I totally disagree. I think that 'Freak In' is indeed one of Douglas best releases to date, and it works in a way against our preconceived ideas, definitions, generalizations, whatever... The end result of the different styles, genres, influences is so organic and coherent and still surprise me every time that i listen to this disc, every day in fact. I really love Ikue Mori electronics and think that they are more 'natural' here than on the Mephista disc or on her collaboration with Wadada Leo Smith 'Luminous Axis'.

Peace,

Eyal Hareuveni

hareuveni@hotmail.com

p.s. how is the Rova bootleg, comparing to the BlackSaint release? Is it with Otomo Yoshihide?

>From: Efr��n del Valle
>To: zorn-list@lists.xmission.com
>Subject: Freak In
>Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 19:57:52 +0100 (CET)
>
>Hi,
>
>I got my copy of Dave Douglas' "Freak In" yesterday to
>great disappointment. Cheered by those who compared
>its status to that of "Witness" I decided I could no
>longer wait for the album but after five listenings
>the only thing that comes to my mind is "What the hell
>is this?!"
>I find his attempt to add electronics to this music so
>clumsy and forced that the whole album sounds totally
>unnatural to me. The effects and rythms sound so worn
>that I'm still expecting some surprising turns.
>Fortunately, he gathered a good bunch of astonishing
>musicians to save him from the wreckage, with a
>special mention to a particularly inspired Ribot (if
>he ever wasn't).
>"Freak In" feels like an unsuccessful "rough
>assemblage" of not-so-disparate genres and although he
>reaches higher ground than outrageous failures like
>St. Germain & co, I still think the album is too low a
>flight (considering the signatory).
>
>Best,
>
>Efr��n del Valle
>n.p: Rova "Ascension. San Franciso; feb 8th 2003" (bootleg)
>
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