitar chords with a Mexican feel, starts slowish but kicks into gear on 14. Fast electric bass solo on 15.

17-22 - Cool bass solos over rattly, clanky sounds. Horns come in on 20. Playfully slow overall but gets fun & chatty by track 22.

23 - Ghostly, swooping improv, a passing storm

*24-26 - Main theme fast and aggressive; solos more spacious. 25 gets into some searing guitar effects. 26 is a happy jazz shuffle and a Monk quote. More energetic than most tracks here, nice stuff.

27-30 - Mid/fast funky guitar step! Gets into a relaxed Calypso feel.

31- Sound collage: Weird kids' chorus, sound of radio dial turning

32- Gentle, very pretty. Dedicated to South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, but it sways more like a Polynesian island song.

Track Listing
1. Ouvert Tour (1)   17. Two Pair (1)
2. Ouvert Tour (2)   18. Two Pair (2)
3. Art and Arthur (1)   19. Two Pair (3)
4. Art and Arthur (2)   20. Two Pair (4)
5. Art and Arthur (3)   21. Two Pair (5)
6. Half Past Piano   22. Two Pair (6)
7. Conversation (1)   23. Guy Segue/Tout Ti Improv
8. Conversation (2)   24. Bud's Dub (1)
9. Conversation (3)   25. Bud's Dub (2)
10. Conversation (4)   26. Bud's Dub (3)
11. Conversation (5)   27. Capacity (1)
12. Inversion: Diversion (1)   28. Capcity (2)
13. Inversion: Diversion (2)   29. Capacity (3)
14. Inversion: Diversion (3)   30. Capacity (4)
15. Inversion: Diversion (4)   31. Afri Kebek
16. Inversion: Diversion (5)   32. Africa Prayer