Alan Mallery has quite the vantage point on things living in the mile high city of Denver Colorado, but when it comes to his ability to create dynamic instrumental music, he takes a much loftier vantage point then Denver will ever give him.
With a style that defies you to categorize, Alan masterminds a sonic brew that will engulf you with its musical brilliance. It might have some elements of jazz, prog, etc., but this disc contains such diversification that it cannot be pigeon-holed into one genre or another. The thought that I have when listening is one of making music that fits a particular mood Mallery is trying to convey.
When he wants you to feel the energy of his music, there is the uplifting and yes, jazzy sounding "Maximum Vitality". When he wants you to be touched by the world around us he takes you on a very surreal keyboard journey with the amazing "Crying World". The later song here reminds me very much of early Mannheim Steamroller from the Fresh Aire days.
I could go on and on about how well Alan and the band paint vivid pictures for you with their music. You can think about sitting on the beach with the sun setting as you listen to the song "The Last Days of Summer" or you can look for a bomb shelter as you answer "The Call to War". It is a master musician who can create such vivid landscapes with his music.
Alan told me that he wanted to make an album that combined all the elements he has learned in his years making music. There is little doubt that he has done this and done it better than most! A Higher Vantage Point is a musical journey that you hope never ends. This is one case where you will be glad there is a repeat button on your CD player.
Track listing:
1. Maximum Vitality
2. Crying World
3. The Last Days of Summer
4. The Call to War
5. Ouroboros (for JZ)
6. Schizoid
7. Transcendence
8. The Point of Being
9. Walking the Labyrinth
10. Lunar Sunset (In Memoriam Peter Bardens)
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