Eckemoff, Yelena: Scenes From the Dark Ages

Despite the title of the album, the names of its songs, and its cover art, you don’t need to be into dressing up in chainmail and faux jousting on the weekends or sitting around the hearth drinking mead and reading Chaucer to enjoy it.

Prolific Russian-American jazz musician Yelena Eckemoff has ventured into prog with Scenes from the Dark Ages, an instrumental double album. She plays piano, organ, clavichord, celesta, and synths, and is joined by Riccardo Bertuzzi (electric guitar), Carlo Nicita (soprano, alto, and bass flutes), Eloisa Manera (acoustic and electric violin), Riccardo Oliva (electric bass), and Trilok Gurtu (drums and percussion).

The album has a strong folky feel from the outset with nice flute work reminiscent of early Jethro Tull, a sound that permeates much of the album. The other sound that is dominant, not surprisingly, is fusion, which can be somewhat laid-back at times but aggressive at others. And there is also an eclecticism reminiscent of the David Cross-era of King Crimson thanks to Manera’s great violin contributions. Finally, I hear some “world music� of the type Peter Gabriel championed in the early 80s.

Despite being labeled as a solo effort, and Eckemoff did compose all the tracks, it’s really a full-fledged band affair, the sound of which can’t be neatly characterized. And yet … after 15 tracks I felt like I had gotten too much of it somehow. It seems like they had more than enough material for a single album but not quite enough for a double album of this length. But there are so many moments to enjoy that it’s hard to complain.

The album will be released on March 28. Three tracks are up on Bandcamp for people to sample.

Track Listing
1. Pilgrims (5:38)
2. Village Tavern (5:19)
3. From Peasants Life (5:42)
4. Spell-Bound Fortress (10:37)
5. Monks in Scriptorium (6:57)
6. Cathedral (5:31)
7. Legends of the Castle (11:05)
8. Adventures of a Knight (9:42)
9. Battle (4:46)
10. Chivalry (5:29)
11. Tournament (6:04)
12. Masquerade (4:25)
13. Alchemist (8:36)
14. Quest (9:16)
15. From the Life of the Lords (5:59)

Added: March 9th 2025
Reviewer: Aaron Steelman
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Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
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Language: english

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