A walk across into the unknown makes it quite the journey and realizing that you have limited time in the real world to as Warren Zevon once said, “Enjoy Every Sandwich”. For Danish bassist, composer, and teacher, Torben Westergaard, who launched The Gori Project nearly five years ago, has brought in this combination between Scandinavian jazz and South Korean music to its knees.
For four decades, 18 records, and two Danish Music Awards, Torben has spent the rest of his life, bringing in this spiritual guidance on The Gori Project II. The word ‘Gori’ translates to ‘Connection’ in Korea. He along with Hyelim Kim, Trumpet, Synths, and electronics Rene Damsbak, and percussionist Marilyn Mazur have come together to bring another form of sound and transcendent beauty into the music.
‘Democrazy’ sees Kim, Damsbak, and Mazur heading into treacherous waters in a rowing raft, sailing across this eerie ghost town filled with sadness, a house that stuck in time, and what will happen when the future will be knocking its door for us to enter. ‘You Then Who’ goes into a contemporary dance which speaks of a Kabuki-sque atmosphere, South Korean style.
Mazur goes at it with her percussion work, bringing in the thunder and heavy rainstorms, giving the rhythm section, plenty of time to give in that electrical jolt inside their heart. The bossa-nova vibes, which flow gently into the river on ‘Meskel’, speaks of the visual design work of Pollock, Schnabel, and Florey before heading back into the theatres once more with Torben, giving Kim a chance to hunt down enough enemies with Mazur’s fiery beats to the groove on ‘Flute Me Up’.
Kim’s flute improv with her Daegeum, adds these mysteries and questionnaires to see where she will go next. Listening to this track, reminded me a bit of the ‘Lizard’ suite from King Crimson’s third studio album originally released in 1970. Hyelim channels Mel Collins’ improvisations throughout the piece before heading into some Indian tribe territory for the ‘Daily News’ to begin.
Throughout its wonder, The Gori Project II is a startling release Torben has brought forth. The surrealism, the strange consistency, and the puzzling enigma that awaits us.
