Low Profile - Spontaneous Music Ensemble

Advantages: Everything, practically
Disadvantages: Not for every taste perhaps

...and channels them into something new. The cover to Low, a picture taken from Bowie in costume from the great Nicholas Roeg film: The Man Who Fell To Earth is a visual representation of what Bowie was after at that point in his career. “Low” is written over an image of Bowie in profile. Bowie is trying to keep a low profile after having kicked his drug habit, which he relates in the great Ashes to Ashes on Scary Monsters. Even within the booklet, the pictures of Bowie posing in different apparel show him more relaxed, in less extravagant clothing than usual; he’s clearly distancing himself from his glam-rock/Ziggy Stardust persona. But that’s not what is important, is it now? The music is the key. So let me get down to the important stuff. Like Heroes Low is an album split into two halves. Low begins with admittedly challenging song... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Awesome playing and musicianship. Easy listening.
Disadvantages: Perhaps not for the 'purist' folk music lover.

...In this, their first CD, Roby Lakatos (violin) and his Ensemble (consisting of piano, guitar, cymbalon, double bass, and another violin) take their listeners on an exhilarating journey through a variety of gypsy-inspired musical styles. Their flair, charm and sensitive musicianship are apparent from the first note to the last. Described as the ‘nonconformist of the violin’, Roby Lakatos was born into a family of Hungarian gypsy violin traditions dating back to the time of Beethoven! Being a nonconformist in every sense however, he has taken these traditions and moulded them to achieve his own unique musical voice. The incorporation of a guitar and piano into his gypsy ensemble for instance, are certainly not typical instruments of this genre. This CD, entitled simply ‘Lakatos’, consists of 13 tracks (see below for track... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great music, fantastic value for money and fine performance
Disadvantages: Onepiece with slightly overbearing clarinettist...?

...into this recording both from a musical point of view and also because the discs features various instrumental chamber music ensemble combinations of either septets or octets. The Performers: The Melos Ensemble had a long and illustrious concert and recording career lasting from 1950 to 1974. It was set up by a group of top British orchestral and solo musicians who wanted to bring together a flexible but regular group to play some of the more unusual chamber music repertoire. Founding members were violist Cecil Aronowitz, clarinetist Gervase de Peyer, flautist Richard Adeney, and cellist Terence Weil - all ofwhom apart from Mr Adeney appear on these CDs. The musicians enjoyed major careers in their own rights - with for example Gervase de Peyer being the principal clarinettist of the London Symphony Orchestra for many years and other members... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful