Nguyên Lê’s fifth album for ACT is performed by Lê himself (guitars), Mieko Miyazaki (koto and vocals) and Prabhu Edouard (tablas, percussion and vocals) and as you might guess, there’s a strong Indo jazz and trad Japanese elements with ambient, modal and Offramp themes throw into the genre mix.

The opener ‘Sweet Ganesh’ sets the tone but on the meditative groove but the addition of Hariprasad Chaurasia on bassuri flute on three tracks almost steels the show (erm, CD); ‘Autumn Wind’ is sublime (think Yusek Lateef in Nepalese temple looking down on the world).

The other two are ‘Mina Zuki’ and ‘Sangam’ and both all are supeb. ‘Mina Zuki’ is more uptempo with a bit of a Greek Island influence along with Mieko on top form on this one. ‘Sangam’ even includes some chorus vocals but it’s one for guitar heads but all four of them get to solo - this is possibly the most instant track on the album.

But it’s not all about Nariprasad’s flute, as a trio ‘Mayur’ and ‘Hen Ho’ are like a modern indo-jazz fusion (of a McLaughlin/Santana period); it’s so post jazz-nodding there should be a Big Chill/Womad gig next year at least. And whilst at it, ‘Nanae Goromo’ takes the concept to the extended prog extreme and ‘Azur’ is Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence ‘revisit’ in a Saiyuki vibe.

The title ‘Saiyuki’ is taken from a 16th Century novel by Wu Cheng’en and it means “Journey To The West”. And the music is like that as these guys are so open, ‘Izanagi Isanam’ even sounds a little risqué on the vocal introduction (would Osunlade love to remix this one? I think so).

This is a absolutely fantastically original album and all from Kevin Le Grand to Jez Nelson to Nihal to Pathaan to Gilles Peterson, they all should be on this one as Saiuki is so now and what with Portico Quartet and the Bei Bei and Shawn Lee collaboration, this is hitting the crossover world/spiritual jazz in all the right places. This is a truly ‘joyful encounter’.

Reviewed: Nguyen Le - Saiyuki (ACT) Cat. No. ACT 9483-2 Release date: 23rd October 2009
Tracklisting:
1. Sweet Ganesh (5:34)
2. Autumn Wind (5:56)
3. Mina Zuki (4:43)
4. Mayur (6:25)
5. Sangam (5:23)
6. Azur (7:43)
7. Izanagi Isanami (4:57)
8. Hen Ho (3:57)
9. Nanae Goromo (7:05)
10. Ila (4:41)

Links:
myspace.com/nguyenle1
www.nguyen-le.com
actmusic.com