Tuesday, 3rd December 2002, 4:25pm
An opinion by:
Nette 
The Blue One by The United Women's Orchestra
I have been struck by an overwhelming desire to paint a room in our home indigo blue, or more accurately, Yves Klein blue. Is it a coincidence that the first track of this album, Lydisch Blau by Christina Fuchs, is an hommage to Yves Klein and his blue? Well, the colour is evocative and so is the composition performed here.
The United Women's Orchestra is an all female big band from Europe that performs original music by their band leaders, i.e. lotsa grrl power let loose. The musicianship on this album is excellent and consistent, with unabashed soloists, notably Corinna Danzer on alto and Regina Pastuszyk on clarinet.
Unlike some big bands that can sometimes sound outta control, the UWO plays with a unity of spirit that still allows for alot of individuality. The music is texturally sophisticated, full of dynamics and thoughtful arrangements. The liner notes included here are poetic, which adds a nice touch to a creative production. [ask them where you can buy it]