Detailed Reviews [One World Tapestry - 2007 - "Prog From Around the World"]

Prolusion. According to the press kit, ONE WORLD TAPESTRY is the brainchild of Andrew Holborn, the presenter of the Third Ear radio show, which is well known in his motherland, Australia. The title of this CD, "Prog From Around the World", is at once simple and quite global, since the project embraces fifteen performers from countries as diverse as the USA, Brazil, Australia, Sweden, Indonesia, France, Hungary, Mexico and UK (whose representative's very unusual name, Sabah Habas Mustapha, shouldn't confuse the uninitiated, as it's one of the scenic pseudonyms of Colin Bass, of Camel fame). The main idea behind the action is to raise funds from this edition for the Sudanese refugee appeal, kudos additionally coming to Musea Records for supporting the proceedings by issuing this disc.

Analysis. Only the names of five participants, Waak-Waak Jungi, Steve Warner, Topeka, Styrbjorn Bergelt & Roland Hakasson and Robert Erdesz, are new to me, whilst half of the remaining ten artists involved (Jose Luis Fernandez, Vital Duo, Pocos & Nuvens, Brainstorm and In The Labyrinth) all have recordings which have been reviewed on this site. One way or another, the material on this CD consists exclusively of fully-fledged pieces of musical art, the fifteen tracks all being carefully composed and well played, differentiated between them for the most part only in style, and even though some of them are only prog-tinged creations, their pan-musical virtues are beyond question. When doing mental arithmetic in order to name the highlights of the album, which was quite an amusing process, first I counted nine contenders, the next time ten, but then eleven tracks, so in the end I rejected my initial intention, having decided not to go beyond compositions that best of all suit my mood at the moment. (Take note, I didn't say "my personal taste", because I'd then have to copy the track list above and paste it here, with literally a couple of alterations.) All being the most exotic-sounding tunes here, these are Karakoram Waltz by In The Labyrinth, Steve Warner's Hawa el Sahra, Jose Luis Fernandez's Ave Luz and Seuri by Sabah Habas Mustapha, all standing out for their lush ethnic (mainly oriental) colorings, plus Ensemble Nimbus's Epigram, a chamber rock piece with certain hints of RIO, which despite clocking in at under three-and-a-half minutes, is definitely one of the set's most profound compositions.

Conclusion. Although "Prog From Around the World" consists of tracks only one of which was previously unavailable (the opening piece All Gone), I'm sure that few prog lovers have heard even half of them. In any event, the result is nearly eighty minutes of highly enjoyable music, so this compilation receives the highest possible rating.

VM=Vitaly Menshikov: January 2, 2008