The soprano saxophone might not seem an ideal instrument for leading a young instrumentalist to crossover stardom, but Jess Gillam, a BBC presenter as well as a performer, seems intent on making it happen. With Time, she offers a collection of pieces of mostly the same tempo and dreamy mood, and listener reactions to the album are likely to depend on their general receptivity to the instrumental crossover genre. This said, Gillam has executed the formula unusually well. First, there's the sound of Gillam's soprano sax ...
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The soprano saxophone might not seem an ideal instrument for leading a young instrumentalist to crossover stardom, but Jess Gillam, a BBC presenter as well as a performer, seems intent on making it happen. With Time, she offers a collection of pieces of mostly the same tempo and dreamy mood, and listener reactions to the album are likely to depend on their general receptivity to the instrumental crossover genre. This said, Gillam has executed the formula unusually well. First, there's the sound of Gillam's soprano sax itself: haunting, mournful, and calm. She's a remarkable player of this instrument, quite rare in the classical world. Second, and most important, is the mix of Gillam's musical sources. She joins together works from classical minimalism (Philip Glass appears twice), classical crossover (the centerpiece and most virtuosic work is Michael Nyman's Where the Bee Dances), and alternative rock of the moodier sort. The likes of Thom Yorke and Björk are new in this context, but they work well and add intriguing flavors. The bottom line is those looking for relaxing music for the drive home or for the evening will be pleased with this release. ~ James Manheim, Rovi
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