All Heaven Broke Loose

by Bill Bruford

Product Description:

Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Bill Bruford (acoustic & electronic drums); Iain Ballamy (saxophone); Django Bates (trumpet, Eb peck horn, keyboards); Tim Harries (acoustic & electric basses).

Recorded at CMP Studios, Zerkall, Germany in January & February 1991.

Where Bill Bruford's Earthworks succeeds when most other European jazz acts fail is in its ability to incorporate just enough melody and structure while still extending the boundaries of modern jazz. Of course, the seemingly limitless musical imagination of the legendary British drummer that leads the quartet helps, too. On ALL HEAVEN BROKE LOOSE, Bruford stays true to his constantly evolving vision of incorporating modern technology into a small ensemble of superb instrumentalists without getting in the way of the music making.

Besides Bruford, the stars of this group are saxophonist Iain Ballamy, multi-instrumentalist brass man Django Bates, and bassist Tim Harries. Together, they form a kind of modern chamber ensemble, employing as much from the classic European tradition as from American jazz. Bruford shines throughout as he sounds more like a keyboardist at times than a drummer with his myriad of electronic percussion colors. Bates and Ballamy are an excellent team; bobbing and weaving solo lines over the constantly shifting synthesizer undercurrents. Below it all Harries stomps out a solid foundation, allowing the others to dance above it.