Album Notes

Daniel Buckley, Tucson Citizen: "2003 TOP TEN: Een is a graceful musician and a conjuring compositional alchemist whose music...never sounds anything shy of original and inviting."

Kyle Gann, Village Voice: "Suavely post-minimalist music [that] could engage any audience. Rarely is new music this much fun."

Robert Een is an award-winning and widely acclaimed composer, singer, and cellist, who has performed his music throughout the world, from the Buddhist caves of Ellora, India to New York City's Lincoln Center.

The infectious accessibility of Een's music has been noted by leading critics. Writing in the Village Voice, Kyle Gann comments that this "joyous roller coaster of postminimal-jazz energy could engage any audience." His music for dance has been praised by Jack Anderson in the New York Times and by Deborah Jowitt in the Village Voice, who wrote that Een's "lively, raucous and sweet music... is a marvel and full of variety."

The music on this CD reflects influences from such diverse sources as the fall of the Berlin Wall, traditional Japanese court music, subterranean Roman baths in England, and a walking journey in Tibet.

Meredith Monk remarks that "Mystery Dances is like a musical caravan drawing upon traditions from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. The music is energetic, filled with contrasting moods of humor and poignancy."

Known for his use of extended vocal and cello techniques, Een has recorded over a half-dozen albums of his compositions, written scores for several films, and regularly performs with his group Big Joe. Een has composed dance music for noted choreographers such as Liz Lerman and David Dorfman, and his long association with Meredith Monk culminated in the creation of their full-evening music/theater duet, Facing North. Een is the recipient of a Bessie Award for music composition in 1998 and for sustained achievement in 2000.