Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Anderson, Ian
Label: EMI Records
Released: 1995
Length: 47:03
Rating: 4/5
Ian Anderson, the wily old patriarch of progressive rock who has played supreme chieftain of the legendary Jethro Tull for more than forty years, for better or worse, now and then decides to devote himself to his solo career. After the exceptionally pale solo debut “Walk into Light” (1983), soaked in eighties synths, it took him a full twelve years before he went for another solo attempt with “Divinities: Twelve Dances of God”. This time he made sure not to repeat the same mistake and wander into musical territory that doesn’t suit him, as he did with that electro pop rock debut.
In the mid-nineties Ian developed a growing fondness for the ethnic music of different peoples, which he demonstrated vividly on the Tull album “Roots To Branches” (1995), teeming with all sorts of Oriental motifs. On “Divinites” he carried on his fascination with the folk music of faraway lands and, for a change, decided to make a completely instrumental album made up of twelve traditional ethnic motifs. Each individual piece, with its own distinct ethnic flavor, represents one of the world’s polytheistic or monotheistic religions; from ancient beliefs to the major world faiths, led by Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Judaism. The arrangements and motifs draw on the folk music of the lands where the well-known religious teachings originated. His main support in creating them was his central instrument, the flute, while long-time Tull drummer Doane Perry and Andrew Giddings, who was then a brand-new Tull keyboardist, helped out with the rhythmic twists. A small orchestral section provided the symphonic backdrop, which was a prelude to Ian’s later collaborations with orchestras.
A fierce opponent of church institutions, who once described his own religious outlook as something between a deist and a pantheist, has made an excellent acoustic-leaning album built on seductive pastoral melodies and lush orchestral arrangements. The album really showcases his eclectic bamboo flute playing, which he uses to conjure up the mystical atmosphere of certain Oriental religions. The individual arrangements are varied enough, and contain recognizable ethnic motifs, so you can easily tell which faith a given piece stands for.
Together with his two Tull buddies and the orchestra, Ian first takes us on a visit to the ancient Celts with “In a Stone Circle,” where, amid ethereal pastoral arrangements, he brings the famous stone circle of Stonehenge near Salisbury to life. Then, via sacral arrangements on “In Sight of the Minaret,” he heads off to a Jewish temple, and on “In a Black Box” he gazes at the black box that Muslims believe was left behind by the prophet Muhammad, while scientific theory says it’s a carefully worked piece of meteorite. It has to be said that the individual motifs are indeed fertilized by the ethnic motifs of the lands where particular religions come from, but Ian doesn’t use traditional instruments for it, so don’t expect the traditional sounds of Arabic, Jewish or Indian music.
Of course there’s no shortage of pieces representing all three main Christian denominations, such as “In the Moneylender’s Temple,” “In Defence of Faiths” and “At Their Father’s Knee,” all steeped in various sacral arrangements. “At Their Father’s Knee” stands for the Orthodox faith, so it features a motif borrowed from traditional Russian music. On the rowdy “In the Grip Of Stronger Stuff,” where Ian fires off a bunch of fiery flute solos, he once again bows to his Celtic forebears. “In Maternal Grace” contains various Far Eastern motifs that set the mystical mood typical of the Buddhist religion.”In The Olive Garden” feeds on the rhythms of Greek folk music, so it’s no surprise it’s dedicated to the religion of ancient Greece. “En Afrique” is greased with some percussion in the rhythms of African music. On “In the Pay of Spain” he shapes ethnic motifs coming from a blend of Spanish Moorish and Catholic traditions, while the closing “In Times of India (Bombay Valentine),” dedicated to Hindu belief, is built on elements of Indian ethnic music.
With “Divinities,” the legendary troubadour of progressive folk rock has crafted a superb instrumental album, blending influences from a range of ethnic traditions into one rounded whole through enchanting pastoral melodies and orchestral arrangements. With its gentle instrumental motifs, this is an album that suits just about any occasion, from meditation and driving to munching on pears and stretching. In terms of sales, too, it was a whole different ball game from the weak debut, as hitting number one on the American chart worked a genuine miracle, which gave Ian extra encouragement to give his solo career almost as much weight as Jethro Tull over the following years.
Line-up
Ian Anderson – concert and bamboo flute
Andrew Giddings – keyboards
Doane Perry – percussion
Douglas Mitchell – clarinet
Christopher Cowrie – oboe
Jonathon Carrey – violin
Nina Gresin – cello
Randy Wigs – harp
Sid Gander – French horn
Den Redding – trumpet
Production
Ian Anderson
Track list
1. In A Stone Circle
2. In Sight Of The Minaret
3. In A Black Box
4. In The Grip Of Stronger Stuff
5. In Maternal Grace
6. In The Moneylender’s Temple
7. In Defence Of Faiths
8. At Their Father’s Knee
9. En Afrique
10. In The Olive Garden
11. In The Pay Of Spain
12. In The Times Of India (Bombay Valentine)
