Mike Edwards Soul Of The Didgeridoo CD

A basic album of contemporary didgeridoo music from Mike Edwards, one of a movement of essentially fusion-minded players taking up the didge in recent years, though Edwards himself isn't actually fusing the didgeridoo with anything. He seems to take great pleasure in playing in a less traditional manner, using the instrument more as a horn (tighter lips, essentially), which allows a different variety of sounds than one will often hear. It also allows him to make faster passages, using tonguing techniques to switch notes and allow speeds and grooves that would make Mickey Hart proud. Refreshingly, the tendency toward inclusion of synthesizers and keyboards is ignored here, with a focus solely on the didgeridoo itself (though some synth pads can be heard creeping in on at least one number). Edwards' playing is nearly flawless, and his arrangements are intriguing. He doesn't tend toward any simple drones; he doesn't tend toward any new age mysticism. He tends toward flights of virtuosity, explorations of tone and rhythm, and what might be considered some good old-fashioned grooves. ~ Adam Greenberg