Lead Us Not into Temptation: Music from the Film "Young Adam" by David ByrneReview by: Rick AndersonNotes, Second Series, Vol. 60, No. 3 (Mar., 2004), p. 774Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4487238 .

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774 NOTES, March 2004

history in jazz. The sextet that calls itself Flutology operates in something of that same spirit. Assisted by a crack rhythm sec- tion consisting of pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Peter Washington and veteran drummer Ben Riley, flutists Frank Wess (a veteran of the Count Basie big band and longstanding exponent of jazz flute), Holly Hofmann, and Ali Ryerson deliver an ab- solutely delightful set of standards, Wess originals, and a few worthy semi-obscurities. These three flutists all favor a somewhat more refined and classically influenced tone than that of some other jazz flutists, but their sound is still warm, woody, and swinging. Among the many highlight tracks on this album are a breathtaking rendition of the Charlie Parker standard "Be Bop," Wess's own ballad "Pretty Is," and an arrangement of the Thad Jones composi- tion "A Child Is Born," which the group performed live in the studio, in a single take and without recourse to printed music or chord charts. If an argument were needed that the flute deserves more re- spect as a jazz instrument than it has histor- ically received, this fine album should put the debate to rest. Highly recommended to all jazz collections.

Le Vente du Nord. Maudite Moisson! Borealis BCD 151, 2003.

Le Vente du Nord is something of a Quebecois supergroup-it includes former members of such respected (even leg- endary) traditional and neotraditional en- sembles as La Bottine Souriante, Ad Vielle Que Pourra, Montcorbier, and Matapat- but Nicolas Boulerice, Benoit Bourque, Olivier Demers, and Bernard Simard take an approach to the folk music of French Canada that is different from that taken by any of those groups. Le Vente du Nord's approach is simultaneously unique and steeped in tradition: the songs they sing come mostly from historical sources, but their arrangements are sometimes explic- itly jazzy (as on the bluesy "Par un di- manche au soir") and sometimes draw on Celtic and other influences (note the bodhran on "La chanson d'Hortense/ Gigue des militaires"). Elsewhere they take

the unison call-and-response vocal tradition of the region and spice it up with beauti- fully arranged harmonies (as on the gor- geous "Au bord de la fontaine"). The group's vocal virtuosity is well matched by its instrumental skill, which is demon- strated by several thrilling sets of traditional and original jigs and reels. Hopefully this group will record several more albums before its members spin off into another varied configuration of Quebecois folk groups.

David Byrne. Lead Us Not into Temptation: Music from the Film Young Adam. Thrill Jockey 133, 2003.

David Byrne, founding member of Talking Heads and peripatetic solo artist, has worked on film music before, notably for the movies The Last Emperor and Married to the Mob, and has written scores for vari- ous experimental stage and dance produc- tions. He was approached by the producers of an independent film called Young Adam (based on the novel of the same name by the Scottish author Alexander Trocci), who suggested that he work with some Scottish musicians from outside the pop music mainstream to create a soundtrack for it. The result is a strange and lovely collage of sounds that sometimes approximate jazz and sometimes verge on a sort of retro- grade rhythm and blues, and sometimes float like debris on a murky river. The over- all feeling is not exactly one of film-noir dissolution, but one that definitely does in- voke the sort of down-at-the-heels water- front ambience that is commonly associ- ated with Glasgow, where the film takes place. A fascinating array of instruments (including guitars, organ, double bass, cello, and a broken hurdy gurdy) keep the sound unpredictable and occasionally downright weird, though it is never unat- tractive. The program ends with a song performed by Byrne, which is enjoyable enough but not particularly exciting. As Byrne's work for films and the stage goes, this recording ranks somewhere between his brilliant score for The Catherine Wheel and his dreary one for The Knee Plays.

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