Music of the Moscow Circus

RELEASE
LABEL
Gramavision Records
GENRES
Jazz, World Fusion

Album Review

In 1991 Bobby Previte was given a most unusual assignment: to create a new score of music for the Moscow Circus. Previte, an innovative composer who learned from Gil Evans the joy of combining together acoustic and electronic instruments, was up to the challenging task. The result is a generally fascinating soundtrack, music that stands up by itself but makes one very curious to see how it fits into the circus routines. The music ranges from an electronic opening overture that wittily hints at some past circus themes, several hypnotic new age pieces written to accompany death-defying feats and six brief "clown segments" which are purposely chaotic. Violinist Mark Feldman has some moments in the spotlight and cornetist Herb Robertson gets to lead the riotous clown interludes, but the bulk of the credit for this episodic, colorful and somewhat unique score's success lies with the composer.
Scott Yanow, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Overture: Fire and Lightening/Spring's Theme
  2. The Russian Bar
  3. Crazy Clown
  4. One Hand on the Wheel
  5. Confused Clown
  6. Spring, Beauty, and the Muse
  7. March Clown
  8. Spring Steps Out
  9. Comic Clown
  10. The Melody. And the Melody Inside That
  11. Congo Clown
  12. Rattango
  13. More Confused Clown
  14. Seven Alarm
  15. Finale
  16. Thunder and Blazes