The central thesis of psychoanalyst and cultural theorist Klaus Theweleit – set out in his book a-e-i-o-u, published two years ago – is this: the vowels of our language emerged on the sea between the Greek islands. For in a place where an entire country must constantly take to the water in order to trade, tell stories or occasionally plunder, strings of T-K-G-Ch sounds will only get you so far. Against the storm, you have to shout »AAAAAAAAAAN«.
More than 50 years ago – in 1970, to be precise – three Britons, pianist Neil Ardley, trumpeter Ian Carr and saxophonist Don Rendell, recorded an album that moves in a similar direction. Never reissued, aside from a bootleg travesty, Greek Variations became the golden fleece of English modern jazz: many went searching for it, very few succeeded, and most had to absorb considerable financial losses. Decca’s reissue now proves that all the effort was worthwhile, because – as already suggested – the trio and a formidable supporting cast quietly achieve nothing less than a cultural history of ancient and modern Greece.
Lyrically, the ensemble moves through Phrygian and Lydian modes, at times combining archaic, folk-like pentatonics with Byzantine microtonality, and using classical Greek motifs – the so-called dromoi – to create a magical soundtrack to Hellenistic myths and legends, while always remaining grounded in the twentieth century. The wait was worth it.
Related Features
