artist: Paul Horn country of origin: USA style(s): Ethno ambient, world music, jazz essential releases: Inside The Taj Mahal (1969, Kuckuck) Inside The Great Pyramid (1976, Kuckuck) Nomad: Selected Pieces 1976-88 (1990, Kuckuck)

A pioneering figure in world music since the 1960's, Paul's Horn's repertoire has ranged from contemporary jazz to neo classical to deep ambient. He's an incurable traveler and was one of the first generation of Western musicians to embrace indigenous sounds wherever he found them. Still active today, he's regarded by many fans as one of the world's great flautists despite rather spurious claims by his publicity machine that he's "the father of new age music". It's not accurate, and nor is it a title most credible musicians would want to be attached to.

These three excellent releases from his fertile period with Celestial Harmonies' imprint Kuckuck in the 70's and 80's cover the full range of his explorations in the ambient and downtempo genres. His playing is refreshingly intuitive and often subtly coloured by various non-Western traditions.

On his most famous album Inside The Taj Mahal his meditative flute is nurtured by the remarkable natural acoustics of the building’s central dome. Similarly, Inside The Great Pyramid sees Horn using the natural resonance of several chambers in the famous Egyptian monument to create beautiful, other-worldly wind music. Nomad is an extensive and intelligently compiled best-of collection.

HOME