Bill Bruford's Earthworks - All Heaven Broke Loose (1991)

Tracklist

01 - Hotel Splendour
02 - Forget-Me-Not
03 - Candles Still Flicker In Romania's Dark
04 - Pigalle
05 - Temple Of The Winds
06 - Nerve
07 - Splashing Out
08 - All Heaven Broke Loose
09 - Libreville
10 - Pilgrim's Day

personnel :

Bill Bruford - acoustic & electronic drums
Iain Ballamy - saxophone
Django Bates - trumpet, Eb peck horn, keyboards
Tim Harries - acoustic & electric basses

The music of Bill Bruford's Earthworks on All Heaven Broke Loose is quite unusual. The multi-themed originals feature top-notch playing by the quartet (Bruford on drums and electronic percussion, Django Bates on keyboards, peck horn and trumpet, Iain Ballamy on reeds, and bassist Tim Harries) that looks toward Ornette Coleman; at times (Ballamy's tenor sometimes recalls Dewey Redman) while traveling its own singular path. Full of unpredictability, subtle mood changes, touches of eccentric funk and a surprisingly creative use of electronic rhythms here and there, Bruford's band plays intense but sometimes melancholy and introspective music. Recommended. [This version of the release includes an additional CD of bonus material. - Scott Yanow