Thursday, December 8, 2011

CD Review: Lawson Rollins' 'Elevation'

Lawson Rollins
Elevation
Infinita Records

Innovative guitarist and keyboardist, Lawson Rollins, returns with another astounding album of world fusion and avant-garde jazz on Elevation. Rollins reaches new musical heights that are engaging, warm, and cozy. The album was recorded in Nepal, the U.S., and Iran, which represents some of the ethnic elements inherent in Rollins' work. The slightly jazzy "Daybreak," resembles the laid-back and smooth-jazz tunes popular on The Weather Channel's Local-On-The-8s. Though, Rollins is not a vocalist; Elevation still retains a worldly, vocal base with sparse vocals representing the Middle East and South Asia. Nearly two-dozen musicians are featured alongside Rollins. The result is a New Age-tinged musical journey with elements of jazz, Latin American, and Indian connotations. Some of the songs are inspired by Middle Eastern poetry, while others find inspiration in the sounds of the world. Rollins definitely rises to the occasion with Elevation leading the wave of musical change across the global landscape--transforming everything and everyone in its path. ~ Matthew Forss

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