Wanderlust
When In Rome
(Rufus/Universal)
Rating: ****
Trumpeter Miroslav Bukovsky, now Canberra based, formed his quintet Wanderlust in 1991 winning an Aria Award for their first recording in 1993.
This fifth album of originals is their first live CD, recorded this year at Rome’s Villa Celimontana and includes guest artist Joseph Tawadros’s outstanding oud playing. Pressure Makes Diamonds opens with nimble fingered oud work contrapuntally moving with Adam Armstrong’s resonant acoustic bass, introducing Fabian Hevia’s double-timed brushes, then trumpet and James Greening’s trombone take up the theme, falling aside as Alister Spence’s flowing piano gradually builds into a rapid fire groove foundation for trumpet, trombone and oud’s four bar exchanges.
Samba Nova features piano establishing a Latin rhythm for the horns theme statement, before solos from Bukovsky’s driving trumpet, Greening’s forceful trombone and lastly composer Spence’s accelerated piano precedes then underscores an exhilarating drum solo.
A middle eastern modality suffuses Dakar with emphasis on oud and bass, while muted trumpet, trombone and Greening’s didgeridoo supply energy and colour.
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This review first appeared The Weekend Australian and is republished with permission.
