Invenium Viam is Latin for "I will find a path''. It is the first of four three-part works jointly composed by Jorge Sosa, a Mexican in New York, and Dave Lisik, of Wellington. The others are Circulus in Probando, referring to circular arguments, Post Tenebras Lux ``after dark'' and Dum Spiro Spero, ``while I breathe, I hope''. These ideas are illustrated in the music and struggle that permeates this powerful disc for the solo cello. Megiddo introduces improvisations into the mix. (Zubin Mehta correctly endorsed her as ``an extremely talented, very musical musician.'') The composers provided electronic effects recorded in Wellington by Lisik, edited and mixed by Sosa in New York and finally mastered by Steve Garden in Auckland.
Verdict: Cello tones for serious jazz.
Now bigger forces find a path through music inspired by a novel The Children, by James Vance Marshall (filmed as Walkabout with a soundtrack by John Berry). These 10 tracks are completely different but also inspired by the book's themes. It begins with a dramatic Walkabout (``a place for visions'') theme and progresses well to the rhythmically hypnotic Ritual Dance for finale. Featured are a leading Australian big band (19 musicians) plus two world-star soloists on trumpet and sax. The recording was made in Sydney and edited and mixed in New Zealand by prolific jazz composer Dave Lisik.
The disc comes with a 38-page booklet with information and many colour photos (oddly, though, out of focus.)
Verdict: Exciting big jazz sound.
