Legend of the Seven Dreams

There's mystery and looming drama throughout this 1988 recording, as Garbarek combines his saxophones and flute with his highly developed studio art. There's a piquancy to the long opening track, with Garbarek's lilting soprano first paraphrasing a traditional Lapp song before developing darker, minor hues. Strong echoes of the Middle East arise in the drones and percussion and the cry of Garbarek's saxophones on "Achirai" and "Brother Wind." "Voy Cantando" has hints of Garbarek's powerful jazz voice, momentarily exploding into the softer textures that predominate here. On the longer tracks, the saxophonist is joined by regular associates Eberhard Weber on bass, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Rainer Brüninghaus on keyboards, while he goes it alone for a few brief atmospheric pieces. "Its Name Is Secret Road" is all flute with some arresting electronic alterations, while his soprano is the principal instrument on the "Mirror Stone" pieces, his plaintive oboelike sound seeming to echo across the fjords. --Stuart Broomer