Music of Michael Brook

Last updated October, 1998

Michael Brook is a Canadian guitarist, producer, and sound-track creator. His musical peak was reached in 1992 with the release of his stunning record: Cobalt Blue (and the follow-up recording Live at the Aquarium, also recorded in 1992). On these two albums Michael Brook reached a dizzy height of music creation which few other artists in the 1990's have been able to match.

However, Michael Brook's talents as a solo artist have not (yet) been recognized and he has not graced the listening public with a follow-up solo record. He has achieved some success as a collaberator with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (who died much too young in August of 1997). The two collaberations which they recorded, Mustt, Mustt, and Nightsong were critical and commercial hits.

In addition to his collaberations, Michael Brook has also created some movie sound tracks. I can't say anything about them because I haven't heard them.

Michael Brook is similar to Steve Tibbets and Bill Nelson.

His Recordings

Hybrid    Released in 19985
Hybrid is actually a collaberation with Brian Eno. Michael Brook first appeared on the musical scene with Jon Hassel (most famous for his Eno collaberation 4th World Music). Eno credited Brook for some of the inspiration on Eno's classic Ambiet record: Ambiet 4: On Land.

While I am a big fan of Eno's work, and Michael Brook's solo material, this record does not impress me. My feeling is that it is not ambient enough to be ambient music, but also it is not interesting enough to hold my attention. Some people think Hybrid is a wonderful work. I don't think it is a bad record, it just doesn't work for me.

Cobalt Blue    Released in 1992
Cobalt Blue is a supurb record. Nearly every track is standout music and some of the tracks are absolutely perfect: Urbana, Ultramarine, and Lakbossa being the three best.

This is guitar music, alternately driven then abstract. Sometimes it just shimmers in the moonlight, other times it cuts accross time like a knife, the notes hard and brilliant like saphires in the sun. This is music that is a joy to listen to. Somehow it challenges you to think, to follow the line of the melody as a weaves in and out of the surrounding fabric of supporting musical lines.

This record has my highest recomendation, but it is out-of-print at the moment.

Live at the Aquarium    Released 1993
This music was recorded at the launch of the Cobalt Blue record. It was not originally going to be released but it turned out very nicely and, the record company released it. I like this record. It is a great deal like Cobalt Blue so if you happen not to like that record, you won't want this record at all. However, for Michael Brook fans, this music is well worth having.

Collaberations

Mustt, Mustt with Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan    Released 1990
This record is credited to Nustrat, though in looking carefully at the song credits you can tell the music here owes more to Michael Brook than it does to Nusrat. That said, I like this record a great deal. It is quite interesting, an experiment in cross-musical fertilization that worked.

For those who don't know, Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan was one of the world's greatest vocalists, coming from the Pakistani-Sufi-Moslem tradition of sacred, devotional signing. Until Peter Gabrial discovered Nusrat in the early 80's, I had no idea this music and tradition even existed. Even though I am not a Moslem, I don't understand the lyrics, and I find the music repetitive, there is a real, undenyable power in Nusrat's signing. It is said that some listeners become so entraced by the Nusrat's signing that they threw money at the stage. I can easily understand becoming hooked into the music, my great regret is that I never saw Nusrat in concert.

This record marries Nusrat's signing, as a abstract sound, and Michael Brook adds his own shimmering, 1990's electric guitar to mix. Adding cool melody and subtle texture to the very different feeling sounds created by Nusrat's voice.

Night Song with Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan    Released 1996
Aside from the lovely opening title track, this record is inferior in every respect to Mustt, Mustt. I can't say what exactly went wrong here. Maybe it is just me as other people and record reviewers thought this was great. I've heard Nusrat on quite a number of other records and this signing and music left me unmoved and bored.

Tragically, Nusrat (who was grossly overweight) died in London in August, 1997, en route to California where he was expecting to get an organ transplant that might have saved his life. By the time he died, Nusrat had become a global phenomenon, heard and recognized throughout the Moslem and Western world. I do not think we shall see his like again.

Of the various Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan records that I have heard, my favorite is Shahen-Shah, released in 1989, one of the very first records on Peter Gabrial's RealWorld Records. It is hard to say just what makes this record stand out. Perhaps it is the skillful editing, so that the songs don't drag on for 20 minutes (as they did in concert and on some later RealWorld releases). Perhaps it was the vast selection of interesting song which Nusrat was able to draw from for this, his first recording for the English speaking world. In any case, I recomend Shahen-Shah, one thing is certain, you won't forget it. Warning: Some people hate this music. It sounds nothing like Elvis Presley.

This goes to Chad Ossman's Breakdown, a wonderful fan web site devoted to all things Michael Brook.

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