Michel Portal
Birdwatcher
Sunnyside Records


Mixing world music with a hint of avante-garde, bass clarinetist Michel Portal has put together a larger small band including the likes of tenorist Tony Malaby and percussionist Airto Moreira. Unfortunately, the music comes off too academically and dry. None of the pieces seem to have much punch and seem more like an exercise in musical gymnastics than anything else. The tones are mostly dark, the colors are mostly grey, and the rhythms are too stagnant. There are better ways to support music from Minneapolis, like seeing singer Julie Day.


-George W. Harris