Dirk Mont Campbell - Long Time Gone (2025)

Dirk Mont Campbell is a composer and performer with skills in a variety of non-Western ethnic traditions acquired after his time in pioneering progressive rock bands such as Uriel/Arzachel, Egg, National Health, as well as a large number of collaborations on different albums and audiovisual projects.

"So, thirteen pieces of music in non-Western ethnic traditions which are, quite simply, an adventure and intellectually and culturally stimulating... An exceptional album, a modern classic by an experienced musician whose notes accompanying this album shine with the warmth of the best of humanity, and I thoroughly recommend it to you." (Steve Lazenby, Lazland)

Dirk Mont Campbell plays nearly thirty different instruments on the album, with occasional contributions on piano from his son Adam. A couple of songs also have guest vocalists, and that’s about it. I was at first reluctant to even listen to the album, because I was expecting no-nonsense ethnic music. But Campbell knows how to combine his non-Western musical education with modern classical music, and sometimes even adds a hint of pop appeal. As there are sometimes up to ten instruments played in one song, the multitracking must have been an incredible amount of work, and it speaks for the artist that the end result sounds like a piece performed by an entire ensemble. Listening to the entire album from beginning to end feels like a musical journey all over the planet, while it all sound surprisingly homogeneous. (Pascal Thiel , Disagreement)

This release includes a pdf booklet with credits, photos and lots of commentary by Dirk Mont Campbell.