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A rarity from ´79, first time on CD, limited edition in expensive packaging including 2 bonus CDs. A wide musical range from Bebop to popular melodies, North African impressions to Free Jazz. It was sold well worldwide 18 years ago and offers now the opportunity to listen to this fine Big Band again.
Featuring Lauren Newton (voc), Rudi Berger (viol), Bumi Fian, Herbert Joos (trpt), Wolfgang Puschnig, Roman Schwaller, Harry Sokal (reeds), Christian Radovan (tb), Werner Pirchner (mar), Harry Pepl (g), Uli Scherer (p), Jürgen Wuchner, (b) Fritz Ozmec (dr), Wolfgang Reisinger (perc), Mathias Rüegg (leader).
The Vienna Art Orchestra is a 15-member jazz orchestra that features the avant-garde arrangements and compositions of its leader, pianist Mathias Ruegg. This is a reissue of their 1980 debut, an important document in the post-modern jazz movement. The opening, title track is a joyous, folkish tango that's been cartoonishly toyed with, featuring three solo sections. The marimba section is also ornamented with vocalise from Lauren Newton, followed by an extremely playful horn lead that sounds like a toy instrument. The solo offering from violinist Rudi Berger has an electronically effected, fusion sound. A tight, alto sax solo by Wolfgang Puschnig ties everything together neatly with a lengthy, unaccompanied performance. This leads right into a mellow, tenor sax and marimba introduction to "Polish Contrasts." The lead here is eventually taken by a bright, cosmic soprano sax (Harry Solkal). For a short piano piece, background singing and clapping recorded on the tour bus serve as a backdrop. Newton brings back her playful scatting, in clear imitation of a squawking free-jazz sax solo for an a cappella intro to "The World of Be-Band & Big Bop." After about three minutes, the instrumentalists slowly materialize behind her until the mad marimba possesses her. After a full six minutes of amazing scatting, the song itself is introduced and six more minutes of cross-genre pollination follow. This special box set includes a four-song Ruegg disc deceptively entitled Two Songs for Another Lovely War. The Vienna Art Orchestra members are featured on this recording as well. A third CD is an Extraplatte sampler of two-dozen tracks, among them one track by the Vienna Art Orchestra and two solo tracks by their figurative marimba and vibes player Werner Pirchner. (Tom Schulte)