1966

January

THE FREE SPIRITS Out of Sight and Sound

Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder and Bob Thiele sometime late in 1966 (the band members had only started hanging out in June, soon jamming--mostly at a Manhattan club called Scene which was located near the theater district. (The band members claim that they performed a total of perhaps 30 times.) The release of The Free Spirits' album, entitled Out of Sight and Mind, occurred in early 1967, probably in January. Though considering himself a protégé of Gábor Szabó, The Free Spirits was Larry Coryell's first New York City band since his move from Seattle in 1965. Though all of the band members (except Columbus "Chip" Baker) had backgrounds in playing jazz music, Larry Coryell steered their music toward the electrified free-form chaos that rock and roll was moving toward. (Artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, and The Yardbirds were already making their impact on music and pop culture; The Who and Jimi Hendrix had not yet broken into the public eye).

     The band was over-the-moon excited to get Thiele and Van Gelder--two legends behind many of the greatest jazz records in history--but the generation gap with its Old Guy "expert/experience" attitude versus Young artist "enthusiasm" made the experience a nightmare, resulting in a near-consensus opinion that it failed miserably in their goal of capturing their dynamic live sound. Thiele and ABC had determined that the Spirits were making a pop album and had thus locked in a 3-minute maximum length restriction for each song. The less than satisfactory result (the boys had been in the habit of routinely jamming on a single song for up to 15-minutes at a time) is the main reason why everyone in the band strongly recommends the interested listener to seek out the 2011 release of the tapes made Live at the Scene February 22, 1967, for a more accurate representation of the band's music and energy.)

February

Impulse! Records releases JOHN COLTRANE's watershed avant garde album, Ascension. His first studio album since the revolutionary A Love Supreme, it represents his pronounced move away from the more-typical quartet or quintet format as well as his move toward free jazz--the endorsement of which--by the world's most respected and revered jazz musician--made it both "real" and acceptable, making the album one of jazz history's most significant landmarks.

March

Polydor Records releases, in Europe only, the proto-punk rock album Black Monk Time by German-based American garage band, THE MONKS. The band consisted of children of American children of military families stationed abroad (here near Köln, Deutschland). The album's lyrics' aggressive anti-VietNam War stance bypassed German censorship due to its English lyrics and the distraction produced by its wild (some reviewers have called it "demented"), aggressive sound--which is why it might not have been considered for American release. (It was not released in the US until 1994.) Today it is widely considered among the first (if not the first) punk rock albums (nine years before Punk became a thing).

April

May

May 9 - A&M Records releases HERB ALPERT & THE TIJUANA BRASS' sixth album, What Now My Love. The album of Herb's now-standard "Ameriachi" music would occupy Billboard Magazine's top album spot for nine weeks and appear in the year-end top 20 in terms of record sales (along with four other Tijuana Brass albums).  

May 16 - Capitol Records releases THE BEACH BOYS' landmark album, Pet Sounds. Despite a rather lukewarm reception in the USA, it was promoted in the UK as "the most progressive pop album ever." Pet Sounds was recognized for its ambitious production, sophisticated music, and emotional lyrics and is now considered to be among the greatest and most influential albums in music history.

June

Though recorded on December 24 (Christmas Eve) of 1964, Blue Note did not release Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil album until June of 1966. (This rather unusual time delay may perhaps be attributed to the success and sales of Wayne's July 1965 release of his August 3, 1964, recordings--an album entitled Juju). The Speak No Evil album represents Wayne in a phase of his career in which the now 31-years old was not only an experienced and highly-respected saxophonist but also a burgeoning bandleader. He was also going through a divorce.       In late 1964 Miles Davis was still trying to form a solid quintet--what would become his second "great quintet"--but he was having trouble filling his saxophone chair. Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and infant drummer Tony Williams were already on board. Since the recording sessions for the Second Great Quintet's first album occurred in January of 1965, it can be deduced that Wayne's employment of Herbie and Ron for Speak No Evil provided a kind of "audition" effect for Wayne's invitation to join Miles et al. for the recording sessions. (The album's title, E.S.P., comes from the band members' collective awe at the kind of "telepathic" connection they all had with each other from the very start of those sessions.) For Wayne to willingly step into the rarified but controlled world of Miles Davis was a risk, but it was one that paid off handsomely.

June 27 - Verve Records releases rock music's first double album (and second double album in music history after Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, released just the week before!): THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION (Frank Zappa)'s Freak Out!

  

July

July 18 - Columbia Records releases THE BYRDS' third studio album, their first since the departure of principle songwriter Gene Clark and their first album to contain no covers of Bob Dylan songs. Containing such hit songs as "Eight Miles High," "5D (Fifth Dimension)" and "Mr. Spaceman," Fifth Dimension is recognized as the band's most inconsistent album yet is also considered one of the very first protoypical/foundational albums of the psychedelic rock music scene.

August

August 5 - EMI / London releases THE BEATLES last studio album before their retirement from live concert performing, Revolver. The album has since become regarded as one of the greatest and most innovative albums in the history of popular music, with recognition centred on its range of musical styles, diverse sounds and lyrical content.

September

DON ELLIS ORCHESTRA 'Live' at Monterey ! 

 

From recordings from September 18, 1966, day three of that year's Monterey Jazz Festival. During Sunday afternoon's legendary set, trumpeter and bandleader Don Ellis used his off-beat humor and educational speaking skills to connect with the audience, teaching them what made his songs unusual (the very, very odd time signatures and polyrhythms being played by his 20-person stage "orchestra"). The young audience members responded with a surprising affection as well as a very unexpected inclination to dance!

     An amazingly intimate and accessible recording of this genre-bending modern big band ensemble on a large stage at a large outdoor concert in 1966. Several writers I've come across cite this performance--the Don Ellis Orchestra performance at the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival--as one that blew people away, and inspired many, many musician-performers into wildly radical changes to their approaches to music and performance. Reputedly, Don Ellis never wrote or played a song in straight time (4/4) and this is certainly true for this concert. At Monterey, Ellis was expressing his recent enchantment-bordering-on-obsession with Eastern musics, particularly Indian.

     In my own journey to become familiar with this album I have been intensely aware of the rhythm section. The three bassists, the three drummers and the handful of percussionists on stage during the performance are all impressively tight and attention-attractingly skilled. One of these drummers, a very young Ralph Humphrey, (read: "Ralph Humphrey--The Legend of Odd Meters" in DRUM! magazine) later played with Frank Zappa, Chick Corea, and for a while, Seals & Crofts, and L. Subramanian.

     Another drummer, also young, Steve Bohannon, has received mention from several writers with respect to his short-lived legacy as a fearless (Steve would have said, "naïve") musician despite his few years (he died in a automobile accident in 1969 at age 21).

     Here we are treated to some very clear recordings of these drummers' exceptional prowesses. Apparently it was this performance and recording that propelled Ellis into the world's view. For the next thirteen years his music, recordings, performances, and books would stir controversy in the jazz and music world. (What I wouldn't give to own one of the "Where is Don Ellis?" bumper stickers that ran rampant after the Monterey concert!) What continues to amaze me about this album is how well it has preserved the passion and energy of the performances of that day--and how much I enjoy all of the songs and the light-heartedness of the performances.

A five star masterpiece of progressive music from a VERY serious envelope-pusher. This album is also a treasure that we are very lucky to have.

October

October 24 & 25 - Miles Davis' "second great quintet" records the music that would become the February 16, 1967 Colombia Records release, MILES DAVIS QUINTET Miles Smiles. The session presents the world with one of the greatest quintet lineups in jazz music history with 33-year old tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, 26-year old pianist Herbie Hancock, 29-year old bassist Ron Carter, and 21-year old drumming phenom Tony Williams. 

November

December

Live at the Village Vanguard Again! JOHN COLTRANE the only recording of 'Trane's quintet featuring his wife Alice, Pharoah Sanders, Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Rasheid Ali. The covers of his classic standards "Naima" and "My Favorite Things" allowed listeners context in which to try to get used to and/or understand John's movement into free jazz.

My FAVORITE "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums, Part 1: 1967-1976, The Masterpieces

The albums I've posted below present my personal reviews. The albums are revealed in an order dictated by a metric rating that each album has received from my "Fishscales" rating system. The Compendium is as yet incomplete, which means that there is always room to add more albums--that the list will be growing continuously (probably to the day I die). There will be albums that you are looking for--that you might expect to find here--that are missing. This would be due to the fact that I might be as-yet unfamiliar with this album or that I have considered it too minor and thus unworthy of my list. Your comments would be appreciated so that I can address and/or correct any oversights in this area. 

This installment of my Compendium is limited to the "Masterpieces" of the First and Second Waves of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

The Masterpieces

1. HERMANN SZOBEL Szobel (1976)

After reading Nick Mannion's intriguing review of this album (and phenomenon) last week, my curiosity was so piqued that I listened to the album on YouTube. Like everybody else, I was utterly blown away. So I went searching for more on the story of this artist, the making of this album, and, of course, the story of what happened to Hermann after he disappeared. When I stumbled upon the very recent YouTube interview of bassist Mike Visceglia (the last surviving member of the band that made this album with Hermann) as conducted by insightful (and passionate) YouTube reviewer (and drummer), Andy Edwards (ROBERT PLANT, IQ, MAGENTA, FROST*, RAIN, LEY LINES), I was, again, blown away. What an 

amazing story!

18-year old Austrian piano prodigy Hermann Szobel came to the United States to contact his mother's brother, a shaker and mover in the music industry who was going by the name of Bill Graham. (Yes, that Bill Graham.) Legend has it that Hermann walked into the first studio he could find, which happened to be one in the middle of recording an album for and with Roberta Flack. Somewhere along the line he disrupted everything while proclaiming, "I am the greatest pianist in the world!" or something to that effect. Intrigued, the session musicians in attendance--which included bassist Anthony Jackson--urged the young man to demonstrate his skills. Apparently he blew everyone away, prompting several of the musicians to recommend him to Arista's top brass. He earned a contract--even getting beneath the prestigious umbrella of the big label, not just the small jazz-only subsidiary. Set up in a studio apartment on or near Times Square (thanks, Uncle Bill!), Szobel was set up with several musicians that other people thought would be a good fit for collaborating with the young genius. Whittled down to a quintet, the band rehearsed all Winter, Spring, and Summer of 1975, the band members practically living with Hermann until the album was finally recorded in October and November of '75 at The Record Plant. It was then released by Arista in January of 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Hermann Szobel / piano

- Michael Visceglia / bass

- Bob Goldman / drums

- Dave Samuels / percussion, marimba, vibraphone

- Vadim Vyadro / tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute

1. "Mr. Softee" (6:45) so much bombastic power in Hermann's piano play, but then you get these amazingly-inspired collaborators to join in--young artists who totally shared and committed to Hermann's vision--and who had worked together for months pounding away at these songs in order to perfect them to Hermann's liking--and you can't help but be impressed. There is some very strong jazz funk in the bones of this song but the influence of Frank Zappa is also definitely obvious as well as modern classical composers like John Cale (with whom bassist Mike Visceglia had already been working). Other free jazz and European jazz trends can also be heard.

      Too bad about the sudden fade out at the end; the song/jam obviously went on longer (and I for one would love to hear it) but I get it: you only have two 19-minute sides to work with. Excellent song and music: commanding the listener's attention in very much the same way Norwegian band SEVEN IMPALE did with their debut album, 2014's City of the Sun. (14.75/15)

2. "The Szuite" (12:30) a classically-styled and -constructed suite that definitely qualifies more for the neo-and pseudo-classical chamber type of music that Belgian/French bands Univers Zéro and, a little later, Présent would soon be doing. So many times as I listen to Hermann's piano play I feel as if I'm listening to the piano music or stylings of Franz Liszt or Sergei Rachmaninoff! After 90 seconds of brewing and bubbling the music bursts forth in a fullness with a very somber and serious yet melodic SEVEN IMPALE motif. (Of course I realize that my reference points are totally reversed since the band members of Seven Impale wouldn't even be born for another ten years or more. It's just what I know, here, now, in 2024, to compare this music to.) Lots of repetition of riffs for Dave Samuels to show off his prodigious talents on the tuned percussives, and then there is a rest period for the rest of the band while Hermann solos on his piano for about 11:24, very much carrying forward the ideas and melodies expressed by Dave's work during the previous minute or two. Here I am rather reminded of Keith Jarrett's sound and work from his massively popular worldwide hit, The Köln Concert (an album that was released in January of this same year that Hermann and band were creating, perfecting, and, eventually, recording this album). When the other musicians rejoin I am more reminded of UZED again in some very complex, classically-oriented avant-garde music (which is masterfully composed and performed). These performances are just so tight, the composition so mature and perfect, it's really hard to find fault or flaw. Even if I don't always like the styles represented, here they're so good, so sensible and flowing (and, often, melodic--which is, unfortunately, important to me) that I do. I love this! (24.5/25)

3. "Between 7 & 11" (5:08) a song with big, funky, heavily-treated jazz bass that transpires with lots of syncopated, stop-and-go rhythmic elements coming from the careful, deliberate drums and percussion instruments, as well as that of Hermann's percussive piano. There is some kind of presence of an electric synth or treated percussive instrument flitting and floating around in the background of the opening couple of minutes. Then the song kind of restarts, with lots of staccato bursts and note play from the whole band as well as from Vadim Vyadro's tenor saxophone while Hermann fills the spaces between whole-band forays with impressively fluid piano runs and Rachmaninoff-like chord progressions. As the song develops both the speed and seem to compact and compress, culminating in more jazz-like soloing from Vlad's sax. Impressive if more mathematical song. (9.333333/10)

4. "Transcendental Floss" (6:08) This song is much more in line with some of the more rhythmically expressive jazz and jazz-rock artists of the time like McCoy Tyner and Tony Williams and Billy Cobham. Thank goodness for the presence (and talents) of such incredibly adaptive Jazz-Fusion artists like drummer Bob Goldman, funk bass player Mike Visceglia, and virtuosic vibraphone, marimba, and percussion player Dave Samuels (who had a long career as a vibraphonist/marimba player in the jazz/Latin music world) cuz there is some awesome funk going on here! as well as a very familiar SEVEN IMPALE vibe. Interesting final coda before the song finally cuts out. (Also SEVEN IMPALE-like)  (9.5/10)

5. "New York City, 6 AM" (6:45) opens with some interestingly processed/treated/engineered percussion play--which cuts out after about 90 seconds whereupon Mike's deep, chunky "underwater" bass enters and leads the band into its slow, pensive, almost minimalistic weave. This is so rich! I love how all of the layers and instruments (and engineering effects) play with one another. The music may not be as sophisticated as the previous songs, but the construction and engineering are absolutely masterful! Definitely capturing an early morning big city vibe. The biggest problem with the ending of this song (and album) is that it leaves me starving for more! (14.5/15)

Total Time 37:16

I understand why so many people have trouble categorizing this music. I personally feel the music of this album is more Jazz-Rock Fusion (as Mike Visceglia and Andy Edwards elucidated: 1975 was the absolute peak for all possible combinations of existing musical traditions), but the piano play is definitely Avant Garde/RIO--the kind that bands like Univers Zero and Present would soon be exploring. The contrast in styles between Hermann's piano play and the lively and virtuosic jazz-rock play of the rest of the band is one of the things that makes the music so intriguing. After hearing the story about the headstrong personality of Mr. Szobel, I kept wondering how Hermann even allowed, much less was open to, this "jazz-rock dilution" of his music--if it had anything to do with the demands of Arista (his record company). But the more I heard about Hermann's demanding, controlling personality, I couldn't help but conclude that the eclectic cross-pollination represented in the album's music must have been fully idealized by its leader and composer. The fact that Mr. Visceglia so clearly claims to having spent "months" living in Hermann's Manhattan loft practicing these pieces attests to Hermann's shared passion for the product that resulted in Arista's 1976 release. 

This music is so well performed (and recorded in single takes--with everyone playing live, together, in the recording studio, all at the same time!) that the listener can really tell how hard the musicians had worked to render it as perfectly as Hermann wished. Truly an incredible achievement of musical documentation! 

96.7778 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an unquestionable masterpiece of progressive rock fusion music. This is definitely one of finest studio albums I've ever heard (as well as one of the highest rated albums I've ever reviewed).  

2. LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Astral Traveling (Jan. 1, 1973)

Fresh out of his rotating apprenticeships with Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, and Stanley Turrentine (after cutting his milk teeth with Betty Carter, Roland Kirk, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), on this January 1, 1973 release the keyboard master Lonnie Liston Smith nominates himself as one of the all-time kings of serious jazz-musicians who turned almost exclusively toward the creation of absolutely beautiful, positive, stress-reducing mood music.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]

- Cecil McBee / Bass

- James Mtume / Congas, Percussion 

- Sonny Morgan / Congas, Percussion

- David Lee, Jr. / Drums

- Joe Beck / Guitar

- George Barron / Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

- Badal Roy / Tabla

- Geeta Vashi / Tambura

A1. "Astral Traveling" (5:30) an awesomely soothing bass and percussion groove (using several classical Indian instruments) over which Lonnie plays an incredibly spacious echoing Fender Rhodes. The interplay of tabla, tambura, two congas, and drums is sublime! George Barron is invited in to introduce an absolutely to-the-core soothing melody on his soprano saxophone--and then he provides the finishing recapitulation in the final minute. But the most amazing sorcerer in this magical song is bass player Cecil McBee. What an amazing song! What vision! Sheer perfection or beyond! (11/10)

  
A2. "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord" (6:30) a veritable shower of exotic percussion and electric piano within which George Barron soothes and woos us with his sublime saxophone play. (9.25/10)  

A3. "Rejuvenation" (5:50) with piano and a more-traditional jazz combo core, this song sounds a lot like a joyful, whimsical Latinized take on some Vince Guaraldi Peanuts music. So eminently enjoyable and good-feeling! This is the kind of music you want playing in your kids environment: skating on the outdoor rink, playing nighttime basketball on the driveway beneath the floodlights, receiving them when they return from school each day. There's also quite a little borrowed in Lonnie's piano chord play from McCoy Tyner's piano play on John Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things." How do you go better than that? (9.5/10)

B1. "I Mani (Faith)" (6:10) with its long, lingering opening intro, this one sounds very much like something from the John Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders/Alice Coltrane school of improvisational jazz. George really gets to stretch out on this one--entering some kind of free-jazz transcendental "zone" in the third minute--which he sustains over the next two minutes as the wind-on-the-lake cacophony of the introductory barrage continues. In the fifth minute, then, the surface of the lake begins to smooth and George follows suit, drifting inexorably back down to Earth like an autumn leaf. (9/10)

B2. "In Search Of Truth" (7:04) another soothing groove that conjures up cosmic connections even more than anything I've ever heard from Germany's Kosmische Musik musicians and songs. Once again the employment of Indian instruments (the droning tambura and tabla mixed in with the congas) secures the hypnotic portal required for pure transcendence. (15/15) 

B3. "Aspirations" (4:20) an exploration of beauty through the pulsations of Lonnie's chorused electric piano, tout seul. Perhaps this was music that inspired VANGELIS for some of his beautiful soundtrack music for Blade Runner et al. Perhaps it even inspired Fred Rogers (or, more accurately, Fred's virtuoso pianist music director, Johnny Costa) to bring a Fender Rhodes (or Fender Rhodes-like sound) into his studio for his episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Lonnie's song here definitely conveys the life-affirming that seems to have become his adoptive message and raison d'être. (9/10) 

Total time: 35:24

96.54 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an absolute masterpiece of genre-expanding Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that proclaimed the fact that there is plenty of room in the Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion worlds for music that strives to effectively raise spiritual consciousness not just express the player(s)' cosmic ecstasy. Highly recommended to all music lovers--and especially to those who like to use music to reach higher states of spiritual receptivity.

3. JULIAN PRIESTER aka "PEPE MTOTO" Love, Love (January 1974)

Known more as Herbie Hancock's trombonist during the Mwandishi-era sex- and septets, this was Julian's first release after the formal disbanding of Herbie's Septet--here released and recorded under Manfred Eicher's new ECM label, as was Bennie Maupin's solo release of the same year, The Jewel in The Lotus. While Maupin used four of the Septet to help record his album, Julian almost accomplished this album as a one-man solo project, playing the roles, himself, of bass trombone, tenor trombone, trombone [alto], baritone horn, horn [post], flute, cowbell, percussion [small], synthesizer [Arp 2600, Prototype Arp String Synthesizer], producer, mixer, and composer on all songs with only synthesizer expert Patrick Gleeson (the seventh and final addition to Herbie's Septet) and drummer Ndugu Leon Chancler from his former band. 

Working under his Mwandishi alter ego name, "Pepe Mtoto," Julian here is exploring the "cosmic music" that he found himself attracted to in the 1960s while working with Sun Ra and his Arkestra.

LIneup /  Musicians:
Julian Priester ("Pepo Mtobo") - trombone, horns, whistle, flute, percussion, synthesizers
Patrick Gleeson - synthesizers
Hadley Caliman - flute, saxophone, clarinet
Mguanda David Johnson - flute, saxophone
Bill Connors - electric guitars
Bayete Umbra Zindiko (Todd Cochran) - piano, clavinet
Ron McClure - electric bass (Track 1)
Nyimbo Henry Franklin - electric bass (track 2)
Ndugu Leon Chancler - drums
Kamau Eric Gravatt - drums, congas

1. "Prologue/Love, Love" (19:30) an extremely engaging groove with some very Deodato-like keyboard and bass play providing the spine of the entire side-long song. The overall feel does have more of a long-play Krautrock feel despite the business of the contributing musicians (particularly keyboard artist Todd Cochran and electric guitarist Bill Connors but also bassist Ron McClure). The drums, percussion, and bass are incredibly solid and steady throughout, which offers the soloists very fecund ground on which to perform their psychedelic gymnastics. It feels as if all of the soloists were given plenty of room and encouragement to experiment and "go off"--even during the live recording. As a result, this is a great, eminently enjoyable, and also very soothing and hypnotic song. (37/40)

2. "Images/Eternal Worlds/Epilogue" (18:24) a song that seems founded far more in more-traditional form and structure despite the rogue bass playing of Henry Franklin. In the third minute, drummer Ndugu Leon Chancler and electric pianist Todd Cochran seem to fall back into Deodato-like mode, yet are free enough to expand upon their foundational forms to express themselves with admirable abandon. Pat Gleeson and Priester also seem to be having a creative free-for-all, spewing forth all kinds of animal-like noises (Julian seeming to concentrate on the elephantine). Even the sax player in gets into the act in the sixth and seventh minutes. This is some cosmic ride: entropy rules! Thus it is quite unexpected when the whole band suddenly shifts in the eighth minute into a sudden shift into a low-piano chord and cymbal-guided "Love Supreme"-like motif, congealing over the next two minutes into such tightly -engaged and -focused unit that their gradual, almost imperceptible transition into what feels like a high-speed Latin rumba line by the eleventh minute made me wonder (more that once) if I was still listening to the same album--or even the same band! These are obviously very serious and very skilled jazz musicians. Pianist Todd Cochran is especially impressive but so is everyone else. They are so tight! So skilled! So professional! After the first rather psychedelic song of hypnotic space funk and the chaotic opening seven minutes of this, I would never in a million years have predicted this amazingly sophisticated "big band" jazz! I love this song--immediately wanted to play it again and then left it on repeat for the whole morning! Wow! (39/40)

96.25 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an amazingly fresh expression of the relatively new Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom containing free-form experimentation over super-solid rhythm play, spanning the spectrum from the spacey-psychedelic to the most professional big band sound. One of the finest J-R Fuse albums of its time (with great sound thanks to Manfred Eicher and his ECM label); definitely in my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."

4. LENNY WHITE Venusian Summer (1975)

An album offering quite a diverse palette of what Jazz-Rock Fusion was offering at the time of its making, the truly surprising element of these songs is how well they were composed and how amazingly well each song's multitude of tracks were recorded and mixed (not to mention performed).

Line-up / Musicians:
Lenny White / Drums, Composer, Arranger, Producer
Doug Rauch / Bass
With:

Doug Rodrigues / Guitars (tracks: A1, A2, B2) 

Raymond Gomez / Guitars (A1, B2)

Jimmy Smith / Organ (A1) 

Onaje Allan Gumbs / Electric Piano, Clavinet (A2, A4, B2, B3)

David Sancious / Keyboards, Synthesizer [MiniMoog] (tracks: A2, A4)

Weldon Irvine / Organ (A2)

Patrick Gleeson / Synthesizer (A3, A4, B1)

Peter Robinson / Synthesizer (A3, A4)

Tom Harrell / Synthesizer, Flugelhorn (A3, B3)

Hubert Laws / Flute (A4)

Larry Young / Organ (B2) 

Al Di Meola / Guitar (B3)

Larry Coryell / Guitar (B3)

A1. "Chicken-Fried Steak" (4:33) credited to New York City homeboys Doug Rauch and Doug Rodrigues, this is tight and funky music but not really great prog or jazz-rock. (8.75/10)

A2. "Away Go Troubles (Down The Drain)" (3:21) another song Lenny credits to the two NYC Dougs (and himself), this one is more sophisticated funk: there are several highly-demanding tracks woven together here in absolute vacuum-sealed tightness. The bass play alone seems near impossible! (8.875/10)

"The Venusian Summer Suite:
- A3. Part 1. "Sirenes" (4:28) lots of ethereal/heavenly synth and fluegelhorn play from keyboard triumvirate of Patrick Gleeson (Mwandishi synth master), Pete(r) Robinson (the same dude from QUARTERMASS, Swedish band ABLUTION, and BRAND X), and trumpeter Tom Harrell (the song's orchestrator). It's long and kind of dull but very space-cinematic and probably experimental song for 1975--kind of similar to the work Klaus Schulze was doing at the same time. A Lenny White composition! (8.75/10)

- A4. Part 2. "Venusian Summer" (6:38) the suite kicks into full form with a very engaging/infectious DEODATO-kind of cinematic funkness. The synth players (Gleeson and Robinson), clavinet (Robinson) and rhythm guitarists (uncredited), and, later, Hubert Laws' flute, David Sancious' MiniMoog, and Onaje Allan Gumbs' piano soloists are so locked in it's crazy! But it's free-flowing Doug Rauch that really drives this bus! (9.5/10)

B1. "Prelude To Rainbow Delta" (1:10) Patrick Gleeson doing some synthesizer magic as an intro-prelude to the next song (which it bleeds into). (4.5/5)

B2. "Mating Drive" (7:40) between the "support" work of organist Larry Young, clavinet player Onaje Allan Gumbs, and hyper-speed bass player Doug Rauch this Lenny White composition would suffice as an incredible song but then put over the top one of the greatest electric guitar performances of all-time from a relative newcomer in one Raymond Gomez (with a very strong Doug Rodrigues in close support/assistance) and this one qualifies as one of those Golden Tickets into Prog's Hall of Valhalla. And that's not even mentioning the dreamy final 90-seconds beneath which Lenny gets to really show off his chops (for once). Amazing amazing song! One of my favorite songs of all-time! Such creative vision! (16/15)

B3. "Prince Of The Sea" (11:37) a great song (and Lenny White composition) over which two of jazz-rock fusion's greatest/most influential guitarists go head to head. Opened slowly, almost like a pastoral float down a lazy, gentle stream, is the distant plaintive calls of a bird over some piano and flugelhorn work. The acoustic piano beneath it all is quite lovely. In the second half of the fourth minute one of the electric guitar gods (Larry Coryell) shows up to give his demo of his powers. Onaje Allan Gumbs' shows up with piano, electric piano and organ ofr a bit as some really fine rhythm guitar (DiMeola) seethes in the background. At the seven-minute mark he is finally let loose--and man does he let you know who the new kid on the block is! All other pretenders are now demoted to demi-god status! Organ notes the transition to the axe-to-axe cmbat at 9:00, with Larry in the Right channell and Al in the Left. Lenny and Doug Rauch are, all this time, observing from their sentinel posts, but even their own performances can't help but ramp up from the carry-over effect from the raging warriors. A minute later the two guitar gods agree to team up and, for a brief 40 seconds they are united, but then their independent energies can't help but take them into soaring heights before crashing down into the sea Definitely one of the fiercest one-on-one guitar battles you'll ever hear--and a great, great moment in the history of prog rock and jazz-rock fusion. (20/20)

I cannot fathom how anyone hearing this album could not be blown away by the musicianship here. Doug Rauch on bass, Lenny White on drums, along with a veritable who's who of jazz fusion all-stars guesting throughout, all playing as if their life depended on it. The song "Mating Drive" alone has got to be one of the greatest achievements in music performance with peak Lenny, Doug, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Doug Rodrigues, organist extraordinaire Larry Young, and the most under-recognized super guitarist of all-time, Ray Gomez, shredding the vinyl grooves with nothing but fire and brimstone! This album has it all: cinematic themes, four-keyboard electronica, funky fun, frenetic screams, players taxing their fingers and brains at break-neck speeds (check out Larry Coryell trying to keep up with Al Di Meola on "Prince of the Sea"). Another of my "closet favorites" from the 70s, this one has stood the test of time and remains one of my go-to albums for joy and exuberance. If you've never heard it, don't miss out! Venusian Summer has got some of the most amazing moments of virtuosity, passion, and beauty ever put to vinyl!

As a post script I have to add, again, for the sake of attracting attention, the number of INCREDIBLE individual performances here are so high caliber, so stunning, that this alone should make this a must listen--an album for study. As I said in my opening statement, I cannot fathom how anyone hearing this album--really listening with their fully-present self--could not be blown away by the musicianship here. There are very few albums that I've heard in my lifetime that achieve this level and number of "WOW! What the f¥¢∑ did I just hear?" responses. Plus, this may be the recorded peak of supernova bass player Doug Rauch's career! That alone, makes this a "can't be missed" listen.

95.55 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a high-flyin' masterpiece of jazz-rock infused progressive rock music (this despite the funk of the first two songs). Definitely one of my Top 10 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."

5. AREA Crac! (1975)

The second AREA album I'd ever heard (after Arbeit Macht Frei), there was so powerful of an impression made on me by this latter album that I failed to follow up by exploring other AREA albums for years. Luckily, I got unstuck and moved outward, into the band's other discography.
Coming two years and one album after Arbeit (with Caution Radiation Area having been released in 1974), the growth in musicianship, studio mastery, and tightened song-writing skills is quite noticeable here. While Arbeit shocked with musical and lyrical force and brashness (it was the band's debut release), Crac! supplies proof that this band is not just a political force but that it must be looked at and respected from a musicianship perspective as well. It is an album of astounding musicianship--virtuoso performances that rival anything else the jazz or jazz fusion worlds has ever created. The amazing thing is that this album stands up perfectly even today--it sounds as if it could have been made today. I will go even farther as to say that this album exceeds my heretofore respect and reverence for all-things Mahavishnu as I think the sound engineering and overall production far surpass those of any of the Mahavishnu Orchestra albums. And the musicians and compositions are so tight! Thus, I find myself wanting to proclaim Crac! as perhaps the best jazz-rock fusion album of all-time! And drummer Giulio Capiozzo may be the best jazz-rock fusion drummer I've ever heard!

1. "L'elefante bianco" (4:33) Demetrio's powerful voice opens the album right in your face as he and piano declare their intentions. By the end of the first minute we've apparently heard enough from Demetrio for the song catapults into a kind of jazzy version of fast-paced folk theme. At 2:30 we return to piano and voice, but this time the band gradually joins in and builds up into a modern rock variation of that amphetamine-laced Middle Eastern-tinged folk (or is it classical?) theme. Excellent musicianship and a great opener. (9/10)

2. "La mela di Odessa" (6:27) opens with a kind of SUN RA-spacey free-form jazz sound and style, that moves quickly into a drum and percussion display before harpsichord, Arp synth and electric bass join in and move the song into structure and drive. Nice TONY WILLIAMS/MAHAVISHNU feel to this one until, after 3:10, things shift to funk land. The clavinet, synths and horns are prominent along with Demetrio's commanding Zappa-like vocal performance--all in spoken form. So tight! Drummer Giulio Capiozzo is extraordinary (as is Demetrio). (9.25/10)

3. "Megalopoli" (7:53) opens with some play on the Arp synthesizer before Demetrio joins in with multiple tracks of his voice free-styling. Electric piano and bass clarinet join in the atmospheric play before a drum roll takes us out and into a new funky jazz excursion with a great melodic base. Demetrio's wordless vocal scatting over the top is, at first, like a substitute for a lead guitar or sax, but then gives way to an extraordinary jam between drums, bass, electric piano, organ, and synth. The Mahavishnu Orchestra was never this tight or well recorded! Incredible drumming! Why is this guy never included in the talk of the greatest of the greats? (15/15)

4. "Nervi Scoperti" (6:35) Every time I hear this song I think I am listening to one of the all-time greatest prog fusion songs ever created and that, thus, it has to be a product of Corea/RTF, Miles, Mahavishnu, Cobham, Williams, Weather Report, or even a straight jazz genius. But it's not. It's AREA! Astounding, stupendous, incredible, jaw-dropping performances from everybody in the band. What a band! This one deserves extra-credit for being exactly what I said: one of the very best jazz fusion songs of all-time. (11/10)

5. "Gioia e rivoluzione" (4:40) opens like a JOHN COLTRANE, TEMPTATIONS or MAGMA song before switching radically to an acoustic guitar-based, countrified jam. The lyric of Demetrio's vocal throughout is obviously meant to be the center of attention. Otherwise, it is an okay pop song for delivery to the common folk. (8.5/10)

6. "Implosion" (5:00) a little more Zawinal/Weather Report-ish than the previous jazz fusion masterpiece. More melodic and showcasing of individuals (especially the extraordinary bass player, Ares Tavolazzi). (10/10)

7. "Area 5" (2:09) an ejaculatory expression of free-form improvisational jazz. (4/5)

An album of astounding musicianship--virtuoso performances that rival anything else the jazz or jazz fusion worlds has ever created. The amazing thing is that this album stands up perfectly even today--it sounds as if it could have been made today.

95.36 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of progressive rock music--mostly cutting edge jazz fusion. Amazing! Definitely one of my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."

6. CARLOS SANTANA and MAHAVISHNU JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Love Devotion Surrender (1973)

In 1973 received this album in the mail as the Columbia Record Club's "Record of the Month." I'd heard Santana's hits--even the long versions on our local album-oriented FM station, WABX--and I was already a big fan of Latin rhythms due to my dad's joyful obsession with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66. but I was not, by any means, prepared for what Love Devotion Surrender unleashed. (At this point in my life [in 1973 I was turning 15] I'd never even heard of John Coltrane much less heard any of his music.) Even when I saw John McLaughlin with his Mahavishnu Orchestra on Don Kirshner's late night television show, Rock Concert, doing things on his double-neck electric guitar that I didn't understand I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. I think this is why this album didn't quite click with me for a while. I listened to it--a lot. (I didn't own many albums at this time--though I had what I thought was a pretty impressive collection of Soul/R&B 45s). I always thought that I was listening to two guitarists of two completely different levels of competency. I didn't know Coltrane or his works and had only begun to know some jazz and fusion but had found an implicit love for the guitar, guitarists, and their solos (Jeff Beck mostly). So I stuck with it.

     After the 70s, the album pretty much fell off my radar. Until a few years ago, I don't think I'd heard it in over 30 years. Now I listen to it with a sense of awe and wonder that makes me feel young again. I feel so fortunate that we have this testament to the genius and inspiration of all of these masters in their peak years. Larry Young. Dougie Rauch. (Both taken from us far too soon--and both among my very favorite instrumentalists from the 1970s.) Billy Cobham. Don Alias. Michael Shrieve. Mingo Lewis. Jan Hammer.
     Now I find myself listening to it multiple times per month. It is, to my mind, to my heart, one of the peak achievements in jazz-rock fusion collaborations. Yes, I wish I had more control of the sound mix (I want so badly to listen to JUST Dougie Rauch and JUST Larry Young and JUST Billy Cobham), but I just feel so fortunate to have it all that I won't complain. For people in the know, Larry Young's organ play magically provided a bridge between the two guitarists and their individual styles (as he'd done so magically between Tony Williams and John McLaughlin on the landmark 1969 Emergency! album) with Larry's two hands somehow representing each one of the leaders. But this is difficult for the unschooled, ignorant listener to pick up due partly to the often poor mix of the individual instrumentalists.

     In response to the criticism of the album's music selection, regurgitation of already been done songs and themes, one- and two-chord song structures, and "faux" or "fad" spiritualism, I can only say that there is definitely something so much bigger being expressed here than composition and : there is virtuosity feeding virtuosity to higher heights, there is what feels to me like genuine expression of genuine feeling, genuinely ecstatic joy, whether its origin be of spiritual nature, drug or alcohol use, or sleep deprivation, interpersonal respect, I don't care: I cannot help but repeat how fortunate we are to have these sessions documented and preserved. It is proof of the historic meeting and melding of two tsunamic forces of nature in the forms of Santana's Caravanserai lineup and the near-to-break up first Incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The album (and my admiration for both John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana) even prompted a visit to Sri Chimnoy's vegan restaurant in Haight Ashbury the first time I ever visited San Francisco.   

Line-up / Musicians:
- Carlos Santana / acoustic & electric guitars
- John McLaughlin / acoustic & electric guitars, piano
With:
- Khalid Yasim (Larry Young) / organ
- Doug Rauch / bass
- Billy Cobham / drums
- Don Alias / drums, percussion
- Jan Hammer / drums
- Michael Shrieve / drums
- Armando Peraza / congas
- James Mingo Lewis / percussion (unconfirmed)

1. "A Love Supreme" (7:48) a masterful condensed rendition of the Coltrane classic that does a great job of capturing the essence of the original while being elevated and celebrated by these two spiritually-infused guitarists. The opening alone does an amazing job of announcing what the listener is in for: not your typical Santana album! Organist Khalid Yasim (formerly known as "Larry Young") gets the honor of playing a little while the expanded band takes their time gelling and grooving. Then it's off to the races as John and Carlos take turns of about 10-to-20 seconds each in a noncompetitive duel of ascendent transcendence. The choral chant of the title begins in the sixth minute while Khalid gets another chance to show off his amazing skills. (14/15)

2. "Naima" (3:09) acoustic guitar duets don't get much more beautiful than this. Beautiful respite between the two bookends of Side One. (9.25/10)

3. "The Life Divine" (9:30) the drumming and percussion play on this one is alone worth the price of admission, but then you get John and Carlos--and Larry! and Armando and Mingo--and "the note"! (at the end of the fourth minute). The best engineered (though still lacking) and most fully-invested feeling song of the album. The band was obviously warmed up by this point--and the soloists on firing on all cylinders. (19.5/20)

4. "Let Us Go into the House of the Lord" (15:45) John's domination of the song's first four-minutes is a bit excessive (and selfish?) but he was probably just in "the zone." After this, the song just really kicks in with everybody just smooth-groovin' beneath and with Carlos--until the second half of the sixth minute when Khalid, Billy, Shrieve, and the percussionists start to play. When John re-takes the lead at the end of the seventh minute it is tasteful and only to open the way for Khalid to take off. What a solo! (Too bad his volume is mixed beneath that of the percussion and guitarists playing rhythm chords.) With all that Afro-Latin rhythm around him he probably couldn't help being inspired. It's not until well into the 12th minute that the two guitarists start "duelling" i.e. playing off one another--both displaying incredible moments of tenderness and melodic beauty in their still-fiery play. I really like the extended/prolonged ending. Not the best song on the album--nor the best sound engineering--but still a treasure for capturing these two at this particularly numinous point in both of their lives. (28/30)

5. "Meditation" (2:45) John on gentle piano chord play while Carlos expresses his profound inspiration and gratitude with a steel-string acoustic guitar. I simply can't find a flaw with this one--nor a reason to devalue it as less than a full, completed song composition. (10/10)

Total Time 38:57

I love the beautiful two acoustic pieces--especially John's "Meditation"--and "Let Us Go Into The House of The Lord" may just be my favorite jazz-fusion jam of all-time. And give me those Santana conga and bass lines all day long! I feed off of them!

95.0 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; I have absolutely no reservations about proclaiming this album, flawed as it may be, a masterpiece of progressive rock music and a pinnacle and landmark of the jazz-rock fusion "movement."




7. SBB Pamiec (1976)

Had I heard this or any SBB album in the 70s I might not have favored FOCUS/JAN AKKERMAN and RETURN TO FOREVER/AL DI MEOLA/CHICK COREA/STANLEY CLARKE/LENNY WHITE so much. This is perhaps the best match of emotion and virtuosic jazz fusion I've ever heard--and I do like this album more than the other three highly acclaimed SBB studio albums (1981's Momento z banalnym triptykiem and 1978's "Slovenian Girls"). Not so complex or complicated as to lose listeners but by no means simple or uniform, these songs are well composed and extremely well performed.

     The band's third album, released on September 27, 1976, contains three masterfully-constructed and rendered songs that show off their newly-found freedom and inspiration to express themselves in the long megalithic forms that progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion bands had been routinely using to fill whole sides of vinyl albums.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jozef Skrzek / grand piano, Fender electric piano, Hammond organ, Moog synth, bass, vocals
- Antymos Apostolis / guitars
- Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion

1. "W Kolysce Dioni Twych (Ojcu)" (9:07) the album's opener sucked me in from the opening notes like a PFM or RTF classic. Just beautiful music! And then it matriculates into an absolutely AWESOME groove at the 5:20 mark. (I love the subtle but masterful interplay of the instrumentalists during the minute before the guitar and vocal solos begin.) The switch at the seven minute mark saddened me, but then I was able to relax into it and enjoy. The drums are so tight! Keyboard work is fun! It segues back into a recapitulation of the beautiful intro section for the final 45-seconds with guitar and voice(!) leading the high register melodic notes. (19/20)

2. "Z Ktorych Krwi Frew Moja" (10:14) had almost the same effect on me as the opener: sucking me right into its emotional, melodic weave. The vocal, electric guitar, and background vocals at the one minute mark bring forth a beautiful hook. This B section returns until at 2:37 we have a subtle bass keyboard solo. The hypnotic mid-section supports an adequate guitar solo before everything slows down to a spacey FOCUS-like section at 6:55. RPI-like vocals at 7:35. Still AKKERMAN/VAN LEER-like guitar & organ background throughout. This one didn't reach the heights nor sustain it as dramatically as the opener (though the ending two minutes is stronger vocally) but it's still an excellent, emotional song. (18.75/20)

3. The album's side-long epic, "Pamiec w Kamein Wasta" (19:48) opens with synth "waves" and some very slow, subtly developing space music. It sounds like a prelude/interlude piece from the soundtrack of 2001: A Space Odyssey--the part where the evolutionary chimps are figuring out the use of weapons (leading up to Ricard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra"). Eventually the song evolves into a "Court of the Crimson King"-like song (especially the Michael Giles-like drumming). At 10:15 an ELP "Tarkus"-like section starts up before evolving into what sounds (incredibly) like a cross between EUMIR DEODATO's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" and a JEAN-LUC PONTY classic. Great fun following the drums, bass, keyboards, and volume pedal controlled guitar both separately and stepping back to hear the effect of the woven mix. AT 14:55 there is an shift into a more funky rhythm section to support a three-minute electric guitar solo. Not quite AL DI MEOLA but a very nice solo anyway. The next shift is into another chorale-led section (nicely displaying the drummer's prowess) that brings me back to a familiar PHAROAH SANDERS/GINO VANELLI feeling. Fade out is as it started: spacey keys and synth waves. Great song despite the divertissement section to support the lengthy guitar solo. (38/40)

Total time: 39:30

My CD version has two bonus songs, "Niedokonczona Progresja" (6:24) (9/10) and "Reko-reko" (4:31) (7/10), the first a slow piano-based song that builds slowly into a kind of TONY BANKS/ANTHONY PHILLIPSian piece (with some awesome frenetic synth soloing), while the second song starts out with the melodrama of a great GINO VANELLI song. Later the presence of a mouth organ makes it take on a little bluesy feel. I can see why theses songs did not make the cut for this album as they don't have the development of the other songs--they are in fact kind of one-dimensional, though still very melodic.
     Based on the material presented on the original album this is in my opinion a very important 4.5 star contribution to the prog catalog. Essential, as it is, IMHO, the first SBB album that I would recommend to the curious listener.

94.68 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of jazz-rock infused progressive rock music; one that has earned its place in my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of the "Second Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."

8. TERJE RYPDAL Bleak House (1968)

A 21-year old Norwegian guitarist bursts onto the world scene with some highly experimental "future" jazz in which he fuses together multiple genres of jazz and rock (with shocking facility) into tightly-designed compositions that profess a maturity and musical understanding far beyond his years. Recorded in three days during early October, its release date is somewhat controversial: either late in 1968 or early 1969.

Lineup / Musicians:
- Terje Rypdal / guitar, flute, vocals, producer
With:
- Tom Karlsen / drums (1)
- Christian Reim / piano, organ (1,3,5)
- Jon Christensen / drums (2-5)- Terje Venaas / bass (2-5)

- Carl Magnus Neumann / alto sax & flute (2,5)
- Hans Knudsen / baritone sax (2,5)
- Jan Garbarek / tenor sax, flute & bells (2-5)
- Kjell Haugen / trombone (2,4,5)
- Tore Nilsen / trombone (2)
- Øivind Westby / trombone (2)
- Ditlef Eckhoff / trumpet (2)
- Jarl Johansen / trumpet (2-5)
- Kåre Furuholmen / trumpet (2,4)
- Knut Riisnæs / tenor sax (3), arranger & conductor (2,4,5)
- Frode Thingnæs / trombone & tuba (4,5)
- Frøydis Ree Hauge / horn (5,6)
- Odd Ulleberg / horn (5,6)

1. "Dead Man´s Tale" (7:03) Hawai'in guitar over Hammond organ and blues band (with loud kick drum) over which Terje sings in a very lovely emotional voice. Total blues. Beautiful interplay between the Hammond and Terje's voice, guitar, and flute. Christian Reim's Hammond play is actually good even if his instrument is recorded a little dirty. (14/15)

2. "Wes" (4:15) big band horns with Terje's chameleonic guitar. The rhythm section sets up a couple of excellent swing patterns that they smoothly from, back and forth, over the course of the album. Great song with great solo performances from Wes and saxophonist Jan Garbarek. At times Terje's guitar sounds Wes Montgomery-like, at others less so. (9.25/10)

3. "Winter Serenade" (6:04) imitation wolf sounds with delicate piano tinkling and percussives open this before the piano takes over. Guitar sneakily joins in during the first half of the second minute with a lot of wobbling sounds--single string and whole fretboard. Horns and drums add a variety of wind-like bursts and gusts as the storm arrives and its intensity increases, varies, and wavers. Ingenious orchestration of musical instruments to achieve such a mirroring "reproduction" of Mother Nature. (9/10):
- a) Falling Snow
- b) Snow Storm
- c) Melting Snow

4. "Bleak House" (7:05) this one starts out soft and slow, sounding very Sixties, but then the loud big band horns join in and the song becomes something totally different--even transforming the guitarist right before our ears. It's part Larry CORYELL, part DON ELLIS ORCHESTRA! The bass, drums, guitar, and saxophone performances are all excellent but it's those horns that carry this one over the top! An excellent, lively, and very melodic song. (14.25/15)

5. "Sonority" (5:21) a song of stunning emotion and tenderness--even from the horns! Terje's electric guitar expresses a feeling of such depth, pain and beauty as to evoke tears. I've only heard Roy Buchanan do it as well! The best song on a great album and one of the prettiest jazz songs I've ever heard. (10/10)

6. "A Feeling Of Harmony" (2:29) acoustic guitar, flute, and wordless voice scatting from the artist alone. Feels sounds like an intimate moment from Maestro John Martyn. (9.5/10)

Total time 33:05

94.29 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a shocking revelation of masterful jazz-rock fusion A remarkable achievement of music for 1967-68 with some breathtakingly beautiful music. One of the finest and most unforgettable musical listening experiences I've ever had the privilege of experiencing.




9. SANTANA Caravanserai (1972)

Caravanserai is the culmination of a synthesis, if you will, of so many things coming together for Carlos and Michael Shrieve. Ever the explorer of new musics and new books, Michael was getting into spiritual exploration through Eastern teachers, at this point, mostly Parahamansa Yogananda, and, of course, he was sharing them with his brother Carlos. At the same time, they had both just had their ears and minds blown by hearing John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra's The Inner Mounting Flame and seeing them live in concert. For a time, in fact, they became groupies: attending as many Mahavishnu concerts as they could; feeding off of the energy and expanding their minds and instrumental landscapes through the sonic and spiritual force of the Mahavishnu and the whole band's stunning virtuosity. Carlos and Michael knew it was time to evolve.

     Within this same time frame, Carlos had seen and heard Doug Rauch and Doug Rodrigues perform as musicians for The Voices of East Harlem. He was immediately smitten with Doug Rauch's Mahavishnu-like style and enthusiasm, so he asked if he'd like to start joining his "new band" for some jam sessions--the result being an extensive road trip of constant touring, constant experimentation with a new more improvisational-oriented "live jam band" style of making music "in the moment." Michael and Carlos both credit Doug Rauch's infectious enthusiasm and endless flow of musical ideas for becoming a driving force behind the realization of this album project as well as for the preceding practice tour and following world tour.

     The newly-directed band toured extensively, enjoying their time together on and off stage, while at the same time trying to hone in and frame up some songs for a new album. They were eventually able to get some great, collaborative material to shape up for the making of what would become Caravanserai. The album is intentionally broken up into two very distinct sides, both flowing from opening notes into and through the music to a cohesive and comprehensive conclusion at each end. Side One is considered the Spiritual Side whereas Side Two being the "Percussionists Side."

 
Line-up / Musicians:
- Carlos Santana / lead guitar, percussion, vocals (6), co-producer
- Neal Schon / guitar (1,3-6,8-10)
- Doug Rauch / guitar (2,3), bass (2-6)
- Gregg Rolie / organ, piano (6)
- Tom Rutley / acoustic bass (1,6,8-10)
- Michael Shrieve / drums, co-producer
- Jose 'Chepito' Areas / timbales, congas (7), bongos (8)
- James Mingo Lewis / percussion, congas (2,4-10), bongos (7), piano (9), vocals (6)
- Armando Peraza / percussion, bongos (9)
With:
- Rico Reyes / vocals (6)
- Douglas Rodrigues / guitar (2)
- Wendy Haas / piano (1,8)
- Tom Coster / electric piano (9)
- Lenny White / castanets (6)
- Tom Harrel / orchestral arrangements (10)

1. "Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation" (4:28) crickets and Hadley Caliman's solo saxophone signal the dawning of a new era. About halfway in, the band joins in to provide a gentle, welcoming instrumental intro to the soul-augmenting jazz that is the new orientation of Carlos, Michael, and all of their new band members. (9.25/10)

2. "Waves Within" (3:53) Carlos and Neal Schon (yes, that Neal Schon!) exchanging emotional and electrical guitar-fire (with newcomer bass-player Doug Rauch also on rhythm guitar!) Incredible earworm melodies created repeated seven-step chord progression. A song that is credited to Doug Rauch and Gregg Rollie. (10/10)

3. "Look Up (To See What's Coming Down)" (2:59) the funk is also here: the percussion and bass certainly let you know it! Great guitar interplay between Neal, Doug, and Carlos. Another song credited to Doug Rauch and Gregg Rollie (as well as Carlos) and including Doug's guitar assistance. (9.25/10)

4. "Just In Time To See The Sun" (2:19) the jamming becomes more insistent: power chords and relentless rhythm play driving this one along. Carlos's singing is okay but I know how important his spiritual message is, so it rings true. (8.875/10)

5. "Song of the Wind" (6:02) great little tune carried by the bouncy organ and steady percussion. What beautiful music--and beautiful guitar play: melodic as hell and so emotional! The other band members must have been so inspired and confident while listening to Carlos' passion: no wonder their subtle flourishes and nuances are so perfect! Neal Schon is listed as one of the authors of this one. (9.75/10)

6. "All the Love of the Universe" (7:36) the last song on Side One is oriented like a Sly & The Family Stone jam song with Chicago-like whole-band choral vocal singing. (They're really not very good as a choir). Doug Rauch's rapid fire funk bass sounds like a cross between Percy Jones' machine gun and a Disco bass. Interesting song with a lot of energy--both kinetic and potential--but probably my least favorite song on the album. (13/15)

Side Two is often referred to as "the percussionists' side."

7. "Future Primitive" (4:12) opens with an atmosphere created by space-synths (uncredited but probably provided by Michael Shrieve) that is really just a setup (and, later, underlying texture) for percussionists José "Chepito" Areas and Mingo Lewis to jam in some kind of Cuban polyrhythmic language. (4.5/5)

8. "Stone Flower" (6:14) Carlos and Michael adopt this Antonio Carlos Joabim instrumental and put their own lyrics to it (and sing it: together). Yes, the melody does sound like it was lifted from some of the recent Brazilian-based bassa nova pop songs that had been seeping into American pop radio but that's just exemplifies the broad range of music that Carlos and especially Michael were listening to at that time. Great "Nature Boy"-inspired solo from Carlos. Also, acoustic bass is used on this one instead of Doug's funky electric--here provided by Tom Rutley. Man that organ and expanded lineup of percussionists really brings this to life! (8.875/10)

9. "La Fuente del Ritmo" (4:33) a wild ride that is driven by pure Latin rhythms as written and led by Mingo Lewis. The song also introduces two new band members who would become fixtures for a while in percussionist Armando Peraza and keyboard artist Tom Coster. (9/10)

10. "Every Step of the Way" (9:04) this Michael Shrieve song opens with the total feel of a Miles, Herbie or Mahavishnu song. (It actually sounds a lot like the music the band would issue on their next album, Love Devotion Surrender, a collaboration with John McLaughlin and some of the Mahavishnu members). The nuclear detonation occurs at the three-minute mark, unleashing a barrage of energetic play from every goddam member of this band--including some who were not members (horns ! (I agree with ProgArchives admin &. reviewer Sean Trane: "Every Step of the Way" escorts the listener to a divine orgasm.) Turn this one up to 11! It deserves a 6! One of Jazz-Rock Fusion's all-time great songs! (21/20)

Total Time: 51:20

It is so exciting to discover albums from 35-40 years ago that I'd never heard before and find myself totally blown away by the 'new' music I hear. Again, thank you Max and ProgArchivists: my world of music has never been so blown open. Caravanserai is an album whose first listen flooded me with such nostalgia; I had never before realized how much Carlos' guitar playing and his Latin rhythms and amazing organists influenced my core musical likes and values until I listened to this album. Hearing "Waves Within" I was (and am each time I listen to it) overcome with a flood of emotion taking me back to the Eden that was my formative pre-teen years.
     While I understand the derogatory comments bestowed upon the atmospheric "introludes" ("Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation" and "Future Primitive"), I love them and find them essential to the spiritual journey Santana is taking us on.
     Through the years I have enjoyed many of the singers and lyrics of Santana songs, however, I quite agree that on this album their presence are, overall, IMHO, out of place with and even detract from the spirit of the rest of the music. And while many of Carlos' extended solos are backed by simple two-chord repetitions, the band is always jamming their hearts out: they're in the same cosmic groove that allows Carlos to soar--and soar he does: The man is a true master of 'stumbling' upon incredibly catchy, melodic riffs while negotiating the fret board at seeming break-neck speed. Amazing talent. Truly a god channeling the divine!
     A wonderful album with outstanding work from Michael Shrieve, Neal Schon, Mingo Lewis and Greg Rolie--not to mention the Devadip and the new kid on the block, Doug Rauch!

5 star songs: "Waves Within," "Look Up (To See What's Coming)," "Song of the Wind," "Every Step of the Way."

94.09 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece and shining beacon of light from the young and still-forming Jazz-Rock Fusion movement--and one of my Top 20 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums from prog's "Classic Era." One of the few concert tours for which I wish I had been a "Deadhead"/groupie.

10. RETURN TO FOREVER Where Have I Known You Before (1974)

Recorded at the Record Plant in New York City in July and August of 1974, the world's introduction to guitar phenom Al Di Meola was released by Polydor in September. Replacing fan favorite Bill Connors was no easy feat, but the 22-year old guitarist brought a lot more to the table besides jaw-dropping speed.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stanley Clarke /Bass, Organ, Percussion [Chimes, Bell Tree]
- Lenny White /Drums, Percussion
- Al Di Meola /Guitar
- Chick Corea /Piano, Clavinet, Organ, Synthesizer, Percussion

A1 "Vulcan Worlds" (7:51) The iconic song from the album with Stanley's slap bass and Tony's Billy Cobham-like drumming has Stanley, Chick, and Al playing with interesting sounds and effects on their lead-blistering instruments. The first real instrumental section starts at 2:10 with a brief Chick MiniMoog solo followed by an equally-brief bass solo before yielding back to Chick for an extended solo. At 3:30 Stanley takes the reins back for a few seconds as if to bridge/hand off to Al for an impressive solo in which he slowly builds up with a distorted sound toward some of his famous machine gun runs. But it is Stanley's solo in the fifth minute that really takes the prize, showing the world who's Number One. Chick and Al get the seventh minute--with Al revealing more of his prodigious talent. Then the band goes into a near-"Midnight Cowboy" melody motif to close out the song in the final minute. (14.5/15)

A2 "Where Have I Loved You Before" (1:01) the first of Chick's piano interludes sounds so Oscar Peterson-like (at least, they do to these untrained ears)! (4.5/5)

A3 "The Shadow Of Lo" (7:34) See: even jazz-rock fusionists can make beautiful laid-back music! The pace does pick up in the third minute but it remains constant in its commitment to melody and smoothness. Al and Chick both get plenty of chances to shine while Lenny and Stanley remain pretty steadfast in their duties as rhythmists. The final couple minutes sees the band picking up a funk theme that sounds like a variation on Rufus' "Tell Me Something Good." (14.25/15)

A4 "Where Have I Danced With You Before" (1:12) acoustic piano solo with a little acoustic guitar support. (4.5/5)

A5 "Beyond The Seventh Galaxy" (3:11) I love the full rock bass on this one as Lenny crashes away and Al and Chick fill the top. The opening themes are presented and carried forward by the trio of Chick, Al, and Stanley! Then Chick gets to fill the next section with multiple keyboards at once. Al gets a left channel solo in the third minute. (I hear a little of "Alice" in some of the melody lines coming out of Chick!) (8.875/10)

B1 "Earth Juice" (3:45) heavy rock-funk line with near-disco drumming and percussion accompaniment along with Chick's Fender Rhodes over which Al gets full leadership (despite Stanley's amazing bass play beneath and Chick's almost constant accents between Al's lines). Nice song though it is not my favorite sound to come from Al's electric guitar. (8.875/10)

B2 "Where Have I Known You Before" (2:09) Bill Evans-like solo piano: quite dramatic and beautifully melodic. The right hand might be a little more aggressive and dynamic than Bill ever gets, but it's still so beautifully melodic! (5/5)

B3 "Song To The Pharoah Kings" (14:21) the song opens with an extended MiniMoog-over-organ solo passage. At 2:10 there's a shift to a different palette of electronic keyboard sounds with the rhythm section of Lenny and Stanley (and Fender Rhodes and clavinet) joining in at the end of the third minute. A little tango-like rhythm pattern is established by Stanley and Chick, with Stanley maintaining the oscillating chord progression, while Chick takes the first solos. Lenny gets to impress in the sixth minute (man! is he awesome!) before Stanley steps to the front at the end of the sixth. Man! is he amazing! (As is Chick's support beneath). Al finally gets to step up after an awesome bridge in the beginning of the eighth minute, but it's a slow, Latin build through Chick's layers of keys that gets him there, finally, in the middle of the ninth minute--duelling with Chick's screaming MiniMoog until 8:50 when he finally gets the stage all to himself. He does not disappoint though some of his playing feels a bit soulless--a feeling that is only augmented by the very connected and dynamic performances of his three band mates beneath and around him. Chick gets rest of the tenth minute as Al moves into some pretty awesome rock rhythm guitar and Stanley and Lenny continue to fly around beneath. Wow! How could anyone possibly compete with this amazing foursome? The song plays out with everybody hitting their chords together while Lenny boisterously accents it all from beneath. The very final 30-seconds is as good as any of the other moments of the song with the incredible dexterity on display. Wow! (28.75/30)

Total Time: 41:24

To my ears and brain, the music on this album is a serious step up from that of the second RTF album. The debut album stands alone as a very nice Chick Corea project, but Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy is to me merely an attempt to emulate and compete with John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu Orchestra. And who can blame Chick for this? Everybody else was doing it! And the Bill Connors quartet may have been the best at it, but the three Al DiMeola-staffed RTF albums present a sound and engineering step up into the realms of that of progressive rock music: clean, clear capture of dynamic instrumental performances throughout each and every song, start to finish; gone are the thin, watered-down soundscapes of Teo Maceo and David Rubinson; here are the vibrant soundscapes that Bruce Douglas envisioned with his 1969 work with Hendrix and John McLaughlin's Devotion (an album I much prefer to the early Mahavishnu albums). Here is the sound vibrancy and quality of Boston, Aja, and the computer/digital age beyond.
     20-year old Al will get better (as we'll see on No Mystery and Romantic Warrior) but Lenny, Stanley, and Chick are definitely at the top of their game! And the compositions are simply perfect for these instrumentalists! Bravissimo!

93.95 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an incontrovertible masterpiece of prog-rock-satisfying jazz-rock fusion; one of the shining moments of the apex of the movement.

11. CHRIS HINZE COMBINATION "Sister Slick" (1974)

Recorded on a 16-track recorder in Weesp, Holland, on May 25th, 26th, 29th, 30th 1974 with Emile elsen engineering for producer, arranger, and principal composer Chris Hinze.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chris Hinze / producer, writing, arrangements, flute, alto flute
- Rob Van Den Broeck / piano, grand piano, electric piano, soloist
- Jasper Van 't Hof / piano, electric piano, soloist, organ
- Henny Vonk / vocals
- Jan Huydts / piano, grand piano, synthesizer, soloist
- Philip Catherine / acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Gerry Brown / percussion, drums
- John Lee / bass, writing
- Robert Jan Stips (Supersister, Golden Earring) / organ

1. "Skyrider" (8:28) a song that opens with Jan Huydts' piano playing (with synthesizer strings supporting) a variation of the second movement (Adagio sostenuto) of Sergei Rachmaninoff's 1900–1901 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18, a song that classically the trained composer (and son of a world class orchestra conductor) would have been intimately familiar with. (The Raspberries' Eric Carmen's would make an international hit song, called "All By Myself," based upon the same theme. Perhaps Eric heard Chris's version, though it is far more likely that he picked it up from his music studies with his Aunt Muriel who was a concert violinist with the Cleveland Orchestra when it was under the direction of George Szell--who had built "the world's greatest symphonic instrument". ªº) Anyway, at the end of the first minute, the song jumps into a long (90 seconds) proggy segue into an "electric" orchestra symphonic bridge (which sounds tremendously like something fellow Dutch band FOCUS had done or would do), which ultimately empties out onto an RETURN TO FOREVER-like funk-jazz showpiece for instrumental virtuosity. Philip Catherine gets one of the first solos while John Lee and Gerry Brown provide a very Stanley Clarke-Lenny White-like foundation speeding along beneath. All the while, composer Chris Hinze's flute is buried a little into the mix, giving it the feeling/effect of being a supportive thread in the large tapestry being created. In the sixth minute Chris's flute is moved to the front while Philip's stll-raging electric guitar soloing is moved back into the far background (but you can still hear him!) A Chick-Corea-like electric piano is right there on the right side, supporting, embellishing, and encouraging the others. Man! That segue in the eighth minute is intense--and so well played!

     From the start to finish of this song I began to wonder if this is an example of Chris trying to emulate the Deodato move that the Brazilian bandleader made in co-opting a piece of classical music on his recent world-wide hit album, Prelude. (Eumir had made a jazzed-rock fusioned version of Richard Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra"--which had been re-made famous and popular by its use in the fairly recent sci-fi film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The song had achieved massive success around the world in 1973.) Was Chris hoping to achieve similar commercial success with his own jazz interpretation of a particularly accessible classical music theme?

     Whatever his motivations or influences, I think Chris has achieved something quite extraordinary here. The sound engineering/mix could be a little better, but I think he has found the perfect ensemble of musicians necessary to do this great song justice. (19/20)

2. "Easy Answering" (8:41) flute-led smooth jazz with a definite foot in the realms of funk-jazz (due to the processing and forward mix of John Lee's distorted funky bass). Philip Catherine's lead guitar work in the first half of this one is much more in line with the electric jazz guitar players of the late 1960s than the modern styles (and sounds) promoted by the likes of Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, Bill Connors, and the latest phenom, Al Di Meola. Henny Vonk's wonderful "smooth-scat" vocalese is used prominently throughout the song's second half. She sounds strikingly similar to Flora Purim (as opposed to Urszula Dudziak or Annie Haslam--the three most well-known female vocalists attempting this style of wordless scat-singing at the time). A very solid song with lots of entertainment value; well worth repeated listens in order to try to pick up all of the wonderful contributions of the ensemble's individuals. (18.5/20)

3. "I Like To Feed A Smile On Your Face" (5:21) more of John Lee's stanky funk bass, fast and forward, drives this song as well if not more than the song's melodies and excellent drumming. I wish the sound recording/engineering choices had been a little better: the mix is a bit unbalanced and there is a scratchiness and disappointing distortion throughout. I love Philip Catherine's "tarnished and degraded" electric guitar sound. I like the spread on this one: John Lee's bass low and center; Philip Catherine's stinky rhythm guitar in the right channel, the dirty Fender Rhodes in the left channel, the drummer covering the entire field from down below, and Chris's flute in the very middle (but not mixed forward at all). Everybody is made equal in importance in this kind of mix. Cool! At the same time, one can definitely get a sense for the limitations a 16-track recorder places on the engineer and producer: there is only so much sound one can jam into each and every song. Hence, the single track, start-to-finish allocations of the individual musicians' performances (with volume and panning dials the main method of singling out the soloists.) (9/10)

4. "Unity" (9:44) a delicate, richly-melodic electric piano motif (that Steely Dan would base their iconic 1976 song, "Aja" on) opens this one. At the end of the first minute the piano backs down and Chris's low, breathy flute takes the lead, soon supported/dueted with Henny Vonk's Burt Bacharach-like vocalese. The song takes an unexpected and almost-awkward shift--twice!--in the second minute (at 1:15 and again, more permanently, at 2:05). Then we're off to the races as John and Gerry power an awesome cruise over which the Fender Rhodes takes the lead for a bit before a brief bridge early in the fourth minute leads to a complete stop. The music is again picked up, at first by solo flute, and then by the full band, shifting into a Latin-based section that actually uses two different motifs (with three different bass patterns!) over which Chris and Philip provide the lead entertainment. I love Philip's reactive rhythm guitar play here! But I really love the brave stylistic switches throughout  this awesome song. The Latin'Caribbean motifs in particular give it so much life! Again, I can't help but wonder if Donald Fagen and Walter Becker had any exposure to this song or album before setting into the creation of their Aja album. A real gem of a song, this is! (19/20)

5. "The Second Coming" (6:28) John Lee's single contribution to the album's compositions, it opens with a brief introductory period before shifting into third gear with a more-loose- and broad-spectrum-than-usual jazz-rock fusion motif over which flute, wordless voice, and  electric guitar share the initial exposition of the main melody. Then everybody settles back to support Chris's flute with John doing that chunky free-floating "dirty" bass thing he's been doing pretty much the entire album. Electric piano and far off Arp Synth strings provide an awesome floating feeling (quite similar to the way Lenny White incorporates this effect on his Venusian Summer album) as Philip Catherine takes the lead (twice! in two different channels!) The fullness and smooth groovity of the entire song is so enticing, so lilting, so enjoyable that I feel that I could float along this river/stream forever! Definitely one of the best John Lee compositions (and renderings) I've yet heard. Awesome! A perfect song!(?) (10/10)

6. "Sister Slick" (5:03) floating Arp Odyssee synth--sounding like something from a GONG album!--over which syncopated rhythm track is laid down. It's complex and herky-jerky but not enough to totally alienate the listener; one can still pick up and appreciate the fine performances of the musicians despite the rather loose and "undefined" roles everyone has been assigned. (Which, in this respect, gives the song a kind of bluesy "practice workout" feel: i.e. feeling as if the composition was not properly finished; they'd captured a rather one-dimensional jam on tape and decided to keep it and stick it on the end of the album. The slow fade out at the end also adds weight to this theory: strongly suggesting that this jam went on for some time after the cut was made.) (8.875/10)

Total Time 43:45

The flow and style of this entire album has, to my ears and mind, the feel of that of DEODATO's masterful 1973 album release, Prelude--which was released in January of 1973 and rose to international fame and acclaim on the backs of both the amazing hit song "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)." Like Prelude, Deodato had employed a pre-eminently perfect matched flutist for his album in the personage of Hubert Laws--a long-established jazz artist that Chris admired greatly. We also know from Chris's heritage, musical training, and ever-evolving, ever-eclectic musical tastes that he was very prone to like a new style or trend, learn and master it, and then use his new information and skill to create new music and, being a producer and independently wealthy music studio owner, produce an album using the finest musicians within his reach (which could be achieved easily if money was never a restriction).  

93.75 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a full-blown, indisputable masterpiece of peak era Jazz-Rock Fusion. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The whole world should know this album!  

ªº from music critic Donal Henahan's New York Times obituary article on the passing of George Szell (31 July 1970). "George Szell, Conductor, Is Dead". The New York Times. p. 1. ISBN 9780405111532. 

12. FERMÁTA Pieseň z hôľ (Songs from Ridges) (1976)

The Slovakian band's sophomore album disspells any worry about a "slump": instead, the band shows how serious they are--and how hard they've been working since their debut. The album was recorded in Czechoslovakia in the 1976 and released by Opus label at the end of the year or beginning of 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Frantisek Griglák / guitar, vocals, Fender Rhodes & synth (5)
- Tomás Berka / Fender Rhodes, synth, percussion
- Anton Jaro / bass
- Cyril Zeleňák / drums, percussion
With:
- Milan Tedla / violin, Jew's harp

1. "Pieseň z hôľ (Song From Ridges)" (11:07) the use of a wide sonic field with this bass and guitar opening catches the listener a little off guard but quickly flows into quite an awesome display of music with breathtaking performances from all four of the musicians (though especially guitarist Frantisek Griglák: the virtuoso has arrived!) Anton Jaro's nuanced bass play is brilliant, drummer Cyril Zeleňák's play quite solid and in the pocket, while maestro Tomás Berka's play on Fender Rhodes and synth are as extraordinary and inventive as ever. But really, giving Frantisek Griglák's guitar playing two (or more) tracks to show off his new, near-Jan Akkerman skills is almost unfair to the others. At the end of the sixth minute Cyril is given an additional track for some interesting "background" conga play. Then the band moves slightly into a different Al Di Meola-like lane with new guitar sounds and new synth sounds--all the while with Anton and Cyril holding down the blistering pace from below with astonishing ease. Now this is some powerful Jazz-Rock Fusion on the level of RETURN TO FOREVER. Probably the best--and my favorite--song on the album. (19.5/20)

2. "Svadba na medvedej lúke (Marriage On A Bears Meadow)" (4:15) the band puts on display how closely they've been keeping up with the Anglo-American Jazz-Rock Fusion scene with some Billy Cobham-like drumming, smooth-yet-funky Stanley Clarke like bass playing, and dreamy, experimental synth and Fender Rhodes play. Excellent, excellent song. Love the Cobham-like drum intro! Probably the best--and my favorite--song on the album. (9.75/10)

3. "Posledný jarmok v Radvani (The Last Fair In Radvaň)" (4:31) simple drums and wildly inventive-yet-melodic bass play from Anton Jaro (the guy is a metronomic miracle!) The band gets their funk out! Listen to guitarist Frantisek Griglák's funky guitar plucking! Plus, there are some amazing whole-band riffs, bridges, and weaves. Definitely a very intricately constructed composition that required a lot of practice to perform as well as some extraordinary skill to pull off. Probably the best--and my favorite--song on the album. (9.75/10)

4. "Priadky (Spinning)" (7:37) a slow, spacious opening with Fender Rhodes chords and percussion sounds gradually start building up tension and speed until Tomás chord play establish a rhythmic pattern upon which the rest of the band jump on board around the 90-second mark, forming one of the most engaging, melodic and yet funky jazz-rock themes I've ever heard. Amazing! Tomás work has never been better! So creative! And, with a little maturity he's figured out how the use of space within his playing can be advantageous. Frantisek's guitar only sneaks in during the fourth minute, eventually taking the lead in the sixth minute with more of a rock-blues-rock staccato style. (not my favorite.) Then, in the sixth minute, things slow down for a Fender and synth reset before Anton and Cyril re-establish an amazing groove over which percussion and Frantisek's rhythm and background lead work contribute. The real stars of the show here, for me, are Anton and Tomás. Probably the best--and my favorite--song on the album. (14.25/15)

5. "Dolu Váhom (Downstream Váh)" (2:20) one-man band Tomás Berka presents a theme that funksters Anton and Cyril join. It turns out that Frantisek's absence is only due to the fact that he's also playing a synth, duelling with Tomás. It's nice, made great by the rhythm section, but nothing to write home about. (8.875/10)

6. "Vo Zvolene zvony zvonia (Bells Are Ringing In Zvolen)" (10:10) with a kind of DEODATO "Also Sprach Zarathustra"-like display of smooth melody-making the band here express their future goals of creating more accessible progressive rock/jazz-rock fusion. The addition of Milan Tedla's violin to the mix is quite nice--here taking the first solo in the third and fourth minutes. Next is one of Tomás' synths as well as some additional percussion sounds. The whole groove is just a little too laid back--even at 5:10 when the rhythm section shifts into a cutesy stop-and-go motif over which Tomás switches to a different synth sound for a solo. A minute later they switch back to the original smooth groove for another violin solo--this one turning into a bit of a duel between Tomás' array of synth (and Fender Rhodes) sounds and Milan's violin (as well as himself). (Who does he think he is? Jan Hammer?) Another thing that irritates me about this song is the slight/subtle shifts in tempo--are they trying to be cute or just showing off their astute skills?  Plus, I'm not really a fan of the rapid and frequent keyboard sound shifts--as if purely to show off the number of sounds he's found. The skills on display are undeniable; it's the effect that bothers me: as if entertainment is the only end worth working toward, not the skill of comaraderie and working out intricate weaves as a whole band. (17.5/20)

Total Time: 40:00

I don't know why I'd never been steered toward this album before (due to the super-high acclaim given to the sublime Huascaran, obviously) but from a purely jazz-rock fusion perspective THIS is my favorite Fermáta album! It's so perfect! And so funky!

93.68 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a veritable masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion! Were it not for the disappointing weaknesses of the final two songs, this might be among my top five J-R Fuse albums of all-time! 

13. MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA Birds of Fire (1973)

The nearly-universally acclaimed peak of Jazz-Rock Fusion, the Orchestra's second studio album. The band was still fresh, still inspired, not yet road-weary and spiritually exhausted by Mahavishnu John's uncompromising rule and order. The album was recorded in August of 1972 in sessions at CBS Studios in New York City and Trident Studios in London, England, and then released by Columbia Records on March 26, 1973. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / guitars
- Jan Hammer / piano, Fender Rhodes, Moog
- Jerry Goodman / violin
- Rick Laird / bass
- Billy Cobham / drums, cymbals, percussion

1. "Birds of Fire" (5:41) gongs and tightly fingered guitar and keyboard arpeggi open this, a two-chord major/minor flow, over which the virtuosi take turns expressing their pent-up energies with pyroclastic displays--John McLaughlin taking up more of that solo time than the others. Sometimes it's the instrumental play of the artists on "standby" that impress as much as the front-and-center man, but it's always the multi-player mirrored solos, like the fifth minute here, that impress the most. (9.25/10)

2. "Miles Beyond" (Miles Davis) (4:39) bluesy-jazz from Jan Hammer's keys open this one before the funk bass and drums join in. Jerry Goodman and the Mahavishnu take the first turn at expressing (Mile's) melody line before a stripped-down gap of Fender Rhodes support allows Goodman an odd pizzicato violin solo. Ramping back up into full-band repetition of the six-chord progression, John and Jerry take turns unleashing their demons--performing at the end in tandem. Not my favorite song melodically but the musicianship cannot help but impress. (8.75/10)

3. "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters" (2:53) The drumming and keys are so tight but this is one of Rick Laird's more impressive displays. It is remarkable that Jan Hammer can maintain the rhythmic support on the Fender Rhodes while also joining in on the triple-enunciation runs of such fast, fluid lines with the guitar and violin. (9/10)

4. "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love" (0:22) a sudden cacophony of electric sounds produced by all of the musicians flailing away at once.

5. "Thousand Island Park" (3:19) opening with a Baroque-classical feeling--played on all-acoustic instruments! Rick's loud double bass being the only offset to the tight weave between piano, steel-string acoustic guitar, and violin. Feels very much like the inspiration for RTF's "Medieval Overture." Nice! (9.25/10)

6. "Hope" (1:55) a cool, tension-filled piece that is brief but very powerful; like an antithesis to the album's final song, "Resolution." This song could/should have been expanded into something bigger. (5/5)

7. "One Word" (9:54) Billy Cobham's amazing drumming open this one before the band join in with a couple ominous deep chord progressions. Things quiet down at the end of the first minute, but then what sounds like a freight train barreling out from behind a desert mountain comes speeding at us before arriving to settle into a DEODATO/WHO-like funk rhythm pattern within which Rick Laird gets the first solo. I love the way the rest of the virtuosi support with wild flourishes of their pent up energy, all the while Billy (and amazing rhythm guitar) just keeps the train rolling along at top open-road speed. When Rick falls back into the rhythm flow, his lines are as flawlessly impressive as Billy's. In the meantime Jan, Jerry, and John take turns spitting out quick licks from their instruments until at 5:50 they can no longer abide by the turn-taking rule. But then Billy jumps in to stop them as he launches into a solo that just gets jaw-droppingly more and more complex as it goes on. After two minutes Jan and the others try to push back into the mix but only after the third minute is over does Billy finally lets the others back in. From there it is four person sprint to the end. Who won this one? I have to give it to Billy. (19.5/20)

8. "Sanctuary" (5:01) a serene yet surprisingly-disturbing song to follow the frantic pace of the previous ten minutes. Great slow-developing melodies over Billy's punctuating drumming and a some awesome Minimoog play from Jan Hammer. Feels unresolved at the end: remitting and surrendering. (9.5/10)

9. "Open Country Joy" (3:52) opens like some happy-go-lucky song coming out of a Grateful Dead jam--from one of their good trips. Violinist Jerry Goodman is particularly central to the "country" melody in the opening minute, but then there is this terribly confusing, long pause, out of which the full band bursts with unbound passion and energy, flying through their solos (and collective bridges) with unheard-of speeds. At 2:40 we slow down and once again fall into that devil-may-care "Afternoon Delight" space. Very interesting song. (9/10)

10. "Resolution" (2:08) One of my all-time favorite Mahavishnu songs, I know it's just a continuous chord progression over which John, Jerry, and Jan climb chord by chord to the top of their scales, but it's so beautiful: an étude we would all love to have recorded. (5/5)

Total Time 39:44

It took me a long time to really like the funk-oriented or screaming guitar work of early jazz fusion artist John McLaughlin. His sound, his speed and emotion awed me, but I never found myself really liking it--until the sound smoothed out in the collaboration with Carlos Santana, when Stanley and Al joined RTF, when Jean-Luc and Narada Michael Walden came to join the later incarnation of Mahavishnu Orchestra. Again, I attribute this phenomenon to my untrained ears--I was too young and inexperience to be able to take in all of the notes--"too many notes" the Emperor says in Amadeus. Well, as a thirteen and fourteen year old, I definitely had the mushy, malleable brain and sensibilities of Emperor Joseph II. "There are just so many notes that the human ear can tolerate in the course of one sitting" (paraphrased and adapted to this particular situation). Now as I listen to this music I am awed but at the same time I am enjoying the music, the collaborative, instinctual journeys each musician is prodded and provoked to explore due to their companions' virtuosic daring. At the same time, there are some songs on the album that are not up to the standards of quality sound recording that I've come accustomed to--especially with regards to the keyboards and guitar (or perhaps it's just over use of distortion). The highlights for me are not when the individual musicians are trading machine gun insults but when the whole band are working a melody/riff together. As Inner Mounting Flame announced the arrival of a new form of music, Birds of Fire showed resoundingly that this music was real, was not going away, while also perfecting it, thus making it a masterpiece of jazz fusion and one of its shining representatives to the world of progressive rock music.

93.61111 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a shining masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that fully expresses the many variables and influences available to J-R Fuse artists. Not only a landmark album for the sub-genre but probably one of THE most influential albums of any genre on future music and musicians. For me this is definitely a Top 20 Jazz-Rock Fusion from the "Classic Era," however, it is not an album that earns a place in my list of "Top 20 Favorites."




14. MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA Apocalypse (1974)

After John McLaughlin's failed attempt to keep the original Mahavishnu Orchestra placated and nurtured, he went to Carlos Santana and found new inspiration. Add in a mix of musicians who couldn't wait to play with him--including the violinist he'd hoped to have for his first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra--and a new hope arises for a new version of his ground-breaking experiment in power jazz-rock. Add to the mix the London Symphony Orchestra and we have the makings of something very interesting.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / guitars, vocal composer
- Gayle Moran / keyboards, vocals
- Jean-Luc Ponty / violins (electric & baritone electric)
- Ralphe Armstrong / bass, double bass, vocals
- Michael Walden / drums, percussion, vocals, clavinet (?)
With:
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Hugh Beau / orchestra leader
- Michael Tilson Thomas / piano (2), orchestra conductor
- Michael Gibbs / orchestration
- Marsha Westbrook / viola
- Carol Shive / violin, vocals
- Philip Hirschi / cello, vocals

1. "Power of Love" (4:13) descending piano chords are soon joined by horn/wind section of orchestra sounding very cinematic. Classical guitar joins in around the one-minute mark and then Jean-Luc Ponty's heavily-treated electric violin as the orchestral strings swirl around the individual soloists quite magnificently, repeating the same ascending melody line. Sounds like a dream come true: guitar, violin, and piano power trio with London Symphony Orchestra. Wow! So beautiful! I could/should loop this on an eternal repeat! (10/10)

2. "Vision Is a Naked Sword" (14:18) crescendoing cymbals precede an ominous bowed-bass intro over which dynamic drumming of Narada Michael Walden joins in. At the 1:25 mark the horn-led full orchestra joins in spouting out a continued ominous chord progression. It's furious and powerful, it's bold and beautiful. Then things settle down in the fourth minute for a bit while Jean-Luc begins his time up front, but the orchestra swells again before dropping off, leaving an open space that drummer Walden gladly fills. A whole-band primordial soup then ensues in which all of the individuals are arpeggio-riffing with no apparent coherent goal until the Orchestra jumps in and starts doing its own version of arpeggio riffing, trampling over the individual soloists for a bit. In the middle of the seventh minute the two sides (orchestra and individualists) seem to reach a balance as all members' inputs are being heard. The eighth minute unveils a surprising change of pace and motif as playful bass and very playful funky rhythm guitar establish the grounds for Michael and Jean-Luc to play over. It's one big happy playground! Since there is so little egocentric flash and flare here, this makes me think that this is quite possibly the best Mahavishnu composition I've ever heard. John's interesting muted "rhythm lead" guitar is given the front for the tenth and eleventh minutes before teaming up with Jean-Luc and Gayle to release a spray of bullets in tandem before the orchestra jumps in to take over. But then, at 12:50, the rock band takes over gelling in a cool weave of fertile soil over which the Orchestra rises to the front as the soloist! The finish is typical Mahavishnu flare but it's brief and conclusive. A surprisingly egalitarian composition! (28.5/30)

3. "Smile of the Beyond" (8:00) Gayle sings in her beautiful operatic voice with the accompaniment of the London Symphony Orchestra for the opening four minutes. It's quite lovely if a little protracted! Then, as if another song, the band launches into a very pop-sounding rock form built around the melody of Gayle's vocal (which is continued internittantly in the background by a Gayle Moran-led choir), guitar, drums, bass, and violin all firing at high speed. But then, in the seventh minute, the rock elements disappear whereupon Gayle and the LSO return as the sole musical elements to the finish. Interesting blend; I'm not sure it worked, overall. (13.125/15)

4. "Wings of Karma" (6:06) full orchestra (mostly strings) takes the first two-minutes before the Fender Rhodes-led chords introduce a moderately-paced song form, but then when everybody in the Mahavishnu Orchestra joins in it becomes a very odd almost-disharmonious mix of incongruous playing--almost as if every individual is flying off in their own directions with little guidance or adherence to the keyboard pace and melodies. The instrumentalists are all very impressive (especially, I have to say, the young drummer), but I'm not sure it all works--this despite the song's title. The band once again drops off in lieu of Michael Tilson Thomas closing out the song with an all-orchestra finish. Not my favorite. (8.75/10)

5. "Hymn to Him" (19:19) a pretty orchestral opening is blended (finally!) with the rock and electric instruments from the very beginning--which is the way it should be--with the rock quintet emerging with the song's dominant form only in the fourth and fifth minutes, finally establishing ascendency at 5:10. The way the orchestra has been interwoven up to this point in a give-and-take kind of way is absolute perfection--nothing short of amazing! The barrage of instrumental fireworks (from John and Michael, at first, with a little craziness from Ralphe Armstrong, then Jean-Luc in the eighth minute) that ensues is is nicely balanced by Gayle's patient Fender Rhodes chords and occasional LSO flares. In the seventh minute John produces an absolutely amazing rock guitar solo. At the eight-minute mark, however, there is a total changeover into what feels like an orchestra-less jazz-rock motif. This is nice, with Gayle's Fender Rhodes getting some lead time and John's eccentric electric wah-ed guitar strumming in support in their usual fascinating way. (The man is truly an unheralded genius at accenting rhythm guitar support.) Ralphe gets the next extended solo in the tenth and eleventh minutes--a solo that seems to just keep on going even when Jean-Luc takes over in the front-and-center position.
     At times on this album it feels as if Jean-Luc is convinced that he needs to come from more of a blues-rock orientation. This is unfortunate because, in my opinion, he is much more noticeable and effective as a melodic rock soloist. Anyway, he does get some stunning firecrackers in--especially in opposition to John's machine gun Roman candle spray. And I love how the drums and bass pick up the pace in the fifteenth minute! But then the LSO jump back into the mix (to great effect) as the rest of the jazz-rockers try to keep their barrage flowing. It seems that only Michael Walden and Jean-Luc Ponty are willing to stay the course--until the 17-minute mark when the fleet reaches the calmer waters of the port bay--at which time they unleash some beautifully-ecstatic bursts of celebratory sounds as the orchestra slowly cradle them into port.
     A brilliant if still not perfect composition. I really think the blend of the two orchestras here is not only some of the best I've ever heard between jazz or rock band and symphonic orchestra but incredibly inter-supportive with stunningly-beautiful melodies coming from multiple fronts. (37.75/40)

Total Time 51:56

I found it very comforting and reassuring that John did not feel the need to jump out of the blocks with bullets spraying--that the first song, "Power of Love" showed the kind of restraint and beauty that can only come with serene confidence; this just let me know that this time around using the Mahavishnu Orchestra moniker--this "incarnation"--he was feeling far less need to impress. But then, as the album plays on, I find myself tiring a bit of the LSO-Mahavhisnu-LSO format used by all of the songs. I know you have to get your money's worth of such an esteemed group as the LSO (and Michael Tilson Thomas), and I don not mean to belittle the orchestra arrangements and performances: they're amazing--but I really am surprised at the fact that the Mahavishnu Orchestra gets only about 50 percent of the album's 52 minutes. Also, as impressive as Michael Walden's skills are, he is, for my tastes, a little too cymbal-happy (not unlike my major complaint of Who drummer Keith Moon). Perhaps if the cymbals weren't mixed so high as to shade some of the band's other sounds it wouldn't be so annoying. And then there's the fact that John's acquisition of his "dream" partner in violinist Jean-Luc Ponty results is so little front time for the fiddle master. Too bad. At the same, I do call this my favorite Mahavishnu album. I really love the experimentalism of the next album, Visions of the Emerald Beyond--on which Jean-Luc has far more face time and Michael less temerity--and I've always felt a little "left out" or put off by the machine gun showmanship of the first two (three counting the live Eternity album). On Apocalypse, there's just something comforting about the cushioning that the LSO provides.

93.45 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion and what I consider the Mahavishnu Orchestra's best album of finely-crafted fusion songs. For me this is definitely a Top 20 Jazz-Rock Fusion from the "Classic Era," but more, it is an album that also earns a place in my Top 10 "Favorites."

15. EXIL Fusionen (1975)

Individualistic fusion from Germany sounding like a big band treading into the world of Jazz-Rock Fusion. The album was recorded at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart, Germany, and released to the public in by Fhuzl Produktion in 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jotwin / vocals, cello
- Berndt Steiner / guitar, drums
- Georg Eckl / electric piano
- Eva Lutz / violin, cello
- Bewin / tenor saxophone
- Bernd Funk / percussion

1. "Nur Ein Klein Wenig" (3:12) a very classical exposition of jazz music from some musicians that sound very seasoned. The band includes both violin and cello with saxophone over a very solid drum and bass and percussion trio. Georg Eckl's electric piano becomes more prominent about half way through, just before a dramatic stops and restart in order to shift into a kind of beer-hall band tune with comic vocals reminding me of bands like Samla Mammas Manna. (8.875/10)

2. "Kurzes Hundeleben" (8:43) a well-formulated and well-executed two-part jazz exodus in which all of the proficient musicians themselves quite well. One can easily listen to each and every one of the individual musicians the entire way through this long song and be equally entertained and impressed. Plus, there is a DEODATO-like "Also Sprach Zarathustra" feel and palette to this song with electric piano, drums, and percussion creating quite an impressive foundation in and of themselves. Keyboardist Georg Eckl is quite impressive as are drummer Berndt Steiner and percussionist Bernd Funk. (19/20)

3. "Die Gute Alte Anna" (5:33) here the band explores some of their native folk traditions using both FLAIRCK- and AFTER CRYING-like classical and jazz perspectives. Warm and intimate, this more acoustic music is inviting and highly engaging--even with the German folk vocals. Halfway through there is another radical shift into a more COMUS/SPIROGYRA-like aggression and abrasive humor vocals. I love it all! (9.25/10)

4. "Schuhe 1" (6:58) Beatnik jazz-like sound with heavy emphasis on the presence of percussion, saxophone, and electric piano. It even sounds like it's been recorded in an underground cave like a Beatnik black room. (13.5/15)

5. "Ohne Uns" (4:14) what started with the uptempo Beatnik jam that began at the end of the previous song here smooths out a bit to continue with a form that revolves around Jotwin's folksy singing before falling into some more fast-moving instrumental music rife with loud drums, hand percussion, and electric piano with saxophone and cello up front and center leading the melody play. Could this music have been heard by the Norwegian youngsters that became SEVEN IMPALE? (9.125/10)

6. "Seifenblasenleiden" (9:51) opens like a piece of classical music by a small orchestral chamber ensemble--even with the rock drums--before slowly morphing into a chamber version of, and variation on, the main, opening motif of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man." Eventually, the jazz nature of these musicians takes over and the song veers off into several interesting motifs: the first more loose and wild, the second more sedate and spacious with lots of room for improvisational inputs. At 6:25, in the middle of this slowed down section, cellist Jotwin enters with a singing voice that gives this song a feel very much like fellow German band ELOY. Violin, cello, electric piano, and tenor saxophone continue to give this song a very mellow jazz-rock feel--even when the tempo and intensity start to pick up in the eighth minute. I really love this song! It's a perfect illustration of the blend of classical, jazz, and pop that ends up becoming prog! (19.5/20)

Total Time 37:34

I normally don't like saxophone but, like that in SEVEN IMPALE's aggressive progressive rock, I like this. 

93.24 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a very impressive masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion from a group of very well-seasoned musicians all coalescing quite wonderfully. 

16. HERBIE HANCOCK Thrust (1974)

After the final sessions with his Mwandishi collaborators, Herbie was all-in for the Funk and all-in for exploring the latest sounds that technology could provide. Thrust is the result of his deep dive--one of the first jazz artists and jazz albums to take music into the third, more melodic and pop-oriented, wave of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Recorded in San Francisco at Wally Heider Studios, the album was released by Columbia Records on September 6, 1974. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Herbie Hancock / ARP Odyssey, 2600, String & Soloist synths, Fender Rhodes, Hohner D6 Clavinet, co-producer
With:
- Bennie Maupin / soprano & tenor saxophones, saxello, bass clarinet, alto flute
- Paul Jackson / electric bass
- Mike Clark / drums
- Bill Summers / percussion

1. "Palm Grease" (10:37) using simpler structures, simpler melodic hooks, simpler more pop-oriented rhythm patterns, Herbie turns his music into a product that is more oriented toward the entertainment of the masses instead of something trying to impress the traditionalists. The musicians he has chosen to surround himself on this one are, of course, incredibly solid but also carry that single-minded vision of serving the masses and thus help in producing eminently listenable, enjoyable, and danceable songs. Great drumming from Mike Clark and great bass play from Paul Jackson while Bennie Maupin and Herbie test all the funk sound boundaries with their futuristic sounds. (17.75/20)

2. "Actual Proof" (9:40) with the smooth synth strings and floating flute, this one crosses both the Stevie Wonder-like funk and Bob James-like Smooth Jazz worlds despite the wonderfully funky bass and clavinet play. From a keyboard-perspective, this song lets me know that Herbie had heard Eumir DEODATO's hit-generating music from Prelude. From a bass and drums perspective I can hear that Paul Jackson and Mike Clark had been hearing the stuff that Buster Williams and Stanley Clarke as well as Billy Cobham and Lenny White were doing since the Bitches Brew sessions; just stupendous play from both of them! One of the coolest funk-laden Smooth Jazz songs you will ever hear! (19.75/20)

3. "Butterfly" (11:17) awesome late night cabana smooth jazz with Bennie Maupin's bass clarinet and saxello carrying a lot of the melody load--but from the back! Herbie sits back with his synth strings supporting the scene for the first two minutes before revealing his clavinet and Fender Rhodes while Bennie solos. The drums, percussion and bass are simple--like a good R&B rhythm section in relax and groove mode throughout Bennie's two-plus minute solo. Herbie takes the next extended solo--for the next five minutes!--on his Fender. Lovely. What a great earworm of a bass riff! At 7:00 Herbie moves to his clavinet for a bit and, with it, the band into a great funkified variation of the main theme before he returns to a more vibrant solo form on his Fender. (19/20)

4. "Spank-A-Lee" (7:12) an exercise in pure funk à la the recent STEVIE WONDER work (think "Boogie on Reggae Woman"). The four rhythmatists are wonderful--and obviously having a great time grooving with one another, but from the one-minute mark on it's really the Bennie Maupin show and I'm not really a sax man. While not as catchy or melodic as the previous songs, it is still demonstrative of some mighty high talent. (13.375/15)

Total Time 38:46

I think that humble, uber-talented bandleader Herbie Hancock here demonstrates that he is finally convinced that his keyboard playing can be front and center--as the main attraction--and that all of the funk tendencies taking over the radio waves and technological advances going on in keyboard instrumentation needed tending to--and advantage taken of. While I loved his 1960s work and his Mwandishi period, I am LOVING this stuff WAY more! 

93.167 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion, my favorite Herbie album of all-time, and one of my favorite albums in the J-R Fuse lexicon. 

17. GATEWAY Gateway (1975)

An ECM production of the collaborative music of three of the greatest jazz musicians to have graced the  vinyl and plastic grooves of last 40 years of the 20th Century. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- John Abercrombie / guitar
- Dave Holland / double bass
- Jack DeJohnette / drums

1. "Back-Woods Song" (7:54) starts out sounding a bit like an ALLMAN BROTHERS song before the three start exerting their jazzy virtuosity. John Abercrombie, whom I've come to recognize as one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever, really puts on a display of CHET ATKINS-like virtuosic subtlety, also like Chet, often covering the low and middle ranges as well as rhythm--despite the fact that he's got one of the best rhythm sections ever assembled beneath him. The ECM sound is, as one comes to expect, incredibly well recorded, engineered, and rendered unto tape: it seems that every tiny little nuance of each players' performance is captured with pristine accuracy. Dave Holland is such a lyrical bass player that I don't for a minute lament the absence of vocals or words, and when he's soloing, we get to observe the creative/inventive rhythm strokes of Mr. Abercrombie--one of the areas that he excels in a way similar to that of John McLaughlin and Jan Akkerman. While I don't really like this style of music, I find myself sitting back while bathing in the enjoyment of hearing these fine musicians captured for all time, just for me. (13.75/15)

2. "Waiting" (2:13) interesting little loose piece with Dave's bass providing the focal material. Innocuous and forgettable. (Even as I just heard it two minutes ago.) (4.25/5)

3. "May Dance" (11:04) a piece that sounds a lot like the old jazz of the 1960s when the free-jazz artists were really starting to take off. Jack sounds like he's doing the best job playing off of John's lead guitar work, but then Dave Holland is so adept, so attuned that he may be not only in perfect synchrony but also perhaps the lead instrument. Heck! I understand free-jazz so poorly that maybe Jack's the lead--or all three could be racing off in their own direction. What let's me know that the artists aren't too far out there is the fact that there is some cohesion in the form of the pacing. John's guitar play in the sixth minute is so bizarre it reminds me of the free-form guitar playing of Sonny Sharrock or Robert Fripp. We get a nice extended bass solo in the seventh and eighth minutes as Dave and Jack back off to provide only minimal assistance. When double bass players solo like this I feel that they're really just practicing scales and inventing inversions and chords, never really thinking in terms of melody. In the meantime Jack and John's subtleties are equally, if not more, mesmerizing. Oh, to be in their heads in order to gain some inkling of comprehension for what they are doing! Though this is not my favorite form of music, at least with this song I am able to stay with the guys: I'm not driven away by the dissonance or anarchic chaos. (17.75/20)

4. "Unshielded Desire" (4:52) this song starts out as a Jack DeJohnette drum solo (with emphasis on the cymbal play). John enters about 30-seconds in with some wah-wah-ed staccato machine gun note play, but I find myself still glued to Jack's performance. I'm astonished to find that over two minutes into the song it's still a duet: nary a sign of Dave Holland! And yet, it's brilliant! It's breath-taking! The edge of Jazz-Rock Fusion but fascinating! At the end of the fourth minute the boys turn on the rock afterburners and really charge it up! Wow! Terry Kath and Danny Seraphine: eat your hearts out! (9.5/10) 

5. "Jamala" (7:47) delicate cymbal play with sparse- and subtle-ly played volume controlled electric guitar note play and quiet, mostly accenting bass far beneath. John hits some stunningly beautiful riffs and runs, providing just enough space in between to allow the simple listener, such as myself, time to digest the offerings. Such pristine clarity in the guitar notes (and cymbals)! Though the music of this song falls more into the realm of pure jazz, it is still quite accessible and totally enjoyable. On the version I have access to, this song is over seven minutes long--with the final three minutes spaciously evolving into some aggressive, distorted, more-rock-oriented guitar and band play for the final minute. Wow! Now that was unexpected! (13.875/15)

6. "Sorcery 1" (10:56) Jack, followed by a very melodic Dave Holland, establishing a song with some blues-rock attitude. I like it! John enters with the same aggressive, distorted guitar tone that snuck into the end of the previous song. Now this is cutting edge Jazz-Rock Fusion of the highest order! These three musicians are so gifted! To be able to deliver this kind of cohesive music while playing at such high levels of virtuosity--and making it all feel as if it's so EFFORTLESS! Incredible! John sounds as if Jimi Hendrix were gifted, and Dave as if Noel Redding had a clue, and Jack as if Mitch Mitchell had some skill and restraint! The musicians' performances are so mesmerizing that the song's eleven minutes pass by in the blink of an eye! Dave's intuition for holding back! Jack's intuition for providing such brilliant accent to John's guitar! And John! The dude that makes it all feel so Power Trio rock 'n' roll! Not a note wasted and yet not a note that isn't jaw-droppingly shocking! One of the best trio songs I've ever heard! Total perfection! (20/20)

Total Time: 44:46

Gateway's variety surprises me. The level of virtuosity coming from all three musicians even comes as a surprise. (I mean: I knew, but I never KNEW!) And then put that immaculate ECM production value from Manfred Eicher into the mix and you have an indisputable masterpiece of Jazz-heavy Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

93.09 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a total masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion. If everyone heard that last song, "Sorcery I", alone, there would be a reshuffling of the greatest power trio songs of all-time. Step down Jimi, Eric, Larry, Stevie Ray, and Johnny Mac! There was a trio that was way better than you! And please, let's start adjusting our pantheon of guitar greats to include Mr. John Abercrombie at or near the very top!  

18. AREA Arbeit Macht Frei (1973)

The first album released by Milan's Cramps Record label, it was recorded early in 1973 and released sometime within the same year.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Demetrio Stratos / lead vocals, organ, steel drums
- Gianpaolo Tofani / lead guitar, VCS-3 synth
- Patrizio Fariselli / piano, electric piano
- Victor Edouard ('Eddie') Busnello / sax, bass clarinet, flute
- Patrick Djivas / bass, double bass
- Giulio Capiozzo / drums, percussion

 
1. "Luglio, agosto, settembre (nero)" (4:27) an obviously-ethnic music-based song, (9/10)

2. "Arbeit Macht Frei" (7:56) (13.5/15)

3. "Consapevolezza " (6:06) The grooves laid down in "Consapevolezza" at the 1:25 and 2:15 marks are among the prettiest I've ever heard. (10/10)

4. "Le Labbra del tempo" (6:00), and the ever-so smooth (9.5/10)

5. "240 chilometri da Smirne" (5:10) deposit, IMHO, some of the tightest, most enjoyable jazz/ jazz-rock grooves of the 60s or 70s. All performers test the creative boundaries of their respective means of expressivity--the LEON THOMAS-like voice experimentations of Demetrio Stratos, the guitar play of Gianpaolo Tofani, woodwinds, keys, the jaw-dropping bass play of Patrick Djivas, and, especially, drumming of Giulio Capiozzo, are all "out there." (10/10),

6. "L'abbattimento dello Zeppelin" (6:45) leans heavily toward the avante garde, the center four songs.  I absolutely LOVE the lore around this song: that the band was asked during a live performance in some pub bar to play some Led Zeppelin. Knowing no Led Zeppelin songs, the band launched into an improvisation based loosely on what they'd heard of "Whole Lotta Love," it got recorded, and then tagged onto the end of this album! (9/10)

The mixing and recording of this album are amazingly clear and balanced for a 70s record.

Having loved the vocal talents and stylings of Leon Thomas for many years, I was immediately into Demetrio Stratus's singing. Such emotion and passion! As if his soul is on fire! Without question a masterpiece of progressive music if ever there was one! The only direction of improvement needed is in the area of sound recording and reproduction (and that will come).

93.08 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a landmark album for Italian, European, and world music as well as for Jazz-Rock Fusion; Definitely a Top 20 Favorite Album from J-R Fuse's "Classic Era."




19. HERBIE HANCOCK Mwandishi (March 1971)

An album of brave, masterful performances, production, and mutually supportive collaboration--the first in a series of albums produced over the course of three years in which experimental techniques in collaboration, song structure, and sound manipulation were radically explored. Even the discordant, unstructured 'free jazz' parts of "Wandering Spirit Song" are eminently listenable, enjoyable, even add to the spiritual 'letting go' space and process that the band has lulled you into by that time. Though some people choose to begin this period of Herbie's creativity with the 1969 album Fat Albert's Rotunda because it marked his first release under his new Warner Brothers label after some years in the Blue Note stable, I choose to begin with this album due to the fact that it's the first appearance of the lineup of musicians that he played with over the next five years--his so-called "Mwandishi sextet."

Line-up / Musicians:
- Herbie Hancock / Fender Rhodes electric piano, arrangements
With:
- Eddie Henderson " Mganga" / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Bennie Maupin "Mwile" / bass clarinet, alto flute, piccolo
- Julian Priester "Pepo Mtoto" / tenor & bass trombones
- Buster Williams "Mchezaji" / bass
- Billy Hart "Jabali" / drums 
- Leon Chancler "'Ndugu" / drums, percussion
- Ronnie Montrose / guitar (1)
- Jose Cepito Areas / congas & timbales (1)

1. "Ostinato (for Angela)" (13:10) starts the album off with an incredibly infectious groove and many fascinating production effects that introduce the listener to the new Herbie: Engineer and Producer. Herbie's fender playing is the glue over which his band mates perform highly entertaining, often unusual solos, but these are never obtrusive or outside or above the thread and weave of the group's mix (a feat due, in part, to the recording engineering). The use of two drummers (at times flanged!) and along with a percussionist is, to my ears, highly entertaining and enjoyable. Eddie Henderson's lead trumpet play is great, as is Bennie Maupin's bass clarinet, but it's Herbie's keyboard work that I find most engaging--whether it's in the lead or support role. Again, however, it's the effects used on the instruments and track orientations that make the sound of this song so ground-breaking and fascinating. (23/25)

2. "You'll Know When You Get There" (10:15) is a beautiful piece of kind of ambient jazz in which echo and space, slow tempo, and subtlety are kings for the day. It's easy to float off and let go of this one, but so worth paying attention if you can/when you do. The first half is almost an Eddie Henderson solo but then the music congeals again in a truly beautiful and intricate weave in the fifth minute. Great bass play from Buster Williams and awesome interplay of sometimes-conflicting or tension-building melodies by Herbie, Bennie, and others. Truly a masterpiece of experimental jazz music. (19/20)

3. "Wandering Spirit Song" (21:28) My favorite of this album of sublime music. This is for me a soundtrack for deep spiritual introspection and regeneration. Amazing things music can do! Definitely a masterpiece of music--offering the highest gifts to humans that other humans can give: transportation and transcendence. Kudos to Buster, Herbie, and the horn players and percussionists for this mighty piece. (37/40)

Total Time 44:50

92.94 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of experimental jazz fusion and, by inclusion, a milestone in progressive rock music. Despite the fact that I like the lineup's next album, Crossings, better (due, I think to the fresh injection provided by Patrick Gleeson's synthesizers and the all-female background vocalists), this one rates slightly better on my Fishscales metric system (in the Top 25, in fact).

20. HERBIE HANCOCK Crossings (May 1972)

Of Herbie's three Mwandishi sextet/septet albums, this is my favorite. Recorded in San Mateo, California on February 15-17 at Pacific Recording Studios, Herbie was convinced by producer David Rubinson to take the session tapes over to Patrick Gleeson's Different Fur studio in San Francisco in order to experience some of Dr. Pat's synthesizer/sound magic. The rest is history as thereafter Gleeson became a band fixture both on and off the stage (much to the chagrin and discomfort of the rest of the all-Black band).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Herbie Hancock / acoustic & electric pianos, Mellotron, percussion
With:
- Bennie Maupin / soprano sax, bass clarinet, alto & piccolo flutes, body percussion
- Eddie Henderson / trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
- Julian Priester / bass & tenor & alto trombones, percussion
- Patrick Gleeson / Moog synthesizer
- Buster Williams / acoustic & electric basses, percussion
- Billy Hart / drums, percussion
- Victor Pontoja / congas
- Candy Love / chorus vocals
- Della Horne / chorus vocals
- Sandra Stevens / chorus vocals
- Scott Beach / chorus vocals
- Victoria Domagalski / chorus vocals

1. "Sleeping Giant" (24:48) Herbie's lone compositional credit on the album manages to fill an entire side of the album and, to my ears, represents the most structured jazz-like tune on the album. Opening with an awesome polyrhythmic percussive tribute to Africa, the song jumps into more Western-friendly arenas with bass and electric piano in the fourth minute. This is a sonic palette and style that will be replicated with much success by the likes of Emir Deodato and Brian Auger within the next year. A song that plays out like a smooth MILES DAVIS song (despite the Fat Albert-like theme interjected into the twelfth minute). (46.25/50)

2. "Quasar" (7:25) though the structure and flow are quite unusual and experimental, the sounds used, for the most part, are pretty straightforward traditional jazz instruments. (14/15)

3. "Water Torture" (13:54) piccolo and percussion and strange ARP and Moog sounds open this Bennie Maupin composition, truly mimicking some of the sounds of water. That feeling and sensation of waterflow somehow is maintained continuously, though in varying forms, throughout this extraordinary piece.
     After 90 seconds an actual musical soundscape is built around bass, keys, and clarinet while percussives and trumpet play around on the edges. (28/30)

Total Time 46:21

Here the band (now ready to become a septet since the reluctant though-official addition of synthesizer guru and token white person, Patrick Gleeson) is more seasoned, working seamlessly, almost effortlessly, in cohesion. The music feels more rehearsed, more repeatable, and still quite organic despite the addition of Patrick Gleeson's synthesizers and sound treatments and the advent of spacier sonic backdrops. The production is so clean and clear, with each instrument standing prominently in the mix wherever its place. (The previous album had a more equanimous washed feel to it and the next album, Sextant,

suffered from poor sound engineering.)

92.89 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music coming from the jazz-rock fusion subgenre. My favorite of Herbie's three "Mwandishi" albums--earning a Top 20 ranking among my Favorites.




21. CERVELLO Melos (1973) 

The debut--and only studio album release--by Napolitano natives Cervello is eclectic, exotic, unusual, and interesting. Introducing to the world 17-year old guitar phenom, Corrado Rustici. This album is one of the best recorded and mixed albums from this classical Rock Progressivo Italiano scene--especially in the drums department. Also, all chord presentations coming from the guitars are so harmonically unusual when thrown into the rest of the melodic key structure. Truly an innovative and experimental adventure in music making. Recorded in 1973 in Napoli and released by Dischi Ricordi S.p.A., on September 23, 1973.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Antonio Spagnolo / 6 & 12 string acoustic guitar, bass, pedal, recorder, vocals
- Giulio D'Ambrosio / electric sax (contralto & tenor), flute, vocals
- Corrado Rustici / guitar, recorder, flute, vibraphone, vocals
- Gianluigi Di Franco / lead vocals, flute, small percussion
- Remigio Esposito / drums, vibraphone

1. "Canto del Capro" (6:29) opens with three minutes of weird, creepy psychedelia before establishing a fairly fast-paced psych rock song. The musicians are performing very tightly, at a very high level of competency. The dissonant flutes, guitar plucks, and reverse electric guitar over long, steady Mellotron chord progression are so fresh and creative. An odd but brilliantly inventive song. Brave youths! (9.5/10)

2. "Trittico" (7:19) opens with strong vocal sung over electric guitar arpeggi, trading the lead with flutes and vibes. Again, such an unusual and inventive foundational sound and construct! Guitar harmonics takes the lead in the third minute before vocal effects project the singers' voices to be in several places in the sound. Then, suddenly, at 3:06 the band kicks into high gear with rapid fire lead guitar licks, drum flourishes, sax, bass, and vocal stepping into the oddly-timed pace. Everything drops back into pastoral pace at 4:20--though lead guitar is playing his arpeggi at a much faster (William Tell Overture) speed. These guitarists are so talented--moving in and out of time signatures, in and out of acoustic and electric sections, in and out of strumming and picking. The song has a very odd fade-in and fade out closing of "la-la-la" drunk men's vocal chorus. Amazing song! (14/15)

3. "Euterpe" (4:32) opens with acoustic guitars and recorders before vocalist. I love the vocals of Gianluigi di Franco because they feel so common and relaxed, not forced or operatic or melodramatic. This song is John McLaughlin-inspired Corrado Rustici's breakout song--the one that lets us know just how fiery his lead style is. And yet, the fact that he has held back (or been held back) over the first 14-minutes of this very adventurous, very experimental album, just let's me know how band-oriented and non-ego driven this young man was. (9.5/10)

4. "Scinsione (T.R.M.)" (5:43) Probably the weakest song on the album, but still exploratory and innovative, not straightforward at all, it just doesn't have the beauty, surprise- or wow-factors of the previous songs. The sustained, almost-droning synth occupying the background throughout (and then climbing to the fore in the final minute) is absolutely brilliant--as is the multi-tracks of Corrado dueling with himself at the end. (9/10)

5. "Melos" (4:58) Vibes, slow acoustic guitar picking, gentle voice is soon joined by Pete Giles-like drumming, flutes to make for a gorgeous if slightly King Crimson-like song. The interplay of multiple vocalists in the second minute is cool. The two-guitar interplay that follows with singing over the top is a little awkward, but the cacophonous buildup that follows with Corrado's blistering, bluesy guitar soloing over thick mix of saxes and Mellotrons is awesome. (9.5/10)

6. "Galassia" (5:48) opens with cymbal play soon joined by distant flutes, guitar picking and voices. By the time the one minute mark arrives the soundscape had moved more forward--except for the vocals that soon ensue--which remain in the far background. Drums, guitars, flutes, even Mellotron are all forward of the voice. Vibes and electric guitar take turns soloing over the acoustic guitar pretty picking--until voice and Mellotron jump in to declare their messages. At 3:25 everything drops out for a brief vocal section before a heavy, frenetically paced instrumental section comes crashing in. This insistent, crazed weave seems to creep steadily forward even till the end. (9/10)

7. "Affresco (1:11) is an adventure into space and effects with vocal, flutes, and picked guitars weaving together over the top--the most forward presentation of sound on the album! Surprise and flawless. (4.5/5)

92.86 on the Fishscales = five stars; A; a true masterpiece of progressive rock music and one of my favorite albums from the classic period of Rock Progressivo Italiano.




22. ARTI E MESTIERI Tilt - Immagini per un orecchio (1974) 

Recorded in Roma, Italia, at Chantalain Studio, Tilt was released by Dischi Ricordi on April 1, 1974 and later Cramps Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Luigi "Gigi" Venegoni / electric & acoustic guitars, ARP2600 synthesizer (8), co-producer
- Beppe Crovella / acoustic & electric pianos, ARP2600 & Eminent synths, Mellotron, Hammond organ
- Giovanni Vigliar / violin, vocals, percussion
- Arturo Vitale / soprano & baritone saxes, clarinet & bass clarinet, vibraphone
- Marco Gallesi / bass
- Furio Chirico / drums, percussion

1. "Gravità 9,81" (4:05) opens the album with an energetic burst before backing off to allow for an almost chamber strings intro. At the one minute mark everybody in the band jumps into a fully-formed JEAN-LUC PONTY-sounding song of high speed, tight sequencing of high complexity, and very catchy melodic presentation with violin in the lead. At the two minute mark things break and shift to a slightly slower tempo a different structure as the bass and saxophone become more prominent. Amazing drumming throughout and nice presence of Mellotron in the background. At 3:40 we return to the violin theme of the second minute for the finale. Tight song of melodic and instrumental perfection. (9.5/10)

2. Strips (4:39) drum kit and piano and synth bass line open this before the 'tron and violin enter and the drums kick into full gear. Saxes enter later with a second melody introduced into the weave. After 90 seconds things stop and restart with vocals! Multi-voiced, gentle, even sappy--as acoustic guitars, xylophone, and Mellotron accompany in a gentler fashion than the previous section. At the three minute mark the vocals end and piano, violin, xylophone and acoustic guitar take turns with the melody in between singing sections while drums and bass support in a kind of staccato way for the final two minutes of the song. Unexpected and nice! (9/10)

3. Corrosione (1:37) opens with Mellotron strings before bass, keys, and cymbals crash in with two-stroke pattern over which roto-toms and sax. It turns out that this song is merely a bridge between "Strips" and "Positivo / Negativo" as both songs bleed into each other. A kind of three-chord experiment over which drummer gets to play and sax and keys hold down the melody and chordal structure before going into: (4.5/5)

4. "Positivo / Negativo" (3:29) opens with slow, forceful single-stroke strums of a 12-string guitar accompanied by congas. Violin, synths, cymbal play and vibraphone join in. The tempo shifts a couple of times as vibraphone takes a brief turn at lead until at 1:40 things stop, new keyboard instrument takes over the "strum" of the guitar as rest of band jumps it at breakneck speed to allow shapeshifting extravaganza of solo-turn-taking--saxes, violin, electric guitar, vibes, and then all in unison!--and this while the bass and drums are terrorizing the rhythm tracks beneath. Wow! Impressive! (9.5/10)

5. "In Cammino" (5:36) opens with some beautiful slow sax and, later, vocalise melody-making with piano and brushes providing some support. At 1:45 there is a stop as piano and electric piano provide a pretty bridge into a new section in which full band supports violin and sax dual lead melody establishment. Frequent stops, breaks, tempo and stylistic shifts follow though the busy bass, drums, and keys remain at the foundation of it all throughout. Nice electric piano and electric guitar soloing in the fifth minute. Man, this band is tight! J-RF doesn't get much better than this! (9.5/10)

6. "Farenheit" (1:15) opens as if a little piano interlude ditty, but after the first run through the piece, seconded by sax, and then full rhythm section for the third, and sax and violin for the fourth and fifth. (4.25/5)

7. "Articolazioni (13:24) opens a bit like something from PFM's Per un amico, slow and exploratory, not ready to commit to full song but willing to play around with a theme. At the one minute mark there is a pause before the band kicks into a mid-tempo, full band jazz-rock exposition with violin, sax and electric guitar providing the melody in triplicate. Music shifts behind speeded up, frenetic drums yet slowed down bass and keys while violin, sax, and guitar take turns teaming up or independently carrying the melody forward. At 2:46 there is another break before soprano saxophone restores the melody while drums and bass provide a slow, sparse, stoccato accompaniment. At 3:17 a cool drum roll across the toms signals a new full-on dynamic commitment, but this is short-lived as a lot of shifts and transition/transformations occur before a slightly more straightforward (Brian Auger-like) singing section begins by the end of the fourth minute. Cool tension in the transition at the 5:00 mark and thereafter--a kind of preview of BRUFORD/UK-ishness. Speaking of which, man is this drummer amazing! soft and loud, subtle and intricate, fills and cymbal work that have blinding speed, and always in command as the staunch time-keeper. Very cool instrumental sections broken up by brief vocal sections play out with lots of vibes, 'tron, violin and sax in the lead. One neat thing about this band seems to be that the lead instrument is always propelling the songs' melodies with very detailed, intricate, and often-doubled up melody lines and that the actual "solos" are actually very few and brief. At 10:30 there is a big downshift in both tempo, delicacy, and mood with vibes and violin establishing the melody while drums do all kinds of wildly impressive subtleties before sensitive singing enters. At l1:45 band amps up for the full exposition of the current melody before 'tron and flanged strummed electric guitar guide us into a kind of GENESIS "As Sure as Eggs Is Eggs" finale. Great song with dazzling but never over-the-top or overwhelming complexity, constant beauty in the melodies. (24/25)

8. "Tilt" (2:29) an exercise/étude in synthesizer weirdness--including special effects being applied to saxophones and violin. Not exactly melodic or very memorable, it is a fitting representative of the infatuations that new technologies must have been causing adventurous musicians in the early 1970s. (4/5)

Total Time 36:34

How is this album, this band not as famous and talked about as other Italian prog from the mid-70s? The instrumental prowess, mature songwriting, broad dynamics, and great production here is to my mind on par with PFM, Banco, and Cervello and even AREA! Prog of ANY era does not get better than this--especially in the fact that acoustic and folk elements are worked in and there were no computers! Where are people finding the deficiencies or inadequacies! Not in melody. Not in sophistication. Not in sound quality. Is it in the seeming lack of originality? (I read all the comparisons to Mahvishnu and Jean-Luc Ponty.) Break out albums happen. The fact that they emulated--that they inspire other musicians to create in a similar style--should be rewarded not penalized! To strive to be the best--to go through doors that other geniuses have opened--should be lauded and encouraged, not denigrated and discouraged! They may even end up refining something to make it even better! But it could never happen if they are discouraged from trying. I have no hesitation calling this album a masterpiece of progressive rock music--composition and performances of the absolute highest caliber---and, best of all, very accessible/engaging and enjoyable (as opposed to some of the obtuse and jarring music made by Mahvishnu, Miles, and even Yes. Check this album out everybody! It's a work of genius, passion, and inspiration from start to finish. It should be heralded as one of the shining pieces of 1970s progressive rock music--not just RPI or jazz-rock fusion.

92.81 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion from the classic era of Rock Progressivo Italiano. One of my Top 10 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums from prog's "Classic Era."

23. MICHAL URBANIAK Fusion III (1975)

A name whose presence in the musicians' credits of so many pop and jazz albums of the 1970s seems rather ubiquitous yet he also remains quite mysterious for the fact that one never hears his name mentioned along side the other violin virtuosi of the era (e.g. Jean-Luc Ponty, Jerry Goodman, Darryl Way, PFM's Mauro Pagani, Arti e Mestieri's Giovanni Vigliar, David Cross, Ray Shulman, Dave Swarbrick, Robbie Steinhardt, and, of course, Eddie Jobson). Also, one must remember he is also a Montreux Jazz Festival award-winning saxophone player! Listening to this I cannot help but wonder why. This is Michał's first album made without his core of native Polish musicians, incorporating a full complement of American jazz-rock musicians--a veritable Who's Who of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement. It was recorded at Electric Lady studios in New York City for CBS late in 1974 and then released to the public on Columbia Records on February 1, 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Urbaniak / Electric violin, violin synthesizer
- Urszula Dudziak / Voice, percussion, electronic percussion
- Wlodek Gulgowski (Pop Workshop) / Electric piano, Moog, and electric organ
- Anthony Jackson / Bass guitar
- Steve Gadd / Drums
- John Abercrombie / Guitars

With:

- Joe Caro / Guitar (A3)

- Gerald Brown / Drums (A3, B1)
- Larry Coryell / Guitar (B1)

- Bernard Kafka / Voice (B3)

A1. "Chinatown [part 1]" (5:24) opening with a keyboard riff that conjures up memories of many Jean-Luc Ponty songs, it quickly turns Mahavishnu as the blazing guitar of John Abercrombie takes us out of the intro and into the somewhat sparse-yet-funky motif the rest of the band establishes over the next minute. Man! is John flying! And man! is this band in synch! The syncopation coming from Steve Gadd's concise drumming is met and accented by everyone else with concise perfection. Urszula and Michał's doubled up lead melody takes us through a section of even more Mahavishnu-like complexities, which only continues and intensifies as Michał's wailing electric violin blazes on and the rhythm team below handles some incredibly difficult Cobham-like funk from beneath--and this never lets up for the entirety of the song! Astonishing! Amazing realization of the great violinist's compositional skills. (9.75/10)

A2. "Kujaviak Goes Funky" (6:12) A song that was originally composed by keyboardist Wlodek Gulgowski's band-mate and songwriting partner from his previous project, POP WORKSHOP, saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski (and which appeared as the last song on that band's final release, Song of the Pterodactyl released in 1974). Here Michał and Ula lead us through a slowed down RTF/J-LP-like opening of step-by-step unfolding and unstable music that has us on the edge of our seats, expecting tangents or changes in direction in each and every minute while Michał's violin and then Wlodek Gulgowski's Moog and, later, John Abercrombie's guitar, solo at the god-like levels of the greats of their ilk, like Jean-Luc Ponty, Jan Hammer and Chick Corea, and John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola, respectively. The whole band playing at an incredible level of technical wizardry that I thought only occupied by the likes of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever. but no! Michał Urbaniak's Fusion is every bit as good--maybe even smoother and better engineered than the afore-mentioned superstars. I guess sometimes it takes a great song to inspire the performances of the current band members. (9.5/10)

A3. "Roksana" (5:42) here employing guests "Gerald" Gerry Brown for drums, Joe Caro for the guitars, and featuring scat vocalizations of percussionist Urszula Dudziak, the band cruises along with admirable skill, speed, and solo performances from Michal, percussionist Urszula Dudziak creating some rather unusual yet-highly-skilled wordless scat vocalization, and excellent electric piano work from Wlodek Gulgowski. Quite simiilar to The Mad Hatter-era Chick Corea. I just love the mood of joy and ease projected by this song. (9.25/10)

A4. "Crazy Kid" (2:35) another heavily-processed single track of percussive pre-Bobby McFerrin vocalese scatting from Ula in the same vein as previous a cappella tracks like "Kama Ula" from the band's previous album for Columbia, Atma. (8.875/10)

A5. "Prehistoric Bird" (5:19) another slightly-more-angular RETURN TO FOREVER-like funk tune that was written by keyboardist Wlodek Gulgowski for his former band, POP WORKSHOP, and its 1974 fusion release entitled, Song of the Pterodactyl. This version includes some very innovative sound from bassist Anthony Jackson's electric bass--especially the full chord play (the kind of which RTF bassist Stanley Clarke would make great use of on next year's Romantic Warrior album). The lead instrumentalists all seem to be travelling at those breakneck speeds first championed by the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, including Ula's scatting voice, Michał's violin, John Abercrombie's extraordinary electric guitar, Wlodek Gulgowski's Moog, and, of course, Anthony Jackson's amazing bass. With its title and angular rhythmic and melody lines I find myself falling into almost constant comparisons to Japanese band BONDAGE FRUIT's first two amazing albums. Almost too amazing to process! (Are we sure that this isn't a song on which the great Larry Coryell is also collaborating? I swear in that last minute that the screaming lead guitar belongs to none other than The Godfather of Fusion! If it's not then even greater kudos need to be offered to the sadly under-acknowledged other-worldly skills of Mr. Abercrombie.) Also, the opportunity should never go unpassed with which to acknowledge the incredible gift and skill that Urszula Dudziak possesses: to be able to keep up with those machine-gun-fast melody lines, matching the other soloists note for note with such flawless timing is nothing short of miraculous--especially in this pre-digitized era where every thing had to be synched up live! (9.333333/10)

B1. "Bloody Kishka" (4:21) the other song on the album on which Gerry Brown sits at the drum kit in place of Steve Gadd also features peak fusion-era Larry Coryell on guitar. As much as I've always loved the drumming of Steve Gadd (he is definitely the most impressive drummer I've ever seen in a live concert setting), I have been feeling an increasing appreciation and love for the smooth, super-filled funk playing of Gerry Brown. I've come to cherish his play as the only drummer on a par with Lenny White and Billy Cobham. (Jack DeJohnette may be in a category all to himself.) BTW: this is a charming song with cute, catchy, excellent melodies and flawless whole-band funk support. I'm so tuned in to the amazing work of Gerry and bassist Anthony Jackson that I almost forget to pay attention to Michał and Wlodek Gulgowski's main melodies much less Larry's excellent "underwater" guitar solo. Great performances from Wlodek Gulgowski and Urszula Dudziak as well (first and foremost for her percussion work but also for more of those wonderful main-melody-duplicating wordless vocals). Definitely a top three song. (9.25/10)

B2. "Cameo" (4:41) gorgeous melodies over a J-L Ponty-like slow-funk support--I mean, it sounds almost exactly like something off of Aurora or Imaginary Voyage.which is weird since both of these albums were released after this album. Maybe it was Michał's work that pushed Jean-Luc into his string of albums on which he really began exploring his increasingly-highly-processed electric violin sounds!? Whatever. Michał is definitely in the same category of haunting melody-making as Ponty and Vigliar. (9/10)

B3. "Stretch" (6:20) more great funky jazz-rock of the Third Wave style and sound production stupendously cohesive performances from Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, and his Polish compatriots (Wlodek and Urszula). Such a solid, mature song. (9.33333/10)

B4. "Metroliner" (4:44) another GREAT Jean-Luc-like jazz-funk song with great melodies throughout as well as stupendous work from the rhythm section that also features a breath-takingly amazing guitar solo from John Abercrombie. (9.5/10)

B5. "Chinatown [Part II]" (3:56) a loosy-goosy chance for each of theband members to let loose (great way to end an album cutting session!) Not the most pleasant listen but an awesome display of skill and fun. (8.875/10)

Total time: 49:14

Overall I don't hear a lot of distinctive sound or melody play from Michał on his electric violin; it all sounds very similar to the sound and amazing sense of melody-delivery that Jean-Luc Ponty and Giovanni Vigliar possess. It's a good thing I love the sound, work, and albums of Jean-Luc Ponty so much since it allows me easy access to the genius of this composer/violinist. Also, high commendations should be awarded to Michał for the genius decision of employing this particular team of support musicians: they can really deliver the funk; they're definitely one of the most skilled, cohesive ensembles I've ever heard. Now that I've heard one of Michał's solo albums, I feel quite compelled to go back and listen to the rest of his discography--which is a problem in that he has a dozen solo studio album releases from the Seventies alone! 

92.66 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; one of the most impressively consistent displays of excessively high skill and compositional and performance perfection ever put to vinyl (or tape). And I'm not just talking about a couple of the songs, I'm including the whole album, start to finish. An album that now sits in my Top 20 J-R Fusion Albums of All-Time! You'll come away blown away by not only the music here but the skills on display from every single member of this band! Visionary and ahead of his time, when you listen to any album by Michał Urbaniak you MUST take into consideration that the songs you are listening to were recorded and released BEFORE any of the references your brain wants to compare them to!

After listening intimately and with great rapture to Michał's first seven albums over and over during the past week I have to say that I think he has supplanted all of my other heroes of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement at the top of the hierarchy: the most consistently best compositions, the most consistently interesting, innovative, and high-quality sound production, he attracted/chose the absolute highest caliber of musicians to collaborate with (many of whom are still woefully unsung), and the albums that he created have all felt absolutely incredible start to finish--and remain albums that not only keep me coming back but eliciting pure joy and excitement with every thought of doing so.

24. PERIGEO Abbiamo Tutti un Blues da Piangere (September 1973)

Italian band Perigeo's sophomore studio album, it was produced for RCA records in Roma by Gianni Grandis and then released in September of 1973. It's nice to see the band's lineup stay the same from their debut album as I am curious to watch their development both as a band as well as virtuoso musicians.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bruno Biriaco / drums, percussion
- Franco D'Andrea / acoustic & electric pianos
- Claudio Fasoli / alto & soprano saxophone
- Tony Sidney / guitar
- Giovanni Tommaso / vocals, basses

1. "Non c'é Tempo da Perdere" (8:48) vocal-led up-tempo jazz-rock that starts out with a long intro of instrumental roaming as piano and cymbals are busy feeling around beneath the ethereal male vocals. It reminds me of some of Tony Williams' compositions. I like Franco D'Andrea's Fender Rhodes style, but drummer Bruno Biriaco grabs most of my attention throughout this one. (18/20)

2. "Déjà Vu" (4:58) I know that I'm hearing an uncredited violin in the lead during the intro to this sax-led song (or is it Giovanni Tommaso bowing his double bass?). So who was it? Piano and guitar arpeggi provide the initial support for the sax (and continued violin) I really like the unconventional melody lines throughout this one--more jazz like than rock: more like a Coltrane or Magma composition. (9.5/10)

3. "Rituale" (7:31) great jam that just sucks the listener in deeper as it builds and builds. Kind of like a classic Traffic (Stevie Winwood), Allman Brothers or Joe Cocker jam. I just love this! It's so fun--and so funky! (15/15)

4. "Abbiamo Tutti un Blues da Piangere" (6:08) acoustic guitars (two tracks) on display for the first minute before bass takes the lead over some very gently-picked steel-string guitar. Keys first make a mark at the two-minute mark (with cymbals) but only a couple chords for the first 30-seconds, then full complement of toms and Fender Rhodes join in as the full band kicks into sync. Soprano sax takes the lead from the three-minute mark over some awesome bluesy-jazz groovin'. So solid! Too bad I'm not more of a fan of the saxophone family. (8.875/10)

5. "Country" (3:03) more keyboard-centred DEODATO-and DONALD FAGEN-like music. Quite brief. (9.125/10)

6. "Nadir" (3:46) gentle Fender Rhodes with equally gentle saxophone over the top. Switch in the second minute to fiery electric guitar teaming up with the sax to carry the melody forward. I really like American-born guitarist Tony Sidney's fire! (9.5/10)

7. "Vento, Pioggia e Sole" (9:40) It feels obvious to me that American-born guitarist Tony Sidney had been hearing either John McLaughlin or Cervello's Corrado Rustici because his guitar playing has progressed in directions reflecting this style of pyrotechnical flourishing. Such solid drum and bass play throughout. Great jazz piano solo in the last quarter of the song. (18/20)

Total time 43:48

I don't get why some reviewers have rated this album lower than their debut as I see no flaws or weaknesses in this album. Keyboard artist Franco D'Andrea's playing is far more supportive, serving in a mostly accompanying fashion than flashy noodling, which is fine, but, knowing that he develops into such a virtuosic solo jazz piano artist makes one wonder what was going on with him during the composition and recording of this session. Tony Sidney's guitar and Claudio Fasoli's sax seem to take far more of the lead/front stage on this album--which is fine since both are very good and have grown so much since the year before--while the rhythm section has just gotten tighter and more mature.

92.5 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion--even better, in my opinion, than its predecessor--the band's highly-regarded Azimut. One of my Top 20 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums from prog's "Classic Era."




25. PAUL WINTER CONSORT Icarus (1972)

Not your typical Jazz-Rock Fusion since there is little rock, R&B, or funk infused into these songs: what Paul Winter and company gives you is more of a classical, folk, and world music infusion with jazz--which is exactly why I've chosen to include this review among this list: to help illustrate how broad the styles of the sub-genre are. The album was released by Epic Records on May 1, 1972.

Lineup / Musicians:
- Paul Winter / soprano saxophone, vocals
- Paul McCandless / oboe, English horn, contrabass sarrusophone, vocals
- David Darling / cello, vocals
- Herb Bushler - bass guitar
- Ralph Towner / classical guitar, 12-string guitar, steel-string guitar, piano, bush organ, regal organ, vocals
- Colin Walcott / drums, kettledrums, congas, surdo, tabla, mridangam, bass marinda, sitar
- Billy Cobham / drums (4, 6)
- Milt Holland / Ghanaian percussion (6)
- Barry Altschul / random percussion
- Larry Atamanuik / drums (1)
- Andrew Tracey / dobro (9)
Chorus on "Minuit": Janet Johnson, Paul McCandless, Bob Milstein, Paul Stookey

1. "Icarus" (3:02) one of THE anthems for the environmental/ecological movement--and a beautiful song, to boot. (10/10)

2. "Ode to a Fillmore Dressing Room" (5:32) wonderfully pregnant weave of multiple beautiful tho-sad melodies open this one before David Darling, Herb Bushler, and Ralph Towner put together a more pastoral Spanish theme over which Colin Walcott's sitar and other Indian instruments as well as Towner's amazingly sensitive guitar provide direction and mystical melody. Colin really gets cooking in the fourth and fifth minutes while Ralph supports from beneath. Then the winds and cello and percussion enter to give Colin a cushion for a safe landing. Brilliant! (9.5/10)

3. "The Silence of a Candle" (3:22) piano and voice open this one before being joined by bass and cello for the chorus. A surprising song for a jazz-rock album but perfectly appropriate for a band whose vision of activism was went far bigger than music alone could take them. (9/10)

4. "Sunwheel" (4:52) cello, funky bass, strumming guitar, rollicking drums (from Billy Cobham!) and percussion, cor anglais, and soprano saxophone converge to create this melodic jam that plays out like a little funkier version of "Icarus." (8.875/10)

5. "Juniper Bear" (3:10) essentially a tabla and 12-string duet. Okay. (8.666667/10)

6. "Whole Earth Chant" (7:42) one of the more complex and complete compositions on the album included Ralph Towner's Regal organ and Paul McCandless' contrabass sarrusophone as well as electric bass guitar Ghanaian percussion from Milt Holland and Billy Cobham's rather tame drums as well as David Darling's "funk cello" and Paul's soprano sax. There is funky transition in the fifth minute led by Billy and David into the rousing Ghanaian finish. (14.25/15)

7. "All the Mornings Bring" (3:48) wordless vocals and timpani open this before Ralph sets up a kind of WILLIAM ACKERMAN/Windham Hill style of song. After the intro the reed horns lead the way into a harmonized melody and then the rest of the troupe joins in with great jazz-rock drumming and bass playing from Colin Walcott and Herb Bushler, respectively. Paul McCandless' oboe play is superlative--one of my favorite expositions on the entire album. (9.375/10)

8. "Chehalis and Other Voices" (5:26) opens with some classical guitar and classical/chamber-sounding horn and cello arrangements. Quite lovely--and played very much like something out of an English folk song like Elgar, Delius, or Britton--or Copeland in the US--might have penned. This just goes to show you how accomplished/virtuosic classically-trained Ralph Towner really was--as well as how well-trained were the other members. I love it! At the end of the fourth minute David Darling starts "scraping" his cello fretboard in the way he was known to, a manouevre that kind of signaled everyone to back off so that Ralph could go solo classical. At 4:40 the rest of the "chamber quintet" rejoin to accompany Ralph's harp-like guitar to the song's close. (9.3333/10)

9. "Minuit" (3:06) falling back into the more Western/Americana/Copeland sound-style, the band creates a fairly simple, thin foundation over which they all sing (including folk singer Janet Johnson and Peter, Paul, and Mary's Paul Stookey!) Nice anthemic sing-a-long that I'm sure went over big with audience participation in intimate concert settings. Not proggy or even jazzy, it's a pretty little song. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 39:20

Recorded in 1971, the album's producer, the George Martin, claimed for years that, "Icarus is the finest album I've ever produced." I won't disagree.

92.50 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of world folk-oriented jazz-rock fusion created by visionaries of human potential that the rest of the world is still trying to catch up to.




26. THE SOFT MACHINE Bundles (1975)

After two years off, Mike Ratledge, the only remaining member of the original Softs, pulls his previous lineup of former-NUCLEUS members together for one more time but this time recruiting one more recent NUCLEUS member into the fold: guitar phenom ALLAN HOLDSWORTH. What an injection of life and power he is! What results is one fine collection of jazz-rock fusion songs--one that is unfortunately often overlooked due to the band's previous history and, to many, disappointing evolution. (I think a lot of people had long given up on buying their new releases--myself included--which is sad as this is an absolutely stellar album.) The album was recorded in July of 1974 at Whitfield Street Studios in London and then released by Harvest Records on March 22, 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars
- Mike Ratledge / Fender Rhodes, Lowrey organ, AKS synthesizer
- Karl Jenkins / oboe, soprano sax, acoustic & electric pianos
- Roy Babbington / bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion
With:
- Ray Warleigh / alto & bass flutes (12)

- "Hazard Profile" (5 part suite) (41.5/45):
1. Part 1 (9:18) introducing: ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, NUCLEUS, and Mike Ratledge! a song that not only cruises but grooves--and is relentless in both aspects! And the band is so tight! Holdsworth, of course, is impressive (though in a surprising Jan-Akkerman-kind of way), but Babbington and Marshall are almost equally so. Ratledge's "glue" that is is Lowrey organ really helps to hold it all together while at the same time directing the soloists with his oft-unexpected chords. Very interesting! And Holdsworth's similarity to the FOCUS guitarist's sound and style are really rather striking. In the seventh minute we get to hear a little Eef Albers-like style but it really isn't until the eighth minute that we get to start hearing any of the "destablized" notes that he becomes so well known for in the UK era and beyond. (19.5/20)
2. Part 2 (2:21) soft, delicate interlude of Karl Jenkins' piano and, later, Allan on acoustic guitar. Nothing really very interesting here much less innovative. (4/5)
3. Part 3 (1:05) a Jan Akkerman-like dramatic interlude over Ratledge's Lowrey, carrying forward the exact same chord progression and melody line of "Part 2" (4.5/5)
4. Part 4 (0:46) another transitory interlude in which the band takes have heavy, low-end-dominant approach to expressing the previous chords. (4.375/5)
5. Part 5 (5:29) with its repetitive base it sounds like something from a previous era of jazz-rock fusion--something from the earlier Tony Williams Lifetime, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, or even Mahavishnu Orchestra transition period from jazz to rock using standard two-chord blue-rock foundations to jam over. Karl Jenkins' heavily treated horns, Mike's AKS synthesizer, and Allan's soar and fly over the solid rhythm section of Marshall and Babbington (and Holdsworth). (8.875/10)
-
6. "Gone Sailing" (0:59) opens with what sounds like an acoustic steel-string guitar (or Celtic harp), but then it turns into a more-advanced Steve Hackett-like guitar. Breathtaking! (5/5)
(27/30)

7. "Bundles" (3:14) sounding very Return To Forever-ish, this one launches with some very complex and intricate whole-band play, but then shifts into jam-formation using a two-bar riff from Babbington's bass repeated ad infinitum to support the soloing of Holdsworth and Jenkins. (9/10)

8. "Land Of The Bag Snake" (3:35) carrying seamlessly forward from the previous song as if it was just another stylistic shift into another motif that slowed down the previous one, Holdsworth continues soaring and racing around though with a muted effect on his horn-like guitar sound. Ratledge's Fender Rhodes work beneath is awesome. Marshall's ride cymbal is a little loud and Babbington's bass mixed a little fun, but this is a pretty good groove. (9.25/10)

9. "The Man Who Waved At Trains" (1:50) again, no separation from the previous song--as if the band just slides into this totally new, completely softer Weather Report/Chick Corea-like motif. Jenkins gets a turn to solo with his soprano sax, at times being shadow/mirrored by Holdsworth. (4.5/5)

10. "Peff" (1:57) yet another slide--this time into fourth gear, yet while still holding on to the softer, gentler sound palette of the previous motif--a motif that reminds me of GINO VANNELLI's wonderful "Storm at Sunup" suite (form the album of the same name that won't come out for another six months). What starts out so great, however, eventually becomes stale and boring. (4.5/5)

11. "Four Gongs Two Drums" (4:09) a Carl Palmer-like drum and percussion exhibition. (8.75/10)

12. "The Floating World" (7:12) gentle Fender Rhodes doubled with Lowry organ provide a gently floating foundation for the first 55-seconds before Karl's oboe and guest Ray Warleigh's flute present an equally etheric melody line in harmonized tandem. Another Fender Rhodes comes forward at the three-minute mark as the keyboard weave seems to take on a thicker, more intentionally-disorienting polyrhythmic pattern while Babbington's steady bass stays just below the surface--as if anchoring the floating world above. Oboe and flute pick up the melody-giving again at the 4:15 mark. Very Alice in Wonderland-like--and very aptly titled. Great piece. (14.5/15)

Total Time: 41:55

Many people refer to this album as the Allan Holdsworth breakout album as he would go on to work with many of the jazz fusion superstars in the next couple of years. I believe that this "breaktrhough" is made possible by the amazing cohesion of the Nucleus support crew--Babbington, Marshall, and Jenkins. As a matter of fact, this album, in my opinion, should have a different band name cuz they're not really the Soft Machine (history says that with Bundles Ratledge had given the reins over to Karl Jenkins). They're more Nucleus but not Nucleus: they're really the Allan Holdsworth Debut Project.

92.38 on the Fishscales = A/four stars; an excellent masterpiece of evolving and eclectic jazz-rock fusion: on the level of Newcleus, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea/Return To Forever, Tony Williams Lifetime, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Brand X, but NOT a Canterbury style album. Definitely in my Top 20 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."

27. BILLY COBHAM Total Eclipse (1974)

Recorded in New York City in the Summer of 1974 at Atlantic and Electric Lady studios, Total Eclipse was released by Atlantic Records in December of 1974. It was drummer extraordinaire's third solo album since leaving the Mahavishnu scene. Is this one even better than Spectrum or Crosswinds?

Line-up / Musicians:
- Billy Cobham / drums, percussion, timpani, piano (6,8), arranger & co-producer
With:
- John Abercrombie / guitars
- Cornell Dupree / guitar solo (5)
- Milcho Leviev / keyboards
- Michael Brecker / flute, soprano & tenor saxophones
- Randy Brecker / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Glen Ferris / tenor & bass trombones
- Alex Blake / electric bass
- David Earle Johnson / congas (1,5)
- Sue Evans / marimba (1)

1. "Solarization: Solarization/Second Phase/Crescent Sun/Voyage/Solarization-Recapitulation" (11:10) Wow! Billy's drumming! John Abercrobie's guitar solo (in "Solarization")! Milcho Leviev's piano playing (in "Second Phase")! The smooth pool-side jazz of "Crescent Sun"! The band's unity at the breakneck speeds of "Voyage" (as well as Randy Brecker's trumpet play). A great J-R Fuse epic. (19/20)

2. "Lunarputians" (2:33) great little funk ditty with Alex Blake's bass and the clavinet leading the way with the horns, guitar, and keys following in suit. Sounds Herbie/Billy Cosby-ish. (9.333/10)

3. "Total Eclipse" (5:59) building like a great soundtrack tune for a 1970s Black Exploitation film. The deep piano chord play with opposing flutes and rhythm guitar accent strums is awesome--as are the horn accents and soli--both banked and individual--especially Michael Brecker's brief soprano sax solo in the third minute. John Abercrombie's incendiary guitar solo near the end is on a par with anything Johnny Mac, Al Di, Bill Connors, or Larry Coryell were doing at this time. This is a film that I'd want to see if only for the way the soundtrack would get my blood pumping and my hips rockin'! (9.333/10)

4. "Bandits" (2:30)  a weird little cruisin' jam with flashy solos from Alex Blake and John Abercrombie. (4.375/5)

5. "Moon Germs" (4:54) great arrangement of tightly-orchestrated instruments over which Billy's drumming seems to not fit very well! Weird! The rest of the band feels so synched up, but Billy's sound and style is just not clicking with the rest. Cornell Dupree's rock-wah-wah-ed guitar solo is weird, but the horns are so tight, so awesome. (8.875/10)

6. "The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese" (0:58) Billy on piano with Randy Brecker on flugelhorn. Nothing so very special--unless you've never heard Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong. (4.25/5)

7. "Sea Of Tranquility" (10:44) gentle piano arpeggi of odd chords are soon joined by timpani and gongs before drums and bass are slowly faded in at the end of the first minute. Piano continues as the first lead instrument with some synth to offset it. Horns and electric guitar jump in to also add accents and opposition while the bass and drums just cruise along. In the fourth minute Michael Brecker is given ample room to shine on his tenor sax while Milcho Leviev adds Fender Rhodes to his assortment of accompaniments. Billy's drumming accents pick up as we move along into the fifth minute. Then Milcho's wah-wah-ed Fender takes a turn in the lead while John Abercrombie's rhythm guitar starts to sound as if it is itching more and more for some lead time. Nice percussion work whoever is doing it! Billy's drumming here sounds more like that which Lenny White will become known for over the next couple of years. John's guitar finally gets his turn in the spotlight but only as an adversary to Milcho's Fender. Eventually, Milcho backs off and John soars in a Coryell way. Meanwhile that rhythm section remains so constant and fine tuned! I don't get the fadeout at 8:30, leaving a void that is filled by echoed Fender Rhodes flourishes and large gong/cymbal and timpani play--plus Alex Blake's bowed bass. Thenat 10:20 the band kicks back in with a recharged mission to finish the song with the full crew. I must say: that was an odd ending to an otherwise-amazing song. (18.5/20)

8. "Last Frontier" (5:22) Billy on a solo drum and percussion mission. Impressive? Yes. Necessary? Not really. (We all know how good you are, Billy.) "Gratuitous" one other appropriately labeled this piece. I know it's a drummer's album but I do kind of hate to see the star of the show tooting his own horn at the very end to the exclusion of all of his other collaborators. Kind of a slap in the face to the others, don't you think? But, it's his album, his prerogative. The quiet--wait for it! Wait for it--piano solo at the very end helps salvage a little face. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 44:10

This album feels much more accessible to me than Billy's more-acclaimed Spectrum. 

92.31 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of peak era Jazz-Rock Fusion. Essential to any prog lover's music collection. 

28. RETURN TO FOREVER Romantic Warrior (1976)

Recorded in February of 1976 at Caribou Ranch in Aspen, Colorado, and then released on October 7, 1976 by Columbia Records, this marks the third and final album with the "classic" Di Meola / White / Clarke / Corea lineup.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chick Corea / Yamaha organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, Hohner clavinet, Polymoog, Minimoog, Moog 15, Micromoog, ARP Odyssey, marimba, percussion, producer
- Al DiMeola / guitars (electric, acoustic & soprano), percussion
- Stanley Clarke / basses (Alembic, acoustic & piccolo), percussion
- Lenny White / drums, congas, cymbals, timbales, timpani, hand bells, snare drum

Though the opener, Chick's 1. "Medieval Overture" (5:14), doesn't capture much of a medieval vibe to me (no nods to medieval music that I can hear), it is no less impressive (8.75/10).

The next offering, the funky Lenny White composition, 2. "Sorceress" (7:34) has some real ear candy in spacious, melody slapping rhythm roles and smooth, emotional soli. Chick's piano solo is vintage Chick--just awesome! Al throw's his weight around, Lenny's percussion play off the drums is breathtaking, and Stanley! Well, Stanley just kind of sneaks in his mastery on this one. (13.5/15)

Then comes 3. "The Romantic Warrior" (10:52), an all-acoustic affair that just happens to be one of my all-time favorite fusion songs. (20/20)

4. "Magestic Dance" (5:01) opens like it's going to be a Led Zeppelin rock'n roll song--which might be explained by the fact that it's a Di Meola composition. The second section--a bit of circus cheese, and the weak repetitious keyboard bass line make this not quite up to par with the rest of the album's songs. (8.6667/10)

But then comes Stanley's tune, 5."The Magician" (5:29) which is pure prog heaven--ushering in stunning performances (if sometimes subdued and quirky) by all four performers--including a piccolo bass harmonics duet with a "micro" mini Moog piccolo! (9/10)

The incredibly well-produced album closes with it's most dynamic and in-your-face tune in the form of an eleven minute epic, 6. "The Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" (11:26) There are soli by each and every one of the artists on this one that are without doubt hailed in Prog Heaven in the "How is this humanly possible?" sound room. One of the most incredible songs you are likely to ever hear. (19/20)

Total Time 45:36

An incredibly seminal album in my formative musical education: if not THE PEAK of the "First Wave" of Jazz-Rock Fusion then the Gateway into the "Second Wave." On Romantic Warrior, the four virtuosi involved are all at the top of their game both technically and creatively--all giving stunning performances throughout. It still stuns me that Al was only 24 or so when he made this album with, by now, seasoned veterans Chick, Stanley and Lenny. It also stupifies me that drummer Lenny White has received so little due over the years. To my ears, he is incredible! He is so smooth, so "melodic"--if a drummer can be said to be so (which is probably why his solo projects and self-penned compositions are so likable/memorable.) Rather than go into detailed song-by-song review as I often do, suffice it to say that the music and performances here are stellar.

92.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; overall this is a minor masterpiece of prog-infused jazz-rock fusion, so well engineered, with performances unsurpassed in terms of skill level. There are two epic-length songs that deserve to be in Prog's Hall of Valhalla. An album that earns its way into the bottom of my Top 30 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums from prog's "Classic Era."

29. WEATHER REPORT Sweetnighter (1973)

Joe and Wayne's third outing as "Weather Report" may be my favorite album of theirs as I really enjoy the textural approach to song-building over which the soloists are then given expansive room to experiment. This one was recorded at Connecticut Recording Studios on February 3-7, 1973 and then released by Columbia Records on April 27.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joe Zawinul / piano, electric piano, synth
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxes
- Miroslav Vitous / electric (3,5) & acoustic (1,2,4) basses
- Eric Gravatt / drums (2,4,6)
- Dom Um Romão / percussion (1,4-6)
With:
- Andrew White / electric bass (1,4,6), English horn (3,5)
- Herschel Dwellingham / drums (1,2,4,6)
- Steve "Muruga" Booker / Moroccan clay drums (1), timpani (2), Israeli jar drum (4)

1. "Boogie Woogie Waltz" (13:03) R&B infusing Afto-Caribbean rhythm. I like the loose, airy feel of this: a "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"-like song that feels as if the musicians are adding their contributions in small doses, not constantly or into an already-established weave (other than the percussion play). Also, I see/feel this as a response to Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathustra." Amazing how consistent is the restraint shown by the four core members: bassist Miroslav Vitous, keyboardist Joe Zawinul, soprano sax player Wayne Shorter, as well as Andrew White's electric bass guitar. Might be a stretch too long, but . . . (24/25)

2. "Manolete" (5:55) a very pleasant Wayne-Shorter soprano sax-led song that shows off some wonderful experimental wah-volume-controlled electric piano play by Joe Zawinul along with some great double bass and percussion play from supplemental percussionists Herschel Dwellingham on drums and Steve "Muruga" Booker on timpani. (9.25/10)

3. "Adios" (2:59) wind-chime-like hand percussives and serene keyboard washes provide the backdrop for Joe and Wayne to issue some very relaxing waves of their own. Nice tune. (9/10)

4. "125th Street Congress" (12:13) based on a free-form funk bass "line" that, for me, seems to preview all of the rap and hip-hop for the next 15 years. Another weave from the percussion section (and two drummers) is surprisingly open and spacious, creating the perfect groove for Miroslav and Wayne to create their magic while at the same time allowing for lots of room for meditation--at least until the fifth minute when Joe chimes in with some rather abrasive and aggressive keyboard "noise." This soon disappears, leaving the groovy percussive groove for Miroslav and Wayne to feed off. Joe's next reentries are a little less alarming and usually a little more reflective of the work that Wayne is doing though for a time becoming part of (or bouncing off of) the "percussion" weave. A very engaging and eminently entertaining song. (22.5/25)

5. "Will" (6:20) a textural weave of percussives, both hand and cymbal play, coupled with Joe Zawinul's steady chord arpeggi of wah-effected electric piano provide the steady foundation for Miroslav and Wayne to play with the presentation of their own inputs: one short bursts of creative bass chords, the other long-held sedating breaths of soprano saxophone. Very hypnotic. (9/10)

6. "Non-stop Home" (3:52) another amorphous exploration of texture built with experimental sounds over the tight drumming of Eric Gravatt. After 80 seconds, Andrew White's deep electric bass, a second drummer, and an uncredited organ accompany the main melody as delivered through Wayne's sonorous (background) soprano sax notes and Joe's electric piano. Interesting. I like it. It's like a sort of étude. (9.25/10)

Total time 44:22

As I gert to know the world and music of Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter I'm coming to believe that their vision is to explore textures more than form--to see how many permutations and combinations of textures they can come up with that will calm and/or soothe the audience/listener into contentment.

92.222 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion--one that explores the gentler, more hypnotic groovin' side of said fusion. This is, in fact, my favorite Weather Report album!

30. MIROSLAV VITOUS Purple (1970)

Recorded in New York City on August 25, 1970, under the supervision and production of Miroslav's current bandleader, Herbie Mann. Herbie had just started his own music production label, Embryo, and here acts as both producer and distribution agent for this, 23-year old Miroslav's second record as a bandleader. Of the four hot-shot 30-somethings that participated in Miroslav's debut solo album nine months before, only John McLaughlin returns (and he only for one song).

Lineup / Musicians:
- Miroslav Vitous / bass, piano (B1, B3)
- Billy Cobham / drums
- Joe Zawinul / keyboards (A1, A2)
- John McLaughlin / guitar (B1)

A1 "Purple" (9:40) Billy Cobham's drums are so attention-grabbing that one forgets to listen to Miroslav's bass--which is supposed to be the lead instrument. Even when Billy is only playing rims and light toms (while Joe and Miroslav duet and duel) he is still mesmerizing. (Perhaps it's the way he's mixed: so forward and mostly on the left.) Still, Joe and Miroslav are both mighty impressive throughout. (This might be one of the more impressive Joe Zawinul performances I've heard--though it took two tracks of the electric piano to do so. I like it!) Billy's just putting on a show. (How can the others not want to just stop and watch in awe and wonder?!) Miroslav returns to bowing his double bass in the eighth minute (preparing us for Stanley Clarke). Great stuff! And not just for the phenomenon that was the young Billy Cobham. (He was 26 at the time of this recording). (18.5/20)

A2 "Mood" (7:34) Billy's on brushes for the opening of this one as Miroslav and Joe establish a soft, plodding pace with their calm spacing of their notes and chords. Miroslav picks up the bow to issue the first plaintive tones of melody and then Joe gets a turn to respond--just like a relaxed conversation over a bottle of red on a late-night couch review of a couples' day. The like attunement between the three artists throughout this song is really something to behold. A veritable masterpiece of three artists being mentally and spiritually "synched." (15/15)

B1 "Water Lilie" (8:57) the song opens with some quiet, spacious yet-very pregnant interplay between the three musicians (Miroslav, Billy and John McLaughlin) with Billy merely holding a beat on his hi-hat while the John plays around with some amazing chord selections (some of which was heard on Tony Williams' first Lifetime record [in "Vashkar"] and some of which will be heard in their different states of evolution on his first Mahavishnu Orchestra albums). Miroslav is triple-tracked with electric bass, bowed double bass, and electric piano all playing within the same areas of the song. How interesting to have John's guitar chord play vying for attention with all three of Miroslav's instruments. I wonder how this was recorded: Did John have the benefit of playing with any of Miroslav's tracks--live or recorded? Unfortunately, the song is more interesting for trying to follow/predict each of its five nearly-independent feeling tracks. Fortunately for me, the listener, Señor Cobham is never unleashed so I am able, therefore, to pay close attention to the work of McLaughlin and Vitous. (18/20)

B2 "Dolores" (4:10) recorded rather differently than the first three songs: with both drums and bass rather quieter or back further in the mix--the band is down to a duo now, but Billy Cobham and Miroslav have more than enough to offer on this Django Reinhardt-like jam. I love the way Billy's cymbal work matches all of the vim and verve that Miroslav puts into his bass and then the toms fill the spaces where Miroslav rests! Excellent entertainment. Too bad there wasn't anything as memorable as the album's opening song. (8.875/10)

B3 "It Came from Nowhere" (5:18) Another "quartet" with Billy Cobham delighting and impressing on his drum kit while Miroslav plays electric bass, bowed double bass, and a pretty impressive electric piano. Tbis one feels a little less finished, more haphazhard and uninspired (especially from Billy) than Side One's songs. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 35:39

This album may be where I find my favorite work from Joe Zawinul. The trio especially seem to have an incredible rapport and ease with one another as I've never heard Miroslav feel this much "a part" of an organic whole--though for three of the songs it took three tracks of his own expression to accomplish. Still, a very impressive album. I'm sure Herbie Mann felt no surprise (or misunderstanding) when Miroslav left him to fly off in another direction (to Weather Report) after their next album together.

92.166667 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion featuring four artists reaching the absolute peak of their powers (but not yet fully aware of such). This album came as a real surprise to me; it is definitely one of the early masterpieces of this new style of musical expression.

31. POP WORKSHOP Vol. 1 (Released in October of 1973)

An all-star band formed and recorded in Sweden that included veteran Polish ex-pats Wlodek Gulgowski on keys and saxophonist Zbigniew Namysłowski, along with future legends of Baltik, Ablution, Egba, and solo (Janne Schaffer) fame.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Zbigniew Namysłowski / alto saxophone, effects [wha-wha]
- Stefan Brolund (Egba) / bass
- Ola Brunkert (Baltik, Ablution) / Drums

- Janne Schaffer (Baltik, Ablution) / Guitar
- Ahmadu Jarr (Egba) / Percussion
- Ed Thigpen (Egba) / Percussion
- Wlodek Gulgowski (Gimmicks, Michal Urbaniak) / Piano, Synth [Synthi-AKS], Electric Piano [Fender Piano]

1. "Point Of Junction" (7:24) sounds very much like something from the experimental side of the Funk/R&B world with the weird percussion noises, wah-wah-ed lead saxophone, bouncy Fender Rhodes and great wah-wah-ed rhythm guitar of the great Janne Schaffer. At 1:55 the band stops, and then takes a turn down a cruisin' speed lane of Cobham-Hancock-like funk. Awesome groove! Everybody in the band is suddenly alive and cookin' leading to some great jazz-rock Fusion: great performances from Zbigniew Namysłowski on his now-untreated sax, bassist Stefan Brolund who is all over his bass, drummer Ola Brunkert who is playing his heart out just tot keep up, and of course, Janne. Wlodek's Fender Rhodes work is awesome--especially as aided by the crazy rhythm guitar accents behind him--and the melodies are great. Too bad they decided to fade out instead of letting us hear the whole jam cuz it was awesome! (14.75/15)

2. "Hanging Loose" (5:28) opens like a blues-rock exploration of some old jazz theme and yet the sound palette and styling used to do so is so influenced by the Mahavishnu Orchestra's (and, to a lesser degree, Weather report's) vigorous approach to stamping the low-end with syncopated power-thrums. The guitar skill of Janne Schaffer is never in question, like Larry Coryell: I'm just not always a fan of his choice of guitar tones and effects. Otherwise, this is a fine experiment in Mahavishnu-ism. (8.75/10)

3. "Perforated Mind" (3:57) Tony Williams/Mahavishnu-like rock-infused Jazz-Rock Fusion in which Pop lets Janne Schaffer loose. The wah-wah pedal, unfortunately, for me, diminishes this Mahavishnu-level solo whereas Wlodek, Stefan, and Ola's high-speed play are every bit up to the comparisons. (9/10)

4. "Sentience" (5:54) opening with some solo Fender Rhodes play that sounds, honestly, like some of the tinkering that Fred Rogers and Johnny Costa used to use as background music on their show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. But then, at 1:24 Janne Schaffer and the crew burst in with a "Rock Around the Clock" like sound and motif over which Zbigniew Namysłowski's bluesy sax and Wlodek's now-dirty Fender Rhodes take turns soloing. In the middle of the fourth minute Zbigniew returns for his second solo, this time with a cleaned-up sound. He's really attuned to the groove the band is playing. Really good! At the mid-poinft of the fifth minute Zbigniew leads the band through a final couple of rounds with a more whole-band version of the repeating theme but then he and Wlodek turn "dirty" again for the loose finish. Nice creation, boys! (9/10)

5. "Equinox" (5:20) a syncopated motif that sounds like something Larry Coryell or Herbie and his Head Hunters might create (but this is 1973!) Great main motif with its syncopated groove carving an odd wormhole into the listeners brain; these guys were so far ahead of their time! (9.5/10)

6. "The Last Pharoah" (5:24) a very pleasant and melodic mood piece that Zbigniew Namysłowski wrote, this could serve as a bedtime lullaby or a John Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders song--or all of the above. Great, spacious, yet modern jazz-rock instrumental sounds and engineering mix backs Zbigniew's beautifully-toned, hypnotic sax throughout the first four minutes, then Wlodek gets a turn over the enticing bass play of Stefan Brolund before Zbigniew rejoins for the finish. I hate to like saxophone songs! (9.333/10)

7. "Equivalent In Nature" (4:52) here Zbigniew picks up a flute to play along with a creatively-composed, impeccably-performed, and beautifully-rendered Jazz-Rock Fusion song. Mega kudos to Zbigniew and the band as well as to the engineers in the box. (9.25/10)

8. "Perfect Touchdown" (3:33) this one sounds like a clip of some of the better or more-interesting stuff from a longer (practice/warm-up) jam. Impressive playing from the percussionists as well as Janne, Zbigniew, and Wlodek but not really a very complete, polished, or charming song. (For "charm" one must properly warm up and let down the listener--like sex's foreplay and afterglow hugging.) (8.75/10)

Total Time 41:52

This album does something that very few Jazz-Rock Fusion albums in 1973 were doing well: serving up original and creative song compositions through the recipe of GREAT three-dimensional sound engineering and production. I find myself absolutely astounded time after time at the "modern" spherical feel and imagery of these amazingly-well recorded and creatively-effected instrumental sounds. I need mention once how well bassist Stefan Brolund and drummer Ola Brunkert account for themselves throughout this album (and how well their sounds were recorded and mixed). 

92.16 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; other than Janne Schaffer's caustic guitar sound, this is a masterpiece of stunning performances, truly masterful compositions, and boundary-pushing sound engineering.

32. ETNA Etna (1975)

A quartet of Sicilians that formed in 1971 as FLEA ON THE HONEY, then FLEA, now rename and recreate themselves one more time, this time with a melodic orientation to peak power Jazz-Rock Fusion. Recorded in 1975 in Roma at Catoca studios, the album was released later in the same year.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Carlo Pennisi / guitar, mandolin
- Antonio Marangolo / keyboards, clarinet
- Elio Volpini / bass, double bass
- Agostino Marangolo / drums, percussion

1. "Beneath The Geyser" (3:56) though opening with some solo electric piano play, the other musicians spring forth as if from a powerful geyser or volcano, creating a track with of melodic power J-R Fusion that sounds like a cross between the jazzier side of FOCUS and JEAN-LUC PONTY (sans violin, of course) and RETURN TO FOREVER. While most reviewers spend energy extolling the talents and virtues of drummer Agostino Marangolo, I'd like to commend his keyboardist brother, Antonio, for his impressive skill and rather mature ability to beautifully "fill" space with his chord play. In fact, all of the band members seem very skilled. An impressive opener. (9/10)

2. "South East Wind" (6:10) after a rather spacey and chaotic one minute intro this song turns into a very pleasant and interesting and mathematical exercise in King Crimsonian discipline as the band trace out a series of very demanding syncopations, the main one (which is also very GOBLIN-like) being very deliberate and proscribed, whereas the second one exhibits more of the high-speed fervor of RTF. (9.125/10)

3. "Across The Indian Ocean" (5:36) opening with jungle sounds and instruments as bass player Elio Volpini plays with harmonics before finally creating the melodic riff that paves the way for the others to join in. The two-part rhythm they settle on could have come from BILLY COBHAM's 1973 debut solo album, Spectrum, while the guitar play and sound palette sound more like something ALLAN HOLDSWORTH might have constructed/orchestrated. This is a very demanding piece technically for the musicians but they all pull it off marvelously and without weakness or hiccup--and while somehow managing to maintain a constantly-engaging element of tension and melody. (9.33333/10)

4. "French Picadores" (4:26) switching to acoustic instruments the band pull off another RETURN TO FOREVER-like composition. Guitarist Carlo Pennisi's steel-string acoustic guitar sound and style is striking for its similarities to those of AL DI MEOLA. With the George Benson-like vocalese mirroring Carlo's melody play on his guitar, I am strongly reminded of the great Brazilian vocalists backing and carrying PAT METHENY's melodies throughout the 1980s and 90s.

     The sudden appearance of a clarinet in the second half freaked me out cuz I thought it was Jean-Luc Ponty's electric violin!

     Beautiful music, seemingly simple but virtuosically performed. Wow! I am really, REALLY impressed with this band! (9.5/10)

5. "Golden Idol" (8:59) starts rather gently before the band picks up a guitar-led TODD RUNDGREN's UTOPIA-like chord riff as if to introduce a second, more dynamic motif that they will be expanding upon later in the song. Antonio Marangolo's keyboards are just so rich--filling the sonic field so perfectly beneath and around the bass, drums, and guitars. And bass player Elio Volpini is so smooth and effortless despite flying around his fretboard. Guitarist Carlo Pennisi's almost-experimental/improvisational guitar play--with chords!--is wonderful (and, again, very FOCUS-like), and, of course, drummer Agostino Marangolo's performance is like money: so solid and flawless. So impressive for its intricacies yet, at the same time, so melodically-satisfying. What an extraordinary gift these guys have! (18/20)

6. "Sentimental Lewdness" (6:42) opening up with some very impressive drum play from Billy Cobham-like Agostino Marangolo, the band joins in with a very impressive rock-oriented RETURN TO FOREVER/FOCUS-like drag race before suddenly lifting off the ground into the air with a wonderful piano-based motif that gradually also accelerates into the high-speed motif the band started with. This also, somehow, mysteriously devolves back into the bluesy piano-based motif which then yields some experimental volume pedal-controlled guitar and keyboard chord play while Agostino shows his disciplined skills on his drums again. So MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA-like! What an interesting and unique song! After several listens I still can't figure out how the band was able to plan for and negotiate those imperceptible and yet seamless transitions between vastly-different motifs with their contrasting dynamics. (9.33333/10)

7. "Barbarian Serenade" (5:14) piano, double bass, lush cymbal play, and mandolin present and carry forward a Latin/Mediterranean melody and gradually supplement it with full drum support, electric bass, electric guitar, and even electric piano whilst maintaining the acoustic foundation and amazing melody. Wow! I am blown away! Absolutely the perfect song for an album's finale! What a compositional (and performance) achievement! (9.333/10)

Total Time: 41:03

This was one of the best discoveries and favorite albums to listen to and review since I started my deep-dive into "Classic Era" Jazz Rock Fusion. I'll have to repeat how impressive I find this album to be for its virtuosic intricacies while, at the same time, the band's ability to manage to present and maintain such melodic sensibilities. This is an album that I am so excited to be able to enjoy for years to come!

92.03 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music's Jazz-Rock Fusion sub-genre and definitely one of the best Jazz-Rock Fusion albums I've ever heard coming out of Italia! 

33. AL DI MEOLA Land of the Midnight Sun (1976)

Guitar phenom Al Di Meola's debut album as a bandleader. The album was recorded in July and August of 1975 at CBS' Electric Lady studios in New York and Patrick Gleeson's Different Fur studio in San Francisco and then released on June 20, 1976 by Columbia Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Al DiMeola / 6- and 12-string electric & acoustic guitars, synth & chimes (4), gong (6), vocals (4), arranger & producer
With:
- Mingo Lewis / keyboards (1), percussion (1,2,4,5)
- Barry Miles / electric piano & Mini Moog (2,5)
- Chick Corea / piano & marimba (6)
- Anthony Jackson / bass (1,2)
- Jaco Pastorius / bass guitar (5)
- Stanley Clarke / bass & vocals (4)
- Steve Gadd / drums (1)
- Lenny White / drums (2)
- Alphonse Mouzon / drums (5)
- Patty Buyukas / vocals (4)

1. "The Wizard" (6:46) a song that is forever burned into me brain for the way it blew me away upon first hearing it in 1976. Now, almost 50 years later it still stands up well: for both freshness in sound and power and proficiency as a strong composition. Nice drumming from Steve Gadd but even better percussion work from Mingo Lewis. Great build-up to the five-minute mark but then the crescendo and dénouement don't really live up to the hype until the very end. (14/15)

2. "Land of the Midnight Sun" (9:10) a great whole band groove with great starting melody coming from Al's smooth electric guitar, but then at the 0:45 mark we start the stop and staccato punching that Al becomes so known for before recapitulating the opening theme for the second verse. His playing is so clean and crisp! At 2:03 there is a motif switch into a gorgeous little Latin swing dance piece over which Al's muted soloing and Barry Miles' MiniMoog trade solo shots back and forth three rounds before moving into the stop and staccato punching for some Mingo Lewis conga display. Then we move into a different-key variation of the opening melody, another staccato divertimenti this time extended with some serious lead guitar and backing electric piano. Al does what Al Di does best at 6:20, soaring to Icarus' heights. The motif goes on just a bit too long before finally showing teasing signs of coming out in the final minute. Masterfully done! (18.75/20)

3. "Sarabande from Violin Sonata in B Minor" (1:20) a nice little display of classical feel and restraint for Al on this Bach piece. (4.75/5)

4. "Love Theme from 'Pictures of the Sea'" (2:25) obviously an excerpt from something else Al and company were recording that he liked but not enough to rework or re-record the piece in its entirety. Al's first display of his vocal talents (with Patty Buyukas and axe-buddy Stanley Clarke). It's nice, innocuous with nothing to really fault. (4.5/5)

5. "Suite - Golden Dawn" (9:49) a suite that is sometimes challenging to find connections between the parts, but the sum is nice. All in all it's good but not great (except for the work from the rhythm section). (17.75/20):
- a. "Morning Fire" (1:15) opens sounding like Todd Rundgren's "Utopia Theme" only a little more refined.
- b. "Calmer Of The Tempests" (1:11) a gentle tropical breeze from Mahavishnu land.
- c. "From Ocean To The Clouds" (7:18) a funk-rock piece with liberal percussion and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Nice trade offs in the duel between Al and Barry Miles' MiniMoog.

6. "Short Tales of the Black Forest" (5:41) an all-acoustic duet between Al and Chick Corea. Makes you comprehend how much of the RTF stuff comes from the keyboard maestro. Still, Al excels at playing with and off of other masters--filling those spaces with his magical flourishes and trilling runs. Chick's piano is recorded a little too far back--as if it's only Al's guitar that's getting mic-ed and all of Chick's piano sound is only being recorded by the grace of what Al's mic can pick up. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 35:11

The impressive debut album from prodigious guitarist Al Di Meola, fresh off of his first three albums with Chick Corea's Return to Forever project. While Al had undoubtedly the pick of the jazz and jazz-fusion worlds from which to use as his studio musicians, he could easily have just used all of his RTF band mates to display his singular compositional ideas. But he did not. While Chick, Stanley and Lenny all made contributions to Land of the Midnight Sun, Al also employed the support of such stalwarts as bassist Anthony Jackson and Jaco Pastorius, drummers Steve Gadd and Alphonze Mouzon, and keyboardist Barry Miles. As was becoming known throughout the music world at the time, a musician had to be highly proficient bordering on virtuosic to hang with Al; what would become evident in the years to come was that there were other challenges to working with the demanding, self-absorbed maestro. While Midnight Sun does not stand up as well as Elegant Gypsy or some other later Al Di releases (I rarely listen to it, choosing 1977's Elegant Gypsy, 1978's Casino, or his 1980s releases over it), it represents an incredibly impressive display of instrumental and compositional skills though I feel a slightly cold arrogance creating some distance between the music and me, the listener. It's hard to argue with Al's virtuosity; the issue, as the years will bear out, is with his ability to engage his audience with something more than his skill and prowess.

4/20/24 addendum: With all the grief over Al's "soul-less" technicality, I have to say that I disagree: there is plenty of heart and emotion here, even in those lightning-fast runs. The true test, for me, is the feel the listener gains from listening to the artist perform on an acoustic instrument and on Land of the Midnight Sun I think Mr. Di Meola accounts for himself in spades.

92.0 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of multi-dimensional Jazz-Rock Fusion--a rather brilliant display for one's first foray!

34. DAVID AXELROD Song of Innocence (1968)

A very unusual album for its fully orchestrated presentation, David Axelrod's funky, jazzy compositions take on a lively fullness that is rarely experienced outside the concert hall or Broadway/West End music hall. Way ahead of its time! And employing a cast of sessions musicians that make up a virtual Who's Who in music history--including a cast of The Wrecking Crew as well as orchestra members who would all go on to become very accomplished and known in the orchestral world.

Line-up / Musicians:
- David Axelrod / vocals, composer, arranger
- Carol Kaye (THE WRECKING CREW) / bass

- Earl Palmer (THE WRECKING CREW) / drums

- Gary Coleman (THE WRECKING CREW) / vocals
- Don Randi (THE WRECKING CREW) / keyboards, conductor

- Howard Roberts (THE WRECKING CREW) / guitars

- Al Casey (THE WRECKING CREW) / guitars

- Ollie Mitchell (THE WRECKING CREW) / trumpet

- Tony Terran (THE WRECKING CREW) / trumpet

- Gene Estes (WESTFALL) / percussion, vibraphone

ORCHESTRA STRINGS: Alvin Dinkin [viola], Anne Goodman [cello], Arnold Belnick [violin], Benjamin Barrett ([violin] FRANK ZAPPA; well known for his session work on 1970's funk, soul, and disco releases]), Bobby Bruce [violin], Douglas Davis [cello], Gareth Nuttycombe [violin, viola], Harry Bluestone [violin], Harry Hyams [violin], Harry Roth [violin], Jack Shulman [violin], Leonard Malarsky [violin], Marshall Sosson [violin], Myron Sander [violin, viola], Nathan Ross [violin], Raphael Kramer [cello], Sidney Sharp [violin], Tibor Zelig [violin].

ORCHESTRA HORNS: Allen Di Rienzo [trumpet], Art Maebe [French horn], Freddie Hill [trumpet], Harry Sigismonti [French horn], Lewis McCreary [trombone], Richard Leith [trombone], Vincent DeRosa [horn], Bill Hinshaw [horn].

1. "Urizen" (4:01) an awesomely jazzed-up orchestral funk composition that seems way ahead of its time (but for its similarity to contemporary sound developments both on Broadway and at Motown Records). Melodic and dence-provoking. Nice lead guitar work in the second half of the second minute followed by some stunningly awesome bass and drum work from legendary Wrecking Crew members Carol Kaye and Earl Palmer, respectively. (9.25/10)

2. "Holy Thursday" (5:32) more great orchestra-presented funky jazz musical fare that could've come off of an album coming out of Motown or from Burt Bacharach as likely as a 1970s Black Sexploitation film soundtrack. Is that future Westfall and 1970s soundtrack session drummer Gene Estes on vibraphone? and Howard Roberts shredding on the electric guitar? Great stuff! Carol Kaye is so amazing! (9.5/10)

3. "The Smile" (3:26) sadly, a variation of the previous song with the exact same drumming and orchestration but harpsichord/electric piano and electric guitar given more solo spotlight. Bassist Carol Kaye has some funky chops! And David's orchestral arrangements and Don Randi's orchestra are awesome! (8.875/10)

4. "A Dream" (2:30) bass and harpsichord open this one before gentle support drums and some low end orchestral support appear. At 1:23 the orchestra takes over. Beautiful! The bass and Harpsichord play are rather simple. (8.875/10)

5. "Song of Innocence" (4:33) another great, surprisingly funky orchestral composition blended supremely well between the strings, horns, and the bass and drums. Gene Estes and Carol Kaye provide such an awesome rhythmic foundation and Howard Roberts' Eric Gale-like electric guitar (even volume pedaled) is awesome, but the strings/orchestra steal the show on this one. I also like the addition of Don Randi's supportive organ work. Who knew jazz-rock fusion could/would ever look like this! (10/10)

6. "Merlin's Prophecy" (2:44) this cinematic song feels more like the orchestral rendering of a famous pop radio hit or main theme song from a spy movie: crossing over a little too much into the realm of elevator music. Still, it has great sound, melody, and funk! (8.875/10)

7. "The Mental Traveler" (4:02) starting with a long orchestral opening, Carol Kaye's bass is the first instrument to lead the shift to jazzy-rock funk motif that follows. Electric guitar and the presence of vibes gives this song a slightly different feel though it does end up feeling as if it's all coming from the same funky movie soundtrack. (9/10)

Total time 26:48

It's been such a joy and delight to have discovered this album--one of the surprise/delights of the year! I had no idea how much funk existed before the 1970s! Despite being so short, this is definitely one of my favorite albums from the year 1968. 

91.96 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion--one of the finest blends of orchestra with jazz-rock musicians that you will ever hear!  

35. DEODATO Prelude (1973)

Another addition to my list that may surprise many readers but take pause to read that list of musicians contributing to this album: it's a practical Who's Who of Jazz-Rock All-Stars! Plus, the album produced an anomoly in the world-wide Top 5 hit single, "Also Sprach Zarathustra"--a phenomenon that may have changed the course of Jazz music forever! Prelude was recorded in September of 1972 at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, produced by Creed Taylor, and then released to the general public by CTI Records in January of 1973.

Lineup / Musicians:
Eumir Deodato / piano, electric piano
With:
- Ron Carter / electric bass, double bass
- Stanley Clarke / electric bass
- Billy Cobham / drums
- John Tropea / electric guitar
- Jay Berliner / guitar
- Airto Moreira / percussion
- Ray Barretto / congas
- Hubert Laws / flute
Horn Section:
Trumpets: John Frosk, Marky Markowitz, Joe Shepley, Marvin Stamm
Trombones: Wayne Andre, Garnett Brown, Paul Faulise, George Strakey / trombone
French horns: Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon
Flutes: Phil Bodner, George Marge, Romeo Penque

Strings:
Violins: Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, Eliot Rosoff
Violas: Emanuel Vardi, Al Brown
Cellos: Harvey Shapiro, Seymore Barab, Charles McKracken

Side A:
1. "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (9:00) a song that changed the course and direction of Jazz music: letting record companies know that a certain kind of jazz could make them money! Listening to the album version of the song lets you know why this album belongs in this Compendium. (20/20)

2. "Spirit of Summer" (4:04) a heavily-cinematic Burt BACHARACH-like display of orchestral magic out of which emerges several very brief individual performances: Eumir's BOB JAMES-like Fender Rhodes, Jay Berliner's classical guitar (which is, in my opinion, a little over the top), and Hubert Laws' tasteful flute. The highlight, however, is truly the orchestra. (8.875/10)

3. "Carly & Carole" (3:38) an obviously-sexist homage to two of the era's premier female singer-songwriters. (8.75/10)

Side B:
4. "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" (5:20) so fitting with all of the Latin jazz-rock that had been flowing through the American airwaves during the previous ten years. Great lead guitar work from John Tropea. (8.875/10)

5. "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" (5:13) despite Billy and Airto's contributions, this is really more of a duet between Stanley and Eumir. The smooth transition into Latin-jazz for the second half is so cool: Ray Barretto's congas and Jay Berliner's rhythm guitar providing so much for Eumir and trumpeter Marvin Stamm to fly over. Another chaotic dismantling to get back to the bass and Fender simplicity of the opening in order for Marvin to complete the cover of Debussey's timeless piece. (9/10)

6. "September 13" (5:24) back to the funk. Love those wah-wahed rhythm guitars. Great melody line from the horn bank 90 seconds in. I love it when Stanley and Billy are in sync and the playful flourishes are flowing. (8.875/10)

Total time: 32:39

91.96 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion and one of my top 30 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums from prog's "Classic Era."

36. TOTO BLANKE Spider's Dance (1975)

The side project of German guitarist Hans Otto Blanke when not working with Jasper Van't Hof or with Pierre Courbois' ASSOCIATION P.C. This album finds the European virtuosi playing with Philadelphia expats John Lee (bass) and Gerry Brown (drums). The album was recorded and mastered at Conny's Studio in 1974 in Siegburg, Germany, on July 21-23, with the acoustic guitar parts recorded at "Studio Bero" in Münster on August 27 & 28. Vertigo Records released the album in April of 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Toto Blanke / electric & acoustic guitars, composer & producer
With:
- Joachim Kühn / Fender electric piano
- Carmine Ugo "Charlie" Mariano / soprano saxophone, flute
- John Lee / bass guitar

- Gerry Brown / drums

1. "Lady's Bicycle Seat Smeller" (7:00) sounds very much like RETURN TO FOREVER (in no small part due to Gerry Brown's pre-RTF drumming). The drums, bass guitar, and electric guitar play are so closely fitted to the RTF style, it is only the presence of Carmin Ugo Mariano's flute and Joachim Kühn's more Herbie Hancock-like keyboard playing style. (13.5/15)

2. "Intermission" (6:58) another song styled very closely after some of RETURN TO FOREVER's more quirky and dynamic constructs, this time with keyboard player Joachim Kühn's stylings sounding more akin to those of Chick Corea. (13.75/15)

3. "Rocbaron" (2:45) a Django Rhinehardt-styled acoustic guitar song solo by Toto definitely takes on a non-Django sound and style (and more Al Di Meola- and acoustic John McLaughlin sound) as it goes on. Excellent virtuoso guitar play! (9.75/10)

4. "Toto" (6:22) opens with two concurrently played tracks of Toto's electric guitar(s) playing wah-wah-ed arpeggi, soon along with John Lee's bass and Gerry's syncopated drums. Very cool! (Very "Discipline" like!) At 1:08 the hypnotic weave is broken by a crash into a slower procession of chunky-funky effected-bass, syncopated almost-military drums, and electric guitar arpeggi with Fender Rhodes electric piano support. (I hear no saxes or flutes.) The guitar soloing in the fourth minute reminds me very much of Larry CORYELL while Gerry Brown's drumming is like a mirror copy of the style and sounds of Lenny WHITE! In the fifth and sixth minutes the guitars return to two tracks weaving opposite one another, eventually speeding up to signal the band's transition into decay and finish. I really love this song--from multiple perspectives--maybe the drumming the most! (9.5/10)

5. "Spider's Dance" (4:33) a protracted Mahavishnu-like progression of chords from guitar and bass while Joachim's clavinet and Gerry's drums sky rocket all over the place beneath and around the plodding oddly-time-signatured stringed rhythm section. Charlie Mariano's flutes and saxes as well as another track devoted to Toto's lead guitar carry the smooth melody line to the song's conclusion. Quite exciting and noteworthy. (9.33333/10)

6. "Prelude" (0:58) strumming acoustic guitar receives some flange treatment. (4.5/5)

7. "Slight Touch Of Hepatitis" (14:28) using a sparse and rather spacious rhythm section from the bass à la Bitches Brew and the early Mwandishi albums, drummer Gerry Brown is free to explore wherever Spirit guides him as Charlie Mariano and Joachim Kühn go wild and crazy over the top--for the first five plus minutes, that is. Toward the fifth and sixth minutes John Lee's bass begins to become quite adventurous and interesting while Toto Blanke's lead guitar and Joachim's wah-wah-ed Fender Rhodes become increasingly angular, key-bending, and at times outright dissonant. The band reigns it in and thins out in the eleventh minute to allow for some pure Fender Rhodes solo time (though John Lee's very active bass is still unavoidably noticeable just beneath). Gerry's drumming is solid and fluid but feels, compared to the creative freedoms he was given in previous songs, more constrained and liming.

      I'm sure this was a very cerebral and liberating song to perform--and the performances are certainly impressive for their virtuosic creativity--but my puny little brain happens to prefer the melodic commitments of the previous songs. (27/30)

Total Time 43:04

Quite an excellent and creative album despite the obvious emulation and inspiration from Chick (and Herbie), Stanley, Al (and Larry), and Lenny. Evenso, these musicians are all at the top of their games--given further freedom and expressive boosts by wah-wah pedals and multiple track recording.

91.93 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a remarkable masterpiece of high-powered Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that every prog lover and J-R Fuse lover should experience! 

37. EDDIE HENDERSON Inside Out (1974)

The end of Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi-era team lineup is officially an Eddie Henderson album due to Eddie's leadership (initiative, funding, and role as principle composer), and it's another great one. (The next of Eddie's album's, 1975's Sunburst, again has a great lineup of young and seasoned jazz musicians--including Bennie Maupin and George Duke--but there is a radical shift in musical styles toward a more radio- and sales-friendly "smooth" or "funky/disco" jazz fusion that became popular in the mid-70s.) Produced by Skip Drinkwater for Capricorn Records, Inside Out was recorded in San Francisco in October of 1973 at Pat Gleeson's Different Fur studio. The album wasn't mastered and released until January of 1974--long after Herbie had called it quits on the head-in-the-clouds, atmosphere-exploring Mwandishi septet. How the recording sessions for Inside Out happened after Herbie had dismantled the Mwandishi septet and after he had already recorded his new pop-oriented album is a mystery to me. If any one out there knows how this happened, please let me know! (Herbie recorded his first album with a new funk/R&B quartet in September, 1973. The album, Head Hunters, was released on October 13 or October 26 [depending on sources] to become the biggest selling jazz album of all-time--until George Benson's Breezin' laid claim to that title in 1976.) 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eddie Henderson / trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn
With:
- Herbie Hancock / Fender Rhodes, clavinet, organ
- Patrick Gleeson / synthesizer
- Bennie Maupin / clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone
- Buster Williams / acoustic & electric basses
- Eric Gravatt / drums
- Billy Hart / drums
- Bill Summers / congas

1. "Moussaka" (8:59) Patrick Gleeson and Bennie Maupin get first crack at opening this album: it sounds like the real-time sounds of a sunrise. At the end of the first minute Buster Williams' bass and Bill Summers congas start us off on a journey across the desert but then we slow way down as if to examine the scenery from some carapace high up above the desert floor. But then at 2:40 the journey recommences--exactly the same way it began at the one minute mark--this time allowing Eddie time to solo with his muted cornet. Then Herbie gets a turn in the fifth minute with his Fender Rhodes. Such a nice Caravanserai groove going beneath it all. Eddie retakes the reins with a muted flugelhorn at 5:30. A second track is given to Eddie for the intermittent dipersal of flourishes from his unmuted trumpet until at 7:30 that instrument takes the lead where he is joined by a legion of other horn and wind instruments (Obviously Eddie, Bennie, and Patrick have become enamored of multi-track overdubbing.) (18/20)

2. "Omnipresence" (2:14) another display of circling instruments that sounds/feels like the presence of something. The two drummers are busy as Eddie and the rest fill the cauldron with more ingredients in order to make the soup. (4.375/5)

3. "Discoveries" (5:08 ) multiple horns are tracking while Buster and the drummers are providing a kind of DEODATO version of "A Love Supreme" but then things veer right and we've got a more train-like cannonball racing downhill so that Bennie's clarinet, Herbie's clavinet and Fender Rhodes, Patrick's burbling saw synths, and Eddie's trumpets (muted and unmuted) can weave their off-set flourishes of melody. Very interesting and progressive. The music on this album is definitely exploring new, expanded ideas of what is linear and how melodies can be delivered by all of the instruments of a large ensemble while being out of sync with one another. I like this one more for its innovation than its engaging qualities. (8.875/10)

4. "Fusion" (3:33) a veritable continuation of the previous song (there is no break between the two) sees a shift in the rhythm track coming from both the bass and drums. Over the top Eddie, Bennie, and Herbie manage the melody delivery with subtle collaboration and admirable discipline. (8.875/10)

5. "Dreams" (7:21) drums and bass going rogue while the lead instruments hold the melody together simultaneously and smoothly. Interesting! The recording and engineering is so perfect: with every subtle sound captured and balanced gently into the mix. I can't recall hearing a jazz album on which each song's soundscape is so egalitarianly distributed. Rather amazing. And beautiful! (14/15)

6. "Inside Out" (9:25) It's Buster again to lead the way out of the gates. Drummers and clavinet follow as Eddie's horns and Bennie's tenor saxophone start their own journeys. Clavinet gets a little "me" time before multiple horns give a loosely banked MILES-like pepper spray--a pattern of delivery that Eddie continues to reinforce with his trumpet's own first foray as sole soloist. This is a really fun song to listen to while paying attention to any and every one of the individual musicians--listening for their subtle expressions of unrepressed individuality. Even the two drummers are playing so subtly off of one another, creating something that is spiraling around Buster's bass lines, feeding the other instrumentalists into explorations and expressions of their own creative heights.
     In the sixth minute Bennie gets the second extended solo with his tenor sax. I like the relaxed length of times given between soloists. Herbie's wah-ed Fender Rhodes gets the next solo, filling the eighth minute. Bennie and Eddie come squawking out of the pond like two geese (or more as each is given multiple tracks) to try to cut Herbie off but Herbie just continues on with both his Fender Rhodes soloing and his clavinet (multi-tracked or played simultaneously?--or, more likely, taken on by Bennie Maupin?) Very cool song to listen to over and over. (19/20)

7. "Exit #1" (2:54) the bookend opposite of the album's opening four minutes: this must be the sunset. Perfect! (5/5)

Total Time: 39:34

The music on this album is so much more experimental, feeling innovative on several fronts, than any of the previous Mwansishi-era albums. While not as melodic, the weaves are incredibly complex for the fact that it feels as if each individual musician has been set loose on his own path and journey with the same map and destination but with the freedom to follow their own independent paths and means to get there. It's really a breath-taking and marvellous to watch (and listen). If this isn't the peak of the experimentalism that was the spirit and intent of the Mwandishi albums, then I don't know what is.

91.91 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; musically this may be a minor masterpiece but to my ears there are developmental things going on here that, for me, proclaim an evolutionary jump in the progress of jazz-rock fusion--a jump that is in direct opposition to the pervasive tendency toward favoring smooth audience accessibility over mathematical and creative exploration and experimentation. A Top 30 Favorite J-R Fuse Album from prog's "Classic Era."




38. DON ELLIS ORCHESTRA Autumn (1968)

Don's first album since the Shock Treatment debacle (Columbia Records' righted wrong), it is a bit of a scattered collection of songs. Also, it is the Orchestra's first album without superhuman work of drummer Steve Bohannon (replacement Ralph Humphrey [The Mothers of Invention] is pretty amazing in his own right). The band here stretches out with new arrangements of "Indian Lady" (recorded live at Stanford University) and a cover of Charlie Parker's "K.C. Blues" as well as two other songs recorded under live conditions during the "Summer of Love." It also presents to the world the rollicking fun "Pussy Wiggle Stomp"--a song that would become the band's signatory opening song at live performances for the next few years. Autumn manages to showcase Don's continued compositional exploration of how to simplify complexities (i.e. create memorable, even danceable melodies while still incorporating constantly shifting time signatures) while also continuing to explore his own private fixation with the replication of classical Indian music melodies through his quarter-tone trumpet.

Lineup / Musicians:

Don Ellis / quarter-tone trumpet, amplified trumpet
With:
- Saxes & Woodwinds:
Ira Schulman - alto sax
Frank Strozier - alto sax, clarinet
Ron Starr - alto sax, flute, piccolo, soprano sax, clarinet
Sam Falzone - tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet
John Klemmer - tenor sax clarinet
John Magruder - baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Trumpets:
Glenn Stuart
Stu Blumberg
John Rosenberg
Bob Harmon
- Trombones:
Ernie Carlson
Glenn Ferris
Don Switzer - bass trombone
Terry Woodson - bass trombone
- Tuba:
Doug Bixby
Roger Bobo
- Rhythm:
Pete Robinson - piano, clavinet, electric piano, prepared piano
Mike Lang - piano, claviniet, electric piano
Ray Neapolitan - bass
Dave Parlato - bass
Ralph Humphrey - drums
Gene Strimling - drums, miscellaneous percussion
Lee Pastora - conga
Mark Stevens - vibes, miscellaneous percussion

1. "Variations for Trumpet" (19:23) A wonderfully-recorded exploration of spacious arrangements and shifting time. Don's trumpet in the lead is as strong as ever, as are the clarity of the recordings of all of the other instruments of the Orchestra--which in and of itself is quite a feat for the follow-up of the massively corrupted and misproduced predecessor, Shock Treatment. (38.5/40)

2. "Scratt and Fluggs" (1:57) sounds like a real hoot at a country barn dance! (4.375/5)

3. "Pussy Wiggle Stomp" (6:47) a couple steps out of the deep woods of the Ozarks or Western Appalachia starts this rollicky dance tune. Eventually, the music conforms to more normal WW II-like Big Band jazz dance hit styles--only waiting for the professional dancers or the Andrews Sisters to step up front for the stage entertainment. Pretty amazing drum solo in the fifth minute! And then there is a downshift into yet another face of the Pussy Wiggle Stomp (a return to the opening motif). Such an infectious song with such tightly performed and well-recorded musicianship! (14/15)

4. "K.C. Blues" (8:44) opening with Frank Strozier's lone alto saxophone tearing up the skies yet playing with such distinct clarity that I'm sure original composer and performer Charlie "Bird" Parker would be proud. The band finally joins in during the third minute, playing pretty straightforward 1950s big band jazz, at first supporting and accenting Frank but then finally taking over for him around the five-minute mark. The rich, full arrangements that follow are notable for how numerous the banks' memberships feel. More sax soloing int he sixth minute but this time on a tenor, eventually finding the full band backing him in every way possible before everybody recedes for an electric piano solo. Nice performances, arrangements, and sound recording; just not my favorite kind of jazz. (17.5/20)

5. "Child of Ecstasy" (3:14) such solid musical performances of what feels like a simple (but we know is not) composition. The realization of the ideas of a true master of musical composition. And let's not forget how infectious is this man's energy and passion that he inspires such incredible performances like this! (9.510)

6. "Indian Lady" (17:42) those familiar horns at the start are the same but some of the instrumental performances have changed or the emphases within the soundscape mix. It feels as if the bass and drums and trumpet play have all been speeded up and clarified. The fact that this is from a live performance is nice for having the reactions of the live audience captured in the recording. But, man can these instrumentalists boogie! Because of the familiar earworm of the main melody one forgets how long this song is: so many twists and turns, so many ways to keep the main melody going on different levels while the other elements go off on crazy solo or group tangents--every expression displaying amazing skills instrumentally as well as compositionally. The all-percussion frenzy in the fourteenth and fifteenth minute is another amazing highpoint as is the frenetic bass playing behind and throughout. Simply astonishing! And that's not even mentioning the four or five times Don and the band "trick" us into thinking they're winding down to the finish only to start right back up again! I have to say that the amazing precision, recording, and energy of this long version of a song that was only eight minutes long in its first studio presentation on Electric Bath is more impressive and winning than even the great original. (33.75/35)

Total Time: 53:49

While continuing to hold the bar exceedingly high for demanding skills and performance cohesion, the music on Autumn, on the whole, feels far more diverse, dynamic, and rollicking than Don's previous recordings have captured. I may be wrong--it may be the wonderful clarity and separation of all of the individual instruments captured by the recording engineers, but it's just a great music listening experience, start to finish.

91.81 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an excellent collection of diverse jazz-rock fusion songs coming from one of the greatest compositional and motivational masters of the movement.

39. JEAN-LUC PONTY King Kong - Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa (1970)

The landmark collaboration between rock music's only successful jazz-rock fusionist and the ever-expanding, ever-adventurous, boundary-pushing virtuoso violinist. The Frank Zappa-penned (and produced) songs contain all of the jazz- and modern classical-underpinnings and eccentricities that Frank loved to put into all of his compositions--especially during this period of his career--and, of course, they all contained at least some presence of the humor that he was so famous for--in both the music as well as the song titles. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / electric violin, baritone violectra
With:
- Frank Zappa / guitar (4), arrangements
- George Duke / piano (5) & electric piano
- Ian Underwood / conductor (5), tenor saxophone (1)
- Ernie Watts / alto & tenor saxophones (2-4,6)
- Vincent DeRosa / French horn & descant (5)
- Arthur Maebe / French horn (5)
- Donald Christlieb / bassoon (5)
- Jonathan Meyer / flute (5)
- Gene Cipriano / English horn & oboe (5)
- Harold Bemko / cello (5)
- Milton Thomas / viola (5)
- Gene Estes (Harry James. Louis Bellson, Cher, Gene Vincent, The Hollywood Dreamers) / percussion & vibraphone (1,6)
- Buell Neidlinger / bass (1,5)
- Wilton Felder (The Jazz Crusaders) / Fender bass (2-4,6)
- Art Tripp / drums (1,5)
- John Guerin (Buddy De Franco, The Mystic Moods Orchestra, Tom Scott, Gabor Szabo, Seals & Crofts, Joni Mitchell, Jean-Luc Ponty) / drums (2-4,6)

1. "King Kong" (4:54) opens like a sterile, mostly rote playing of Frank's charts--at least, that is, until George Duke's dirty electric piano solo at the end of the first minute. Jean-Luc gets his turn a minute later as George, Frank, Buell Neidlinger, and Art Tripp support with some minimally-miked, poorly engineered funky jazz-rock. Gene Estes' vibes are about the only thing that sound well-rendered. I love the tempo shift beneath Jean-Luc at 4:30. (8.875/10)

2. "Idiot Bastard Son" (4:00) a slow dirge that sounds tongue-in-cheek despite the awesome drumming from John Guerin. Following the charts was surely not an easy task due to the numerous stop-and-changes, but bassist Wilton Fender does an admirable job of remaining melodic and smooth in spite of this. Jean-Luc's playing is as good as might be expected but nowhere as dynamically earth-shattering as they will become in the coming six or seven years. The corny entrance and play of the dragging horn section at the three-minute mark are laughable despite everyone's remarkable synchronization with the complex tempo and melody shifts. (8.875/10)

3. "Twenty Small Cigars" (5:35) slow and deliberate, the weave of multiple melody-holders in Jean-Luc, Ernie Watts, Wilton Felder, and Gene Estes, and George Duke is beautiful with each holding his own but interlocked and interwoven to perfection. A beautiful, fully-realized song. (9/10)

4. "How Would You Like to Have a Head Like That" (7:14) another beautifully rendered song (even in its sound engineering) over which Ernie Watts gets a lot of front time with his alto sax and George Duke Fender Rhodes satisfies in both support/rhythm and lead roles. Frank even gets a solo on this one--wah-wah-ed and not too flashy but fully plugged in. This feels like a song that could very well have inspired Eumir Deodato when he was scoring and pulling together his ensemble for his Prelude album and specifically the "Also Sprach Zarathustra" hit. (13.5/15)

5. "Music for Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra" (19:20) A fully-classical composition of the Edgar Varese school of worship (as Frank was a fully-fledge and very vocal member). The first four minutes see the horns and classical orchestral instruments holding the line (under the supervision of Frank's very competent underling, Ian Underwood) while the jazz musicians kind of sit back and listen or minimally support. But then, in that fifth minute, the jazz combo takes over, with acoustic instrumentage--including a wonderful George Duke piano presence. (This is such a revelation of his extreme talent! Makes me want to hear more of his stupendous piano playing!) Jean-Luc, of course, is also present, in lead and support. At 8:25 there is a break and then the start up of a third movement--this one returning to the use of the orchestra, but here in an accompaniment role as Art Tripp's drums, Buell Neidlinger's bass, George's piano, and Jean-Luc's violin continue: it's just that everyone in the orchestra kind of doubles up or accents the jazzers' play. The entrance and presence of electric piano, electric bass, and electric piano is noticeable in the 12th minute as the "distant" electric piano sounds very much like those on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew.  This opens up a kind of avant/free jazz spell before every falls back into gentle melody-making around the 12-minute mark. But then things get loose and chaotic again by the end of the 13th minute. At 13:18 a low squirt from Ernie Watts' tenor sax signals another shift: this one to piano and vibes-led frenetic percussion play over which the rest of the orchestral mostly contributes smooth, calming chords (until they don't). The final movement begins at 15:17 as the instrumental palette returns to jazz combo-orientation, but the orchestral members remain on high alert for their near-constant contributions of subtle support and fill. Despite the feeling of smoothness here, the music is nowhere near simple--as the rhythmically-complex 18th minute soon shows in spades. The finish then sounds like a parody of some pompous British processional, though Jean-Luc and the pacifying orchestra get to play the rather beautiful final notes. I have to say: I love Frank Zappa's "classical" and jazz compositions!  This one stands right up there with all the rest: like a more-serious "Lumpy Gravy." (38/40)

6. "America Drinks and Goes Home" (2:39) a real Jazz/New Orleans jazz feeling song with George Duke again playing acoustic piano with John Guerin's drums, Wilton Felder's bass, Gene Estes' vibes, and Jean-Luc's very disciplined violin all helping to realize this very complex, very stop-and-go composition. (4.375/5)

Total Time 43:42

91.81 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; another minor masterpiece from Frank Zappa and his jazz orchestra. Though Jean-Luc gets the top billing, this is really the result of Frank's creative artistry. Highly recommended--especially for those who, like me, love Frank's music compositions yet can be turned off by his often sophomoric lyrics; this one's all instrumental!  

40. LARRY YOUNG'S FUEL Spaceball (1976)

Another obscure album that I've only recently discovered from my favorite keyboard artist from the 1970s (Emergency!, Love Devotion Surrender, Venusian Summer) issues his second "Fuel" album. It was recorded in New York at Dick Charles Recording studio, early in the year, under the production of Terry Phillps, and then released to the public by Arista until May of 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Larry Young / Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, piano, synths (MiniMoog, Freeman String), arrangements
With:
- Larry Coryell / performer
- Paula West / vocals
- Ray Gomez / guitar
- Danny Toan / guitar
- Julius Brockington / piano, MiniMoog, Hohner clavinet, arrangements
- Al Lockett / flute, tenor & soprano saxophones, vocals
- David Eubanks / bass
- Jim Allington / drums, percussion
- Abdoul Hakim / percussion
- Barrett Young / percussion
- José Farouk percussion
- Clifford Brown / percussion

1. "Moonwalk" (5:00) a funky jam that feels more Parliamentary and SANTANA-like than RTF--especially with the intermittent choral vocals. Larry's sound palette feels similar to some of the work on Lenny White's Venusian Summer--with Ray Gomez and Larry Coryell dueling in the background and he and Julius Brockington layering the front with their multiple keyboards. This leads to the big question of Who is Julius Brockington and why haven't we ever heard of him (before and since)? I love Larry's exploration of the sound possibilities of the low-ends of his instruments' sounds. (9.25/10)

2. "Startripper" (4:44) flowery music similar to something that would be backing Minnie Ripperton or even Steely Dan. I really like it--especially for the wonderfully playful work of the two keyboard players and rhythm and lead guitar work of Ray Gomez and Larry Coryell as well as the very engaging and melodic Latin-lite rhythm foundation. I love the presence and contribution of the flute. I love this song! It's like joy incarnate! (10/10)

3. "Sticky Wicket" (9:26) once again the listener finds itself in more of a funk/R&B range of bands like SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, PARLIAMENT, or even the AVERAGE WHITE BAND. Great performances from the drums, bass, Larry (Young), and Larry (Coryell). Not a big fan of the intermittent infusion of choral vocals to say "Sticky Wicket", but I do like the Stevie Wonder-like thickness and excellent interplay of all of the musicians. Who are these two: drummer Jim Allington and bassist David Eubanks? They're both really good! (17.875/20)

4. "Flytime" (4:50) a gentler but very much Parliamentarian funk infused with some AVERAGE WHITE BAND melodic sense. Again, I am so impressed with the cohesion of this lineup of musicians: they all seem so well-invested/attentive to Larry's charts (or intentions, if that was the case). (9/10)

5. "Spaceball" (5:07) with an introduction of male voices doing doggy "bow wow"s and Paula West performing her best quick orgasm vocal, and then the invitation to the "spaceball" party who could turn this one down?! Good funk. (8.66667/10)

6. "Message from Mars" (7:29) Solid, fully-formed, multi-level jazz rock fusion on the level of any of Chick Corea's RETURN TO FOREVER songs (and, I feel pretty sure, modeled after such). Great guitar work from both Ray Gomez and Larry Coryell as well as the organ, bass, drums and rhythm guitars. Really tightly performed. Who is Julius Brockington? Who is this David Eubanks? What ever happened to Jim Allington? (14.25/15)

7. "I'm Aware of You" (5:09) funky but not nearly as funk-oriented as much of the other stuff, this one has a more serious, true Jazz-Rock Fusion direction in its core--closer to Steely Dan than Parliament, Chicago than Stevie Wonder. Nice work from the horns and drums, though, once again, the entire band is so tight. How did they achieve this? Hours of practice or just good food and great comaraderie? (9/10)

Total Time 41:45

Throughout the entire listening to this album I kept wondering where Larry's band members came from and why I've never heard of any of these excellent musicians, but more, I kept thinking what a far superior album this is to any of Larry Coryell's Eleventh House efforts: the collaborative inputs and song compositions are way better across the board. Too bad Mr. Coryell couldn't have found more parties like the Fuel to participate in.

That Larry Young was allowed to imbue each and every one of his collaborators with such energy and fuel to perform at their most creative selves while still working within the team scape is something that comes through quite remarkable from every one of these songs: everybody was feeling the freedom and confidence to fly--and amazing is the job they did!

91.81 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a definite masterpiece somehow hidden in obscurity.

41. LARRY CORYELL Offering (1972)

Guitar god and "Godfather of Jazz-Rock Fusion" Larry Coryell's second foray into the studio with the same four musicians, including keyboard player Mike Mandel--the only member of this quintet that will be invited to become a part of the Eleventh House supergroup. Recorded January 17, 18 and 20, 1972 at Vanguard Studios in New York City under the production of Daniel Weiss, the album was released by Vanguard in August.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Larry Coryell / guitar
With:
- Mike Mandel / electric piano with fuzz-wah
- Steve Marcus / soprano saxophone
- Mervin Bronson / bass
- Harry Wilkinson / drums

1. "Foreplay" (8:10) on this Coryell composition, Fender Rhodes player Mike Mandel provides a BRIAN AUGER-like support to Larry's musical machinations. Drummer Harry Wilkinson is quite adept at adding his own flourishes and nuances while bass player Mervin Bronson, like Mandel, sticks pretty close to the script. Saxophonist Steve Marcus is nowhere to be heard. Very nice play from all of the instrumentalists but the five chord rising progression gets a little exhausting after a while--(kind of like foreplay), but Man! can Larry Coryell move at some blistering speeds! (13.5/15)

2. "Ruminations" (4:17) Sax, guitar, and keys lead the way with rather complex arpeggio melody play of a four chord sequence on this Mike Mandel composition until the one minute mark when everything switches direction: moving down a smoother, more harmonically-horizontal chord sequence (at a rather breakneck pace) that sounds more oriented traditional jazz despite the active Herbie HANCOCK-like Fender Rhodes piano. Steve Marcus' soprano saxophone definitely does his best to match/keep up with Larry's incendiary electric guitar keys, usually going back and forth but often overlapping each other as if racing toward an end--and end that coincidentally arrives at 3:45 when the band switch back into a more modal style like the opening (though not quite the opening). The song then is given the engineer's fade to bring it to a close despite the musicians' continued play. This is definitely a song that helps illustrate why Larry Coryell is given so much credit for launching and test-driving the fusion of rock into jazz music. (9/10)

3. "Scotland I" (6:41) another ascending theme, this time from bass player Mervin Bronson, repeating the same six note climb over and over while saxophone, guitar, and drums go crazy all at the same time. The fifth minute is my favorite part when all of the melody instruments team up to spit out a supersonic melody line between each of Mervin's ascents. Despite the fullness of this soundscape, Larry and Steve continue firing impressive solo flourishes and runs over the cacophonous weave going on around them (obviously using second tracks for their additional sound contributions). All in all, this is a very mathematically-committed song that I'm not sure I really like--this despite the very impressive technical skills on display. Chris Squire's "Hold Out Your Hand" is quite reminiscent of this. (8.875/10)

4. "Offering" (6:46) a song that is credited to drummer Harry Wilkinson (despite my hopes that it would tie into the song of the same title from John Coltrane's final album, Expression, as it is a favorite of mine). The song is set up with a winning and infectious bass line that sounds quite a bit like Chicago's Peter Cetera's play on the band's 1969 debut album, Chicago Transit Authority. The bass is coupled with some very impressive Billy Cobham-like play from drummer Harry Wilkinson. From there the song resembles something like FOCUS' "Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!" or "Anonymous Two" (from their 1973 release, Focus III) in the way that the guitar, saxophone, and keyboards all seem to launch into their own separate universes for long, continuous (and very impressive) soloing over the busy-yet-hypnotic play of the rhythm section. I don't know if it's the infectious rhythm section or the tasteful weave of multiple soloists all playing rather melodically at the same time, but I love this song. It's my favorite on this album. Definitely an example of a rock song played by rock musicians who are trying out their jazzy chops. From start to finish this song just feels like a treasure trove that is constantly revealing new things with each and every listen. (14.5/15)

5. "The Meditation of November 8th" (5:12) a spacious, contemplative song of reverb-treated soprano saxophone, electric guitar, electric bass, and metallic percussives all played with feeling and thoughtful emotion in a way that previews (or reflects) the works of Terje Rypdal, Jan Garbarek, and Pat Metheny. Very nice and sympathetic--not unlike some of the works of the early electric guitar masters of the 1960s. Perhaps this song is even intended as an homage to one such musician (someone who died on November 8th)? I've seen that some reviewers have called this song "boring" or "slow" and "hard to get into" but I find myself responding quite oppositely: I love the space that the band allows me--space to get inside and look at the sounds and notes and harmonies from multiple perspectives. I like this one very much. My second favorite song on the album.  (9.33333/10)

6. "Beggar's Chant" (8:03) a bluesy foundation leads to some very bluesy playing from all of the instrumentalists. Man! These guys are so professional--and so proficient. There is quite a John Tropea/Jay Berliner-like DEODATO "Also Sprach Zarathustra" sound to Larry's guitar playing on this one (my least favorite sound and solo on the long 9-minute album version of the song). Definitely my least favorite song on the album and yet it's still damn good! (13.25/15)

Total Time 39:09

An album whose musicianship has little to no fault, whose intricately constructed and performed songs all rival anything that Herbie, Mahavishnu, or Chick Corea's Return To Forever ever put together, but, somehow, still feels as if could be better. Impressive keyboard player Mike Mandel seems at times to fade into the woodwork or wallpaper while guitarist Larry Coryell and soprano saxophonist Steve Marcus's explosive soloing styles (and sounds) have never been among my favorites, yet here, on Offering, I find myself deeply engaged and excited/willing to re-listen to each and every song multiple times: there's just this feeling that there is so much more to discover within the dense and complex weaves of each song. A big question I have is: Why are drummer Harry Wilkinson and bass player Mervin Bronson never mentioned in the conversations of great Jazz-Rock Fusion musicians?

91.6777 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; not only does this work out analytically as a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion, it feels like one! HIGHLY recommended--especially to any of you progsters that have never really gotten into Larry Coryell.

42. LABORATORIUM Modern Pentathalon (1976)

Smooth yet-complex and very competent Jazz-Rock fusion from Poland. These musicians make it all seem so easy! The album was recorded in Warsaw in July of 1976 and then released late in the year by Polskie Niagrania Muza.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Janusz Grzywacz / piano, Fender Rhodes, Roland 2000 synthesiser
- Marek Stryszowski / vocal, alto sax, bass clarinet
- Paweł Ścierański / guitars
- Krzysztof Ścierański / bass guitar
- Mieczysław Górka / drums

1. "Pięciobój nowoczesny" (20:00) using lots of experimental sound-making from electronic and acoustic instrumentation, the band opens this song with some jungle-zoo-like giving the music a feel and palette not unlike something HERBIE HANCOCK might have been doing with the help of Patrick Gleeson. The faux-Gregorian chants taking over at 6:10 provide an odd bridge to the next motif, a very NOVA Driftwood"-like atmospheric passage. In the eleventh minute there is another motif change, this time into something sounding more like somethting from the Bitches Brew or Mwandishi sessions, though the motif gradually becomes dominated by first alto sax and then a drum solo. Unfortunately, drummer Mieczysław Górka is probably the weakest member of the quintet, so this is nothing so very exciting. The next motifi something quite crazed in a Daevid Allen/GONG way--like something straight out of the psychedelic craziness that pervades the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy of albums, only all echo-effected vocals from wind player Marek Stryszowski. The rest of the band begins to return in the 18th minute and then finishes the song out with a hard-driving guitar- (and voice)-led jazz-rock passage. Definitely a suite of totally different song themes sewn together rather arbitrarily, but it ends up being a rather fun and enjoyable journey. (36.75/40)

2. "Funky dla Franki" (4:46) funky-lite that just doesn't go deep enough into the bottom end but the synths, keys, and electric guitar do a great job of supporting the bass. Acoustic guitar is the first soloist, with Mieczyshaw's sax coming in at the end of the third minute and then taking over the lead during the fourth. A very decent if rather lite song. (9/10)

3. "Szalony baca" (6:00) opens with jungle bird noises accompanied by some solo voce African chanting. At the 0:30 mark the band slides smoothly into a hypnotic groove in which sax, Fender Rhodes, and chorused electric guitar present a very pleasant almost Caribbean melody while the drums and bass also carry forward a solid if loose and syncopated Carib rhythm track. Sax gets the first solo followed by electric bass before the chants rejoin far in the background, eventually mirrored by the electric guitar. The recording and play here is so chill, relaxed, and smooth. A wonderful song that definitely puts on display the cross-cultural bleeding that Jazz-Rock Fusion has become such a melting pot for. (9.5/10)

4. "ABZ" (4:58) part yacht rock, part Weather Report cool, part high energy Mahavishnu Orchestra, part celebration of jazz's recent history, mixed with a lot of funky joy and fearlessness. So fun! (9/10)

5. "Grzymaszka" (2:24) opens with some serious, melancholy, though very jazzy McCoy Tyner- or Chick Corea-like piano play that becomes more dramatic and Gershwin-dominated as it goes along. Excellent adaptive lounge piano play that one might find being played by a live musician in the foyer of a very exclusive club. (4.5/5)

Total time: 38:08

A wonderful album that definitely celebrates the fusion of international sounds and styles with one very-well produced album.

 91.6667 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a masterpiece and most excellent addition to any jazz-rock fusion-loving prog lover's music collection.

43. ELECTROMAGNETS Electromagnets (1975)

(Dixie) Dregs, Weather Report, and Nova-like jazz-rock from Austin, TX that was the launching vehicle for international guitar hero Eric Johnson. The album was recorded by Park Street in 1974 at Odyssey Sound studios in Austin during sessions in July and September and the released and distributed by the band themselves (as EGM Records) in the Fall (with no mastering!). The Rhino re-mastering and production for the CD release from 1998 did an amazing job at cleaning up and bringing to life the music on the old analog tapes.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Steve Barber / keyboards
- Bill Maddox / drums
- Eric Johnson / guitar
- Kyle Brock / bass

With:

- Tomás Ramirez / saxophone (6)

- John Treanor / percussion (6)

1. "Hawaiian Punch" (6:00) the Bill Connors/Al Di Meola-like lead guitarist (Eric Johnson) is the lead instrument pretty much throughout this song despite its tight and very expressive and competent musicianship from all four of the band members. The heavily-syncopated final 90 seconds is quite revealing and supportive of this claim. (8.875/10)

2. "Motion" (4:45) a much more smooth palette and more contemplative ECM/Narada Walden-like song construct with lots of lovely space and no hurry to finish or move anywhere quickly--and yet this is by no means a slow sleeper: there are dynamic flourishes and sudden and surprising contributions flitting in and out of the ethereal weave throughout the nearly five minutes of this--and axe-master Eric Johnson is nowhere near the dominatrix that he was in that opening song; no, this is a song of shared feeling and inspired spontaneity--and very interesting! (9/10)

3. "Dry Ice" (5:05) this one has a heavier, much more JEFF BECK-like palette and feel with drummer Bill Maddox being given full exposure for the first two minutes before Steve Barber's clavinet, Kyle Brock's bass, and Eric's guitar become more domineering. Great jazz fusion of the highest caliber--in line with Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Return To Forever, Jan Hammer, and even Frank Zappa (and preceding Jeff Beck's landmark Blow by Blow album by a few months). (9.5/10)

4. Blackhole" (6:51) a very powerful and emotional song of the Mahavishnu style with very noteworthy-yet-cohesive performances from each of the individual musicians. RTF were rarely this united and interconnected (and Mahavishnu Orchestra never)! Again, the sound engineering is absolutely stunning as every instrument, every sound nuance is so crystal clear! I don't see how J-R Fusion ever got any better than this song! And why isn't Eric Johnson mentioned in every sentence with Al Di Meola, Bill Connors, and John McLaughlin?!!! (15/15)

5. "Salem" (4:30) slowing it down a bit and even taking on a little mediæval/folkish palette despite Eric Johnson's continued bold electric lead guitar, the band takes an unexpected twist with the central presence of vocal (whose John Wetton similarities give the music a more KING CRIMSON sound and feel). The drumming is so tight and precise! And Eric's solos are every bit as sharp and concise as Al Di's or Jan Akkerman's. There is also what sounds like a bowed instrument in this song--perhaps an electric violin--but it is not among the song credits which makes me think it could be either Eric Johnson's guitar or Kyle Brock's bass. (8.875/10)

6. "Minus Mufflers" (7:36) a more syncopated song structure gives this quite the Herbie Hancock/Miles Davis feel. Plus there is the presence of Tomás Ramirez' saxophone from the start. Quite the funky keyboard and bass work though Eric's lead guitar is still very fast and furious--reminding me quite a bit of Corrado Restuci's work on the NOVA albums as well as some Larry Coryell. Interesting! (13.5/15)

7. "Novia Scotia" (3:38) an evenly-paced, smooth-flowing construct that reminds me of several non-American bands of the era, like Focus and Allan Holdsworth. The staggered play of the four instrumentalists in the third minute is quite extraordinary and noteworthy--and then the band goes soft and smooth again. That back-and-forth shift of dynamics is quite reminiscent of Al Di Meola's future work as a solo artist. Seriously good! (9/10)

8. "Crusades" (8:01) Another song whose unusual form and structure lead me to compare it to Al Di Meola, Return To Forever, and Focus. Very cerebral and concentrated into the loosely-connected individual performances--much like NOVA and WEATHER REPORT were fond of doing. By the congealment of the middle of the song everybody is aligned in order to support the pyrotechnical exploits of guitarist Eric Johnson on his multiple tracks of axe play. Then, with about three minutes to go, the music shifts rather radically toward a cruising groove in order to support a frenetic solo by keyboard wiz Steve Barber. Despite Steve's wonderful display of skill and creativity, one cannot help but be distracted by the rhythm and lead flourishes of Eric's flashy guitar: he just has that Johnny Mac/Al Di "it factor." Weird mishmash of a song that is essential for its soloists and suite-like organization of multiple musical styles. (13.333/15)

Total Time: 46:26

Very nice, crystalline sound engineering. There is such a "later" (i.e. late 1970s early 1980s) quality to both the sound production and scope-creep of smooth jazz palettes in this music--sounds that really didn't exist back in 1973-4 even in the ECM or early Weather Report days. Were they really this much of 

91.667 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of highly-developed and creatively-constructed jazz-rock fusion from four top caliber musicians.

44. BENNIE MAUPIN The Jewel in The Lotus (Summer 1974)

Recorded after the formal breakup of Herbie's Mwandishi septet, The Jewel in The Lotus harnesses the talents of over half of that septet in Bennie, Herbie, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart but expresses a musical direction quite different than any of the Mwandishi albums (three under Herbie Hancock's name, two under that of trumpeter Eddie Henderson). First of all, the album was produced and released by Manfred Eicher's new ECM label (which leads to expectations of impeccable sound quality), November 1, 1974, though it was recorded in March in New York City at The Record Plant.

Line-up / Musicians:
Bennie Maupin / Reeds, Voice, Glockenspiel
Buster Williams / Bass
Billy Hart / Drums
Frederick Waits / Drums, Marimba
Bill Summers / Percussion
Herbie Hancock / Piano, Electric Piano
Charles Sullivan / Trumpet (tracks: 2, 3)

1. "Ensenada" (8:05) fast-paced static two-note bass line and wind chime-like percussion instruments open this song until the reset pause at the 95-second mark signals the arrival of flutes and piano. A song that reminds me of some of Mahavishnu John McLaughlin's more sedate spiritual-oriented songs as well as some of Chick Corea and Gary Burton's duets. At 4:35 there is another reset pause which is then followed by a key change when the instrumentalists resume their wind-chime nature imitation. I really love this song! (14.5/15)

2. "Mappo" (8:25) Bennie's flute leads this one as trumpet, bowed double bass, delicate drum play (from both drummers) and additional percussion inputs support. In the third minute the band starts to establish a kind of tense, dour, even cinematically-frightening motif but then backs off. This is so much like the future music of avant gard pioneers UNIVERS ZERO and PRESENT! But then Latin hand drums enter totally wiping away the cinematic tension, redirecting the tension into some free-jazz kind of play. Even Herbie's discordant piano play in the fifth and sixth minutes (or Buster Williams and Bill Summers' wild play) seem only to add to the tense 20th Century classical music feeling of this. This feels like a very wise and mature composition! Wow! (19/20)

3. "Excursion" (4:47) starts out sounding as if we're in some high mountain Tibetan monastery with the horns, reverberating gongs, glockenspiel, tuned percussion, prayer-like vocalisations, piccolo, bassoon, and, later, discordant and free-for-all double bass riffs, piano hits, and snare and drum fills. The cacophonous sound just builds and thickens the further the song runs until the end when recorder and single-voice vocal chant are left to end the song. Wow! What a journey this man is taking us on! (9/10)

4. "Past + Present = Future" (1:45) piano, distant snare and shaken percussives, long, bowed double bass notes, and multiple flute and reed instruments present this lovely little interlude. (4.75/5)

5. "The Jewel In The Lotus" (9:57) spacey electric piano (with fast-panning reverb) with shaker percussives open this while reed instruments, double bass sprays, delicate cymbal play, and marimba gradually set the stage for Bennie's soprano sax and other reed instruments to slowly, subtly set a melody. I am so impressed with the design of this music! And the discipline it takes to perform it. (And I know from second-hand sources that Bennie is a very exacting, very demanding band leader.) Once Bennie is in front, the music pretty well established and solidified, it kind of loses its appeal to me as it becomes less about mystery and melody and more about continuing the floatability. The individual instrumental choices and contributions are interesting yet they're often so soft and subtle that they do more to deflect my attention off into some tangential place of dreamy sensuality. I hate to detract from the ability to perform such a wonderful (and wondrous) feat, but I kind of want to stay engaged with the song. (17.66667/20)

6. "Winds Of Change" (1:25) multiple reed instruments performing together, in attempted unison. (4.5/5)

7. "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers" (5:14) a lot of space--some times quite empty--around which Bennie and company add small whorls and twists of movement--until the third minute when Bennie's soprano sax leads Herbie, Buster, Billy, and the percussionists into something slightly more definitive and organized. There's just so much space! I usually love spacious music like this but this one is almost too reliant on the long decays of instrumental sound as to not represent music but rather act as a reminder of what the world would be like without music. Interesting! (8.75/10)

8. "Past Is Past" (3:52) Bennie's plaintive, languid soprano sax in duet with Herbie's full piano prowess--at least for the first 90-seconds, then triangle, shaker, timpani, and other hand percussion instruments (and background harmonizing flutes) join the flow (which is pretty much a drawn out three-chord flow). The drummers get to join in--as only accenting percussionists--in the final minute. (8.875/10)

Total time: 43:37

A surprisingly transportive, spiritual experience comes out of listening to this album each time I do so. This is, in my opinion, no small feat. In fact, I would argue that it might take some artists a lifetime to achieve such an effect through their art.

91.62 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of quite remarkably-mature song compositions performed by a gathering of remnants of the Mwandishi lineup months after the last Mwansishi session had wrapped up.

45. ATMOSPHERES (Featuring Clive Stevens and Friends) Atmospheres (1974)

Raw Jazz-Rock Fusion from Bristol, England-born bandleader Clive Stevens. Recorded in New York City on February 5th, 1972, with reputedly no rehearsals (three months before the demise and official breakup of John McLaughlin's first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra), the album wasn't released (by Capitol Records) until January of 1974. Why it took over two years for this album to be released is a mystery I'd like to know more about. Seeing this lineup of all-stars, I found myself especially curious--and excited--to hear this.

Line-up / Musicians:
Clive Stevens / tenor sax, sopr sax, flute, perc
Ralph Towner / electric piano, ring modulator
Steve Khan / 6 & 12 str guitars
John Abercrombie / electric guitar
Harry Wilkinson / perc
Rick Laird / bass
Billy Cobham / drums

A1. "Earth Spirit" (5:30) opening with Rick Laird's bass right up front and center, then Billy Cobham's hi-hat, and Ralph Towner's dirty Fender Rhodes before Clive Stevens' soprano sax and the two guitarists join in, taking turns with Clive soloing over the top. Nice R&B-based groove, nice jam, nice melodies, not as nice sound engineering as on the band's next album. (9/10)

A2. "Nova '72" (5:52) the Mahavishnu rhythm section make themselves known right from the opening notes of this one, a fine piece of jazz-rock fusion that seems to suggest that the funk-rock direction might have been the direction half of the MO had wanted to travel when they were falling apart. Billy's drumming is rock solid while Rick Laird's bass play is fluid and attention-grabbing--as is the great Fender Rhodes play of Ralph Towner. Clive is the leader and his tenor sax is awesome though I am not much of a fan of the sax (except in big band horn section lineups); still, Clive's play is more enjoyable than 90% of the other sax players/solos I've heard. I find myself glad for guitarist Steve Khan and John Abercrombie's assignations to background positions. (9.25/10)

A3. "Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" (6:40) a cool, danceable, almost-Earth, Wind & Fire rhythm track is established with Billy Cobham once again performing in his most commanding, rock channel with Rick Laird holding down the funk while Ralph Towner and the two guitarists literally flail away at their instruments beneath Clive's soprano sax solo. This one is interesting! How Billy and Rick can hold it together while Fender Rhodes and two electric guitars are livin' their best lives above! But somehow the craziness works! It blends, it fuses, it flows! Weird! (9.33333/10)

B1. "Astral Dreams" (9:21) another R&B track is established straight out of the gate while odd percussion instruments are employed with more restrained and conformed rhythm play from Towner, Khan, and Abercrombie. Nice melodies instituted by Clive on a treated soprano sax--solid enough to allow him to wander off every switch in motif into some pretty cool solos before coming back to the main melody. At 3:00 the band moves into a kind of dreamy bridge that allows them to reset before picking right up where they left off. A very melodic, almost STEELY DAN-like jam that really works for me. At 4:55 Steve Khan gets his first turn at an isolated solo--and it's decent (with special thanks going out to Billy Cobham for his awesomely dynamic support)! Rick Laird is just killing it: holding his own melody-production seminar despite all that's going on around him. Ralph is next on his Fender Rhodes before giving it up to Clive again--with Billy again flailing wildly in the bridges. (Wish his drums were recorded better--and mixed more integrally into the overall mix.) (18.5/20)

B2. "All Day Next Week" (6:50) opening as a sophisticated multi-themed jazz pop piece, the song shifts into smooth jazz-rock at 1:15 for a different motif before coming back to the more sophisticated jazz-pop at the end of the second minute. The laying back for soloing begins thereafter with Fender Rhodes, electric guitars (Steve and John each getting a turn) before Clive gets his say. Again, the play of Rick Laird over Billy's rock-solid drumming is so important! so necessary to the freedom offered to each of the other instrumentalists. The song never really presents us with anything extraordinary (other than Rick Laird's amazing and melodic bass play), but it's still great. (13.75/15)

B3. "The Parameters of Saturn" (5:47) an experimental foray into the crazy world of free-jazz with each and every instrumentalist going off in their own directions, some quite melodically (like the anchoring effect of Clive's calming sax), some more freely without regard for melody or matching rhythms with the others. Interesting and, because of Clive's calming presence in the eye of the hurricane, surprisingly listenable! (8.875/10)

I must say that, despite poor sound representation of Billy Cobham's drums, he and fellow Mahavishnu Orchestra alum Rick Laird put on a clinic on how important the rhythm section is to the confidence and comfort of a band's individuals and whole. It is told that this was Billy and Rick's only studio session outside of John McLaughlin's torrid and demanding schedule during the entire run of the MO. Also, it's too bad that percussionist Harry Wilkinson (Larry Coryell)'s work is mixed so deeply into the soundscapes cuz we all know he can be a force. The February 1972 recording date does help to explain, however, the early, raw, Mwandishi-like sound quality and compostional stylings of this album.

91.61 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of peak Jazz-Rock Fusion This is an album (and group)--like its successor--that deserves more attention with regards to its place in the history of the formation and evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

46. MISSUS BEASTLY Missus Beastly (1974)

A München-based band whose lineup and sound changed and morphed with each release, this being their second despite previous incarnations with other band names. The album was recorded and produced sometime in 1974 for Nova Records by Dieter Dierks at his own studios in Stommeln-Pulheim near Köln. It was released in November. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Norbert Dömling / bass, guitar
- Friedeman Josch / flute, saxophone
- Jürgen Benz / saxophone, flute
- Lutz Oldemeier / drums
- Dieter Miekautsch / keyboards

1. "Julia" (3:54) despite a rather chaotic opening, this song moves into a motif in the second half of the first minute in which great piano and flute play is mixed in with all the others as the band rollicks through some psychedelic funkiness. (8.875/10)

2. "20th Century Break" (5:02) great spirit and melodies built on a fun, funky (and familiar) sound and rhythmic pattern. Again, I love the way the piano drives this one but also how the horns assist the whole way along. The fourth minute features a refreshingly-unusual clavinet solo, but then we're back to the clever and melodically-mutually-supportive AREA-like multiple thematic expositions for the close.  (9.33333/10)

3. "Geisha" (5:23) very solid rhythm base of piano, drums, and clavinet with electric bass seeming to go off on its own melodic journey while two flutes smooth it all out. Very Chick Corea-like though even stronger in places (that bass!) I love the fact that the pianos (2?) and clavinet are playing off one another throughout the entire song. And the groove is so infectious. Definitely a favorite of mine--a top three song, to be sure. Norbert Dömling is one interesting cat! (9.5/10)

4. "Vacuum Cleaners Dance" (5:17) another chaotic/psychedelic start that eventual irons out into another hard-driving heavy jazz-rock flute-led composition. The lead flute player performs like Thijs van Lier or Ian Anderson when they're at their craziest but, overall, I feel that this is a Mwandishi-era Herbie Hancock song played by Milanese band AREA (with Freideman Josch's flute supplanting Demetrio Stratos' vocal acrobatics). Solid and definitely entertaining. (9.125/10)

5. "Paranoidl" (4:20) a straightforward start, solid rhythm section with wild Hammond organ play throughout the somewhat-slower first half. Then the band switches into high gear with some crazy bass playing, Fender Rhodes, wah-wah rhythm guitar, and frenetic sax soloing. The song feels like something like Canterbury-infused NATIONAL HEALTH and Jazz-Rock-oriented AREA co-mingling on stage, taking turns imposing their leadership in the different motifs. The musicians are all so dialed into this one! (9.25/10)

6. "Fly Away" (7:46) after a long drawn out two-minute intro, this song congeals into, at first, a great horn-accented big-band jazz-rock but then turns to a more melodic "pop" jazz feeling sound for a few bars, but then it kind of returns/reverts to the slowly in-fading intro motif as if to restart or rebuild toward that whole-band, big-band motif. It's not until the five minute mark that any true solo gets underway--tenor saxophone--as a synth slowly fades in to counterpoint from just beneath before being faded out for Fender Rhodes and electric piano. An unusual (and pretty innovative) circle of constantly-rotating soloists ensues before they all mysteriously synch up together in the final 30 seconds! How cool! (13.75/15)

7. "Talle" (5:40) less jazzy, more proggy folk-rock, even with a saxophone occupying the lead position. The drumming in the first 90 seconds is the one thing keeping this from falling into pop-folk. Kind of a stylistic mix of something between Al Di Meola and Bob James. Also, a lot less adventurous compositionally though some of the individual performances are note-worthy: particularly the bass and multiple acoustic guitar tracks--the latter which turns electric rhythm in the slightly funkier TRAFFIC-like second half--and the flute in the third minute. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 33:22 

 On this album they display extraordinary, top-tier Jazz-Fusion skills over the course of some truly memorable song compositions. This band is so tight! The precision synchronization of their play is quite remarkable.  

91.61 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of refined and sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion. A must-hear for you J-RF fans.

47. RETURN TO FOREVER No Mystery (1975)

Chick's second album with guitar phenom Al DiMeola completing the quartet lineup, no Mystery was recorded at The Record Plant in New York, during January of 1975 and then released on Columbia Records in February.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stanley Clarke /Bass [Acoustic, Electric], Organ [Yamaha], Synthesizer, Vocals
- Lenny White /Drums, Percussion, Congas, Marimba
- Al Di Meola /Guitar [Electric], Acoustic Guitar
- Chick Corea /Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano, Clavinet, Organ [Yamaha], Synthesizer, Drums [Snare], Marimba, Vocals

A1. "Dayride" (3:15) bouncy, joy-filled Latin Chick opening is quickly assisted by the full band (plus some nice percussion over dubs). It's really Chick's show for the first half of the song with everyone else performing tightly proscribed tasks (quite competently, I might add--even spectacularly in the case of Stanley). The vocals in the middle of the third minute are a bit of a surprise--but they work--and then the multiple downshifts for the finish are really cool. (8.8/10)

A2. "Jungle Waterfall" (3:15) a little more Hendrix-like with some funk in the bass and guitar strumming, the chorus is different: definitely more rock/R&B than is typical for RTF. In the end, with little soloing (Al gets a little spotlight in the final 30-seconds), this feels more like an étude--a whole band exercise in cohesion. (8.8/10)

A3. "Flight Of The Newborn" (7:20) more funk-oriented music with Al doing more of that surprisingly dirty wah-strumming that he'd been doing in the first two songs. The shifts and little individual flourishes start to become more the style than not with some great runs by Al and some stellar interplay between the other three: it's really an awesome display of top notch Jazz-Rock Fusion. Al is not at his fiery best--mostly due to his persistent allegiance to the distortion of the wah-pedal. Definitely the best display of Lenny's supreme talents on the album so far. The fifth minute is filled with some of Stanley's signature electric bass runs which are always astounding as well as lyrical, and then Chick gets to play on his MiniMoog while Al joins Stanley and Lenny to provide the steady yet-spacious support that allows Chick to be prominent. (13.5/15)

A4. "Sofistifunk" (3:20) some extremely funky keyboard play is accompanied by far simpler and surprisingly less-funkier drums, bass, and guitar. The band is cohesive but the style they're going for seems to escape me. If it's sophistication they're going for, they may have achieved it, but it just doesn't feel natural to the band as a whole--maybe to Chick and Lenny, but not so much Al and Stanley. (8.75/10)

A5. "Excerpt From The First Movement Of Heavy Metal" (2:45) classical grand piano opening that turns into sophisticated jazz at 0:28 and then Hendrix blues-rock at 0:50. Stanley's bass play is out-of-this-world awesome from the get go, seeming to play multiple styles all at the same time: R&B, slap, metal chords, and more. Ends with more of Chick's grandeliquent piano bombast. (9/10)

B1. "No Mystery" (6:06) one of the more fully-developed songs on the album and one that more fully conveys the individuality of each of the band members (especially Chick and Stanley in the first third). Acoustic instruments. Al and Stanley's bowed double bass occupy the third minute until Chick's piano chords bring the full band back together. (Lenny's playing percussion only.) Al Di Meola--the Al we've all come to know and love--takes the fourth minute, eventually sharing the spotlight with Stanley and Chick. It's always such a delight to see & hear J-R Fuse artists show off on their acoustic instruments. I love Lenny's marimba play mixed in with the others as they all stop-and-go with their virtuosic flourishes over the final minute. (9/10)

B2. "Interplay" (2:15) piano and bowed double bass open this one sounding almost avant garde. At 0:53 Chick and Stanley inject a more Latin direction, each performing at incredible speeds and ideations: a precursor to the amazing work they do on Romantic Warrior's "Medieval Overture." (4.75/5)

B3. "Celebration Suite (Part 1)" (8:25) opens like a prog rock opera or tongue-in-cheek version of an overture to a classical opera by Bizet or Ravel. The very-Spanish style is maintained in the second and third minutes as the full band shifts into full gear. Lenny's display of drumming is absolutely spell-binding--almost to the distraction of hearing the other amazing performances. Chick gets the first solo on his MiniMoog, but it's the battle between Stanley and Lenny that gets all of my attention. Al gets to jump in with Chick in the fifth minute: they're such an amazing duo, so well-synched. Great bridge at the end of the fifth minute leads into a very complex, showy tangent in which Lenny really gets to shine. At 5:52 there is a break that Chick jumps into with his electric piano, starting up a completely different motif--one that is laced and interlaced with incredible melodies. Wow! The rest of the band, I think, must be standing back, watching in awe--though somehow they are able to continue to be sporadically supportive. The final minute sees Chick taking the solo spotlight into a very dreamy passage before the band moves on to Part 2. (19/20)

B4. "Celebration Suite (Part 2") (5:30) Full band with everybody "hitting" big chords with all of their electronic effects (and Lenny absolutely killing it on le batterie!) so that Al can go off on one of those soaring solos that he would become so famous for. (Mid-blowing Lenny!) At the two-minute mark there is an oddly melodic bridge into a pause before everybody picks up the chase again--this time with everybody on full show-off mode: Stanley hitting some incredible bass chords, Chick manning multiple keyboards as if they were extensions of his 20 fingers and toes, and Lenny going absolutely crazy--all before a dramatic extended finale. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 42:53

91.60 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece representative of the highest echelon of Jazz-Rock Fusion and yet the band is still gelling, the compositional excellence still eluding them at times.

48. RETURN TO FOREVER Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973)

For Chick Corea's third album using the Return to Forever moniker the bandleader must have felt the need to make some major changes. (It seems obvious that he felt the need to response.compete with the first incarnation of his Bitches Brew band mate John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra.) Gone are the Brazilian husband-wife team of Airto Moreira and Flora Purim--and, thus, the Santana-like Latin flavor and energy--and gone are the horns; what we have here is now a power fusion band--the most rock 'n' roll like form of all: bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards. The album was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City in August of 1973 and released by Polydor Records in October.

Line-up / Musicians:
Chick Corea – electric piano, acoustic piano, organ, harpsichord, gongs
Stanley Clarke – electric bass, bell tree
Lenny White – drums, percussion
Bill Connors – electric guitar, acoustic guitar

A1 "Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy" (3:25) here the band opens with a dynamic display of the new member more rock 'n' roll-oriented skills and volume. The way Bill and Stanley play off one another is very cool. (8.75/10)

A2 "After The Cosmic Rain" (8:33) using a form that enlists two or three different speeds, we get a nice view of the skills of Chick, Lenny, and Bill Connors with Stanley showing off a lead-guitarist kind of mentality with his fuzz-bass. Stanley's dextrous use of full chords on his electric bass is also quite unusual and ground-breaking. Chick on the electric piano is more demonstrative than melodic in his showmanship and I find Lenny's drums to be mixed a little too loud (as well as come across as a little too rock 'n' roll). Nice but not really anything very engaging or memorable--except for Stanley's bass solo. (17.5/20)

A3 "Captain Señor Mouse" (8:56) the hard driving rhythm track of this one could've easily come from a rock band like The Allman Brothers Band or Think Lizzy. This is the first song on which I am certain that the band used multiple tracks to accomplish the full soundscape here as the percussion, multiple keyboards, and even guitars have too much reinforcement to be done in one take. I like the occasional shifts into the Latin motifs while Chick's electric piano patterns and solos finally sound more like the signature style that he would become known for: with lots more slurs as if he were bending notes (which he later masters on his MiniMoog). The drum and bass play beneath Chick is nothing short of miraculous: tight and yet jaw-dropping in speed and dexterity. No wonder this song became a standard in Chick's concert repertoire. I even like the drop back into harpsichord at the end of his extended solo (and, of course, his signature bounce accents beneath his bandmates' solos). Bill Connors' first truly extended solo in seventh and eight minutes is truly remarkable, marred only by his over-obsession with John McLaughlin-like long-held note bending. When he does his runs and quick changes in direction it's impressive. (19/20)

B1 "Theme To The Mothership" (8:22) It is obvious to me that the band is gelling and heading toward the sounds and styles that we will come to know and recognize as distinctly their own the further we get into this album--this song being yet another step in this process from "Captain Señor Mouse." The one variable is Bill Connors' style (which obviously affected the style of incoming star Al Di Meola in that he had to learn these songs in Bill's style for auditions and live replications). At the same time, it is often remarkable how similar the styles of the two guitarists are. The more rock-steady (almost sedate) bass play (when he's not soloing) of Stanley Clarke is surprising over the first five minutes, but then, as Chick starts his multi-instrument solo in the fifth minute you can finally hear the bass begin to introduce some of those lightning flashes of flurries and riffs between or in response to some of Chick's pauses between phrases--just like the blues and R&B-trained guitarists do between their own vocal phrases. The band still hasn't mastered the art of unforgettable solo blasts with unforgettable melody lines, but they are very much on their way. (18/20)

B2a "Space Circus (Part I)" (1:28) gentle, hypnotic Fender Rhodes arpeggi from Chick's left hand over which his right hand spits out melodic riffs. Quite lovely. An obvious influence on Ronnie Laws. (4.75/5)

B2b "Space Circus (Part II)" (4:08) a pause after Chick finishes the intro, then Stanley and Chick jump forward with Lenny and Bill quick to join in. I love the sound Bill is using on this one. Stanley is back in lead-predatory mode here, but Bill may be up to his challenge. Lenny elbows his way into the spotlight in the fourth minute and then, finally, Bill lets loose. It's good--more Larry Coryell-like than Mahavishnu Di Meola in that there is a "nasty filth" to his sound that Al or John rarely aspire to. (9.25/10)

B3 "The Game Maker" (6:49) contemplative electric piano play to open, some gentle metallic percussion, too (cymbal and triangle hits). At 1:50, when the full band kicks in, Bill's twangy guitar is first to jump to the lead with Lenny and a dreamy Stanley in solid support. Even Chick, with his rotating two chords of fast arpeggi is in full support. In the fourth minute Chick breaks in with a solo that gets Stanley's adrenaline pumping and to which Bill sees a need to compete and fire back. This duel between Chick and Bill goes on for some time as Lenny and Stanley--especially Stanley--impress from beneath. A great song that fully illustrates the cohesive whole-band skill and comradery that this band will master. The Mahavishnu Orchestra may have broken the J-R Fuse genre wide open, but it is RTF that perfected it! (14.25/15)

Total Time: 42:16

This album is quite a favorite with a lot of critics and fans, but I think the band is still undergoing growth and self-discovery and have not yet fully-defined their everlasting sound.

91.50 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of genre-advancing Jazz-Rock Fusion. Again, that which Mahavishnu started, RTF perfected.

49. JAZZ Q Pozorovatelna (The Watchtower) (1973)

Pretty unusual and, at times, awesome jazz-rock, jazz-fusion, and sometimes even proggy music from the Czechoslovakian scene in the early 1970s. Pozorovatelna was recorded in Prague at Studio Břevnov on January 29, 1973 and then probably released to the public by Panton Records sometime in the Spring or Summer. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Martin Kratochvíl / organ, piano
- Lubos Andrst / guitar
- Vladimír Padrunek / bass
- Michal Vrbovec / drums
With:
- Joan Duggan / vocals (3)
- Rudolf Chalupský / violin (5)

A1. "Pori 72" (13:00) a four-part suite of mostly slow, spacious, tension-filled KING CRIMSON-like bass and drum interplay with pensive electric piano and electric guitar intermittently adding some chords or notes. I really love the creativity of bass player Vladimír Padrunek. Just after the start of the third movement, one that is much more active and dynamic, if rock-oriented--around the five minute mark--Lubos Andrst begins a guitar solo that is right in league with any of the wildest eruptions that John McLaughlin ever did in the previous three years! Martin Krtochvíl even gets into the frenzy with his Fender Rhodes while the rhythm section creates a kind of SANTANA "Waves Within Waves"(from Caravanserai)-like foundation beneath. And then in the second half of the fourth movement he does it again, this time with some more latest-greatest effects on his electric guitar--this time the sound that Robert Fripp on "Book of Saturdays." Outstanding: both of Lubos' solos. Overall, this is a very unusual, intriguing, and definitely interesting song--one that I like very much. (24.5/25)

A2. "Pozorovatelna (The Watch-Tower)" (6:45) the first half is jazz-fusion of the bluesy type, Martin Kratochvíl's Fender Rhodes often bending the sound toward the contemporary J-RF direction but then riffing off some bluesy runs to make one question that commitment. Guitarist Lubos Andrst's guitar play (and tone) on this one is definitely all blues-rock/blues. I like the chunky bass: it reminds me of someone playing underwater. (13.125/15)

B1. "Trifid" (9:20) an intriguing start that seems to offer tons of potential, but then the bluesy solos begin and with it the rather simple foundational play continues, making me sad for the missed opportunity. The long electric guitar solo sixth and seventh minutes sounds a lot like the work BUDDY GUY (which is not a bad thing, just not your usual J-R Fuse finding). Then, out of the blue, at the 7:11 mark, the singing voice of a woman comes into the picture telling us that she loves [somebody] so in a very polished, seasoned alto voice. Wow! Weird! Especially when she starts to go into her own Clare Torey "Great Gig in the Sky" vocalese. Not a bad song just an odd mish-mash of seemingly disparate parts and missed opportunities. (17.5/20)

B2. "Klobásové Hody (Sausage Feast)" (5:38) opens as a slow, plodding MILES/HERBIE-like spacious adventure into space with chunky bass and spacey reverb-treated Fender Rhodes being the most conspicuous instruments in the field. Midway through the song (at 2:35) the music turns raunchy raw R&Blues rock just like JEFF BECK's with rolling bass line, two-step drum beat, and loud, in-your-face blues-rock guitar play--sounding like a reworking of "Freeway Jam" (a song that wouldn't be coming out to the public for another couple of years. (8.75/10)

B3. "Kartágo (Carthage)" (4:28) the presence of plaintive violin in the background of this slow, background cinematic music is pretty cool as I keep expecting the appearance of a Max Schrek-like vampire from behind the shadows. Martin's Fender Rhodes takes over the lead in the second half of the song, feeling as if channeling his own improvisational internal world, playing as if almost introspectively.  Very cool song. My second favorite song on the album. (9.25/10)

Total Time 39:11

Very nice rendering of the individual instruments (though, admittedly, the field is rather sparse with usually only four or five tracks being occupied) though I am not always a fan of the sounds the band and its musicians (and producer and engineers) have chosen for the instruments. The first and last songs are huge winners (I am choosing, as usual, to review only the songs that were released on the 1973 vinyl album release

91.41 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of what amounts, at times, to creative, adventurous Jazz-Rock Fusion, at others more Blues-Rock or R&Blues-Rock music. Definitely a wonderfully intriguing listening experience! 

50. SANTANA Welcome (1973)

After Buddy Miles Live! After Caravanserai. After Love Devotion Surrender (with John McLaughlin and the remnants his now-fractured first lineup of The Mahavishnu Orchestra).  This album came before Illuminations (with Alice Coltrane), and before the three-disc live album, Lotus. This is Santana mid-jazz-rock fusion, the fusion lineup at its very best, but trying to orient themselves a little more toward radio-friendly songs. I'm shocked that this album did not spawn three or four radio hits. Recorded during several sessions in 1973 (from April to June) in CBS studios, it was released by Columbia Records on November 9, 1973.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Leon Thomas / vocals (2,4,7), whistling (5)
- Carlos Santana / electric & acoustic (2) guitars, bass & kalimba (6), percussion (1,7), vocals (2)
- Tom Coster / Hammond (2,4,5) & Yamaha (1,4,6,8) organs, electric (3,7) & acoustic (6,8,9) pianos, percussion (3), marimba (6), string co-arranger (7)
- Richard Kermode / Hammond (1,3,8), electric (2,4-7,9) & acoustic (5) pianos, Mellotron (1), percussion (3), marimba (4), shekere (4,6)
- Doug Rauch / bass
- Michael Shrieve / drums
- Jose 'Chepito' Areas / timbales (2,3,6,7), congas (3), percussion (3,9)
- Armando Peraza / percussion (1,3,9), congas (2,4-8), bongos (4), cabasa (5)
With:
- Flora Purim / lead vocals (5)
- Wendy Haas / vocals (2,4)
- John McLaughlin / guitar (8)
- Douglas Rodriguez / rhythm guitar (4)
- Joe Farrell / flute solo (4)
- Bob Yance / flute (4,5)
- Mel Martin / flute (4,5)
- Jules Broussard / soprano saxophone (6)
- Tony Smith / drums (3)
- Alice Coltrane / arranger (1)
- Greg Adams / strings co-arranger, orchestrator & conductor (7)

1. "Going Home" (4:10) opening with the sustained organ strains familiar to us from Caravanserai, the song slowly morphs into a church-like sound before a second organ programmed into a kind of bassoon sound joins in with flourishes from the percussionists and drums embellish and amplify. The melody coming from that bassoon-organ sounds Scottish. More like a dramatic intro than a real song. (8.75/10)

2. "Love Devotion And Surrender" (3:36) a mellow, almost relaxing opening to a song Carlos created in reference to (and reverence of) his sessions of the previous months that culminated in the creation of the Love Devotion Surrender album with John McLaughlin and half of his fractured Mahavishnu Orchestra. put on their collaborative album of earlier in the year. Great vocals from Carlos,  Leon Thomas, and especially, Wendy Haas (who sounds a lot like Anneke Van Giersbergen). (8.875/10)

3. "Samba De Sausalito" (3:10) an awesome Latin percussion-and-bass-driven jam in the tradition that Carlos and his band had been extablishing since the opening number of their debut album, now five years before. Keyboards present the melodies above the hard work of the rhythm section. (8.875/10)

4. "When I Look Into Your Eyes" (5:50) opening up sounding like a MOTOWN classic from the FOUR TOPS or THE TEMPTATIONS, the mood changes as everybody steps in line to support singer Leon Thomas' classic soul performance. The flutes and percussionists are wonderful as is Doug Rauch on bass (of course). Leon's "underwater" vocalese alongside Wendy Haas' Motown b vox are weird but awesome--and Michael Shrieve is great, too. (9/10)

5. "Yours Is The Light" (5:45) Latin Canterbury?!! The female "Northettes"-like group vocals from Flora Purim. Also, great piano, bass, and Latin percussion interplay holding down the fort while Carlos delivers one of his best solos ever--followed by some endearing reverb-vocalese scatting from Flora over the last minute or more of the song. An absolutely delightful and amazing song. I love Richard Kermode's Chick Corea-like piano work. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)

6. "Mother Africa" (5:54) a Herbie Mann composition on which Carlos' bass and kalimba working within the weave of multiple percussionists including Chepito Areas on timbales, Armando Peraza on congas, Richard  Kermode on shekere, Tom Coster on marimba as well as Jules Broussard on soprano sax. Sounds like a song that could very well have inspired GINO VANNELLI's title song from his upcoming album, Storm at Sunup. Coster's piano in the second half and electric piano work are awesome. Kermode's Yamaha organ lead is the only weird/out-of-place thing. (9/10)

7. "Light Of Life" (3:48) Greg Adams orchestral support is absolutely brilliant--almost Barry White-ish--before funk rhythm section and Leon Thomas set themselves up and fly along. Great Fender Rhodes and guitar work but listen to Doug Rauch's bass! Leon and the keyboardists are awesome, but that presence of orchestra is, for me, incredible. Another top three song. (10/10)

8. "Flame-Sky" (11:32) a song whose composition is credited to Doug Rauch, Carlos Santana, and guest guitarist Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, it follows a typical (for Carlos and John) two-chord foundation over which many of the Santana band members solo in response to their inspiration from the presence and fire of the Mahavishnu. I have to admit: John is quite impressive, but, then, so are Carlos, Doug Rauch, the Hammond and Yamaha organists (Kermode and Coster, respectively) as well as conga player Armando Peraza. Definitely another showpiece for the skills of these two extraordinary guitarists, but also for the Santana rhythm section. (18/20)

9. "Welcome" (6:30) wild free-form, lightning-fast, single-note piano play with crescendoing, wave-like cymbal work provide background for Carlos' dreamy, pensive lead guitar melody exploration. Kermode's electric piano and Doug Rauch's respectful bass are also key in the support mode for Carlos' poetic expression. (8.875/10)

91.375 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars.

Bonus track on 2003 Legacy remaster:
10. "Mantra" (6:00) opening with an incredible rhythm interplay between Doug Rauch and Michael Shrieve, the song proceeds to build with organ, percussion, and group background chant vocals about "love" and, later, in a more forceful narrator's voice, "joy." Great jam that I'm sure could have been drawn out over many minutes with wild dancing and percussion and keyboard play on stage in the "live" format. I am happy for the inclusion of this awesome song--another tribute to one of those great artists whom we lost far too young to the vicissitudes of drug addiction. (9/10)

This is, in my opinion, a sadly under-appreciated album. It's different from the early Santana (Santana, Abraxas, and Borboletta). It's different from the dive into J-R fusion that Caravanserai and his collaborations with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Alice Coltrane were. It's poppy and pretty and funky and melodic--hummable and danceable and joyful and, at times, almost laid back. People miss Greg Rollie (I don't.) People miss Neal Schon. (Me, too!) People miss the up-front dominance of Carlos' guitar (he's humbler: he's a devadip!) But this is great music with some very focused, present performances. And there's still the great Santana rhythm section of Maitreya Michael Shrieve, Latin percussionists Armando Peraza and Jose "Chepito" Areas, amazing bass wunderkind, Doug Rauch, as well as the rock on keys, Tom Coster. There are some rather amazing, spirited performances by guest collaborators Flora Purim, Wendy Haas, Joe Ferrell, and, of course, the Mahavishnu himself, John McLaughlin. Plus, this is early Leon Thomas, before he got so deep into the voice modulation that he would explore in fullness with Pharoah Sanders.

     There are some beautiful songs here--songs that deserve radio play (albeit, perhaps Soul/R&B or Adult Contemporary radio stations). I love the beauty of "Light of Life," "Yours Is the Light," "When I Look Into your Eyes," and "Love, Devotion & Surrender." The intended jewel, Doug Rauch's "Flame-Sky" falls short for a lack of development, but clearly shows the young bass player's reverence and respect for the Mahavishnu--especially having just come from the Love Devotion Surrender sessions in which he was, no doubt, put in a place of awe with the likes of Billy Cobham, Larry Young, and the Mahavishnu letting their pyrotechnical flak and machine gun fire fly around him. (And, yes, I agree: neither Richard Kermode nor Tom Coster can hold a candle to the amazing Larry Young [Khalid Yasin].) The finale is a bit drawn out and near-monotonous, and Alice Coltrane's opening number is a bit one-dimensional, but otherwise, I thoroughly enjoy the music and, more, the performances on this album: they're just not the Santana performances one had grown to expect!

     For those of you in the dark, the incandescent light of one of the smoothest, most melodically gifted bass players I've ever heard is shining bright here in the play of Doug Rauch--a light that burned out far too early (due to the trappings of drug addiction). Check out his playing here on "Light of Life" and "Yours Is the Light" and "When I Look into Your Eyes" as well as throughout Caravanserai and on Lenny White's Venusian Summer--particularly with Ray Gomez on "Mating Drive." Also, there is some fine, fine work by Mr. Shrieve here, if one were only open to listening for it. Give it a chance; open your hearts; welcome the love; embrace Carlos' purest of intentions. You won't be sorry. 

51. EDDIE HENDERSON Realization (1973)

Recorded in the Winter of 1973 (February 27 & 28) a Pat Gleeson's Different Fur studios, this was recorded with Herbie Hancock's sitting Mwandishi Septet before its disbandment. The album was produced by Skip Drinkwater for Capricorn Records and released on July 7, 1973.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eddie Henderson / trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn
With:
- Bennie Maupin / flutes, saxes, bass clarinet
- Herbie Hancock / Fender Rhodes & Univox electric pianos
- Patrick Gleeson / ARP & Moog synthesizers, organ, producer
- Buster Williams / bass
- Lenny White / drums
- Billy Hart / drums, percussion

1. "Scorpio-Libra" (11:12) opens immediately with a funky Isaac Hayes "Shaft"/Bitches Brew pretentiousness that is immediately winning due to its cocky arrogance. It's spacey yet still jazzy, free form but mapped out, and full of musicians sounding like they're really having fun. Patrick Gleeson's play on synths and organ sounds so loose and liberating and I LOVE the two drummers! Billy and Lenny both bringing their best, playing with and off of one another. Herbie, of course, is so solid on the Fender Rhodes but he's mixed a little too far into the background (until his solo in the seventh minute). And Bennie Maupin and Eddie just playing their hearts out. Great stuff! (18.5/20)

2. "Mars in Libra" (8:40) sounds very much like the same foundation as the previous song with much wilder performances from the soloists, more dynamic and independent energy from the drummers. Space music in which the pioneers are exploring deep dimensions of the universe. I can tell the boys are having their fun but I personally find that I'm kind of done with Buster Williams' bass line that's holding it all together. Then it all just kind of ends: no ceremony or gravitas just ... done! Weird. (17.5/20)

3. "Anua" (8:30) opens with bass and drums, long-sustained flue and keyboard notes with crazy-wind synth sounds flying around just beneath the surface. Eddie's muted and unmuted horn joins in, takes the lead as the band solidifies its support beneath. It's a beautiful weave of full whole-band chords with incredible leadership from Buster Williams' double bass. The dreaminess of the foundational music reminds me of Freddy Henderson's Love Connection a few years down the road as well as many of the Crusader's Joe Sample's and Huber Laws' solo albums from the time. Beautiful stuff that could easily exist without the soloists on top--thought there are some dreamy solos in the seventh and eighth minutes. (despite the drums getting a bit drowned out by the cymbal play). (19/20)

4. "Spiritual Awakening" (2:33) synth-generated "water"/"bird" noises over which Eddie ejaculates his horn and riffs while the rest of the band just floats and flit in and out of the sonic field. (4.375/5)

5. "Revelation Realization" (8:00) really smooth night groove from the bass with double horn tracks on top and the two drums and keys pushed way down in the mix. I know this gives the listener much greater access to the fine bass and horn play, but then we have to listen that much harder to pick up the nuances of the two amazing drummers. Fender Rhodes and Bennie Maupin's bass clarinet get brought forward somewhere in the third minute. Everybody (except Pat Gleeson's continued synth play with constantly panning water and wind sounds) is contributing some truly beautiful melodies. So nice. The dénouement is long (almost 2:30) and a bit too drawn out for my tastes. A weird but, at the same time, wonderful song. (13.75/15)

Total Time: 38:55

I know that one of the reasons I like this album and its successor, Inside Out--as well as the last two of the Mawndishi albums, Crossings and Sextet--is due to the presence and influence of synthesizer expert Patrick Gleeson. Patrick's contributions to Lenny White's Venusian Summer--making that five out of the the 30 albums in "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion--make me think that his genius plays no small factor in my coming over to Jazz-Rock Fusion 1972-75.

91.34 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of spacey jazz-rock from the Mwandishi lineup.

52. LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Cosmic Funk (1974)

Recorded by Bob Thiele for his Flying Dutchman Records and release on August 2, 1974.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lawrence Killian / Congas, Percussion
- Art Gore / Drums
- Al Anderson / Electric Bass
- Andrew Cyrille / Percussion

- Doug Hammond / Percussion

- Ron Bridgewater / Percussion
- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano, Percussion
- George Barron / Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion
- Donald Smith / Vocals, Piano, Flute

A1. "Cosmic Funk" (5:35) combine SLY AND THE FAMILY STONES' "Thank You (Falettinme be Mice Elf)" with RARE EARTH's "I Just Want to Celebrate" and this is what you might get. Cool, funky, and expressive (especially through Donald Smith's impassioned vocals) but a little repetitive and drawn out. (8.75/10)

A2. "Footprints" (6:08) a cover of a Wayne Shorter song, what starts out fairly mellow, turns into something more in tune with the old jazz sounds and stylings from which Lonnie emerged in the 1960s. Not really J-R Fusion or Cosmic Bliss, the song is dominated by George Barron's traditional sounding jazz saxophone expressions as well as Lonnie's piano. (8.5/10)

A3. "Beautiful Woman" (6:57) sounds like a piano version of Marvin Gaye's spiritually-uplifting What's Going On-era music over which Donald Smith gives a very nice, smooth LEON THOMAS-like performance. As usual, we get great percussion and accompaniment from the rhythm section as well as some gentle support from George Barron's winds. (13.75/15) 

B1. "Sais (Egypt)" (8:15) with this song that is credited to percussionist MTUME, now we're moving back toward the hypnotic kosmische musik of Lonnie's niche-defining debut solo album, Astral Traveling. Bassist Al Anderson and the percussion team of Andrew Cyrille, Doug Hammond, Ron Bridgewater, Lawrence Killian, and drummer Art Gore establish a TRAFFIC "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"  motif for George Barron to solo over with his reverbed soprano sax while Lonnie employs a heavily-echoed Fender Rhodes while his left-handed piano chords add a steady fullness to the rhythm track. When Lonnie takes the lead somewhere in the fourth minute the percussionists use the spacey foundation to go on a tear of show-off playing, but then George returns in the sixth minute to settle them down a bit. The music thins in the seventh minute leaving Lonnie and Al Anderson's bass more exposed--which they kind of take advantage of (but not really). (13.5/15)

B2. "Peaceful Ones" (5:03) Another beautiful and mesmerizing sonic field (with a repeating killer key change every 30-seconds or so!) supports Donald Smith's beautiful message of hope and love, sung in a gorgeous upper register voice. Metal percussion tinkles away with the congas, drums and others but far more gently than an the previous songs. The melodies, chords, and key changes feel as if they were stolen by Bruce Cockburn for his 1991 hit "The Charity of Night." Cosmically beautiful! (14.75/15)

B3. "Naima" (4:02) a cover of a famous John Coltrane song receives the Goddess worship treatment from vocal/lyricist Donald Smith. A beautiful rendition. (9.25/10)

Total time: 35:00

With this album we can see how Jazz-Rock Fusion's growing infatuation with Funk has taken bliss-master Lonnie Liston Smith and his Cosmic Echoes on a detour. Also, I have the feeling that Lonnie and or/this album in particular was one of the inspirations for Freddie Hubbard and Al Jarreau's collaboration on their 1979 song,"Little Sunflower."

91.333 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Highly recommended to all who love to move with a little funk before wallow in the beauty of bliss.

53. DONALD BYRD Street Lady (1973)

And the ever-evolving trumpeter/bandleader keeps on going, here letting the Mizell brothers and elaborate rhythm section have the green light to embellish and improvise throughout the course of the songs wherever and whenever they feel so inspired. The result is an overwhelming success. 

Recorded in LA at the Sound Factory over three June days in 1973 (the 13th through 15th), the album was then released by Blue Note in July.

Line-up/Musicians:

Donald Byrd - trumpet
Roger Glenn - flute
Jerry Peters - piano, electric piano
Fonce Mizell - clavinet, trumpet, vocals
Fred Perren - synthesizer, vocals
David T. Walker - guitar
Chuck Rainey - electric bass
Harvey Mason - drums
King Errisson - congas
Stephanie Spruill - percussion

Larry Mizell - vocals, arranger, conductor

A1. "Lansana's Priestess" (7:42) the jewel of the album starts out with a bit of a Motown feel and instrumental palette before trumpets and flute begin expressing the main melodies over the top (parts of which are very close to that which becomes "Walking in Rhythm"). Very nice broad spectrum of instruments each doing their own thing in a very loosely-coordinated groove gives this a more free and easy--and happy--energy. The spirit conveyed in Jerry Peters' dynamic piano play is particularly infectious  as is that of drummer Harvey Mason. (14/15)

A2. "Miss Kane" (7:35) another rich tapestry of instruments with a very catchy riff straight of the bat to suck us in and keep us engaged as the keep it going for the first three minutes. Once Donald takes the lead, the rest of the band starts to take inspiration from his adventurous spirit and they all seem to launch onto their own paths of adventurous "reconmaissance" with unbound enthusiasm--but then they all come back together in the fifth minute with some cool choir vocal "ooo"s slowly arpeggiating a single chord, thereby re-anchoring the main foundation to the ground so that the "recon" team can rush off to their own adventurous paths with the same reckless abandon as before. Brilliant! Definitely my favorite song on the album. (14.75/15)

A3. "Sister Love" (6:46) a slightly-free and loose samba-like Smooth Jazz tune that could very well have fit on one of Bob James' records from the same period. Donald's and Fonce Mizell's trumpets and Roger Glenn's flute seem to each go off in their own worlds but are magically held to task by the wonderfully grounding play of the expanded rhythm section. The choir appears here and there to gently, almost surreptitiously, breath the title into the mix. Again: great play and very engaging music from the rhythmatists while the two trumpets and flute entertain us from the top. (13.5/15)

B1. "Street Lady" (5:39) interesting three-chord piano vamp with percussion and funky bass support over which the male choir sings a funky-R&B chant. Roger takes the first solo with his flute, then Donald. The drums, rhythm guitars, and bass (and clavinet) are definitely at their most dynamic: very engaged and enthusiastic! Jerry Peters piano solo is so charged that you'd almost think you were listening to Jerry Lee Lewis or Don Pullen going off on one of their iconically acrobatic solos. (9/10)

 
B2. "Witch Hunt" (9:43) an open-ended four-note riff creates an unfinished tension that keeps the listener hooked in because we're waiting for resolution to the tension. The "choruses" represent satisfactory, albeit temporary, solutions but then the music always returns to that unresolved riff for the longer verses. It has a very "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" feel to it. The instrumental palette, however, is rather fuller yet still quite cinematic with its constant vibraphone play, hypnotic congas, dangerous wah-wah guitars, and reckless piano play. Effective, powerful, and always interesting (and, therefore, entertaining) if a little long/drawn out. I'm not sure that the choir-delivered lyrics first appearing in the ninth minute are/were really necessary but, there it is. (17.5/20)

B3. "Woman Of The World" (6:55) a very pleasant and enjoyable song with Donald's standard male choir vocals here expanded further than I've yet heard: with long-running and fairly full and evolving lyrics, start to finish. (13.375/15) 

Total Time: 42:25

An album of richly develop instrumental weaves that are built over and around some genuinely engaging hooks. Where I see the greatest growth in Donald (and the Mizell brothers)'s music from their earlier forays into the exciting "new" world of electrified jazz and jazz-rock fusion is in the freedom given and confidence exhibited from each and every one of the musicians: they are creating wonderfully adventurous sound and melodies, each, throughout the course of most of these songs. The music here sounds and feels like that of the cinematic musics found on the popular soundtracks of concurrent "Black Exploitation" films, as if intended to accompany montage scenes capturing the activities and stylings of African-American urban sceneries. Whereas Street Lady's predecessor contained the renderings of a collection of 100% Larry Mizell compositions, this one only has two. 

91.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of engaging, entertaining, and highly-adventurous Jazz-Rock Fusion.

54. NEIL ARDLEY Kaleidoscope of Rainbows (1976)

 One of the most obscure albums that I've discovered in my recent deep dive into the early Jazz-Rock Fusion scene comes from British intellectual Neil Ardley. Here he composes complex jazz-rock and then enlists the help of many seasoned musicians (many of whom had served in the ranks of Ian Carr's Nucleus). Recorded at Morgan Studios for Gull Records in London, England, with produced by Paul Buckmaster, the album was recorded and released in 1976. 

Line-up / Musicians:
Neil Ardley: director, synthesizer
Bob Bertles: alto, soprano, flute
Paul Buckmaster: acoustic & electric cello
Ian Carr: trumpet, fluglehorn
Geoff Castle: electric piano, synthesizer
Tony Coe: tenor, clarinet, bass clarinet
Dave Macrae: electric piano, synthesizer
Roger Sellers: drums
Ken Shaw: guitar
Brain Smith: tenor, soprano, flute, alto flute
Roger Sutton: bass guitar, electric bass
Barbara Thompson: alto, soprano, flute
Trevor Tomkins: percussion, vibraphone.

Side 1:
1. "Prologue/Rainbow One" (10:25) layers upon layers of minimalist arpeggi performed polyrhythmically in rondo form--until 3:05 when they all come together in an awesome kind of DON ELLIS/EARTH WIND & FIRE/AVERAGE WHITE BAND jam. And then, oddity of all oddities (especially for a Jazz-Rock Fusion song) is the fact that the first instrumental solos don't begin until the seventh minute! (Given to Ian Carr, of course.) Very interesting--and enjoyable! (18.75/20)

2. "Rainbow Two" (7:35) a gentle duet of acoustic bass and flute open this one before woodwinds join in. Though mathematically interesting, eventually, the gentle, plodding music becomes rather soporific. (13.25/15)

Side 2:
1. "Rainbow Three" (3:28) Jean-Luc Ponty-like cello gets the leadership role over a percussive, Afro-folk rhythmic weave from the drums, percussion, and funky electric bass. Everything slows down at the end for a very subdued dénouement. (8.875/10)

2. "Rainbow Four" (6:15) this one starts out sounding like a merger of old-style jazz with modern minimalism but then everything shifts into old style Sketches of Spain-like music for trumpet, flutes, and other wind instruments to solo and weave in and out of a gorgeous Spanish-sounding ballad. Absolutely gorgeous melodies performed with awesomely inventive "choral" weave. Soprano sax solos in the fourth minute. The pain and anguish of the soloist gets so overwhelmingly powerful in the fifth and sixth minutes! Music does not get much better than this! (10/10)

Side 3:
1. "Rainbow Five" (4:25) sounds like a modern melding of DON ELLIS' big band ORCHESTRA with a smooth Weather Report or Freddie Hubbard. Great clarinet play in the song's first and only extended solo. Ends with another odd separate whole-band horn motif. (9/10)

3. "Rainbow Six" (7:39) flutes and other winds trill around each other like butterflies before electric bass, vibes, hand percussion, and brass enter providing gentle waves of Kind of Blue-like textures. The bass and jazz guitar provide the only disruptors to the gentle waves of winds--the bass creating an EBERHARD WEBER-like feel. By the final third of the song the rolling waves of wind instruments begin to show a hint of a minimalist pattern. Nice tune. A very interesting composition. (13.5/15)

Side 4:
1. "Rainbow Seven/Epilogue" (14:58) sounds and feels like a kind of mélange of several (if not) all of the themes and styles of the other songs--the Epilogue portion definitely mirrors the opening in a re-oriented kind of variation. A little slower and more spacious than the opening side, there is some nice guitar and electric piano play involved (which was not so featured on previous songs). I love the rolling bass sound and the big band horn. Ken Shaw's extended guitar solo is a bit too jazz guitar-like and not so rock 'n' roll, and then Brian Smith's sax solo follows. With four minutes to go there is a full shift into a completely new and different motif with bass and drums leading the band into an almost-imperceptibly speeding up pace will horns et al. follow and embellish. (27/30)

Total Time 54:46

An album with wonderfully crisp and clean compositions performed and recorded with equal definition and clarity. With no side extending beyond 18 minutes--and three less than 15 minutes--in length I guess it should be no wonder that the sound quality is so great.

91.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of finely-crafted jazz-rock fusion--an album that I think every prog lover would love.

55. OUT OF FOCUS Four Letter Monday Afternoon (1972)

The peak of achievement from this uber-talented band from München, Bundesrepublik Deutschland: a 94-minute of finely polished music that was recorded in 1972 at Bavaria Musiksctudios between July 17 and 28 and then published later in the year by Kuckuck Schallplatten . (FYI:  there was at least another 94 minutes of excess music from these recording sessions that was left on the cutting room floor or studio shelves gathering dust until someone saw fit to dust them off and publish them on two albums, Not Too Late released in 1999 and Rat Roads in 2002, respectively.)

Line-up / Musicians:
- Remigius Drechsler / guitars, Tenor saxophone, flutes, stylophone, voice
- Hennse Hering / organ, piano
- Moran Neumüller / Soprano saxophone, vocals
- Klaus Spöri / drums
- Stephen Wishen / bass
+ Hermann Breuer / trombone
- Peter Dechant / acoustic guitar, vocals
- Grand Roman Langhaus / bongos
- Jimmy Polivka / trumpet
- Ingo Schmid-Neuhaus / Alto & Bariton saxes
- Michael Thatcher / organ

LP 1 (46:07):
1. "L.S.B." (17:37) very much like some evolved Big Band jazz--taking Don Ellis a bit further in terms of incorporating elements of avant/free jazz and electronics, but also quite a bit more reigned in in terms of the use of odd time signatures. Still, the song is quite entertaining for its multiple sax-connected multiple motifs covering a range of styles and tempos. There are a lot of elements of blues-rock at the core of a lot of this music (one can still hear the band that did Wake Up! just two years before). I really like the KINGSTON WALL-like vocal motif in the last third of the song. (31.75/35)

2. "When I'm Sleeping" (4:04) sounds like THE ROLLING STONES if they tried covering PETER HAMMILL song as well as a smooth Motown tune for the chorus and instrumental section. Hennse Hering's old-time saloon-like piano play in the background is a delight, as is Stephen Wishen's bass JAMES JAMERSON-like play and the sax work. I don't know why, but the recording of the drums is rather poor. This may be my favorite vocal performance from Moran. (9/10)

3. "Tsajama" (9:23) a great guitar and flute intro leads into an awesome motif with heavy organ and low bass notes weighing things down beneath the flute, guitars, and smoothly-drawn lines coming from the full horn section. Awesome in a Brian Auger/Eumir Deodato kind of way. Remigius Drechsler leads the way with his searing guitar play in the second and third minutes before Hennse's Hammond and the orgasmically-smooth horn section join in to double and back him. Such a great groove! In the second half of the sixth minute the horns, Hammond, and guitars back off and Moran enters in a singing capacity, using Japanese as his language. Interesting. Then he runs off into some poorly-synched scatting in the seventh minute before returning to leading the smoother, multi-channel melody in Japanese in the eighth. But then the band ramps up the pace and breadth of sound dynamics with a return of the horn section, inspiring Moran to gallop off with some more interesting horse-like vocalese scatting(?). (19/20)

4. "Black Cards" (9:38) a gentle weave of organ and electric guitar arpeggi opens this before flute, hand drums, and a second guitar join in. At the one-minute mark the bass jumps on board, ushering the band into a full blues-rock sound palette over which Moran turns back to his Mick Jagger voice for another vocal performance that reminds me of Mick singing his Slow Horses theme song. A return to the opening theme at the end of the third minute allows for a kind of 30-second reset from which they emerge with a VAN MORRISON "Moondance"-like motif over which Hennse solos on his Wurlitzer-sounding organ. This is a great, extended instrumental section with some gorgeous and dynamic flute soloing throughout. At the end we return to the blues swing theme for Moran to finish things off with his Moves Like Jagger. (18/20)

5. "Where Have You Been" (5:35) a gorgeous folk-rock song with one of Moran's most moving and melodic vocal performances. Powerful. Incredible flute solo in the "C" part: heart-wrenching. I know that Moran (and maybe his bandmates) had a very strong moral compass. We are so blessed to have the legacy of their passion and courage. (9.5/10)

Disc One earns itself a 91.84 score on the Fishscales.

LP 2 (48:09):
6. "A Huchen 55" (9:19) opens with mutliple flutes winding and wending their way through a rondo weave for two minutes before giving way to a faded in psychedelic blues-rock jam (that was already in progress). Hammond organ takes the first solo over the bass, drums, and guitar support. At the three-minute mark, a panoply of horns join in, each playing their own melody line but securing their comraderie through mutually-respective pauses and breaks. The music coming from the rhythm section beneath kind of hits a "I'm a Man" pulse-and-let-off pattern as the horns continue their fascinating and almost humorous interplay. In the seventh minute, electric guitar and Hammond start to inject their own flourishes and melodic ideas. By the eighth minute the horn players are starting to tire--and eventually peter out for a full minute or more while the Hammond and sassy electric guitar share a quirky little conversation of quips and epithets. At the end of the ninth minute, then, the bluesy jazz music is fadeout (the same way it came in) replaced by the flute weave that opened the song. (18/20)

7. "Huchen 55, B" (14:32) opening with the flute weave from the previous song bleeding over, a new already-in-progress R&B jam is faded in. The James Jamerson-like bass play that drives the music is once again emitting waves of groovy Motown sound, but this soon fades out to be replaced by Moran's solo flute play. He sounds so much as if he's trying to imitate the breathy play of maestro Jean-Pierre Rampal. Jazz guitars, trumpet, Hammond, each take their turn joining in beneath Moran's increasingly-avat garde flute stylings. In the seventh minute trumpeter Jimmy Polivka tries usurping the lead from Moran, but it is not that easy: Moran is riding along on pure inspiration. So Jimmy gives up. Hennse and Remigius each take their own turns, trying to nudge Moran out, but Herr Hering only seems to get stronger--until the 9:00 mark: then he gives way, sits back and lets the music unfold without him. The band seem to rise to the occasion with a JEFFERSON AIRPLANE-like creativity: slowly, carefully, deliberately. Hennse's excited Hammond is kept at bay via repressed volume, which allows the horns to have their time. In the twelfth minute Remigius steps to the fore and lays out one awesome blues-rock solo. The band is really into the jam here: fully entrained with everyone clicking--expelling their full creative juices. Awesome! Despite its looseness and lack of plan or developmental structure, this song plays out with some infectious power. Moran's multi-flute weave is once again used to bridge this song with the next one. (27/30)

8. "Huchen 55, C" (24:18) What a jam! Wild and crazy: from Moran's lyrics and vocal performance (sounding like a reckless/uninhibited Mick Jagger channeling PETER HAMMILL) to the reckless abandon with which everyone blasts and grooves out their passion. I mean, it feels as if everyone, all at once, is given the total green light to play whatever they feel inspired to play. This makes for some very creative and memorable solos--especially from the horn players (the multitude of saxes, of special note), percussionist, and Hennse's Hammond organ. Definitely Krautrock. Definitely hypnotic in a "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"-kind of way--a sound that would also seem to indicate the use of mind altering substances. The song's final three minutes are particularly entertaining for the frenetic yet-respectful free-for-all that gradually peters out, making way for yet another reprise of Moran's multi-flute weave. (45.5/50)

Disc Two earns itself a score of 90.50 on the Fishscales. 

Total Time: 94:16

91.17 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of wonderfully-creative First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion. One can definitely trace the influences and inspirations for each song on several levels but in the end the boys have achieved a mastery of their instruments and goals, enabling them to merge admirably their Krautrock influences with the Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion trends they've been hearing. As with every other reviewer I've read, it's too bad this band didn't stay together.  

56. BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS Straight Ahead (1974)

My first exposure to the melodic and keyboard genius of one of rock/Jazz-Rock's all-time great musicians, this was Brian Auger's fifth release with his Oblivion Express sidemen. Recorded at CBS Studios, Whitfield Street, London, England and at RCA’s Music Center of the World, Hollywood, California, Straight Ahead was released by RCA Records in March (or May) of 1974.

 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Brian Auger/ vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, Moog synthesizer
- Jack Mills / guitar
- Barry Dean / bass guitar
- Steve Ferrone / drums
- Lennox Laington / congas
- Mirza Al Sharif/ timbales, percussion

1. "Beginning Again" (9:22) great percussion work from Mirza Al Sharif and Lennox Laington as well as drummer Steve Ferrone opens this one. Rhtyhm guitar, Fender Rhodes, electric bass jump in at the 0:43 mark presenting a chord-based progression within which bass player Barry Dean grabs your attention despite band leader Brian Auger's singing. Barry folds his note play very easily within the fast-paced rhythm track of the three percussionists while Brian sings for about a third of this very engaging song. When he's not singing, Brian's keyboard work is excellent--even exciting (which, in my mind, is very rare for a keyboard player). BTW, Brian has a very pleasant voice. Guitarist Jack Mills gets a brief solo (between 4:25 and 5:15) which amounts to nothing very exciting; it's the rhythmatists' work that really earns the bulk of the praise, in my opinion. (18.5/20)

2. "Bumpin' On Sunset" (10:51) one of the greatest three chord foundational riffs of Jazz-Rock Fusion's history supports some iconic organ play that is supported by some very solid band play and strings. It's only weird that nobody, and I do mean nobody else gets a moment of solo time. (18/20)

3. "Straight Ahead" (5:04) another song with some very catchy vocals that is made ten times better by some great, rich funk from the rhythm section as well as some great Fender Rhodes play from Brian. (9.5/10)

4. "Change" (8:10) guitar, bass, drums, percussion, and organ gradually, one instrument at a time, build a great foundation over which guitarist Jack Mills and singer Brian Auger get significant front time. Yet another catchy vocal melody (and lyric). Unfortunately, the great rhythm track occasionally gets a little monotonous. But, Brian finally gives some time in the spotlight to his other band members! (13.5/15)

5. "You'll Stay In My Heart" (3:44) a very catchy earworm of a love song that I've always felt deserved radio play (yes, even AM!). (8.875/10)

91.167 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of incredibly engaging and melodic keyboard-centric Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

57. LES McCANN Invitation to Openness (1972)

Les' deepest foray into the rich waters of Jazz-Rock Fusion leads him down the road Miles Davis paved with In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew--complete with the use of multiple drummers and upright and electric bass players,  embellishing and decorating the road with and even Deodato territory.

Line-up/Musicians:
- Les McCann / piano, electric piano, Moog synth
- Corky Hale / harp 
- Yusef Lateef / flute [pneumatic], oboe, sax [tenor], percussion [plum blossom & temple bells]
- David Spinozza/ guitars [acoustic & electric]

- Cornell Dupree / guitars
- Jimmy Rowser / double bass

- Bill Salter / electric bass

- William "Buck" Clarke / African hand percussion

- Ralph McDonald / percussion

- Donald Dean / jazz drumming

- Alphonze Mouzon / drums, percussion

- Bernard Purdie / drums, percussion

A. "The Lovers" (26:11) awesome tension-filled beauty, music for contemplation and daydreaming, with harp, Moog synth, awesomely rich electric piano and rhythm guitar play with a lot of sounds and melodies that sound as if drawn from other cultures and traditions--like India or Egypt. I love this song! Much more than anything on In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew: it sounds so much more full, thorough, and fun! The music here reminds me a lot of Julian Priester's Love Love album: hypnotic simple groovin' that just takes you deep into your imagination--to one's happiest exotic places. (48.25/50)

B1. "Beaux J. Poo Boo" (13:12) sounds like a DEODATO-funked up DON ELLIS song, it contains some very cool sounds from Yusef Lateef and the percussionists. (22/25)

B2. "Poo Pye McGoochie (And His Friends)" (12:34) a suite of multiple themes and styles, some pastoral, some experiments with the sounds and treatment of Les' Fender Rhodes, some pre-Weather Report "Birdland"-like jazz-funk, some low-structured avant garde, mostly melodic (though sometimes chaotic and/or frenetic). Interesting--and by no means bad--but not my cup of tea. (21.875/25)

Total Time: 51:39

91.125 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of electric piano-based Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

58. OUT OF FOCUS Rat Roads (recorded in 1972; not released until 2002)

The second batch of "songs" (many existing in varied states of development or as unfinished jams) gleaned from the cutting floor of 1972's sessions for their Four Letter Monday Afternoon album (the band's last). Man! This band had so much untapped potential! And Jazz-Rock Fusion seemed the direction they were definitely headed.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Peter Dechant / guitar
- Remingius Dreschler / guitar
- Hennes Hering / keyboards
- Moran Neumüller / vocals, sax, flute
- Ingo Schmid-Neuhaus / saxophone
- Klaus Spöri / drums
- Stephan Wiescheu / bass
With:
- Hermann Breuer / trombone, keyboards
- Grand Roman Langhans / percussion
- Jimmy Polivka / trumpet
- Michael Thatcher / keyboards

1. "I'd like to be free" (7:15) strummed guitar chords open this tout seul until tenor sax joins in playing a simple variation on George Gershwin's "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. The rest of the band gels around this theme, sprouting a very pleasant motif that gushes forward with solid momentum, thick bass and thin drums supporting Moran Neumüller's Bob-Dylan/Damo Suzuki-sounding voice singing, once again, in English but this time with less vehement social commentary, more a laid back statement of dreamy desire. The instrumental soloing in the. fourth and fifth minutes is excellent, separated by SPENDER DAVIS GROUP/BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS-like bridges. A very pleasant and melodic song that could have made many radio listeners quite happy (but would, of course, require some editing in order to fit radio time formats). (13.375/15)  

2. "Table talk" (12:03) opens like a DON ELLIS song with layers of multi-instrumental stuff going on all at the same time--including what sounds like a horn section--all seeming separate but eventually falling into a merger that works really well together even thought they still sound separate. (Very difficult to explain. Think of three bands on stage at the same time--bass and drums, keyboards and guitars, and horn section--each launching into their own totally unique song, at first somewhat awkwardly but eventually, somehow, entraining with one another into a multi-layered sound that works!) One of the coolest songs I've ever heard in my life. It's like Miles' Bitches Brew only everything makes sense and sounds good! (25/25)

3. "Rat roads" (5:16)  a song that starts out as another slower, more spacious variation on the Gershwin "Summertime" theme that eventually speeds up and gels into a kind of Brazil '66 "Newlywed Game" theme song. Nice but definitely feels like an extract of an unpolished, incomplete song. (8.875/10)

 
4. "Fallen apples" (2:18) gentle tenor sax sax accompanied by gntle arpeggiated electric guitar chords and some cymbal and brush play. Pretty, (4.5/5)

5. "Straight ahead" (4:39) organ-led but not Brian Auger's version, more like a punched-in excerpt from a long jam that was recorded and achopped up and hashed out to make several songs on these later releases.  Nice palette and performances but not a proper song; just a jam. (8.875/10) 

6. "Tell me what I'm thinking of" (3:58) jazz chord progressions over which Moran sings. Kind of like "Take Five" with vocals. (8.875/10) 

7. "Climax" (12:47) another song of multiple streams of individual musicians working independently--as if warming up or tuning their instruments--that smooths out for the second and third minute before beginning to take shape--to turning into something cohesive--in the fourth minute. It almost becomes Steve Reichian before the trombone, rhythm guitar, saxes and keys begin to merge over drummer Klaus Spöri's "Shaft"-like cymbal play. Bassist Stephan Wiescheu carries forward the trombonist Hermann Breuer's repeated pattern as the horns seem to go their own separate ways but then goes his own way when Hermann returns to carrying his mathematic melody line again. This is when the drums finally get to break out and, with the rest of the rhythm section, present a hard-driving motif over which the horns continue to add their loose change. At the end of the ninth minute we're left with only bass and drums and two electric guitars: one jazz strum-leading while the other picks delicately from behind. A cool song that the band has pulled off here: so creative! The final 90 seconds sees the gaggle of horns almost coming together for the first time. (22.125/25)

 
8. "Kitchen blues" (0:59) sounds like something that was recorded back in the 1930s. (4.3333/5)

9. "Good-bue honey" (0:31) sounds like something from a live, on stage jam. The guitarist in the lead sounds as if he's trying on some Chuck Berry. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 50:57

So these are the songs that didn't make the cut to be included on the 94-minute long double album

release back in 1972. Man! They had a lot of material! I find it quite interesting how founding member and Hammond organ expert Hennes Hering has been almost completely removed from the band's sound palette--here represented on only a couple of songs. 

91.10 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; an odd smattering of many outcasts from the Four Letter Monday Afternoon recording sessions now edited and released 30 years later. The mercurial album has somehow earned a masterpiece metric--based largely on the mind-blowing beauty of the album's second song. On the whole I would not call this album a masterpiece. "Table Talk," however, is, as I've said above, one of the most amazing songs I've ever had the privilege of laying witness to--thus making the acquisition of this album as a listening experience a HIGHLY recommended experience to seek out for yourselves.

59. JOACHIM KÜHN Cinemascope (1974)

East German-born classically-trained pianist Joachim Kühn recorded Cinemascope in May of 1974 at Conny Plank's studio in Köln, Germany. This was quite an unusual event since Konrad was rarely interested in the jazz or even jazz-rock "Fusion" trends in music; he was much more interested in supporting/promoting the boundary-pushing, experimental scenes of music that have become known as "Krautrock." Be as it may, Cinemascope was engineered by Conny and produced by Joachim's ever-present brother, Rolf, and then released by MPS Records (Villingen) late in 1974.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Joachim Kühn / piano, electric piano, alto sax

- Toto Blanke / guitar

- John Lee / bass

- Gerry Brown / drums, percussion

With:

- Zbigniew Seifert / violin (3)

- Rolf Kühn / arranger, producer, co-composer (B1 & 2)

A1. "Zoom (Part 1)" (5:26) (8.75/10)
A2. "Zoom (Part 2)" (3:44) (8.75/10)
A3. "One String More" (8:18) (17.625/20)
A4. "Vibrator" (2:16) synth play (4.25/5)

B1. "Travelling (Part 1)" (5:10) cool synth and piano exploration--like the spacey intro to Lenny White's "Venusian Summer Suite" (9.125/10)
B2. "Travelling (Part 2)" (6:27) RTF racing: Gerry Brown is channelling Lenny, John Lee Stanley, Joachim Chick, and Toto Al Di. And there's orchestration--real strings orchestra (courtesy of brother Rolf). (10/10) 

B3. "Success" (5:06) alto sax over frenzied free for all. the strings-effected second half with Toto's guitar work is the best part. (I'd love to throw away the first two minutes.) (8.875/10)

B4. "Black Tears" (5:16) opens with beautiful orchestra strings arrangement setting up a tense but mysterious, expectant, exciting mood for the next part. At 0:42 Joachim's pensive piano takes over but then he soon begins to tinker around rather melody-lessly, but then, as if he heard me thinking, he brings us back to romantic dreamland at 1:41--with the accompaniment of strings, double bass, and brushed drums. Gorgeous in a Jimmy Webb kind of way. The man is obviously a genius: to be able to switch mindsets with such ease and facility. I'm blown away. (10/10)  

Total time: 41:43

I LOVE Side Two, could do without Side One.

91.03 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.

60. VOLKER KRIEGEL Inside: Missing Link (1972)

The sophomore album release by the German guitar genius. Missing Link was recorded as a double album between March 20-23. 1972, at Waldorf Studio, Mörfelden-Walldorf (near Frankfurt/Main), Germany, with two lineups: one for the first two days and a slightly different one for the final two days. It was then published by MPS Records with the help and backing of BASF Records later in the year. All tracks are Volker Kriegel compositions except where noted. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Volker Kriegel / electric guitar, acoustic guitar, octave guitar

- John Taylor / electric piano 
- Cees See / percussion, voice, flutes, effects 
- John Marshall / drums (Disk One)

- Peter Baumeister / drums (Disk Two)

- Albert Mangelsdorff / trombone (A1&2, B1&2)
- Alan Skidmore / soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone (A1&2, B1&2)
- Heinz Sauer / tenor saxophone (A1&2, B1&2)

A1. "Slums on Wheels" (13:24) John Marshall is a beast on the drums from the get go on this J-RF rocker. Guitarist and band leader Volker Kriegel uses a DANNY KORTCHMAR "It's Too Late, Baby" style acoustic guitar solo in the Alan Skidmore's soprano sax play in the second movement is so dynamic and exciting! And let's not forget the extraordinary drum playing of Nucleus' own John Marshall!

     Eberhard Weber's bass play is fairly standard until the seventh minute when the band clears out and he's given solo time--then you know this is the one and only Eberhard Weber--two minutes he's given before the band slowly re-matriculates. The section that follows the bass solo is a bit odd--feeling meandering and out of place, and then Heinz Sauer's saxophone solo feels like it goes nowhere and never gels with the rest of the band, but at 12:15 there's a bit of a restart that helps the band to get back on track for the final minute. A truly remarkable multi-part song (or suite)! (28/30)

A2. "The "E" Again" (6:36) tediously repetitious rhythm track over which everybody seems to get a turn to solo (except the bass and drummer). The loose, laid-back feeling coming from all of the song's performers is kind of cool, but then, after six minutes it proves to be overdone. (8.70/10)

B1. "Zanzibar" (10:22) penned by Edu Lobo,  this is a very catchy, melodic song that feels as if it's led by the big band-like horns. Great jazz funk bass play (in a style that I've never heard before from Eberhard) leads in over John Marshall's solid drumming over which Volker, then, takes the first extended solo on his jazz guitar. It's very GEROGE BENSON and Wes MONTGOMERY-like. From the 3:00 mark two tenor saxophones trade off the next solos. Again, these guys are very engaging and compelling (which is exceedingly rare for me: I am not nor have I ever been a fan of the saxophone). The grooving JAMES BROWN-like high-energy R&B jazz-rock fusion is so infectious! Amazing performances top to bottom! (19/20)

B2. "Missing Link" (12:03) some wild and crazy sounds being emitted here from all the band members but I ultimately reject this song for its overly-repeated foundation and 1960s-sounding guitar solo. Great, creative performances on top, but way too simplistic and repetitive--even in the suite's different motifs.   (21.75/25)

C1. "Für Hector" (5:45) another hard-drivin' song based on a fairly rudimentary JAMES BROWN-like rhythm track (and "Shaft"-like introductory hi-hat play) that somehow inspires stellar performances from all soloists as well as the rhythm-makers. It's like they're pretending to be the JBs only at 45rpm speed instead of 33! Has there ever been a rhythm section as tight as these guys? Eberhard Weber and John Marshall are extraordinary! (9.25/10)

C2. "Remis" (4:26) a more Latin-based song that feels as if it came out of the Latin/Caribbean-crazed 1960s: 1960s hippie game show music! But so tightly performed! Very smooth, fluid jazz guitar play over acoustic rhythm section (and electric piano). (9/10)

C3. "Tarang" (10:00) a composition credited to Eberhard Weber, it opens up sounding like something from the Far East (not quite Indian, perhaps SouthEast Asian). The sound palette is very cool; not what one would expect on an album that presented those first six very Western songs. It's not until the second half of the third minute that we begin to hear any instruments familiar to the Western ear: double bass, drums, acoustic guitar, and electric piano. The sixth and seventh minutes present a long nearly-alone Eberhard Weber solo with clay hand drums before Fender Rhodes and drums start to reinforce both the pace and  the harmonic structure. Interesting and definitely engaging despite a kind of lack of melody and harmony. I like it! (17.75/20)

D1. "Lastic Plemon" (5:21) another rampant-flowing R&B-based song in the James Brown tradition that flies along with everyone playing their 1960s parts. Well-orchestrated impeccably-performed song that never really grabs me. (8.875/10)

D2. "Janellas Abertas" (4:09) a short little four-part Caetano Veloso composition with double bass and symphonic percussion beneath Volker's extraordinary Spanish-style nylon-string acoustic guitar play. John Taylor also gets some time in the spotlight with his electric piano in the third movement, but everything returns to Volker's lap for the final beautiful section. (8.875/10)

D3. "Plonk Whenever" (4:06) another song that sends the musicians off to the races from the very start, arranged in some very complex "old jazz" forms and streams, sounding a lot like pre- or proto-Fusion Herbie, Wayne, Miles, Johnny Mac, and Tony. (8.875/10)

D4. "Definitely Suspicious" (5:55) acoustic guitar and gang come up with a rock/pop like construct with a bit of Latin and psych flavor over which Volker's simple rock/psychedelic electric and acoustic guitars take turns soloing for the first three minutes. The styles seem to move fairly cleanly between rock, psych-rock, and blues-rock.  Fender Rhodes solo from John Taylor in the fourth minute before we return to Eberhard excels in a Danny Thompson kind of way while this song makes it clear that John Marshall is really meant to be a Jazz-Rock Fusion guitarist (not pop or jazz). Catchy enough melodies that I could see this getting some radio air time (back in the day). (9/10)

D5. "Finale" (0:10) Volker's cartoonish finish.

Total Time: 81:77

A much more jazz- and jazz-rock representative. The question is: How much of this album's superlatives are due to the guitarist, composer, and band leader and how much to the amazing all-star lineup he's enlisted in support? I mean, these collaborators keep performing at such a high level throughout the album (despite some weaker song foundations) that it's hard not to credit them, but could it also be the band leader's brilliant instruction and inspiring example motivating these amazing performances? Also, I must mention and commend the great sound the engineers and producers got out of this album. Also, I'm very much appreciative for this opportunity of seeing/hearing bass virtuoso Eberhard Weber in a far different light than anything I'd ever heard from him.

90.95 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of eclectic jazz, R&B, and Jazz-Rock Fusion pieces from a band of multiple virtuosi. 

61. JOHN McLAUGHLIN Devotion (1970)

John's second solo album but first to be recorded in and released from the United States (Douglas Records). It featured a lineup that included organist Larry Young (with whom he'd been playing for six months in Tony Williams' Lifetime power trio), Billy Rich on bass, and former member of Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys drummer, Buddy Miles. John immediately distanced himself from the album when during its publication phase as he was disappointed in the way producer Alan Douglas "destroyed" the music when mixing the songs down in John's absence.

Line-up / Musicians:
John McLaughlin - guitar
Larry Young - organ & electric piano
Billy Rich - bass
Buddy Miles - drums & perc

1. "Marbles" (4:05) slow build with shimmering organ and bird sounds echoed from John's guitar turns into another monstrously engaging SANTANA-like groove with a bit of a Latin feel to it over which John rips and rents holes in the sky. Larry's organ in support is so perfect: so strong and melodic. The rhythm section is doing their job but nothing very "out of the box" for the first three minutes. (8.75/10)

2. "Siren" (5:55) based on an old feeling blues tune, the heavily-effected bass, organ and guitar are so far beyond the distorted effects Alan Douglas employed to some of Jimi Hendrix's stuff! Great guitar play but probably my least favorite song on the album. (8.666667/10)

3. "Don't Let the Dragon Eat Your Mother" (5:18) a nice, steady, hard-drivin' blues rocker of the Mahavishnu kind with Larry playing both organ and electric piano beneath John's fiery heavily-treated NEKTAR "Journey to the Centre of the Eye"-like guitar. The song meanders around space in its psychedelic LSD trip way, especially when Larry and Buddy are given the solo time at the very end. The problem is: I really like it! (9.75/10)

4. "Purpose of When" (4:42) very bluesy (and very loud) guitar and organ played over plodding bass and drums while Larry's organ and electric piano support from behind. The music may not be great but John is lit! He is burning white hot from the inside out! A difficult song to assign a rating for since the music isn't that great, but John's performance is absolutely jaw-dropping. (9/10)

5. "Dragon Song" (4:13) sounds as tension-building as some of Hollywood's best soundtracks but is perhaps a little too loud and dynamic, but man is John cooking! And Larry holding the Earth still as best he can beneath. Great use of the wah and delay pedals as well. Larry's time in the final minute is too little too late especially with the big finish at the end. (9.25/10)

6. "Devotion" (11:25) great multi-track dynamic play over addictive (and stellar) bass and drum play. I can't say that Larry's contributions are half as remarkable as Johns, but that's okay: This is John's album. Still, he's pretty good in the seventh and eighth minutes (just not as amazing as he is on Lenny White's Venusian Summer). (19.25/20)

Total time: 35:40

I find the quartet so much more satisfying than the organ-based trio: Billy Rich is wonderful in expressing his own idiosyncratic personality and I feel that Larry Young is allowed much more freedom to create and be himself. I'm sorry that John did not like the "finished" rendition of the album but I find it quite enjoyable--much more so than any of the Lifetime or Miles Davis works that he participated in during the previous year. I even like parts of this more than some of his Mahavishnu stuff!

90.95 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of ground-breaking, transformational psychedelic jazz-rock fusion. An album I value more and consider more a favorite than any of the Mahavishnu Orchestra albums! Absolutely mind-blowing for its time! A Top 40 Favorite "Classic Era" J-R Fuse Album for me.




62. NUCLEUS We'll Talk About It Later (1971)

Seasoned trumpeter Ian Carr had had his fill with co-leading a band and so branched out with his new band Nucleus. In 1970 the UK label Vertigo released the new band's debut album, Elastic Rock, to much acclaim and popular fervor. Next came an album from the same lineup, Songs Without Words, on which guitarist Chris Spedding received top billing. In 1971 We'll Talk About It Later album was released. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxes, flute
- Karl Jenkins / piano, Hohner Electra piano, oboe, baritone sax
- Chris Spedding / guitars, bouzouki, vocals (6)
- Jeff Clyne / acoustic & electric bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

1. "Song For The Bearded Lady" (7:25) upbeat, hard-drivin, great musical weave, great use of horns. At two minutes in the sound calms down to support Ian Carr's soloing. He sounds so much like American jazz great Freddie Hubbard it's uncanny! Background instrumentalists start getting a little frisky in the fourth minute (awesome!) but then Chris Spedding takes a turn in the lead as Karl Jenkins toys with him on the Hohner Electra piano in the opposite channel. in the fifth. Nice contrasting styles. Everybody remerges together for the final minute--an outro to bookend the intro. (14.5/15)

2. "Sun Child" (5:19) opens with some saucy, spacious bass, drums and guitar over which a soprano sax teases seductively. The interplay intensifies insidiously over the first couple minutes until it feels as if each instrument is kind of in their own world. The arrival of Ian's trumpet kind of soothes and shifts the direction and intensity of the collective, creating more space but less "competitiveness." (8.75/10)

3. "Lullaby For A Lonely Child" (4:21) opens with delicate bass, cymbal and electric piano interplay before controlled yet emotional trumpet takes the lead. Support is joined by gently picked guitar and saxes before a little whole-group chorus spaces out the next section of trumpet and bouzouki solos. Intensifies slightly for the second chorus but then bouzouki takes us to the end. Pleasant but nothing to write home about. (8.25/10)

4. "We'll Talk About It Later" (6:19) opens with some raunchier guitar sound accompanied by subdued bass, hi-hat, and Hohner. Accompanying instruments shift into second gear as the song becomes fully blues. Guitars, Hohner, and drums all shift into third and fourth gears as bass and muted trumpet remain rock steady until the second half of the third minute when trumpet takes on a more prominent roll. Has a very DOORS-like quality and sound. Chris Spedding's free-wailing guitar really stands out on this one. (8.5/10)

5. "Oasis" (9:49) opens as if all instrumentalists are in their own world, expressing their own moods, until around 1:50 the keys' chord selection become steady, guitar strums, bass line and cymbal play support this. Horns too, before trumpet goes off on a solo. Guitars, drums and keys start amping up their inputs as Ian continues to solo into the fifth minute. At the end of the fifth minute, Ian goes a little freestyle but then everybody else softens and backs down, making room for a prominent muted soprano sax solo in the sixth, seventh and eighth minutes. Drums begin to go rogue in the seventh and eighth before a calm appears in which Brian Smith continues playing his sax as Chris Spedding and Jeff Clyne's bass take more foreground prominence. Horn section enters to bring everybody together just before the end. (18/20)

6. "Ballad of Joe Pimp" (3:48) Vocals! Sounds like it could come off of an early SOFT MACHINE album. Horns take over after the first verse. A very Philly R&B/Soul feel to this one. (8.5/10)

7. "Easter 1916" (8:47) Sounds like a classic experimental late 1960s experimental jazz fusion song as BRAINTICKET-like vocals and keys are driven along by blues-rock bass, guitar and drums play. Its a great groove, despite it's odd meter. Melodic jazz sax solo in the third and fourth minutes becomes more free form in the fifth and sixth. Support instrumentation disappear in the seventh minute as drums solo while sax continues it's spitting and spouting. Awesome drum play! Ends with a familiar "Love Supreme" sound and drum solo. (19/20)

Total Time: 45:48

Over all I'd call this an exceptionally good collection of experimental jazz-rock fusion songs with the artists all sounding like they are coming from the jazz world trying to cross over into rock. Though not all of it stands up as being "fresh" since so much J-R Fusion has come since this album's 1971 release, most times it works very well. Definitely a wonderful accomplishment for it's time.

90.95 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music from the early era of jazz-rock fusion experimentation. Though Ian Carr would continue to use the Nucleus name for almost two decades, from here out it was well understood that this was his band and they were to play music his way: thus the consistently (almost absurdly) high turnover rate among band membership. In fact, three of Ian's major finds would soon become fairly steady members and compositional contributors to another of England's new Jazz-Rock Fusion bands: drummer John Marshall, multi-instrumentalist Karl Jenkins, and John Babbington will settle for some time with Mike Ratledge's The Soft Machine. 

63. ASSOCIATION (Pierre Courbois) Earwax (1970)

Now five months into my deep-dive into the history and world-wide effect of Jazz-Rock Fusion I am quite familiar with (and enamored of) drummer Pierre Courbois, guitarist Toto Blanke, and keyboard player Jasper Van't Hof. Thus, this was an album that I was greatly looking forward to. 

Line-up / Musicians:
Pierre Courbois: Drums
Toto Blanke: Guitar
Jasper Van't Hof: Electric Piano
Peter Krijnen: Bass 4-6
Siggi Busch: Bass 1-3

1. "Spider" (4:20) a delightfully melodic, smooth, and impressive display of musical skills from all four musicians, all based in solid jazz fundamentals yet definitely crossing well-over. (9.75/10)

2. "Hit The P. Tit" (11:00) opens up with the rhythm section running at top speed while guitarist Toto Blanke's fuzz-guitar screams frenetically over the top and Jasper Van't Hof's sporadic electric piano chord hits peppering the field with the predictability of a severe thunderstorm. Drummer Pierre Courbois is also in Tornado Alley storm mode as he beats and smashes his drum kit every which way imaginable right up to the fourth minute double bass solo from Siggi Busch. I gotta hand it to Siggi: he puts together quite an unusual solo, complete with hammering and crazed bowing--for over 90 seconds. The rest of the band rejoins at the six-minute mark with some spy-music-like chord hits and brief music before backing off to allow Pierre a chance to show his mettle--also for about a minute-and-a-half. The band comes back together in the tenth minute, this time backing Jasper's electric piano with a little bit of electric Toto mixed in there for good measure. Normally, I'm not a fan of isolated instrumental solos, but I have to say that the solos on this song are interesting enough to have earned my attention and respect. (18/20)

3. "Elsen" (1:35) a gentle, almost pastoral weave that feels as if it was a piece of a jam that could or would never amount to anything. Nice work between Jasper and Toto. (4.25/5)

4. "Earwax" (7:19) more electrified 1960s jazz with some very nice, smooth-yet-virtuosic drum play beneath Toto's melodic George Benson-like guitar play. Jasper's electric piano play sounds like stuff from the 1960s "in" crowd or Ramsey Lewis. Electric bass player Peter Krijnen certainly has a different, more top-line melodic playing style than the Siggi of the first three songs. The drum solo in the middle of this one is less Tony Williams than more standard Buddy Rich. (13.5/15)

5. "Round A'bout Nine" (6:36) opens with some effected solo electric bass play from Peter Krijnen that reminds me of a cross between The Velvet Underground and Michael Hedges. The other band members proceed to add their incidental inputs as if they were throwing objects (and jets of water) at a tethered dog from outside the circle of its reach with the intention of provoking some kind of response. Interesting with some actually nice bass play from Peter, but the rest is a little too loose and, when not, Emergency!-like. (8.66667/10)

6. "Jazzper" (3:56) rhythmically this feels as if the band is trying for some kind of Latin-rhythm base but there is something not hitting. Toto's melodic play coupled with Jasper's Herbie Hancock-like electric piano play over some nice and creative Ron Carter-like jazz bass play is rather impressive--and enjoyable. Heck! They're all impressive! They're all very loose and creative feeling: as if they have a well-rehearsed and broad band of skills and chops to choose from as they improvise their way through their songs. (9.5/10)

Total time: 34:46

90.95 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of very skillful and (mostly) pleasantly melodic jazz-rock fusion. Highly recommended for any J-RF fans.

64. LARRY CORYELL Spaces (1970)

Recorded in March of 1969, guest artists John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, and Chick Corea were coming straight out of the February 18 recording sessions with Miles Davis for would become the album In a Silent Way. Larry is quoted as saying that it took a whole day of recording for his guests to 'come back down to earth' in order to play his compositions as he set forth. Consequently, none of the music recorded from Day One ended up being used on the published album.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Larry Coryell / electric & acoustic guitars
With:
- John McLaughlin / electric & acoustic guitars
- Chick Corea / electric piano (5)
- Miroslav Vitous / double bass
- Billy Cobham / drums
- René Thomas / guitar (2)

1. "Spaces (Infinite)" (9:16) Miroslav Vitous' bowed double bass is a nice presence during the opening 90-seconds but then he falls into fast picking as the song congeals and takes off at full speed at the end of the second minute. Larry takes the first extended solo of this composition credited to Julie Coryell (Larry's wife). John's unique support work on rhythm guitar is an example of one of the things that, for me, sets him apart from all other guitarists, and Billy and Miroslav are definitely on the same high-powered wavelength despite the more traditional jazz form Larry is wanting. Still, John and Larry seem to be having fun playing around and off of each other. (No wonder the first incarnation of the famous Guitar Trio with John and Paco De Lucia would include Larry before Al Di Meola was ever considered). There are definitely many beautiful melody ideas presented here as well as some very exciting dynamic play during the middle or second of the three very nicely composed motifs Julie and Larry have crafted together. (18.75/20)

2. "Rene's Theme" (4:06) an acoustic guitar duet between Larry and Belgian guitarist and Django Reinhardt devotee, René Thomas. You'd almost swear that it was, in fact, Django there in the room with Larry! (8.875/10)

3. "Gloria's Step" (4:29) double bass player Miroslav Vitous' bowed and unbowed playing are the highlights of this cover of a Scot LaFaro song made famous by Bill Evans's original Trio with his Live and the Village Vanguard sessions back in 1959 and 1960 (a song that is familiar to the listener because it has since become an ageless jazz standard). I also love Billy Cobham's exquisite work on the cymbals. (8.875/10)

4. "Wrong Is Right" (9:00) Larry, John, and Miroslav trade solos on this Django-paced jazz piece. Billy and John's more dynamically-varied playing definitely seem as they are coming from a different universe than that of Larry's. There are, however, some really nice melodies central to Larry's song that the band carries very faithfully. Also, I just love the pristine sound clarity of this one--not to mention the astonishing skill and spontaneity coming from all four of the band collaborators. (18.75/20)

5. "Chris" (9:31) like the opening song, this is a composition coming from Larry's wife, Julie. The addition of Chick Corea's electric piano is a wonderful effect to Larry's music, definitely smoothing and broadening the sound palette, taking a bit of the edge off of Larry's sometimes-abrasive jazz guitar sound and style. You might even say it offers the music (rightfully so, since it is listed as a composition of Larry's wife, Julie) a softer, more-feminine side. The subdued and rather laid-back restraint of the other three band members' performances while Larry is in the lead is not only noticeable but admirable--even remarkable. When Miroslav and John do get their turns at the front, they are still surprisingly soft and jazzy. (John almost lets himself go full Mahavishnu for a brief second in the final minute--with Billy quickly jumping on board with him--but then quickly pulls himself back in to conformity with Larry's expectations. (18/20)

6. "New Year's Day in LA, 1968" (0:20) an excerpt of electric guitar and bass taken from a concert from the year before. I'm not sure why.

Total Time 36:42

Not the jazz-rock fusion masterpiece I was expecting, the "Godfather of Fusion" seems very much grounded still in the forms, sounds, and traditions of hard-bop and gypsy jazz more than the rock-infused idiom that he had helped to launch a few years before. But the collaboration with four other musicians who were each very much caught up in the movement to inject the explosive volume and abandon of Led Zeppelin-like Power Rock into their music is just enough to sway the music of three of the album's song (the three long compositions) over into the realms of forward-moving Jazz-Rock Fusion. Who knows the effect these recording sessions had on John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Miroslav Vitous, or Chick Corea, but their next projects would include Tony Williams' Lifetime,
     I do not know the reason for the extraordinary delay in time between the March 1969 recording sessions of this album and its November 1970 release, but both dates fall into the still-early days of the Jazz-Rock Fusion explosion--and settle well before the first releases of The Mahavishnu Orchestra (Aug. 14, 1971 and released Nevember 3, 1971), Weather Report (Recorded Feb. 16 & March 17 and released on May 12, 1971) or Chick Corea's Return to Forever (February 2 & 3, 1972, released in September).

90.94 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early Jazz-Rock Fusion.

P.S. The two album covers are both legitimate covers from early 1970s. The brown cover with Larry's profile coincides with Vanguard Records' original 1970 release whereas the cool space-art cover is from the label's 1974 re-release of the same album.

65. LARRY YOUNG Lawrence of Newark (1973)

Larry's first album as a band leader since he went off to work with Tony Williams and John McLaughlin--and his first album away from Blue Note!--and it's good one: he obviously had a lot of ideas to get out of his system. The album was recorded at Manhattan's Blue Rock Studio sometime in 1973 and then released by Perception Records in either June of 1973 or 1975, depending on your source. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Larry Young / Hammond organ, bongos, vocals, composer & producer
With:
- James Blood Ulmer / guitar
- Art Gore / drums, electric piano
- Cedric Lawson / electric piano
- Dennis Mourouse / saxophone
- Pharoah Sanders / saxophone, vocals
- Charles Magee / electric trumpet
- Diedre Johnson / cello
- Don Pate / bass
- Juini Booth / bass
- Abdoul Hakim / bongos
- Stacey Edwards / congas
- Umar Abdul Muizz / congas
- Abdul Shahid / drums
- Howard King / drums
- James Flores / drums
- Armen Halburian / congas, bells, percussion
- Jumma Santos / congas, bell, tom tom, tambourine, hi-hat, whistle
- Poppy La Boy / percussion

1. "Saudia" (4:30) a song that opens up with shadows of the music Larry heard and participated in while working with Tony Williams and John McLaughlin for the 1969 album, Emergency! There's some real regal beauty in this rather simple, laid-back arrangement (even though Larry's initial Hammond work sounds a bit like the Sunday church organist). Still, there are at least two drummers operating (rather quietly) as well as any number of percussionists. It's the saxophones that are missing. (James Blood Ulmer's guitar work is very odd: mixed high but fairly inactive). The bass line is rather simple. (9/10)

2. "Alive" (2:00) two (or three) drummers and multiple percussionists lay down some vicious rhythm over which Larry issues forth some fairly-sedate, nearly-church organ. (4.5/5)

3. "Hello Your Quietness (Islands)" (10:17) is this where Freddie Hubbard got "Little Sunflower"? There's definitely a lot of the SANTANA effect going on on this album. The craziness of the multiple woodwinds, cello, and, of course, Hammond organ, are matched and balanced out by the calm serenity offered from the expansive rhythm section. Amazing balance! And there's even tons of melody! (18.75/20)

4. "Sunshine Fly Away" (8:50) a very solid and well-balanced opening groove immediately established from the drums, percussionists, and bass. The woodwinds and cello here are surprisingly supportive, laying back in the background, so Larry can have the spotlight all to himself. Starting around 2:00 a tenor sax starts to wiggle his way to the front. The melodies are fairly consistent--even when Larry is expressing a new one beneath Dennis Mourouse's lead. The two leads get a little crazy with their play while everybody beneath just remains calm and in control. This seems as if it would be quite a feat! The crazy sounds Larry is getting out of his Hammond are at times quite abrasive and spacey. All the while the sax settles down, occasionally going off on some tangent, until the rhythmatists back off and leave the bass and cello player quite on their own. The song fades out while Diedre is finishing her solo. (18/20)

5. "Khalid of Space, Part Two (Welcome)" (12:41) a complicated multi-themed rhythm track tries to establish itself straight out of the blocks, but the cacophony of 30 infantile monkeys all screaming for attention at once rather distracts (detracts?) from the rhythm fusing into something whole and "finished." The ensuing solos are all great--even over the rather annoying downbeat honks in eighth minute; it just feels as if all of these guys--especially those working out of or above the rhythm section--are having a great time. Too bad that rhythm track never got tweaked into perfection: it's as if they were trying to be funky but were side-tracked by their bass player(s) obsession with two note bursts. Man, Dierdre Johnson can play a mean cello! (22.5/25)

Total Time 38:18

Obviously, Larry hung around with a different crowd of musicians than his NewYork City compatriots with whom he worked in the late 60s. Other than James Blood Ulmer and Pharoah Sanders, I'd never heard of any of these collaborators, but I appreciate how easily and willingly they seem to work together. A great album that would be very fun to have watched live. Also, has anyone played a more dynamic Hammond than Larry? If so, I'd love to have the reference.

90.9375 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that mixes the rhythmic flow of Santana with the crazed experimentation of Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman.

66. MOOSE LOOSE Elgen Er Løsen (1974)

Brilliant and experimental/boundary pushing proggy Jazz-Rock Fusion from Sweden. They sound a bit like a Chick Corea-led FOCUS only better. Recorded at Scanax Studio and Arne Bendiksen Studio, both in Oslo, Norway, the album was produced by the band themselves and then released by Plateselskapet Mai in November. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jon Arild Eberson / guitar
- Brynjulf Blix / keyboards
- Sveinung Hovensjø / bass
- Pål Thowsen / drums

1. "Eber's Funk" (7:45) opens aggressively like something from the early J-R Fuse masterpieces from Tony Williams and John McLaughlin then gets really funky with Brynjulf Blix's masterful clavinet play. (One cannot help but wonder how long he'd been playing this rather new instrument and its funk applications.) Drummer Pål Thowsen is amazing! Then guitarist Jon Arild Eberson launches into a wonderfully fiery solo himself, showing no shame or fear of being compared to the J-R F greats like McLaughlin, Coryell, Akkerman, and Connors. (14/15)

2. "B.M." (11:45) I love the experimentation here with all of the early Mahavishnu Orchestra instrument sounds--and the way they take some of the music and style of Dutch progsters FOCUS and move it even further into the realm of jazz or jazz-rock fusion. The main electric piano four-chord motif gently propelling the song along does get rather old as the soloists go on (and on), but the work of drummer Pål Thowsen beneath is quite a nice diversion to pay attention to. (22.5/25)

3. "Flytende Øye" (6:39) again, the proggy side of Jazz-Rock Fusion--here exploring the Bitches Brew/Herbie Hancock approach to electrifying jazz. These musicians are so talented! (9.25/10)

4. "Skakke Jens" (5:32) with some scathing electric guitar in the spotlight and only bass and drums beneath this one feels more like a progression of power trio rock as Jimi Hendrix might have taken it had he lived longer. Not as jazzy as the previous songs, still very interesting. R-L reverberating-panning Fender Rhodes enters at 2:50 with great effect (essentially shutting down Jon Arild Eberson's guitar) taking over the lead for the remainder of the song. (8.875/10)

5. "O Kjød" (6:42) what sounds like electric piano (though it could be oddly processed acoustic piano) and gently-picked electrified acoustic guitar open as kind of a duet, though the guitar exists more in a support capacity for the first minutes. Very Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Chick Corea like. Jon gets a turn in the lead halfway through while Brynjulf settles back into an even-more-Chick Corea-like support roll. Wish it were better recorded. (9/10)

Total Time: 38:23

I often find it hard to understand how caucasian people can be so funky--as if African traditions have some kind of exclusive on the sound and form--but this band definitely has some serious funk running through their veins. Awesome stuff! 

90.89 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion in its very quintessential form(s). An album every self-proclaimed prog lover should hear at least once over their lifetime. Highly recommended.

67. JOHN LEE & GERRY BROWN Infinite Jones (1974)

Release by Keytone Records in 1974, the Chris Hinze-produced album was recorded at Dureco Studio in Weesp, Netherlands, on June 23 & 24 in 1973 and then later re-released as Bamboo Madness in 1994.

Lineup / Musicians:

- John Lee / Electric Bass

- Gerry Brown / Drums

- Gary Bartz / Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Slide Whistle, Percussion

- Chris Hinze / Flute, Alto Flue, Bass Flute, Piccolo Flute, Bamboo Flute, Producer

- Howard King / Percussion

- Henny Vonk / Vocals, Percussion

With:

- Jasper Van't Hof / Electric Piano, Organ (1,2)

- Rob Van Den Broeck / Piano, Electric Piano (1,2,3,4,6,7)

- Hubert Eaves / Percussion, Piano, Electric Piano (1,2.4.5,7)

- Wim Stolwijk / Piano, Voice (6)  

A1. "Infinite Jones" (6:42) opening with some careful, pensive notes and play from Gerry Brown's cymbals (and, soon, snare) and John Lee's bass--sounding as if they're starting up the engine of a lawn mower or chain saw with the pull string--but soon the rest of the band begin to enter, all at first slowly, as if just joining the party, but then congealing into a wonderfully flowing jazz-rock fusion--one in which John Lee's front and center bass is very active along 100% of his fretboard while multiple electric pianos and piano's create a rich filler in the background and bluesy lead instrument over the top. Soprano saxophonist Gary Bartz gets plenty of lead and support time as well as does percussionist Henny Wonk's wordless vocalese at the end (previewing a tactic Pat Metheny will employ quite liberally over the course of his career). Great performances from all but especially impressive is John Lee. (8.875/10) 

A2. "Deliverance" (13:43) opening with a 25-second fireworks display from drummer Gerry Brown before he stops to allow John Lee, Gary Bartz, and the three keyboards players to step in and start building ther weave. Amazing speed coming from Gary Bartz' fingering of his soprano saxophone. Quite the RTF/GINO VANNELLI Jerome Richardson-like sound and melodies expressed over some very virtuosic performances from all of the contributors, especially Gerry, John, Gary, flutist Chris Hinze, and the three keyboard players. A top-notch J-R Fuze epic from some top notch musicians. High powered and eminently impressive! (28/30)

B1. "Jua" (7:04) another slow, scattered start in which the players seem to gather themselves in the effort to gradually create a jazz jam in the vein of MILES DAVIS' seminal In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew albums, this each individual instrumentalist seemingly soloing non-stop while holding together a complex weave over which individuals can step forward to solo. Saxophonist Gary Bartz is particularly powerful in this latter capacity while the pianist(s) provide a strong presence in support just beneath the soloist(s). Again, Henny Wonk provides matching vocalese to take the song's melody out at the end. Great pacing, weave intricacies, and melodies. (13.75/15)  

B2. "Absolute Posolutely" (2:57) drums with slide whistle for the song's entirety. Unusual song. Nice crisp drum playing. (4.375/5)

B3. "Rise On" (3:17) piano, double bass, and drums open this one, establishing a straight-line motif over which flutes and saxes create and carry the melodies. Gerry Brown's embellishments and fills are great as is Hubert Eaves' piano support. (Hubert was apparently a very busy man on this one: aslo playing percussion and electric piano.) Rollicking fun and perfectly measured. (9/10)     

B4. "Who Can See the Shadow of the Moon" (5:17) long, slow MAGMA-esque intro and build into a plodding pretentious piece of "Black Orpheus"-like mood music. Chris Hinze's flute playing is finally given its due with the support of Rob Van Den Broeck on piano and electric piano as well as Wim Stolwijk's piano and heavenly vocalese. Interesting and pretty but nothing to get too excited about despite John Lee's nice double bass play. (8.75/10)

B5. "Bamboo Madness" (2:30) Chris Hinze blowing hard on his bamboo flute while John Lee accompanies with some very funky bass play and Howard King and, eventually, Gerry Brown provide some awesome percussion and drum support, respectively. I love how John doubles up Chris' melody line in the final minute. (4.5/5) 

Total time: 41:28

90.88 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion from an ensemble of virtuosi. Highly recommended for all J-R F fans and fans of great, creative ensemble work.

68. THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA The Inner Mounting Flame (1971) 

Breathtaking. Startling. Groundbreaking. Exhausting. I have resisted putting a review to pen (or computer) for this album because it is such an important album for the history and progress of progressive rock music. Despite the fact that John McLaughlin had introduced this new, raw, full-volume shredding sound and style to the world with the previous year's release of his Devotion album (with drummer Buddy Miles, bassist Billy Rich, and organist Larry Young), it took the lineup of crack virtuosi of this Mahavishnu Orchestra to express the team approach to explosive machine gun riff deliveries--both solo and collectively. And wow! Are these guys explosive! All five of them capable of rattling off rounds at clips that boggle the mind! And yet, amazingly, they also manage to incorporate and express melody and structure! Though the sound quality here is not yet where I like it to be (that will be better displayed on Birds of Fire), the gross effect of increased talent on display here is so far beyond what has come before. It's something totally new for jazz, jazz-fusion, rock and roll, and, most certainly, progressive rock music. I want to rate this with the highest amount of stars but it is, in my opinion, still an expression of a band just finding its way. It'll take the next album to express total superlatives. Still, this is a minor masterpiece and, so, still deserving of five stars. Thank god for Jimi Hendrix, Tony Williams, Miles Davis, and Indian music for giving Mahavishnu John McLaughlin the inspiration to create the Mahavishnu Orchestra!

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / acoustic (4) & electric guitars, producer
- Jan Hammer / piano (4), Fender Rhodes, organ (?)
- Jerry Goodman / acoustic (4) & electric violins
- Rick Laird / bass (excl. 4)
- Billy Cobham / drums (excl. 4)

1. "Meeting Of The Spirits" (6:52) Has there ever been a more mind-blowing opening song in history? Billy Cobham and John McLaughlin are, of course, the most impressive over the first three and a half minutes, but then in the softer sections you get to figure out that there are many times in which multiple instruments are carrying those lightning-speed melody lines all at the same time! (A phenomenon that the band build upon on their next album.) (14/15)

2. "Dawn" (5:10) this soft rather sedating start is in such a polar contrast to the whole vibe and energy of the previous song that it might leave some asking whether or not this is the same band! But then in the second minute some of the instrumentalists up front begin to express themselves through light-speed runs even getting Billy and Rick involved by the second half of the third minute. Jan, Jerry, and John are the main soloists up front but Billy Cobham's drum fills and cymbal play are often just as astonishing and competitive. Cool chord progression of whole-band arpeggi in the final minute. (8.875/10)

3. "Noonward Race" (6:28) a song that is very much in line with those of the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE--both in pacing, bluesy flavor, and fireworks. Jerry's distorted violin sound used during his extended solo in the second minute is interesting--and then to be followed by a similarly processed Fender Rhodes from Jan Hammer in the third makes for quite an interesting consistency. John's electric guitar, then, is almost "normal" sounding during his following solo. The turn-taking solos are impressive but it's the three-, four-, and five-in-one displays of speed and dexterity that I find most astonishing and ground-breaking (though I guess in the context of an orchestra or big band there is nothing really new or innovative there; it's more of this use in rock 'n' roll that feels new or innovative, I guess). (8.75/10)

4. "A Lotus On Irish Streams" (5:39) the acoustic side of the band: sweeping piano arpeggi and runs with flighty violin notes and astonishing flourishes from the steel-string guitar makes for an impressive expression of the trio format. Jan's play previews Rainer Brüninghaus' play with Eberhard Weber, John's guitar previews that which he expands upon with Shakti, and Jerry's violin sounds like a cross between Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Lark Ascending" and Stephane Grappelli. Very beautiful. A perfect masterpiece. (10/10)

5. "Vital Transformation" (6:16) a high-energy showpiece for the virtuosity of everyone in the band but Billy Cobham first and foremost. Here is where you get to hear more of those extraordinary passages in which the whole band is ripping through the space-time continuum at speeds that don't seem possible. It's no wonder that drummer Steve Smith chose this song title for the name of his jazz-fusion band in the 1980s. I find myself most drawn to the performances of Billy and John on this one. (9/10)6. "The Dance Of Maya" (7:17) a meditative start in which the band plays with an awesome chord sequence. A song that must have had a huge influence on Robert Fripp for the evolution/progression of his King Crimson project from the The Court of the Crimson King, Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, and Islands phase into Lark's Tongues, Starless, and Red. I've always hated the dramatic downshift at 2:33 into the two-chord blues motif--and the fact that they abandon the cool experimentation with chord progressions until the very end (where they do do the cool thing with interplaying/overlaying the chord progression motif over the blues chords. Also, I'm not much of a fan of the Clapton-style blues-wah-pedal guitar lead that John uses throughout the last five minutes of the song. (13.25/15)

7. "You Know, You Know" (5:07) another étude of chord progression possibilities, this time done slowly and with minimalist input and plenty of space. Billy Cobham is the only one to really try to break out of the restriction zone but not until the final minute though Jan Hammer's Fender Rhodes seems to send out probes in the third minute. Kind of a cool song! (8.875/10)

8. "Awakening" (3:32) another high-powered display of machine-gun declarations of force and vitality--in fact, these are probably the most impressive displays of the virtuosity and dexterity of each and every one of the five individuals gathered together to make the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Not only impressive but jaw-dropping. Too bad it's lacking in any kind of engaging melody but I think they were banking on impressing their audiences more than expressing any kind of timeless beauty (though, of course, there is a kind of beauty in virtuosity). (9/10)

Total Time: 46:34

90.83 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of music but an major landmark in the course of music history: the album that made Jazz-Rock Fusion and instrumental virtuosity in rock 'n' roll household terms.

69. MISSUS BEASTLY Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles (1976)

A reluctantly-recorded album (to satisfy contractual promises) presenting three of the members of the previous album's lineup from two years before, Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles was recorded in January of 1976 at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart (with the band producing) and then released by April Records on April 12, 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Friedemann Josch / flute, sax
- Norbert Dömling / bass, percussion
- Jürgen Benz / sax, flute
- Butze Fischer / drums, percussion
- Burkard Schmidl / keyboards, vocals, percussion
Guest musicians:
- Roman Bunka / guitar
- Maria Archer / vocals
- Wolli Tümmler / sax
- Ömmes / congas
- Christian Burchard / vibes

1. "Miles All Along The Watchtower" (6:05) everybody jumps out of the gate bouncing along with Miles-Herbie-like pace and focus, creating a groove that presents drums, bass, and Fender Rhodes as each demanding our attention in every which way. Electric guitars and horns are there in the background but it's not until the fourth minute that the horns and guitar (and clavinet) begin to make their presences known. Great whole-band jam. (9.125/10)

2. "High Life" (4:41) a song that goes dragging, plodding along with a semi-Native American melody line until some Hatfield and the North-like female vocals from Maria Archer brighten things up. A new synth acquisition solos after Ms. Archer breaks from her second verse and thereafter on the back of the rhythm section. Very, very nice sound engineering creating a very full and rich sonic field: It's so pretty! (9/10)

3. "Morning Sun" (6:45) slow, funky attempt at more Miles Davis-like music. But unlike the band's previous album, there are no tempo changes! Cool big-room reverb gives this an extra-large feel--over which a very cool sax is played with adept muting skills (and maybe an effect or two). Meanwhile, the electric guitar and machine gun-effected drumming do their best to vie for our attention. But then everything quiets down at the end of the third minute so that guitarist Roman Bunka can play around with his wah-wah pedal. Then Christian Burchard is given the nod to solo on his vibes--which comes off as a bit odd and feeling forced (he's just a guest, after all, not part of the tightly-bound inner corps). In the sixth minute everything really quiets down as dirging sax and electric piano take us out on a mellow note. (13.25/15)

4. "Gurus For Sale" (5:15) keyboard rich (Fender Rhodes), bass-thick (heavily-treated fretless bass) RTF-like music with alto sax barely in the lead (not exactly mixed front and center). Again I am surprised at the album's compositional homogeneity after the patterns established by their previous album. Maybe, as has been suggested, they really weren't into the recording of this album. Norbert Dömling is, as ever, eminently listenable as he ventures around the totality of his fretboard under the guise of his heavily-effected bass. (8.75/10)

5. "La Plage De Patcha Menga" (5:19) now here is some j-r fuse with some heart and soul: energetic and spirited from start to finish--with special citation to conga player Ömnes and Northette-like b voxer Maria Archer. Definitely a beach that I'd hang out at! (9/10)

6. "Nothing Again" (10:02) more energetic, tightly played and interestingly-constructed jazz-rock fusion. Though the opening motif promises great dynamic things, the acoustic guitar solo in the second minute is played over a slowed down motif. Around 2:30 the band switches back into fourth gear for a nice cruise beneath the sunlight and wind of the saxophone. Great play from drummer Butze Fischer and, of course, bass player Norbert Dömling. Chaotic end to this section in the sixth minute leads into a spacey synth bridge that is gradually filled by a heavily-effected electric bass guitar solo and skeleton crew of congas, hi-hat play, and BRAIN AUGER-like three-chord repetition of Burkard Schmidl's Fender Rhodes. When Norbert's bass returns to rhythm and funk leadership, Burkard's right hand begins a very stylish and groovy solo reminding me even more of Brian Auger, but then at 9:15 everybody breaks back into the fast lane of a recapitulation of the opening motif. (18.5/20)

7. "Patscha Menga Underground" (3:40) flute-led funk from Friedemann Josch over bass and simple drum and percussion play. Sax, synth and flute carry the nearly-Oriental melody in the second minute before two airy flutes take over to carry us through the final 90 seconds. Interesting! Nice. (8.875/10)

8. "For Evi" (2:58) Burkard Schmidl's jazzy lounge piano from another era--or from a film--is joined by Norbert Dömling's sexy bass--both exploring their own intertwined melody lines as if dancing or in flight. Quite lovely--and very mature sounding. Definitely a favorite. (9.75/10)

Total Time: 44:45

90.79 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; another minor masterpiece of peak-level First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion (bordering on Second Wave) and another European product that no J-RF lover should miss.

70. HERBIE HANCOCK Head Hunters (1973)

Herbie's first studio album since decommissioning his Mwandishi project. Produced by David Rubinson it was recorded on the West Coast in September of 1973 at both Wally Heider and Different Fur studios and then released on October 26 by Columbia Records. Herbie is stated to have said that he was tired of the spacey, high-end stuff and just wanted to bring it back down to Earth with some funk. It is important when listening to this album to remember how influential it was: both to other artists as well as on the tastes of the popular ear; this was, after all, at the time (until the 1976 phenomenon of George Benson's Brezzin'), the highest selling jazz album of all-time!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Herbie Hancock / ARP Odyssey & Soloist synths, Fender Rhodes, Hohner D6 clavinet, pipes, co-producer
- Bennie Maupin / soprano & tenor saxophones, saxello, bass clarinet, alto flute
- Paul Jackson / electric bass, marimbula
- Harvey Mason / drums
- Bill Summers / percussion (congas, shekere, balafon, agogo, cabasa, hindewho, tambourine, log drum, surdo, gankogui, beer bottle)
 
1. "Chameleon" (15:41) the opening funk bass sound and line lets us know right off the bat what's going to be different about this music compared to the famous "Mwandishi sound" of Herbie's previous three years of work: Funk is paramount here. The problem here is how long Herbie stays affixed to a particular pattern and motif: it's as if it takes him 30 measures to get the feel of a pattern enough to be able to play within much less diverge or solo above it.  I don't know if the rhythm section (or engineer) realized that they were speeding up in the sixth minute, beneath Herbie's funky ARP Soloist solo, but it's awkward for a bit until they all return to the pocket. At 7:40 there is a reset to let Paul Jackson and Harvey Mason reset their rhythm pattern. Now we're in Fender Rhodes territory--the soundscape that will become BOB JAMES' standard/go-to palette. Paul and percussionist Bill Summers start playing off one another, which is highly entertaining despite Herbie supposedly being in the lead up top. Harvey's innovative use of the hi-hat here might also have served to influence all future Disco drummers. I prefer this middle section to the opening one. At the 12-minute mark there is a reset bridge with those rich ARP strings and panning Fender Rhodes play. J-R Fuse Heaven! Now this is where Smooth Jazz came from! At 13:15 there is another reset bridge that allows the band to restart the opening motif. Here Bennie Maupin finally gets some front-time on his tenor sax. Nice. A song that contains so much innovation I can't justify down-rating it despite my not really liking the majority of it. (27/30)

2. "Watermelon Man" (6:29) a very popular song that is denigrated by the fact that to me it is a very thinly-veiled  revisitation on Dobie Gray's big hit from 1964 (a Billy Page compostion), "The 'In' Crowd." Then there is the presence at the opening and ending of the odd breath and voice percussion (what would probably inspire a whole generation of Bobby McFerrins. (8.875/10)

3. "Sly" (10:18) a reference to the "Sly" of the Family Stone? What starts out deceptively in some disarray becomes, quite suddenly, at the two-minute mark, a meteoric flight through high altitude with bass, drums, percussion, and clavinet all rushing wildly along in a very loose weave beneath Bennie Maupin's wild soprano saxophone play. Then Herbie gets a turn on his Fender electric piano. The man is so smooth!  Paul Jackson's low end bass play paired up with Harvey Mason's hi-hat and cymbal work is pure genius! Somebody (Bennie Maupin) must be playing the clavinet beneath/alongside Herbie's two-handed Fender Rhodes exposition. I have to admit that I'd never really appreciated the drumming of Harvey Mason before this--cuz I'd never heard anything quite like this before. High marks for the extraordinary work of that dynamic middle section. (19/20)

4. "Vein Melter" (9:10) It would seem here that Harvey's semi-automatic militaristic snare and hi-hat riff would run contrary to the somber, etheric world being created by the rest of the band, but somehow it all works (except the ARP sounds: they sound so dated!) My favorite part is hearing Bennie Maupin playing with such feeling and emotion without having to blast it or even raise his "voice." Also, you can hear here the reverberating Fender Rhodes electric piano sound that everybody will be using over the next ten years: KOOL AND THE GANG  "Summer Madness," Donald Fagen/STEELY DAN, BOZ SCAGGS Silk Degrees and so many more. (17.5/20)

Total Time 41:38

Thrust is my favorite Herbie album.

90.78 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor-masterpiece (and landmark album) of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

71. MATRIX Matrix (1976)

The debut album from this very-mature-sounding big band of Jazz-Rock Fusion enthusiasts from Wisconsin (where I live)--with six (!) full-time members of the horn section. It was recorded in May of 1976 at Vern Castle Studios, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and then released later in the year by Ultra Nova Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
Michael Bard / saxophones
Larry Darling / trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizer, vocals
Kurt Dietrich / trombone, synthesizer, vocals
Randall Fird / bass, vocals
Mike Hale / trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, vocals
John Harmon / keyboard
Jeff Pietrangelo / trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
Fred Sturm / trombone, vocals
Tony Wagner / drums

1. "Earth And The Overlords" (3:42) an odd adventure into near-funky jazz-rock that tries to cross over into Jazz-Rock Fusion the way Don Ellis' orchestra pioneered it but comes up short. (8.875/10)

2. "Catalpa Complex" (6:29) a little more funking but a little more big band-like too. The best section is the funky synth solo in the third minute when the horns are silent and the bass and percussion can be heard. No wonder it's got some nice keyboard centricity to it: it's composed by keyboard player John Harmon--a member whose position in the band will move more toward leadership over the course of the next few albums. The choral vocals in the fifth and sixth minutes give the song even more of an AVERAGE WHITE BAND feel despite the more big band-sounding horn arrangements. Nice drum work in the final minute though it feels a little academic--rehearsed (and maybe charted). (9/10)

3. "Blue Snow" (2:36) quite cinematic in an ECM/Eberhard Weber-kind of way. Speaking of ECM, the sound quality of this album is so clean and pristine that it begs asking to know more about Ray Papai and his Ultra Nova Records in Lake Geneva! (9.5/10)

4. "Dark Riders" (5:52) a rather unique musical experience in that this song feels as if it was intended as a soundtrack accompaniment to something like the "Monkey Chant" from the film Baraka. Very interesting and visionary! (9/10)

5. "Clea" (10:05) more contemplative music that sounds like it could come from Paul Winter Consort, Weather Report, or maybe even Bob James. Soprano sax, gentle bass and electric piano and percussion play. In the middle the band collective provides wordless choral chants. Then it turns very dreamy with keys, gentle wind-like percussives, and sonorous trumpet soloing over the top. Worded choral vocals enter in the seventh minute. Such interesting and unusual music! I am truly impressed! And it ends like an ECM version of "Edelweiss"! (18/20)

6. "Geese "(1:42) horns working in a flock-like mathematical weave of individual honks. Pretty cool! (4.5/5)

7. "The Last Generation" (6:46) another odd song that seems to blend and bridge many styles and sounds--sometimes feeling conflicting, sometimes feeling perfect, at others purposely awkward and tension-filled while behaving as if perfectly intended to be exactly as provocative and ambiguous as it is. Like projecting/predicting a future jazz onto the soundscape of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Too bad the arrangement of the horn section and the drum play are so "standard" otherwise this would really work! (13.75/15)

Total Time 37:12

Definitely a surprising, haunting album of refreshingly creative, one might say innovative Jazz-Rock Fusion--unlike anything I've ever encountered yet in my deep dive into the history of J-R Fusion. I have to admit to liking future bass player Randy Tico's bold fretless work on Tale of the Whale more than Randall Fird's rather tame and unobtrusive work on this album. 

    Overall, I'm not sure whether I like all of this music despite the fact that I appreciate and greatly admire the quirky, unorthodox, "out of the box" compositions contained herein. 

90.78 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of innovative and eccentric Jazz-Rock Fusion.

72. JUKKA HAURU Information (1972)

The Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion scene is taking off--and not just in the circles emanating from Wigwam!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jukka Hauru / guitar, composition, producer, arrangements
- Raimo Wallen / tenor saxophone 

- Reino Laine / drums (A2 to B5)

- Heikki Virtanen / bass (A1, B1-B5)
- Tapani Tamminen / bass (B5), double bass (A3, A5)
- Juhani Poutanen / arrangements, violin (A2, A5-B5)

- Olli Ahvenlahti / electric piano; piano (A5)
With:

- Tapani Ikonen / drums (A1)

- Markku Marstela / soprano saxophone (A4)
- Sakari Kukko / soprano saxophone (A1)
- Matti Jakola / vocals, other (A3)

1. "Mai-Ling" (6:16) interesting whole-band carry of the main melody while the simple militaristic rhythm section supports beneath. The two guitar tracks and saxophones are the most erudite--even if they are repeating "exotic" folk Eastern European melodies for the first three minutes. The second motif of guitar-led drums and bass only is a much better indicator of the high proficiency each musician possesses. Drummer Tapani Ikonen and bassist Heikki Virtanen impress (as does Jukka)! While the first part of this song sounded hokey and poorly planned and engineered, the second half more than makes up for it. (9/10)

2. "Room 1972" (1:52) sounds like music created to accompany a particular scene from an old silent film. A lot of sensibilities drawn from orchestrated classical music. (4.375/5)

3. "Jamsession the Finnish Yes Federation's Skinheaded Board" (1:33) a very entertaining Cheech and Chong-like skit in which a glossaphiliac expresses himself to his drug-stupored mate in multiple European languagall of which prefaces a spirited outburst of New Orleans jazz-rock. A very memorable song. (5/5)

4. "No More Blues" (6:55) a song that uses music to express humor in a very sophisticated, almost jazzy-avant-garde fusion way. Multiple tracks moving through their improvised melody-making as if separately but it all works harmonically and counterpointedly. At 2:25 the band switches to a different path--one that is more high-speed Hendrix/CREAM-like blues-rock. At the same time I hear a lot of influence from CHICAGO and BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS. (13.5/15)

5. "Evil" (6:08) what starts out as a kind of jazzy variation of the opening of Ravel's "Bolero" turns more FOCUS-like with some excellent speed electric guitar play played over some beautifully woven folk melodies (especially from violinist Juhani Poutanen). The virtuosic similarities in melody and style between Jukka and Jan Akkerman are rather striking. Very creative, inventive song with some flashes of true brilliance from Jukka. A top three song. (9.25/10)

6. "Splitting" (3:24) jazz drums, bluesy electric bass, Fender Rhodes electric piano, and wah-wah distorted guitar that sounds like John Tropea in "Also Sprach Zarathustra." Nice display of skills and compositional capabilities--though the bassist always sounds a bit in his own universe. I do, however, like the disparate inputs of the horns and other instruments: it's cacophonic but somehow works as a cohesive weave. (9/10)

7. "Information" (4:35) an awesome weave between sax, violin, bass, and electric guitar that totally predicts the early J-R Fusion style of the great Jean-Luc Ponty. Awesome song. A top three for sure. (9.25/10)

8. "Refilling Valve" (3:40) strumming of the piano wires before the pianist commits to playing the keys--all the while the recording mike is obviously more focused and concerned with the sounds emanating from within the box than from through the piano frame as a whole. Some violin joins in in the second minute but then every body sits down (including the pianist and sound recording engineer) to listen to some lovely piano contemplations. I really respect the act of Jukka's giving pianist Olli Ahvenlahti this opportunity to express himself. Another quite memorable song--one that I really like. (8.875/10)

9. "What?" (4:44) opens with a motif that sounds like a song variation inspired by a motif in KING CRIMSON's "21st Century Schizoid Man." At 1:30 the band switches roads and moves onto the expressway with some standard drums, electric bass, Fender Rhodes, and electric guitar soloing (here Jukka still finding an anchor and inspiration in Robert Fripp's melody lines from "21st Century Schizoid Man"). I love Olli Ahvenlahti's Herbie Hancock-like electric piano accents thrown over the top of the frenetic bass and drum playing. (9/10) 

10. "Waltz for the Straight Relatives" (2:25) a little FOCUS-like folk ditty that is repeated over and over with different layers and soloists for its two-and-a-half minutes. (4.375/5)

Total Time 41:32

Great compositions performed beautifully by some very skilled musicians. Too bad the sound treatments and engineering choices aren't a little more creative and advanced. (I'd love to have felt a little more cohesion in the overall sound blending of each song.) Though impressive in its variety of styles and influences (which, yes, includes Frank Zappa), I would have liked to have heard a selection of tunes that gave me a better sense of Jukka's preferences. (I know that's unfair--especially as most hyper-creatives are cursed with wanting to express each and every thought and idea flowing through them, so, I apologize.)

90.69 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion from a creative songwriter and his cast of highly-skilled instrumentalists. 

73. TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME Emergency! (1969)

"The loudest stuff I ever heard in my life," recalled Herbie Hancock of a Tony Williams Lifetime concert that he attended in the fall of 1969. Knowing that he was probably risking his hearing later in life, he stayed for the entire show. "It was … new. It was exciting and very arresting."
     Miles Davis heard the trio perform their amped up set at a club in Harlem in the early winter. John McLaughlin had only been in the US for two weeks (he had come to New York specifically to join Tony Williams' Lifetime project) when he got a call from Miles asking if he would join him in the studio on February 18. This single day of recording would result in the July release of Miles' landmark fusion album, In a Silent Way.

     Recorded at Olmstead Sound Studios, New York City, May 26 & 28, 1969, with Jack Lewis and Monte Kay in the production seats, it was then released by Polydor Records in September--before Bitches Brew!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Tony Williams/ drums, vocals (2,3,5)
AND
- John McLaughlin / electric & acoustic guitars
- Larry Young / organ

Volume One (35:01)
1. "Emergency" (9:35) power drumming with loud, distorted electric guitar power chords open this one with Larry Young's organ providing the low and middle ground including all of the bass lines. John McLaughlin's guitar playing moves easily between runs that exude smoke and fire and those that evoke comfort and supplicating beauty, while his chord play in support are often jagged, angular, and confusing in their complex intention. Meanwhile, Larry Young gets some time to come out from his cave beneath the bridge (which is exactly when John gets his most ambiguous: is he trying to be mean or just provocative?). While some of the sound is a bit muddied (especially in the higher end), the jamming is so focused, so tight, so intertwined. and then it just ends! Probably my favorite song on the album. (19/20)

2. "Beyond Games" (8:17) built over a blues progression, Tony uses his speaking voice to recite some pre-Gil Scott-Heron poetic social commentary. (He sounds so young--like the lead singer of the Brighter Side of Darkness: just sitting in his high school classroom wishing he could say his thoughts out loud. John's guitar is ominous in its support while Larry's organ (and bass line) is almost Timmy Thomas gospel-like. You can tell that this song was recorded on the same take as the previous one--two songs on the same tape continuously--as all of the sounds and levels are the exact same. after six minutes the repetitive four bar four-chord progression gets a little old--which is right when Tony returns to speaking his quotidian poetry advice. (17.5/20)

3. "Where" (12:10) a very-sparsely populated opening is where Tony chooses to start singing his philosophical musings. In the third minute John begins to solo cerebrally while Tony's drums provide steady yet-minimal support and Larry's organ is so quiet it's almost non-existent Then in the fifth minute John begins to go to a higher gear and Larry's right hand and Tony's prowess begin to show--but then all this is cut off at the five-minute mark for a quiet section in which Tony sings his ambigous mult-level questions. This then ends after which Tony's cymbal play and John's small repetive blues chords provide support for a two-minute organ solo. There is a very basic hard-bop motif shifted into in the ninth minute while Larry resumes soloing. This is not the fire and ice that I was expecting to hear from these practitioners of scorched-Earth tactics. (Nor was I expecting lyrics or singing.) (21.5/25)

4. "Vashkar" (4:59) the signatory song of this album, here we have the fiery interplay between drummer and guitarist with the organ providing the glue between them. Lots of stop and start, loud and soft alternations. Great skill that would be better if there was a more pleasing melodic hook. Another favorite. (9/10)

Volume Two (36:28)
5. "Via The Spectrum Road" (7:50) like southern blues swamp rock--and acoustic guitar and not one but two vocalists singing. John's blues-rock lead guitar is purposely placed in the background--sounds as if it's coming from a different room. The nuances are numerous and delightful. Too bad Larry is relegated to being pretty much the bass player. Sounds like something from the Sixties--especially John's raunchy guitar play. Larry's distant and sparse injections of organ chords have an other-worldly spacey feel to them and Tony's drumming is marvellous but overall this is not really something that a musician would really get into. I know this one is considered revolutionary, but it is far from my favorite. (13/15)

6. "Spectrum" (9:52) Wow! What a ride Tony, John and Larry take us on. There is no let-up or break to the break-neck speed that these musicians hurl through space and time--and Larry even gets some lead organ time despite having some very demanding bass lines to keep going. Quite a stunning (and exhausting) ten minutes of hard-bop-based power fusion. John's lead and rhythm play are both quite often abrasive--and unapologetically so as he keeps doing the irritating, angular things he just seemed to temper with bridges of more-classic and familiar (and softer, more melodic) riffs. A very impressive song. (18.25/20)

7. "Sangria For Three" (13:08) another barn-burner, this song has some very experimental passages (like the fifth minute and the 11th and 12th minutes) as well as some that are very hard-driving rock and others that are very Hendrix-like in their powerful blues-rock. This is my other top three song: I just love all of the shifts and turns, the high speed chases and the stuck-in-the-mud experimental passages, and the powerful Hendrix-like passages. (23.5/25)

8. "Something Spiritual" (5:38) not one of the timeless beauties that John would pump out with great regularity over the course of the rest of his career, more a testament to the challenging and repetitive work required to establish a spiritual practice and then keep it going. Great drumming beneath the very repetitious four chords played by John and Larry to mind-numbing nauseum. But I get it! (8.75/10)

Total time 71:29

I can see why this is such an important and, yes, seminal album--especially for the rise and notice of the fusion of jazz and rock 'n' roll musics, but it's really not a an album of great songs: ground-breaking and often great performances, but often so raw and under-developed, rarely enjoyable or "finished" feeling.

90.69 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor-masterpiece of genre-busting rock- and avant-infused jazz music that would open the doors for all other jazz-rock fusion ideas and bands to come flooding into the fold. Definitely one of THE landmark albums of the J-R Fusion movement.

74. 'IGGINBOTTOM 'Igginbottom's Wrench (1969)

Allan Holdsworth's first band--for which he wrote the majority of the material. It will not surprise anyone to learn that the music here is blues-rock based with very jazzy guitar. In fact, the music here--all ten of its songs--represent a direction of jazz-rock fusion that is rather unique in the prog/j-r fusion world--and one that has very seldom been approached again.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Alan Holdsworth / guitar, vocals
- Dave Freeman / drums
- Mick Skelly / bass
- Steven Robinson / guitar, vocals

1. "The Castle" (2:55) the album opens with an Allan Holdsworth composition. Jazzy guitar playing syrupy chords all alone starts the song before the bass, drums, and guitars settle into a BEATLES-like blues-rock song over which Allan sings. He has a rather pleasant, unexceptional voice that sounds like a cross between RICHARD SINCLAIR, a young, higher-pitched Chet Baker, and demo-level GREG LAKE. The instrumental performances on the tune are full-on jazz rock with Mick Skelly's electric bass moving prominently in the foreground while the two guitars amply fill the sonic field with their sophisticated chord and riff playing. What a big, unexpected surprise! Like very little I've ever heard (before or since) for its instrumental jazz virtuosity and melodic Beatles/Caravan capriciousness. (9.25/10)

2. "Out of Confusion" (2:09) a whole-band composition that opens with a recording of a random conversation between the band members--one with levity and purpose--which leads into a rather wild expressly-Coltrane-inspired improvisation (mostly by Allan) over which one of the band members recites a poem. (4.333333/5)

3. "The Witch" (3:03) another Holdsworth composition, this one opens with snare and hi-hat-dominated (and stereotypic) jazz drum before the bass and guitars join in and the band settles into a with almost-Hawai'in slack-key style guitar chord play between and, sometimes, beneath the vocal. It's the ultra-Beat/jazzy flourishing that everybody does between the vocal passages that are interesting for their jarring million-mile per hour note exhibitions that impress and astound. Another impressive lyric with melancholy, almost-detached Astrud Gilberto/jazz delivery and affect. (8.875/10)

4. "Sweet Dry Biscuit"s (2:52) Holdsworth and company opening with some Charlie Christian/Wes Montgomery-caliber music (this is another Allan Holdsworth original) before his mellifluous voice joins in to settle the musicians down into a gentler support role while he provides a laid-back almost MICHAEL FRANKS- (though, more accurately, Astrud Gilberto-)like vocal. Wow! What a shocking revelation is this music, this album, this singer! And he was just 23-years old! And I love the jazzy sound engineering and mix of this with the instruments all up front and the slightly reverbed vocal track in the middle, just in front of the drums but behind/beneath the bass and guitars. (9.75/10)

5. "California Dreamin" (4:00) a cover of the classic Mamas & The Papas hit song, Allan has chosen to slow this down--way down--which is totally unexpected and absolutely genius. As one might expect, Allan gives this such an unique form that it becomes, at times, almost unrecognizable from its original form. I even love the high-speed improvisational work at the two-minute mark in which Allan fails: his mistakes and missteps lead to an actual pause and breakdown in the music! But then, like a good jazz musician, he picks it up again and tries once more. VERY impressive guitar playing. (8.875/10)

6. "Golden Lakes" (5:12) a very cool, even beautifully-textured song with excellent lead vocals of some great lyrics. Allan's vocal styling is so much more like some of the laidback 1960s French jazz/café chanteuses than anything I know from Britain. By the way, this is another Allan Holdsworth composition.

     The instrumental section that occurs after the second chorus, however, turns very blues-rock with some quite jazzy and quite experimental guitar play over some very VAN MORRISON-feeling music. Then it returns to the main motif for the gentle finish. (9.75/10)

7. "Not So Sweet Dreams" (5:00) another unique song (and, of course, a Holdsworth composition), here a very interesting jazz-chromatic play on some of the pop jazz standards of the 1940s by Cole Porter or perhaps George Gershwin. There are moments in which I feel I'm listening to Beatnik music as well as early King Crimson and/or Terje Rypdal--or a French chanteuse--or JAN AKKERMAN's solo work or work with Kaz Lux. It's really all-over the place yet quite beautiful and relaxing. (9.5/10)

8. "Is She Just a Dream" (4:33) credited to bassist Mick Skelly and Allan Holdsworth, this song opens up with an unusually-simple arpeggiated chord progression performed by the guitar before a dramatic drum roll redirects the band toward an unusually melodied jazz vocal motif that is interspersed with wild uptempo instrumental passages filled to the brim with jazz flourishes from guitars and drums--mostly playing all at once. This could be a BRUFORD song with ANNETTE PEACOCK's melodic sensibilities running the show. (Interesting that Allan and Annette would be working together on that first Bruford album.) An odd little duck that sits far outside the realms of pop/radio-friendly music but might be quite popular in an underground Beat coffee house. I still find it eminently impressive. (9/10) 

9. "Blind Girl" (3:46) the first of two songs credited to guitarist Steven Robinson, one can tell from the opening notes and chords because this is nothing like the ultra-complex yet-very-melodic jazz-rock that Allan makes: it's actually more experimental, dissonant, and obtuse than Allan's compositions--even the vocal performance! And the chord progressions Steven uses are definitely distinctly different from those favored by Allan. I hear a lot of similarity to Paul Weller and Steve White's STYLE COUNCIL in the vocal sections (which are still sung by Allan despite this being Steve's song) of this one, but it is, in fact, more instrumental "Moonchild" like than pop-vocal. The vocal makes me think rather distinctly of Caravan's classic hit, "Golf Girl"--in many respects. (8.875/10)    

10. "The Donkey" (10:42) the second and final Robinson composition ends the album with a nearly-eleven minute epic suite. It opens with a minute and a half of jazz drum soloing before walking jazz bass joins in, helping the drummer to usher in a structure so that the guitarists can also join in. When they do, it's a solo fest, first with the speed runs of one guitarist in the left channel while the other plays interesting support chords from the right side. At the 5:29 mark the right side guitarist gets his turn to fly and impress while the left side provides quite standard blues and jazz chords in support. At 7:45 the drums and guitars simply disappear, leaving bassist Mick Skelly to venture off on his own. His solo is interesting for his choice to slow down and work within the sparsity of a vacuum. All in all, this is my least favorite song on the album due to the fact that it is pure jazz with very little melody (and no vocals. Who would ever though you'd hear/read that an Allan Holdsworth song is lacking because it doesn't have vocals on it!?!?!?) (17/20)    

Total Time 44:12

Definitely an unique listening musical experience. Not unlike King Crimson's "Moonchild" and early Penguin Café Orchestra or some of Terje Rypdal's most experimental works, there is a quietude to the sonic landscapes presented on this album that one rarely hears in recorded music--and something that one almost never hears on stage since the advent of loud rock 'n' roll power amps. With almost every song on this album I found myself thinking a lot of the small, quiet Beat/Beathnik poetry readings and bongo music often parodied in 1960s film and television (shows like The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Peter Sellers films), scenes that have much more in common with the music of this album than anything else I can conjure up.

     It is my strong feeling that this album qualifies as a musical masterpiece--a significant landmark in history--not only for its sophisticated performances and top notch musicianship, but for the utterly unique angle of jazz-rock fusion (and often Canterbury Style-like pop-jazz fusion) that Allan and mates created.

90.67 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of one of the strangest, most unique examples of jazz-rock fusion from the very earliest days of fusionhood; definitely an album that every so-called prog-lover should hear before they die. I'll even go so far as to exclaim that several of the songs on this album are among my all-time favorite Holdsworth songs--and sometimes for the presence of the smooth, very quirky vocals of Mr. H! 

75. DONALD BYRD Ethiopian Knights (1972)

I love it when a well-established, experienced and respected musician continues to grow and be open to new trends and ideas. Here Donald Byrd makes his second foray into the new world of electric and rock-infused Jazz Fusion, presenting some pretty great early examples of funk-drenched J-R Fuse.

Line-up/Musicians:

- Donald Byrd / Trumpet, composer

- Wilton Felder / Electric Bass

- Ed Greene / Drums
- David T. Walker / Electric Guitar [Rhythm] 

- Greg Poree / Electric Guitar [Rhythm]

- Joe Sample / Organ
- William Henderson / Electric Piano
- Harold Land / Tenor Saxophone
- Thurman Green / Trombone

- Bobby Hutcherson / Vibraphone

A1. "The Emperor" (15:40) Funk! listen to that inventive Fender Rhodes play, that groovin' uptempo electric bass, that sexy, adventurous trumpet, the fun the blues-guitarists are having playing creative rhythm guitar, the wonderful unity of the total rhythm section. (28/30)

A2. "Jamie" (4:00) a little organ and acoustic guitar Latin thing that is closer to blues or Latin pop than fusion and or funk; it feels like a cover of a pop song (one that I do not know but which sounds very familiar). The prominence of the guitars makes me appreciate their talents more. (8.75/10)

B1. "The Little Rasti" (17:44) after a long 80-second drum intro, the funk is back, maybe even heavier and stinkier--definitely more hypnotic--than on the opener! Nice long solos given to a wah-wah guitarist, saxophonist Harold Land, and organist Joe Sample before Donald gets his turn (in the 11th minute). After. the fourteenth minute electric piano and trombone are given some shine, kind of together, before the other?) electric guitarist is given a turn and then Donald finishes things off with a now-heavily-echoed trumpet. If there's a flaw to the song it's that the main groove, as great as it is, goes on unbroken and with very little variation or enhancement for 15 minutes, a bit too long even with interesting solos going on over the top. (It is under conditions such as these that I think of the genius expressed by albums by Herbie Hancock, Eddie Henderson, and Julian Priester over the next couple of years where the musicians are each allowed to be inventive, even improvisational, all at virtually the same time instead of waiting for their assigned turn, which was the more standard jazz tradition.) (31.25/35) 

Total Time: 37:09

90.667 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early, experimental jazz-rock fusion.

76. EXTRA BALL Birthday  (1976)

The debut album from Cracow's leading Jazz-Rock Fusion band. 

Line-up / Musicians:
-Jarosław Śmietana /guitar, leader
-Władysław Sedecki / el. piano, piano, synthetizer
-Andrzej Olejniczak / tenor-saxophone, soprano-saxophone
-Jan Cichy / bass
-Benedykt Radecki / percussion

1. "Narodziny" (10:05) beautiful, lush keys, bass, and cymbal play open this almost like a NOVA Vimana song. Soprano sax joins in to lead us down the country garden path. At the two-minute mark the band reshapes the Deodato-like electric piano lushness into something that sounds more like Klaus Doldinger's PASSPORT. I am in love with the mutually-respectful spaciousness of each individual musician's play: it's as if everyone is so in-tune with the others that they are all playing this game of turn-taking. While I am impressed and enjoying each and every band member's skill and prowess on their respective instruments (as well as the engineering choices to put the bass and electric piano far forward and the drums, sax, and electric guitar [mostly] back) I find myself really attracted to the Elio D'Anna-like melodic choices (and sounds) of Andrzej Olejniczak on his soprano sax (which is very odd as I'm usually quite nauseated by the sound and play of saxophones). (19/20)

2. "Taniec Maryny" (3:30) two bouncy electric piano chords open this one, repeated until guitar, bass, and drums join in after about ten seconds. The production is very warm and inviting while the style is jazzy over a "Smooth Jazz" rock 'n' roll two chord vamp with regular deviations into a bar or two of "chorus" chords. The melodies are often shared, presented by the guitar, sax, and Władysław Sedecki right hand. It's simple and mathematical--like an étude--and yet offered with admirable precision and clarity. (8.875/10)

3. "Bez Powrotu" (2:40) this one is much more aligned with traditional jazz stylings: walking bass, nuanced syncopated drum play, whole-group presentations of melodies in harmonic weaves with electric piano chords bridging the middle ground. (8.75/10)

4. "Podróż w Góry" (3:50) very quiet and delicate electric guitar with rich electric piano support opens this one for the first minute before the guitar, sax, and synthesizer jump out front with a very high-speed motif which gattling gun bass and frenzied drums try to keep up with. The overall sound is quite modern--like the music to an early video game or pinball machine. Impressively disciplined synchrony from the lead instruments with the poor capture of the drum sound making it sound as if Benedykt is having trouble keeping up. (8.875/10)

5. "Siódemka" (6:55) more impressive machine gun whole-group spitting and spraying of harmonically-composed melodies over another rhythm track that sounds and feels very much like the uptempo hard bop jazz of late 1960s. The musicians are each quite impressive with their skill and dexterity, and the melodies are quite clear and, I'm sure, impressive from a jazz and classical music perspective, but this is exactly the kind of pre-fusion jazz that I find myself unable to follow, understand, much less enjoy. The Bob James-like electric piano and jazz guitar solos in the third and fourth minutes, respectively are my favorite part of the song after the impenetrable music of the first two minutes. Then, at 4:31, a fast-tempo Mahavishnu-like motif ensues that is much more funky, spaced and broken up, with short burst solos that are much more accessible and digestible to my puny little brain. This part I love, so I'll not let the first two-and-half minutes spoil what turns out to be quite a great song. (13.625/15)

6. "Szczęśliwy Nieszczęśliwiec" (4:05) built over a very comforting rhythm and harmonically-rich jazz-rock base with more humanely-paced bass, drums, and melodically-sensible this one My favorite song on the album because it is both beautiful but also cuz it allows my the time and space to get inside (and feel comforted by) the music. My favorite song on the album. (9.25/10)

7. "Blues For Everybody" (5:45) piano and jazz guitar open this one with some truly blues-based music as the two dance around and within each other's melodies and chords. The one-minute intro is awesome and then the two lock into a more uptempo and more structured blues motif so that they can each solo off of one another. The two musicians sound very mature, relaxed, and confident--as if they're really enjoying playing off one another. A master class in two-person blues-based jazz very much akin to the stuff Scott Joplin and Django and Stéphane Grappelli did together. (9/10)

8. "Hengalo, Almelo, Deventer" (3:20) what a weird sound the engineer-production team have given to the drums! And they've pretty much isolated the bass from everybody else in the mix as well. As a matter of fact, all of the instruments sound and feel boxed/cordoned off from one another--as if they were each in their own little sound room while the recording was going on. Weird! Makes me wonder if this was a preview of modern music in which the musicians do not even play along side one another, recording their "parts" for their own separate tracks, in the studio while the rest of the band is not even present--all from charts! The musicianship is impressive, as usual, but the overall effect of such separation in the final mix makes me feel as if this is just a presentation of someone's composition as rendered by hired studio musicians--compiled over, perhaps, weeks or months! Me no like! (8.75/10) 

A lot of this album feels like a lot of jazz to me: harmonically and confusing, overwhelming, and coming from extremely-highly skilled musicians whose brains live and work in an universe that is totally foreign to me. Obviously, bandleader-guitarist Jarosław Śmietana and his keyboard counterpart Władysław Sedecki have a very special relationship--one that is founded much more in the esoteric domains inhabited by the great jazz musicians--but their impressive play does not always translate into enjoyable music for me.

Total time: 40:10

90.66 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of diverse, highly-skilled, but-more jazz-oriented jazz-rock fusion. Because of its borderline rating score and slightly "out of the box" (rather eccentric) relationship to the more stereotypic sound and styles of progressive rock music, I'm going to only give this four stars; it is not a masterpiece of what I would call progressive rock music but more of a minor masterpiece of electrified jazz and jazz-rock.

77. STANLEY CLARKE Stanley Clarke (1974)

Bass guitar legend Stanley Clarke's debut foray as a band leader. The Ken Scott-produced and engineered album was recorded in 1974 at New York's Electric Lady Studios and released in December by Nemperor Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stanley Clarke / acoustic & electric basses, piano (2), vocals, brass orchestration (1), Fx, arranger & producer
With:
- Bill Connors / acoustic & electric guitars
- Jan Hammer / acoustic & electric pianos, organ, Moog synthesizer
- Anthony ("Tony") Williams / drums
With:
- String Section of: Beverly Lauridsen, Carol Buck, Charles P. McCracken, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Jesse Levy and Paul Gershman
- Peter Gordon, Daid Taylor, Jon Faddis, James Buffington, Lew Soloff and Garnett Brown / brass section
- Michael Gibbs / string & brass orchestration (5,6)
- Airto Moreira / percussion (6)

1. "Vulcan Princess" (4:00) great whole-band jazz-rock with horn section and a bit of the RTF feel in the rhythm section. How to find fault with this? Maybe it lacks a little in the melody side. And drummer "Anthony" (Tony) Williams doesn't get much chance to shine. (9.25/10)

2. "Yesterday Princess" (1:41) slowed down for Stanley's vocals. (4.75/5)

3. "Lopsy Lu" (7:03) another song which amply displays Stanley, Bill Connors, and Jan Hammer's skills but seems to severely restrain those of Tony Williams. The musicians all feel at such ease that at times it feels as if they're kind of just dialing in their performances--especially Jan By the time we get to the fifth minute it's feeling like a drawn out version of JEFF BECK's "Freeway Jam" (which, I know, came out later). Tony finally gets to show off a bit in the sixth minute but even there it feels dialed in. (13/15)

4. "Power" (7:20) okay, finally Tony Williams gets to show his stuff! A full minute of just him, tout seul! When the rest of the band joins in they settle into a fairly (and surprisingly) steady funk pattern of surprising simplicity. Its spaciousness allows plenty of room for Bill's rhythm guitar and Jan's soloing to be heard even if Stanley's four chord bass line is getting really old. Luckily, he begins to change things up--add riffs and plucks--while the electric guitar and Moog take turns playing around up front. Tony is steady but even he gets lots of room to embellish and fill while Stanley seems to hold down the fort--until the sixth minute, that is, when he starts to get antsy. Then there is a shift in motif at 5:30, this one shifting Stanley's gear up a notch or two as Bill and Jan (now on electric piano) trade solos. This section sounds much more like that which is to come in the next RTF albums. (13.25/15)

5. "Spanish Phases for Strings & Bass" (6:26) opening with two minutes of impressive acoustic bass play, Stanley stops and then Michael Gibbs' string section joins in for a bit to support Stanley, but then disappearing while Stanley goes back to exploratory improvisation on his now-electric bass. Another bridge at 4:15 of strings before Stanley unleashes a fury of chord strumming. I can see how this song might be very exciting and inspiring for other bass players--aspiring and otherwise. I only wish there had been more time committed to interplay/layering of the bass with/within the strings. (13.375/10)

6. "Life Suite" :
- "Part I" (1:51) time-keeping piano left hand with bowed double bass and full orchestra. (4.75/5)
- "Part II" (4:12) and now we're off to the races. Awesome orchestral support. And bass play. Becomes very Chick Corea-sounding as it goes on. About halfway through there is a switch in motifs as a gentle Latin foundation settles in with very engaging bass and rhythm guitar play over which Jan Hammer performs a very Chick-Corea-like Moog solo. Love the horn accents. (9.125/10)
- "Part III "(1:03) a return to swirling piano play with strings and bowed double bass carrying the main melody. (4.75/5)
- "Part IV" (6:41) gently repetitive rhythm track once again allows for space for other instruments to solo and for accents and flourishes for those instruments waiting in the wings (for their turns). Bill Connor's first solo builds and builds into what sounds so much like the solos that Al Di Meola will become so celebrated for--and he gets over three minutes to perform! At first warming into his space and spotlight, his solo becomes something for the ages. Now I think I finally understand why this guy is so revered! Even Tony Williams' drumming seems almost lame in support and comparison! Jan Hammer gets the final minute to solo but this has really been a Bill Connors display--and a very giving and selfless act of band leader Stanley Clarke to offer up. (9.75/10)

Total Time 40:31

This is Stanley's album but don't miss Bill Connors' work in the final movement of the "Life Suite."

90.59 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

78. LARRY CORYELL Barefoot Boy (1971)

The Godfather of Jazz-Rock pumps out his fourth album as band leader and principal composer since the failed super nova that was The Free Spirits. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Larry Coryell / guitar
With:
- Steve Marcus / soprano (1,2) & tenor (3) saxophones
- Michael Mandel / piano (3)
- Mervin Bronson / bass
- Roy Haynes / drums
- Lawrence Killian / congas
- Harry Wilkinson / percussion

1. "Gypsy Queen" (11:50) melodic soprano sax leads the cohesive band through the jungle while sherpas Mervin Bronson, Larry Coryell, and machete-wielding drummer Roy Haynes and percussionists Larry Killian and Harry Wilkinson negotiate with any intruders or inhibitors to the band's progress on their self-pioneered pathway. In the fifth minute Larry Coryell uses his guitar to fight off a barrage of monkeys or giant mosquitos. Crazy experimental sounds and engineering techniques used throughout this section sounding at times like Godzilla on a rampage--or perhaps some of his radiation-mutated friends. In the ninth minute Larry returns to support while Steve Marcus returns with his sax and the tempo slows down a bit (or at least becomes variable). I am always pleasantly surprised to hear Larry Coryell play the supporting role to the solos of others cuz I'm never sure what he's going to do; here he strums loudly using his wah-wah-monster effect, never backing down on his volume, re-usurping his lead role in the tenth minute for a bit before giving some shine to his drummer and percussionists. There's nothing so shocking or innovative here but it is a damn fine, eminently-listenable song. (22.5/25)

2. "The Great Escape" (8:39) the bass, guitar, and even rhythm section here is mired in some blues-rock with Larry himself playing something akin to Louisiana swamp guitar. The percussionists keep it real, though--keep the music anchored in urban life--and then saxophone player Steve Marcus tries to solidify the jazz roots of the song with some nice Charlie Parker-like playing--with Larry standing on the sidelines in silence. Much better. When Larry returns near the seven-minute mark it is with some nice rock/R&B effects and some very-precisely-nuanced playing--almost like one of the genius virtuosi from the Motown stable. I like the second half of this very much, not so much the first. (17.75/20)

3. "Call to Higher Consciousness " (20:00) a very pacifying four-chord motif for minutes (with Michael Mandel on piano) over which Steve Marcus' tenor saxophone solos beautifully, emotionally, over the first five minutes. Then Larry takes his turn, throwing his darts rapid-fire for the next two and a half minutes before giving up the spotlight for the next two minutes to Mandel's ivory tickling. Mervin Bronson and the percussionists below remain quite committed to their sedating beat until 9:40 when everybody clears out for a Roy Haynes solo. I'm sorry but I've just got to say it: this solo is just incongruous--it just doesn't seem to fit the mellow, relaxing, meditative mood the title and previous ten minutes would suggest. At 13:30 it's over and the rest of the band charges onto the scene with a series of forceful blues-rock bursts that seem like they're signaling the end but no! Bassist Mervin Bronson and Michael Mandel's piano set up another motif to groove into--this one a little more jazz-rock like something by Brian Auger with a now-bass four chord progression and competing soloing going on by not only Marcus and Coryell but Roy Haynes as well. In the 18th minute Larry switches to full-on rock 'n' roll: heavily distorted power chords, but then he backs off and plays some extraordinary delicate lead machine gun riffs and runs as the rest of the band supports as gently as they did in the first nine minutes. Awesome slow, unravelling finish. As with all multi-part suites, this one is a tough one to assign a single number rating to. Aside from the disruption of the drum solo, this is really an excellent song with wonderful performances of a fairly simple yet-effective composition. (36.75/40)

Total Time 40:29

I really like Larry's exposition of distinctly different styles on this album but more I love (and greatly respect) his restraint--especially in second and third songs but also on the supporting role he plays for over half of the opening song. Several of his solos are more concise and controlled--less rambling than he can sometimes do--and yet there are those frenzied ramblers as well (especially when he's experimenting).   

90.59 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of various and some experimental styles of early jazz-rock and fringe jazz-rock fusion. There is some really nice music here with some very enjoyable solos. Even Larry's experimentation with sound and style are interesting and often astonishing. I can see why this album is a favorite with many other listeners/reviewers.  

79. MICHAL URBANIAK GROUP Paratyphus B (1971)

Virtuoso violinist and award-winning saxophonist, this is Michał Urbaniak's debut album for Germany's Spiegelei Records. Though Michał is recognized within the jazz world as an innovator and pioneer of many of the breakout styles of music that have sprung up since Jazz-Fusion burst open the floodgates, his name is not nearly so known among the public (like me).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Urbaniak/ electric violin, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute
- Urszula Dudziak/ voice, percussion
- Adam Makowicz/ keyboards
- Pawel Jarzebski/ electric bass
- Czesław Bartkowski/ drums
- Branislav Kovacev/ conga-drums

1. "Paratyphus B" (3:40) from the very first notes of this dynamic song we are informed of the amazing talents and skills contained in this band: from the drumming talents of Czeslaw Bartkowski (who would go on to play with Czesław Niemen and Extra Ball), electric bass playing of Pawel Jarzebski, and incredible NORTHETTES-like happy-go-lucky vocal talents of Urszula Dudziak scatting wordlessly at 100 miles per hour right in the thick of the rest of the high-speed weave. The song opens with 46-seconds of a high speed motif that sounds like something coming straight off of HATFIELD AND THE NORTH's debut album (which wouldn't come out for another few years). Then the frenzied yet-tightly-synchronized band lays perfect support and impetus for some of Urszula's most impressive scatting until the band sits back for some solo drum display from Czesław. They return for a reprise/variation of the opening motif for the final 30-seconds. An undeniable crowd-pleaser. And you know how I love The Northettes! (9.75/10)

2. "Valium" (12:36) a 15-second bass-and-drum jazz-funk opening belies the following long section of sparsely populated sonic fields which incorporate free-form violin and crazed percussive scatting. There is some multiple violin interplay with minimal support from the others--mostly from the percussionists.--before Ula joins in during the third minute with effervescent bubbles ascending from her voice, eventually driving her husband into the role of second fiddle (pun intended). There is an increase in contributions from Adam Makowicz' electric piano and Czesław Bartkowski's indisciplined drumming beneath Ula's vocals for the next couple of minutes before the music subtly changes directions: allowing Adam to noodle freely on his electric piano as if he's practicing high-speed runs of his scales. Pawel and Czesław participate, at first minimally, then with increasing fervor as Ula and Branislav Kovacev's percussion contributions also increase. Michał begins his slow return to the scene in the ninth minute before the band suddenly jumps in with a very engaging jazz-funk groove beneath Michał's continued effected-electric violin play. Getting into the groove, Michał's playing becomes far more melodic and fluid (though still remarkably fast). Such great play from everybody else: they're really synched in, maybe even entrained. Pawel takes off on a solo in the 12th minute with only the fantastic team of Czesław Bartkowski and Branislav Kovacev supporting him from beneath. Then Adam, then Michał, and then a rather crazed Urszula return until they are all faded out at the end of the 13th minute. Not my favorite kind of music but I fully respect the band's fervor and enthusiasm for this freestyle form of experimental Jazz-Rock Fusion. (22/25)

3. "Irena" (3:26) a slow-holding violin and vocal melody line (that previews some of Fermáta's best stuff). This is really beautiful--and haunting for its two-person entrainment. It also sounds very much like the intro to the VANNELLI brothers' "Storm at Sunup." (Est-ce possible?) (9.3333/10)

4. "Winter Piece" (3:39) this sounds like a little STÉPHANE GRAPPELLI interlude: as if the Master was playing for one of Fred Rogers' "Neighborhood of Makebelieve" skits. In the fourth minute the music tries to congeal into something jazz-funky--a really cool groove--but, alas! It's over as soon as it begins! (8.875/10)

5. "Sound Pieces" (14:57) more jungle free jazz, this time with flutes and saxophones leading the way through (a different part of the jungle) while the percussionists, electric piano, bass and violin populate the jungle ambiance. In the sixth minute the music congeals into a more pleasant Caribbean groove with Chick Corea-like smoothness and a relaxing electric piano-dominated Latin fusion conveying a beach-side bar/cabana feel while Ula Dudziak sings in her best monkey and toucan style of animal talk. By the end of the ninth minute Ula is resting while Adam and Pawel groove to a "lime in the coconuts" kind of motif. Michał's soprano sax is the next instrument to take the lead while Czesław, Pawel and the percussion crew seem to really amp up their expressions of joy and enthusiasm under neath. At 11:20 the whole band rests while Michał's sax continues to flit and flail like a bird experimenting with flight skills over the palm tree-shaded windy beach. Fender and drums begin to add their little flourishes until they're back and full supporting Michał again. The final minute sees Michał desist with a whole-band flourish before Adam takes us out with a circus motif organ and piano on his own. Free jazz is not my favorite type of music but the Caribbean beach scenes conjured up by the mid-section's beautiful groove are enough to save this song from total disregard. (27/30)

Total time: 

Since I started my awareness of Michał 's music with his 1975 release, Fusion III, I have an unusual perspective from which to view this album--the start of his experimentation with J-R Fusion. Despite the predominance of cacophonous free jazz music on over half of this album's music 

There is quite some confusion over where the two adjacent songs, "Valium" and "Irena" begin and end, which may be hindering my review of the two songs. I've tried listening multiple times to the wide variety of offerings available on the Internet, but none of them seem to line up with the time indicators given on sites like ProgArchives and Discogs.    

90.54 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of experimental Jazz-Rock Fusion--an album that definitely helps explore some of the more adventurous possibilities offered by the combination of the more experimental Jazz musics of the Sixties with the up-and-coming technologies of studio engineering in the world of rock music. Michal and his crew were definitely at the leading edge in defining that which we've come to recognize as "jazz-Rock Fusion." 




80. HERBIE MANN Stone Flute (1969)

Recorded in New York on March 18 & 20 and August 8, 1969 and then released in 1970 on January 15 on Herbie's on Herbie's new label, Embryo. The album represents quite a departure from previous Herbie albums in that it contains five (out of six) original compositions. It also employs several fairly young, experimental instrumentalists in Roy Ayers, Sonny Sharrock, Ron Carter, and Miroslav Vitous.

Lineup / Musicians:
- Herbie Mann / flute
- Roy Ayers / vibraphone
- Sonny Sharrock / guitar
- Ron Carter / bass (1,2, 6)
- Miroslav Vitous / bass (3-5)
- Bruno Carter / drums (1, 2, 6)
- Mickey Roker / drums (3-5)
with Strings:
Violins: Peter Dimitriades, Emanuel Green (1,2, 6), Gene Orloff (1,2, 6)
Viola / Selwart Clarke, Al Brown (3-5)
Cello: Kermit Moore (3-5), George Ricci (1,2, 6)
Arranger: William Fischer

1. "In Tangier/Paradise Beach" (10:35) quite a long, atmospheric, and very cinematic (think Lawrence of Arabia) opening with mellifluous low flute notes played alongside Bruno Carter's twinkle-touch cymbal play. Guitar, bass, and other percussives begin to eek their way into the mix in the third minute. Then strings, At the five-minute mark the music shifts into its second theme, "Paradise Beach." Ron Carter double bass, uncredited piano (that I'll assume is Herbie but could be Roy Ayers), a little vibraphone, with simple time-keeping brushed drums and, later, orchestral strings establish the rich, almost lush soundscape; it's beautiful! Herbie Mann's approach to flute is so soothing and melodic. I love this! Now I know who might have inspired BOB JAMES to make the kind of music he did. A very enjoyable tune! (19/20)

2. "Flying" (5:21) from the Baptist church organ opening to the Southern fried blues meat of the soft center, I can appreciate the music and its performances but have to admit that I do not really enjoy this music. (8.75/10)

3. "Don't You Know the Way (How I Feel About You)" (5:17) a song mired in the blues. Slow and melodic but it just doesn't satisfy me. (8.5/10)

4. "Miss Free Spirit" (12:40) Very nice work (and interplay) between Miroslav Vitous, Herbie, and drummer Mickey Roker. The music is still very much jazz despite the enlistment of electronic elements (like Sonny Sharrock and the uncredited organ). The flute play is way more vivacious than anything before this, Herbie really showing his skills in the third and fourth minutes. Song swims along rather placidly until some weird descending strings chords are added near the end. (22.25/25)

5. "Waltz for My Song" (4:23) another slow, drawn out rather contemplative exploration of unusual chord progressions from bass, vibes, and organ over which Herbie's flute tries to find and create melody. Very interesting. (But what's the deal with all of the uncredited keyboard parts? That's four songs now!) I like it most for the fact that everyone on board feels equally invested and engaged. Great, fitting performances. And a beautiful closing with William Fischer's strings arrangement in support. (8.875/10)

6. "Pendulum" (2:35) a little bit of stage-friendly Burt Bacharach-like pop and circumstance. (5/5)

Total Time: 40:51

As other reviewers have noted, this is not the Sonny Sharrock that everyone will be expecting: here he's quite reserved and circumspect; the album offers more opioid effect than exciting experimentalism. Also, this not a very inspired or dynamic Ron Carter. Even the young and adventurous Miroslav Vitous has a little trouble unleashing his true self on the songs he performs on.

90.47 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; an excellent album of subtle performances from a great cast but not quite a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion.




81. PERIGEO Azimut (1972)

A ground-breaking Jazz-Rock Fusion band from Italy that is new to me, thanks to PA compendium of so many things Italian, James Baldwin. This is the band's debut album. It was recorded and released by RCA Italiana at their own Studios in Roma in 1972. Apparently, several members of Perigeo would go on to historic acclaim in solo and other projects, including keyboard virtuoso Franco D'Andrea and saxophonist Claudio Fasoli as well as the band's leader, bassist/composer Giovanni Tommaso from Lucca in Tuscany.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bruno Biriaco / drums, percussion
- Franco D'Andrea / acoustic & electric pianos
- Claudio Fasoli / alto & soprano saxophone
- Tony Sidney / electric guitar
- Giovanni Tommaso / vocals, basses

1. "Posto di non so dove" (6:12) Listening to the first song of Azimet, I'm immediately blown away by the Demetrio Stratos-like vocals (a year before anybody'd heard of Demetrio Stratos), the brilliant Don Pullen-like piano, as well as the truly distinctive saxophone. The transition near the beginning of the fourth minute reminds me of early Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso. I wonder if they (or Tommaso) had ever heard of the Giuseppi Logan Quartet. Beautiful! And so refreshingly new! (9.25/10)

2. "Grandangolo" (8:22) The second song seems to convey a feeling and stylistic approach that Eumir Deodato would make popular a year later in America with crème de la crème American jazz players--though there are also Tony Williams Lifetime feelings to it as well (despite the excellent funky bass). I am loving this rhythm section! Drummer Bruno Biriaco is quite impressive! The Fender Rhodes soloing is okay and the raunchy electric guitar is great but it's this rhythm section! They are so tight! Great smooth saxophone soloing in the sixth minute. (I love the engineering effects used on it.) And I love the quick descent into frenzied chaos for the final minute before pulling it together for the final coda! It's so Tony Williams like! (18/20)

3. "Aspettando il nuovo giorno" (3:55) The spacious third song opens with the nice Fender Rhodes and electric bass interplay. As sax joins in and then drummer's cymbal play, the keyboard moves to a repeating chord progression while electric guitar and sax solo over the gentle jazz. This part reminds me of both The Soft Machine and Miles Davis. Quite a pleasant listen. (9/10)

4. "Azimut" (7:18) Side Two's title songs seems to continue the spacious forms from the previous song, though this one a little more free jazz-like. Piano, bowed bass and tuned percussion sounds. This sounds so much like the opening of Return to Forever's "The Romantic Warrior"! (Did Chick steal it from Tommaso?) As the song develops further, it reminds me more of the works of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders in the late 1960s. Then, halfway through, the band pauses to come together for a structured full band presentation--one in which the presentation of the main melody is traded off among the instrumentalists in a kind of call-and-response rondo! Cool! Then Franco goes off on a wild piano solo while guitar and bass keep the vehicle on the road (with drummer providing some very entertaining accents and embellishments). Once again I am reminded of the jazzier post-Third work of The Soft Machine (as well as Ian Carr's post-Nucleus albums). (13.5/15)

5. "Un respiro" (1:30) The second song on Side Two opens with gentle Fender Rhodes chords supporting the twin melody-making of saxophone and Tommaso's reverbed vocalise. Very cool little interlude! (4.6667/5)

6. "36° parallelo" (9:51) The final songs breaks out sounding very much like a song from The Soft Machine. The dirty electric guitar takes the first lead over the steady drummer, Fender Rhodes chord play, and machine gun note-delivery of the bass. The rhythm section is really moving! And the melody lines are awesome! I especially like saxophonist Claudio Fasoli's sound and style. Impressive drum solo in the fourth minute. These guys can all play but the drummer, keyboardist, saxophonist, and bass player are all of the very highest caliber! A little too oriented toward the individual solos throughout the second half, which kind of turns me off, but excellent jazz. (17.875/20)

90.36 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; an excellent jazz-rock fusion album--one of the best j-r fuse debut albums ever! A minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

82. EBERHARD WEBER The Colours of Chloë (1974)

After a decade of learning and growing under the guidance and support of artists like Wolfgang Dauner, George Gruntz, Baden Powell, Art Van Damme, Stéphane Grappelli, Rolf Kuhn, Michael Naura, and Volker Kriegel, one of the jazz's most unique, most creative bass players in history finally strikes out on his own. Praise be ECM Records, Eberhard's new and now-forever label.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eberhard Weber / double bass, cello, ocarina, vocals (choir)
With:
- Rainer Brüninghaus / piano, synth
- Ack van Rooyen / flugelhorn
- Südfunk Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart / cello
- Peter Giger / drums, percussion
- Ralf Hübner / drums (2)
- Gisela Schäuble / vocals (choir)

1. "More Colours" (6:40) the minimalist orchestrated music with Eberhard's inventive "piccolo" bass techniques and Rainer Brünignhaus' piano ministrations, all of which they would perfect for Side One of The Following Morning but here only sound weird, separated, and not very melodic or pretty. (13.125/10)

 
2. "The Colours of Chloë" (7:45) cello, piano, and sounding like the inspiration for Brian Eno's first two or three Ambient Music records--unitl 1:40, that is, when cymbals, bass, and synth take over with a truly Jazz-Rock Fusion motif (despite having very little rhythm base--future Pat Metheny-like stuff). Then, at the end of the third minute piano and, later, bowed strings, provide a floating fabric for Eberhard to play his echoing double bass. Beautiful stuff that turns jazzier when Eberhard and Ralf Hübner's drums start playing a more traditional jazz rhythm track for Rainer to really go to work with some stunning modern jazz piano playing. A very cool and innovative song--both in structure and sound palette execution. Manfred Eicher's touch definitely counts for something, as well. (14/15) 

3. "An Evening with Vincent van Ritz" (5:46) two minutes of moody bass and mid-range strings taking us through a repeated slow progression of four chords, over and over, as Gisela Schäube sings choir-like wordless vocalese over(within) the weave--until the two-minute mark when a dynamic jazz combo of Latin-infused drumming, wild-walking bass, and chord-hopping Fender Rhodes sets a motif up beneath the trumpet soloing of Ack van Rooyen. Though coordinated and together, each of the four musicians are quite adventurous and expressive in their performances, start to finish, but then at 5:08 we're cut back into the opening motif as if the middle jazz combo section never happened. Weird. One song inside another. (8.875/10)

4. "No Motion Picture" (19:56) opens as if Eberhard and Rainer had been a part of Terry Riley's 1960s experimental adventures into what we now call Minimalism. A minute is given to each round of the presented motif and then it's like they just push the reset/restart button--until 2:30 when everybody takes a sudden left turn into a plodding Fender Rhodes chord progression beneath which Peter Giger provides wave-like cymbal crashes and some kind of flute/recorder sound (it's Eberhard's ocarina!) generates an airy near-droning lead melody up top. At 3:45 Eberhard is let out of his cage while the others stop to rest (and observe) as the composer explores his new freedom over the fretboard of his double bass. What did Eberhard use to create this distinctive, perhaps unique, sound that now becomes his signature? By the end of the sixth minute we've shifted back to some variations on the opening two themes (the Terry Riley minimalism and the plodding ocarina motif). Nice, engaging slow descending chord progressions carry this forward until Rainer's Fender Rhodes (and the ECM engineers) sweetly bridges us into a motif with piano and electric piano making harmonizing arpeggi in the upper registers. I like this section, all piano, very much. (I've always like Rainer Brüninghaus' piano play: his melodic choices have a real deep and profound connection to my soul!) In the 12th minute it feels as if he's starting to climb out of it: so cool! So beautiful. Again, I can see where Brian Eno and Harold Budd (and maybe Philip Glass) got some of their inspiration. The Terry Riley/Soft Machine "Out-Bloody-Rageous" section that ensues is pretty cool, and then it's followed by a sparse drum and percussion solo section that sounds greatly inspired by African and Caribbean instrument sounds and stylings--for a bout two minutes--before revolving back to the Terry Riley/Soft Machine-like motif. Marimba leads the next percussion section starting at 14:30 and then once more back to the Riley-Softs motif with bass, horn, and synths now participating in the weave--before yet another unexpected return to the ploddingly-slow ocarina motif at 16:05. More varied and developed recapitulations of previously exposed themes carry the tune to its end. Wow! What an odd, unusual ride! 

     The most striking thing about this 20-minute song is how odd and hodge-podged all of the various expositions, developments, and recapitulations of the movements are; it's just like a symphony, only a weird one! I like it--very much--though I think they could have improved a few parts (why ocarina?) My favorite movement is, however, the five minutes in the middle (~7:00 to 12:00) when Rainer Brüninghaus is alone (with himself). (36.75/40)

Total time 40:07

While I am greatly appreciative of the creative sound and structural designs of Eberhard and, to a lesser extent, Manfred Eicher (I actually think his and engineers Martin Wieland and Kurt Rapp's editing is one of the more disappointing and detracting elements of these songs: they are no Teo Maceros), I do find the music of his successive albums, Yellow Fields, The Following Morning, and Fluid Rustle far more accessible and enjoyable. Still, Eberhard was 34-years old at the time of making this album: mature enough to know what he liked, as well as to compose some well-thought-out creations. This would be only the beginning of his peak period of masterful creations.

90.333 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of boundary-pushing Jazz-Rock Fusion.

83. FERMÁTA Fermáta (1975)

The debut album from this Slovakian proggy Jazz-Rock Fusion band from Bratislavsk´y kraj, it was recorded in Czechoslovakia for Opus Records in 1975. Straight out of the gates they prove themselves to be not only extraordinary musicians but excellent composers as well.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Frantisek Griglák / guitar
- Tomás Berka / electric piano, organ, synth
- Anton Jaro / bass, percussion
- Peter Szapu / drums, percussion

1. "Rumunská rapsódia (Roumanian Rhapsody)" (5:52) opening the album with something that sounds very much like LED ZEPPELIN on prog rock steroids. Guitar noodling and organ virtuosity on full display as the two instruments wend and weave their way in and around one another for the first 1:45, then a quick change into a FOCUS-like motif allows everybody to show completely different skills: guitarist Frantisek Griglák sawing away on a lead while keyboard virtuoso Tomás Berka switches to Fender Rhodes electric piano in order to continue to impress. Another bridge at the end of the fourth minute leads into a URIAH HEEP-like motif with organ supporting some wild flurries from both Frantisek and himself while bass player Anton Jaro is on near-Percy Jones rapid speed. Impressive! (9.25/10)

2. "Perpetuum II" (10:27) a long and oddly television-like intro of effects and low-key instrumental play that feels quite portentous but not quite threatening. Drummer Peter Szapu's increasingly-aggressive cymbal play at the end of the second minute signals an emergence from the primordial soup into something more structured and formed as Tomás Berka's odd marimba-sounding keyboard steps into the lead while Frantisek Griglák's guitar chords start getting louder and more sinister. A prolonged drum bridge in the fifth minute leads into a DOORS-like motif in which Tomás' keyboard choice switches to something more Canterbury-like (though no Canterbury keyboard player ever played this sound with such demonic feeling). Then the motif comes to a head with some very aggressive guitar shredding before turning down a much quieter one-way street for some pleasant storefront window shopping. Tomás' keyboard choice turns to organ with some high, piccolo-like note playing while Anton Jaro's underwater bass gets a turn to shine. Then mid-eighth minute the band turns onto a different street: driving against the flow of traffic! Yes, Frantisek's searing guitar play tells us how hard the upstream swimming is while the rest of the band drudges along in a heavy SABBATH-like motif. The 30-second finale finds everybody joining together to play a complex melody in a THIN LIZZY-like Celtic weave. Wow! Goblin on steroids! (18.25/20)

3. "Postavím si vodu na čaj (I'll Put The Kettle On)" (4:20) opening with a rock weave before settling back into a bucolic or dream-like tuned-percussion-like motif, they eventually settle back into a nice CAMEL-like rhythm track while Frantisek impresses in a very Andy LATIMER way. At 3:15 the band turns down a more ELOY, STARCASTLE, or even ALLMAN BROTHERS path for the final minute. Interesting mix--impressive play but not the most fluid construct or melody making. (8.875/10)

4. "Valčík pre krstnú mamu (Waltz For Godmother)" (7:03) blending an R&B/funk vibe with an Allman Brothers type instrument palette is quite creative and fresh. There are many moments that could also be construed as Focus-like Prog as well as Mahavishnu-like power fusion (and even some "Gates of Delirium"-like Steve Howe chaos at the end). And it all works! Brilliant! (14/15)

5. "Perpetuum III" (11:47) poorly recorded beach and wave sounds with Frantisek Griglák's Mahavishnu Orchestra "Birds of Fire" imitation building within as the drums, bass, and keys slowly build beneath. By the third minute the band is continuing on its Birds of Fire tribute with a "Resolution"-like resolution berfore peaking and switching into a Allman Brothers'-like jazz and bluesed up "Sweet Georgia Brown"-like passage. At 5:48 Frantisek's searing guitar bursts forth seeming to lead the band into something new, but instead sticking with the blues-jazz mock up for another half minute before turning down a bit of a BILLY COBHAM-like trail of funk through the mountain woodlands. Again Frantisek is in the lead with some impressive rock and almost-Mahavishnu-level guitar shredding. The rhythm tracksters remain iunwaveringly faithful in their support of their guitar leader, but their portion of the music starts to get a little stale as Frantisek remains unstoppable in his lead capacity. Despite my kudos to the band for attempting such a challenging mountain, I do not think they give the Mahavishnu Orchestra any competition. (I do not think that guitarist Frantisek Griglák is [yet] in the same league as the Mahavishnu.) (21.875/25)

Total Time 39:29

I feel that this album expresses the band's appreciation for as well as mastery of its rock roots while only slightly verging into the Jazz-Rock Fusion and/or symphonic progressive rock lanes; this is a more a rock album by some very talented/skilled artists with Jazz-Rock Fusion aspirations. At this point in the band members' developments I feel that guitarist Frantisek Griglák is a bit behind that of his band mates--especially keyboard genius Tomás Berka. But just wait: he's coming along.

90.3125 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece or even a minor masterpiece of jazz-infused rock music. 

84. MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975)

An album in which all of John McLaughlin's recent influences can be felt: Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Shakti/Indian music, the Classical Impressionists, even the raw Larry Coryell sound. Released by Columbia Records in February of 1975, it was recorded in December of '74 at Electric Lady Studios under the guidance of co-production team of engineer Ken Scott and band leader John McLaughlin.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / 6- & 12-string guitars, vocals
- Gayle Moran / keyboards, vocals
- Jean-Luc Ponty / violins (electric & baritone electric) (10 solo)
- Ralphe Armstrong / bass, double bass, vocals
- Michael Walden / drums, percussion, clavinet, vocals
With:
- Bob Knapp / flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals
- Russell Tubbs / alto & soprano saxes
- Steven Kindler / 1st violin (5 solo)
- Carol Shive / 2nd violin, vocals
- Phillip Hirschi / cello

1. "Eternity's Breath Part 1" (3:10) taking a bit to get started, the band eventually establishes a Hendrix-like power motif over which some Indian scales are recited and repeated by the new soloists (Ponty and McLaughlin) and choral vocals perform. It's okay. Sounds a bit juvenile. (8.66667/10)

2. "Eternity's Breath Part 2" (4:48) more group chant vocals à la MAGMA over some complex but tightly performed group rock-jazz. McLaughlin takes the first solo--sounding very different from his "normal" self--more like Carlos Santana. He backs down into electric guitar power chords while Jean-Luc takes the next solo. Grand piano and strings and McLaughlin take the next motif before returning to the "love supreme" Hendrix group chant. Impressive play from everyone--nice composition. No wonder Jean-Luc took Ralphe Armstrong with him for his next three solo albums (Enigmatic Ocean, Cosmic Messenger, and A Taste for Passion). (9/10)

3. "Lila's Dance" (5:34) solo piano opens this one (and finishes it), leading into a nice little classical construct. At the end of the third minute the music takes a radical left into blues-rock in order for McLaughlin to take a wild Hendrix-like solo. Nice musicianship; I just don't really like the music. (8.875/10)

4. "Can't Stand Your Funk" (2:09) rhythm guitar, funk bass and drums, horns. Not much here, really; it's like an étude of a OHIO PLAYERS or early KOOL AND THE GANG song. (4.25/5)

5. "Pastoral" (3:41) birds introduce a piece that sounds Indian musicians taking on a Western classical composer (like Elgar or Delius)'s rendering of a traditional folk tune. Weird and, frankly, a little unexpected and out of place on a Mahavishnu Orchestra album. Yet well played! (9/10)

6. "Faith" (2:00) an unusual splicing of three different pieces, one that sounds like Larry CORYELL's abrasive guitar. (4.25/5)

7. "Cosmic Strut" (3:28) this one feels like a Jean-Luc Ponty composition: so funky and straightforward in the linear setup for a successive series of jazz solos. Confirmed by the presence of Jean-Luc himself in the "key" soloist's spot. I like the horn accents! And the clavinet and funk bass. Rudimentary for Jean-Luc, but it does all work. (9/10)

8. "If I Could See" (1:18) Gayle Moran's operatic voice over theatric strings, bass and horns. Like a big WHO rock opera kind of thing. Interesting. (4.5/5)

9. "Be Happy" (3:31) Bled into from the previous song (!!) we are off to the Jean-Luc Ponty races à la his great piece, "Egocentric Molecules," from Cosmic Messenger. The presence of John McLaughlin's pyroclastic guitar bolts makes it a bit different, though. Again, Jean-Luc takes the prime soloist's spot but he's challenged to a duel there by the Mahavishnu himself. It's pretty epic and awesome seeing these two go toe to toe. (I'm sure they both LOVED it!) Jean-Luc's song is simply the perfect vehicle for this. (9.5/10)

10. "Earth Ship" (3:42) a contrastingly gentle recovery song: very smooth and ambient with Fender Rhodes, gently walking bass, and soaring distant violin and flutes within which what sounds like Narada's voice singing as well as some bluesy McLaughlin guitar snippets. Nice! (9.25/10)

11. "Pegasus" (1:48) like instruments in a void: first fiery electric guitar strums followed by wafting violin swaths, ending with more of the percussive-like heavily-effected guitar strums. I find this one very interesting--worth further exploration. (4.75/5)

12. "Opus 1" (0:15) a quickly passing falcon is barely seen as it soars past.

13. "On the Way Home to Earth" (4:34) Narada Michael Walden puts together his best, most Lenny White-like drumming while John explores the sounds of his heavily-distorted guitar. A short break in the middle and then Michael is up and drumming again, this time with John's less-adulterated exploration of the upper-most frets of his electric guitar. It's very Hergest Ridge-like when the organ chords sneak up from underneath. I actually really like this one too despite it feeling, again, like an underdeveloped étude. (9.25/10)

Total Time 39:58

I couldn't agree with Ivan Melgar more: I always felt more engaged and satisfied by the second incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The flash of the first incarnation never drew me back for reasons of pleasure, more for reasons of amazement and awe. And now, forty years later, I find Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire hardly listenable, while Visions and Apocalypse have a warmth and friendliness that invite me in and keep me wanting to come back. Understand: Goodman, Cobham, Laird and Hammer are amazing and impressive instrumentalists but it was like they were all just waiting for their turn to flash--to solo--not really making music or songs; the second incarnation the MO seem more cohesive, playing memorable music, cohesive, repeatable songs. The first incarnation are jaw dropping amazing; the second incarnation produced music I want to listen to.

90.29 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a very minor masterpiece of experimental jazz-rock fusion.

85. WEATHER REPORT Mysterious Traveller (1974)

Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter's fourth expression of their collaborative interpretation of "jazz-rock fusion" shows the band continuing their sound experimentation while adding some more form and multi-track engineering to the mix. Produced by Joe and Wayne, Mysterious Traveller was recorded at Devonshire Sound Studios in Los Angeles between November of 1973 and March of 1974 and then released in May-June by Columbia Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joe Zawinul / piano, Rhodes, synth, kalimba (7), organ (7), tamboura (7), clay drum (7), maracas (7), tac piano & melodica (5), vocals (1,7), co-producer
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxophones, co-producer
- Alphonso Johnson / bass
- Miroslav Vitous / bass (2)
- Ishmael Wilburn / drums
- Don Um Romao / percussion, drums (6)
With:
- Billie Barnum / vocals (1)
- Edna Wright / vocals (1)
- Marti McCall / vocals (1)
- Jessica Smith / voocals (1)
- James Gilstrap / vocals (1)
- Auger James Adderley / vocals (2)
- Skip Hadden / drums (1,4)
- Steve "Muruga" Booker / percussion (1)
- Ray Barretto / percussion (3)
- Steve Little / timpani (6)
- Don Ashworth / ocarina & woodwind (7)
- Isacoff / tabla & finger cymbals (7)

1. "Nubian Sundance" (live) (10:43) with this live performance--coming from quite an expanded stage lineup--we can definitely hear the "future" of this band's sound (including riff elements that will become "Birdland"). Newcomers Alphonse Johnson and Ishmael Wilburn sure bring a strong and steady presence to the rhythm section! This song also makes one wish for more vocals and/or choir presence in jazz-rock fusion. Though I still hear some of the textural approach to song and music building carrying over from their earlier albums (especially Sweetwater) I feel that there is a lot more polish and finish to this than anything from before. (18.75/20)

2. "American Tango" (3:42) a developmental step toward or preview of what will become "A Remark You Made." There's Joe still experimenting with the sounds he can get out of his synthesizers. (8.875/10)

3. "Cucumber Slumber" (8:25) gentle funk with congas to help usher along a fabric for Joe and Wayne to play over. Showing Joe still being enamored with his wah pedal effect on his electric piano. Not much on the top to make one shout out about this one. (17.5/20)

4. "Mysterious Traveller" (7:21) It feels odd to hear Joe's piano cuz it's been a while--and he's playing his electric one at the same time as well. Multi-tracking by Wayne on both his saxes. I like the way Joe is alternating his bass clef piano chords with the bass guitar's regular riffs. His electric piano play in the fifth minute is the song's highlight for me. (13.25/15)

5. "Blackthorn Rose" (5:05) a soft, spacious, and slow song of delicately played piano and sax. It starts out as a duet before Wayne's emotional playing calls for the joinder of a synth wash and melodica around the two minute mark. This one shows the duo definitely toying around with space as Joe's piano support of Wayne becomes very short-lived chords played in syncopated patterns. The final minute allows some normal piano play with a little more melodica. Cute. (8.875/10)

6. "Scarlet Woman" (5:43) wind sounds are gradually joined by soft timpani before some horn and synth horn blasts shock the hell out of us. The foundation is so spacious and atmospheric--like Native American drums being played outside on the Great Plains--which makes the unpatterned appearances of the horn and synth blasts so unsettling--even at the end of the song! The fourth minute sees some sax soloing during a longer stretch of quiet but then this is spoiled by a prolonged attack of the horn blasts. The song fades out with wind as if the Scarlet Woman had just been passing through the area of an Native American encampment--like a wild animal or spirit/ghost. Interesting. (8.75/10)

7. "Jungle Book" (7:22) more gentle spaciousness with human voices and odd percussion instruments with distant upright piano, bass, and ocarina all mixed together as if being viewed from some rocky outcropping above the campfire. Happy and celebratory--preceding some of those similarly happy and complex songs from Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays in the early Group days and especially with As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls. (13.25/15)

Total Time: 48:21

Man have the band progressed light years since their first two albums with much more development than usual on some of the songs while, at the same time, this may be the most cinematic of all of the Weather Report albums I know.

90.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of forward-moving yet-still experimental jazz-rock fusion.

86. BRAND X Unorthodox Behaviour (1976)

The debut album from Britain's answer to Return To Forever. The album was released by Charisma (UK) and Passport (US) on June 18, 1976, after having been recorded at Trident Studios in London in September and October of 1975. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Goodsall / electric, acoustic (7) & 12-string acoustic (2) guitars
- Robin Lumley / piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Moog
- Percy Jones / fretless bass, marimba (5), acoustic bass (7)
- Phil Collins / drums, percussion, tambourine, vibes (2)
With:
Jack Lancaster - soprano saxophone (7)

1. "Nuclear Burn" (6:20) Percy Jones inimitable fretless bass couples up with Phil Collins' extraordinary jazz drumming and Robin Lumley's tempering Fender Rhodes to lay down the foundations for John Goodsall's explosive John McLaughlin-like guitar shredding. Yet it's Robin's Moog that takes the first official solo--two minutes into the song. Phil takes Robin's fiery solo as a challenge and ups his chops to "duel" Robin before the John returns to recapitulate the main theme. Then things get really crazy as everybody tries sledding down the mountain together, barely keeping their balance and unity. Another main theme repeats before the upper end instruments quiet down so that Percy and Phil can really show their stuff. Amazing! Yes, it's all a show of "We can do Return To Forever, too" machismo, but it works: they do not fail to match all of the fire and skill, top to bottom, and even manage to show a little of their own uniquity along the way. (9.5/10)

2. "Euthanasia Waltz" (5:39) great 12-string acoustic guitar chords open and modulate the song while the dynamics shift according to which instrumentalist they wish to showcase. Percy and Phil impress the most, up front, but underneath it all both John and Robin impress as well. (9.125/10)

3. "Born Ugly" (8:13) a journey into mega-funk with the amazing Percy Jones leading the charge. (We KNOW he can play the funk from his sessions with Brian Eno.) The other boys in the band may just have a touch too much white in them to keep up with the Joneses, but they do put together an impressive and fairly enjoyable song. Robin Lumley's keyboard work is particularly interesting. Also, the in the dreamy middle section is very cool for its latent potentialities--as well as for the awesome Larry Coryell-like guitar shredding that rises out of it. You can certainly get the feeling that the four musicians are definitely putting their all into the creation and performance of this music--and Phil does finally get into his full funkiness with the final third of the song. (13.375/15)

4. "Smacks of Euphoric Hysteria" (4:26) melodically and structurally this one might just be a little too close/imitative of Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, and Al Di Meola's collaborations, but it stands up well side by side with the band that they are doppelganging. (9/10)

5. "Unorthodox Behaviour" (8:25) using band-mate Bill Bruford's snare sound can be advantageous, thinks Phil Collins, as he and Percy "Alphonso Pastorius" Jones play "straight men" to the quirky idiosyncratic play of the other two (as well as Phil's track on the vibes and Percy's on the marimba). A little too much playful experimentation might be good for practice, but for a studio album we like to have more meat and potatoes. (17.5/20)

6. "Running on Three" (4:37) fast paced with some solid rock forms and styllings (often reminding me of THIN LIZZY with the twin playing of John's guitar and Robin's keyboard). Phil is an animal on this one--making me totally think I'm listening to Lenny White--and Percy gets to run fast melodic à la Doug Rauch, while Robin settles into some excellent Chick Corea-like support work on the Fender as John's guitar plays some awesome Ray Gomez-Doug Rodrigues-like guitar leads. Wow! These guys can play! (9.33333/10)

7. "Touch Wood" (3:03) now for the acoustic side à la "Romantic Warrior": blazing acoustic guitar ceaselessly running, bowed acoustic bass and Danny Thompson-like stand-up with nimble piano riffing and acoustic guitar strumming with a little bit of Jack Lancaster's soprano saxophone before fading out. Interesting! I am most impressed by the instrumental sounds I hear that I rarely ever get to hear from these particular musicians.  (8.75/10)

Total Time: 40:43

There is no place for fluff or tame/smooth jazz here as this band launches with every intention of proving themselves to belong in the same conversations with RTF, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Eleventh House, Nucleus, Tony Williams and Billy Cobham. Listening to this album makes one wonder how Percy Jones and Phils Collins aren't in the general discussions of the greatest jazz musicians of their respective instruments. 

90.10 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of imitative high-powered jazz rock fusion; definitely an album every prog lover should own. 

87. DEDALUS Dedalus (1973) 

Recorded and released in Italy by Trident Records in 1973.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marco Di Castri / guitar, tenor saxophone, percussion
- Fiorenzo Bonansone / electric cello, Fender Rhodes, synth (3)
- Furio Di Castri / bass, percussion
- Enrico Grosso / drums, percussion
- René Mantegna / African percussion

1. "Santiago" (9:13) driven by a great bass line and some solid rhythmic support from keys and drums, the sax and electric cello get most of the solos on this long, very well produced jam. The spacey electric cello begins a solo in the middle of the song, allowing Fiorenzo Bonansone the chance to display the experimental use of the echo and sustain effects he's plugged into. This solo plays out for the remainder of the song--about five minutes worth. Reminiscent of some of the electronic sound experiments released on albums by CHICAGO, PINK FLOYD, or JEAN-LUC PONTY. (17.75/20)

2. "Leda" (4:30) an unexceptional first half yields to an amazing second half with simply stunning work from the Fender Rhodes. (8.75/10)

3. "Conn" (3:48) an oddly discontiguous intro opens this one for the first minute before a fully formed jazz tune is spliced in and played out for the next two-and-a-half minutes. (8.5/10)

4. "C.T.6" (14:02) the truest jazz song on the album, this one could have come straight from an RTF or Freddy Hubbard album. There are several sections, each with their own groove, pacing, melodic structure, and familiarity, from flourishes of John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Deodato, and Herbie Hancock. Nice Jerry Goodman-like play from the electric cello in the tenth minute. Not a prog song, this is an excellent jazz song, filled totally with jazz solos, jazz scales, and jazz drumming. (28/30)

5. "Brilla" (5:39) drums, bass, and beautiful Fender Rhodes play support to a gorgeous and sensitive solo saxophone in the lead . . . for the first 1:23. Then things stop, change directions, pick up speed, and shift into electric cello and fast-walking bass mode. Lead instrument switches to electric guitar and then back and forth, sometimes together, until 4:45 when we turn back onto a Coltrane-like sax-led "easy street," familiar to us from the opening section. (9/10)

Total Time: 37:12

For now I'll give it four stars--especially as I'm not sure how "proggy" this is--despite the avant use of space, electrified strings, and diverse keyboard sounds. Maybe further familiarity will cause it to climb to masterpiece status. I will add that it has incredible engineering/production for its time!

It is quite remarkable how narrow the window of productivity was for the artists of this amazing nation and yet how bright these stars shine. Also of interest to me is how these artists most typically produced only one, maybe two, album forays into the "experimental" fad that was progressive rock--again, a testament to how small the window of "popularity" this musical movement had. As a matter of fact, only five of the bands recognized in this list of masterpieces from the "classic" RPI period of 1971-1975 had more than two albums under consideration (PFM, Le Orme, Banco, Area, and Oliver/Cherry Five/Goblin).

A great, amazingly well-produced Canterbury-oriented jazz album. (from my 9/22/13 review on PA:) Presdoug is right: This is an album that deserves much more attention and recognition than it has (thus far) received. The other reviewers aptly cover the comparable bands though some of the uses of electronics reminds me of a less-avant DEODATO, too. Everyone seems to want to give Soft Machine or Weather Report credit for the style and sound of this band, but I think this group has far superior planning and less jamming, plus the instrumentation sounds are often quite different (the keys' sounds are much more diverse than Ratledge, more strings-oriented than Zawinal & Co.) Also, the guitarist sounds much more "straightforward" jazz, not at all like John McLaughlin (to me). I love the combination of the Coltrane, Freddy Hubbard/Chick Corea and Eumir Deodato feel of "C.T. 6" and the beautiful "Leda" and "Brilla." Side 2 definitely feels more jazz-oriented than Canterbury or Avant/RIO to me.

90.0 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a of jazz-rock fusion.

88. CHRIS HINZE COMBINATION Mission Suite (1973)

The first album in which Chris's solo work reflects a new direction--one away from the pastoral easy listening personal renderings of famous folk, popular, and classical themes. Something has got under Chris's skin and he is ALL ON BOARD with that Jazz-Rock Fusion thing! 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Cees See / percussion
- Wim Van Der Beek / percussion
- Henny Vonk / vocals, percussion
- Chris Hinze / composition, piccolo flute, producer, arrangements, flute, alto flute
- Gerry Brown / drums
- John Lee / bass, composition, arrangements, electric bass
- Rob Van De Broeck / electric piano
- Sigi Schwab / guitar, guest, twelve-String guitar, electric guitar

1. "Di-da-de-lu-da" (8:08) Chris must have heard the music and work of Michal Urbaniak and his stunning vocalist wife, Urszula Dudziak, because this song bears a very strong resemblance to the music that these two had been making in Germany before they emigrated to the United States (in September of the very year this album was released). (The Urbaniaks had, in fact, recorded an album at Keytone Studios in this same year.) This is full-pm Jazz-Rock Fusion, noting the fact that not only was Chris paying attention to what was going on in the music world around him, but that he was listening to his collaborators, interested in growing and trying new things, and a very quick study of new styles. The sophistication and maturity of this song when compared to the music on his previous albums is truly remarkable. And John Lee and Gerry Brown and the other jazz-oriented musicians on board must have been very pleased to be "let loose" to play with the reckless abandon that was all the rage in the Jazz-Rock Fusion world. (13.75/15)

2. "Mission Suite" (14:50) very high octane First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion, at times feeling like an amped up Miles Davis session for Bitches Brew, at others sounding very much like Mwandishi-era Herbie Hancock. Hearing John Lee let loose on his double bass during the middle section is awesome, with the gentle yet-supportive electric piano of Rob Van De Broeck. This is then followed with some unaccompanied solo electric piano. Henny Vonk's haunting Flora Purim-like vocalese returns--as does Gerry Brown's cymbal and light tom-tom play, as Rob Van De Broeck continues putting us to sleep. Chris's flute returns in the fourteenth minute to help take us to the end. I am here reminded of yet another "new direction" Chris has committed to with this album, and that is a more collaborative democratic leadership style. On his previous album releases Chris was almost never not in the lead, used supplemental musicians as mere "atmospheric thickeners" for the support of his flute. Now, this is not my favorite kind of Jazz-Rock Fusion: it's too loose and unstructured, but I commend Chris for his growth. (26.25/30)

3. "Deliverance" (11:20) Jazz-Rock Fusion that seems to be straddling the fence of whether or not it wants to be rock-pop like SANTANA or jazz-rock-classical fusion like Eumir Deodato, Herbie Hancock, or Freddie Hubbard. It gets good in the fifth minute as Chris really gets involved with his spirited flute play. He is really good! And the band rises to the occasion around him--as if inspired by his contagious and almost-reckless enthusiasm. Again I am more reminded of Mwandishi-era Herbie Hancock and friends during this motif. By the end of the eighth minute Gerry, John, and Rob really have the band cruisin' along with the force rivaling anything Chick Corea's RTF ever did--even in their peak Romantic Warrior days. (No wonder Gerry was chosen to take Lenny White's place for the end of the Return To Forever wagon train.) A song that gets better and better the further into the song you go. (18/20)

4. "The Ballad" (3:49) steady piano chord play with bass, drums, electric fuzz guitar, frantic flute and sitar pull off a remarkable little jam. (9/10)

5. "Bamboo Funk" (5:26) a song that starts very delicately--almost like a psychedelic folk song--but then it starts to turn into the real groovin' tune it becomes at the end of the first minute. John Lee's infectious bass play seems to amp everybody up as electric guitar, drums, and electric piano start really giving more in the second and third minutes. At 2:20 Chris enters with his flute--which becomes more and more impassioned as the song progresses--as everyone participating over John Lee and Gerry Brown's passionate play in the rhythm section begins to get infected. Actually, virtually everyone becomes part of the impassioned rhythm section of this great song--including Chris, Henny Vonk, and Sigi Schwab's manic-strumming 12-string acoustic guitar. How fun! What a great send off for both the band members and the album listeners! (9.5/10)

Total Time 43:33

I love the spirit of Chris Hinze's new direction--which results in some truly top notch First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.

89.80 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of surprising Jazz-Rock Fusion.