Zoox
Zoox Records : ZOOX2
Zoox are the trio Linda Game (fiddle, mandola and chincello), Jo May (miscellaneous percussion), and Becky Menday (whistles, soprano sax and contrabassoon). Individually the members of Zoox have played with groups such as Token Women, Kitchen Girls and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. All are singers. Their publicity says they are ‘a superb trio serving up a cocktail of new melodies and traditional tunes with a delicate balance of strings, wind, percussion and voices. Be prepared for a fabulous array of instruments from contrabassoon to congas. Exciting arrangements, great musicianship and infectious energy typify the performances of Zoox in a show which is guaranteed to entertain and enchant. Their rich and varied influences include Celtic, Appalachian, Klezmer, African, Cuban, rock, and classical’.
There are just two traditional tunes on the CD. La Belle Catherine is an up tempo reel which gives Linda’s technique on fiddle a lively work out. It sounds French – Canadian. Kid on the Mountain / Whelan’s Jig is over 6 minutes in length and has whistle lead accompanied by fiddle. This surprisingly holds the attention throughout the piece.
I found the self composed tunes more difficult to assess. For full appreciation they probably need to be listened to several times. They do lack immediacy and tunefulness and have an element of improvisation. Fallen has both fiddle and whistle lead and is helped by Jane Fenton’s bass line on the cello. Rainy View was inspired by water droplets running down a window and is almost a reel, with plucked violin and spoons ticking away to provide the rhythm. All Change has some nice honking contrabassoon and lively American style fiddle towards the end.
There are four songs. Little Beggar Girl is Richard Thompson’s song about a young gypsy woman entertaining passersby. It has a lively tempo. Dollia is a trad song referring to the involvement of soldiers with ladies nicknamed Dillon Dolls. The tune was used by Stan Kelly for his Liverpool Lullaby.I Wish is the lament of a woman wishing she was a maid again and is sung in harmony backed by the mandola. This leads into the whistle led tune Rochester Street.
The final track is Old Smokey. This is the well known American folk song sung as an unaccompanied slow ballad. The sleeve notes say it all. Desolate, unforgiving, despairing, mournful and miserable - a true finale!
Ivan North
Review from Folk London - April 2012
