Way Out West - The Effects Of Weather (2010)

Following on from the critically acclaimed Jazzhead debut Old Grooves For New Streets, The Effects of Weather delivers a captivating collection of jazz inflected melodies infused with sounds from Vietnam and grooves from West Africa. In addition, the album draws on a diverse range of influences, from the minimalism of Steve Reich to the dirty blues of the Mississippi Delta are also featured here. This is not a difficult second album.

Trumpeter/composer Peter Knight and Vietnamese traditional music virtuoso Dung Nguyen are at the heart of this remarkable collaboration. Nguyen, continuing to astound listeners with his multi-instrumental talents, has incorporated the gorgeous sounds of dan nguyet (Vietnamese mandolin), the dan tranh (Vietnamese zither) with his modified electric guitar.

Together with world-renowned West African percussion specialist Ray Pereira, explosive saxophonist Paul Williamson, earthy acoustic bassist Howard Cairns, and young firebrand drummer Rajiv Jayaweera, Way Out West are pioneers of a truly new sound Inspired by the cultural vitality and diversity of not only Melbourne but of Australia.

T he Effects Of Weather is out on Jazzhead.

Way Out West won the 2009 Australian Jazz Bell 'Jazz Ensemble of the Year' Award and have appeared at major festivals and venues around the world including, Montreal Jazz Festival, Toronto Harbourfront Centre, Veneto Jazz Festival (Italy), Takatsuki Jazz Festival (Japan), Vancouver Jazz Festival, Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, and EBS Space in Seoul.