Originally posted in Trollheart Listens to Every Album On Wiki's List for 2017, September 19 2017
Note: Sorry for all the different formats: I did warn you!
Album title: Hai Noi Duo
Artist: Nguyên Lê & Ngô Hong Quang featuring Paolo Fresu
Genre: Jazz/Folk/World Music
Nationality: Vietnamese
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Seventeenth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
The keen-eyed among you may have noticed that the last two jazz albums that came up on this list have not been reviewed by me, but it's pure coincidence that I could not find them. Guess some jazz is like that. I actually wanted to, but if it ain't on Spotify or the Y then I'm ****ed. I never expected this one to be on the former, but hey, it is, so let's give it a spin. Nice mixture of what I assume to be ethnic sounds and instruments with the normal jazz feel, and now what sounds like a native chant or possibly a didgeridoo or something similar. Very tribal anyway. Good so far. Some damn fine guitar work here, almost shredding. Yeah, this is, as Frownland would no doubt say, cool as ****. Real Asian melodies and rhythms with a jazzy base. If more jazz was like this I might get into it more.
The singing/chanting on “Like Mountain Birds” took me by surprise initially and I thought I wouldn't like it but it's really grown on me. Guitar work is pretty phenomenal too. Yeah, I really like this. Who woulda thunk it, huh?
Expectation Index: 10