Is Robert Wyatt a whore?!?

... maybe, but being in the name and for the sake of music, like a '40s romantic whore who loves and loves and teaches love art to younger and then loves again, in the name of love... well you got the idea: Robert Wyatt, the romantic, great, immense musical whore, but - better - acting like a musical King Midas, spreads his diamonds and rubis (his voice and timeless compositions) everytime and everywhere he pleases, from Anja Garbarek to the following disk.

Now spinning in the Studer, a double disk "Around Robert Wyatt" by Orchestre National de Jazz - masterfully arranged by Vincent Artaud under artistic direction of Daniel Yvinec (BEE 030)... also Rokia Traorè and others gives their voices in the name of the sonic and musical landscapes the musical genius of RW created in decades.

Rokia Traorè's "Alifib" looses in weird, suspended beauty of the original from Rock Bottom, keeping a Malian, ancient flavour in free form, but the peak is reached in Disk # 2, where a super cover of "Rangers in the Night" and the following "Just as you are 5" - also if paying a tribute and owing something to Tom Waits' "Swordfishtrombone" or Bill Frisell's several disks, both with their lunatic, laid back, atmospheric banjo - are really beautiful and unheard.

All the disk gives new perspective to Robert's masterpieces - sometimes loosing the haiku-like simpleness, someothers cooking old beloved songs in a new, spicey orchestral sauce.

A must, folks... a must-add to everyone discotheque.

Thanks to Mojo Magazine for reviewing this.