War Orphans CD

The latest must-check release in ECM's ongoing reissue series comes from Norway's Bobo Stenson Trio. Named after an Ornette Coleman tune, "War Orphans" was the talented threesome's follow-up to 1996 debut "Reflections" and contained a mix of covers and original compositions by pianist Bobo Stenson and bassist Anders Jormin. Listening back 22 years after the album first surfaced, "War Orphans" still hits home hard, an effect heightened by some fine re-mastering work. Highlights include "Oleo De Mujer Con Sombrero" - a stunningly poignant cover of a Cuban folk song - the heartfelt, cymbal-rich sadness of Coleman's title track, the atmospheric brilliance of Stenson's "Bengali Blue", and a surprisingly upbeat rendition of Duke Ellington's "Melancholia".