Album

Extempore II is the second collaboration between two quartets in widely varying fields: the early music specialist vocal group Orlando Consort and the jazz combo Perfect Houseplants. This project is structured as a mass in honor of St. Michael based around the medieval tune L'homme armé and various members of both groups are responsible for the pieces that make up the whole. The resulting patchwork arrangement of ideas works better in the second half of the program than it does in the first, where the variety of approaches seems a bit disorderly in terms of overall flow. On the surface, this type of collaboration invites comparison with Jan Garbarek's spacey and successful recordings with the Hilliard Ensemble, but beyond that there is nothing in common to be found between the two. Extempore II is very English in style and at times is reminiscent of progressive 1970s groups such as Gentle Giant or Matching Mole. At first listen the opening treatment of L'Homme Armé might tickle your funny bone, as the combination of the strident fourteenth century battle song and progressive jazz is so improbable. But once into Extempore II, you get a sense that there is something about the disc that works. In the Sanctus, Credo, Agnus Dei, and concluding Dona nobis pacem, the combination works very well—these mass movements contain some genuinely moving, well-considered, and well-improvised music. Extempore II is almost a sure-fire hit for jazz-loving clergy; as to how lay people may approach it is another matter. Nonetheless, Extempore II is a challenging, thought-provoking disc that represents a change of pace for fans of either jazz or medieval music, even if there is no guarantee that it will be embraced by either category of listeners.

© Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

CD 1
Huw Warren Composer The Man, the Man, motet Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
1	The Man, the Man, motet	3:56			$0.99
Donald Greig Composer Approach Work Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
2	Approach	2:03			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Tumult, processional fanfare Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Angus Smith Trumpet
3	Tumult, processional fanfare	1:01			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Kyrie Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
4	Kyrie	2:14			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Gloria Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
5	Gloria	5:54			$0.99
Dudley Phillips Composer Thistle, collect Work Dudley Phillips Bass (Electric), Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
6	Thistle, collect	1:25			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Prayer, epistle (instrumental) Work Perfect Houseplants Band
7	Prayer, epistle (instrumental)	2:46			$0.99
Robert Harre-Jones Composer Protectorate, gradual Work Robert Harre-Jones Countertenor, Charles Daniels Tenor
8	Protectorate, gradual	2:26			$0.99
Donald Greig Composer Archangel, alleluia Work Martin France Drums, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
9	Archangel, alleluia	2:38			$0.99
Dudley / Huw / Martin Phillips / Warren / France Composer Gospel, gospel Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
10	Gospel, gospel	3:13			$0.99
Huw Warren Composer Credo Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
11	Credo	6:50			$0.99
Donald Greig Composer Umballa, secret (Offertory) Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
12	Umballa, secret (Offertory)	3:54			$0.99
Dudley / Mark Phillips / Lockheart Composer Ministry of Angels Work Mark Lockheart Saxophone (Soprano), Dudley Phillips Bass (Electric), Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
13	Ministry of Angels	1:55			$0.99
Dudley Phillips Composer Sanctus Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
14	Sanctus	5:08			$0.99
Dudley Phillips Composer Benedictus Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
15	Benedictus	1:32			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Pater Noster Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Angus Smith Tenor
16	Pater Noster	0:21			$0.99
Dudley Phillips Composer Per om Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
17	Per om	3:29			$0.99
Plainchant Composer Per omnia saecula saeculorum Work Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
18	Per omnia saecula saeculorum	0:29			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Agnus Dei Work Huw Warren Piano, Dudley Phillips Contrabass, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
19	Agnus Dei	2:16			$0.99
Mark Lockheart Composer Above the Clouds, communion Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Donald Greig Baritone
20	Above the Clouds, communion	2:59			$0.99
Donald / Charles Greig / Daniels Composer Intercession, post communion Work Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
21	Intercession, post communion	0:57			$0.99
Angus Smith Composer Burgate, dismissal Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
22	Burgate, dismissal	1:39			$0.99
Huw Warren Composer Dona nobis pacem, recessional Work Perfect Houseplants Band, Orlando Consort Early Music Ensemble
23	Dona nobis pacem, recessional	3:32			$0.99