The Band is Mozaik and they have just released there first album called ‘Live from the Powerhouse’. The band consists of Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Rens Zan Der Zalm, Bruce Molsky and Nikola Parov and if the line up doesn’t instantly fill you with excitement, then this first album definitely will.
At first glance on the track listing, you will notice that about half of them have been recorded by Irvine before but I would quite honestly say that the versions here are the ultimate version (except maybe ‘My Hearts Tonight in Ireland’ where I still prefer the ‘Rain on the Roof’ version.). A new life to ‘The Blacksmith’, ‘Never tire of the Road’’ Smeceno Horo’ and a wonderful new feeling to ‘Baneasa’s Green Glade/ Diachevo Horo’. The new tracks instantly stand out for me, Suleman’s Kopanitsa and Sandansko Oro/ Mechkin Kamen are pure genius. Andy sings Mechkin Kamen in Bulgarian ( I think ) and it seems to work very well indeed. The musicianship in these two tacks alone, must give an insight into what the future holds for this band. The mix on this album is exquisite, clean, crisp and beautifully balanced.
‘My hearts tonight in Ireland’. This has been recorded four times now and this is a lovely version. I would still have to say that my favorite version is from ‘Rain on the Roof’ but this comes very close. A very different version of course, and is given a new freshness on this album. It runs seamlessly in to ‘Robinson County and the Trip to Durrow’. A great start to the album.
‘Suleman’s Kopanitsa’ is magnificent, in its sheer clarity and arrangement. This track shows Mozaik as a masterful band, the musicianship shown here is simply breathe taking. This track appeared on the East Wind album, and if you take the time to listen to them side by side you will see very clearly how this band shines. The east wind version does not compare at all in my mind, although a great album, the new Mozaik treatment shows a powerful direction of musician ship and arrangements that make you want to play music. This album inspires. The crispness here is just beautiful, and the mix on this album has been very well put together. You can hear each individual instrument join and leave, as the arrangement builds to a climax. This has to be one of the best tracks on the album and truly one of the nicest tracks I have heard in years.
‘Rocky road to Dublin’. Lovely old time fiddle sound carries this track beautifully along, backed by a gentle bodhran. Then moulds in to a lively ‘Indian ate the Woodchuck’. You would think the first track would have an Irish feel and the second an old time feeling but it is reversed here and works beautifully. Wonderful playing here.
Romanian Hora/ Black Jack Grove. Listened to the driving Fiddle on this track, and a powerful drive it is too. You can not help the foot tapping along to this one. When the second fiddle joins the crowd go wild. Has to be some of the best Fiddle playing I have heard, and I especially love that old time feeling he gets in his playing.
Sandansko Oro/ Kechkin Kamen. I hate to jump tracks on albums, or skip back but I have to admit I skipped back to listen to this set, two or three times, before going on. This is the highlight of the album for me. A song about the Macedonian freedom fighters and sung by Andy in some Eastern European language, and brilliantly done. This a really beautiful tune and wonderfully arranged by the band. Lets hope the will be some more of this in the future albums of Mozaik.
Pony Boy/ Never Tire of the Road. Again a wonderful old time fiddle start to this track, and again beautifully played. It is followed by the driving chords of ‘Never tire of the Road’. This has long been Andy’s signature tune and here is the ultimate version of it. The band really pumps some energy into this track and really gives it a new lift. It is really lovely to see how all these songs knit so perfectly into the old time tunes and the Balkan material.
Blacksmith Courted Me. This has been a Planxty classic from way back, and a tune that Andy has made part of his solo concerts for many years now, so it was very interested to see how the band would treat this track. Once again they seemed to have brought a new life to it, in probably a stronger way than some of the newer songs. The flute playing ( Kaval playing ? ) on this track by Nikola is just magnificent. I will have to check out a few of his albums, as his touches to this album have been fantastic. I have heard Mozaik also do Captain Colson, and that also seemed to work well.
Field Holler Medley. Solo vocal intro to this track by Bruce Molsky, then picked up by duelling fiddle and gadulka. I love they way these two instruments compliment each other. I would love to see a lot more of that too in future recordings, what a wonderful tone it produces! The fiddle then races off on a wild solo here, joined by the band that carry it off to a climatic finish.
Baneasa’s Green Glade/ Roumen Sirakov’s Daichevo. This is one of the great compositions by Andy and a long time favourite by many people. It has been recorded by Planxty, and on Andy’s solo album ‘Rain on the roof’, but this is beautifully carried by the band and is possibly the best I have ever heard of it. The touches of fiddle here, add such a wonderful air to the tune. Daichevo was made for this band. This tune builds from a wavering note with bouzouki, and is joined by mandolin, gadulka, fiddle and guitar to a fiery set and melts away to a very simple African thumb harp. Beautifully arranged.
Smeseno Horo. This was one of those tunes that blew the minds of people in the 70’s, and it is back here to blow minds in the year two thousand. This has to be the ultimate version of this track.
The Last Dance. The final track is another gem, it seems this album is full of them. Nikola playing hypnotic clarinet to a tune that is to be the last dance a bride dances, bidding farewell to childhood.
Although, some of these tracks have been recording before and in some cases a couple of times before. This album shows us the strength and power Mozaik are as a band. Taking classic tunes and making them better, is no easy trip but one that Mozaik seem to have accomplished with ease. There will be some out there that might see the playing of tried and tested classics, the easy route but I have a feeling that this band has a lot to offer and I hope the future for this band is longer than the original line up for Mosaic ( spelt different, and with only Andy and Donal remaining from the original line up). I am extremely excited by what they have produced as a first album and I look forward to seeing where the road will take them next and more importantly, the new material they will cover.
This album reminds me why I fell in love with the music of Andy Irvine and the bouzouki. When I hear this type of music, I want to play music and that is a wonderful feeling. I personally did not like the last ‘Patrick Street’ Street Life album at all, I somehow felt it was the end for them as a band and maybe with that, Moazik was born. I would like to see Andy put his energy in what MUST be one of the most incredible collection of musicians around today. This band has a new direction; a new spirit and an energy that touches all that hear it. I very, very much look forward to the future of Mozaik. Andy once called it ‘a band to die for….’ it most certainly is!
Kieron
