Jeanette Wrate is a percussionist of Scandinavian ancestry who has performed with artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Haden and Jimmy Witherspoon. On her new recording, 'Echoes Of A Northern Sky,' Wrate combines the traditional music of Northern Europe with the instrumentation and improvisation of jazz. The result is so atmospheric, so hypnotic; it's hard to believe it was recorded not in Oslo, but in LA! In addition to drums, bass, and piano, the textures of violins, gongs, didjeridu, and kantele (Finnish harp) give this music an exotic, other-worldly quality. Influences from Eastern European and Celtic music provide fertile territory for these sonic explorations, which include both adaptations of traditional folk songs, as well as Wrate's own compositions. If you're into ethnic music, ECM, or just appreciate innovation, then 'Echoes Of A Northern Sky' is required listening.
