Art Decade

It cannot be overemphasized how much the ambient and ‘art rock’ work of David Bowie, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp influenced an entire generation. Add to this the painterly minimalism of Harold Budd, whose own place in the firmament shines with jewels such as “Avalon Sutra”, and Eno with the epic “Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror”, and we have all the ingredients for the exploratory wonders that permeate the aptly titled “Art Decade” (after Bowie’s poignant meditation in “Low” from 1977). The album is an expansive collaboration that brings together composer, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Evan Ziporyn with the renowned ContaQt ensemble from Toronto under the direction of arranger and percussionist Jerry Pergolesi. With completely new interpretations of these classics from the early 1970s – King Crimson’s psych-prog works, Bowie’s “Berlin Trilogy” and Eno’s “Ambient 1-4” series – “Art Decade” is more than just a tribute album. ‘Our goal is not to “elevate” or legitimize this music,’ Ziporyn and Pergolesi reveal in the album’s liner notes. ‘Its outstanding artistic achievement and its profound influence on an entire generation are obvious. Instead, we hope that by revisiting and reinterpreting these groundbreaking works, we can ensure that they remain a vibrant, celebrated part of the musical repertoire and retain their punk sense of joyful adventure, while continuing to defy expectations and venture into uncharted territory.’ The CD cover was designed by Russell Mills, who is known for his collaboration with Brian Eno on the book “More Dark Than Shark”, published in 1986, as well as for numerous album covers for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, Nine Inch Nails, David Sylvian and many others.