Released
1998
Label
Materiali Sonori
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Contact
Via Tre Novembre, 2
52027 San Giovanni Valdorno
Italy
Visit
Last Edit/Update
09 juli, 1998
Nicola Alesini &
Pier Luigi Andreoni
MARCO POLO: VOLUME II
Track Listing
1. Across The Cities
2. Tabriz
3. Indiablue
4. The Valley Of Pamir (2nd day)
5. Khanbaligh
6. Kimar
7. Kamandi
8. Erzindjian
9. Tibet
10. I Giovanni Cantori Di San Giovanni D'Acri
11. Ritorno A Venezia
12. The Marco Polo Multimedia Track
In 1995 the Italian composer duo Nicola Alesini and Pier Luigi Andreoni
released a CD entitled Marco Polo, which featured contributions by a number of fine
musicians, including David Sylvian, Roger Eno, David Torn and Harold
Budd. Three years later they are back with the second installment in their Marco
Polo project, this time with Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen
taking the place of David Sylvian, but otherwise reassembling the entire team
behind the first volume. In addition to the hour long musical journey to the Far East,
this second volume includes a lavish multimedia presentation with interactive video clips,
computer animations, slide shows, alternate versions of songs from both Marco Polo
releases, and much more. Marco Polo II has -- like its precursor -- been made
available by Materiali Sonori, and was produced by Giampiero Bigazzi.
It is clear that both Alesini
and Andreoni admire Marco Polo greatly, not only for his historical
discoveries, but, maybe even more importantly, for his adventurousness as such. In their
compositions, they strive to evoke not only the voyages of Marco Polo, but also
the spirit of restlessness and curiosity that guided him in his travels. And, it is an
effort that is successful, as witnessed by the virtuoso saxophone performances that wander
through the richly detailed musical landscapes of most of the tracks on the CD. In a sense
Alesini's saxophone themes become the Marco Polo of the album,
travelling along; at times slowly with a tinge of melancholy, and homesickness perhaps; at
other times, full of enthusiasm and longing; but, always with a sense of discovery and the
unexpected.
The grand vistas of sound that Andreoni
-- and the many other guest musicians on the CD -- erect, beautifully paint the various
locales through which Marco Polo, and now Alesini, traveled. Here are
the foreign cities with their strange noises and languages; here are endless
mountainscapes clad in misty clouds; here are fields of flowers and barren, rocky desert
regions; and, here are exotic rituals and festivals of sound. Here is also scorching
sunshine, biting cold, stormy winds and tropic downpours; and here are the sensations of
awe, fear, laughter and love. The brushes that paint are of course the textured synths of Andreoni,
Roger Eno and Richard Barbieri, the talking drums of Steve Jansen,
the almost painfully acrobatic electric guitar of David Torn, and Harold Budd's
serene piano.
The multimedia section of Marco
Polo II is an entire chapter all to itself. Divided into three sections, the user is
invited to explore an interactive map of the Far East, read biographies of the main
musicians involved in the project, and listen to alternate versions of a number of tracks
from both Marco Polo and Marco Polo II.
The most elaborate section is the
map. By maneuvering on a large map of the arcane map of the Orient, one explores the
geographical regions of Marco Polo's travels. Selected cities on the map
represent links that lead to a variety of presentations and entertainments. There are a
couple of slide shows; a puzzle; computer-animated video clips that involve the user
creatively in the manipulation of the images; a paint program; illustrated quotes from the
literary works of Italo Calvino; and a number of other activities.The entire
session and all the individual "encounters" are underscored by original -- or
remixed -- compositions by Alesini and Andreoni.
Alternate versions of nine tracks
(seven of which originally appeared on the first Marco Polo CD) are presented in The
Marco Polo Music Machine. Slides of Asian period paintings accompany the various
songs, which one selects between by clicking on a navigator bar at the bottom of the
screen. Some of the featured tracks are "Yangchow," "Maya," "The
Golden Way" and "Buchara" from the first volume, "Khanbaligh"
from the second, and "Valley Of Pamir" which appeared on both.
Finally, there is a small section
with photos of the entire team of musicians behind Marco Polo II. Certain of the
photographs link to biographical essays that give insight not only into the careers of the
musicians, but also their motivations for undertaking this Marco Polo project.
Marco Polo II is in all
respects a gorgeous release, and although the final audio track on the CD is "Ritorno
A Venezia," which sees Marco Polo return home from his long journey, one
still looks forward to future journeys with Alesini and Andreoni. If not
in the wake of Marco Polo, then into some other strange and fascinating musical
territory.
