Richard Carr is our guide as he takes on a journey to relive his world-travel experiences in Places I've Walked. Divided into four distinct parts, the album opens with a tranquil, zen-like piece called 'Fiordland', an ode to his time spent trekking through the mountains of South Island, New Zealand...

Album's like this are subjective. It doesn't matter if you're a world traveler, or have never left the town you were born in, the musical interpretations that Richard Carr offers here will mean next to nothing to anyone other than the composer. Was I transported to any of the lands represented here? Nope, not even slightly. Does that matter? Not in the least bit. If you treat this is a collection of pieces that differ wildly in approach, style and presentation, you'll probably enjoy it much more than you will trying to place yourself in the environments Carr denotes.

This is a collection of modern classical pieces which will excite some and repulse others. I was split down the middle. While I enjoyed exploring Carr's compositional world, of which there's much to champion, I also know it's one I will probably never listen to again.

The fusion of jazz and classical music in tracks like 'Bowery Murals' is frenetic but it's not the sort of thing you'd want to listen to for too long... but there's something about it that hooks you and keeps you listening.

'Cementerio de la Recoleta', the album's closing track, is probably the most accessible. For me, this was the highlight of the album - a beautiful track to finish of a rather mixed bag.

5

Darren Rea