… clarinettist Lori Freedman shares with Arthur Doyle a staccato, atonal approach, eschewing conventional melodic lines for generally shorter bursts of sound that begin to construct their own coherence as the piece unfolds. Her lines on this disc are consistently as gripping as they are unpredictable, and invested with superb balance and emotion. Here, although they are joined by a number of guests — including a bombastic Tiina Kiik on accordion — she and pianist Marilyn Lerner remain front and centre. They have a remarkable symbiosis, with Lerner’s quite elegant lines sometimes giving this the sound of what it might have been like if Eric Dolphy had ever played in a duo with Cecil Taylor. Of the guests, vocalist Fides Krucker makes the most lasting impression with sometimes caterwauling, sometimes cooing lines, recalling Lauren Newton, Maggie Nicols, and Julie Tippetts. This is at times a forbidding disc, but it is ultimately quite spectacularly rewarding. Lerner and Freedman never repeat themselves, never lapse into clichés, and always keep the listener revelling in the sounds of surprise.

This volume is the most intimate. Here are compositions which uses classical instruments or samples of sounds or a combination of it all. Almost all compositions are processing very slowly and brings you an intimate atmosphere, an almost fine mix of experimental music and contemporary classical music. Reviewing these CD’s is very hard thanks to the quality of musical style, they should really be obtained by true music lovers.

“This is an anthology of unpublished works by the nine active members of Ambiances Magnétiques; an unforgettable musical odyssey for unexpecting music lovers.” Tells us the cover of this compilation. This compilation is different from the first 2 volumes. The music on this CD sounds more as comtemporary classical music and modern jazz. We have here compostions, no songs, with classical instruments and sometimes voice, used on a non-conform way so that true intelligent music is created. And again musical experiments that goes beyond contemporary classical music.

Volume 2, Hourra pour la bastringue — While volume 1 has a jazzy tune this one goes to big city café music. Imagine a dark pub situated in small alley filled with smoke, where a band is playing in a corner. If you are able to imagine this then you are able to get the atmosphere that the music brings on this CD. Again sometimes the atmosphere is broken on a pleasant way with musical experiments.

All four volumes that we describes here, are released in a special cardbord CD-box, with a well documented booklet that gives full information about the artists. All volumes are compilation CD’s that gives access to various sorts of music. It is almost impossible to review each participant to these compilation CD’s. Thanks to the wide variety of music, yet almost every song comes from the same meltingpot of experimental music.

Volume 1, La bastringue migratoire — Brings us most intimate music that goes from poetic folk towards big-city café music & jazz. With in between artistic experiments with musical instruments that creates big jams. The royal use of the instruments clarinet and saxophone, almost present in every song, gives a jazzy-tune to the CD’s.