Jon Hassell - "Power Spot" (1986)

I found this album a few months ago in a local record store, for an affordable sum. I was attracted to it as I noticed that Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois had been sitting at the recording table, and these two in combination with Hassell's mysterious trumpet seemed interesting. In addition, it's released on ECM, which has released some interesting records throughout the years. The album is recorded nearby, more specifically in Hamilton, Ontario. In Canada, a distance of 600 km is considered "nearby". Perhaps it's Lanois' Canadian blood that determined the recording location.

It's a pretty dark creation, a relatively murky sound and not easily accessible music. If you don't know it's a trumpet Hassell is playing, it's probably not the first instrument you'd be guessing. My son thought it was "some African instrument". Apparently, he sings in the trumpet instead of blowing in it as usual, creating a special sound. Then he used tape loops for creating harmonies in the studio, which he used live, so the effects were created in real time, and not as an addition.

The music often has a bass of rhythms - percussion and bass (usually created with keyboards), and on top of this, Hassell plays. As mentioned, it's a pretty dark album, and rather difficult. The sound is quite peculiar, and since it's not so varied, it can go both ways. If you like the sound, you get a lot of it, but if you're a bit hard-fledged like me, it will be too much, and the variation not enough. So I'm not in love, and can't with a clear conscience recommend the album. But by all means, don't trust my words, try yourself. I still appreciate artists who do their thing, without too much worrying about how commercially viable the result is. It provides a width and variation within the musical world, and can inspire others to venture into new areas. Hassell is probably an inspiration for many, and therefore an important artist.


Tracklist

Side A
1 Power Spot 7:04
2 Passage D. E. 5:25
3 Solary 6:48
4 Miracle Steps 4:18

Side B
1 Wing Melodies 7:42
2 The Elephant And The Orchid 11:00
3 Air 5:18