Noblesse Oblige & Zig - Oltremare & Zag

A reissue of three LPs, this lovingly produced two-CD set features color pictures of the original albums, old photos, and detailed, updated liner notes. Dato's work is better known now than in the '80s when these were recorded. The small group tracks are very typical of his style, with lots of Eastern European melodies (sounding often like a Jewish wedding), plenty of silliness (here taking the form of singing and funny sounds), and an abundance of strong soloing on the leader's tenor and baritone saxophones and bass clarinet. The tunes sometimes get a tad repetitive, but that is at least abated in part by the duo cuts with cellist Laura Cutler (doubling on soprano sax and berimbau), who joins Dato for a more nuanced approach. The records made quite a sensation when first released, but have lost a little of their edge with time. Still, there is great fun to be had and some fine music to boot.