DECEMBER 2009 ONLINE EDITORIALS

The Aakash Mittal Quartet – Videsh

album cover

By Erik Myers

A hushed saxophone’s sputter makes up the opening moments of Videsh, the second album of Loveland jazz talent Aakash Mittal and his similarly-named collective. Then comes the sounds of the street: the rustling cars and the stirring crowds. A deranged sax line keeps the pace.
“Subah” and “The Street” both represent the duality of Vidish, a slapdash of traditional and experimental jazz styles. But there’s also a dash of Indian influence, a result of Mittal’s recent visit to the country, his father’s homeland.
The album is not overtly foreign, but that doesn’t mean it follows any kind of American-bred formula. The music’s strength is derived from its erratic syncopation and general unpredictability. From fast to slow and then back, the range of tempo and an impressive show of flexibility keep ears stuck to each note.
Considering the album’s fluctuation, it’s most impressive that this group manages to transition smoothly between tracks: right after “The Street,” the instrumentation slows into a crawl on “Om Shanti,” a track inspired by Mittal’s visit to a sort of ashram during his visit. Consider too the gaited melody of “Bimari,” which builds easily into the sharp accents of “Mughal Impressions” before reeling down into pleasant back-to-back sax meditations.
Videsh is an impressive and unique offering, it’s restlessness contained within a well-composed whole. With another homer of an album, it seems as if The Aakash Mittal Quartet has established a sound of their own in the NoCo jazz community.
www.aakashmittal.com