Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 27 / 3 / 2006

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Review

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble is led by Bong-Ra, also known as Jason Kohnen on bass, synths and sequencing, and Gideon Kiers on drums. This sextet is completed with Hilary Jeffrey on trombone; Nina Hitz on cello; Ed Loman on guitar and improv vocalist Charlotte Cegarra. The dark tranquility of their sound veers towards lounge, but the accompanying press release reads somewhat over the top with numerous references to recognised masters of the arts and mentions 'Nosferatu'. Spooky the Ghost only shows his actually not-that-grim-a-face on 'Solomon's Curse'. Then quickly makes way for more doses of nostalgia and melancholy. When the horn section joins in, at long last we get some real suspense. Next though on 'Amygdhala' (there's no 'H' in the word) the clichés become a little too much to bear with and while well performed the album turns rather boring.

Track Listing:-

1 The Nothing Changes
2 Pearls for Swine
3 Adaptation of the Koto Song
4 Lobby
5 Parallel Corners
6 Rivers of Congo
7 Solomon's Curse
8 Amygdhala
9 Guernican Perspectives
10 Vegas
11 March of the Swine