Album Review: Miho’s Jazz Orchestra – Live at The Lab

This CD and DVD set is packed with the coolest jazz and funk instrumental tracks one could hope for, 13 upbeat songs to enjoy and appreciate, as they were all performed live in one take! Miho Wada is a Japanese born New Zealander who has formed a great little Jazz Orchestra and together they produce the most delightful music, Miho’s flute sounds so sweet and full, it creates a warm kind of 60’s hippy vibe, she also showcases her exceptional saxophone playing and throughout we are taken on a wonderful musical journey.

The album is called Live at the Lab but could be subtitled The Duel of the Dancing Flute and Violin as most songs see the flute and violin trade off with incredible solos, of which there is no clear victor, suffice to say the winner is your listening pleasure! The violin mentioned is expertly played by Pascal Roggen on an electric violin, his playing is phenomenal, the clear diction of each note is so defined, on the first listen I thought it must be keyboards! All this amazing music is supported by the great backing rhythm supplied by Jared Desvaux De Marigny on drums, bass from Leo Corso and guitar by Andrew Rudolph, each playing his part faultlessly, driving the tracks in perfect syncopation throughout the show. There are also sublime guitar solos from Andrew as revealed in the very cool blues/jazz number Between The Sheets.

The delightful melodies and extended solos are playful and sophisticated, but never complicated or over the top. Each song is introduced with an explanation of the inspiration or meaning behind the song, as in the serene tune Cherry Beer, which was written for the bar man as a trade-off for giving them some free cherry beer. The great thing about instrumental music is that it becomes the soundtrack to wherever the listener’s imagination takes them, like I found that in the beautiful track Taking Off the flute conjured up images of butterflies and the violin resonated like the wind making me feel light and free. Generally the tunes are full of fun and frivolity they are upbeat and make you feel good, whether you dance along or just tap your foot it’s hard not to be drawn in and impossible not to enjoy.