Daniel Taylor, Anne Azéma, Françoise Atlan, Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian - Constantinople Sampler (2006)

This album is a sampler of tracks from previous releases by Constantinople, the Canadian early music ensemble that specializes primarily in music from areas surrounding the Mediterranean. Constantinople's sound defies easy pigeonholing, but the effect is thoroughly engaging. The ensemble is notable for the sense of otherness it creates by bringing the insights of Middle Eastern music to the music of Medieval Europe, which leaves the listener pleasantly disoriented -- is this European early music or contemporary music of the Middle East? The music is based on Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, but the performances sound entirely spontaneous, as if the members of the ensemble knew each other well enough to improvise without inhibition, with the kind of give and take characteristic of the best jazz ensembles. The performers' exuberance and deep feelings for this music are infectious and tangible. Singers Daniel Taylor, Anne Azéma, Françoise Atlan, and Ghada Shbeir join the ensemble on several tracks, and their soulful performances amplify the wonderful strangeness of the music. Atma's sound is deep and atmospheric without sacrificing clarity. The sampler ought to succeed in encouraging listeners to seek out Constantinople's other albums.