...that is actually not so simple. The fact that there are only two musicians playing here, and that this is a live recording, with no overdubs, belies the complexity of the compositions. There's a lot going on here - Haden's reputation has been well-established, as has that of Gismonti, and they each live up to every bit of it in this performance. Gismonti's guitar work alone makes this disc worth the price - joined with Haden's stellar bass playing, the level of compositional achievement by both (Gismonti wrote or co-wrote seven of the nine tracks - Haden wrote the other two), the quality (crystalline, as always, from ECM) AND quantity (79 minutes) of the recording, it adds up to a disc that's hard to pass up.

I agree slightly with one or two of the reviewers below - those who prefer Gismonti's guitar pieces to those that feature the piano - but I would hardly dismiss the latter as 'Keith Jarrett knockoff'. Simply because there are similarities to be heard - or even influences - doesn't mean that Egberto's work should be slighted as 'derivative'. The echoes of his Brazilian roots can be heard throughout most of his work - he has taken that foundation and built upon it a strong, individual portfolio of his own creativity. It shines with the unique qualities of his soul, as the work of any true artist does. His guitar playing - on a specially designed 10-stringed instrument - never fails to make my jaw drop. I would swear at times that there is more than one guitarist playing - but I know from listening to Egberto's other recordings that this is not the case.

Even though Charlie Haden contributes only two compositions to this set, those two pieces are striking in their beauty and depth - his sense of melodic structure is breathtaking. His work - both writing and playing - places him in the highest ranks of performers and composers in jazz or any other genre. He has distinguished himself throughout his career as a sideman, composer and leader.

This is a wonderful opportunity to hear two masters at work - or, considering the joy that is so obvious in this recording, 'at play' - in a setting that is wonderfully uncluttered and honest.

This recording, from 1985, presents bandoneón master Dino Saluzzi in a small-group setting, accompanied by some of the finest musicians in the ECM roster: Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet and flugelhorn), Charlie Haden (bass) and Pierre Favre (percussion). As usual with ECM releases, the recording is crystalline - their audio standards have always set the highest standards for sound reproduction, clear and pristine. It puts the listener right into the room with the players.

All of the compositions on this album are by Saluzzi - but he never attempts to steal the show, respecting and indeed reveling in the contributions from his friends. Each one of them adds a bit of their individual soul to the mix - and the result is honest and beautiful music. Call it 'world' (for Saluzzi's themes and consciousness have their foundations in his homeland of Argentina), or call it 'jazz' (for its freedom and its embrace of the staggering improvisational abilities of the participants), or simply file it under 'ECM'.

There are times when the interplay between the two ends of Saluzzi's bandoneón and Mikkelborg's horn give the impression that there are more than two instruments at work - add to the mix the firm foundation (and melodic contributions) from Charlie Haden's exceptional bass work and the multi-faceted percussion of Pierre Favre and you have a great example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Some of Favre's contributions in particular will stretch your conception of the meaning of the word 'percussion'.

The melodies at play here are some of the loveliest I've ever heard - and some of the most emotional. At the heart of this music is the heart of the players - and the urge to share with the listener the feelings they hold within them is one for which we should be grateful. Saluzzi's bandoneón is more than just a glorified squeezebox - if you've never heard one, the depth of expression of which it's capable will cause you to reconsider whatever preconceived notions you might have about 'accordions'.

I haven't heard every recording Dino has released - but I've experienced quite a few of them, and I haven't been disappointed by a single one. I hold him in the highest regard, and I would buy anything new I found by him without any preview - I highly recommend giving his work a listen. This album is a great place to start - and his latest release (RESPONSORIUM, from 2002, with the great Palle Danielsson on bass and José Maria Saluzzi, Dino's son, on guitar) is one of my favorite albums of the last ten years. I was appalled to read a review calling his music 'mindless noodling' - it's anything but that. There's a whole range of emotion in his playing, along with superb musicianship, imagination and deep thought - he's a master.

I've been aware of the depth and breadth of the mind of Peter Blegvad for many years now, through his musical endeavors (with Slapp Happy, as well as his solo work) - his creations have always been stimulating, bringing with them smiles and incentives for further thought and intellectual and contemplative explorations. I had heard about his comic strip 'Leviathan' (which appeared regularly in THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY in Britain), but until I purchased a copy of this collection, I had never actually experienced it firsthand. I'm sorry I waited so long - this is a treasure.

Matt Groening (creator of 'The Simpsons' and 'Life in Hell') is widely recognized as a purveyor of twisted and useful reflections of real life, is quoted on the back of this volume: 'Peter Blegvad's comic strip is one of the greatest, weirdest things I've ever stared at.' I heartily concur. Blegvad combines his senses of humor and irony with his intellectual strengths and his amazing artistic abilities into 'Leviathan', giving his readers an opportunity to take one of the wildest rides they're liable to experience. The episodes in this book range from purely humorous takes on a baby's view of the world he inhabits to visual illustrations of puns to hallucinogenic explorations of the conscious and subconscious to sublime meditations on everything from the most seemingly insignificant daily occurrences to the meaning of life and death. Quite a range, right? Blegvad pulls it off beautifully. Perhaps I'm a little prejudiced by already being a huge fan of his music, but none of his outings collected here come across as shallow or pretentious in any way. The subtleties are many, the layers of wit are as innumerable as those in a chunk of mica - each reading reveals something missed the time before.

Leviathan himself - 'Levi', as he is called - is a visual as well as a philosophical enigma. He's drawn without facial features, which allows the reader to project his/her own personality/outlook more readily onto the narrator. His parents and his older sister appear in some episodes, but for the most part he's accompanied and guided through the mazes of life (in all its dimensions) by the family cat, who gently imparts wisdom while at times openly expressing amazement that humans manage to survive without caretakers. The artist's hand appears from time to time, allowing him to more directly interact with the characters and events depicted in the strip - and on a couple of occasions, the characters themselves make attempts to escape the bounds of the graphic territory.

I read this book in a couple of sittings - but I've revisited it often and at great length and leisure, with new rewards each time. In his introduction, Rafi Zabor admits that he has encountered a few 'intelligent, literate, artistically sophisticated people' who just don't get it - and I suppose that's inevitable in any artistic undertaking. It resonated within me at the deepest level - I can't recommend it highly enough.

...make it this one. I don't make that statement lightly, because I've read several that I consider to be essential reading. There are several things that make Clarke's book so valuable. For one thing, his tone: he doesn't come across as a wild-eyed liberal. I love the writing and work of Al Franken, Michael Moore, Joe Conason, Craig Unger, and others - but as well-written (and in Moore's case, filmed) as their works are, the very zeal with which they pursue their topics is going to keep most conservative thinkers from giving any honest consideration their points of view. Their works are moving and well-researched, and are potentially eye-opening and instructive for those who are of the opinion that the Bush administration is headed down the right (no pun intended, really...!) path - but few people on the Right are actually going to sit down and read any of them and seriously consider what they're saying. Clarke doesn't come across in his book as a Bush-basher for the sake of it - he makes a point of illuminating what he sees as Bush's good points, but he pulls no punches when addressing those areas where he thinks the administration has taken wrong turns in dealing with terrorism.

Clarke has been working in government during the administrations of the last seven presidents, and has worked in the White House under George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. He has dedicated much of his adult life to the service of his country, and in the last few years he has been a leader in the fight against terrorism. He knows what he's talking about - and he knows what consequences lie ahead of our nation if the problem is not addressed head-on, with all of the resources we can muster. He has worked enough over the course of his career with Middle Eastern issues that he knows the region well - and the clarity of his vision and insight are level-headed and resolute. He recognizes the subtleties that are at play beneath the surface of events, as well as the strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies of the various cultures involved. He not only gives the reader a clear picture of the history of the region, and America's relationship with the players (and the consequences of those relationships) - toward the end of the book, he lays out what he sees as vital areas in need of the correct attention of U.S. foreign policy. He knows the value of a strong military, but he also knows that every fight cannot be won, nor every alliance made, at the point of a gun.

Particularly revelatory I thought was Clarke's view of the Clinton presidency. It's his contention that Clinton did a lot more to fight terrorism - and al Qaeda in particular - than is widely known. With all of the media and Congressional attention given to the storms that were generated over Clinton's personal foibles, there's little wonder that much of what he accomplished went by unnoticed by a country whose press seemed to suddenly turn into tabloids in their coverage. Clarke admits to having his doubts about Clinton's resolve, and his willingness to use military force when necessary - but he came away from a number of experiences comforted by the knowledge that the president grasped the significance of the al Qaeda threat as was willing to deal with it. When Bush came into office in 2001, Clarke was shocked and dismayed at the indifference the president's staff seemed to give to the terrorism issue. His impression was that they were mostly stuck in a 'Cold War' mentality, unable to comprehend that the direst threat posed to the United States would come not from a nation, but from a group like al Qaeda. Tragically, events would prove him right.

The Right has vilified Clarke - they have attempted to portray him as a disgruntled ex-employee seeking revenge, and they're doing both the author and our country a disservice in the process. I didn't get the slightest impression from this book, nor in any of the interviews with the author, or other appearances that I've caught on television, that Clarke is in any way spiteful or resentful. He's an intelligent, thoughtful and dedicated man - he is possessed by a patriotism that sees beyond party lines. The book is a gripping read - all the more so because it's fact, not fiction. As I mentioned at the first, the books by Franken and Moore (and others) are valuable tools, well-written and full of good points and information - but this is a book that your Right-wing uncle (or other relative, or friend - you know, the one you're always arguing with...?) is more likely to read. It has the potential to open eyes and minds - and our nation could always use more of that.

...but not a book that's going to change anyone's mind. David Corn makes no bones about his contempt for George W. Bush and his policies - the title alone will probably keep any real Bush supporters from reading this work, which is a pity. It's very revelatory, if a little dry at times. As another reviewer correctly pointed out, after a while, it gets to be a little 'list'-like - although Corn's information is presented clearly and the book as a whole is organized well. He follows Bush from his candidacy, his appointment by the Supreme Court, his administration both before and after the 9/11 attacks, up through at least part of the war on Iraq.

The book seems well-researched - there are no footnotes or endnotes (although there's an index, which is helpful when using the book as a reference), but Corn mentions his sources as he goes along. I certainly came away from the book with the impression that the author has done his homework, and that he's dedicated to his task.

...what would this author know about secrecy, lies and deception...? Oh yeah - THAT John Dean...

The former counsel to President Nixon knows all too well where tactics such as these can lead. In this book - which he labels a 'polemic', so there is no mistaking his intent - he lays out a strong case detailing the abuses of power and trust that have been practiced by the Bush administration from the day he decided to run for president.

Drawing on his experience with the law as well as his knowledge of history, Dean tells how, as he began looking into the Bush presidency more and more deeply, it increasingly struck him as chillingly 'Nixonian' - he points out many instances of what he describes as lying, dirty tricks, about-faces that were made when the original position turned out to be inconvenient or embarrassing, and behind-the-scenes sweetheart deals for powerful contributors. The thing that frightens Dean the most, however, is the unprecedented level of secrecy under which this administration operates - which he believes should frighten each and every one of us as Americans.

Each chapter of the book begins with a quote - some from famous public servants, some from respected political philosophers, and some from various agencies of the government itself - and each one underscores the damage that can be done to a free society when its government operates so completely out of sight. One quote, from a 1960 report by the House Committee of Government Operations, warns against the dangers of secrecy in government, that it '...must be at bare minimum in a democratic society, for a fully informed public is the basis of self-government.' From their actions, it's pretty obvious that those who are setting the course for the Bush administration think it's better for them to function out of sight, out of mind - the old adage that says if you're hiding your actions, you must have a reason to hide comes to mind. Dick Cheney, through various public statements, has made no secret of the fact that he favors a return to an imperial presidency, wherein the powers that be are set free from the bonds of answering to the people, for whom they supposedly work. They have elevated stonewalling to a new 'artistic level - and if they are continued to be allowed to function in darkness, they will drag the nation into that darkness.

Dean's book is well-researched and annotated - his sources are clearly listed, and he invites the reader to dig further in order to understand the depth and breadth of the actions he's describing. He says that he didn't come up with the title - WORSE THAN WATERGATE - and that he doesn't use it lightly, but the further he investigated the methodology and mind-set of the Bush administration, the more apt he thought the title.

In an election year - especially one having the potential of this one - this book is essential reading.

Released in 1971, and described by Peter as made up of songs that didn't fit the Van der Graaf mold, this recording nevertheless gives the listener a clear example of both the lyrical and musical talents and imagination of a performing songwriter whose work would stretch - and burst, on occasion - the envelope on many occasions over the ensuing years. Made up of short (all under 5 minutes) songs that fall more into a 'pop' vein than the work he did with the group - and most of his later solo work - Hammill aptly demonstrates his powers of expression, both introspectively and outward-looking.

Hammill is joined here by all of his Van der Graaf bandmates (Guy Evans, David Jackson, Hugh Banton, Nic Potter), plus some other fine players: Rod Clements and Ray Jackson of Lindisfarne (along with VdG and PH, also Charisma artists), along with guitar great Robert Fripp (of King Crimson), a friend and admirer of Hammill who also appears on a couple of VdG albums (H TO HE, WHO AM THE ONLY ONE and PAWN HEARTS). Despite the presence of Evans, Jackson, Banton, Potter and Fripp, the sound on FOOL'S MATE never gets dark or heavy - these players are stellar, and capable of widely varied styles and moods.

Peter's poetry/lyrics are, as always, the centerpiece of his music - even in the case of these 'lighter' songs. His insight, intellect and honesty, coupled with his clarity and power of expression, elevate his work to a level far above that inhabited by most writers working in the general area of 'rock' music. This sort of statement might very well embarrass Peter, or at the least cause a bit of eye-rolling on his part - but after listening to his work for 35 years, I've yet to find many who can come close to the literacy and depth of his writing.

This release - as is, thankfully, the case in most of his CDs - is true in content to the original LP, unencumbered by 'extra' tunes deemed 'essential' or 'marketable' by a record company. It's fortunate that the great majority of his releases have been on labels that have afforded him a large degree of freedom. Most of what he's done since the early 80s has been independently released by Peter on his own label, so the question of artistic control has been settled long ago.

It's wonderful that Caroline has made this - and several other CDs by Peter as well as Van der Graaf - available at a midline price, but I wish more of them included the lyrics. This is admittedly a small complaint, since Peter's Sofa Sound website (one of the most well-maintained artist sites I've seen) has all of his lyrics and much more available for the interested listener.

Stepping back from the more complex arrangements typical of his work with his band, Van der Graaf Generator - as well as those utilized on some of his recent solo outings (CHAMELEON IN THE SHADOW OF THE NIGHT [1972], THE SILENT CORNER AND THE EMPTY STAGE [ALSO 1972], and IN CAMERA [1973]) - Peter Hammill delivered OVER to the world in 1976, one of the most painfully honest and soul-baring albums of his career. While Hammill is a (thankfully) prolific artist, with some of the most revealing self-analytic lyrics ever written, his personal life has always been kept private - a difficult task for a performer, but one that has meant enough to him that he has managed to do it. That being said, it's pretty evident from the lyrics on OVER that he was going through an extremely painful and emotional period in his life - and what better catharsis to expedite and enable the healing process than his music?

Joined here by Van der Graaf bandmates Guy Evans (drums), Nic Potter (bass) and Graham Smith (violin), Hammill frames these intensely personal songs brilliantly with his expressive piano and guitar - and every bit of the emotion contained in the lyrics is carried perfectly by his unique and powerful voice. Pain, loss, self-doubt -and, ultimately, hope - are portrayed here in such a naturally vivid fashion that the listener cannot help but experience some degree of the feelings that inspired these works. It's a breathtakingly intense journey - and one that connects the artist with the listener at the most human level possible.

The album begins with 'Crying wolf'. As the song is introduced by Hammill's choppy rhythm on electric guitar, then joined by the bass and drums, then the vocals, the listener might believe that the rest of the album is going to be in more of a 'rock' vein than is actually the case. The song's lyrics are accusatory, addressing the singer himself, decrying the self-pity and wallowing in anguish at being left alone: 'Is this what makes you happy? Is this what brings you joy? Your excuses are so crappy...silly boy!' The song goes on to berate the singer as self-centered, pushing him to stand up and take the steps needed to rebuild the life that is seen as destroyed.

'Autumn' addresses the loneliness and change that come in a long-term relationship, when the parents have raised their children and seen them move away to make their own way in the world. It's hard for parents to let go, to understand the ways of their offspring, to trust in the upbringing they've given them to guide them as they go out to find lives of their own. Hammill describes the feelings of being left alone, of being '...discarded, of no further use...' - and winds up wondering how long it will be '...till this song is sung by our own sons and daughters', recognizing the cyclical nature of the lives we lead.

'Time heals' looks back at a fractured relationship - and wonders, as is a natural process at such a time, how things might have been different, and how they came to be like they are. People who love each other deeply and honestly sometimes grow apart through no fault of anyone involved - but that doesn't make it any easier to accept traumatic changes. Time heals, as Hammill notes, '...but I still bear the weals' - the pain might get easier to bear and to understand, but it never really goes away completely. It remains as a shadow to remind us of our humanity, of our folly, and ultimately of our ability to feel - not just pain, but love as well.

'Alice (letting go)', 'This side of the looking glass', 'Betrayed' and '(On Tuesdays) she used to do yoga' are some of the most painful songs of loss and letting go I've ever heard - and some of the most beautiful in their power and clarity of expression. The singer remembers incidents, habits and idiosyncrasies of the departed partner -healing through the experience of the pain. In the album's final track, 'Lost and found', the images of the wolf and sheep from 'Crying wolf' and the themes of loss and loneliness from the other songs are brought together and reconciled with the knowledge that life goes on - something that's hard to see and accept when one is in the throes of the awful pain of love lost, of the feeling of abandonment and betrayal, of helplessness and hopelessness. The song ends with the hope brought by a new love: 'I'm free at last, I'm in love at last...I'm lost and found...'

This is a hard album to listen to and not feel the pain expressed in the songs - but it's a marvel for that very power: the power to reach out and touch the heart of the listener with the pain and loss (and ultimately, the hope) felt by the artist. It's one of Peter's most beautiful, honest and moving albums - it's a masterpiece.

This album (the band's second) as well as their first, TILT, were two of my favorite examples of everything that was good about the progressive rock/fusion genre from the 1970s. When I found a copy of this CD a few days ago at a local store that is (very sadly) going out of business, I snatched it up. I hadn't heard the album in over 20 years - but I still had bits of melodies in my head. Slipping it into the CD player in the parking lot, as soon as the first bars of the first track played, I knew my memories of it were correct and undistorted by time.

This is a great album by a band of excellent musicians - a seven-piece outfit, featuring the instruments you would expect (keyboards, bass, guitar, percussion, vocals) with the addition of a reed player (who also adds vibraphone and clavinet) and a violinist. The arrangements are tight and imaginative - and they never stray from what seems to be a deeply-ingrained sense of melody and rhythm. There are sections of improvisation throughout the album, giving it a vitality that playing strictly by-the-charts sometimes fails to deliver - but these improvs are done with taste and style, without venturing into a noise-fest. It's hard to pick any one of the group members as a stand-out - they're all stellar players, performing here with feeling as well as precision, pulling the listener along on a very rewarding ride. I've only heard their first two albums - I see from a little bit of investigation on-line that they released an album after a 20+year silence, MURALES. From what I've read about it, they haven't lost their direction or their touch - I'll have to find a copy and experience it for myself.

Most of the tracks on this album are instrumentals - and of course the vocals are all in Italian, but to true music fans, that shouldn't be an obstacle to enjoyment and appreciation. The human voice, as I see (hear?) it, is a musical instrument just as surely as the others listed above - and the expressions of emotion and feeling that it can carry elevate it to a level of its own. This outlook has allowed me to come to love music from all over the world, regardless of the language in which it might be sung - and I consider that enjoyment one of the greatest blessings of my life. It would be sad if I were limited to listening to music in English only.

...the Dreamtime of course being one of the central elements of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs - in the case of the music of Lights in a Fat City, however, the Dreamtime relates to the spirituality and soul of the entire world. This is - more or less - ambient music, but with a strong element of emotion. True, depending on the frame of mind and direction of purpose of the listener, this music could easily be used for meditation, for drifting away from the thought-level of the mind into the deeper, less defined regions - but there is a sense of direction and purpose here that is absent in much of the music being produced today that lays claim to the 'ambient' area only to produce the aural equivalent of wallpaper. There are many notable artists who have risen above such mindless pursuits - Alio Die, Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Ora, Lustmord, Rapoon, O Yuki Conjugate, Templegarden, to name but a few. I would definitely add Lights in a Fat City to this creative level of explorers.

Performing here as a trio - Eddy Sayer, Kenneth Newby and Stephen Kent - and recorded live in San Francisco, the group employs a relatively small array of instruments that, combined with their unique tonal characteristics and the sensibilities and imaginations of the musicians, produce an incredible spectrum of sounds. Sayer performs on percussion and an instrument called a 'hybrid harp', which, I'm guessing is producing the piano-like sounds I hear in places, along with other effects; Newby wields sulings (a bamboo flute used in Balinese gamelan ensembles), piri (a double-reed recorder from Korea), utilizes digital soundscapes and bells; Kent plays digeridoo and animal horns. That's the extent of the musician credits - it's not a long list, and it belies the variety of sounds to be heard in this exceptional recording. The three players interact sensitively - each of them contributes thoughtfully and eloquently to the overall mix. The feeling of the music is tranquil, but with an energy that is ever present, like a life-force, guiding the players as they traverse the tonal landscape.

This is transporting music of the highest level - on first listening, at the end of the album, I was left with a feeling that I can only describe as aural cleansing. It's definitely an experience I'll want to repeat - and it makes me want to check out the other recordings available by this ensemble.

Highly recommended.