Lunar Adventures
Lunar Adventures (Casselle)
New Moon (Casseue)
Available from Coat Cooke, 1150A Forge
Walk, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6H 3P9

Vancouver, B .C.'s Lunar Adventures has hit
upon a unique ensemble sound that gathers the
innovations of the last 20 years of jazz history' 60s free jazz rave ups, '70s Orneue Coleman
harrnolodics, '80s no-wave minimalism a:id
scronk guitar-into a new package that's tied
off with a bow of urban color. The ensemble
sound derives its integrity from the unison lines
of altoist Coat Cooke and guitaris1 Run Samworth. Cooke is no! your t)1iical post-Parker
saxophonist. His lines are deliberate and sparse,
avoiding virtuosity for its own sake. He is also
effec1ive as a counier-melodicist behind
Samwonh's scronk guitar and proticienl al a
number of styles. He can rock with apprnpri:11c
growl, scratch and feedback. or can sound like
Jim Hall with Paul Desmond (one of Omcue's
early inl1uences).
The rhythm tandem of bassis1 Clyde Recd
and drummer Greg Simpson is one of the most
together sections I've heard in the Nonhwcsl.
They bring a traditional jazz feel 10 whatever
sound the group is exploring . These 1wo tapes
share some of the same tunes. It's instructive to
note how the group's approach has solidified.
The headlines are now more concise, the improvisations more thoughtful. "Pacific Lean
Time" has also grown imo a fully-realized
performance gaining both length and clarity.
Lunar Adventures is from the provinces, but
they're sure no! provincial. This band is so New
York I can't stand it.
Gary JJa1111isler