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The Book Of Hours on CD

Patrick Zimmerli is one of the most unusual jazz composer/saxophonists around. For his third Songlines release he teams up with the 10-piece Belgian band Octurn for an hour-long jazz suite whose movements represent the different times of the day. From the roiling, earth-awakening "Dawn" to the Euclidian angularity of the strikingly noble "Noon" and frenetic "Afternoon", and on to the calmer late-day periods and the dreamtime wrap-up of "Sleep", the suite traverses a broad emotional continuum. Setting off this journey is a series of short chamber-jazz interludes in a contemplative mood, building from duet to sextet. At times reminiscent of everything from Stravinsky ballet music to the horn-driven shouts of the rock band Chicago, charged by Octurn's remarkable double rhythm section, and featuring strong solos by the band, Zimmerli, and guest artist Ben Monder, The Book of Hours is a treasure-house of brilliant orchestral ideas, layered sonorities, and involving polyrhythms, all in the service of an original creative vision.