Part 7: Smooth Jazz: The Fourth Wave in the Evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion

 The fourth installment of my on-going compilation of personal reviews of Jazz-Rock Fusion's most notable studio albums is presented as a list of the albums from the 1970s that contributed to the movement toward the more radio- (and sales-) friendly sounds of Jazz-Rock Fusion and its related off-shoots. These groupings have, over time, become known as "Adult Contemporary" Jazz, "Smooth Jazz," "World Music," "Yacht Rock," and even "Elevator Music," "Ambient Music," and "New Age," among other, sometimes less flattering monikers. The albums on this list are segmented into two lists: one labeled "Masterpieces," the other "Other Great Smooth Jazz Albums."  

Though I consider bandleader, keyboard player, and producer Bob James to be the quintessential leader of the vanguard of the Smooth Jazz movement, there were signs of its existence and formation before Bob's leap to the forefront--for instance, with the musics of Antônio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Herb Alpert, Burt Bacharach, Frank Sinatra, Donald Byrd, Chris Hinze, Freddie Hubbard, Lonnie Liston Smith, George Benson, and Hubert Laws--but I believe it was Bob who brought smooth, melodic, easy listening jazz to full conscious attention in the U.S. of A. 

 The Masterpieces:

1. STEELY DAN Aja (1977)

Though popular and received a ton of pop radio play, this album was, to me, a masterpiece of "almost" jazz fusion. I mean, look at the musicians involved with the project it reads like a Who's Who of the Jazz fusion scene in LA in the mid-70s: Joe Sample and Larry Carlton of the Jazz Crusaders, Wayne Shorter, Steve Gadd, Victor Feldman, Tom Scott, Jim Horn, Chuck Findley, Denny Dias, Jay Graydon, Steve Khan, Dean Parks, Lee Ritenour, Pete Christlieb, Don Grolnick, Michael Omartian, Richard "Slyde" Hyde, Plas Johnson, Jackie Kelso, Lou McCreary, Bill Perkins, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Ed Greene, and Jim Keltner and Rick Marotta!!! FAgan and Becker orchestrating a fusin big band! Tight, one of the best recorded and engineered albums I had heard up to that point (so far superior to their previous albums in terms of sound engineering). The album sounds, to this day, like a sonic wet dream. After months of recording sessions and editing time ABC Records was finally able to officially released Aja on September 23, 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Donald Fagen / lead & backing vocals, synthesizer, whistle (2)
- Walter Becker / bass (3), guitar (2,5-7)
With:
- Larry Carlton / guitar (1-3,5-7)
- Denny Dias / guitar (2)
- Lee Ritenour / guitar (3)
- Jay Graydon / guitar solo (4)
- Steve Khan / guitar (4)
- Dean Parks / guitar (6,7)
- Victor Feldman / electric piano (1,3,7), piano (5,6), vibraphone (5,6), percussion (2,4,6)
- Joe Sample / clavinet (1), electric piano (2)
- Michael Omartian / piano (2)
- Paul Griffin / electric piano & backing vocals (4)
- Don Grolnick / clavinet (4)
- Tom Scott / tenor saxophone (1), lyricon (4), horns arrangements & conducting
- Wayne Shorter / tenor saxophone (2)
- Pete Christlieb / tenor saxophone (3)
- Jim Horn / saxophone
- Plas Johnson / saxophone
- Jackie Kelso / flute & saxophone?
- Bill Perkins / flute & saxophone?
- Chuck Findley / brass
- Lou McCreary / brass
- Richard "Slyde" Hyde / brass
- Chuck Rainey / bass
- Paul Humphrey / drums (1)
- Steve Gadd / drums (2)
- Bernard Purdie / drums (3,5)
- Rick Marotta / drums (4)
- Ed Greene / drums (6)
- Gary Coleman / percussion (4)
- Jim Keltner / percussion & drums (7)
- Venetta Fields / backing vocals (1,3,6)
- Clydie King / backing vocals (1,3,6)
- Sherlie Matthews / backing vocals (1,3,6)
- Rebecca Louis / backing vocals (1,6)
- Timothy B. Schmit / backing vocals (2,5,7)
- Michael McDonald / backing vocals (4,6)

Side One:

1. "Black Cow" (5:10) starts the album off with very cool groove. Once you've played this song you can't stop: you just have to play the whole album. Amazing background vocals and horns. Lyrically astounding. I love intellect in the lyrics. (9.25/10)

2. "Aja" (8:00) is without a doubt the coolest jazz song to get pop air play! The instrumental jam is mesmerizing! I love the electric piano, "Oriental-infused" instrumental section that starts early in the third minute that culminates, of course, with STEVE GADD's amazing drum play beneath Wayne Shorter's sax solo. (14.5/15)

3. "Deacon Blues" (7:37) like "Black Cow" this song just sucks you into the coolness of the groove. Sit back and enjoy the story, enjoy the incredible background vocals and tight jazz performances. Yacht rock at its finest. (14.5/15)

Side Two:

4. "Peg" (3:57)) the "big" hit from the album is, IMO, the weakest song on the album. Tight performances can't overcome a bit too much repetition. Amazing bass line from Chuck Rainey. I love Don Grolnick's clavinet. sweet guitar solo from Jay Graydon. Nice lyricon sax from Tom Scott. I never grew accustomed to (or liked) Michael MacDonald's voice. (8.75/10)

5. "Home at Last" (5:34) a "pop" song about Ulysses! I was and still am blown away by this song (it's my favorite on the album). The extended instrumental parts are sheer magic and bliss. I want to be tied to the mast!! (10/10)

6. "I Got the News" (5:06) sounds like a funked up "Kid Charlemagne"--very cool jazz piano work, nice bass and drum work--and very tight, precise performances across the board--it's just not melodic or engaging enough for my tastes--though I do like the second motif that starts at the two-minute mark. (8.75/10)

7. "Josie" (4:33) has one of the most infectious rhythm guitar riffs ever put to vinyl. Add to that another amazing bass track from Hall-of-Famer Chuck Rainey and super tight performances from the rest of the legions and POW! a great song that hooks you in and never lets go. I always hated that this song had to end! (10/10)

Total Time 39:54

To be sure, one of the iconic albums of the 70s--with every song evoking memories of sunshine and ease (my college days). A masterpiece that stands up over time better than 95% of the stuff that came before or since.

94.69 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an amazing, sure-fire, timeless masterpiece of pop jazz-rock fusion. It's also one of the best sound productions ever pressed to vinyl. Another on of my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of the "Fourth Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."

2. PAT METHENY Watercolors (1977)

The first glimmers of Pat Metheny Group patterns and behavior: welcome Lyle Mays and Danny Gottlieb into Pat's rather idyllic world! Welcome Pat and Lyle to the world of Manfred Eicher's ECM magic! Thank you, Eberhard for your presence and wizardry. Behold: a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion that portends a vein of the Domain that manages to  remain true to the spirit of the founders and creators of the sub-genre.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Pat Metheny / 6- & 12-string electric guitars, 15-string harp guitar
With:
- Lyle Mays / piano
- Eberhard Weber / bass
- Danny Gottlieb / drums

1. "Watercolors" (6:30) thus begins Pat's settling into the guitar sounds and group soundscapes that have become signatory to him and his collaborations. Take this song to the 1987, 1997, or 2007 "Group" and they'd all say, "Yep. This is our sound." After only knowing Eberhard Weber for his underwater electric bass sounds for 40 years, I find it such a pleasure to hear him playing within the "confines" and expectations of a standard jazz combo. And here we have a nice introduction to Pat's life-long collaborating companion, the great Lyle Mays--here only on piano but what a great start! The melodies, skills, jazzy phrasings, and clarity of sound are such a delight to hear. While I find absolutely no fault with this song, it does not reach out and grab my heart the way many of Pat and Lyle's future tunes will. (9.333/10)

2. "Icefire" (6:08) solo Pat on his 15-string harp guitar, offering a glimpse into the eternally-curious sound-pioneering side of one of Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, and progressive rock's most adventurous, creative, well-rounded, and skilled musicians. The strums of the harp chords get a little boring (thank goodness he takes a break from them in the mid-section of this), but the melody lines created by Pat's main fretboard are spellbinding and gorgeous--sometimes soul-crushingly so. (9.25/10)

3. "Oasis" (4:05) Pat opens this one by creating mirage-like waves with the finger-picking arpeggios of his 12-string guitar chords while Lyle and Eberhard support from beneath with ever-so-delicate sound waves that sound like plaintive animal cries. As nature-imitative as any music you-ll ever hear: befitting of Mark Isham's Never Cry Wolf soundtrack or something to accompany any desert videography. (9.75/10)

4. "Lakes" (4:46) a nice, melodic jazz piece that previews many future masterpieces (as well as Bob James' work for Touchdown and "Angela"). The cohesion and timing of the whole quartet is actually quite remarkable and should be duly recognized. Lyle's piano solo in the middle is, unfortunately, the only detractor from such a whole-group achievement as his role within the mix seems much more important than the expression of his own melodic ideas, and, thereafter, the band never really re-congeals as it had for the first two minutes while Pat finishes the song in the spotlight. Too bad. Those first two minutes were quite magical. (9/10)

5. "River Quay" (4:57) on this tune the band feels as if they are bending to the will and expectations of external/comercially-motived forces: here creating something that feels more fitting as a radio friendly, easy listening piece. Luckily, this will rarely be the direction Pat and Lyle forge for their music in the future. But, here we have an example of the Will Boulwaire/Rainbow-"Feel Like Makin' Love"-like direction they could have gone had they chosen. So much skill! (9.125/10)

- Suite:
6. I. "Florida Greeting Song" (2:32) some more loosely-constructed jazz that portends Pat's works with both Charlie Haden and Ornette Coleman--this despite the late establishment of a more-directional motif due to Pat's fast-strumming guitar play and Danny Gottlieb's fast-driving drumming. (4.375/5)

7. II. "Legend of the Fountain" (2:32) Spanish-sounding impressionistic jazz using nothing but Pat's solo guitar play. Quite lovely. I fail, however, to see the connection between the two movements of the "suite." (4.5/10)

-
8. "Sea Song" (10:18) opening with waves of Lyle's beautiful piano conjoined with Pat gentle finger picking of fairly static chords and Eberhard's gorgeous, long-sustained soft-horn-like bowed-bass notes. In the middle of the second minute Eberhard steps back, leaving lots of space for Pat to step forward--bringing Lyle with him. The two then wanders into a mid-section in which they seem to be meandering like mice over coastal grasslands--a section that lasts for over two minutes as the two weave their melodic lines over, around, and separate from one another. Then Eberhard returns with his now-signature fretless electric "underwater bass" play (as does Danny's active mostly-metal percussion play). All in all, it's quite lovely, quite evocative of a windblown Cliffs of Dover- or Carolinian Coastal-like look out over the expanse of sea. Well done, guys! Music really does not get much better than this, folks! (20/20)

Total Time: 41:48

The skill exhibited by these musicians throughout this album is rather astounding. Couple that with the sound that Manfred Eicher produces from his ECM recording and mastering and you get one pristine album of highly-precise and skillful rendering of exceedingly-high-quality compositions.

94.51 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of creative and innovative Jazz-Rock Fusion. Let the new masters and upholders of the Faith be known and worshipped! 

3. FREDDIE HUBBARD The Love Connection (1979)

At the time I was so into Chick Corea and had become a very recent fan of Al Jarreau. Plus, beautiful album cover. After buying the record it a was the amazing orchestration of Claus Ogerman that kept drawing me back in--the same man and lush sound that supported Diana Krall's work in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Freddie Hubbard / trumpet, flugelhorn

- Chick Corea / keyboards

- Chuck Damonico / bass

- Chester Thompson / drums

With:

- Stanley Clarke / bass (A1)

- Al Jarreau / vocals (B1)

Percussionists:  Jumma Santos, Rubens Bassini

Horn Section: 

- Buddy Collette, Ernie Watts, Joe Farrell, Tom Scott / saxophones [tenor] and flutes

- Chuck Findley, Snooky Young , Oscar Brashear, Steven Madaio / trumpets

- Dick Hyde, Phil Ranelin, Phil Teele / trombones

Conductor & Arranger, Co-Producer: Claus Ogerman

Concertmaster: Guy Lumia

1. The Love Connection" (8:17) Freddie Hubbard's trumpet has never ever sounded so good as this song. The amazingly air-tight groove from drummer Chester Thompson and electric bassist Stanley Clarke is amazing but then add Claus Ogerman's production values and the arrangement and recording of those amazing horns and you have a song foundation in which there's no way any performer could not be inspired to play their best! (19.5/20)

2. "Brigitte" (6:57) beautiful strings orchestra arrangement to open this one with double bass, piano, and sensitive jazz drums setting up Freddie for one amazingly beautifully tender performance: great melodies through the first two minutes before the tempo and dynamics jump a couple notches with walking bass line and accented drum and conga play. Nice to hear Chick's Vince Guraldi-like sound and solo in the fifth minute--and the way the horns take it back from him at the end of the sixth minute for a wonderful strings-supported recapitulation of the opening melodies to the end. (13.25/15)

3. "This Dream" (9:00) a Claus Ogerman composition, it opens with the orchestra's low end (horns) revealing the main melody followed by its repetition from the upper end (strings)and then Freddie joins in to give his phrasings. Very interesting interplay on this tense, almost-Wizard of Oz-feeling piece of ambiguity. I'm not sure if Claus and Freddie were able to resolve the tension before the jazz combo join in, but it was interesting to hear them try. Chick on piano, Chuck Damonico on double bass, and Chester Thompson on bare-bones brushed drum kit. Chick plays a nice sensitive solo in the seventh minute over the two rhythm instruments, then the orchestra swells and Chick goes Alice Coltrane glissando mode in order to clear the palette for Freddie and Claus to finish it off the way it started. A pleasant and engaging listen--very cinematic--reminding me of some old movie like Billy Wilder's The Apartment. (18/20)

4. "Little Sunflower" (9:20) strings, Chick, and Al Jareau, all at their absolute peak, One of my favorite jazz vocal songs of all-time. (20/20) 

5. "Lazy Afternoon" (10:02) the title says it all: and that's just the way I felt as this album side would run its course: all hyped up and blissed out by Al Jarreau, Chick and Freddy's "Sunflower," I would just lay back into the lazy-haze of the adrenal fall and fall asleep to the dulcet breathy tones of Freddie's trumpet and Claus's cinematic orchestrations over the song's first four minutes. But then Chick and the jazz-rock combo join in--with Chuck's surprising funk bass and the saxophone's playing off of Freddie's trumpet spits, but, alas! It's short-lived as the music moves back to soft jazz in the eighth minute for an extended close with just Freddy and Claus' orchestra. But, how appropriate. Those final notes alone make it all so worthwhile! (17.75/20)

94.21 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of funked up, mellowed down late 1970s pre-Smooth Jazz jazz-rock fusion. The rawness of the jazz-rock fusion that Tony Lifetime and Miles and Johnny Mac and Herbie the Headhunter and Carlos the Santana started has now been refined into what will soon become and be called "Smooth Jazz."

4. JONI MITCHELL Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977)

After two previous straight jazz-rock fusion album releases (The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira) and a very hectic touring cycle (most recently with Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Don Alias, Michael Brecker, and Jaco Pastorius--a lineup that would be captured on tape on the 1979 Mingus tour as the Shadows and Light 1980 album release), Joni's dissatisfaction with the rock-oriented studio musicians she'd been associating with left her seeking to strip things down into much more bare-bones jazz--a jazz form much less dependent on American studio musicians.   

Lineup / Musicians:

- Joni Mitchell / vocals, guitar, piano (4)

With:

- John Guerin / drums (1, 3, 4, 9)

- Wayne Shorter / saxophone (3, 4)

- Michael Gibbs / conductor (4, 9)

- Larry Carlton / electric guitar (5)

- Michael Colombier / piano (5)

- Jaco Pastorius / bass (1-4, 8, 9), bongos (6), cowbell (7)

- Don Alias / congas, clave (6), vocals (6), snare drum (7), sandpaper blocks (7), shaker (8)

- Alejandro Acuña / congas, cowbell (6), vocals (6), shakers (7), ankle bells (8)

- Manolo Badreno / congas (6), vocals (lead) (6)

- Airto Moreira / surdo (6), vocals (6)

- Chaka Khan / vocals (6, 7)

- El Bwyd / split tongued spirit (8)

- Glen Frey / background vocals (9)

- J.D. Souther / background vocals (9)

Disc One, Side One:

1. "Overture - Cotton Avenue" (6:35) multiple tracks with Joni's treated vocalise accompanied by an empty-concert-hall sound for her idiosyncratic acoustic guitar play opens this one before Jaco Pastorius' unique fretless joins in during the third minute. At 2:45 John Guerin's drums join in as Joni and Jaco settle into a structured song--"Cotton Avenue." Pop music taken to its jazziest extreme containing, of course, her inimitable delivery of her poetic lyrics. (10/10)

2. "Talk to Me" (3:40) a hard-drivin' acoustic guitar song supported by Jaco's distinctive fretless (on two channels). Incredible lyrics sung like a stream-of-consciousness harpy. (10/10)

3. "Jericho" (3:25) Joni, Jaco, and John are here joined by Weather Report saxophonist Wayne Report. He manages to squeeze a few notes and riffs behind Joni's non-stop singing, but, again, it's Joni's unusual melody-selection and the matching wildness of Jaco's bass note choices that rule the day. This was a song that was recorded earlier, live at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater in August of 1974. This version is so much better. Complete command, complete mastery, complete domination of the audience of one (me). (10/10)

Side Two:

4. "Paprika Plains" (16:19) a very long and protracted piano-and-voice piece that for some reason never bored or annoyed me, always sucked me in as I'd play the album through, over and over, back in 1977 and

1978. Michael Gibbs' orchestral contributions were equally mesmerizing, equally revered and enjoyed. The change in motif at 5:15 to what feels more like a piano sonata was always a bit disconcerting as, suddenly the feeling coming from the music was now more classical than jazz (though in reality, what is the difference), like something Debussy or Ravel--or even Fauré or Vaughn Williams--might have composed. (Perhaps this piece was the piece that got me started in my first exploration of Classical Music.) Joni and her piano bring us back to the opening motif around the 12-minute mark--and this time Jaco, John and Wayne join in--with a full-explosion of their vast sound beginning at 13:49. This is so good! Another song in which The Master of Words and Vocal Delivery mesmerizes and hypnotizes. She was so meant for jazz! Is there any lyricist better than her? (29/30)

Disc Two, Side One:

5. "Otis and Marlena" (4:05) what sounds more like a solo performance by Joni and her guitar, the sparse contributions of Larry Carlton, Michael Colombier, and John Guerin's snare are almost incidental. A lyrics-driven song that I've never really connected with. As such, it is my least favorite on the album. (8.66667/10)

6. "The Tenth World" (6:45) a percussion jam with five members of Weather Report, past and present. I have always loved this infectious jam of joyfulness. (14/15)

7. "Dreamland" (4:37) an extension or variation of the previous song with Joni in the lead vocalist and composer's driver seat despite the employ of the same cast as "Tenth World." Brilliant lyrics though the melody and hooks never quite did it for me. (8.875/10)

Side Two:

8. "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" (6:40) a song that has become legendary for the bloody hand Jaco Pastorius incurred from his insistence at performing his neck-length whole-hand bass guitar slides live, without a break, over the course of the entire six minutes of the song. (They could have looped it.) Even without Jaco's performance, this is another favorite of mine: electrified guitar with drums, percussion, and occasion, background vocals. (9.25/10)

9. "Off Night Backstreet" (3:22) back to the "big empty hall" sound for Joni's guitar (two channels?) but with John and Paco (in two channels), Michael Gibbs orchestra, and occasional background vocals. Some real high points in this (guitar and fretless bass), yet also some irksome moments (b vox). (9/10)

10. "The Silky Veils of Ardor" (4:02) solo Joni with a fast-pick and gentle strum approach to her guitar playing that harkens back to her more country-folk styles of years before. Nice song but kind of out-of-place on this amazing album--a downer of an ending for this otherwise superlative jazz record. (8.66667/10)

93.97 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an absolute masterpiece of bare bones vocal jazz and my #6 Favorite Album of All-Time.

5. JEAN-LUC PONTY Cosmic Messenger (1979) 

I am fortunate to have seen J-LP a few times in concert in my lifetime--and this tour was the first of them. The concert's opening is forever etched in my mind as one of the most amazing concert memories of my life. Opening with the album's title song, Jean-Luc proceeds to strike such unearthly sounds--more like screams--from his electric violin that people on the floor were literally covering their ears, turning this way and that with panicked expressions on their faces, trying to figure out where this never-before-experienced sound was coming from. It was incredible.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / acoustic & electric violins (4- & 5-string), organ, synthesizer, Orchestron, producer
With:
- Joaquin Lievano / electric & acoustic guitars
- Peter Maunu / electric & acoustic guitars, guitar synthesizer
- Allan Zavod / acoustic & electric pianos, organ, synthesizers
- Ralphe Armstrong / fretted & fretless basses

- Casey Scheuerell / drums, percussion

1. "Cosmic Messenger" (4:38) will always be my favorite Jean-Luc song because of the-above-noted amazing concert reproduction. The rhythm section is so tight here--too bad most Americans have never heard of these individual musicians cuz they're great. (10/10)

2. "Art of Happiness" (4:33) great bass and guitar play on this pretty-one dimensional song. (8.75/10)

3. "Don't Let the World Pass You By" (6:23) great synth start with guitars fading into the weave. Drums and bass elbow their way in before lead electric guitar and bass double up to bring in the melody line over a 90-second arc. The band then shifts gears and direction into a very tight hard-drivin' groove within which Alllan Zavod gets the first solo--about a minute's worth of synth magic before he (or Jean-Luc) switches to another synth for yet another minute of great stuff. Then, at 4:10, Jean-Luc is allowed to finally step in with his electric violin. He is so good: taking Zavod's stuff and putting it to shame! An Allan Holdsworth-sounding electric guitar gets a chance at 5:20 with Zavod competing with him just beneath. Great song. Everybody chugging along on full cylinders. (9.5/10)

4. "I Only Feel Good With You" (3:05) a stunningly beautiful song (as Jean-Luc was able to do more than any other J-R Fuse artist), synths and keys over gently-supporting rhythm play from Armstrong and Scheuerell and the rhythm guitarists. (9.75/10)

5. "Puppets' Dance" (3:40) never a favorite as Jean-Luc allows his band to take the Funk Road. Ralphe is good here, but the cowbell is too much. Guitars and violin weave together at first but then back off for Ralphe to show off a bit before returning for a recapitulation of their weave before backing down for Jean-Luc to soar away on his e-violin. (8.66667/10)

6. "Fake Paradise" (5:41) the opening 20-second weave sets up a great foundation for the guitarists and violin to have their time in the sun. Ralphe Armstrong is great. At 1:10 everybody remains steadfast over a suddenly shifting rhythm track. Interesting! Then the band returns to the first weave for a synthesizer  to take the first solo. Same rhythmic shift at 2:37 (must be intended as the "chorus") but this is when one of the electric guitarists is given the nod. At 3:55 everybody goes back to motif #1 for Jean-Luc's turn. (8.875/10)

7. "Ethereal Mood" (4:03) another one of Jean-Luc's hauntingly majestic beauties. Keys, guitar, bass, congas, second acoustic guitar, strumming, and then soaring electric violin à la the title song. At 1:34 Jean-Luc recommences his melodic solo but then, at 1:55, there is a wonderful short-shift of guitar strumming before everybody returns to the normal for some loose atmospheric violin play. The dramatic "short-shift" occurs two more times, at 2:49 to 2:57 and 3:08 to 3:18, to great effect as Jean-Luc continues to let us think he's fading off into the cosmos. Great song. (9.75/10)

8."Egocentric Molecules" (5:44) a high-speed classic--Casey Scheuerell's best--with one of the electric guitarists stepping up to take the first solo. After a reset bridge at the end of the second minute Ralphe Armstrong ably steps up to the fore giving us an electric bass solo for the ages. Wow! 3:10 reset. Now it's Jean-Luc's turn. Can/Will he be able to top Ralphe's amazing solo? I don't think so but he comes close, he just doesn't match Ralphe's two-note-at-a-time play. At the end of the fifth minute Ralphe's given room to go again, but he holds back due to the horn-like synth at play in the lower end. Incredible tune! Makes one realize how we've been holding our breathes for the past six minutes! (9.75/10)

Total Time 37:47

P.S. Has anyone ever considered all of the guys Jean-Luc has stood toe-to-toe with? Stephane Grappelli, Frank Zappa, George Duke, John McLaughlin, Narada Michael Walden, Jan Hammer, Alan Holdsworth, Daryl Stuermer, Peter Maunu, Joaquin Lievano, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Ralphe Armstrong, Randy Jackson, Rayford Griffin, Monty Alexander, Patrice Rushen and many more. He must be quite respected on his instrument in order to attract this kind of company.

93.18 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of fully-electrified, amazingly engaging, Jazz-Rock Fusion--definitely a Top 5 Album from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."

6. CHRIS HINZE - SIGI SCHWAB - EBERHARD WEBER - LALA KOVACEV Wide and Blue (1978)

Recorded February 1976 at Studio Barbarossa, München, Deutschland.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Chris Hinze / flute [alto], perscussion
- Eberhard Weber / bass, fretless bass
- Lala Kovacev / drums, percussion

- Sigi Schwab / guitar, berimbau

A1. "Danielle" (5:50) beautiful music with Lala Kovacev playing drums with brushes, Sigi Schwab playing electric guitar a little like George Benson, Eberhard spilling his oozing bass notes all over the mix (especially when exquisitely entwined with Sigi) and Chris Hinze leading the melody play with his lilting, soaring flute. Beautiful song! (10/10)

A2. "Fatima" (7:05) opens with Eberhard's bass exaggerating his fretless pitch-variance and some Middle Eastern percussion instruments (clay drums, big djembe-like drum) and saz (or oud) which evolves into more of a Middle Eastern jam (sans bass) in the middle. Eberhard returns toward the end, first as fretless bass player, then as neck-squeaker while the Arabic jam session intensifies and crescendos at the end. I love it! (13.75/15)  

A3. "Wide and Blue" (6:25) Lala on his drum kit for 1:15 before the rest of the band join in with a staccato blues chord progression, smoothing out into some nice smooth jazz patches before falling back into staccato-land. The next slide into the smooth motif they extend it into a nice swing so that Chris' flute, Eberhard's fretless, and Sigi's Benson-like guitar can play around: first Chris, then Sigi, all the while Eberhard and Lala sneaking around behind them like restless seconds on an improv stage. The weave writhing around within Sigi's chords around the five-minute mark are so cool! Then things smooth out at the end of the sixth minute for the polished finale. Very cool and unusual jazz! (9/10)  

B1. "Tales From Nowhere" (10:30) another loose jam that feels loosely-structured over another George Benson Breezin'"Masquerade"-like melody. At 2:30 the band settles into a rhythm-structured pattern that feels soulful as Chris solos on his flute but then turns funky as Eberhard and Sigi (and Lala) turn up the attitude. Very cool! Lala really takes it to another level, almost taking all the light from the rest of the band! Were it not for the amazingly cool things each and every one of the others are doing he would win! But then, at 6:25, everybody breaks it down, leaving each of the "resting" musicians to throw spits and riffs into the pond while Eberhard continues funk-loading. Gradually Eberhard leads the group out of the muck and onto some high ground to strut around and show off their new Cosby Kids clothes and hats. Great stuff! Not ever what I was expecting from this band or album. (19.25/20)

B2. "Thanks for Being Being" (5:05) more beauty and height-seeking emotion being led by Chris' flute and amply supported (and perhaps grounded a bit) by the others. The problem with this song is that it never really goes anywhere--never really achieves Nirvana. (8.875/10)

B3. "Do It Nice for Me" (5:35) a much more normal, if laid back Soul-Jazz piece that has some really comforting African-American textures, harmonic elements, and other tricks to make it sound like a seductive walk through late night Atlanta or something but then it goes into more rock 'n' roll jamming for the second half. I find myself thinking/feeling of the jazzy, late night smooth jazz side of Kool & The Gang, The Brothers Johnson as well as a jazzy jam by War. Inviting ambiance. Nice. (9/10)

Total time: 40:30

As said above: NONE of this was anywhere near what I was ever expecting to come from this quartet--even despite knowing the world music directions Chris and Lala had both chosen since their travels in the East. And the stanky funk, smooth soul, and sophisticated-yet-subtle R&B these guys can put out there is just so amazing!

93.16667 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of inventive and eclectic jazz-rock fusion that tips its hat to world music, smooth jazz, jazz-funk, soul-jazz, and even Kosmische Musik.

7. GEORGE BENSON Breezin' (1976)

Grammy Award winner and, at that time, the biggest selling Jazz album of all-time, in retrospect the album is definitely representative of a crossing-over from jazz or even any jazz-fusion into pure Smooth Jazz. Young drummer Harvey Mason would become a staple rock as a studio musician for many, many Smooth Jazz albums (as well as disco and pop) as are guitarist Phil Upchurch and keyboard genius Ronnie Foster. For me it is the work of Claus Ogerman that raises eyebrows. This is an album that is often cited and praised by audiophiles for its pristine sound clarity and definition. Breezin' was recorded under Tommy LiPuma's supervision at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California, on January 5-7 in 1976 and then released on March 19 by Warner Brothers.

Lineup / Musicians:

- George Benson / lead guitar, vocals

- Stanley Banks / bass

- Harvey Mason / drums

- Ralph MacDonals / percussion

- Ronnie Foster / electric piano, Minimoog

- Jorge Dalto / clavinet, piano

- Phil Upchurch / rhythm guitar

- Claus Ogerman / conductor

A1 "Breezin'" (5:40) a. Bobby Womack song, the listener is immediately greeted by the lush and uplifting Nature sounds of Claus Ogerman's orchestra, then Phil Upchurch's bass, Harvey Mason's solid rhythm forging drums, Ralph McDonald's tasteful percussion, and  Geoerge uses only his guitar to speak for him on this one but the whole band (and orchestra) are so tight! (9.5/10)

A2 "This Masquerade" (8:03) the Grammy Award winning cover of a Leon Russell song. Jorge Dalto's piano always surprises me, but then George's vocal mirroring of his guitar note-play did/does as well. Genius and virtuosic but never my favorite song even though I love Stanley Banks' bass play, Jorge's piano, and Claus Ogerman's orchestral contributions. (14/15)

A3 "Six to Four" (5:06) composed by rhythm guitarist Phil Upchurch, this is a song that  I remember as much for being played (and danceable) in the discos and parties at the time as anything else. I always found Ronnie Foster's MiniMoog solo in the second minute rather annoying--but I loved the clavinet! Also, the introduction and use of the orchestra in the second half only is/was pure genius! (9/10) 

B1 "Affirmation" (7:01) a cover of a José Feliciano song, this is my favorite song on the album and one of the reasons Side Two became the only side I would play after a while of owning the record. I guess I was a budding Yacht Rocker as this song has such a Steely Dan Aja feel to it. (14.75/15)

B2 "So This Is Love?" (7:03) a George Benson composition that has a very contemporaneous ISLEY BROTHERS yet also STEVIE WONDER feel to it. Brilliant orchestration and lovely disco dance potential. (14.25/15)

B3 "Lady" (5:49) a Ronnie Foster song that opens with some great orchestral work before nary a rock or jazz instrument even shows up. A top rating for the orchestration and bass-and-keyboard play would seem in order but there are some things in the melody that just don't work for me. It sounds very close to another great early-Smooth Jazz album that I loved from the same time: Earl Klugh's Heartstring. (8.875/10) 

93.166667 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion from the beginning of the Smooth Jazz phenomenon.

8. JEFF BECK Blow by Blow (1975) 

An album that I played till I had to replace it due to wear back when it came out, I had been a long-time and avid Jeff Beck fan (as I remain) before this release, I remember being quite surprised at the smooth, polished feel of this album, these songs--especially after more in-your-face rock albums like Truth, Beck-ola, Rough and Ready, Group (which we all called "orange"), and 73's Beck, Bogert and Appice, but then I also knew and loved his gorgeous work with Stevie Wonder on "Talking Book." He was by far and away my favorite guitarist at that time. This album made me appreciate Jeff's talent for control, restraint, and melody even more than his previous work. Plus it was an album that could be played as background music with a girl--which was essential at that point in my life. The song "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" remains one of the pinnacles of rock guitar musicianship--on a par with the legendary Roy Buchanan (a later discovery)--and one of the most beautiful instrumental rock songs ever created. "Freeway Jam" has always been one of my go-to pump you up songs. What a melodic hook and what guitar pyrotechnics! And "Diamond Dust" with its amazing orchestration has the emotional impact that I've rarely felt equalled besides Side One of Eberhard Weber's 1976 release, "The Following Morning." Pure gorgeousness. The contributions of producer George Martin (though many of which were denied due to record label contract disputes) are critical to the success of this album as are the uncredited contributions of funk by Stevie Wonder on clavinet, but it's Max Middleton's keys and the AMAZING drumming of 17-year old Richard Bailey that are the most essential. Blow by Blow was recorded in October of 1974 at George Martin's AIR Studios (Associated Independent Recording) in London, England, and then released on CBS' Epic Records on the 29th of March of 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jeff Beck / guitars
With:
- Max Middleton / keyboards
- Stevie Wonder / clavinet (7) - uncredited
- Phil Chen / bass
- Richard Bailey / drums, percussion
- George Martin / orchestral arrangements (5,9), producer

Five star songs: 8. "Freeway Jam" (4:58) (10/10); 6. "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" (5:42) (10/10); 9. "Diamond Dust" (8:26) (20/20); 3. "Constipated Duck" (2:48) (9/10); 4. "Air Blower" (5:18) (9/10), and; 5. "Scatterbrain" (5:40) (9/10).

Four star songs: the James Brown like 1. "You Know What I Mean?" (4:05) (8.75/10); the melodic funked up 2. "She's a Woman" (4:31)with its use of the Heil talk box that Peter Frampton would soon make mega-famous with his extensive use of it in his Frampton Comes Alive! January 1976 release (8.66667/10), and; 7. "Thelonius" (3:16) on which Steve Wonder's clavinet and Jeff's low-end "horn" guitar and Heil talk box take us on a ride that feels like a cross between Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" and Jimmy Castor Bunch's "Troglodyte" songs. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 44:44

While I have never considered this album a masterpiece (there are too many songs that I routinely skip--as I did even back then), it is a shining testament to an amazing artist--a guitarist with unsurpassed innovative creativity as well as a fearless ability to experiment, try new things, and grow. As I listen to the album in its entirety today--for the first time since the 1970s--I am shocked at how very like the work of the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA and Eumir DEODATO this sounds. In 1974 this was, I realize, representative of its time, but it also feels quite ahead of its time in terms of the way if successfully fuses so many of the styles and sounds that were popular at the time. I'm also quite astonished at how little credit I've (or anyone has) given to bassist Phil Chen. He's amazing! Especially on Side One (which is the side I usually skipped). 

93.04 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; without question this is a landmark album if only for the fact that it made guitar hero Jeff Beck into a household name. A timeless masterpiece of jazz fusion putting on display many of the styles popular at that time from one of, if not THE, best, most talented and gifted guitarists of all-time. Unfortunately, it is my personal opinion that, though this is technically a "Third Wave" Jazz-Rock Fusion album, that it is also one of the seminal albums for the upcoming "Smooth Jazz" phenomenon in which "jazz" or jazzified pop music became more accessible as a music for a wider audience of perhaps "low brain" public--a public who would not, under normal circumstances, give jazz music of any kind the chance to become part of their world much less the fabric of their beings.

9. JAN AKKERMAN Jan Akkerman (1977)  

Recorded in The Netherlands at Soundpush Studios in Blaricum as well as Morgan Studios in London, England, Jan Akkerman was released by Atlantic Records in October of 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jan Akkerman / guitar, composer & arranger
With:
- Joachim Kühn / keyboards
- Cees van der Laarse / bass
- Bruno Castellucci / drums
- Pierre van der Linden / drums (6)
- Nippy Noya / percussion
- Michael Gibbs / string & flutes arrangements

- Roger Webb / strings conductor

Let's start with Side 2:
B1. "Streetwalker" (6:59) has got to be one the ten greatest electric guitar songs ever recorded. Subtle accompaniment (though listen to those drums!) allow Jan to display his rhythm virtuosity before, between, and while (!) diving into several extraordinarily diverse lead techniques in his solos. The timing and emotion are extraordinary--even/especially that of the orchestra! What a composition! [16/15] 

B2. The rhythm/strumming work in "Skydancer" (5:14) is mesmerizing, though the song lacks a hook to really bring the listener into the song: it really sounds more like a track over which Jan gets to play around, over and over, trying to embellish the infinite variations of the chords and chord progressions he's experimenting with. At least, that's the first two minutes. Then it switches into a funk-fest of rhythm guitar freakishness before settling back into a more-jazzier style. Great interplay in the fourth minute between Jan's chords and Michael Gibbs' strings chords. The final minute alternates between funky guitar soloing, chord stroking, and the guitar-orchestra duet. [8.875/10]

B3. "Floatin'" (5:13) notes a reunion with Pierre van der Linden, friend and drummer extraordinaire from Brainbox and Focus days. (Jazz-Fusion drummer Bruno Castelucci performs batterie on all other songs.) The song only makes one one realize A) how much beyond the Focus era Jan already has traveled, B) just how good Bruno Castelucci is, C) just how Rock and Roll-oriented Pierre is, and D) just how much a better fit Bruno Castelucci is for this period of Jan's career. The opening melody lines are interesting for their StanleyClarke/"piccolo bass" sounds. Nice keyboard work from Joachim Kühn. Drums and keys get to shine the most on this one. [8.75/10] 

B4. The album's last song, "Gate to Europe" (3:03) is a minor-keyed work on the acoustic guitar with orchestral accompaniment somewhat prescient of the Claus Ogerman sessions (which are beautiful in their own right, though they are intended to augment and display Jan on his electric guitar). The guitar work in the piece has more of a Baroque classical feel to it than jazz or rock (almost Christmas carol-like). [8.75/10]

Now to Side 1:
A1. "Crackers" (4:19) is a very catchy disco-sounding song with more subtle, almost background, lead guitar work. There is a very nice foundational keyboard performance from Joachim Kühn playing piano and Fender Rhodes at the same time and a great tandem disco performance from Bruno and bassist Cees van der Laarse, but there is only guitar highlight: one feckin' amazing albeit oh-so brief lead guitar solo in the third minute (a tease of things to come); otherwise Jan's performance is mostly more display of his awesome rhythm guitar instincts and techniques. [8.875/10]

A2. "Angel Watch" (9:51) is a lushly orchestrated ten minute song in which the drums compete with, yet embellish and accent Jan's extraordinary work in first section (about three minutes). (Great bass play from Cees van der Laarse as well.) The second disco-fied section allows the bass some ascendancy while Jan's treated guitar spits and stutters just before a section of muffled Wes-Montgomery-like chord playing. The disco heats up as Joachim Kühn sounds Don Pullen-like on an acoustic (yes: acoustic) piano solo-which only gets Jan riled up as he takes over: flaming the other jazz artists to cinders with a flashy (though strangely soul-less) foray into speed for speed's sake. The final two minutes allows slap-bass and gentle strings to take the song out with a long fadeout. Wow. What a strange yet extraordinary ensemble piece--one that would fall flat on its face were it not for Michael Gibbs' orchestral bridging. [18.5/20]

A3. Side 1 ends with the gorgeous, etheric (not unlike some of Jean-Luc Ponty's pre-"Smooth Jazz" work around this same time), "Pavane" (5:32) The swirling keys accompanying Jan's chorus statement are too cool! The treated guitar effects that Jan uses here are not unfamiliar to the later Focus days, strumming not unlike the amazing Eli work, Jan is all over the fretboard and in and out of the time-space continuum (as we know it) with this one. The drumming, bass, and strings are simply too perfect in support. The song's dénouement is rather protracted: it's only weakness, in my opinion. [9.5/10] 

Total time: 40:13

I have recently been getting back into Prog, and this week, relistening to my considerable Jan Akkerman collection. This eponymous LP is simply blowing me away. I remember when I received it as a radio promo copy in 1977 how much I loved it, especially Side 1 with "Crackers," "Angel Watch," and "Pavane." But now, Side 2-the whole thing is just boggling my mind. The musicianship is extraordinary, even the Michael Gibbs orchestrations add such a lush, collegial atmosphere to Jan's unparalleled virtuosity. Since listening to all of my Focus discs, Eli, Tabernakel, and now this, I am prepared to dethrone John McLaughlin and proclaim Jan Akkerman as my favorite/the best guitarist ever! Akkerman can play! He can do it all: acoustic, lute, sitar, rhythm, jazz, classical, New Age, blues, and, of course, Rock and Roll! And this album is so well recorded! Kudos to Richard DeBois and Jan Schuurman. Were it not for the dated disco-ish rhythms and now-outdated keyboards, this would be a classic for the ages! Still, I can think of no other set of recordings that better displays Akkerman's virtuosity as a guitar player. Great emotion, amazing versatility in his stylistic approaches, literally unbelievable ease and fluidity of fingering and timing (stops, pauses and transitions). The variety of ways he can express himself within the framework of one song is astounding, mind boggling. 

93.01 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; hearing this album may be essential for any prog fan due to the guitar skills on display. Also, Jan Akkerman is a testament to the fact that both lush orchestral strings and disco can not only coexist but work well with jazz-rock. It's fusion, after all! Jan Akkerman is an album that has maintained a top ten ranking in my list of All-Time Favorite Albums ever since it arrived in my possession as part of a box of "promotional copies" sent to our college radio station (of which one of my suite mates was the manager) back in the Fall of 1977. (It currently sits at #10.)

6-20-2025 addendum: For three years now I've been on what I call a "deep dive" into the history of the musical phenomenon that has come to be known as "Jazz-Rock Fusion"--especially its "classic era" (1966-1980). During that time I have come to appreciate this album even more than I originally had, but more, I've come to really appreciate the other musicians involved in Jan's project: Michael Gibbs, Bruno Castellucci, but especially keyboard virtuoso Joachim Kühn. In fact, he has steadily risen in my estimation to rank among my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion keyboard players of the "Classic Era"--and this album is certainly a credit to his value to every album he contributes to: he is one of the masters of "fitting in" and masters of pleasing melodies, both of which I have come to truly appreciate. 

10. LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Visions of a New World (1975)

Recorded with Bob Thiele in New York City at Electric Lady Studios, July 18-20, 1975, Visions was then published by Flying Dutchman Records in September.

Line-up / Musicians:

– Lonnie Liston Smith / keyboards

- Greg Maker / bass (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Angel Allende / bongos, percussion (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Lawrence Killian / congas, percussion (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Art Gore / drums (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Wilby Fletcher / drums (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Reggie Lucas / guitar (A1, B3)

- Dave Hubbard / horns (A1, A2, B1, B3, B4), soprano sax (A4)

- Michael Carvin / percussion (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Ray Armando / percussion (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Clifford Adams / trombone (A1, A3)

- Cecil Bridgewater / trumpet (A1, B3)

- Donald Smith / vocals (A1, A3, B2), flute (A2, B1, B4)

A1. "A Chance For Peace" (5:18) opens like a heavier, funkier version of Herbie Hancock's "Hidden Shadows" before Donald Smith's Vernon White-like vocal and horn accents join in to present a WAR-like tune. Great groove! It also sounds like it could come from something composed by Barry White for his Love Unlimited Orchestra or War's "Slippin' into Darkness." I love the wah-wah-ed rhythm guitar, the Arp strings, the usual multiple percussionists hard at work, and, of course, Lonnie's pedaled and oscillating Fender Rhodes. Donald's vocal performance is so unusual for him--that natural smooth beauty is ameliorated by trying the direct, hard-punching approach more common to Vernon White and War's Howard Brown. Great song! (9.333/10)

A2. "Love Beams" (4:07) beautiful lazy-day-I'm-in-Heaven float music over which Donald return his beautiful flute playing. A song that could be repeated ad infinitum for the creation of a state permanent bliss. (10/10)

A3. "Colors Of The Rainbow" (5:53) Donald and Lonnie lining up again to worship the Earth Goddess. Beautiful music that succeeds in chasing out any and all demons of stress and anxiety. (9/10)

A4. "Devika (Goddess)" (5:14) beautiful love funk as "told" through Dave Hubbard's sweet saxophone. Greg Maker's laid-back bass play is so uber-cool! (9.25/10)

B1. "Sunset" (4:10) gentle late-night love-lounging music, perfect for sitting with one's cocktail on the tropical vacation home's veranda watching the sunset. Evokes one's natural stress reduction. Could use a little more dynamics, variation, or development. (8.875/10)

B2. "Visions Of A New World (Phase I)" (2:08) roiling ocean piano bottom turns into a rainbow of flitting, flying notes, prompting Donald to join in singing in his usual celestial voice, soaring high above the piano as he goes beyond words. (4.625/5) 

B3. "Visions Of A New World (Phase II)" (3:40) a percussion-fronted weave of gentle funk that suggests dancing--both slow dancing (with a partner) and fast dancing independently. The groove is definitely infectious, ending far sooner than the feet and core want it to. Could be another love theme to a scene in a Black sexploitation film. On a level near to that of Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness." (9.125/10) 

B4. "Summer Nights" (5:05) Man! can these guys match their music with their titles! Another great late night groove that seems to continue the mood set up by Side Two's opening song "Sunset." My guess is that the two were intended to kind of bookend the side as they do. Great work from Lonnie on both his Fender and his Arp strings play in support. I love the effects he's using on the Fender Rhodes on both his richly-textured left hand as well as the Vangelis Blade Runner-like lead up top. The use of Donald's very understated voice as a support instrument for the main melody as well as his almost-whispered slow repetition of the song title is so perfect! (9.25/10)

Total Time 34:55

Some of the greatest smooth mood music you'll ever hear. There is not a lot of dynamic jazz here but there are very few albums or artists that you will ever hear who so master the gentle moods as Lonnie and the Echoes do here. There is such little need for flash here: as a matter of fact it would be a detriment to the perfection of this music if anyone involved was seeking ego stroking. There really are no egos here! Just a collective trying to administer peace and bliss to the world.  

92.61 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a perfect album of Smooth Jazz: so smooth and yet somehow still maintaining the integrity of jazz through a gentle kind of funk. As a contingent of Jazz-Rock Fusion artists moves closer to the Smooth, Easy Listening, Adult Contemporary Jazz we find a few leaders in the group. Lonnie and his loyal band of Cosmic Echoes are in that leadership role and this album is one of the earliest and finest masterpieces of the movement.  

11. EARL KLUGH Heart String (1979)

An album that I always pair with George Benson's Breezin' for their roles in sucking me into the Smooth Jazz fold. With musicians Ralph MacDonald, Phil Upchurch and a very familiar orchestrated sound from Dave Matthews as well as a rhythm section that seems interchangeable with that of George's masterpiece, it is no wonder. Heart String was recorded in New York City at Electric Lady Studios in October and November of 1978 and then published in 1979 by United Artists Records.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Earl Klugh / nylon string acoustic guitar

With:

- Greg Phillanganes / keyboards (A1, A2, B1, B4)

- Phil Upchurch / rhythm electric guitar (A1, A2, A3)

- Ralph MacDonald / percussion (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B4)

- Hubie Crawford / bass (A3, B2)

- Charles Meeks / bass (A1, A2, B1, B4)

- Victor Lewis / drums (A1, A2, B1, B4)

- Gene Dunlap / drums (A3, B2)

- Mickey Roquemore / piano, clavinet, and arranger on (A3)

- Darryl Dybka / electric piano (A3, B2)

- Roland Wilson / bass (B2)

A1 "Heart String" (6:19) an earworm of a song with great support from Greg Phillanganes' electric piano. (9.25/10)

A2 "I'll See You Again" (5:48) the disco honorarium breaks down into two parts. Heavy use of the clavinet and many "classic" jazz/R&B/funk rhythm guitar inputs. (9.5/10)

A3 "Acoustic Lady Part I & II" (7:40) my absolute favorite song on the album and one of my favorite Smooth Jazz masterpieces of all-time. (14.75/15)

B1 "Spanish Night" (3:15) (3:15) cogitating piano dominates this one's opening before Earl and the rest take over with an obviously Spanish theme. Almost an étude or interlude. Love the tremolo strums of the steel string guitar in the final minute. (8.875/10)

B2 "Pretty World" (4:51) nice melody as if from a vocal with nice full band and orchestral support. (8.875/10)

B3 "Waiting for Cathy" (2:47) solo acoustic guitar, mutliple guitars on multiple tracks, together sounding like a Paul Simon song. Very nice and rich. (8.875/10)  

B4 "Rayna" (5:11) another absolutely gorgeous melody and overall guitar play surrounded by lush support from Dave Matthews orchestra and the electric piano, clavinet, percussion, bass and drums. In the fourth minute it tries to go into a more upbeat, dynamic "Acoustic Lady" direction but ultimately stops shortt. (9/10)

B5 "Heart String (reprise)" (4:01) cinematic strings open this like a late night Frank Sinatra/Nelson Riddle love song before Earl joins in to rehash his opening song's main melody in a much more slowed down, heavy manner. The flamenco-like flourishes after 2:15 (and again at 2:57) are so heart-wrenching! But, then, so is the orchestration. (9.5/10)

92.50 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early Smooth Jazz.

12. EBERHARD WEBER Silent Feet (1978)

A second quartet pulled together by Eberhard for some November recording dates in Ludwigsburg include previous quartet collaborators Rainer Brüninghaus and Charlie Mariano as well as Nucleus/The Soft Machine drummer John Marshall sitting in the place occupied by Jon Christensen on the previous year's Yellow Fields. Recorded in November 1977, it was released on ECM Records on March 1, 1978. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eberhard Weber / double bass
- Charlie Mariano / soprano saxophone, flute
- Rainer Brüninghaus / piano, synthesizer
- John Marshall / drums

1. "Seriously Deep" (17:47) besides benefitting from the amazing talents of Eberhard and John Marshall in the rhythm section, Rainer Brüninghaus' performance is one of his finest--not only in support of Charlie Mariano's beautiful and fluid saxophone soloing, but in his solo as well. (It is probably important to point out at this juncture that the man was only in his late 20s at the time of these sessions.) The melodic choices of the chord progression and soloists' themes throughout the middle section of this (Rainer and Eberhard, predominantly) are so gorgeous that I find myself fighting to hold back the flow of my tears. And it just keeps building and building as John's drumming becomes more and more animated, as Charlie rejoins and starts to soar into the stratosphere with his wonderful melodies and style. I wish this section never had to end! (I never thought I'd ever be able to like soprano saxophone ) The insistent play of John and Eberhard continue to remain at a high output level while Rainer and Charlie trade solos, finally turning into a duel--an all out war--in the 14th and 15th minutes, only starting to peter out in the sixteenth (though John shows no signs of tiring) and then settling down into a soft, gentle afterglow for the 17th and 18th, slowly taking us out to its compositional end. (33/35)

 
2. "Silent Feet" (12:10) the song starts out slowly, with contemplative Eberhard and Rainer each soloing off of one another. The conversation seems to become more delicate for a bit while John steps in to play his supportive cymbals after the first two minutes. Then, as Rainer seems to be carving out some momentum with his piano melodies, John begins to lay down some very jazzed up rock drumming. Rainer's piano phrasing and chord selection seem so much more dynamic and confident than he did two years before. And Charlie Mariano seems to effortlessly carve out such (to me) beautiful, upbeat and positve melodies, that I find myself brimming with emotion (and my eyes with tears) as I listen and re-listen to this song. And then there's the amazing repeat-glitch motif that starts at the eight-minute mark--which John Marshall eventually takes advantage to add his creative cymbal play. But, disappointingly, in the 11th minute it develops into something more plodding, militaristic, and simplistic--almost pop musical like. The final minute is occupied with further development of this Mr. Rogers Neighborhood/"pop" theme by Rainer and Eberhard before drawing delicately to a close. (22.5/25)

3. "Eyes That Can See In The Dark" (12:19) there's that ocarina again! or is it an Indian flute? Both! accompanied by percussion noises coming from scratchings inside the body of a piano as well as those from odd metal percussion before real piano, real saxophone, real bass and bowed bass, and real cymbals from a drum kit set up take over the provision of slowly-developing, slow-played melody of long-held notes and delicate cymbal play in support. Finally, at 5:20, Rainer's piano and John's cymbal pattern signal a turn into some real jazz, which is joined by Eberhard's buoyant and bubbly "underwater" fretless double bass play. Rainer's play is beautiful but it is Eberhard's unusual and unique phrasings that pull on the listener's attention. Charlie finally re-enters at the eight-minute mark with a gorgeous soprano saxophone melody that is doubled up by Rainer's piano. John's drum play--especially the snare--is a bit too rock 'n' roll for me--especially as Charlie goes soaring into the stratosphere à la Jerome Richardson on Gino Vannelli's "Storm at Sunup." I love how beautifully-melodic all of the musicians stay with and in support of Charlie's wonderful play. Now this is the kind of jazz I can get into and really enjoy! At 11:15 John cuts out and Eberhard moves to bowing technique as the band return to long-held note play to the finish. There are some real exuberant and joy-filled parts of this song--especially when Charlie is flying around on his sax--and then there are the "artful" patches of theme-suiting play that was obviously created for theatric effect (the two-minute intro). Overall, I come away with a very positive feeling--having thoroughly enjoyed the six minutes of upbeat, uptempo, beautifully-melodic in the second half--especially the Charlie Mariano-led section. My favorite piece on the album. (23/25)   

Total time 42:16

It feels as if there has been significant maturation of the playing styles of Charlie, Rainer, and Eberhard in the two years since their previous quartet album, Yellow Fields, sessions. As much as I love the drumming of John Marshal with Nucleus and The Soft Machine, and as awesome as he is on the opening song, "Seriously Deep," I think Jon Christensen was a better fit for Eberhard's music. And yet, as a whole, I love the use of so many more-accessible melodies and themes on this album. I do have to add the approbatory comment that I can think of few jazz or predominantly-jazz albums that I've heard in my lifetime in which the whole-band's melodic sensibilities connects with me, personally, as well as this one. Though each long suite is jinxed by less-than-pleasing parts, the overall impression left on me after each listening of this album (or even each of its individual songs) is one of joy, excitement, and exhilaration, which says something, right? What's more, these sentiments have only increased with each and every listen to the music--with headphones and without! Could this be my favorite Eberhard Weber album of all-time? Until recently, I'd never even given much of a chance to any of Eberhard's albums because of my undying and devoted love of The Following Morning, but hearing his performances as a sideman on those   

92.35 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of mature and calculated Jazz-Rock Fusion that comes across as something totally fresh and unique. What a great trio are Eberhard Weber, Rainer Brüninghaus, and Charlie Mariano! True simpaticos!

13. NOVA Vimana (1976)

Gone is the domineering blues-rock effect of Corrado Rustici's older brother, guitarist Daniele Rustici (Osanna), Corrado, Renato, and Elio are now partnering with seasoned British prog-rockers Phil Collins, Percy Jones, and the spiritually-illuminated Mahavshnu Orchestra alum, Narada Michael Walden (the album's producer) and the band is able to soar into unprecedented territory! Recorded in July and August of 1976 at Trident Studios, London, Arista Records released Vimana on September 7, 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Corrado Rustici / lead vocals, lead guitar, 6- & 12-string acoustic guitars, marimba
- Renato Rosset / Fender Rhodes, piano, Minimoog, String Ensemble, clavinet
- Elio D'Anna / soprano & tenor saxophones, flute, synthesized flute (6)
With:
- Percy Jones / bass
- Narada Michael Walden / drums, Fender Rhodes (6)
- Phil Collins / percussion
- Zakir Hussain / congas (6)

1. "Vimana" (7:18) the great 12-string guitar opening of this song and album I remember so well from 1977 for the way in which it fed my soul. Then add the soaring flute, Phil Collins-like drums, RTF second motif and out-of-this world bubbling Percy Jones bass lines and I was in heaven. Renato Rosset's keyboard work is so crucial to the whole sound that it sometimes gets overlooked but don't: It's amazing! And Phil (Collins)'s percussion work is also not to be ignored. But the real star, for me, was the incendiary guitar play and runs of guitar phenom Corrado Rustici (who was now a whole 20-years old!) The song as a complete "finished" composition doesn't always flow or make sense but the instrumental prowess and sound palette on display are superlative. (14/15)

2. "Night Games" (9:37) acoustic guitar opening that sounds like it could come from Al DiMeola or John McLaughlin, floating Fender Rhodes chords and arpeggi and more bubbling bass popping in and out of the void fill the first 90-seconds of this as subtle cymbal and percussion play also sneak in here and there, but then Elio D'Anna's insistent soprano sax enters and announces its leadership in establishing a melody--one that is matched note for note by Corrado's dextrous electric guitar. The music stays surprisingly spacious even up to the point at the end of the fourth minute when Corrado's treated-voice breaks through in song. Renato's four/five chord keyboard progression paces the song slowly forward until something seems to break loose at 5:18. Thereafter we return to a spacious void in which Narada Michael Walden's intermittent staccato drum flourishes and Renato's clavinet chord play provide the only solid steady backdrop over which Elio, Percy, and Phil add their occasional inputs. Corrado returns to front and center around the seven-minute mark with another foray into singing just before unleashing an ungodly barrage of machine gun guitar runs--some of my favorite obtuse lines ever. It's over before the start of the ninth minute, the band returning to the spacious main theme for more lyrics and more sax, drum, and bass displays before Corrado and Percy take us out with their rapid fire artifice. Very interesting song--again expressing a very unusual compositional style. (18/20)

3. "Poesia (To a Brother Gone)" (5:11) all acoustic fare like the opening of RETURN TO FOREVER's "Romantic Warrior." Steel-string acoustic guitar, flute, and piano--the band's core--all displaying their lightning speed skills. Impressive (especially Renato Rosset!) but, once again, failing to feel like something concrete and "finished" has been displayed. (8.875/10)

4. "Thru the Silence" (5:43) the drummer gets to open this one. Funky bass, clavinet, and fast-picked guitar chords with Narada Michael Walden's driving drumming provide the base for Corrado's singing. At 1:45 the band switches into. a more Latinized motif with all kinds of percussion work, wild screaming saxophone and bouncing clavinet Probably my least favorite song on the album, there's nothing really wrong with it--and it's one of the few songs that actually feels "finished"--but it lacks the melodic or astonishing hooks. Plus Narada's able drum play is close to being on the disco spectrum. The instrumental fifth minute (to close) is the best part with Percy's bass play, Narada's drum play feeling more Lenny White-straight ahead, Renato's clavinet and Minimoog and Corrado and Elio spitting out the same machine gun lines. (8.75/10)

5. "Driftwood" (10:03) my favorite song on the album--one that haunts me in the best way--opens with some very atmospheric slow-played, volume-pedaled, "distant" guitar play while cymbals, synths, and tenor sax flit in and out of the spacious mix for the first two minutes. In the third minute, things setttle into another spacious, atmospheric pattern over/within which Corrado's odd voice gives his best, most impassioned performance backed by some extraordinary flanged strummed acoustic guitar. As he concludes that "I must destroy you" his love all hell breaks loose at 5:40 with sax and guitar absolutely shredding the skies with the army of band mates following the charge. But then calm is restored around the seven-minute mark despite the fact that Corrado's surprisingly Zen Buddhist lyrics assurance that the destruction is inevitable. A small squall of whole-band cacophonoy precedes a rather beautiful and wholly-ambiguous exit. Such a fsacinating song! The detachment toward such underlying existential violence and is extraordinary!  (19.25/20)

6. "Princess and the Frog" (7:44) a rather simply-structured ABACAB song with straight time and straightfoarward piano chord construction turns out to be a convenient vehicle for some more fiery displays of guitar and drums as well as some silly Minimoog play rather disappointingly dull percussion play (from Phil and Zakir Hussen, no less!) The two-part song is halved at the five-minute mark by a bleed over into riverside birdsong and gentle Fender Rhodes arpeggi over which some guitar, synth strings, and light-hearted male laughing occur. The motif feels lifted from Minnie Ripperton's "Lovin' You" and seems to be just waiting for her bird-like vocals to step in. I also think that Andreas Wollenweider must have heard this song (and album) before he set forth the composing and recording of his 1981 classic, Behind the Gardens - Behind the Wall - Under the Tree . . . . (14/15)

Total Time 45:36

I have to admit that Vimana is one of my secret favorites from back in the day. There was a time when I was trying to collect anything and everything that fretless bass virtuoso Percy Jones touched. Thus, I stumbled upon this one. Boy! was I sucked in by the entirety of this excellent album. Corrado Rustici's guitar work astounds me to this day (and to think that he would go on to production Hall of Fame with his work with Whitney Houston and others!) Narada Michael Walden is awesome and I, for one, love the "cheesy" Sri Chimnoy-inspired music, titles, and lyrics of he, (Devadip) Carlos Santana, and (Mahavishnu) John McLaughlin. Each song presents atmospheric sections of heavily treated guitars and keyboards which then invariably build into fiery soli from either sax man Elio d'Anna or axe man Rustici. The only straightforward song is the finale, "Princess and the Frog," which is quite catchy. "Driftwood" and "Vimana" are among my all-time favorite songs from the 70s. Not a masterpiece but definitely one that I'd recommend to any prog lover!

92.08 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of proggy jazz-rock fusion. One of my 20 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion albums from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."

14. BENNY BAILEY - EBERHARD WEBER - SIGI SCHWAB - LALA KOVACEV Islands (1977)

Recorded at Studio Barbarossa, Munich, May 25 & 26, 1976 and is generally agreed to have been released on Enja Records early in 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Benny Bailey / trumpet, flugelhorn

- Eberhard Weber / bass
- Lala Kovacev / drums
- Siggi Schwab / guitar, sitar

A1. "So Far As I Know" (8:54) pretty straightforward jazz played with a little of Siggi's George Benson-like guitar stylings while Eberhard & Lala stay pretty straight and narrow. Benny Bailey is not a terribly impressive trumpeter to me. The song's best moments come from Siggi--both in his solo section and his rhythm support. (17.625/20)

A2. "Estrelle" (9:51) a 90 second intro of descending double-steps from both Eberhard and Siggi set up Lala for a hard driving rhythm track over which Benny performs strongly as if he's channeling Freddie Hubbard! I guess he can play! Eberhard, Lala, and Siggi are all over the place in a really cool motif supporting Benny's long solo. At the four-minute mark Benny finally yields, to Siggi, who plays a fairly standard slightly-flanged jazz guitar solo. This dude is talented! Meanwhile, there is no rest for Eberhard and Lala as they continue to play beneath--until a quieter sixth minute when there is a subtle hand-off to Eberhard for his turn in the limelight. I like Siggi's Jan Akkerman-like rhythm support! All this while Benny must've gone out for a smoke cuz he doesn't return until the eight-minute mark when he steps back into the lead to take the song to its conclusion over the rhythm section's Disco beat. (18.3333/20) 

B1. "To Fly Or Not To Fly" (6:42) some serious funk over which Benny really pours out the Freddie Hubbard histrionics: just blowin' it out! The fretwalkin' bass play of Eberhard and the constancy of Siggi's rhythm guitar work and Lala's tight drumming remind one of James Brown's old JB's--even when Siggi gets his solo in the fourth minute his play is so tight, so subtle and nuanced, whereas Eberhard's solo in the fifth minute is more audacious and bold. These guys are so good! (9.125/10)

B2. "One Of Those Love Songs" (4:33) dreamy, floating on top of the gently rolling Mediterranean Sea music, though Benny's trumpet solo seems to come more from a bygone era--from the Sixties. Those flange effects that it seems that all of the other instruments are being fed through are really powerfully sedating. Nice melodies from Benny but, again, he's projecting from a nostalgic place in his past whereas Eberhard and Siggi seem to be dreaming of their last August vacation in the Greek Isles. (9.25/10) 

B3. "Remember The Islands" (9:11) despite the occasional presence of Benny and his muted flugelhorn this song carries so much of the feel and stylings of JAN AKKERMAN's self-titled album from earlier in the year that I can't believe that Siggi, Lala, and Eberhard hadn't been listening to it before/during these sessions OR if the recording information can be trusted, perhaps Jan and his crew had been listening to Siggi and Lala over the past year (since Jan and Kaz Lux had recorded their extraordinary Eli album) and it is they who are influenced by Benny's rhythm section. (19.25/20) 

Total time: 39:21

91.98 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of wonderfully-eclectic and forward-looking hybrids held slightly back only by the band-leaders sometimes-"old style" horn playing. 

15. RICKIE LEE JONES Rickie Lee Jones (1979)

Another, I'm sure, surprise to all of my readers; from the very start I have considered Rickie Lee Jones as  a jazz artist with her sophomore album, 1981's Pirates one of my Top 20 Favorite Albums of all-time and one of the 1980s great Jazz-Rock Fusion albums.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Rickie Lee Jones / vocals, guitar, piano, percussion, background vocals, composer
with:
Guitars: Buzzy Feiten, Fred Tackett
Bass: Red Callender, Willie Weeks
Drums: Andy Newmark, Jeff Porcaro, Mark Stevens, Steve Gadd, Victor Feldman
Keyboards: Mac Rebennack, Neil Larsen, Ralph Grierson, Randy Kerber, Victor Feldman
Synthesizer: Michael "Bobby" Boddicker, Randy Newman
Horns: Chuck Findley, Ernie Watts, Tom Scott
Percussion: Mark Stevens, Victor Feldman
Mandolin: Fred Tackett
Accordion: Nick DeCaro
Background Vocals: Arno Lucas, Joe Turano, Leslie Smith, Matthew Wiener, Michael McDonald

Co-composer for "Weasel and the White Boy's Cool" and "Company": Alfred Johnson

Orchestra Arrangements on "Coolsville" and "Company": Johnny Mandel

 

Side One: 

1. "Chuck E.'s in Love" (3:29) a quite-unique song that never really drew me in while it was pummeling we radio listeners but impresses with those unique, nuanced vocal abilities and confidently original songwriting and delivery style. (8.875/10)

2. "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" (2:32) an intimate, emotional performance by Rickie with only simple piano and Nick DeCaro's beautiful orchestral support. Rickie sounds so young and vulnerable. An amazing performance (amazing that it was captured on tape). (11/10)

3. "Night Train" (3:15) opens like a Willie Nelson song before Rickie's incredibly soulful voice scats around while using slurred/barely enunciated words. Like so many folk-, country-, acoustic-, and gentle "Yacht rock" songs of that era (Stephen Bishop, The Eagles, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Brown are the first examples that come to mind.) (8.75/10)

4. "Young Blood" (4:04) STEELY DAN-like music highlighted a great multi-voice (Michael McDonald-dominated) chorus. (8.75/10)

5. "Easy Money" (3:24) blues jazz seemingly from a long lost era of Billie Holiday types. (8.75/10)

6. "The Last Chance Texaco" (4:08) one of my all-time favorite songs from the 1970s--incredible poetic metaphoric lyrics delivered with amazingly-sincere-sounding emotion. (10/10)

Side Two:

7. "Danny's All Star Joint" (4:00) funky Americana jazz with some incredible singing of hilarious lyrics. (8.75/10)

8. "Coolsville" (3:49) another emotionally-rendered and delivered song on a par with "Last Chance Texaco." How in the world can this young lady (25-years old) sing with this kind of genuine-sounding torch singing? (9/10)

9. "Weasel and the White Boy's Cool" (6:03) more jazzed-up Americana (Steely Dan style). Another wonderfully unique vocal delivery by one of the master's of distinctive vocal singing. (9/10)

10. "Company" (4:49) another song from the album that is pillared by a twin--this time in the form of "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963"--such a vulnerable, nuanced, ingenue-like performance. How is this possible from a 25-year old? Can she already have experienced the degree of pain and heartbreak that one would need to draw from in order to perform these songs with such persuasive honesty? (9.75/10)

11. "After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight)" (2:38) piano and a very-tired-sounding little girl saying good night. It almost sounds as if she's saying goodbye to life--like a suicide note. (9.5/10)

91.93 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of pop/Americana-infused blues-jazz-rock. What a debut! But listeners couldn't possibly be prepared for the stunning masterpiece that was next: 1981's Pirates. 

16. HERBIE HANCOCK Secrets (1976)

Yet more evolution in the HH line-up of collaborators: only horn player Bennie Maupin remains from the Mwandishi lineup, and bassist Paul Jackson from the Head Hunter days. Besides the new sounds, the work of Melvin "Wah-Wah" Watson as both multi-instrumental performer and co-composer of five of the seven songs is particularly notable. The man was a creative force! 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Herbie Hancock / piano, electric piano [Fender Rhodes, Yamaha Electric Grand Piano], synthesizers [Arp Odyssey, Arp String Ensemble, Micro-Moog, Oberheim Polyphonic], clavinet [Hohner D6], effects [Echoplex]

- Paul Jackson / bass (A2 to B4)

- James Levi / drums A2 to B4)
- Wah Wah Watson (Melvin Ragin) / guitar, synthesizer [Maestro Universal Synthesizer System, Maestro Sample & Hold Unit], talkbox [Voice Bag], bass, vocals (A1)

- Kenneth Nash / percussion (A2 to B4)

- Bennie Maupin / soprano saxophone, tenor sax, saxello, lyricon, bass clarinet

With:

- James Gadson / drums and vocals (A1) 

- Ray Parker / guitars; vocals (A1) 

- Art Baldacci / vocals (A1)

- Chris Mancini / vocals (A1)

- Don Kerr / vocals (A1)

- Fred Dobbs / vocals (A1)

A1. "Doin' It" (8:00) funky rhythm guitar, bass, and "Voice Bag" all performed by Wah Wah Watson while the James Gadson and Ray Parker team helped out on the sides. Herbie's Fender Rhodes sounds pretty standard but the clavinet, organ, and synthesizer work alongside the "Just keep on doin' it" vocal chant is wild and definitely mega-funky. Do they think their Sly & The Family Stone? or the Ohio Players? Great funk tune that is especially notable for all of the advanced sound technologies used (and how they're used). (13.5/15)

   
A2. "People Music" (7:07) cool Bob James-like funk-lite tune within which Bennie Maupin plays some weird horn (most likely the lyricon though it could be the saxello) to smooth effect. The song has many twists and turns, stops and starts, including a complete change in direction around the three-minute mark into a really cool spacey synth section over which Herbie helps re-establish the funk with his Fender Rhodes solo. I love Paul Jackson's bass play as well as the sophisticated compositional structure and spacey synth presence--and the fact that it just keeps getting better the further you get into it. (14.5/15)   

A3. "Cantelope Island" (7:06) there's nothing like the revisitation to an old classic (now a "standard") from one's own repertoire and compositional legacy. I actually love how Herbie and Billy Cobham have been unafraid to "update" their popular/iconic compositions as there is so much to be said for the technological (and stylistic) progressions presented in each successive decade. While I like this version--it's pretty wild on the sound and solo side--but there's something that feels a bit like drag or a "too cool for your own shoes" attitude coming through. It's also difficult when you love the original. (13.333/15)  

B1. "Spider" (7:20) dramatic like a film soundtrack song (think Shaft), this one harkens back to the Fat Albert Rotunda album in its urban soundtrack feel; one can just picture the montage of scenes as Huggy Bear, Bootney Farnsworth and/or Biggie Smalls walked through the streets of Harlem or Chicago's South Side. Cool, fun song with lots of virtuosic-though-understated individual work. (13.75/15)

B2. "Gentle Thoughts" (7:01) more gentle Pop-Funk with Wah-Wah and Herbie laying back while Bennie solos again on lyricon (and/or saxello). Nice melodies and interesting sounds being melded together, but, again, the similarities to the music Bob James was now making are not unnoticed. (13.5/15)
 

B3. "Swamp Rat" (6:25) back to some really complex (and, I would think, demanding) funk that somehow still manages to come across as smooth and laid back. I love the syncopation being demanded of all performers--with Paul Jackson, Herbie and Wah Wah Watson particularly stepping up to the task. Interesting that Bennie's sax solo starts out far in the background but then slowly, gradually moves to the front and center. Was that an engineering choice or due to Bennie's distance to/from the recording microphone? The song becomes much more animated as it goes, even threatening to derail--but not if drummer James Levi can help it! (9.3333/10)

B4. "Sansho Shima" (4:50) Bennie Maupin's lone composition on the album, the song definitely brings the band back into some of the more jazz-oriented super-funk that was being explored by the more jazz-dedicated purists of the time (and beyond). Very demanding hyper-speed jazz performances are herebeing demanded of the musicians. Well met! Not as engaging of a tune as the previous ones but definitely impressive (9.125/10)

Total Time: 48:01

The performances are all loose and relaxed though tightly-synchronized: this band feels well-oiled and all on the same page. The compositions are all sophisticated and interesting, requiring virtuosic skills to perform, though some fall into the Bob James vein of Smooth Jazz that is beginning to take over and will soon dominate the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom. 

91.62 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of funk-leaning Jazz-Rock Fusion that covers the spectrum of both hard-core jazz as well as the insidious pull of the more commercially enticing and easy listening movement toward Smooth Jazz.

17. IDRIS MUHAMMAD Power of Soul (1974)

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studios in New Jersey during March of 1974; Conflicting information regarding its release date: some say KUDU Records released it on April 14, some say June, some say November. Regardless of when it was published in 1974, this an album that is filtered through the preferences and tastes of producer, arranger, and keyboardist Bob James--as advertized in big bold letters on the album cover (which in itself was quite an unusual touch for the day).

Line-up/Musicians:

- Idris Muhammad / drums
- Grover Washington Jr / soprano and tenor saxophones
- Bob James / keyboards
- Gary King / bass
- Joe Beck / guitar
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion
- Randy Brecker / trumpet, fluglehorn

A1. "Power Of Soul" (7:07) one of the more aggressive, dynamic and funky tunes you're likely to hear from a Bob James produced album--yet this is still honed in, tightly reined, to prevent it from going too loose, too free, or too complex and cerebral like the direction the Mahavishnu Orchestra pointed the way toward (a direction favored and appreciated more by musicians than consumers). (13.375/15)

A2. "Piece Of Mind" (9:24) a Smooth Jazz piece that fits easily into the Bob James lexicon of perfection. Great sound. Great melodies and chord progressions. Great solo and individual performances. So easy to like and enjoy. Great Smooth Jazz. Grover Washington, Jr. is especially impressive on his tenor sax. (17.875/20)

B1. "The Saddest Thing" (7:10) a soft, gentle, orchestrated Smooth Jazz piece that feels like the warm ocean breezes so prevalent and comforting in the Florida, the Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. Randy Brecker's smooth flugelhorn and Grover Washington's soprano sax are perfectly suited to the overall ambiance but it is the incredible rhythm guitar playing of Joe Beck that is, for me, the most impressive. Gary King is great and Bob's own Fender Rhodes play is impeccably solid. (13.375/15)

B2. "Loran's Dance" (10:39) a bluesy, moody piece on which Bob and Idris have chosen to use an interesting (different) snare drum sound (one that reminds me of those used by Post Rock bands like TALK TALK and drummer Steve Jansen). The slower, methodic pace allows for a lot of room for the rest of the musicians to inject their creativity, which is really nice--and which results in some really fine performances from not only the soloists (Randy, Grover, Joe, and Bob) but each and every one of the rhythmatists: Gary, Joe, Idris, and Bob can all be heard, studied, admired quite easily. A truly exceptional song--one of those ones that makes the whole Smooth Jazz idiom quite tolerable. (19.5/20)

Total Time: 34:22

It's not that I don't like or respect the fine work Bob James did for so many artists and for music, he definitely attracted great musicians to his studios and created beautifully-arranged, -recorded, and -produced albums. Where I have a problem with Bob's legacy is in the influence he had on the homogenous direction that Jazz-Rock Fusion took--that toward the more commercially-successful Smooth Jazz formats. Smooth Jazz was, to my mind and ears, a compromise of the Jazz spirit of exploration and experimentation with technique and compositional forms. The single most alluring and charming aspect of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement, for me, was the unbound license to try new things--to push boundaries far beyond the known structures and combinations that existed before. Under the Bob James auspices of musical form and sound there would/could never have been the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brian Auger's Trinity, Hermann Szobel, Tony Williams' Lifetime, Teo Macero's treatments of Miles Davis live music and studio sessions, Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi albums, no Wayne Shorter or even Weather Report albums. (I smile as I muse about the possible studio session interactions between Bob and the likes of a Miles Davis, Sonny Sharrock, Ornette Coleman, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin, or Bill Bruford!) To my mind, the Bob James Effect is similar to that of the effect that Manfred Eicher's "ECM Rules" (one take, no overdubs) had on music. (I happen to prefer the Eicher Effect for the free, natural, and more-human [i.e. flawed] results that came out of them as opposed to the pristine, easily digestible, melodic, easy listening fare that came out of studio sessions with producer Bob James. Though melodies created out of chromatic scales have been difficult for me to ingest and process, I have, with education and effort, found greater tolerance, comprehension, and, more frequently, enjoyment from them--often because I understand the artists' backgrounds and intentions and because I have grown in my appreciation of the skill and knowledge possessed by the "deviant" artists (who are actually quite the opposite--often highly-intelligent, very hard-working geniuses). In summation, the incredibly talented musicians who contributed to this album I believe were coerced, either insidiously through continuous pressure from external economic forces (the perceived need to earn money) or overtly (from managers, record companies, or producers who were under the pressure from the record labels that they served), into performing within certain boundaries and rules with the aim of the creation a more broadly-accessible and enjoyable (and, therefore, commercially viable) form of watered-down, more homogeneous music.

91.61 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of smooth Jazz-Rock Fusion--an early indicator of the dominant direction that J-R F would be taking over the rest of the decade.

18. DAVID AXELROD Strange Ladies (1977)

This is an album that shows David's growth and maturation as a songwriter and band leader: the music here is much more full and sophisticated than the work he did in the 1960s that led to his fame. He has figured out how to blend his orchestral with the laid back, jazz-rock funk that he burst onto the scene with on his famous tribute to works of William Blake in Song of Innocence. The bass, guitar, keys, and horns are definitely offered much more freedom to be creative, to be flashy, and to show off their own skills and ideas here than they were the albums from a decade before. While I miss Carol Kaye (who wouldn't?), the bass playing by JIm Hughart is quite exceptional. As with Song of Innocence, David's genius for spreading the melodies of his music across the entire band is displayed here--maybe at times even more successfully (like on the amazing "Terri's Tune"). At times the orchestrated approach makes one feel as if you're listening to a film or television soundtrack, but that doesn't matter because it's just great, eminently enjoyable music! Period! Definitely my second favorite of David's discography (which includes the two Electric Prunes liturgical renderings in 67 & 68). Strange Ladies is generally agreed upon to have been released in 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:
Bass - Jim Hughart
Cello - Anne Goodman, Nat Gershman
Concertmaster - Bobby Bruce
Conductor - Earl Palmer (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
Conductor, Written-By - David Axelrod (tracks: A3 to B2)
Drums - Earl Palmer
Guitar - Billy Fender, Jay Gradon
Horns [Reeds], Woodwind - Buddy Collette, Ernie Watts, Jackie Kelso (tracks: B1, B3), William Green
Keyboards - Don Randi
Percussion - Mayuto Correa
Trombone - Benny Powell , Jimmy Cleveland
Trumpet - All Aarons , Bobby Bryant
Vibraphone - Gene Estes
Viola - Alex Nieman , Gary Nuttycomb , Rollice Dale
Violin - Arthur Brown, Bobby Bruce, George Poole, Janice Gower, John Santulis, Marilyn Baker

A1. "Aunt Charlotte" (4:46) a long strings intro is slowly joined by bass, funky clavinet, and trumpet with horn section support and a near-disco Rocky-like palette (and feel). It's peppy with that clavinet and Rocky-like trumpet, but perhaps a little too cheesy. (8.875/10)

A2. "Mujer Extrana (Strange Lady)" (9:18) a gentle, slow and steady melodic build (coming from the militaristic drum-paced rock combo) that feels a lot like a kind of bluesy R&B "Thrill Is Gone" like song. It then shifts at the 90-second mark with the addition of some new, discordant/counterpoint chords from the orchestra that bring in a little tension build up. The bluesy-rock Latin funk music continues with Don Randi's keys providing the most dominant forward momentum despite feeling a part of a whole-band weave throughout. A bass solo ensues for about 45 seconds before guitar, Rhodes seem to vie for the next solo but are then overthrown by loud orchestra swells and a rather insistent flute. At 7:20 a little reset lull allows everyone to kind of congeal into a whole-band march toward the finish line where it seems that only the snare and bass are strong enough to cross the finish line. Cool song! (18/20)

A3. "Tony Poem" (4:50) Jim Hughart's funky Anthony Jackson-like bass along with Earl Palmer's expert drums and Don Randi's clavinet and electric piano along to reinforce it make for quite an introduction to this wonderful album's great sound and comforting groove-cruisin'. In the end, though, it just might be a little too cheesy in the way it pulls at the listener's "white man's overbite" dance strings. (8.875/10)

B1. "Mrs. O.J.A." (5:38) more of the gentle funk from the studio band is led this time around by the chord play of Don Randi on the Fender Rhodes, then a great little bass solo from Jim Hughart before the horn accents enter in the second minute. This is great use of the horns to amplify and contrast with the song's awesome funk chord progression, followed up by a great Jay Graydon's guitar solo as the spacious play of Don Randi's Fender Rhodes continues to steer the song down the river. The trumpet solo in the fourth and fifth minutes is a little over the top, but the entry and weightiness of the string and horn sections' chords help to offset it. (9.125/10)

B2. "Terri's Tune" (6:44) an absolutely perfect piece of music: I am amazed how smoothly David spreads his melody-carrying work among the entire ensemble. Then in the middle of the fourth minute there is a curious pause--which lasts a little longer than is normally comfortable--but then sees the best of the song rising out of its reset--with some great clarinet soloing from Jackie Kelso in the sixth minute. The final two minutes of the song offer what feels like the album's very best music and motif. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful. (10/10)

B3. "Sandy" (5:44) long solo bass intro is eventually joined by finger piano-like acoustic guitar, doubling up the bass's near-classical melody line. Second time through the guitar breaks off to make its own harmonizing melody line before the orchestra's flutes and winds take over to claim their own melody. Strings-backed rock combo then pick up a a gentle, slow and steady melodic build that feels a lot like a kind of Jimmy Webb song. Beautiful! Acoustic guitars remain the lead instruments--working in tandem--until the four-minute mark when Don Randi's Fender Rhodes takes a turn. Here the rhythm section does an excellent job of support as the guitars turn into the accent-providers while the soothing strings float around in the heavens above. Nice! (9.125/10)

Total time: 37:00

91.43 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of masterful blending of jazz-pop combo and full orchestra. Awesome and highly recommended.

19. ART FARMER with JOE HENDERSON Yama (1979)

After years of resisting the Jazz-Rock Fusion bug--remaining steadfastly loyal to the Post Bop world--Art teams up with an all-star group of J-R Fuse veterans to produce a wonderful contribution to JRF's Fourth Wave 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Art Farmer / flugelhorn

- Joe Henderson / tenor saxophone

- Eddie Gomez / bass

- Steve Gadd / drums
- Will Lee / electric bass

- David Spinozza / guitars

- John Tropea / guitars

- Don Grolnick / keyboards

- Fred Hersch / keyboards

- Warren Bernhardt / keyboards
- Sammy Figueroa / percussion
- Suzanne Ciani / synthesizer, programming
- Mike Mainieri / synthesizer, vibraphone

A1. "Dulzura" (8:21) Nice melodies and keyboard and drum support of a Smooth Jazz tune that was originally composed by Clare Fischer. In my opinion, bassist Will Lee tries a bit to hard to emulate (or "be") JACO PASTORIUS. (17.75/20)

A2. "Stop (Think Again)" (6:48) awesome Latin Jazz-Rock Fusion: lively and spiced with great performances from top to bottom. And, believe it or not, this is cover of a BEE GEES composition! (14/15)

B1. "Young And Fine" (6:43) a bluesy, wee-hours-of-the-early-morn cover of a Joe Zawinul song. Art's muted flugelhorn and Mike Mainieri's vibraphone fit really nicely into the tender fabric created by the rest of the band. (9.3333/10)

B2. "Lotus Blossom" (8:23) this one is composed by the band's own Don Grolnick. It unfolds and flows rather quickly, sounding a lot like something transitional between sophisticated (big band) jazz and the future wave of Smooth Jazz. I like the key role that Mike Mainieri's vibraphone chords play beneath Art and Joe's solos. Will Lee's rolling jazz bass still sounds a little like "baby Jaco" but it's mixed low enough in the mix to not distract--until, that is, the fifth minute when for whatever reason someone in the production booth decided that the volume on his bass track should suddenly be turned way up! (17.75/20) 

B3. "Blue Montreux" (6:58) a snappy, easy to engage with Yacht Rock tune--credited to Mike Mainieri. Probably my favorite song on the album: It's just too hard to get out of your brain once you've heard it--and that's even before you've been exposed to the "borrowed" melodic hooks from recent pop songs (like EARTH, WIND & FIRE's "Can't Hide Love"). (14/15)

Total time: 33:01

Nice melodic Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion with the most notable elements being Will Lee's attempt to sound like JACO PASTORIUS. Too much.

91.42 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of high-quality Fourth Wave (pre-Smooth Jazz) Jazz-Rock Fusion.

20. IAN CARR'S NUCLEUS Out of the Long Dark (1979)

The studio album return of Ian's long-time collaborator, saxophonist Brian Smith. Also, gone from the fold is wonderful bass player Roger Sutton, but watch out: here comes the funky fretless play of New Zealander Billy Kristian.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Ian Carr / trumpet, amplified trumpet, flugelhorn, RMI electric piano, co-producer
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxes, flute, alto flute, percussion
- Geoff Castle / Fender Rhodes & Yamaha electric pianos, synthesizers
- Billy Kristian / bass guitar
- Roger Sellers / drums, percussion
With:
- Neil Ardley / ARP & Odyssey synthesizers
- Richard Burgess / percussion
- Chris Fletcher / percussion (3)

1. "Gone With the Weed" (3:25) great "smooth" Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion of the Herbie/Donald Byrd kind with some cool electric piano stuff underneath and some great trumpet play and trumpet and sax interplay up top. Billy Kristian's adept bass play is obviously being doubled up by guitar and keys while an uncredited rhythm guitar (could this possibly be a wah-wah-ed keyboard?) fills the spaces during the rhythm section's frequent stops and restarts, moving toward an unexpected Disco finish. Excellent energy: so vivacious and fun. (9.333/10)

2. "Lady Bountiful" (9:17) smooth, rolling bass and keyboard foundation provides the safety net for Brian and Ian to take turns up front--Brian using his soprano sax in a very satisfying (not annoying) way with those rich keyboard chords buoying him from beneath. You know I'm not a sax fan but this is quite nice. Piano is next, creating a pond of lullness while everyone steps back to watch for a few seconds. The band returns to support more of Brian and Ian's tandem interplay for a while before another break gives Billy Kristian the spotlight for a bit. Piano and trumpet join in while Billy continues holding down the groove (with embellishments), now playing off of one another, taking the song like this (sans drums) to the end.  I like and appreciate this but it's not a very memorable song. (17.5/20)

3. "Solar Wind" (7:33) I love the long, drawn out development of notes, chords, themes, and motifs on this song. There are even some smoothed-over sounds and themes that feel as if they'd come from a Return to Forever album or Jan Hammer's concurrent output. Though everyone performing on this one hits all the stellar highs, I want to give a special shout out to the very satisfying contributions of the percussionists. I love how the rhythmatists of the final run present a motif that sounds like Talking Heads' "The Great Curve" while Brian and Ian play their smooth melodies. (14/15)

4. "Selina" (4:06) the main theme presents a lot like Miles Davis' classic tune from 1959's Kind of Blue, "All Blues," the big difference is a kind of Steely Dan feel and attitude from the keys and sax. The horn section definitely fit right in with the horn melodies of Cannoball Adderley, 'Trane, and Miles on "All Blues." Even Ian's solo with his muted trumpet in the third minute totally conjures up Miles' play on the song in question. The biggest difference here is Billy Kristian's explosive bass lines: they're very different from those of Paul Chambers. Plus the Latin percussion from Richard Burgess. Still, this is a very fun, highly-nostalgic and winning emulation of a great old tune by some great, very capable next-gen players. And great sound engineering! (9.25/10)

5. "Out of the Long Dark (Conception)" (7:29) another long, slow moving mood piece that sees Ian using a mute over his trumpet--and he's occupying the spotlight for the vast majority of this one. Brian is playing a mellifluous flute over the tropical night mood music of the rest of the island cabana band: he's part of the mood but also making his ethereal commentaries/mimicry of Ian's cool muted horn (which reminds me of a lot of Mark Isham's work in the 1980s). Nice melody making, nice trumpet playing with very solid support from the late night cast--especially Neil Ardley's subtle Lyle Mays-like underscoring of Brian's flute and Ian's trumpet. Quite lovely--and perfectly arranged and recorded. Noteworthy. (14.125/15)

6. "Sassy (American Girl)" (5:13) coming across like a Steely Dan number--like a cross between "Peg," "Josie," and "I Got the News"--there are a lot of quirky, happy elements congealing into one funky tune. The Tony Banks Duke electric piano is especially prominent. (9.25/10)

7. "Simply This (The Human Condition)" (4:28) Billy Kristian is locked into a funky groove with Roger Sellers right there with him as Neil Ardley's synthesizer riffs, Geoff Castle's Fender Rhodes, and the horns fill in some of the spaces over the top. Again, I feel the need to bring light to the amazing sound engineering: the imaging makes one feel as if one is sitting on stage with the band playing around you, for you. (9.25/10)

8. "Black Ballad (Ecce Domino)" (6:56) wandering and meandering, stopping and stutter-starting, this jazz song still has more of a Bob James/Freddie Hubbard/Steely Dan Smooth Jazz feel to it than any of the other songs on the album. The riffs that make up the main motif are rather pop-oriented (Steely Dan), the solos pretty and melodic with very little dynamic surprises, and the drumming fairly Steve Gadd-like. It's nice--it's pretty--it's just not as jazzy as I like from my J-R Fusion artists. (13.25/15)

9. "For Liam" (0:58) solo flugelhorn from Ian that sounds like a day- or life-closing homage--a gentle, peaceful bugle call like "Taps."

Total Time: 49:25

A lot more tendresse and emotion-provocative melodie than I'm used to hearing from Ian & Co. but not enough to make it sound syrupy or maudlin--this is not Ian's concession to the trend to create money-making Smooth Jazz or Yacht Rock: the arrangements are still quite sophisticated and jazzy, fully-challenging his wonderful cast of virtuoso contributors 

91.389 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of sophisticated pre-Smooth Jazz Jazz-Rock Fusion. It happens to be one of the greatest albums from the very end of the 1970s that I've heard . . . ever!

21. PAT METHENY GROUP Pat Metheny Group (1978)

Forming his first "Group" with two musicians he had met and played while in Florida's University of Miami Frost School of Music and, later, under the supervision and mentorship of Gary Burton, plus Lyle Mays whom Pat had met in Kansas at the Wichita Jazz Festival (in 1974--where they both recognized immediately their musical kinship). The album was recorded in January 1978 in Oslo, Norway, and then released by ECM Records in March of 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Pat Metheny / 6- & 12-string electric and acoustic guitars
- Lyle Mays / piano, autoharp, Oberheim synthesizer
- Mark Egan / fretless bass
- Dan Gottlieb / drums

1. "San Lorenzo" (10:16) one of Pat and The Group's perennial concert representatives, it does have an iconic feel (perhaps augmented by the way The Weather Channel used to stream Pat's works--including this song and the next--as part of the background/accompanying music to their animated and photography-populated meteorological screens). I've never been very impressed by the work of Mark Egan or Dan Gottlieb much: their work serves, holds space, supports, but it's not like the nuanced mastery that Steve Rodby and/or Paul Wertico (or Antonio Sanchez) convey in later configurations of the "Group." (17.75/20)

2. "Phase Dance" (8:25) a song I always liked for its catchy, smooth poppy melody lines. Plus, it's a motile, moving piece of music that continues to reveal and excite the listener with its twists and turns and great melodies. Late-Seventies Jazz-Rock Fusion does not get much better than this. (20/20)

3. "Jaco" (5:40) I'm not feeling the feel of the title's referent--and Mark Egan is doing absolutely nothing (outside of Bob James' Gary King sound/styling) Also I don't get the move into the near-Disco beat for most of the second half. This is just stereotypic Smooth Jazz to me. (8.75/10)

4. "Aprilwind" (2:09) solo electric guitar picking that sounds like something that might have come from Pat's 1979 solo album, New Chautauqua (but probably wouldn't have made the cut). (4.375/5)

5. "April Joy" (8:15) a group continuation (or variation upon) the main sound palette and theme of the previous song, Mark Egan's wonderful fretless bass work is soon a part of Pat's mix until the intro ends about 0:53. Then it's Pat's show on his chorus-and-delayed electric guitar: no fire but ample skill and melody. Lyle's piano work is quite nice too: always accenting and amplifying Pat's work. At 3:12 there is a dramatic "end" which is followed by a return to some delicate solo guitar picking for a minute before one of Lyle's signature synth sounds--the kind of round cor anglais sound--enters and shifts the balance of things for a bit. But then Pat returns to the lead as the rest of the band picks up a kind of laid back "Phase Dance"/"Theme from Hill Street Blues" motif beneath--which plays out to the song's end with Pat occupying the spotlight the whole time. (17.75/20)

6. "Lone Jack" (6:43) a weave of four more actively demonstrative musicians that manages to remain tight despite the relatively high speed and number of bridges and stop-gaps. This is probably the nicest work from the quartet as a whole: Dan, Mark, and Lyle are all as impressive as their leader (maybe moreso!). (9.125/10)

Total Time 41:28

91.18 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early-developing Pat Metheny and Group music--introducing some of the stylings and sounds that would become iconic to Pat and Lyle's work through the years. 

22. THE SOFT MACHINE Softs (1976)

The Nucleus takeover is nearly complete: Soft Machine founder and only remaining original core member Mike Ratledge only participates on two of this album's eleven songs.  

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Etheridge / acoustic & electric guitars
- Karl Jenkins / piano, electric piano, pianette, String & Minimoog synthesizers, orchestration
- Alan Wakeman / soprano & tenor saxophones
- Roy Babbington / bass
- John Marshall / drums & percussion
With:
- Mike Ratledge / synthesizer (3, 4)

1. "Aubade" (1:51) the addition of guitars, courtesy of newcomer John Etheridge, is a game changer for this band--as demonstrated by this opening duet between Etheridge and Alan Wakeman, another newcomer. Sounds like the PAUL WINTER CONSORT to me. (4.375/5)

2. "The Tale of Taliesin" (7:17) piano arpeggi and symphonic rhythmic accents from drums and bass make this feel like a prog piece from a long-lost ELP-CAMEL collaboration. A three-part suite, upon hearing the fiery electric guitar work throughout the mid-section of this song is just weird (despite Allan Holdsworth's indomitable presence on Bundles): not the Soft Machine I think of when I conjure up the essence as my brain categorizes it. Interesting and well-made; it's very proggy (which is, in my opinion, quite a departure from the Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion explorations of the previous eight albums). (13.5/15)

3. "Ban-Ban Caliban" (9:22) establishing itself like a train starting up from a standing/loading position, this song has a foundational rhythm track that seems massive: like a blunt force projectile that has relentless and insidious power. Sax takes the first solo, then John Etheridge's soaring guitar. The song's power and drive is so like that of Jean-Luc Ponty's "Egocentric Molecules" (which is much more familiar to me) from his 1978 masterpiece, Cosmic Messenger that it adds fuel to my theory that Jean-Luc must have been a voracious devourer of music new to the Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion world and that he was not at all shy about borrowing ideas from others. Bass player Roy Babbington and drummer John Marshall even gets some shine in the third quarter before keys and rhythm guitar try to step in--but the rhythm section's momentum is simply too much for any interlopers or intruders. Monster song! (18.875/20)

4. "Song of Aeolus" (4:31) the sound of winds, bleeding over from the weather system that was the decay of "Ban-Ban Caliban," this song slowly establishes itself as a slow, emotive guitar-led song that foretells all guitar-centered New Age music of the next 20 years--especially that of Ray Gomez, Hiram Bullock, and Paul Speer. Beautiful if more Adult Contemporary/Smooth Jazz that Jazz-Rock Fusion. (9/10)

5. "Out of Season" (5:32) what starts out as piano and acoustic guitar duet that sounds a lot like the "New Age" music work of David Lanz and Paul Speer--even moreso as the song develops and the other musicians join in--as John Etheridge adds a track of electric guitar to the mix. Again: pretty and emotionally-engaging but a far stretch to call this either Jazz-Rock Fusion or Progressive Rock. (8.875/10)

6. "Second Bundle" (2:37) layered and looped keyboard experimentation that recalls some of the work Ratledge and Jenkins had done with their Terry Riley inspiration. Sounds nice. (4.4375/5)

7. "Kayoo" (3:27) another Five "D.I.S."-like display of percussion play from and for John Marshall. This one has a more defined transition to full-on drum kit play: John exhibiting more Billy Cobham-like skill at presenting "song" and "melody" than on previous solo attempts. Still, however, not a song that really stands well on its own. (8.667/10)

8. "The Camden Tandem" (2:01) John Etheridge's machine gun guitar spews forth a spray of notes to try to match/keep up with the snare play of Mr. Marshall. In the second half he pauses to inject some blues notes, chords, and scales before the two go off into machine gun territory again. (4.375/5)

9. "Nexus" (0:49) a bombastic lead in to . . . 

10. "One over the Eight" (5:25) a funk jazz tune that Roy Babbington and John Marshall lead the band into so that Alan Wakeman can blow on his ultra-cool reverb sax. Etheridge and Jenkins's support is strongly aligned with what the funk requires as Wakeman kills it with his sax. If only Sanborn, Kenny G, and Najee had this kind of support crew--this kind of songwriting--and this kind of presence! What a great song! Makes me want to jump and dance till the cows come home! (9.75/10)

11. "Etika" (2:21) another acoustic guitar composition--this time performed on two guitars, over two tracks, by John Etheridge tout seul. I like the transition into John McLaughlin territory in the second half of the song. Well done! (4.75/5)

Total Time 45:13

The new members have helped The Soft Machine to usher in an entirely new and quite different sound. Here they have taken on a much more symphonic mantle manifesting a sound that is much more aligned with progressive rock than their old Canterbury or even Jazz-Rock Fusion leanings.

91.16 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; another mixed bag of materiel that has some very new-feeling elements at use (including entering/pioneering the Adult Contemporary/New Age world as well as exploring mainstream prog territory) but of a very high quality of compositional and performative maturity. 

23. MILT JACKSON Sunflower (1973)

What a lineup! Talk about a who's who of Jazz-Rock Fusion! No wonder this album is such a landmark for so many people. The material that made it to the published album was recorded on December 12 and 13, 1972, at Van Gelder Studios and then released by CTI Records in January of 1973.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Milt Jackson / vibraphone

- Ron Carter / bass
- Billy Cobham / drums
- Freddie Hubbard / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jay Berliner / guitars
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion
- Herbie Hancock / piano

With:
- Don Sebesky / conductor

- Phil Bodner / flute, piccolo, English horn

- Romeo Penque / flute, oboe, English horn

- George Marge / alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, English horn

Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Elliot Rosoff, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Irving Spice, Joe Malin, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman

Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken, George Ricci

- Margaret Ross / harp

A1. "For Someone I Love" (10:08) the only composition on the album by Milt Jackson, it is set amongst a rich wind of orchestration and lead by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard as the band leader confidently fills space beneath him before launching into his own solo in the third minute (which is then usurped by Herbie Hancock's piano). I feel compelled to insert a special remark on Ron Carter's bass playing--which has become quite because it's been placed so unusually far forward (and given the loudest volume in the mix): he's amazing; it's as if he's soloing, really doing the most important leading on the song. In contrast, Billy Cobham's drums (which are also a marvel to behold) have been recorded quite unceremoniously as if Billy was relegated to the garage outside the studio while the microphones recording him are in the doorway! Weird! A good vehicle for Milt, Ron, Herbie, Freddie, and conductor Don Sebesky's orchestra; not so much for Billy Cobham. (Perhaps they didn't know how to handle the hot shot drummer's volume!) (17.75/20)  

A2. "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" (6:55) opening with a lush waves of orchestral swells, this makes me think that I'm being prepared for some great cinematic film event (the Alan & Marilyn Bergman/Michel Legrand song was, in fact, penned for the 1969 American film, The Happy Ending where it was sung by Michael Dees). There is an unmistakable similarity throughout this song to the music and melody lines of both the classic song, "Pure Imagination," from the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, as well as to those of Freddie's own masterpiece, "The Love Connection"--a song that the trumpeter would be working to polish and finalize over the course of the next seven years before it would take the perfected form of the title song on his 1979 album of the same name. What I love most about this song is how it is constructed with such care that none of the instruments are walking over the others: Milt and Freddie, Ron and Billy, Herbie and the orchestra, are all perfectly balanced, spaced, and blended to make for a beautiful, even emotional rendering of this under-appreciated song. (13.875/15)

B1. "People Make The World Go Round" (8:23) oddly enough, this is another one of those songs that trumpeter Freddie Hubbard latched onto/adopted and made his own--releasing his own version of it on his own 1975 studio album, Polar AC. He had been performing it live during 1972 with his own ensemble (which probably prompted him to bring it to this recording session). I can't say that I blame him: I had become a devoté of The Stylistics when they appeared on the music scene in 1971 with the a string of hit singles, starting with the March 1971 release of "Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart)" and then, in May, their first Top 10 hit, "You Are Everything," which became the band's first gold single. Both of these songs became features of the band's self-titled debut album when it was released in November, but it was "Betcha, Bye Golly, Wow" and "People" that really sealed my allegiance to the Philadelphia Soul act.

     Interestingly, I do feel that Freddie's version on Polar AC is considerably better than this one: this one is just too cluttered with Milt's Vibes and a bunch of other rag-tag instruments all vying for attention as if they can't decide who are the leads and what job the support musicians should be playing. Freddie, Milt, and Herbie trading leads at the beginning starts out okay but then everybody seems to take off each in their own direction as if the master of the Easter egg hunt has just said, "Go!" Then with Herbie in the lead and Milt answering the Fender Rhodes' call with his own responses it starts to unravel and loose direction and/or traction. Billy Cobham just doesn't sound into it, I don't even hear Jay Berliner or Ralph MacDonald, so they must've been napping. Only Ron Carter is truly in the pocket--and Freddie, when he's on point--which is only about 40 percent of the time. Perhaps they hadn't had enough rehearsal/practice time, but it's just not as good as it could've been (with this lineup!) The alternating punctuation marks of Freddie with Milt are kind of cool, but then Herbie (or somebody) takes a seat at a piano and tries playing the song as if he's the only one in the spotlight. Weird. (17.5/20)  

B2. "Sunflower" (8:50) Freddie Hubbard must have either really loved this song or been very frustrated by it because I've found it on three studio albums on which he participated as well as countless live and "anthology/greatest hits" albums. The version here is nice, fairly true to Freddie's original vision, but the tandem recitation of the main melody by both Milt and Freddie, at the same time, are too much--each walking over one another: the harmonic effects of the trumpet feeling trampled upon by the broad spectrum chords of Milt's Vibraphone. The cool back-and-forth transitions into (and out of) the percussion jamming, slow ballad and up-tempo Latin, between Billy and Ralph that occurs here was not present on the 1966 Backlash original but is ramped up to perfection for the 1979 Love Connection version and done really well here, making this version a perfect medium between the two, representing, obviously, the work that Freddie's mind had put into the song's evolution. Here we have flutist Phil Bodner playing the flute but in a far reduced capacity than the essential role that James Spaulding had fulfilled on Backlash--Milt's Vibes taking the place of Spaulding's flute, whereas on the 1979 version there are no vibes with the flute being returned to the palette courtesy of Joe Farrell. I also love the work of both Herbie's understated Fender Rhodes electric piano and Margaret Ross' harp, both playing important roles in the background--until Herbie hops onto the piano bench for another solo in the fourth minute. Don Sebesky's orchestra strings begin to play a key role in the final two minutes, which actually works because the strings are used in spaces between lead instruments' phrases. All in all, this is a very good version with all parties and all elements of the sound palette performing on levels deserving of superlatives. (19/20)

Total time 41:59

90.83 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of lushly-orchestrated Jazz-Rock Fusion that previews the Smooth Jazz that would ascend to the top of the commercially-viable Jazz music by the end of the decade. 

24. EARL KLUGH Living Inside Your Love (1976)

A Smooth Jazz masterpiece that was Earl's breakout album, Living Inside Your Love was recorded between June 28 and August 5, 1976, and listed on many sources as a 1976 release on the Blue Note label.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Earl Klugh / guitars [acoustic, 12-stringed]

With:

- Dave Gruisin / keyboards [piano, electric piano, synthesiers], producer

- Steve Gadd / drums

And:

- Eddie Daniels / saxophone, flute (1, 3)
- Jeff Mironov / guitars (1, 2)
- Will Lee / bass (1, 2)
- Francisco Centeno / bass (3, 4)

- Eddie Gomez / bass (5)

- Louis Johnson / bass (7)

- Ralph MacDonald / percussion (1, 2, 3, 4)

- Harvey Mason, Sr. / percussion (7)

Additional musicians:

- Strings: Ann Barak, Julien Barber, Ruth Buffington, Frederick Buldrini, Doris Carr, Norman Carr, Joseph Goodman, Jean Ingraham, Theodore Israel, Harold Kohon, Richard Locker, Guy Lumia, Charles McCracken, Noel Pointer, Tony Posk, Margaret Ross, Richard Stocker, Gerald Tarack
- Backing vocals: Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry, Lani Groves

A1. "Captain Caribe" (5:20) a Dave Gruisin original that gives us all the markings of that which will become the dominant sound of popular Jazz music for the next 20 years. (8.75/10)

A2. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (7:28) clever guitar tricks help to convey the spicey-ness of the 1970s versions of this 1960s Soul classic. Crescendoing strings chords, harp glissandi, occasional bass slaps and wah-wah-ed electric guitar and electric piano, and background girls' vocals give away all of the tricks. I gotta admit that Will Lee's performance here is pretty amazing. (13/15)

A3. "Felicia" (5:25) a Earl Klugh composition that starts out with all the life and spunk of a great television shoe theme song quickly turns into a bit of a melodic Disco-fied runner. It really does want you to pick up and run through the park, waving to all the summer park goers along the way as your feet barely feel the pavement. Hard to argue with this one! (9.125/10)

B1. "Living Inside Your Love" (5:40) this is actually an original composition that Earl and Dave penned together. The surprising thing in hearing it (the original) again for the first time since the 1970s is how much other artists have improved it through the years. I'm so glad Earl and Dave brought this to life--and so glad it has inspired so many other artists since to cover and improve upon it. (8.875/10) 

B2. "Another Time, Another Place" (6:41) another Dave Gruisin contribution, it starts out quite sparse and simple but then gets added onto, sounding very much like a 1960s French-style hit song. Though this is not the song to elevate Earl Klugh's guitar playing to superstardom, it is evidence of Dave Gruisin's amazing talents for composition, arrangement and orchestration. Without doubt this is my favorite song on the album. I just love all of the space, tempo shifts, and orchestral inputs. (9.5/10)

B3. "The April Fools" (3:43) from the Burt Bacharach and Hal David soundtrack to the 1967 film of the same name comes a stunning display of the power that a single acoustic guitar has in the interpretation of a beloved classic. (9.375/10)

B4. "Kiko" (2:46) the final Earl Klugh contribution to the song list features funk bassist Louis Johnson--who gives the song its Caribbean soul and flavor despite the help of the percussion, electric piano, and acoustic guitar. This is also a song that previews the wonderful exotic arrangements and palettes of Earl's next album, Heart String. My other top three song. (9.5/10)

Total Time: 37:04

Though I often cite Bob James as the quintessential sound-shaper of the Smooth Jazz phenomenon, I keep experiencing a nagging certainty in the back of my head that this is not the complete case. I actually think I purchased this album before any Bob James album (except for Kenny Loggins' Celebrate Me Home), which explains why this music makes me reconsider all of the weight (both blame and credit) that I've been dumping BJ's way: something in the Dave Gruisin/GRP school of Jazz sound has re-emerged to remind me of how instrumental Dave and his posse were in shaping the technically pristine sound that proceeded to take over and supplant the messy experimental stuff of the early 1970s. 

90.833 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; one of the early minor masterpieces of Smooth Jazz.

25. GEORGE BENSON In Flight (1977)

The follow up to George's massive hit Breezin'--an album that sat atop the Jazz album charts for record sales for all 52 weeks of 1976 while it became Jazz' first certified platinum selling record (selling over 3 million copies). (It remains, to this day, one of Jazz' all-time biggest selling albums.) In Flight was recorded and mixed at Capitol Records, in Hollywood, California during August through November of 1976 and then released on February 4, 1977 by Warner Brothers Records.

Line-up / Musicians:

- George Benson / guitars, vocals

- Phil Upchurch / bass

- Stanley Banks / bass

- Jorge Dalto / clavinet, piano
- Harvey Mason / drums
- Ronnie Foster / electric piano, synthesizer [Mini-Moog] 

- Ralph MacDonald / percussion

- Phil Upchurch / rhythm guitar, bass (B2, B3)

A1. "Nature Boy" (5:58) an eminently enjoyable rendition of one of Jazz-Pop's all-time greatest songs. The funk presence of electric piano, clavinet, thick electric bass, rhythm guitar, Latin percussion, and strings makes for a perfect bed for this ultimate lounge song to lie. George's voice is remarkably unprocessed and both his voice and lead guitar are mixed surprisingly low: into or within the overall soundscape. (9.125/10)

A2. "The Wind And I" (5:04) the solid funk-lite foundation of this Ronnie Foster composition helps support some nice soloing from George and Ronnie. The strings are a bit thin and cheesy. (8.875/10)

A3. "The World Is A Ghetto" (9:41) for me this has always been the gem of the album: starting with great strings arrangements that I expect from my favorite conductor of Jazz orchestral music, Claus Ogerman. The music in support of George's rather thin guitar is solid, cheerfully bouncy. I love the interlude bridges between the chorus and verses--my favorite parts of the song. I always remember being surprised that George took so long to start singing on this one (the fifth minute) since he'd made such an impact on recent albums with his vocal covers and interpretations, but his (thin) guitar is such a pleasure to listen to. Ronnie Foster's electric piano solo is great with the bouncy left hand chords, rhythm guitar (courtesy of the great, oft-overlooked Phil Upchurch) and strings is awesome if brief. Then George jumps in singing, at first a little weak and thin but eventually grabbing the performance with gusto--which leads into an amazing vocalese-accompanied-guitar solo. So cool! Almost on the same par as STEVIE WONDER (he sounds like Stevie!). Yes, by this part of song you can feel the enthusiasm pervading all of the musicians' performances. Awesome! And then it gets even better! That ninth minute to song's end is just amazing. (19.125/20)

B1. "Gonna Love You More" (4:37) a song that sounds like George is definitely taking advantage of riding on the coattails of Breezin'--but when George starts singing in a more Al JARREAU-like voice and tone it makes it sound different, fresh. Jorge Dalto's piano solo at the end of the second minute after George's first vocal verse is a welcome change. There's just so much Breezin' in the music, good thing he's chosen to sing Morris Albert's lyrics and then take the Al Jarreau sound into Stevie Wonder territory at the end. (8.875/10)

B2. "Valdez In The Country" (4:29) a great two-chord smooth jazz groove opens this Donny Hathaway composition but then the ensemble backs down a bit around 0:40 when George's guitar enters to take the lead. A quick turnover to Ronnie Foster half a minute later and then we're back to a ramped up George on guitar for pretty much the rest of the song. This one is a pretty solid and engaging J-R F song displaying George's great guitar skills. (9/10)

B3. "Everything Must Change" (8:07) from the opening strains of the strings-supported ensemble of this Bernard Ighner song one can tell that we're in for a bombastic ballad. The song just fails to come together for the first three and a half minutes as George fulfills the singing portion--but then after this the band funks things up thanks to Phil Upchurch's rubbery bass, Jorge Dalto's bouncy piano, and, of course, George's lead guitar. Too bad they had to strip everything down for Jorge's solo in the sixth minute but I guess they had to use something to segue back into the main vocal motif. Thank goodness for the strings, Phil's bass, Jorge's piano, and George's vocal-cum-guitar play. (13.125/15)

Total Time: 38:19

The engineering and final mix of the songs on this album lack the spherical/surround sound and feeling of George's previous album, Breezin' which is surprising since that feature was one of the winning aspects of that massively-popular album. Also, Claus Ogerman's arrangement (and the recording of) the strings is too syrupy--sounding as much as synthesized or 101 Strings-like multi-dubbed as the work of a true orchestra. 

90.83 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a satisfying minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion's Fourth Wave slide into the soon-to-be-dominant Smooth Jazz idiom. 

26. GARY BURTON QUINTET Dreams So Real - Music of Carla Bley (1976)

Recorded at Studio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, Deutschland, in December of 1975; it was then released by ECM Records in June of 1976. Innovative band leader Gary Burton loves the help of great songwriters and here he's found one of his favorites in Carla Bley. Grooming yet another corps of young talent, 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Gary Burton / vibraphone
- Mick Goodrick / guitar
- Pat Metheny / electric 12 string guitar
- Steve Swallow / bass

- Bob Moses / drums

A1. "Dreams So Real" (6:21) beautiful renderings by Gary but something is off about the overloading bass tone of Steve Swallow as well as the mix between instruments: everything just feels too crammed into the front/foreground! Still, as an interesting and enjoyable piece of music, this kind of lounge music doesn't get much better than this. Some of Carla's melodies just creep up on the realms of "achingly-beautiful"  but then seem to suddenly back off as if afraid of really going there--really committing to full-on beauty. Weird! (9.125/10)

A2. "Ictus / Syndrome" (10:24) a song that seems constructed on the whimsy of challenging stuff: as if Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood's Johnny Costa had been required to compose something chaotic to help back a particularly upsetting or disappointing event in King Friday's world of Make-Believe. Around the three-minute mark there seems to be a shift into a motif that is a bit more straightforward with Steve Swallow's walking bass lines and Bob Moses' swinging drumming--over which Pat Metheny gets some solo time. I do so enjoy the presence of the Vibraphone: even when it's in the accompanying role it brings such a nice fullness of sound to the palette--especially with the four-mallet playing approach that Gary uses (and pioneered). In the eighth and ninth minutes Gary, Pat and Mick Goodrick provide a kind of Math Rock weave to support first a nice solo by Steve Swallow on the electric bass before passing the torch to Mick before coming back together for the quick finish. (17.75/20)     

A3. "Jesus Maria" (3:46) gently and slowly spaced Vibraphone notes open this one giving us the feeling like opening a Frank Sinatra ballad. In the very middle of the song Gary finally lets the main melody rise to the top where it washes through the listener like some old favorite comfort song. Thereafter his two hands (and four mallets) seem to almost play two different songs as they continue walking their own melodic paths. I can't even begin to imagine trying to play this! (9.25/10)

B1. "Vox Humana" (7:01) another song almost immediately presents a feel and combination of melodies (from the vibes, two guitars, bass, and drums) that feel so familiar--as if drawn from covering a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song ("You're just too good to be true, Can't take my eyes off of you, . . . " I find myself waiting for the horns.) The harmonic weave is so thick and fruitful--with so many tracks worthy of one's full attention. Again, this sounds so familiar, so poppy, that I can't believe it's all a Carla Bley composition. Beautiful Smooth Jazz/elevator music. (13.625/15)

B2. "Doctor" (4:12) the jazziest, avant-garde odd duck of the bunch, this song seems defined around mathematical ideas more than pretty melodies, using odd chord and harmonic pairings to express its melodies. It is still melodic, it's just that the melodies are carried almost exclusively by the whole band's strict adherence to a very certain, proscribed progression of oddly-aligned chords. Interesting. This is definitely avant-garde Jazz that I can sink my teeth into. (9/10)

B3. "Intermission Music" (6:30) calling a spade a spade! Yes, so much of Jazz can sound like filler--like music that might have been used to fill "intermission" patches in a theater setting--whereas Smooth Jazz feels more like "relax and feel comforted" music for whiling away the time spent in an elevator (thus, the term "elevator music"). Once again everybody in this mix feels as if they've been assigned key roles playing their independent melody lines while the over view shows that the composer had an ingenious ability to see and plan for the harmonic interconnections between all five of the melodies! Awesome! (9.125/10)
 

Total time: 38:24

Carla Bley is quite respected--even revered--among musicians--particularly in the Jazz world--yet before this album I'd not heard anything that had really proven to me why. There is an universal singularly quirky and peculiar way in which she seems to construct her songs and present her (fine) melodies--on multiple levels--using oddly-aligned yet harmonically-interconnected chord progressions. Now I get it! Also, Gary Burton is one of the geniuses who can pull it off (the presentation of Carla's quirky music).

90.50 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of complex compositions that are oddly smooth and oddly melodic while also feeling . . . odd. Well met, Gary & Co.! 

27. EDDIE HENDERSON Mahal (1978)

Recorded in 1978 at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, Mahal was released by Capitol Records on August 21, 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eddie Henderson / trumpet, flugelhorn
With:
- Ray Obiedo / guitar
- Herbie Hancock / Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synths (ARP 2600/Strings Ensemble, Oberheim 8 Voice Polyphonic, Prophet-5, Mini Moog, Yamaha CS-80 Polyphonic)
- John Bowen / Strings Ensemble synth (1,6), Prophet-5 programming
- James "Mtume" Foreman / piano, congas (3,5)
- Bennie Maupin / tenor saxophone, saxello
- Julian Priester / trombone
- Hubert Laws / flute
- Paul Jackson / bass
- Howard King / drums
- Bill Summers / congas, percussion

1. "Butterfly" [Herbie Hancock] (8:05) a remake of the Herbie Hancock "classic" (even though it's only four years old) with its creator taking part in the modernized version (as well as several Mwandishi alumni and Bennie Maupin who was one of the original Headhunters, too!) I love all of the innovative sounds Herbie, synth specialist John Bowen, and guitarist Ray Obiedo are employing to funk-up and "modernize" the song. So funny to have these songs re-covered A) so soon after their initial entry into pop consciousness and B) by members of the original lineup now four years "older"! LOL! It's even been discofied a bit! Though it is definitely different than the original, it's still a great song. (Perhaps its just one of those songs that you can never ruin no matter how you choose to approach it.) (14/15)

2. "Cyclops" [James Mtume] (5:18) Eddie and his record company felt good enough about this song to have released it as a 45-single! It's definitely catchy--like the instrumental ear candy that many jazz fusion artists were turning toward at this time--before Jazz-Rock Fusion was being spilled over into Smooth Jazz, Disco Funk, Adult Contemporary, Yacht Rock, 80s R&B and Hip-Hop, and even New Age. It feels as if the piano chords in this song were lifted directly off of the master tapes for the 1984 Soul/R&B hit song "Hey DJ" by The World Famous Supreme Team. It is a great, fun, highly enjoyable listen. (9.333/10)

3. "Emotions" [Eddie Henderson] (4:59) gentle yet sophisticated with Paul Jackson's bass notes and bass harmonics forming much of the foundation with percussive drum play turning to full kit use in the second minute. Eddie's flugelhorn lead is quite melodic--quite like hearing a human voice pronounce its words quite intentionally. The involvement of the rest of the band seems minimal, other than Herbie's Fender Rhodes. (9/10)

4. "Prance On" [James Mtume] (5:16) another Mtume song that falls right into the Disco world that James would stick with throughout the 80s, there are CHIC-like clavinet, rhythm guitar strains, and background synth "strings" accents and flourishes that would become absorbed and exploited fully by Michael Jackson's songwriting/production crew from here (Off the Wall) through Thriller, but the bass is all disco and novelty Funk-Soul/R&B. Overall, it's a little too drawn out and monotonous. (8.875/10)

5. "Amoroso" [Bennie Maupin] (5:38) interesting funk R&B with some novelty sounds covered by some great percussion and trumpet play. Using a fairly dull, straightforward drum "program" the syncopation comes complete from the horns and bass teaming up to carry the melodic rhythm track while Herbie and muted Eddie solo among the flurries of other contributors sneaking in their inputs. (8.875/10)

6. "Mahal" [Eddie Henderson] (4:27) I'm not sure where Eddie was at this time in his life but I find it interesting that the three compositions credited to him on this album are all rather slow, gentle, and tender. Love? Loss? Sadness? Transition? How does the doctor use his music for therapy? There are wonderfully tender inputs from Herbie (muted clavinet), John Bowen (Oberheim strings), Julian Priester, and Paul Jackson on this lovely little tune. (9/10)

7. "Ecstasy" [Eddie Henderson] (3:25) dreamy Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood-like fairy dust coming from Herbie's JOHNNY COSTA-like Fender Rhodes is the only support Eddie uses to express his ruminative mood--like something from FRANK SINATRA's masterpiece of late-night regret, In the Wee Small Hours, or Freddie Hubbard on several of his song remakes on next year's The Love Connection. I really like contemplative songs like this: makes me think that some humans (without the aide of alcohol) are really thinking about their lives. A rather beautiful duet but not really anything contributing to the expansion of the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 37:08

90.44 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Third-entering-upon-Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion that illustrates that Eddie (and Herbie) are still committed to continuing to push the boundaries of that which is possible for the movement.

28. BARCELONA TRACTION Barcelona Traction (1975)

Smooth Catalan J-R Fusion of high calibur compositionally and seeming great ease from the musicianship. Recorded in Barcelona at EMI-ODEON studios during May 1975 for EDIGSA subsidiary Òliba Records, the album found public light later in the year. Apparently, the name of the band (and, therefore, album) is a political statement in and of itself as it references a famous landmark Spanish court decision from 1970 that ruled against a multi-national electricity company that was acting in Barcelona, and yet, unlike so many Catalan bands that popped up after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, this band was acting out before the Spanish ruler's December death. 

  Line-up / Musicians:
- Lucky Guri / piano, electric piano, synthezisers
- Jordi Clua / bass
- Francis Rabassa / drums
with:
- Pedrito Diaz / percussions
- Manel Joseph / percussions

1. "Has Vist Passar Els Ocells" (5:00) very solid and enjoyable melodic and smooth j-r Fusion. Great bass and percussion work beneath the melody-generating Fender Rhodes. (9/10)

2. "Modulacions" (6:03) 90 seconds of okay blues-jazz piano before anyone else joins in. okay. (8.5/10)

3. "Estudi En Afro" (7:15) Lucky Guri solos on his piano for the opening minute in a very Vince Guaraldi-like style. Then he takes a break while Jordi Clua establishes a bass line that Francis Rabassa plays off of until Lucky's synthesizer, organ, and electric piano can join in. Jordi's wah-wah-pedaled bass is very interesting (and slightly distracting). Two different yet smoothly-connected motifs alternate over the course of the next minutes with Lucky's soloing moving from instrument to instrument above the solid, creative, and interesting work of the rhythm section--until 4:25, that is, when everybody takes a sudden right turn down a steep hill so that Lucky can Bob James solo on his Fender Rhodes. I must say, I am increasingly happy with the way the band/producer/engineer have mixed the instrumental palette with the percussion, bass, and drums as distinctively clear and forward as the lead instruments. More synth and Fender Rhodes soloing before a dynamic piano finish. Nice! (13.5/15)

4. "Sudamerica" (7:25) Another pristine and (to my ears) perfect mix of the full band over a definite Latin (even, perhaps, South American) sound during which Lucky Guri gets the first extended lead and solo with his Fender Rhodes. This is followed by a couple brief stints given to Jordi Clua to shine on both his electric bass as well as his stand-up double bass. Francis Rabassa's drums and Padrito Diaz and Manel Joseph's percussion play, as usual, add so much to this--almost, at times, to the distraction of the "lead" keyboard instruments. The second, quick-paced motif that the band alternates between is so awesome--like the frenzied outro of some Latin jam--with Lucky hammering his piano with full chords in an awesome! (It reminds me of one of my favorite Jane Siberry songs, "Are We Dancing Now? (Map III)" from her 1989 album release, Bound by the Beauty.) This is definitely my favorite song on the album. (14.5/15)

5. "Foc I Pluja" (8:50) wind chimes and other percussion sounds with Fender Rhodes open this one. Drummer Francis Rabassa only enters with some delicate cymbal play in the second minute. At 1:38 Lucky Guri begins establishing a lullaby-like melody on his electric piano before he and the percussionist swell to serve notice to bassist Jordi Clua to enter. Drums follow and a nice Latin groove is established while Lucky moves into a chord play reproduction of some familiar pop melody. In the second half of the fourth minute the band subtly moves into a smoother, more sophisticated and jazz-like motif. Very cool how smoothly they made that transition! Now Lucky and Francis are both playing full-on jazz but then at 5:15 they kind of come back to a Bob James-like smooth jazz bridge before returning to the sophisticated motif for some wah-wah-effected bass soloing from Jordi. It's okay: melodic and quirky, but fails as a funk solo. Percussion and Fender take the next brief solos before Lucky returns to that familiar pop melody line while the rhythm section remains in fourth gear. But then at 7:40 a cymbal crash signifies the end of all instrumentalist's contributions save for Lucky's pensive chord play on the Fender Rhodes. Odd song! But interesting! Nice drum and percussion work, boys! (17.75/20)     

Total Time 34:33

It is rare that one encounters an album in which the drums, bass, and percussion are mixed so evenly forward with the other instruments in the sound palette. This really gives the percussionists a chance to not only be noticed but to shine! The steady, defined tracks with the smooth keyboard sounds and play of band leader Lucky Guri definitely render this album into the fray of the new "Smooth Jazz" domain--one of my new favorites from that category. And did I mention the great drumming of Francis Rabassa? 

90.36 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of very well composed, admirably performed, and excellently engineered Smooth Jazz that I think all prog lovers should give a listen to.

29. LONNIE LISTON SMITH Loveland (1978)

Say goodbye to the Cosmic Echoes, hello Columbia Records. With this album, Lonnie eschews his wonderful team of collaborators of the past six years. The "cosmic" "expanding consciousness" pretense of his Cosmic Echoes years seems also on the outs, here choosing to try to reach to connect and entertain the pop-oriented masses, using more generic, humanized love themes in place of the celestial ones. This is also the album on which Lonnie introduces to the world the 18-year old bass phenom he discovered as a 16-year old, Marcus Miller! Marcus appears on songs 1, 3 & 4 of Side One. His talents are already prodigious. Released March 1, 1978.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Keyboards

- George Johnson / Drums 

- Lawrence Killian / Congas, Percussion

- Ronald D. Miller / Electric guitars, acoustic guitar (B3)

- Donald Smith / Flutes (A1, A3, A4, B2), Vocals (A2, B1, B3)

- David Hubbard / Flutes (A1, A2, B2), Soprano Saxophone (A3, A4, B3, B4)

With:

- Marcus Miller / Bass (1, 3, 4)

- Al Anderson / Bass (B2, B3, B4)

A1. "Sunburst" (4:08) great start! Funky Smooth Jazz in the territory of masters like BOB JAMES and the LAWS family. Flute, funky bass, great near-Disco drums and percussion, with Lonnie's electric piano virtuosity on full display. I love that he is still so enamored of the continually-evolving technologies of electric keyboards. This is really a fun, zippy song! (9.125/10)

A2. "Journey into Love" (5:19) another slower BOB JAMES-like song over which brother Donald sings among the spacey keys, horn accents, and steady but deep and rich "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"-like bass. (8.875/10)

A3. "Floating Through Space" (4:35) so rich and lovely! One can just get lost floating in the psychedelic ether while supported by Marcus' steady, engaging bass line. (9.5/10)

A4. "Bright Moments" (6:43) built on engaging yet simple (watered down) Latin rhythms with Lonnie's piano pounding/accenting brilliantly right along with the rhythm section as David Hubbard's saxophone carries the main melody. I could listen to piano solos like this all day long! (9.25/10)

B1. "We Can Dream" (5:00) another funky rhythm-supported R&B song with Lonnie's brother Donald singing in his gorgeous Leon Thomas/Philip Bailey-like voice. The lyrics and melody used to deliver them aren't quite up to the quality of the music with its strings and horn arrangements. Even Lonnie's Fender solo is lacking a little zip and zest despite the ample support. (8.75/10)

B2. "Springtime Magic" (4:18) built around a two-chord strummed rhythm guitar sequence, the bass and flute almost immediately add something interesting to the mix, but the drums are a bit robotic and the rhythm guitar quickly fades into the realm of forgottenhood. Lonnie and the ethereal flutes (there are two of them) try to keep us entertained but even they fall short. (8.75/10) 

B3. "Loveland" (3:30) now here's a song that seems to reach back into the old palette of magic that Lonnie and Donald had with the Cosmic Echoes. I love it when Donald sounds like Leon Thomas. So commanding! (8.875/10)

B4. "Explorations" (6:27) an arrangement of a horn bank opens this one, sounding almost like a Christmas Carole type of theme, but then super-fast funk bass kicks in with Lonnie's swirling electric piano and some solid CHIC-like rhythm guitar supporting David Hubbard's deep and rich soprano sax sound soloing up front. In a big surprise, an electric guitar solo takes over the third minute--Ronald D. Miller's tone taking on an ERNIE ISLEY or LARRY CORYELL like sound and style. Impressive! And he gets to keep the spotlight well into the fifth minute! Truly Herculean (in the Ernie Isley way). The song's main foundation is not very different from that of Eumir Deodato's "Superstrut" with some absolutely stellar funk bass and rhythm guitar play. And Lonnie doesn't even take a second of solo for himself: just funking things up with his heavily-processed electronic keyboards. In the end I realize how this song is built over the same chord and rhythm pacing as the album's opening song, "Sunburst." (9.125/10)  

The music through out this album is smooth, very lush and engaging and very well crafted--and still jazzy in its foundations. These are really great songs, some of them probably ideal for the Discotheque or Adult Contemporary "Quiet Storm" or "Pillow Talk" night time radio play. It's like a step up from the Bob James and (Jazz) Crusaders productions of the time, similar to the music of the Laws brothers (Hubert and Ronnie), but even more mature and "polished."

90.31 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of very high quality Smooth Jazz.

30. JEREMY STEIG Firefly (1977)

Jeremy is here joining the CTI train, producing a modernized, pop-oriented display of Jazz-Pop with nice female vocals and expanded cast of contributors. The album was recorded in 1977 at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, on March 4 & 22 and April 11, 1977 and then released by CTI Records later in the year.

Line-up/Musicians:

- Jeremy Steig / flutes

- Gary King / bass

- Ray Mantilla / congas (A1 to B1, B4)

- Steve Gadd / drums (A1, A2, B2 to B4)

- Alan Schwartzberg / drums (A2)

- Eric Gale / guitar (A1 to B1, B4)

- John Scofield / guitar (B2, B3)
- Hiram Bullock / guitar [solo] (A1, B4)

- Richard Tee / keyboards (A1 to B1, B4)
- Sue Evans / percussion (A1 to B1, B4)

- Cliff Carter / synthesizer (A1 to B1, B4)

- Googie Coppola / vocals (A1 to B1)

Horns (A1 to B1, B4):

Trombones – Jerry Chamberlain, Sam Burtis, Tom Malone
Trombone [Bass] – Dave Taylor
Trumpets – Burt Collins, Joe Shepley, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff

A1. "Firefly" (11:55) fine funky with lots of catchy melodic and song-twisting hooks courtesy of the sweet Minnie Ripperton-like voice of Googie Coppola and Jeremy's very spirited flute performance, there is much borrowed here from the pages of the Disco Funk-R&B that was driving all of the dance clubs (now called "Discos" in the US), the rhythm section is quite potent with Gary King, Ray Mantilla, Sue Evans, Steve Gadd, a horn section and two guitarists (Eric Gale and Hiram Bullock) and two keyboard  players (Richard Tee and Cliff Carter) adding their funky injections of spice and encouragement from the wings. It would have been a fun song to dance to but it was nothing that could've generated a following much less frequent radio play--this despite Jeremy and Googie's very enjoyable performances. (22.125/25)

A2. "Living Inside Your Love" (5:28) taking a recent jazz-pop hit tune (an Earl Klugh-Dave Gruisin composition that first appeared on Earl Klugh's popular breakout album of the previous year, Living Inside Your Love) and bringing it into the fold of popular cover tunes certainly does a lot to increase the value and audience to a song. Despite the vocal track being imbedded into the weave of the music and dispersed among multiple voices, Googie Coppola's performance here is quite remarkable--like a blend between Minnie Ripperton, Patti Austin, Deniece Williams, Lani Groves, and even a little bit of Diana Ross. It's such a great song--such ear candy--that it'd be hard to ruin it even if you didn't have an amazing singer to bring it to light. (9.125/10)

B1. "Everything Is Coming To The Light" (2:58) another very pretty vocal performance from this artist that is totally new to me: Googie Coppola. Where did she come from--what's her story--and why haven't we heard more of her? The song, however, struggles to get into second or third gears (8.75/10)

B2. "Hop Scotch" (7:25) turn up the funk! This is Herbie Hancock or Billy Cobham territory! Gary King is going wild with his bass lines and Richard Tee is really holding it all together as Jeremy lays it all out there but I find myself drifting off with Ray Mantilla's easy and hypnotic conga play more often than anywhere else. John Scofield's wah-wah guitar sneaking up in the middle while Jeremy is wailing away is a cool effect, as are the deep thrums of Gary King's low-end bass chords. The specially credited piano performance (and solo) by Richie Bierbach is nothing specially--especially as the song seems to be crying out, in my opinion, for an electric keyboard. Finding out that this song is a composition of drummer-extraordinaire Joe Chambers makes me get why it sounds so much like something composed by Narada Michael Walden. (13.875/15)

B3. "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" (2:01) a Gospel spiritual played at the very lowest breathy levels on Jeremy's flute and volume as Richard Tee supports on a reverb-panning Fender Rhodes. (4.375/5)

B4. "Grasshopper" (5:17) some great cinematic Blaxploitation funk on this Jeremy Steig compostion with more amazing flute play from Jeremy BUT it's the amazing guitar-with-vocals solo by Hiram Bullock in the middle (with the awesome horn accents) that makes this song something really special! Hiram's vocal expressing during his solo even seems to inspire Jeremy to go even further in his own next solo! So cool! Great composition, arrangement, and rendering! (9.375/10)

Total Time: 35:31

90.167 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of funky radio- and dance-friendly Jazz-Rock Fusion.

31. EDDIE HENDERSON Comin' Through (1977)

Recorded in Eddie's "backyard"--in San Francisco--at Wally Heider Studios sometime in 1977, the album is reputed to have had a July release from Capitol Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eddie Henderson / trumpet (1, 2, 4-8), flugelhorn (3, 8), arrangements (4, 8)
With:
- Dianne Reeves / vocals (2, 5)
- Howard King / vocals (5)
- Lee Ritenour / guitar (1, 5)
- Al McKay / guitar (2, 6)
- Patrice Rushen / piano (2), electric piano (2, 5), clavinet (1, 2), Strings Ensemble (1, 5), Mini-Moog (6), bass (5), percussion (1, 2, 6), vocals (2, 5), arrangements (2, 6)
- George Cables / electric piano (3, 4, 7, 8), clavinet (4, 7), Mini-Moog & Strings Ensemble (7), arrangements (3, 7)
- Charles Mims Jr. / Mini-Moog (1), electric piano & clavinet (6)
- James "Mtume" Foreman / piano (1), percussion (3, 4), congas (4, 6, 7), vocals (2, 5), arranger (1, 5)
- Manny Boyd / sax (2,4,6), flute (7)
- Connie Henderson / flute (7)
- Julian Priester / trombone (2, 4-7)
- Paul Jackson / bass (1-7)
- Howard "Locksmith" King / drums (1-7)
- Skip Drinkwater / percussion (4-6), producer
- Philip Bailey / congas & bongos (1, 2)

1. "Say You Will" (4:28) so this is how it's going to be: Disco Jazz-Funk! There is the skillfully-played musicianship coupled with repetitive dance grooves with their instrumental riff "hooks" and engageable melodies. The main melody as presented by Eddie on his trumpet prepares us for Debbie Harry's awesome 1980 hit, "Rapture," while the mesmerizing bass 'n' drum line beneath feels as if it came straight out of The ISLEY BROTHERS' 1975 release, The Heat Is On (like a slightly less bass-heavy "Fight the Power"). (8.875/10)

2. "Open Eyes" (3:53) slow it down to Bob James pace, Paul Jackson's funky note-sliding bass line is so cool! Active horn section, Patrice Rushen's clavinet, and choir sultry background vocals make for a great cocky-urban groove to fall into. Here the effect of the percussion ensemble is felt and Eddie really lets us hear his trumpet talents. Nice--though it is faded out to end it (indicating, of course, that the original jam went on for some time longer). (9/10)

3. "Morning Song" (5:38) discarding the Disco and R&B stylings for a song is a good thing. Here they are reaching back into the soulful early 70s with a Bob James/Steely Dan kind of spacious style. I like this very much as it reminds me much more of the true essence of some of those original pioneers of Jazz-Rock Fusion--the ones who were seeking to catch listeners with melody, comfort, and ease. Eddie's lead trumpet play is quite smooth and modest, rarely showing his skills, settling more for the engaging melodies of the classic soul singers of the 1960s. (8.875/10)

4. "Movin' On" (5:54) I'm wondering if the "dirty" production on George Cables' electric piano intro was intentional or not. No matter. After 30 seconds of solo electric piano, the band appears with a Disco-lite motif that predicts HERB ALPERT's 1980 hit, "Rise." George's clavinet play above Paul Jackson's centering bass line is great while the electric piano strays and spices things up beneath the steady beat provided by the Locksmith. The long reverbed trumpet notes are pretty cool even if they are mixed a little further back than I would have expected (or liked). With so many percussionists employed for this song I would have expected more noticeable action coming from that department, but no. My favorite part of the song (beside the clavinet and Fender Rhodes play) is Manny Boyd's excellent sax solo in the third and fourth minute. Again, like Herb Alpert in "Rise," Dr. Eddie stays the course pretty firmly with his long-sustained reverb note playing throughout. (9/10)

5. "Return to the Source" (4:32) a song that sounds like a slow-motion version of one of The Isley Brother's popular uptempo funk songs from their Heat Is On-Harvest For the World-Go for Your Guns period (1975-1977). Eddie's muted trumpet play is awesome, the pace a little discombobulating because it's slower than you would want or expect, but it does allow for plenty of chances to observe the talents of band members like the rhythm guitarists and vocal choir. Great rhythm guitar work from Lee Ritenour and some of the album's best trumpet playing by Eddie. (9/10)

6. "The Funk Surgeon" (4:59) fully committed to the Disco era: multiple rhythm guitars, slap and pluck bass, bass- and hi-hat-centered drums, EWF-like horn section, Patrice Rushen's novelty sound of duck-like Mini-Moog--it's all here for a dance-floor novelty song. Which is sad for the way in which Eddie's trumpet becomes so secondary (or tertiary) to the music--even going so far as getting buried within the mix instead of up front. (8.75/10)

7. "Beyond Forever" (4:38) one of the most interesting songs on the album--mostly due to its mid-song tempo increase and the remarkable instrumental performances that come with that. Not only are the performances of Paul Jackson, George Cables, and Locksmith off the charts impressive, the composition (by George Cables) displays a songwriter who is anything but complacent--someone who wants to continue to keep the exciting, exploratory nature of jazz alive within the music industry. Great song! (Too bad they faded it out again: I would love to hear what else they had to say!) (9.375/10)

8. "Connie" (3:05) an Eddie Henderson composition that finds the flugelhorn player expressing from a tradition that feels closest to that of Miles Davis and/or Freddie Hubbard. George Cables is Eddie's lone accompanist--on a sparkling Fender Rhodes. Very reflective and introspective. I love Eddie's emotional side. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 37:07

Though full of plenty of funk and creativity, this album definitely presents a full commitment to the sounds and styles that were dominating the world of radio- (and sales-) friendly pop music at the time.

90.16 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a collection of masterful songs that perfectly reflect so much all that was going on in the dance, radio, and Jazz-Rock Fusion world at the time (mid-1977). 

32. JANNE SCHAFFER Earmeal (1978)

Despite the world-wide success of ABBA, Janne still has time and the drive to create and lead a band through the recording of his own material. The album was recorded and released by Columbia Records sometime in 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Janne Schaffer (Björn J:Son Lindh, Pop Workshop, Ablution, Art Farmer, ABBA) / guitar

- Jeff Porcaro (Sonny & Cher, Tom Snow, Seals & Crofts, Steely Dan, Cher, Leo Sayer, Helen Reddy, Toto) / drums
- Björn J:Son Lindh (Ablution, ABBA) / flute, keyboards

- Peter Robinson (Quartermass, Shawn Phillips, Stomu Yamash'ta, Yvonne Elliman, Andrew Lloyd-Weber, Al Stewart, Brand X) / keyboards

- Steve Porcaro / keyboards
- Joe Porcaro (father of Jeff, Mike, and Steve) / percussion

- Mike Porcaro / bass
- Malando Gassama / percussion

1. "Hot Days And Summer Nights" (7:35) twangy rock guitar played within a Frank Zappa-like palette with keys and tuned percussion often reciting complex and speedy legato lines with Janne's guitar over the course of the first high-energy four minutes. Then at 4:10 the bottom drops out and we're left with a spacious, slow, really "strings"-rich orchestra-like motif that Janne plays sparingly over with Jeff Beck-like sensitivity. Weirdly dichotomous--like night and day! (13.375/15)

2. "Happy Feet" (4:41) a Smooth Jazz piece that feels like an instrumental cover of a Nashville-born pop song. (Think Sammy Johns' "Chevy Van," "Rhinestone Cowboy," The Atlanta Rhythm Section, and Al Jarreau's "We're in this Love Together.") Nicely-crafted fairly-innocuous song. (8.875/10)

3. "To A Beautiful Painter" (4:40) the unusual, uniquely-crafted music here is, to my mind, equal to the ardor inherent in the promise of the song's title: Smooth Jazz that is totally captivating. (9.125/10)

4. "Bromma Express" (2:56) more guitar dexterity exercises over and within some pretty solid, decent funk music. Something here reminds me of the music Jan Hammer was doing around this time. (9/10)

5. "The Shrimp" (5:23) some proto-Yacht Rock that sounds like the fare being produced by artists like Deodato, Bob James, The Crusaders, Lee Ritenour, and even brothers Hubert and Ronnie Laws up to this point. Great melodies and smooth groove with totally in-the-pocket drums and rhythm corps. (9/10)

6. "Shrimp A La Carte" (0:57) a nice strings interlude.

7. "It's Never Too Late" (5:48) another excellent Smooth Jazz classic that is deserving of a place on any doctor, dentist, or elevator's music playlist. (8.875/10)

8. "Oriental Sign" (5:03) though still suffering from the easy-access "smoothness" of the rest of the album, this is probably the most sophisticated song on the album--and the one that has Janne's best display of guitar virtuosity (though he has, unfortunately, continued to stick with the one and only twangy guitar tone he's used throughout the album). (9.125/10)

9. "Frederick's Place" (3:29) a gorgeous acoustic steel-stringed guitar and piano duet that puts on display the wonderful natural harmony between Janne and his pianist (who was probably Björn J:Son Lindh due to their previous associations). (9.25/10)

Total Time 40:32

Weird to have this maximum representation of the musical members of the Porcaro family on an album by a Swedish musician (working for a Swedish label). Only the Toto project will equal this number of Porcaro's on one album. Though Janne impressed me more with the diverse guitar skills and song compositions of his previous album from 1976, Katharsis, I am still a converted fan of his extraordinary facility with the skills that go into writing, performing, and producing music.

90.15 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a highly consistent collection of high quality instrumental songs that definitely fall into the domain of Smooth Jazz. This may not be a masterpiece of progressive rock or Jazz-Rock Fusion but it is a very fine example of Smooth Jazz--probably a masterpiece of such.

33. PAT METHENY Bright Size Life (1976)

22-year old Pat Metheny's first album as a band leader. Recorded in December of 1975, Pat had been working for a couple years with Jaco Pastorius (most recently/concurrently with Joni Mitchell) whom he had met while in college in Miami. At 28, drummer Bob Moses was the "elder" in the crew, having spent many years on the front lines of the birth and toddling of Jazz-Rock Fusion (including having been the drummer in New York's Free Spirits--the band that is often considered the first to fuse dynamic, loud rock-heavy music into jazz forms as they did it in 1966). Bob and Pat had been rehearsing the music for this album with bassist Dave Holland--who was playing double bass, but Bob decided to fight for the employment of Jaco thinking that Jaco's presence raised Pat's compositions to a different, higher level than what could be achieved with Dave. Producer Manfred Eicher was against using electric bass: he thought it cheapened the music--made it like pop music--but Jaco was chosen.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Pat Metheny / 6- & 12-string electric guitars
With:
- Jaco Pastorius / fretless bass
- Bob Moses (The Free Spirits, Gary Burton, Carla Bley) / drums

1. "Bright Size Life" (4:45) melodic and incredibly-nuanced virtuosic performances from all three musicians treated with the pristine production of Manfred Eicher's ECM crew. One of my top three songs for the album: It's just so pretty! (9.125/10)

2. "Sirabhorn" (5:29) this one feels like a Pat Metheny song, completely, despite warm support from both Jaco and Bob; for the first three minutes it's all Pat. Then Jaco is given the green light to step into the spotlight--which turns out to be something quite tame and melodic while Bob continues to support with his quiet brushwork underneath. The tandem chord work in the sixth minute is my personal favorite part. (8.875/10)

 
3. "Unity Village" (3:40) two solo electric guitars: gentle picking chords from the left channel and gentle lead guitar from the right. Previews Pat's 1979 solo masterpiece, New Chautauqua (though not nearly as dynamic and layered). (8.75/10)

4. "Missouri Uncompromised" (4:21) effected jazz guitar with more traditional jazz drumming and jazz bass supporting. Bob's cymbal play becomes more animated in the second minute, reminding me a little of both Tony Williams and Keith Moon while staying as controlled as Jack DeJohnette. Pat's style and melody choices are built over a several riffs that could very well have been extracted from folk music of his native Missouri. (8.875/10)

5. "Midwestern Nights Dream" (6:00) one of Pat's special spacious solo pieces, here using some strong effects on his guitar(s) to amplify the echoing effect of his gentle notes and chords. Jaco and Bob's cymbals join in at the one-minute mark as Pat switches to playing sequences of pure chords. Jaco's counterpoint is spot on center for the first couple minutes but then he starts exploring the off-center harmonic possibilities as he so beautifully can. Bob's heartbeat-like muted bass drum is an interesting choice. In the fifth minute Jaco steps to the front while his electric fretless bass is fed through some kind of multi-tracking chorus-delay effect making it sound as if he's playing either chords or two notes at a time. (Perhaps he is!) These sound choices feel totally fresh and innovative--at least I can say that I have not encountered them in any pre-1976 music that I've heard. Probably my favorite song on the album.(9.3333/10) [12/29/25 addendum: I've just learned that Jaco fought to convince producer Manfred Eicher to let him overdub a second bass track in order to double up his foundational bass line; that's how that "chorus" effect I refer to was created--much to the chagrin of Eicher who hated overdubbing, only wanted "live" sounding music.]

6. "Unquity Road" (3:35) a cool jazz tune based on complex and unexpected chord progressions that often sound like a teaching étude. But the sound palette and melodic expressions in between the on-going chord play is as if a bird has flown higher than the flock. And I can never quite tell whether Bob is playing off of the chord progressions or Pat's melodic lead guitar work up top. Truly unusual and unique in its disparate parts but it works. Another top three song. (9.25/10)

7. "Omaha Celebration" (4:18) more interesting fast and continuous chord shifting with the melody now worked into the progressions and Jaco set free fairly early to explore his own counterpoint melodies and while Bob keeps the music anchored in a steady rhythm from beneath and above (the cymbal play). A little more bluesy than anything else on the album (so far) while also feeling the closest to anything being produced in the world of pop music at the time. (8.75/10)

8. "Round Trip/Broadway Blues" (4:58) the "blues" in the Ornette Coleman's title must refer to the old-feeling structure and chords used in this wild West Montgomery-like jazz rompus. Standard space given to each of the musicians for solo shine. I'm sure the guys had fun creating this one--though it probably took some practice to get it so loose and joyfully inspirited. (9.125/10)

Total Time 37:06

This is one of those albums that was key not only to the survival of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement but also to defining new directions and new possibilities within that movement. 

90.10 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; considering the point in the two strings players' careers this album represents, one cannot help but be awed and appreciative of this high-quality, pristinely rendered collection of virtuosic and innovative songs. Even from a prog or Jazz-Rock Fusion perspective one cannot discount the freshness of some of the structures and sound choices here: the envelope of all those combinations and permutations the world of Boss effects pedals is really being pushed here!  

34. DONALD BYRD Places and Spaces (1975)

Recorded at The Sound Factory in August and September of 1975 and then released by Blue Note in November.

Line-up/Musicians:

- Donald Byrd / Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Vocals
- Ray Brown / Trumpet
- George Bohannon / Trombone
- Tyree Glenn / Saxophone
- Chuck Rainey / Bass
- John Rowin / Guitar
- Harvey Mason / Drums
- Craig McMullen / Guitar
- King Errisson / Conga
- James Carter / Whistle
- Kay Haith / Vocals
- Mayuto Correa / Conga, Percussion
- Skip Scarborough / Electric Piano
- Larry Mizell / Piano, Vocals

- Fonce Mizell / Clavichord, Clavinet, Trumpet, Vocals

- Wade Marcus / Strings arranger, conductor

A1. "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)" (5:07) a not-unusual for the times party opener turns BOB JAMES-like driving pre-disco funk-lite. Think "Fly Robin Fly" or Burt Bacharach's funky music from the film soundtrack for Arthur. (8.875/10)

A2. "Wind Parade" (4:32) earworm music with a pretty lame lyric. But damn! It just won't leave the brain! I hate that this is the most memorable and my favorite song from this album! (9.25/10)

A3. "Dominoes" (4:32) bass chords and more J-R Fusion than smooth jazz or funk. Interesting! A top three song for me. (9/10)

B1. "Places And Spaces" (6:16) a little too repetitive but some awesome creative nuance-creation from several of the instrumentalists (percussion, Chuck Rainey's bass, Donald's flugelhorn, Skip Scarborough's electric piano) (9/10)

B2. "You And Music" (5:18) Smooth Jazz melody making, groovin' bass 'n' drum, over-the-top strings (that are actually pretty cool) thanks to arranger/conductor Wade Marcus, and a nice secondary motif of male-female joint and back-and-forth vocals. (9/10)

B3. "Night Whistler" (3:40) slay me with that rhythm guitar work! Some of those whistles sound like a distant woman screaming in distress! Otherwise, a pretty cool, chill song, with lots of layers of active musicians despite such a chill base. Hard to believe that all those "whistle" sounds are coming from one person (James Carter). (8.875/10)

B4. "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (4:36) a cover of the famous Temptations song of a decade earlier using choir vocals, the same weird whistles, piano, and Donald's flugelhorn over the classic Motown rhythm section. Even a little Disco drumming and "Shaft"/"Love Theme" rhythm guitar injected into the third minute. Nicely done! Interesting enough to qualify as one of my top three. (9/10)

Total Time: 35:51

90.0 on the Fishscales = B+/A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion that should probably be counted as a minor masterpiece of the burgeoning Smooth Jazz domain.  

35. CHICK COREA Secret Agent (1978)

Same year as Friends (which came out in July) this November release is definitely more pop/Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented. (Pressure from the Polydor front offices?) Recorded on various dates throughout 1978, the album was released by Polydor Records on December 9, 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chick Corea / acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner clavinet, Minimoog, Multimoog & Oberheim 8-voice synthesizers, backing vocals, percussion
With:
- Allen Vizzutti / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Bob Zottola / trumpet
- Ron Moss / trombone, bass trombone
- Jim Pugh / trombone, bass trombone
- Joe Farrell / flute, alto flute, bass flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
- Bunny Brunel / fretless bass
- Tom Brechtlein / drums
- Airto Moreira / percussion, hi-hat
- Charles Veal / violin, viola, backing vocals
- Carol Shive / violin, backing vocals
- Paula Hochhalter / cello, backing vocals
- Gayle Moran / lead vocals, backing vocals
- Al Jarreau / lead vocals

1. "The Golden Dawn" (3:39) an iconic song that has served as intros and signatory songs for countless shows, radio and televised, as well as often mistaken as something by artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Mike Oldfield, Bob James, Larry Fast/ Synergy, Patrick Moraz, Kraftwerk, Passport, Jan Hammer, Vangelis, and many more. (8.875/10)

2. "Slinky" (5:42) here we get into the Smooth Jazz territory of Bob James, The (Jazz) Crusaders, and the Laws family (esp. Hubert and Ronnie) as well as Earl Klugh. An eminently enjoyable tune whose loud horn section takes one back to Chick's great The Mad Hatter album of a couple years before (my all-time favorite Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion album). The spacious structure and flute-with-Fender Rhodes melody presentation are so like the concurrent work of BOB JAMES, though. There's even a little MiniMoog homage at the end to the iconic RTF album, Romantic Warrior (also from 1976). (8.875/10)  

3. "Mirage" (2:11) the orchestral arrangement of this pretty little filler is quite like the sound palette Chick and Claus Ogerman will put together to support Freddie Hubbard's upcoming 1979 release, The Love Connection. (4.375/5) 

4. "Drifting" (4:09) a pretty little Yacht Rock motif that serves to support (and inspire) some of Chick's wife Gayle Moran's unique vocal stylings. Interesting to hear (and distinguish) the fretless bass of Bunny Brunnel in the mix. Nice little instrumental passage with horns and Joe Farrell's flute doubling up Chick's Fender Rhodes' melody lines. But, overall, there is nothing really remarkable about this song. (Maybe it's in the lyrics--which I don't hear.) (8.75/10)

5. "Glebe St. Blues" (6:58) a very STEELY DAN-sounding sound opens this before Gayle and Joe's tenor sax join in, alternating with one another in a blues/blues-rock fashion. At the end of the day, however, there is nothing so very special about this song (which is pretty much the same that I feel about most Steely Dan songs). (13.125/15) 

6. "Fickle Funk" (5:05) an upbeat, uptempo song that feels as if the iconic drumming of Steve Gadd is paving the way, but it's not! It's Tom Brechtlein! He does a fine job while Chick, Bunny, and the horn section pull off another rather excellent J-RF rendering. Truly a J-R F song that has it all--plus more carry over from The Mad Hatter and one heckuva train of flugelhorn (Allen Vizzutti), trombone, and soprano sax solos in the second half while Bunny's going wild beneath them (though, in actuality, maybe they're trying to keep up with him). (9.25/10)

7. "Bagatelle #4" (3:34) one track solely devoted to Chick's somber Slavic classical piano chord play while his own "classic"/signature MiniMoog sound eventually solos over it. A "choir" of gospel blues choir singing soon joins in to accent and bridge the two. (8.875/10) 

8. "Hot News Blues" (6:18) Chick's response to Bob James' "Celebrate Me Home" song on Kenny Loggins' album of that same name--here using up-and-coming vocal star Al Jarreau to sing the lead. (Al's 1978 album release, All Fly Home, his fourth release in three years, was about to rocket him into national spotlight--with regular singing appearances on Johnny Carson and three minor hits in "Thinking About It Too," "Fly," and "All.") Despite some great performances from Bunny Brunel and a great chemistry between Chick's Fender Rhodes and Al's jazzy scat voice, Al fails to take it to the heights I was expecting. In fact, one might argue that Chick's MiniMoog and the background gospel singers might have had greater success elevating this one to expected/hoped for heights. (8.875/10)

9. "Central Park" (5:22) a rollicking song to celebrate and commemorate the energy of New York's grand Central Park, obviously on a particularly lively and bustling summer's day. This is just a great whole-band celebratory jam with horns and percussionists working their magic on full speed and high vim and vigor. There's even a chorus of exuberant celebrants appearing in the fourth minute singing joyously while Chick, Bunny, Tom, Joe, and the horn section throw their own pep and merriment into the Latin weave. Album's don't often end on such a high note! (10/10)

Total Time 42:58

Though the album often feels like Chick conforming to pressures from the Polydor "head office," the quality of songwriting is still top top notch. (This is, after all, the one and only Chick Corea, folks!) Also, we'd almost gotten used to hearing albums from Chick that had consistent, start-to-finish themes or sounds whereas Secret Agent shows Chick's ability and talent for the creation of singular, stand-alone songs expressing quite a range.

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; though this might not be the greatest representative of peak era Jazz-Rock Fusion, it is a definite representative of superbly crafted and rendered Jazz-Rock Fusion songs: a variety pack, if you will. A new team of highly skilled creatives continues to uphold the incredibly high standard of music making that Chick Corea has now commanded for nearly a decade. Highly recommended!

36. THE CRUSADERS Chain Reaction (1975)

Recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Hollywood, California and released by Blue Thumb Records in August of 1975.

Line-up/Musicians:

- "Stix" Hooper / drums, percussion
- Larry Carlton / guitar
- Joe Sample / keyboards, electric piano [Fender Rhodes], clavinet, synthesizer
- Wilton Felder / saxophone, bass
- Wayne Henderson / trombone, brass

A1. "Creole" (3:25) Soul-Funk-R&B delivered with some Jazz technique. I like the clavinet and bass work but not so much the synth bass. (8.75/10)

A2. "Chain Reaction" (5:35) a solid song with a great chorus., there's a little pre-Disco tension here, great drumming, and the presence of both Wayne's wonderful trombone and Larry's decisive guitar. (9/10)

A3. "I Felt The Love" (2:28) an excellent, STEELY DAN-like instrumental sound palette for this sweet little tune. (9.125/10)

A4. "Mellow Out" (2:44) nice, catchy R&B riffs in this Smooth Jazz tune with a cool step-up transition at the half way point. (4.375/5)

A5. "Rainbow Visions" (6:15) a very pleasant and relaxing Smooth Jazz tune with enough bridges and interesting solos to make it special. Very professional and polished. (9/10)

B1. "Hallucinate" (5:08) I can see a lot of people liking this song a lot because the instruments and the musicians' work are so visible, so professional, so skilled. It sounds a little too built around the chord and melody sequences of Seals & Crofts "Summer Breeze" for me to give it top marks. (9/10)

B2. "Give It Up" (2:56) here the band brings a very solid AVERAGE WHITE BAND sound and funk--including the sound of a "horn section." Larry Carlton's talent and skills are really on display with this one. (9.125/10)

B3. "Hot's It" (3:50) this one sounds like a cross between something by Dave Sanborn, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Ronnie Laws. It's good, solid, but it's missing something to make it special. (8.875/10)

B4. "Sugar Cane" (2:31) another crossover song that extolls the funk and a "full" (multiple tracks) horn section and multiple guitar tracks: this time between EWF, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon. Awesome "C" section bridge at the end of the second minute (though it also pre-dates GENESIS' "That's All"). (4.5/5)

B5. "Soul Caravan" (5:30) this one sounds like a cross of Average White Band with something by Stevie Wonder's Innervisions, though it also predates Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees and some Steely Dan stuff as well as Al Jarreau's iconic "Roof Top Garden." My favorite song on the album. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 43:23

So many of the melodies, chord progressions, textures, and sound palettes expressed through these songs either blend things expressed by other artists but equally seem to announce the coming of many future songs--which is remarkable. Did The Crusaders really have these talents and effects?

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; quite possibly a masterpiece of Smooth Jazz but only a near-masterpiece of true Jazz-Rock Fusion.

37. GEORGE DUKE Reach for It (1977)

The album was recorded at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles and then released by Epic Records on April 4, 1977. Six George Duke original compositions along with another two that he co-wrote, one contributed by drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler ("Hot Fire") and one other cover of a song by Brailian Horn player Raoul de Souza ("Ómi").

Line-up/  Musicians:

- George Duke / keyboards, vocals

- Charles Icarus Johnson / guitars, vocals (A4, B4)

- Manolo Badrena / congas, bongos, percussion [miscellaneous]
- Leon "Ndugu" Chancler / drums, tom toms (Remo roto-toms], timbales, vocals (A4, B3)

With:

- Raul De Souza / trombone (B1)
- Stanley Clarke / bass (B3)
- Mike Sembello / guitar (B3)

Background vocals: Deborah Thomas, Dee Henrichs, Sybil Thomas

A1. "The Beginning" (1:50) how fun it would have been to have been an adventurous keyboard player in the 1970s! Every week a new keyboard comes out, every day two or three new sounds are discovered on your new toys. I know when I got my hands on a Prophet 5 there were so many experiments to perform on every sound with every modulation effect--not to mention running them through guitar pedal effects as well! Here George has wowed enough people with this sound and ditty that he's convinced it should be allowed to reach public ears. Makes me wonder how many 1970s keyboard players were lured into the  realm of making film, television, and commercial jingle soundtrack music. (4.5/5)

A2. "Lemme At It" (4:16) here George has the assistance of uber-talented dillittante musician Charles "Icarus" Johnson playing lead guitar in order to fuse rock power rock tinged with a bit of Southern Rock with the RTF-like Jazz-Rock--probably conceived while working with guitar phenom Al Di Meola. Solid! (9/10) 

A3. "Hot Fire" (5:31) here George tries his hand at the Santana/Chick Corea brand of Latinized Jazz-Rock Fusion, letting his piano work fit in with the amazing weave of percussion work from Manolo Badrena and Ndugu Chancler. Since no bass player is credited to either this song or the album, I'm going to have to assume that the awesome bass play has to be attributed to George Duke's left hand. Awesome song. (9.375/10)  

A4. "Reach For It" (4:53) picking up on the music coming out of George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic as well as The Ohio Players and perhaps The Brothers Johnson we have a funk tune expressing the deep cover fun and joy of the Black World. The male chorus of George, Icarus, and Ndugu are awesome as they are offset by the joyful chorus vocals of Deborah Thomas, Dee Henrichs, and Sybil Thomas. This song also includes the amazing fuzz-bass work of another uncredited musician, I'm told it's one "Byron Miller." (9/10)

A5. "Just For You" (4:27) a song that definitely tightly emulates the sound and stylings of EARTH, WIND & FIRE. Were it not for the weak rather nondescript opening 30 seconds, I feel that this could/should have been a major radio slow dance hit for George. Simply gorgeous! George's multiple tracks and layers of keyboard sounds is amazing! (9.333/10)

B1. "Ómi (Fresh Water)" (4:50) the Brasilian feel is so well presented with such a percussion-heavy palette that it makes me wonder who wasn't playing percussion on the opening of this one! Awesome to hear the composer's trombone playing the lead over the dynamic Latin weave--and to have the wordless vocalese of the female background singers worked into the mix as well. (9/10)

B2. "Searchin' My Mind" (3:41) a radio-oriented soul/funk/R&B tune with Deborah Thomas handling the lead vocal duties. The chorus sounds suspiciously like some other Adult Contemporary band who's one hit wonder appeared just before this year. And I swear there is a real musician playing a slap bass on this! (an Instagram post seems to claim that George had a long-time loyal band member by the name of Byron Miller who was the bass player on a lot of these songs. If so, I wonder why Byron goes uncredited on anything else I've ever found about this album.) (8.75/10)

B3. "Watch Out Baby!" (5:23) a playful song that helps express musically the typical 31-year-old male libido: another one of those sex tape soundtracks. Too bad for the lady involved that the song is cut-off at the exact moment of the man's orgasm. It does seem unfair. The music is fine--soundtrack like--and the radio-theater performances are fine--it's just, in my opinion, another song about one of the more private yet mundane things in the animal world. Do we really need to have these things on record albums? I guess if they're in books, in films, and infiltrating television and video, why not audio record albums? (8.6667/10)

B4. "Diamonds" (6:45) More music that previews the 1980s world that brings us artists like The SOS Band, Stephanie Mills, Luther Vandross, and Cameo. A nice RTF-like jam song that allows for each and every musician to really fly and express themselves fully--each contributing essential ingredients to the weave and overall fullness of this awesome song. The wordless chorale vocals make me think I'm at some summer music camp or outdoor concert in which audience participation is a key element. (13.5/15) 

B5. "The End" (1:06) not quite a bookend/mirror image of the album's opener, this is more Star Wars cantina space café like. (4.375/5)

Total Time: 42:16

An album in which George's genius and proclivity for adaptation, adoption, and fusion really shine. PLEASE NAME THE BASS PLAYER(S)!

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; an excellent near-masterpiece of funk-filled yet-diverse Jazz-Rock Fusion that bridges the Third Wave of sophisticated Power Fusion with Funk/R&B and Latin-Jazz and Fourth Wave Smooth Jazz. I think George was hoping to launch a few hits.

  

Other Great Smooth Jazz Albums:

LEB I SOL Rucni Rad  (1979)

The Serbian band's third album released in the space of 18 months shows even more growth.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Vlatko Stefanovski / electric & acoustic guitars, vocals
- Nikola Dimusevski / piano, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron, Polymoog, Minimoog
- Bodan Arsovski / bass, double bass
- Garabet Tavitijan / drums
With:
- Milivoje Marković / tenor & alto saxes

1. "Lenja pesma" (4:32) more sophisticated than their previous efforts (especially from bass player, Bodan Arsovski, drummer Garabet Tavitijan, and in the composition department). There's so much more to this song construct than anything on the band's previous albums--even the sound quality (which is more like JEAN-LUC PONTY or UK despite the CAMEL/John Wetton-esque vocals). (9.125/10)

2. "Rebus" (5:12) the staccato instrument sounds weaving together on this one are very much like something coming from the contemporary (late) Canterbury scene and bands like BRUFORD and UK. The second piano-dominated motif is full jazz (though perhaps a bit of a parody of such--in a BUGGLES kind of way) but Nikola Dimusevski sure gets to shine (as do Bodan and Garabet). The key changes and motif switches are awesome! Now this is true Jazz-Rock Fusion! (9.3333/10)  

3. "Hogar" (4:21) a nice little pre-song space intro gives this a little UTOPIA/MISTER MISTER "Kyrie Eleison"/JEAN-LUC PONTY "Don't Let the World Pass You by" feel. The band continues the "Don't Let the World Pass You by" emulation when it ramps up the whole band into a fast-paced two-step cruising speed over which Vlatcko and Nikola (and maybe Milivoje) add their brief solos. A return to the intro motif at the halfway mark allows for a reset and then everybody's back to the races again. I love how fat the band has come: it's no longer music set up to display individual skills (especially Vlatko's); now it's fully-formed, sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion within which the individual musicians can make their mark. (9.5/10)

4. "Rucni rad" (5:07) the slow, melodic start had me a bit worried, but this song's development follows very well that of any mature, high-level Third or Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion song (though two of the motifs used definitely step into the realm of "Yacht Rock"/Smooth Jazz--if only exploratory "dipping their toes"). It's really remarkable how far Bodan and Nikola have come! (8.875/10)

5. "Kumova slama" (5:20) A semi-Disco tune--with Bodan setting the main melody with his fretless bass?!! And then Vlatko coming in with his Smooth Jazz CHRIS REA/LEE RITENOUR-like lead guitar melody-making! Unfortunately, it makes the song sound like a Easy Listening cover of an EAGLES song. Well performed (and, I guess, conceived--I've got to give kudos where they are deserved) but I have to admit to feeling a little disappointed and let down--especially after the rousing full-on Jazz-Rock Fusion start! (8.875/10)

6. "Put u vedro" (5:20) another softer and smoother musical construct that mellows one out as if you're sitting in the sun on your yacht or Florida club's poolside--even sporting a seductive, sex-suggestive saxophone as its one and only lead instrument. At the end of the fourth minute, however, things get a little crazy as the musicians go into a bit of a frenzy of chaotic noise-making, but they all come back to the soporific theme that started it all for the final 20 seconds (and fadeout). Nice but not enough to salvage it from the miasma of the kind of music that makes one have to drink. (8.75/10)

7. "Verni pas" (6:09) sounds exactly like something from Burt Bacharach's soundtrack to the film, Arthur. It's pretty, atmospheric, and mood-affecting, just not the Jazz-Rock Fusion I was hoping for (that the album's first three songs teased me with). (8.75/10)

Total Time: 36:01

An album whose first three songs signaled the start of a high-quality Jazz-Rock Fusion masterpiece took a sudden (and sadly unexpected) turn into the Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary Fourth Wave avenue of what I call Smooth Jazz. It's mature, high-quality sound and song construction throughout--even the traitorous smooth stuff

90.30  on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; an album that would definitely qualify for full masterpiece status were we only judging the first three songs. As it plays out, as an album, this is high-quality music (and sound); it's just not the high-quality peak-era Jazz-Rock Fusion music that they seemed to be promising at the beginning. As it is, in its aggregate sum form, I can only refer to this as an inconsistent near-miss "near-masterpiece." 

AZYMUTH Azimüth (1975)

The debut full-length LP of studio recordings from one of Smooth Jazz' stalwart masters. It was released by Som Livre in May of 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- José Alexandre Malheiros / bass [Rickenbacker, Vox & Eco], guitars [acoustic & electric], shaker, vocals 
- José Roberto Bertrami / bells, clavinet, electric piano [Fender Rhodes], organ [Hammond M.102], piano, synthesizer [Arp 2600, Moog Satellite, Arp Strings], vocals
- Ivan C. Miguel Conti (Mamão) / drums [Rogers & Ludwig], shaker, timbales, timpani
- Ariovaldo Contesini / bongos, congas, cuica, shaker, surdo, tamborim, vocals 

- João Américo (Paraná) / percussion, vocals, acoustic guitar (A1)

With:

- Marcio Lott / vocals (A1, B2, B4)

A1. "Linha Do Horizonte" (4:25) Written-By – Paraná*, Paulo Sérgio Valle this feels like a smoother, watered down version of PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI's "Il Banchetto" from their 1972 masterpiece, Per un amico. Points deducted for being such a blatant steal. (8.667/10)

A2. "Melô Dos Dois Bicudos" (3:07) opens sounding like an early Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, or Ohio Players song that is stuck on repeat. Weird--almost landing in the territory of a novelty song. (8.75/10) 

A3. "Brazil" (4:03) a group composition that must been somewhat meaningful to the band since they chose to name it after their home country (though the question of their perspective and/or meaning comes into discussion when one notices that they used the English/European spelling of the country name instead of their own native Portuguese spelling). Nice laid back sitting on the beach music. (8.875/10)

A4. "Faça De Conta" (4:32) Written by José Roberto Bertrami, this excellent Smooth Jazz-Funk could quite easily have been found on one of Bob James' earliest four albums in the mid-Seventies. Great bass, clavinet, Fender Rhodes, percussion, and use of vocals. And it makes you wanna dance! Definitely a top three song for me. (9.25/10)

A5. "Caça A Raposa" (4:32) a group composition that plays out like something from one of Bob James late 70s Smooth Funk-Lite Jazz albums. Nice keyboard work and bass play with some cool gimicks and grooves. (8.875/10) 

B1. "Estrada Dos Deuses" (3:40) is this an effort to emulate Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness" or perhaps at least to take advantage of the now-famous synth portamento sound. (8.875/10)

B2. "Esperando Minha Vez" (3:03) a composition offered by José Alexandre Malheiros and his wife Thereza that sounds like something by Michael Franks in the vocal sections, something by Carlos Antônio Jobim in the acoustic guitar-dominated sections, and then like Ramsey in the jazzy-electric keyboard parts. Cute. (8.875/10)

B3. "Montreal City" (3:22) nice Smooth Jazz from José Roberto Bertrami that reminds me of MICHAEL FRANKS. (9/10)

B4. "Manhã" (3:46) a beautiful little innocuous Smooth Jazz charmer with great hypnotic earworm melodies and rhythms from the percussionists, keys, and b vox melodies. Written by José Bertrami and Américo-Paraná, I have to say that Smooth Jazz does not get much better than this (unless your name is David Axelrod, Alain Mion, Lonnie Liston Smith, or Earl Klugh). (9.5/10)

B5. "Periscópio" (7:35) funk for the sake of funk--reminds me of Donald Byrd's earliest forays into the realm (1972's "Little Rasti") as well as, of course, some of the work of Jimmy "Hammond" Smith. Nice organ, bass, drums, rhythm guitar work as well as percussion. (13.75/15)

Total time: 42:05

The most consistently impressive aspects of the musicianship on this album are the percussionists, keyboards of José Roberto Bertrami and funky bass play of José Alexandre Malheiros. Definitely an impressive display of lightly-funky high-quality Smooth Jazz.

89.92 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of refreshing new Smooth Jazz with some excellent musicianship delivering an easy Funk-Lite disposition. 

RONNIE LAWS Friends and Strangers (1977)

This chart-topping album was recorded at ABC Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California; Davlen Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California; and The Chateau Recording Studio, North Hollywood, California during the months of January, February and March 1977, where it was produced by The Crusaders' Wayne Henderson. It was officially released on the Blue Note label in March 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ronnie Laws / saxophones [tenor, soprano], vocals

- Donnie Beck / bass, guitar

- Steve Guiterrez / drums

- Bobby Lyle / piano

- Larry Dunn / synthesizers [Arp 2600, Moog, Steiner-parker, Synthi-aks], Fender Rhodes (B4) 

- Roland Bautista / guitars

- Melvin Robinson / guitars

With:

- Vance "Mad Dog" Tenort / percussion (A1)

- Nathaniel Phillips / bass (A4, B2)

Group vocalists (A2, A4. B2):  Debra Laws, Eloise Laws, Saundra "Pan" Alexander

Strings (A2, A3):

- cellos: Nat Gershmann, Pat Bergstrom

- violins: Barbara Durant, Carroll Stephens, Elliott Fisher, Hyman Goodman, Jerry Reisler, Paul Shure, Polly Sweeney, Bill Nuttycombe

- violas: Barbara Simons, Leonard Selic

A1. "Goodtime Ride" (5:04) with a brilliant weave of multiple guitars and keys to make a thick funk "Space Race"-like bed for Ronnie and drummer Steve Guiterrez to set in forward motion makes up the awesome "Emminence Front"-like opening motif. The second motif that the song alternates with several times over its five minutes is Solid J-R F. (9/10)

A2. "Saturday Evening" (4:33) with group vocals presenting the title theme this songs presents a solid radio- and dance-friendly song over which Ronnie and pianist Bobby Lyle offer some awesome solos (and support). (9/10)

A3. "Friends And Strangers" (4:46) another two-moyif blend , this one with more group vocals for tehe presentation and repetition of the message of the main title as well as some solos from Ronnie on soprano and Larry Dunn playing some Parliament-like Arp and Moog. (8.875/10)

A4. "Nuthin' 'Bout Nuthin'" (5:08) with an almost-gospel-like congregational choir singing a nearly-constant stream of lyrics (mostly the title on heavy repeat) this song has some energy that helps to hide the similarities to Ronnie's previous smash hit, "Always There." Also, there is much more funk, dynamism, and changes and bridges in this one that "AT" --everything mixed on high levels. (9/10)

B1. "New Day" (6:17) starting Side Two with something deeply emotional is smart: here the extremely soulful tenor sax is almost countered by the slap bass and swirls of electric piano and metallic percussion, but then things kick into gear in the second minute and we have another very heavy funk tune, thanks to the slap bass play of Donnie Beck and the synth and clavinet work of Larry Dunn as well as the amazing weave presented by the rhythm guitarists (Melvin, Roland). With such a thick funk weave it's even hard to notice much less pay attention to Ronnie and his (chorused) layers of saxophone or Bobby Lyle's electric piano. A great song in terms of bringing the funk but kind of weak for melody lines and lead soloing. (9.125/10) 

B2. "Life In Paradise" (6:59) a ballad with all the accoutrements of Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz--including an all-female choir of vocalists to coo and seduce the listener with their siren-like entreats. Great rhythm guitar performances from both Roland and Melvin as well as some nice synth and keyboard play from both Bobby and Larry. Ronnie chooses multiple tracks of airy flute to express himself on this one before jumping to the front with his female-vocal-backed soprano saxophone. Another eminently-satisfying Smooth Jazz classic. (13.5/15)

B3. "Same Old Story" (4:40) a nice PRINCE-like jam tune over which Ronnie solos on his tenor sax. The problem exhibited here is how repetitive Ronnie's phrasings have become (again, like variations on his ground-breaking performance on "Always There"). There's nothing to dislike here, it's just that this song sounds like the band (leader) have run out of ideas--or else like a jam song that the band might play during the buildup to Ronnie's stage entrance, exit, or bathroom break. (8.875/10)

B4. "Just Love" (3:23) nice way to end an album: showing a lot of gratitude with pensive soprano sax and heavenly keyboard washes to float our way out. (4.5/5)

Total Time: 41:02

While not an earth-shattering or ground-breaking Jazz album, the standards of consistency and sophistication set by this album have lasting value to the heights that the Smooth Jazz mode of expression will have to achieve in order to stay in the public's favor (which it will for the next eight to ten years). Though the quality of composition on Side Two is a bit of a come-down from the sophistication of those on Side One, overall the album achieves a very high standard of quality in terms of sound, engageability, and performance.

   

89.84 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of funky, radio- and dance-friendly Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz.

RONNIE FOSTER The Two-Headed Freap (1972)

This is the Jimmy-Smith-trained Ronnie Foster's debut solo album. It contains five original compositions and two covers of massively popular pop/Soul/R&B songs that were recorded at the Van Gelder Recording Studio on January 20 & 21, 1972, and then selected by Blue Note Records for November release.  

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ronnie Foster / Hammond D3 organ

- George Duvivier / bass
- Gordon Edwards / bass [Fender electric]
- Arthur Jenkins / congas
- Jimmy Johnson / drums 
- Gene Bertoncini / guitar
- Gene Bianco / harp

- George Devens / Vibraphone [vibes], percussion

A1. "Chunky" (4:50) quite the high speed cruisin' song! (Reminds me of Boney James & Rick Braun's great tune "Chain Reaction" from their 2000 album Shake It Up but not quite as good.) Great groove and great organ play--and really impressive drumming and bass play from Jimmy Johnson and George Duvivier, respectively. Yes, without knowing when or who was making this music I'd almost be willing to guess it was coming from Italy's Nicolosi Family in the 2000s! Great start! (9.125/10)

A2. "Drowning In The Sea Of Love" (4:00) Ronnie is here covering the great Joe Simon hit from the year before. I love the contributions of George Devens Vibraphone and Gene Bertocini's guitar--working in weave-like melody-making with Ronnie's organ in the opening intro period they're almost as important as Ronnie! But then Ronnie steps into the spotlight and the other two recede to side support duties as the organ takes over wailing and swirling (though Gene's rhythm work is still awesome). (9/10)

A3. "The Two-Headed Freap" (4:19) sounding very much like Keith Emerson out of the gate, the organ-dominated song speeds along for 40-seconds before crescendoing and then suddenly slowing down to a Pink Panther sleuthing crawl in which each musician seems to stay a disciplined within a very simple but tight and syncopated five-chord weave. Around the two-minute mark Ronnie (almost reluctantly) steps into the spotlight to perform a Brian Auger-like solo over the sleuthing groove. It's quite entertaining and actually kind of fun! Big respect to Ronnie & the gang for designing much less pulling off this little cutie! (9/10)

A4. "Summer Song" (5:20) a steady, pedestrian two-chord vamp over which Ronnie shows off his two-handed organ skills. It's a rather awesome, funky stroll through the 'hood--like Cool Jazz in the 1970s, with great, locked-in, in-the-pocket, supportive performances from all of the band members. And Ronnie's organ work in the lead is really fun and likeable. (9.375/10)

B1. "Let's Stay Together" (4:50) now I see why the organ was such a popular instrument in 1950s and 1960s Smooth Jazz: it's just so melodic and its harmonic potentialities are so off-the-charts! Before hearing this song, I could never imagine an instrumental of Al Green's masterpiece coming even close to capturing the energy and vibe of the original but this nearly does! Ronnie really knows how to bring it! Again, big thanks to the wonderful work of the core rhythm section of Gene Bertocini, Jimmy Johnson and the two bassists! (9.375/10)

B2. "Don't Knock My Love" (4:30) the album's third and final cover song comes from Wilson Pickett but this one comes up a little short in terms of both band cohesion and capture and morph of the original material. (8.75/10)

B3. "Mystic Brew" (4:13) a nice, soft early-morning slow-wakeup song. I can see taking my time, walking around the beach house in my robe or jammies while slowly going through my morning routines--especially the kitchen routines and lounging on the ocean-side porch with my AM brew of choice. So the mood is set--undeniably so--so what's the music like--the musicianship and meat of the song? It's actually a little underwhelming and will have trouble arousing any attention to distract me from my blissful morning haze. (8.75/10)

B4. "Kentucky Fried Chicken" (5:00) what starts out a little monotonously ends up getting synched with itself and it's funky title due to Ronnie's fiery organ lead in the second half. (9/10)

Total Time: 37:19

89.84 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; even though the songs on this album are all rather simplistic arrangements of pop-jazz, it is still a near-masterpiece of totally-enjoyable, perfectly-performed organ-centric instrumental music.

LARRY CARLTON Larry Carlton (1978)

The Crusaders' valued guitarist and vaunted L.A. studio musician makes his third attempt (one every five years) at a solo album--and he's still singing! (Maybe the influence of fellow L.A. superstar guitarist Glen Campbell has been rubbing off on him.) The album of all-original tunes was released by Warner Brothers Records on July 18, 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Larry Carlton/ electric guitar, vocals

- Jeff Porcaro / drums

- Abraham Laboriel / electric bass
- Greg Mathieson / keyboards
- Paulinho Da Costa / percussion

With:

- William "Smitty" Smith / background vocals, co-composer (A2, B2)

A1. "Room 335" (5:36) as if the producer said, "Let's take advantage of your playing on Steely Dan's "Peg": almost a carbon copy of both the rhythm track and lead guitar sound as well as the melody-supporting chord progression--especially for the first minute, then things kind of go off in their own direction for a bit before coming back to center on that keyboard chord progression. Larry is quite talented if a bit too smooth and his guitar a bit under-processed for my tastes. Nice of Larry to offer solo time to Greg Mathieson. (8.875/10)

 
A2. "Where Did You Come From" (3:29) Larry sings! Here on an original song coming from his background singer William Smith and Eric Mercury he makes a legitimate contribution to the Yacht Rock movement. A very likable song in an AMERICA/PABLO CRUISE/MICHAEL FRANKS kind of way while the music is a bit more like PLAYER. (9.125/10)

A3. "Nite Crawler" (5:20) a solid, likable, and suitably-nuanced this one opens as if it could be something from PLAYER, The Doobie Brothers, or even The Allman Brothers. Abraham Laboriel's funky bass is pretty great as is Jeff Porcaro's solid drumming. Greg Mathieson's keyboard work, though technically great, is a bit too much saccharine for me (more like Bob James' work). (8.75/10)

A4. "Point It Up" (4:56) an up-beat, up-tempo anthemic-like tune that flies through several catchy melodic hooks and riffs while also showcasing Larry's fiery guitar skills for quite a considerable amount of time. Nice if a little formulaic and Disco-ish! (9.333/10)

B1. "Rio Samba" (6:57) another song that uses a keyboard-arpeggiated two-chord progression and fast-paced Latin-Disco rhythm track to support the soloists (Larry and a much more contrasting and subdued Greg Matheison). Nice lead guitar work from Larry and nice percussion work from Paulinho Da Costa.(13.5/15)

B2. "I Apologize" (4:18) the second song composition contributed by Larry's friends William Smith and Eric Mercury, this one has a much more Southern Rock twang to it as if it were something from The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Dave Mason, or Marshall Tucker Band. It's nice--like a lot of the fare from those bands mentioned. (8.875/10)

B3. "Don't Give It Up" (6:03) opens with a driving bass and drum line quite similar to Boz Scagg's "Lido Shuffle" which Greg and Larry proceed to light up with their electric piano and electric guitar, respectively. The melodies are a little too Southern Rock-ish for my taste, but fans of The Eagles, ZZ Top, or The Allman Brothers would probably love this. Greg does provide some nice organ work during his solo in the middle of the song. (8.75/10)

B4. "(It Was) Only Yesterday" (4:33) delicate Bob James (or Whitney Houston)-like electric piano- and Arp Synth strings-enriched ballad music over which Larry gives a solo that feels too much as if he's trying to emulate Jeff Beck's work on his classic "Diamond Dust" song from his popular 1975 album release, Blow by Blow. It's a fine performance and a fine song but, I can't help but wince at the near-plagiarism. (9/10)

Total Time: 41:33

89.66 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of high-quality Smooth Jazz.

THE CRUSADERS Southern Comfort (1974)

A double album that achieved number one status on the Billboard Jazz Music charts (and #3 on the Soul charts) Southern Comfort was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles and released by the ABC subsidiary, Blue Thumb Records, in October. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Wayne Henderson / trombones, bass
- Wilton Felder / saxophone, bass
- Joe Sample / keyboards
- Nesbert "Stix" Hooper / drums

- Larry Carlton / guitars

A1. "Stomp And Buck Dance" (5:51) great, solid funky Jazz-Rock with several layers of attractive hooks and a rock-drivin' groove that keeps the listener fully-engaged. No wonder this was a moderately successful "hit" single on the charts. (9.125/10)

A2. "Greasy Spoon" (3:14) opening with a Southern blues piano (and bass) motif and voice-tube-enhanced guitar New Orleans-style soloing--like a cross between Joe Walsh and Leon Russell. In the second minute Wilton Felder's television sax gets the next spotlight, then it's back to Larry for his voice-modified guitar to finish--with a bunch of clapping and enthusiastic voice commendations to close it out. (8.75/10)

A3. "Get On The Soul Ship (It's Sailing)" (3:22) another gentle/laid back groove that feels Southern fried which sets up for Wilton's tenor sax to lead the way into the promised land with a song-long solo that makes me feel as if I'm back in the 1970s watching one of the popular "down-home" television sit-coms of the day. This is barely tolerable to me. (8.5/10)

A4. "Super-Stuff" (2:42) a not-so-super song. After a day with Tom Scott and the L.A. Express yesterday I can honestly say that this stuff is so much more sedate and milk-toast simplistic that I'm finding myself rather bored--and the sad thing is I know how talented these guys are (or is it really just Joe and Larry--not Stix, Wilton, or Wayne?) (8.5/10)

B1. "Double Bubble" (2:44) yet another song that feels as if it has created a variation on a borrowed riff or motif from another band or hit and then watered it down for consumption for simple-minded Southern rubes. (I am, of course, playing on a hyper-generalized stereotype.) (8.5/10)

B2. "The Well's Gone Dry" (4:46) another simplistic funk tune that seems aimed to please the masses in the Country-Western USA. The riffing and soloing are, I have to admit, a notch above the other stuff Side A had to offer. It's solid but nothing really new or refreshing. (8.6667/10)

B3. "Southern Comfort" (2:07) soulful blues is what I hear--like the stuff G.E. Smith used to play with/for Hall & Oates as well as at the end of the episodes of Saturday Night Live while he was music director there (1985-1995). (4.25/5)

B4. "Time Bomb" (6:40) now here's a fairly decent step up into the more Billy Preston kind of funk--thanks to Joe's liberal use of the clavinet and some more highly-syncopated intricacies from the rhythm corps. Not great, but far better than the level of sophistication (and energy) of the previous six songs! Another nice feature of this one is that the energy level and instrumental sophistication levels keep gradually rising throughout with the end being the highest of all. (9/10)

C1. "When There's Love Around" (5:28) gentle electric piano and electric guitar are accompanied by bass guitar flourishes and soft cymbal play and rim shots. Horns join in in the second minute as Joe's right hand becomes a little more active, eventually receding for Wilton's sax and Larry's Frippian sustained guitar notes stepping forward to lead the way into a more developed and fulfilling level. I like the subtle sophistication of this one--especially the further it goes on. The talents that are Joe Sample and Larry Carlton are rising to the top. (9/10)

C2. "Lilies Of The Nile" (9:35) This was my favorite song from the album back in the 1970s when I owned it (my first Crusaders album purchase before Street Life came out--borne of an attraction to Larry and Joe's work with other musicians like Steely Dan and Tom Scott). I remember being so infatuated with Wayne's trombone that I went on both a Wilton Felder and trombone hunt for a few months. As a matter of fact, this song stayed on my favorite "Smooth Jazz" mix tapes for the next decade! I also love Joe's "dirty" electric piano play. (18.5/20)

D1. "Whispering Pines" (9:00) another extended excursion which feels like more fully- and intentionally-developed (which is so nice to hear. No wonder I thought that this was just a single disc album when I went to review it: I must've grown so attached to the material on Sides 3 & 4 that I simply forgot about the existence of Sides 1 & 2. Nice to see and hear more nice high-caliber performances from all five of the musicians. (18/20)

D2. "A Ballad For Joe (Louis)" (7:29) a very pleasant and easy listening tune with some great hooks (no pun intended) and even some boxing ring audio footage inserted between sections. I really love the sound applied to Larry's guitar, as well as Joe's rich, long electric piano chords and Wilton and Wayne's mini horn section riffs and accents.  (13.75/15)

Total Time: 64:04

I think the band is showing too much reliance on leaders Wilton Felder and Stix Hooper (and, to a lesser degree, Wayne) for starter ideas and structural guidelines/suggestions: Wilton's bass lines seem to be the initial "hooks" that the rest of the band builds over much like Tom Scott's opening sax earworms served his L.A. Express band to build around--which is fine except for the fact that sometimes the band just doesn't respond as if they're inspired and then the song just limps along like some under-developed template for a pop soul song.

89.64 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece despite a stretch of six songs that almost make it seem as if the guys had lost all inspiration and work ethic. 

JOE SAMPLE Carmel (1979)

The (Jazz) Crusaders founding member tries his hand(s) at a solo album--his second attempt.

Lineup / Musicians:

Joe Sample / Piano

With: 

- Dean Parks / Guitar 

- Paulhino Costa / Percussion

- Hubert Laws / Flute

A1 "Carmel" (5:36) piano (8.75/10)

A2 "Paintings" (5:24) piano (8.75/10)

A3 "Cannery Row" (4:02) piano (8.75/10)

A4 "A Rainy Day in Monterey" (5:45) Fender Rhodes (8.875/10)

B1 "Sunrise" (5:23) nice and rollicking with hard piano chords and great bass and rhythm guitar in support. (8.875/10)

B2 "Midnight and Mist" (6:50) solo piano for the first 87 seconds, then awesome bass and percussion and rhythm guitar for three minutes with some of my favorite Joe Sample play of all-time, but the highlight for me is when Hubert Laws enters with his amazing flute play. Alas! It's only for the final 90 seconds of the song! (14.5/15)

B3 "More Beautiful Each Day" (6:28) piano with soft swing support. (8.75/10) 

The major problem with the songs on this album is the fact that nearly every single song is repeating, over and over, the same patterns of melody, chord progression, and rhythm: Joe was very determined to explore something very specific that was obviously haunting him. I can't remember if from listening to his next album if I was ever able to determine whether or not he finally got it out of his system. I hope so!

89.66667 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Smooth Jazz. Amazing how one GREAT. song can affect the rating of the rest of a fairly mediocre album.

MICHAL URBANIAK Body English (1976)

Undaunted at being dropped by Columbia Records, Michał moved across the street to Arista (who were into a big support mode for the new and popular Jazz-Rock Fusion/Jazz-Funk style of music--having concurrently made quite an investment in Austrian Hermann Szobel). Body English was the result of their first recording sessions (at Dick Charles Recording studio by Gene Paul and Les Paul, Jr.), being released on May 19, 1976. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Urbaniak / Violin, violin synthetizers, lyricon, farfisa organ, polymoog
- Urszula Dudziak / Vocal, percussion, synthesizer
- Harold Ivory Williams (MFSB, Miles Davis) / Keyboards
- Basil Farrington / Bass
- Joe Caro / Guitar
- Steve Jordan / Drums
- Bernard Kafka / Voice
- Earl Crusher Bennet / Congas

1. "New York Polka" (5:52) sounding less like a polka than a country-bluegrass jamboree or, with it's brief intro, something out of England's mediæval prog scene, this funk band lineup is solid, tight, as is the composition, with perhaps a little less effects used on Michał's violin. New drummer Steve Jordan holds his own and Harold Ivory Williams shines quite brightly--is highly creative--on his keys. Joe Caro impresses as well, crossing that bridge between jazz-rock and blues-rock with apparent ease. I guess it's really the "Robin Hood"-feeling reset bridge that's doing the most to keep steering me toward this country-bluegrass label; the rest is just pretty standard funk. (8.875/10)

 
2. "Afterglow" (1:38) a pretty interlude that somehow manages to sound very much like a full orchestra without the addition of a single extra to the basic lineup. Impressive! I guess with three band members playing the keys anything is possible! (4.5/5)

3. "Zad" (6:50) cool clavinet, bass, and other synthesized deep bass play gives this stop-and-go song a cool early-Disco feel and sound. Clearly Michał is hearing all the funky R&B that's reaching the radio stations and dance floors. Lyricon and Ula's smooth voice are quite often delivering the lead melodies on this one--except in the chorus and bridges. Though he is no Anthony Jackson, the solo by Basil Farrington in the fourth minute is pretty decent. (He's enjoying experimenting with Larry Graham's thumb hits and finger pluck-snaps). Ula's presence is felt more in the instrumental department as her vocalizations seem to be limited to solo-like appearances (5:00) or the afore-mentioned main melody deliveries. Steve Jordan really hits a Steve Gadd stride in that section beneath Ula's scat solo. Harold Williams' keys are so lush and filling that you practically don't notice they are there (but would sorely missed if they weren't--quite similar to Greg Phillanganes' work on Earl Klugh's Heartstring album from the same year.) An excellent song to keep you warm in the winter. (13.75/15)

4. "Sevenish" (6:43) a solid Jean-Luc Ponty-like slightly-medieval or bluegrass-infused opening turns into something more attuned with Joe Zawinul's WEATHER. REPORT--despite the military drumming and frequent reminders in the sound palette of Jean-Luc Ponty (coming not just from Michał's synthesized violin). Composed, performed, recorded and mixed really well. This one begs the question: Which came first: Jean-Luc Ponty's slide over into the lush side of synthizer-heavy jazz-funk or Michał Urbaniak's? Using this song as a determiner the chronology looks pretty similar. (9/10)

5. "Body English" (6:03) "Turn Me Loose" synth note and funky wah-effected bass play open this one before drums, congas, percussion, guitar, and other keyboards join in. The initial solo melody-carriers are, in fact, one-note percussive synthesizers. With its jazzified Disco foundations we have something on the novelty range like a combination of the instrumental radio hit, "Popcorn" with an Average White Band song and some Herbie Hancock pleasure candy, and yet it still has that solid core of perfectly-aligned funk masters in the rhythm section. I happen to like it quite a bit! It's very cute, melodic (borrrowing a bit from Diana Ross' version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"), and memorable. (8.875/10) 

6. "Quintone" (2:33) synthesized violin, chorused bass chords, flange-wah-wahed rhythm guitar, and multiple keys present a very pensive melody and chord progression before settling into something soft and gentle in the second minute--with a heart-wrenching pop ballad melody. Simple but oh-so pretty! (9/10) 

7. "Lyricon" (6:58) another richly-textured BOB JAMES-like melodic Smooth Jazz adventure on which Michał displays some of his saxophone skill (doubled up with his violins) with his Lyricon (an electrified saxophone-like wind instrument that had been pioneered by L.A. session god and solo artists Tom Scott back in 1974). In Michał's hands, here, the Lyricon sounds like a synthesized flute. Nice Moog ("polymoog"?) solo in the fourth minute (Michał's?) I also hear a little Smooth-era Weather Report in the palette of this song. (8.875/10)

8. "Satin Lady" (5:49) It has become obvious by this point in the album that Arista had exerted quite some control on Michał's musical direction; Smooth Jazz and Steely Dan-like "Yacht Rock" were becoming all the rage and I'm sure the big record company wanted to see sales from their investments. At the same time this is a fine song, with some great violin playing, nice lead and support contributions from Ula (and male vocalist Bernard Kafka) over a very engaging easy listening BOB JAMES-like groove played to perfection by the band. It's just that Ula's presence leaves me longing for more as I know how talented she is and how integral she had been to all of Michałs previous albums. Plus, she'd just put out her second solo album (also on Arista)--and it is great! (I wonder if they were signed as a team or if Ula was given her own album as a promise to Michał--or even as a bargaining point--or as a test drive for this new band.) (9/10) 

9. "Zomar Land" (1:11) an excellent little bass and Ula show that packs so much into its brief time; it's like a mix of funk and the Carnatic Indian tradition of konnakol vocal percussion syllable singing. Cool! (4.75/5)

Total time: 43:37

I find little or no depreciation in the quality or skills on display in these compositions. Michał had worked with most of these musicians before and seems to really click with all of them. They aren't the "name" players that he had on the last two Columbia releases (including Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, John Abercrombie, and Larry Coryell) but these guys are all very, very good. Well-respected music reviewer Adam Baruch (blogpage "The Soundtrack of My Life" and "Jazzis" on rateyourmuisc.com) carries the opinion that Michal's best output ended with the end of his association with Columbia Records. This album is allowing me to realize that this is simply not true: this is a very good album! The weakness for me is in the bass: it's still amazing and perfectly funky and well-deserved in its leadership role within each song on the album, but after Michał's last album on which Anthony Jackson gives one of the most astonishingly innovative displays of future bass potentialities, poor Basil Farrington just can't compare. (No one could.)

89.56 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; another very high quality and amazingly-consistent collection of jazz-funk songs here displaying Michał's willingness to experiment with the new Disco and Easy Listening sides to Jazz-Funk and Jazz-Rock Fusion. A near-masterpiece of music however you spell it out. Highly recommended. 

ENERGIT Piknik

Very nicely composed, performed, and rendered Fourth Wave "Smooth" Jazz-Funk Fusion that definitely checks all the "Easy Listening" criteria. Three years after their exciting debut album, these Czech musicians hailing from the former Czechoslovakia release their second and final studio album. It was recorded early in the 1978 at Studio Dejvice, Prague, Czechoslovakia, and then released by the Panton label in May.   

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jan Vytrhlík / bass
- Jiří Tomek / congas
- Jaromír Helesic / drums, percussion
- Lubos Andrst / guitars, composer
- Milan Svoboda / piano, electric piano, synthesizer [Arp], marimba

- Rudolf Ticháček / soprano saxophone
- Bohuslav Volf / trombone
- Michal Gera / trumpet

- Zdeněk Zahálka / trumpet

1. "Drift (6:29) funky wah-wah rhythm guitar, funky bass, near-Disco (and near-Steve Gadd) drumming time machine, funky slurpy keyboard synths, and three-man horn section come together, one at a time, to provide a melodic base for eventual soloing from Lubos Andrst's electric guitar and, much later, Rudolf Ticháček's soprano saxophone and Milan Svoboda's Arp synthesizer. There is definitely a smoothness--and spacious, mathematical form--to this walking-man's funk which brings to mind artists like BOB JAMES and THE CRUSADERS. It's great, easy to listen to, but not (8.875/10)

2. "Stratus" (4:20) pretty piano-based syncopated music elevating both guitarist Lubos Andrst melody-making skill as well as drummer Jaromír Helesic's Harvey Mason-like talent. (8.875/10)

3. "Jarní rovnodennost" (3:45) acoustic guitar and piano dance delicately, almost nervously, around each other until Lubos launches into a two-track exposé of Spanish strumming with John McLaughlin-like lead over the top--all on steel-string acoustic guitars. This second motif lasts about 90 seconds before Lubos and Milan fall back into their awkward dance (like two love-at-first sight-ers first encountering each other on the dance floor of a 19th Century ball). Lovely. (9.25/10)   

4. "Mobilis in mobili" (3:53) trying for the "heavier" side of Smooth Jazz-Rock Fusion with some TOM SCHOLZ (BOSTON)-like electric guitar channeled in over some more BOB JAMES-like music: Fender Rhodes, horn section, funk-syncopated rhythm section. Rudolf Ticháček adds some nice accents and flourishes with his soprano sax as does Milan Svoboda on the Fender. Nice music; weird combination of the Boston guitar and Bob James music. (8.875/10)

5. "Zapomenutý ostrov" (7:58) African folk instruments like berimbau open this with Fender Rhodes, bass, and congas, yielding an almost In a Silent Way sound and feel. In the second minute the band steps up, into a quick tempo, with congas and bass leading the way while sax, Fender Rhodes, and electric guitar take turns soloing. Now they're sounding more like a Third Wave J-R Fusion band practicing the forms and rules of bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report. In the fifth minute, then, things calm down so that muted horns and flourishes from Milan's Fender and Lubos' guitar can try to fill the near-empty space. It's pretty if rather formless and without flow--kind of like everybody is standing in the middle of a tar pit, playing their instruments from one place cuz they're stuck up to their knees in the mire.
Then they extract themselves from the muck and move forward in a lovely whole-group melody to the song's finish. Interesting and definitely creative! (13.5/15)

 

6. "Rícní písek" (4:25) more sophisticated yet gentle-on-the-ears jazz-rock with great syncopation and special play from bass player Jan Vytrhlík and the percussionists over which sax and electric guitar solo from time to time. Overall, it's just a great groove for the listener to get lost in! (9/10)

7. "Piknik" (6:42) more funked up jazz-rock of the Jazz Crusaders type. This one lets the brass/horns have more air time (no pun intended, I think). Despite the Bob JAMES-like friendliness and accessibility, the  musicians once again put on a show of most excellent skill, cohesiveness, and professionalism. Interesting to hear Milan's bird-like synthesizer chirps offsetting Jaromír Helesic's drum solo in the fifth minute. The band then reconvenes for one more drive to the album's end while Lubos' liquid lightning guitar runs and the horns take us out. Not the album's best song but still a display of excellent musicianship. (8.75/10)

Total time 37:31

Though often producing very easy-to-listen to "Smooth Jazz," these are top notch musicians pulling together to create wonderfully-skilled and nuanced jazz-rock fusion. Is there anything wrong with catchy melodies and memorable hooks in jazz music? I hope not. These guys are really good at it!

89.50 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of excellent Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion aka "Smooth Jazz." These are some great compositions performed with highly nuanced, highly skilled musicians collaborating in a near-perfect ensemble. Highly recommended! 

GÁBOR SZABÓ Macho (1975)

The Hungarian-born guitar virtuoso tries his hand at Bob James' style of smooth jazz-rock fusion. (While Gábor had played with Bob before, this was his first album using Bob as his producer.) Recorded in California at Kendun Recorders in Burbank and Westlake Audio in L.A. during April of 1975, Macho was released by Salvation Records in September. It is considered perhaps Gábor's most successful attempt at joining the Fusion bandwagon.

Line-up / Musicians:

Bass – Louis Johnson
Drums – Harvey Mason
Guitar – Eric Gale, Gabor Szabo
Keyboards – Bob James
Lyricon, Saxophone [Tenor] – Tom Scott
Percussion – Idris Muhammad, Ralph MacDonald
Trombone – George Bohanon

Trumpet – John Faddis

A1. "Hungarian Rhapsody #2" (6:52) music that is very much pre-Disco. The sound engineering is surprisingly weak--almost thin, with everything mixed so quietly, the background instruments (horns, drums, percussion) sounding as if they are way far in the distant background. These sound discrepancies are distracting enough (as is Louis Johnson's up-front bass play) as to leave me working very hard just  give minimal attention to Gabor's guitar play--which is also detracted by coming from a plug-in acoustic guitar (the early models of which I found quite irritating for their artificial sound). (13.125/15)

A2. "Time" (5:38) dreamy Disney electric piano arpeggi open this before gorgeous blues-jazzy guitar enters bringing with it Fender Rhodes piano and bare-bones bass and drum accompaniment. At 1:20 there is a slight shift in key and motif, leading to a brief, slightly more dynamic "chorus." Gabor's melody in the verses is quite beautiful, even seductive. Bob James gets some solo time in the third minute on his electric piano while Harvey Mason and Louis Johnson support with some nice little touches and nuances. The closing vamp is the best part because it unleashes all of the musicians to add a little bit more to their performances--including Gabor. (9/10)

A3. "Transylvania Boogie" (5:31) clavinet, bass, drums, and percussion establish a funky-smooth motif over which Eric Gale adds his own unique guitar sound and style. Gabor inserts his sparsely-populated melody with his lead guitar sounding like a cross between George Benson and Earl Klugh. Not quite spooky enough to qualify as vampire music (though it does have its sexy/seductive elements), I must remember that Gabor is a native of the country that houses Transylvania. Tom Scott's solo on his electronic saxophone (the Lyricon) is nice--and then bookended by some horn section accents from he and John Faddis and George Bohanon. The song fades out before anything truly interesting can mount, but, c'est la vie! (8.875/10)

B1. "Ziggidy Zag" (5:58) strummed electric jazz guitar chord sequence is soon joined by mid-funky bass and drum lines and then blasts from the band's thin horn section. The motif that takes over in the second minute is very Bob James-like, as is Gabor's Earl Klugh-sounding solo style--at least for the first  30-seconds of his performance: after that his sound and style begin to take some distinctive characteristics. Bob James gets the second solo on his Fender Rhodes. I really like Louis Johnson's bass performance as well as the conga play of Idris Muhammad and Harvey Mason's drumming (though this latter is recorded rather poorly). "Distant" clavinet, Eric Gale guitar, and occasional "distant" horn blasts continute to pepper and fill the background through to the end. Nice tune. (8.875/10)

B2. "Macho" (9:13) after a protracted piano and percussion intro, the band establishes an okay attempt at a Latin pseudo-Chick Corea songscape--one that eventually succeeds in delivering on the promise of the tension residing in its impassioned "White Rabbit"/"Bolero"-like chord progression. Great performances all around--especially from Harvey Mason, Louis Johnson, and Bob "Chick" James as well as Ralph MacDonald and Idris . One of my favorite songs on the album--one of the true J-R Fusion tunes here. (18/20)

B3. "Poetry Man" (4:28) a highly-charged, almost-erotic rendition of Phoebe Snow's iconic radio hit. Great arrangement and recording--my favorite song on the album with its best performances though not quite what I'd call true Jazz-Rock Fusion. (9.25/10)

Total time: 37:40

I will also discount my rating of this album for its lack of original compositions (two covers, one Bob James song, one Harvey Mason song, and only two songs by the title artist--which happen to be the two best Jazz-Rock Fusion songs on the album); it is my opinion that the pressure to perform listener-friendly/recognizable covers of pop hits is one of the things that took the wind out of the sails of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement--directed it onto the detour paths of Adult Contemporary, Smooth Jazz, and Yacht Rock.

89.50 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.  

THE CRUSADERS Free as the Wind (1977)

What a lineup! This is not The Jazz Crusaders--it may not even be The Crusaders now that Wayne Henderson has moved on: What Tom Scott's L.A. Express has done is expanded their lineup to include several more of L.A.'s very, very top in-demand studio musicians for a project that may have turned out their best music . . . ever! Recorded at Hollywood Sound Recorders, Hollywood, December 1976 and then released by Blue Thumb Records on May 25, 1977. Despite the fact that Free as the Wind topped the Jazz charts for a few weeks I still consider it one of their tragically under-valued albums. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Wilton Felder / saxophone

- "Stix" Hooper / drums, percussion

- Joe Sample / keyboards

- Larry Carlton / guitars

- Dean Parks / guitars

- Robert Popwell / bass
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion
- Roland Bautista / guitars (B1, B3)

- Arthur Adams / guitar (B4)

- Paulinho Da Costa / percussion (B1)

A1. "Free As The Wind" (6:17) seeming to take a lesson from the excellent fully-orchestrated music that fellow L.A. artist David Axelrod had been putting out consistently since 1968, Joe Sample gets the full studio involved in this song credited to him: here embedding their funk-lite within some excellent horn and orchestra arrangements. Quite the upbeat, melodic, and enjoyable jam. A great cruisin'-down-the-highway tune. A top three song. (9.25/10) 

 
A2. "I Felt The Love" (5:10) this Stix Hooper contribution carries with it the funk and attitude that Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were able to so ably capture on their Aja album. Wilton Felder does a great job leading the way over the first two minutes. In the third minute there is a slight shift toward Bob James-dom as we move into Joe Sample's extended solo: not only his keyboard sound but the funk-lite support that exudes from the band (the bass, clavinet, and guitars), the horns, the orchestra. Then it seems as if the whole neighborhood gets involved to take us home. Great song! Probably my favorite song on the album. (9.333/10)  

A3. "The Way We Was" (5:24) this Robert Popwell composition feels as if it's paving the way for the world to get used to the music of both Rickie Lee Jones and Bob James Touchdown and Taxi/Angela 

phenomenon. A bluesier feel and foundational palette than the previous songs due to the swampy organ and guitar performances as well as the Black party/celebratory background voices throughout (which makes me think I'm listening to an episode of Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, or Starsky and Hutch. The music is good, the musicianship excellent, but it's not really in my realm of preferences. (8.875/10)

A4. "Nite Crawler" (4:45) a Larry Carlton composition that is just too bare-boned and simple: it reminds me more of something from either a David Sanborn or Kenny G album. Larry's countrified guitar sounds and Joe Sample's Bob James electric piano sound fitted over "Stix" Hooper and Robert Popwell's mundane, white toast rhythm track just turn me off--make me think I'm listening to elevator music. This lineup is just too talented to let shlock like this make the final cut. (8.667/10)

B1. "Feel It" (4:15) some very catchy melodies over some Pete Townsend-meets-Ronnie Laws'-"Always There" rhythm guitar work from Dean Parks and Roland Bautista (who, coincidentally, was the actual guitarist on Ronnie Laws' "Always There"), respectively, as well as the group chant-vocals and dual sax-and-sitar-like-guitar leadership sounds too much like "Always There," even when it hits the second Bob James-like motif, but then you really feel the "Always There" feel from 1:40 on as Wilton belts out those long loud notes and the band gathers beneath in such a perfectly-supportive chord progression (both motifs). I love the clarity of instrumental definition on this whole-group composition and some of the fresh ideas being brought to the table by Joe and percussionist-extraordinaire Paulinho Da Costa. Despite the near-carbon-copy of Ronnie Laws I still love this song! (9/10)

B2. "Sweet N' Sour" (8:57) back to the full-studio format with the orchestral lines being much more active and, at times, almost independent (before going "Shaft" finale in the third minute). Joe's electric piano sounds so frail and delicate throughout his solo--which makes me wonder how and why he chose that particular group of settings on his keyboard. An electric guitar solo takes over the fifth minute as the band quiets down to let (Larry?) get started, but after about 30 seconds they're done: the rest of the band comes back in, building up to full force ("Shaft" pulses)--which seems to be the signal for the turnover to the next soloist (this time Wilton Felder). The next round brings on some scattered instruments before a horn section of saxophones picks up the baton--around which the rest of the band rallies and builds the usual wall of sound before yielding to another electric guitar solo that becomes enmeshed within a (couple of) sax solo(s). Pretty cool if theatric/cinematic sounding song. (17.5/20)

B3. "River Rat" (2:29) back to another to another schmaltzy-if-funky David Sanborn-sounding tune for Wilton's final contribution to the album, leading to saxophone as the lead instrument over an ensemble of funk players who seem to be each trying to out-funk the others. Interesting. (4.333/5)

B4. "It Happens Everyday" (5:40) opening with Joe Sample on piano (playing a solo piece that is remarkably similar to my all-time favorite song of his, "Midnight and Mist" from his 1979 solo album, Carmel). The band adds some delightfully-delicate magic to Joe's composition--nuanced inputs coming from every single one of Joe's collaborators, even percussion and strings! But it's all Joe's show: leading the way start to finish with his piano play. Beautiful and so well rendered! (9/10)

Total Time: 42:54

I really love the sophisticated, highly-layered funk tunes of this album. Unfortunately, it's burdened by some cringe-worthy stuff as well.  

89.36 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent album of lightly-funky Smooth Jazz--some of it of the highest quality, some of it pure schmaltz. 

LEB I SOL Leb I Sol 2 (1978)

A band of super-talented musicians pull together a bunch of simply constructed songs over which they perform creatively and with great technical skill. This is the band's second release of 1978! Recorded earlier in the year, it was released by the RBT label in November of 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Vlatko Stefanovski / guitar, vocals
- Nikola Dimusevski / keyboards
- Bodan Arsovski / bass
- Garabet Tavitijan / drums, vibes

1. "Akupunktura" (4:08) Now here's a song. Keyboard work and bass play are a bit lite but the drumming is pretty good (so much better than the work on the band's debut album--and better recorded). Vlatko is carrying the song--especially when he (finally) hits full-speed at the end of the third minute. The cheesy rock ending again makes me think that this song is just a simple warmup construct: something that lets the band get synchronized and stretched out. (8.75/10)

2. "Kako ti drago" (3:58) a song that comes with a little ethnic folk spice--either Slavic or Caribbean. This is a true fusion of jazz and rock music: it might even qualify more as something proggy (like a Camel song). (9.125/10)

3. "Aber dojde donke" (4:49) Vlatko Stefanovski is extraordinary! And drummer Garabet Tavitijan has improved! Yay! At the same time, this is just a weird "song" (more like an étude or warm-up session that happened to get recorded.) Impressive guitar play over drum warmups doesn't earn top marks as an album representative. (8.5/10)

4. "Talasna duzina" (4:09) synth strings and electric piano support a bluesy lead guitar opening before a drum-and-cymbal crash signals the fulfillment of the mood-manipulating Soul motif over which Vlatko sings in a quite pleasant voice (in his native language). A very nice, solidly composed and rendered love song. I hope the "wave length" Vlatko is trying to reach with this one worked for his relationship. (8.875/10)

5. "Dikijeva igra" (4:09) a real rocker, spiced up with some jazzy nuances from the rhythm section and by the fact that it's an instrumental, but, really, it feels like a instrumental jam from some late 1960s pioneer of hard rock (or a Thin Lizzy instrumental.) I do like hearing the organ and vibes (as well as more testament to Garabet's improved drumming skills [and confidence]). (8.875/10) 

6. "Uzvodno od tuge" (4:10) another gentle, pretty (soothing) ballad-like song construct, this time using slightly more nuanced musicianship than the previous "Talazna duzina," electric piano supporting pitch-bending synth solo and then, toward the end of the third minute, acoustic guitar solo. Too bad that it's only an instrumental as I found myself waiting for, expecting, vocals--otherwise, this is not really much of a Jazz-Rock Fusion song--not even a Smooth Jazz one! (8.875/10)

7. "Marija" (6:30) starts rather slowly, atmospherically, like a mature CAMEL song before jumping into the full band, full cruising speed CAMEL-like motif. This is a very solid full-band construct, with very solid united performances from the two rhythmatists, some nice keyboard support, and some excellently-constructed slow-building electric guitar play in the lead position. Nice piano solo from Nikola in the sixth minute. (9.75/10)

8. "Bonus" (1:34) acoustic guitar and singing. A bit like a Jimmy Page/Led Zepp song. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 34:02

A much better album in terms of equal quality of musicianship and recording sound quality than their debut. 

89.333 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent display of skillful musicianship expressed through rather simplistic song constructs. Definitely an improvement over the band's debut. 

BEDJABETCH Subrepticement (1979)

A French band that would soon become a popular Disco band.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Branko Miljevic / bass
- Gilles Petri / drums
- Michel Olivieri / glute, saxophone
- Marcel Merino / guitar
- Patricia Hue / keyboards

1. "Pieds D'Anchois" (3:42) amazing clarity and definition to all instruments in this tight Headhunters-like song. Rich keyboard play, simple funk, and solid solos from Michel Olivieri's sax and Marcel Merino's piercing electric guitar help elevate this somewhat simple yet-tightly executed construct to nice heights. The instrumental sound palette is so close to that of contemporary rock music of the time. (9/10)

2. "Dinosaures" (5:37) another rather simplistic jazzy rock song that could very well have come from a jam by one of STEELY DAN's practice lineups (that is, containing nowhere the polish and glitz of one of The Dan's final renderings). Nice melodies. I like the way the bass is rendered up close. I also like the enthusiastic vamp at the end. (8.875/10)

3. "Le chateau de l'elephant" (4:22) opens with some rock electric guitar arpeggio that gradually speeds up as other instruments join in with their own four-chord sequence woven in with the guitar. Then, in the second minute the whole band switches gear and produces a Jay Beckenstein/Spiro Gyra-like weave with soprano sax, Fender Rhodes, and rhythm guitar mixed way up front each contributing to the harmonically-sophisticated weave in support of the sax's lead. Light and pretty but overall there's just something missing. (8.75/10)

4. "Drame sous les palmiers" (6:55) guitar, bass, keys, and drums slowly congeal to put together a smooth jazz kind of weave with quirky sounds being produced by the sax, electric guitar and electric piano. The rhythm section is almost disco (while the rest of the band support a kind of rendition of the melody of the Sister Sledge song, "He's the Greatest Dancer"--a Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers [CJHIC] composition that wouldn't come out for another three years). (13.125/15)

5. "Subrepticement" (3:48) more melodic music woven together with mathematically-woven instrumental support. Nothing new or special here; more like a practice jam or an étude meant to pull the band together into a serious focus. (8.6667/10)

6. "Boucle d'or" (15:50) not your average epic or mesmeric since it straddles the rock, jazz, R&B, and disco lines--all at the same time! It feels as if a bunch of uncredited guests are present help expand the horn section but it could be multiple tracks dedicated to Michel's saxes doubled up with some of Marcel's guitar and Patricia Hue's keyboard sounds. (In this latter case it would be a rather ingenious coup to pull off). For the first half of the song there are two main motifs seem to alternate throughout but then there is an extended pond of stagnation in which the instruments continue playing sporadic outputs while they all struggle to find a new direction. Eventually the drum and bass player seem to figure "a way out" and the rest of the instruments follow, creating a spacious funk groove that could be emulating something from one of the Mwandishi albums--even, more specifically, the Bennie Maupin or Julien Priester solo albums from that era. Nice rolling bass, tension-building Bill Bruford-like drumming, dancing Fender Rhodes and searing guitar soloing fifteenth and sixteenth minutes before things thin out for an interesting sax-and-rhythm guitar chord conversation to take us out. The second half of this song definitely present the best and most interesting music of the album. (27.5/30)

Total Time 40:17

That last 15-minute epic left a very good impression on me, which skews my otherwise-tepid rating and impression and rating of this album as a whole. The compositions are definitely creatively complex and interesting; it's the fullness of each song that feels somewhat lacking to me.

89.31 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an excellent collection of Jazz-Rock Fusion songs with the album as a whole tending toward Smooth Jazz. Recommended. At least for the experience.

JEAN-LUC PONTY A Taste for Passion (1979)

I remember really enjoying this album for driving and summer outdoor background music when it came out. This is Jean-Luc in his extraordinary peak run of great albums. I also had the privilege of seeing him in concert with this album tour. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jean-Luc Ponty / violin, organ, acoustic & electric pianos, orchestration, producer

With:

- Joaquin Lievano / acoustic & electric guitars, guitar synth

- Jamie Glaser / guitar

- Allan Zavod / keyboards, synth & programming

- Ralphe Armstrong / fretless bass

- Casey Scheuerell/ drums, percussion

- Allan Gelbard / synth programming

1. "Stay With Me" (5:35) a long drum-and-bass-less opening presents Jean-Luc's space-violin at its spaciest. The drum and bass inputs are minimal while the guitar and keyboards are nebulous, literally, as one cannot distinguish between the synthesized violin-generated sounds and effected keys and gtrs. (9.3333/10)

2. "Sunset Drive" (5:45) though the four chord vamp (with very cheesy early techno-pop [think "Tainted Love"] drum machine!) is a bit cheesy, Ralphe Armstrong's opening fretless bass solo is quite impressive. Jamie Glaser then takes over the lead with a rather odd guitar sound: sounding like a rhythm guitarist trying to play a solo in a kind of 1960s jazz style with this whole weird modern sound filtering his guitar play. Starting at 2:34 the best section of the song starts as the rhythm section seems to be trying to drown out Jamie, but this just spurs the guitarist on to better heights. Then it's Jean-Luc's turn (this had become his new habit in his mature and secure years: allowing his collaborators to have the first solos--despite the fact that his establishment of the main melodies was always the best.) Innocuous and memorable mostly for that drum machine! (8.75/10)

3. "Dreamy Eyes" (4:18) a replication and variation on the successful "I Only Feel Good with You" sound palette and motif from the end of his prior album, Cosmic Messenger. But, heck! If it's a formula that works, why not?! Joaquin Leivano's choice for guitar tone is much preferred here--it allows his smooth runs to sound much more connected and flowing. (8.875/10)

4. "Beach Girl" (4:56) a lively, fun, almost Country-Disco composition in which the acoustic instruments are quite a nice change (violin, acoustic guitar, piano). I'm not sure if it's Jamie Glaser or Joaquin Lievano that has the smooth EARL KLUGH/AL DI MEOLA-like touch and facility on the steel string acoustic guitar, but it's nice--a little reminiscent of Daryl Stuermer's play on the similar "New Country" from Jean-Luc's 1976 classic, Imaginary Voyage (right down to the foot-stompin' beat). An awesome violin solo in the fourth minute only seals this as a J-L P classic. (9/10)

5. "Taste For Passion" (5:22) great solo piano motif (played by Jean-Luc, not Allan Zavod) opens this one before the power switch for the whole band is turned on at 0:37, bringing in a cool, rather deceptively slow-paced motif into play over which Joaquin Leviano's electric guitar is given the first crack at impressing (and impressive it is!) The structure and sound palette of the "meat" of this one is once again reminiscent of one of the songs off of Jean-Luc's previous album, Cosmic Messenger. (9/10)

6. "Life Cycles" (5:45) Jamie Glaser is given the lead guitar position once again over a very pop-oriented groove--one that could very easily have come from a Soul/R&B hit from the same era by the likes of Bobby Caldwell, Earth, Wind & Fire, or Narada Michael Walden. Nice tune. Cool engineering of Casey Schueurell's awesome Phil Collins-like drum play. Allan Zavod finally gets some "me time" with a cool synth sound in the second minute. Everybody seems in sync--as if they're all really enjoying this one--even Jean-Luc's solos project a kind of joi de vivre. (9/10)

7. "Reminiscence" (1:26) one of Jean-Luc's little sound experimentations--this one with a couple of bombastic rock 'n' roll power chords in the middle to punctuate its cinematic value. (4.375/5)

8. "Give Us A Chance" (3:02) another song that seems to pull some inspiration from the music that was making itself known on the pop charts at the time--which means the structure and play is fairly simple and straightfoward--but this allows for these uber-talented musicians to carve their own idiosyncratic initials into it--which is especially nice from Ralphe and Casey. A very likable song. (What's not to like?) (8.875/10)

9. "Obsession" (0:40) I'd say so! Really: what's the point? (4.25/5)

10. "Farewell" (3:06) smooth and emotional construct for piano, bass, and lead violin turns to the piano (Jean-Luc playing, no doubt) for a pretty solo riff as a bridge to a funky motif with Jean-Luc in the lead while Ralphe and Jamie provide the funk behind. The song really only amounts to another filler--not much longer than one of those interlude thingies (songs #7 & 9). (8.875/10)

Total Time 39:55

While there is some very good meat on this album, a lot of it feels like "unfinished" filler or easy repetitions of previously explored palettes and motifs. Was J-L in a hurry to get this one out? Had he been touring too much and had little time for composition? Or was Atlantic Records just putting pressure on him to get something out soon after his hot-selling Cosmic Messenger (which spent 28 weeks on the Billboard album charts, peaking at #38--his third charting LP in a row)? 

89.26 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of borderline Third Wave and Smooth Jazz that was very popular in its time (and still stands up well today). If it weren't so scattered and feeling unfinished, this probably could have been another masterpiece.

BOB JAMES Two (1975)

This one was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studios in New Jersey during December of 1974 and January of 1975 and then released on May 29 by CTI Records. Bob seeks to solidify his place within the Jazz-Rock Fusion tidal wave. 

Line-up / Musicians:

– Bob James / electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer [Arp Odyssey], organ [Yamaha Yc30] 
– Eric Gale / bass; guitar (A1, A2, B1)

– Steve Gadd / drums 

Vocals: Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Zachary Sanders

With:

– Arthur Jenkins / percussion

- Ralph MacDonald / percussion

- Eric King / bass (A3)

– Andrew Smith / drums (A3)

– Patti Austin / vocals (A2)

– Hubert Laws / flute (B1)

– Rickie Resnicoff / guitar [solo] (A3, B2)

– Eddie Daniels / clarinet [solo] (A1) 
– Tony Studd / trombone [solo] (A1)

And:
French Horns – Al Richmond, Jimmy Buffington, Peter Gordon
Trombones – Eddie Bert, Tom Mitchell, Wayne Andre
Trumpets, Flugelhorns – John Frosk, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Victor Paz
Violins – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Glickman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman
Cellos – Alan Shulman, Alla Goldberg, Tony Sophos, George Ricci, Jesse Levy, Seymour Barab, Warren Lash

A1. "Take Me To The Mardi Gras" (5:50) a remake of the Paul Simon song, it is a nice smooth jazz arrangement but Eric Gale's sliding bass notes become rather irritating over the course of six minutes. I never before realized how this song provided the main melody for big hit by  (8.75/10)

A2. "I Feel A Song (In My Heart)" (5:26) a Mary Sawyer and Tony Camillo composition that is here sung by Patti Austin. It was originally recorded by Sandra Richardson in 1971 and made a minor hit by Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1974. Here its jazzier rendering was intended to make waves on the jazz and pop charts. A nice rendition. (8.875/10)

A3. "The Golden Apple" (7:20) one of Bob's compositions that is very symphonic and theatric--like an intro to a Broadway musical or a Bond film--with strings and full orchestra playing a very significant role over the opening two minutes. After that it smooths out into a jazz-rock tune with a hypnotic bass line supporting syncopated drumming, a dynamic electric guitar solo form Rickie Resnicoff, a (poorly recorded) piano solo, Arp Odyssey solo, all glued together by wonderfully-arranged symphonic bridges. It ends kind of strangely--faded out just as a synth solo is beginning, but I have to give a shout out to drummer Andrew Smith for his superlatively unusual and creative work. (13.5/15)

B1. "Farandole" (8:24) a jazzy rendering of a classical piece by George Bizet drenched with lots of horn blasts from the brass section and a fair amount of symphony support despite the jazz combo's funky rhythm track and Bob's soon-to-be-signatory Fender Rhodes play. Nice flute play from Hubert Laws. A little bombastic but still a pretty great composition rendered well. (17.75/20)

B2. "You're As Right As Rain" (5:29) a rendition of a Linda Creed and Thom Bell tune that was first recorded by The Stylistics in 1972. The strummed acoustic guitar sound used here would also become one of Bob's signature elements of his songs as would the background strings teases and smooth/laid back Fender Rhodes. How he pulls off those delicate, "muted wind"-like wind/horn sounds I've never been able to figure out but, again, it is a sound that I only know from Bob James-involved albums. Very pleasant and definitely smooth: all that will become the core and essence of the Smooth Jazz movement of which Bob is a founder, mainstay, and prime example. (9/10)

B3. "Dream Journey" (5:57) Bob's second and only other composition (two per album seems to be the pattern he's setting). The music is a pretty, cinematic/theatric blend of the funk-lite jazz-rock instruments with all that orchestral inputs can provide. In fact, I would use this song to cite how a master arranger  of Elevator Music does it--on a par with the great Burt Bacharach! (9/10)

Total Time: 38:26

While the musical arrangements here are more sophisticated than many of those that will follow on his successive album output, there are more similarities to the jazzier works of the great orchestra arrangers of the era such as Burt Bacharach, David Axelrod, Eumir Deodato, Neil Yardley, Claus Ogerman, Michael Gibbs, and George Martin.

89.167 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent album of orchestra-supported jazz-rock verging on the Smooth Jazz idiom. Definitely one of the few of Bob's albums that steers pretty close to the Third Wave of Jazz-Rock Fusion without having totally given in to the Smooth Jazz wave.

PASSPORT Igauçu (1977)

With this album, the band's seventh, the employ of Brasilian and African musicians the band moves more closely toward the realm of pop-oriented Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz. Thankfully, they choose to retain a very firm footing in some nasty funky-town.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Curt Cress / drums, berimbau
- Klaus Doldinger / soprano & tenor saxes, organ, Moog, flute
- Elmer Louis / percussion
- Roy Louis / electric guitar
- Wolfgang Schmid / bass
Guest musicians:
- Mats Björklund / guitar (8)
- Wilson Das Neves / atapaques, pandeiro (4)
- Roberto Bastos Pinheiro / surdo (4)
- Noel Manuel Pinto / cuica (3-4)
- Clélio Ribeiro / berimbau (4)
- Marcello Salazar / percussion (4)
- Pedro Santos / percussion, whistles (3-4)

1. "Bahia do sol" (5:53) celebratory noises from some kind of street music festival opens this before guitar and organ arise to take over the auditory spectrum. Piano and tenor sax enter to present the chord base and lead melody. It's very David Sanborn-like. In the third minute the bluesy piano is left with Wolfgang Schmid's bass to support a twangy electric guitar solo from Roy Louis. The Burt Bacharach-Aurthur-like sax theme returns in the fourth minute and takes us into the funked up fifth and sixth as organ and piano jam it up from beneath in a kind of New Orleans style. (I think of Dr. John). Nice tune whose solid performances supercede my aversion for this kind of music. (8.875/10) 

2. "Aguamarinha" (4:10) another DAVID SANBORN-like opening led by Klaus' tenor sax turns way better when Klaus stops playing the sax. A wonderfully funky groove lies beneath those schlocky sax lines--which the band take marvellous advantage of in the ensuing two minutes as they support a wonderful muted/wah-wah-ed guitar solo from Roy Louis. At the three-minute mark Klaus's sax returns to take over. I must admit that the time through the main theme is much more pleasurable now that the passions of all the other musicians have been unleashed. (9/10)

3. "Bird of paradise" (5:36) bird noises (parrots?) traipse along in the left channel throughout this slower, gentler, more pastoral BOB JAMES-ish tune. The band is tight, the funk coming from Wolfgang and drummer Curt Cress is real, but then the bottom nearly drops out as a long organ-supported passage supports a pretty cool, spacious, and impressionistic soprano sax solo from the bandleader. Bass, drums, electric piano, and percussion instruments return in equally quirky, impressionistic displays as the music slowly coalesces back into something resembling the opening theme. Very pleasant, with nice melodic hooks to carry with you once the song is over. I like it way more than I thought I was going to. Probably one of my top three songs from the album. (9.125/10)

4. "Sambukada" (4:30) an African village jam: all sorts of percussion and wind instruments open this before the jazz band join in with bass, drums, sax, and electric piano--this latter which is the instrument of choice for Klaus' first solo despite the saxes being the lead instrument for the exposition of the main theme. In the second half of the third minute a treated nasal-sax takes steps into the spotlight for the next solo. Then there is a return to full interplay of the African instrumentation peppered with Curt's drumming and a synth solo from Klaus. Happy and joyful. (8.75/10)  

5. "Iguaçu" (8:42) opening with more African instruments, only scaled down quite a bit from the huge lineup of the previous song, the rock-jazz palette and themes are introduced almost immediately over the top of the bird/animal-like chattering horn/whistle/squeeze box that plays beneath it all in the same left channel as the parrot/bird in the album's third song. A Weather Report "Birdland"-like quiet passage takes over in the third and fourth minutes, allowing the percussives and incidentals coming from Kurt's keyboards (especially his clavinet) to shine through quite clearly along with some nice upper-octave rhythm guitar play from Roy. A return to full force sound occupies the fifth minute before there is a return to the quiet "Birdland" motif in the sixth through the seventh. Again the band slowly rebuilds its full palette into full-force fast-paced jazz-rock fusion while Klaus plays a soprano sax. I really like the rhythm work of this guitarist! (17.75/20)   

6. "Praia lame" (2:58) more Weather Report-like palette that turns into some more DAVE SANBORN-like funk music before Klaus launches on a BOB JAMES-like Fender Rhodes solo over his masterful funkster support crew. These guys are so good! This little thing is one of my top three songs! (9.125/10)  

7. "Heavy weight" (4:30) a heavily-funked-up piece that, unfortunately, moves along in territory that is a little too montonous and one-dimensional for my liking. (8.75/10)

8. "Guna Guna" (4:28) moving into the Funk/R&B territory of so many American bands--like DAZZ, Kool & The Gang, The Brothers Johnson, and The Isley Brothers--Klaus even tops it off with some of that reverbed multi-tracked (or chorused) DAVE SANBORN sax spouting off from the backdrop. Luckily these guys are really good--and there is some awesome soloing from guest guitarist, the young Mats Björklund, to entertain us. The jam is cut short by a long, slow fadeout (which means that in the studio it went on for much longer). It's good but this is not the direction I wanted to see the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement travel. (8.875/10) 

Total Time: 40:47

Here we have eight songs performed at such a high level, by great musicians who, you can feel, are fully on board with Klaus' musical vision. However, what diminishes the end product for me is the sway and attraction Klaus is feeling from the draw of more popular, commercially-successful forms and styles of music: like the Bob James/David Sanborn jazz-lite and funk-R&B. I mean, I don't begrudge him: everybody is feeling it: even Miles and Burt Bacharach, Herb Alpert and The Isleys, The (Jazz) Crusaders and Herbie Hancock! There is comfort born of commercial and financial success! I'm just sad to be recounting, historically, the demise of the exciting peak years of discovery and experimentation that bread and defined Jazz-Rock Fusion.

89.167 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent album of funky Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Reflections of a Golden Dream (1976)

Lonnie and the Echoes team up with Bob Thiele and his Flying Dutchman label for yet another majestic display of "mind-expanding" music for the masses.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Lead Vocals, Electric Piano, Other [Electric Colorations] 

- Al Anderson / Bass

- Leopoldo Fleming / Vocals, Guitar, Congas, Percussion
- Wilby Fletcher / Drums

- Guilherme Franco / Percussion

- Arthur Kaplan / Saxophone [Baritone]

- George Opalisky / Saxophone [Tenor]

- David Hubbard / Saxophone, Flute

- Joe Shepley / Trumpet, Flugelhorn 

- Jon Faddis / Trumpet, Flugelhorn 

- Donald Smith / Flute, Vocals

With: 

- Maeretha Stewart, Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry / Backing Vocals [Chorus] 

A1. "Get Down Everybody (It's Time For World Peace)" (4:19) what sounds like an anthemic Blaxploitation song set in a Disco funk milieu. Nice music with requisite sassy female b vox and real horns accenting the call of the title phrase by Lonnie himself. The brief bridge in the middle is derivative of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On album's sound palette. Very nice percussion work.  (8.75/10)

A2. "Quiet Dawn" (3:29) reverting to his bread-and-butter: the relaxing music that remains founded in jazz yet previews the coming takeover of Smooth Jazz. Synth strings, congas, simple bass line, and sonorous flutes back Lonnie's exquisite piano tinklings on the upper registers. So calming. (9.125/10)

 

A3. "Sunbeams" (3:52) percussion rich Latin-lite with bass and autoharp opens this one before low-note flutes and bouncy piano join in. Soprano sax takes the first solo while Lonnie' synth strings enrich the sonic field. Lonnie's piano takes the second solo, using a more melodic-yet-definitely jazz approach. Drums and flutes get to show off a bit in the final minute. (9/10)

A4. "Meditations" (4:21) "dirty" Fender Rhodes plays Blade Runner-like over wind-chime-like piano arpeggi and other mid-range piano and Fender chords and water-like arpeggi and runs. Lonnie tout seul. Very pretty. (8.875/10)

A5. "Peace & Love" (2:39) a Leopold Fleming composition unveils a different more Sly & The Family Stone approach to the album's opening song. The only song on the album not composed and arranged by Lonnie. (4.375/5)

B1. "Beautiful Woman" (5:57) a Marvin Gaye-like funk-lite tune with Lonnie's usual mastery of "full" textural weaves. Nice wah-wah rhythm guitar, clavinet, and "dirty" Fender Rhodes with some stellar drumming from Wilby Fletcher. Flutes, steady bass and bongos, and the smooth voice of brother Donald Smith add so much enrichment. (8.875/10)

B2. "Goddess Of Love" (4:24) a rich sonic field seems to carry forward some of the essence of the previous song (especially in the bass line and rhythm guitar sound) while Lonnie's synth strings and Fender magic double up with calming flute notes to set up this very engaging, hypnotic tune. After the 90 second opening sucks us in and settles us into our pool-side lounge chair we are treated to some of the Master's Fender piano melody magic. Very rich and beautiful. (9/10)

B3. "Inner Beauty" (2:18) swirling piano arpeggi and glissandi with wordless vocalese and saxophone laying out the gentle melody over the top. Nice work from Donald, David, and percussionists Leopold Fleming and Guilherme Franco. (4.5/5)

B4. "Golden Dreams" (4:47) gentle Latin foundation with breathy flutes and gentle Fender Rhodes two-chords supporting Lonnie's pleasant-though-unpolished singing voice. In the third minute Lonnie's heavily-reverbed "dirty" Fender Rhodes lends an equally-gentle and very pleasant solo.  Nice song that transports the listener as do so many of Lonnie's songs. (8.875/10)

B5. "Journey Into Space" (2:29) individual chimes (or tubular bells) with water percussion sounds and other swipes and hits of synth sounds, muted kalimba, echoed flute riffs, and lots of other sounds that sound more like African jungles than space. (4.375/5)

89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a wonderful collection of songs exhibiting Lonnie's usual polish and excellent engineered, composed, and produced music. There's a lot of pop and smooth jazz leanings on display here but it's still of that ultra-engaging jazz-trained heart. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH Exotic Mysteries (1978) 

Lonnie's second album since discarding his Cosmic Echoes (save for brother Donald) and his second for Columbia Records. Now 19-years old, full band member Marcus Miller gets to show off his talents as a bass player, arranger, and composer! Lonnie's conversion to a pop orientation, here both Disco, pop R&B and Smooth Jazz, is complete though there are still some very jazzy elements, threads, and arrangements within the songs--even among such smooth classics as "Quiet Moments." Marcus' two compositions, "Space Princess" and "Night Flower" both earned a lot of play: the former as a dance favorite at discotheques, the latter as another late night Adult Contemporary radio favorite. The album possesses excellent sound engineering and very engaging, mature, and skillful performances, especially in the richly-textured smooth jazz songs. Though hardcore jazz purists will detest this music, there can be no denying that Lonnie and company are master crafters of very engaging, eminently enjoyable music. The album was released by Columbia Records late in 1978--its second Lonnie Liston Smith studio album release of the year.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano, Electric Piano, Producer

- Marcus Miller / Bass

- Steve Thornton / Congas, Percussion

- Lino Reyes / Drums

- Ronald D. Miller / Guitars

With:

- Donald Smith / Vocals (A1), Flute (A4, B2, B4)

- David Hubbard / Flute (A4), Soprano Saxophone (B2, B4)

- Butch Campbell / Rhythm guitar (B1)

- Aurell Ray / 12-string guitar (B1)

A1. "Space Princess" (7:00) an awesome and very solid Disco dance tune with great fullness, flow, and vocals by both lead singer Donald Smith (Lonnie's brother) and the typical mix of Disco b vox. The "Copacabana" percussion palette in the instrumental fifth and sixth minutes is a bit distracting, but the vocal passages are quite winning. I can see why this would have been quite popular in the discotheques. (13.5/15)

A2. "Quiet Moments" (3:54) a stellar smooth jazz instrumental with a very simple but killer four-note piano melody and lush strings accompaniment (accomplished with one of Lonnie's keyboards?) Reminds me a lot of my father's smooth Ronnie Aldrich albums. Beautiful! (9.25/10)

A3. "Magical Journey" (4:58) more soulful funk/R&B smooth jazz that sounds very much like a cover of a pop song in the way Bob James or one of his stable of musicians might arrange. Solid, high quality; always nice to here Lonnie on the acoustic piano, but nothing ground-breaking here (other than some of Marcus Miller's bass licks and Lonnie's clavinet play). (8.875/10)

A4. "Exotic Mysteries" (5:00) rich lushness that sounds like it could be coming from one of Hubert Laws' lush funky albums of the same period (Flame). Between Marcus' bass play and Lonnie's Fender Rhodes, this song could really win, but there's just something "extra" missing. Not even the late-arriving flutes can elevate it (though they do in fact make it sound even more like something off of Hubert Laws' Flame). (8.875/10)

B1. "Singing for Love" (5:29) more smooth, easy listening jazz-funk with the always-welcome touch of brother Donald's vocals. However, neither the lyrics or melodies here are very good. In fact, it's almost like a repeat of the previous song: great palette and chemistry between the musicians but something intangible missing from the overall pastiche. It's almost like the band is struggling to find inspiring lyrics--forcing it when their "mind-expanding" slices of cosmic bliss from the Cosmic Echoes period were so successful (and, seemingly, effortless). Too bad cuz I do so love this sound palette. (8.75/10)

B2. "Mystical Dreamer (A Tribute to Miles Davis)" (6:00) lush keyboards supported by thin rhythm instrument presence opens this one before the band settles into a smooth jazz-funk motif with lots of subtleties coming from each and every one of the instrumentalists--as well as some cutting edge electronic piano effects--over which airy flutes soar peacefully. Lonnie's richly chorused and reverberated Fender Rhodes takes the lead in the third and fourth minutes. This would work if only the two-chord motif beneath would change, shift, or do something more interesting. (8.875/10)

B3. "Twilight" (1:28) (4.375/5)

B4. "Night Flower" (6:07) almost the same palette, feel, and sound as all of the Side Two songs! What happened to variation, Lonnie!? (8.75/10)

As a contributor to the "Classic" Jazz-Rock Fusion lexicon of the 70s, this is an excellent evidence of the skill and serious music-making attitude involved in the transition to Smooth Jazz though it also demonstrates a fairly complete and unapologetic commitment to said sub-genre of Jazz. It is without a doubt beautiful and still-sophisticated music!

89.0625 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a lovely sound to have as background music behind your evening activities but nothing really remarkable beyond the opening two songs. Of course the real treat here is listening to the development of bass player Marcus Miller. What a talent! 

BOB JAMES BJ4 (1977)

Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ in November - December, 1976, and then released by CTI Records on February 24, 1977. This is an album I played to death back in college. I now listen to it with both fond nostalgia and cringe-worthy embarrassment as I find magical moments mixed with others of pure schlock and/or discomfort.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Bob James / Fender Rhodes, Acoustic Grand, clavinet, Arp Odyssey, Oberheim Polyphonic, arranger, conductor
- Gary King / bass
- Steve Gadd / drums
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion
- Eric Gale / guitar
- Art Farmer / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Hubert Laws / flute, alto flute

With:

John Frosk, John Gatchell - trumpet
Eddie Daniels - tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
George Marge - alto recorder
Romeo Penque - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, tenor recorder
Sidney Weinberg - oboe, English horn
Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Harry Glickman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, David Nadien, Matthew Raimondi - violin
Lamar Alsop, Emanuel Vardi - viola
Charles McCracken, Alan Shulman - cello

A1. "Pure Imagination" (5:22) though I never liked the opening 20 seconds of this version of one of my all-time favorite songs, the rest of the song provides a wonderful rendition as well as a staunch example of the newly-dominant Smooth Jazz. This was, in fact, the piece that made me a superfan of flutist Hubert Laws. I never liked the way the piano was recorded/engineered on this song. (8.75/10)

A2. "Where The Wind Blows Free" (6:44) the magic in this song comes from the earworm of the chord progression of the main theme as well as the wonderful "side" work of the strings. One of the few songs on BJ4 that I still like today. (8.875/10)

A3. "Tappan Zee" (6:51) the magic in this song that I still like is the floating/drifting piano soloing that Bob does throughout: it almost sounds as if he's just playing around--as if he is unaware that he's being recorded or that he could care less about what his soloing sounds like he's just having fun being in the moment. Otherwise, this song is too sprawling and patchworked for my tastes. (13.125/15)

B1. "Nights Are Forever Without You" (6:25) the magical element of this comes during Eric Gale's guitar solo: the sublime motif played by the rhythm section beneath him, otherwise it just sounds too TV theme song like--the main melody too directly imitative of the vocal line of the 1976 pop hit by England Dan & John Ford Coley. (8.75/10)

B2. "Treasure Island" (6:41) A song I used to adore I now only really like for the gorgeous, spacious intro (before the guitar chords enter and ruin it); after that it just becomes the practice ground for the nauseating schlock that will become the massively overheard "Angela (Theme from "Taxi")" I do still enjoy Art Farmer's trumpet play and the strings work in the end section. (8.875/10)

B3. "El Verano" (4:55) I've always absolutely adored the intro and opening section of this song. In fact, I think I'd have to admit that this song still sends me into heart-wrenching throes of deep nostalgia--which means a lot. Though I now have less tolerance for the Smooth Jazz that BJ and songs like this helped usher in (that replaced the high-skill and experimental risky songs that peak-era Jazz-Rock Fusion had produced) I understand when perfection is so good that it becomes timeless. (9.5/10)

Total Time: 36:21

89.04 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent collection of era-defining Smooth Jazz songs from one of the absolute masters of the genre.

BENNIE MAUPIN Slow Traffic to the Right (1977)

Bennie just kept plugging along--as did many of his well-seasoned J-R Fuse collaborators: evolving with the infusing tides of funk, dynamics, smoothness, and commercial-consciousness (and pressure).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bennie Maupin / bass clarinet, soprano & tenor saxophones, saxello, flute, alto & piccolo flutes, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, backing vocals
- Onaje Allen Gumbs / conductor, arrangements, piano (5)
- Patrice Rushen / clavinet, Rhodes electric piano, piano
- Nathan Rubin / Concertmaster, Strings
- James Levi / drums
- Eddie Henderson / flugelhorn, trumpet
- Blackbird McKnight / electric guitar
- Pat Gleeson / synthesizers (Oberheim Polyphonic, E-mu Polyphonic)
- Craig Kilby / trombone
- Paul Jackson / bass (1,2)
- Ralph Armstrong / (3-6)

1. "It Remains to Be Seen" (8:01) opens sounding like soundtrack music to a sci-fi film, when the full band finally joins in during the second half of the first minute it's with a melodic funk.Throughout the rest of the song the music is surprisingly uniform and simple though melodic: until the fifth minute when the piano arrives it feels very much like a BOB JAMES song. Luckily, Patrice Rushen's piano solo with its backing electric piano gets the blood boiling a bit--especially when the horn sections accents come in. Then the song mellows for a bit with some smooth choral vocals before going out with some engaging whole group participation rhythmic clapping to the funk. (13.25/15)

  
2. "Eternal Flame" (4:34) opens with the dreamy sonic landscape of a mellow Ronnie Laws or Tom Scott song. Bennie takes the lead from the start, soloing on the lower registers of his soprano sax while the lush keyboard-rich music beneath seems to carry us gently downstream. Nice key/chord changes here and there giving the song a kind of cinematic feel. (8.875/10)

3. "Water Torture" (4:52) another gently funky BOB JAMES-like songcraft that provides the vehicle for several lead instruments to contribute their smooth, melodic solos over the top: Bennie's tenor sax, Patrice Rushen on Fender Rhodes, all with gorgeous horn (and "strings") accents and banks on the sides, in the pockets between the solos. Beautifully composed and "orchestrated" though this is a far cry from either the rough, raw space music of the Mwandishi sessions (Jewel in the Lotus) or the power funk of Thrust or Spaceball. (9/10) 

4. "You Know the Deal" (7:03) this one starts out a little more funky and a little more smoothly orchestrated--like something inspired by Eumir Deodato's work in 1973--but things go robotic BOB JAMES-like with a very blandly repeated rhythm track beneath Bennie's sax soloing. Also, the overall mix of this instrumental palette is rather foggy: nothing is as clear and defined as one might like; everything feels kind of washed into the same spacestream. At the same time, there is something really cool about the way everything is blended: as if the individuals have sacrificed their identity for the sake of oneness/coalescence. (13.25/15) 

5. "Lament" (1:52) acoustic piano opens this before being joined by Bennie's bass clarinet for this tender, introspective piece. (4.5/5) 

6. "Quasar" (5:53) another fairly long (45-seconds) cinematic intro eventually reveals a pleasant bass-launched and rich and smooth synth-dominated sonic field over which trumpeter Eddie Henderson is given first shot at leading. His play is quite dynamic: with lots of short and staccato notes and bursts; I'd almost call it "old school" but I have to admit that it's very welcome after an album in which everything seems so washed and homogenized. Luckily, the basic rhythmic and melodic foundation of this one is fairly hypnotic. (9/10)

Total Time 32:15

Though I certainly appreciate the skills it took to realize such tightly-perfected soundscapes and compositions, I'm saddened for the restraint and restrictions imposed upon this cast of incredibly talented musicians (many of whom had been collaborating with Bennie since Bitches Brew and/or Mwandishi): I loved so much the era in which multiple musicians were given the green light to move freely--even experimentally--and at all times!--behind and within the sonic landscapes as opposed to this new style where the composer, band leader, and/or producer is seemingly on a quest for perfect chart rendering.

 89.04 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent addition of the new smoother Jazz-Rock Fusion for the J-R Fuse enthusiast to enjoy as pleasant background music.

NOVA Wings of Love (1977)

It is to me very weird to see the Nova albums from the mid-1970s listed as "Italian prog" when all four of them were recorded and produced in London with British producers and engineers with half of the musicians being Englishmen. The material that makes up Wings of Love was recorded at Trident Studios in London during June and July of 1977, was released later in the year on the Arista Records label.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Corrado Rustici / lead vocals, lead guitar, 6- & 12-string acoustic guitars, glockenspiel, triangle, gong, co-producer
- Renato Rosset / Fender Rhodes, piano, Minimoog, Polymoog, Hammond, clavinet
- Elio D'Anna / alto, baritone, soprano & tenor saxophones, flute
- Barry Johnson / bass, wind chimes, lead vocals (1, 7)
- Ric Parnell / drums & percussion
With:
- Nectar Smile Choir / backing vocals (4)

1. "You Are Light" (6:19) opens like something from the band's previous effort, Vimana, before getting a little disco- and jazz-imbued. The hooks in the second minute are reminiscent of both DAVE SANBORN and Narada Michael Walden's solo albums. Still, tit is a very engaging, enjoyable, and well-produced song. (8.875/10)

2. "Marshall Dillon" (3:53) a funked up jam in the vein of contemporary artists like Earth Wind & Fire, the Isley Brothers, Kool & the Gang, Ohio Players, Gap Band, Average White Band, and The Brother s Johnson over which Corrado's incendiary guitar is unleashed (but, unfortunately, much more processed).  Very nice foundation from bass player Barry Johnson, Renata Rosset, and drummer Ric Parnell. Polished and well-engineered, just not "great." (8.875/10)

3. "Blue Lake" (6:50) rain, river, boat sounds over which Corrado and choir sing angelically. Elio's heavily-treated sax playing over the atmospheric music is nice--could have served more in the lead than the vocals. There are nice performances top to bottom though the mix is often surprising (bass so far forward and vocals and sax mixed into the rest of the soundscape). Renato's blend of keyboards is the song's perfect glue. The most surprising element is the complete restraint (or "absence") of Corrado's blistering guitar (until the very end). Almost a great song. (13.375/15)

4. "Beauty Dream - Beauty Flame" (6:22) a very beautiful pastoral song with subtle but beautiful chords and melodies and exquisite performances from the all-acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, flute, and "Nectar Smile Choir." Very much like Chick Corea's Return to Forever pieces like "The Romantic Warrior." (9.125/10)

5. "Golden Sky Boat" (6:09) starts out as a decent jazzy-rock song before Corrado's vocals and the funky Return To Forever driving chorus enter and dominate. The musicians are really all working out at top speed with bassist Barry Johnson and Renato Rosset's clavinet, Minimoog, and Fender Rhodes doing a masterful job in the low end. Corrado's guitar power chords are a sad joke, taking away from his true skills, talents, and tendencies. (8.666667/10)

6. "Loveliness About You" (5:53) the band here ventures into the sexy-lullabuy world of the future: the pop-pandering sounds (and lyrics) of that which will soon become known as "Smooth Jazz." It's pretty, it's romantic, it's very smooth, but it's moving far away from the complex hard bop and modal jazz forms and styles that launched the J-R Fusion movement. Almost like a watery AMERICA song. (8.875/10)

7. "Inner Star" (6:31) space cowboys! I mean: the sounds of American Country-Western music coming through rock 'n' roll instruments--à la American bands like the ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION and LITTLE FEET. This is actually a fairly well-balanced song with interesting hooks and performance surprises and a very solid rhythmic base. Though I hate Corrado's guitar playing seemingly bending (down) to the will of the demands of the rock 'n' roll gods, it does help make for a more cohesive and effective song. (9/10)

8. "Last Silence" (5:11) pretty, dreamy music with Barry Johnson's fluid EBERHARD WEBER-like fretless bass and Renato's floating Fender Rhodes keyboard play providing all the cushion one might need to float off to sleep (or opium-induced Nirvana). With this song one can see how Corrado Rustici ended up moving into roles as studio musician (Narada Michael Walden, Angela Bofill, Phillis Hyman, Stacey Lattislaw, Teena Marie, Patti Austin, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, George Benson, Sheena Easton, Kenny G, Calrence Clemons, Zuccharo, Ligabue) and record producer (Zuccharo Sugar Fornaciari, Loredana Berte', Paul Young, Randy Crawford, Elisa, Claudio Baglioni, Ligabue). (8.875/10)

Total Time 47:08

Co-Producer Narada Michael Walden's presence is still very strongly felt in everything about this album--even the spiritually-oriented lyrics. The songs are, however, more standard in format and polish but the sound is, unfortunately, heading toward that "Smooth Jazz" realm that usurped all Anglo-American jazz-rock fusion artists (more like "labels) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. For my tastes this album is too polished and squeaky clean--ready for radio play--even R&B and Contemporary Jazz and Adult Rock Radio formatted stations.  

89.02 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of proggy jazz-rock fusion--though the album as a whole represents quite a varied sample of prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion as it stood in 1977. 

LENNY WHITE Big City (1977)

The former-Return To Forever drummer's second solo album since leaving Chick's band, the follow-up to 1976's Venusian Summer, one of my all-time favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion albums.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Lenny White / Synthesizer, Bass, Piano, Arranger, Conga, Drums, Keyboards, Timbales, Moog Synthesizer, Producer, Oberheim, Horn Arrangements, Roto Toms, Announcer, Mini Moog, Arp Strings, Moog Drum

With:

- Brian Auger / Organ, Piano, Electric Piano (A1, B3)

- Clive Chaman / Bass (A1)

- Alex Ligertwood / Guitar (A1)

- Jack Mills / Guitar (A1 [Soloist])

- Lennox Laington / Congas (A1)

TOWER OF POWER horns (A1);

- Lenny Pickett / Tenor Sax, Lyricon (A1 [Soloist])

- Emilio Castillo / Tenor Sax (A1)

- Greg Adams / Trumpet (A1)

- Mic Gillette / Trombone, Trumpet (A1)

- Stephen "Doc" Kupka / Baritone Sax (A1)

- Linda Tillery / Vocals (A2)

- Paul Jackson, Jr. / Bass (A2)

- Patrick Gleeson (HERBIE HANCOCK)/ Synthesizer (Eu on A2, B2), Arp Strings (A2, A4), Brass (arranged and programmed on B2.c), Producer

- Ray Gomez / Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (A2), Arranger & Composer (A4), Guitar (Electric), Performer, Soloist (B1 [second solo], B3 [right channel])

- Marcus Miller / Bass [weird] (A3.a)

- Verdine White (EARTH WIND & FIRE) / Bass [very funky] (A4)

- Herbie Hancock / Keyboards, Electric Piano (A2, A4)

- Onaje Allan Gumbs / Piano (B1)

- Neal Schon / Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Soloist (B1 [first solo], B3 [left channel])

- Jerry Goodman / Violin (B2.a, B2.b)

- Jan Hammer / Piano (B2.a), MiniMoog (B2.b), Piano, Electric Piano, and Mini Moog (B2.c

- Miroslav Vitous / Acoustic Bass (B2.b)

- Gary King / Bass (B2.c)

- David Earle Johnson / Congas (B2.c)

- Alex Blake / Bass (B3)

- Bennie Maupin / Saxophone (Soprano) (B3)

- Mike Gibbs / Piano, Orchestration (A3.b., B2)

- Michael Gibbs' Orchestra:

Violins: Michael Comins, Harry Cykman, Barry Finclair, Paul Gershman, Harold Kohon, David Nadien, 

John Pintavalle, Max Pollikoff, Marvin Morgenstern, 

- Lamar Alsop / Violin, Viola

- Al Brown / Viola

Cellos: Jesse Levy, Charles McCracken, Alan Shulman
- Homer Mensch / Double Bass

- Lois Colin / Harp (B2.b)

Flutes: Raymond Beckenstein, Harvey Estrin, Walter Levinsky

A1. "Big City" (5:22) a case in example that an impressive line up of musicians doesn't necessarily guarantee a great tune. Trying too hard and not really capturing the funk they're going for. (8.75/10)

A2. "Sweet Dreamer" (4:42) a sweet tune (the best thing on the album) with Bay Area legend Linda Tillery singing from her heart. Great bass play from Paul Jackson with awesome solos from Ray Gomez and Herbie Hancock. (9.25/10)

A3. "Interludes" - both are nice:

     a. "Egypt" (1:00) a funky interlude?! Pretty good! (4.5/5)
     b. "Nocturne" (1:24) swelling orchestral strings and harp. Nice. (I hear "Happy Birthday" melody in there--as well as a theme from Midnight Cowboy.) (4.375/5)

A4. "Rapid Transit" (3:59) the closest thing on the album to exhibiting Lenny's potential as both composer, band leader, and drummer but still lacking anything as extraordinary as the music and textures of Venusian Summer. (8.87510)

A5. "Ritmo Loco" (1:08) electronic computer and acoustic percussion. The acoustic play is outstanding. (4.5/5)

B1. "Dreams Come And Go Away" (3:34) a smooth rock-jazz tune that sounds like something Eric Clapton was doing around the same time. Maybe this one shouldn't have been an instrumental. Too much of a jam. (8.75/10)

B2. "Enchanted Pool Suite":
     a. "Prelude" (1:31) beautiful near-classical (I hear Ralph Vaughn Williams) duet between Jerry Goodman and Jan Hammer (4.5/5)
     b. "Part I" (2:18) add Miroslav Vitous and harpist Lois Colin to the mix and then, later, Michael Gibbs' orchestra and Patrick Gleeson's synth. (4.375/5)
     c. "Part II" (5:39) a Herbie Hancock-infused smooth jazz piece à la Earl Klugh. It works. Due to Michael Gibbs' orchestration, Gary King's bass with Lenny's drumming, and Jan and Jerry's continued contributions. (9/10)

B3. "And We Meet Again" (live) (6:41) a blues vamp captured live (cuz that's all these guys can come up with once they're all surreptitiously thrown together on stage without practice or forethought). (8.75/10)

Total time: 38:28

88.97  on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of diverse and loosely tied together Jazz-Rock Fusion that qualifies for the Fourth Wave or "Smooth Jazz" phase of the movement. A little too inconsistent, scattered, and perplexingly diversified to be highly recommended. Exactly who is this Lenny White and what kind of music does he really want to make?

BOBBI HUMPHREY Blacks and Blues (1974)

Recorded at the Sound Factory in Los Angeles on June 7 & 8 of 1973 and then released by Blue Note in January of 1974, flutist Bobbi Humphrey comes with the support of the Donald Byrd Blackbird school of music and publishing--specifically the Mizell brothers.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Bobbi Humphrey / flutes, vocals

- Chuck Rainey / bass

- Ron Brown / bass

- Harvey Mason / drums

- Fonce Mizell / clavinet, trumpet

- Jerry Peters / electric piano

- David T. Walker / guitar

- John Rowin / guitar

- Stephanie Spruill / percussion

- King Errison / congas

- Fred Perren / synthesizer

A1. "Chicago, Damn" (6:44) excellent funk from heavily-treated bass, electric piano (and synthesizer?), Latin percussion, wah-wah-ed rhythm guitar, and flawless drumming. Fred Perren comes in with a trumpet-like synthesizer sound between verses. (9.25/10)

A2. "Harlem River Drive" (7:24) great J-R F song with a Donald-Byrd-typical male choral singing of the song's title. Great work from the rhythm section but especially the rhythm guitar and piano, but Bobbi's piercing flute melody making is the star of this show. (13.5/15)

A3. "Just A Love Child" (8:21) nice funky music with Bobbi singing in a Minnie Ripperton-little girl-like voice. (17.5/20)

B1. "Blacks And Blues" (4:30) another (familiar) funky R&B groove that supports flutey synth and Bobbi's flute while Chuck or Ron move freely, effortlessly around the fretboard. Group vocals join Bobbi's melody in the second verse (or chorus) while Jerry Peters pounds his way all over that piano. (9.125/10)

B2. "Jasper Country Man" (5:16) really more of a conversation among the rhythm section: Harvey, Chuck, and Jerry. (8.75/10)

B3. "Baby's Gone" (8:47) slow and moody with Bobbi setting a melody up that sounds like the opening notes to Deneice Williams' opening lines from "Free," but then it thickens and grow sophisticated while Bobbi's flute and voice work their way into the lead of the song. (17.5/20)

Total Time: 40:01

Excellent arrangements of very melodic smooth funk-jazz music; eminently listenable.

88.97 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent addition to any Jazz-Rock Fusion lover's album collection--especially if you like the funkier side of things but delivered in a late-Seventies melodic way.

JOE FARRELL Night Dancing (1978)

A 1978 release from Warner Bros. Records that shows wind conforming to the lure and pressures to produce accessible radio-friendly Adult Contemporary music, otherwise known as Smooth Jazz (or "elevator music").   

Line-up / Musicians:

- Joe Farrell / saxophones [soprano and tenor], flute

With:
- Herbie Hancock / piano, electric piano (A1, A2, B2)
- Lee Ritenour / guitar (A1, A2, B2, B3, B4)
- John Guerin / drums (A1, A2, B2, B4)

- Chuck Rainey / bass (A1, B2)

- Michael Boddicker / synthesizer, Clavinet (A1, B3)

- Oscar Brashear / trumpet (A1, B1, B2)
- Garnett Brown / trombone (A1, B1, B2)

- Chuck Findley / trumpet (A1, B2)

- Lew McCreary / bass trombone (A1, B1, B2)

- Robert W. Daugherty / bass (A2)

- Airto Moreira / percussion (A2), cuica (B2)

- Andrea Robinson / vocals (A2, B1)

- Lynda Tucker Lawrence / vocals (A2, B1)

- Victor Feldman / piano, electric piano (A3, B1, B4)
- Jay Graydon / guitar (A3, B1)
- Richard Greene & Beryl Marriott / violin, viola (A3, B4)
- Abraham Laboriel / bass (A3, B1)

- Harvey Mason, Sr. / drums (A3, B1)

- Paulinho Da Costa / congas (A3, B1)

- Richard Greene / violin & viola (A3, B4)

- Flora Purim / vocals (A3)

- Joe Romano / tenor saxophone (B1, B2)

- Quitman Dennis / baritone saxophone (B1, B2)

- Mike Porcaro / bass (B3)

- Jeff Porcaro / drums (B3)

A1. "Katherine" (6:36) Smooth Jazz all the way--even to the point of incorporating a small orchestra to accent and build the choruses and soloist's crescendos. The performances from the soloists and rhythm section on this Jeff Lorber composition are all solid though nothing so memorable as to want to write home about. (8.75/10)

  
A2. "Silver Lace" (8:15) slower paced with a style and Latinized sound palette that feels more like some of the excellent Smooth Jazz music of Eumir Deodato's, here Joe displays his flute talents. Nice work from Herbie Hancock on the electric piano and Lee Ritenour on the jazz guitar and nice melody leads and collectives from Joe and his doppleganger background vocalists, Andrea Robinson and Lynda Tucker Lawrence. (17.875/20)

A3. "How Deep Is Your Love" (4:19) a cover of the BeeGees' monster hit serves as an unimportant addition to the world of elevator music and dentist office soundtracks. Joe and the band are smooth if schlocky--especially those stereotypic cheezy female b vocalists (Flora Purim) ghost-waifing the song's title and key lyric excerpts. (8.667/10)

A4. "Come Rain Or Come Shine" (3:24) solo sax. (8.6667/10)

B1. "Another Star" (5:30) a cover of a Stevie Wonder song that is fully Disco-fied but relegated to Smooth Jazz by the piano and sax stylings and choir of wordless background voices. Nice performances from Joe on sax as well as many of the studio professionals (8.875/10)

B2. "Casa De Los Sospensos" (7:30) a Joe Farrell original that presents the first truly exceptional song and high-level creative performances of the album. Nice drum and bass coordination from John Guerin and Chuck Rainey, respectively, as well as great keyboard work from Herbie Hancock. (9.333/10)

B3. "Night Dancing" (5:49) a Trevor Lawrence composition performed with a Jan Hammer-like electronically-up-to-date rhythm section of Jeff and Mike Porcaro, Michael Boddicker on synths and Lee Ritenour on rhythm guitar. The motif really propels Joe into one of his finer tenor sax performances. (9/10) 

B4. "You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" (3:13) a cover of the massive Rod Stewart hit with Joe's tenor sax taking the place of Rod's voice while the excellent line-up of L.A. studio musicians (plus violinist Richard Greene) back him. Pretty decent. For a schlocky Smooth Jazz tune, that is. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 43:39

88.94 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid contribution of sophisticated Smooth Jazz.

LEE RITENOUR First Course (1976)

Lee Ritenour's debut album, First Course, was recorded and mixed at The Sound Labs, Hollywood, Calif. October-December, 1975 and then officially released in 1976 by Epic Records. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lee Ritenour / guitars [electric, clsassical], producer [associate]

- Bill Dickinson / bass

- Chuck Rainey / bass

- Louis Johnson / bass

- Harvey Mason / drums, percussion

- Ed Greene / drums

- Dave Grusin / electric piano, organ, synthesizer, clavinet

- Jerry Peters / keyboards, clavinet

- Larry Nash / keyboards, clavinet

- Michael Omartian / keyboards, clavinet

- Patrice Rushen / keyboards, clavinet

- Ian Underwood / synthesizer [programming]

- Jerry Steinholtz / congas, percussion

- Tom Scott / Lyricon, saxophone [tenor]
- Jerome Richardson / saxophone [baritone]
- Ernie Watts / saxophone [tenor]
- Frank Rosolino / trombone
- Chuck Findley / trumpet

A1. "A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That" (6:18) a solid, upbeat and uptempo and funk tune that fits the typical television soundtrack music of the era. (8.875/10)

A2. "Sweet Syncopation" (4:48) a Bob James-like song with disco elements and a lot of riffs and tricks that were stereotypic of the day. (8.75/10)

A3. "Theme From Three Days Of The Condor" (4:08) even though I love the film from which this tune was supposedly borrowed, I do not at all recognize it for the fact that the soundtrack is/was never anything remarkable enough to me to have been memorable--which says a lot because soundtracks are often such an important element of every movie that I like--and I've seen this movie many times over the years. Still, as a song, this one stands up as something quite enjoyable for its careful consideration of space and palette. Very pretty if, ultimately, definitely a qualifier for the "elevator" category of Smooth Jazz. (9/10)

A4. "Fatback" (4:20) another Smooth Jazz elevator music masterpiece for its simple melodies, straight time shuffle, and urban colloquial street talkin' guitar play. (8.875/10)

A5. "Memories Past" (1:52) a pretty little pseudo classical solo guitar piece. Melodic and smooth. (4.375/5)

B1. "Caterpillar" (4:21) back to the funk. Lee certainly is a master of it--not only as a guitarist but also as a composer/arranger. I never thought to give Lee Ritenour (or Skip Drinkwater) credit for the foundation and codification of the Smooth Jazz movement! (8.75/10)

B2. "Canticle For the Universe" (6:13) a white man's funk that helps me to define the Yacht Rock phenomenon: laid back white man's overbite dance music for sunlight, Dacron leisure suits, and driving in your Datsun 240z. Some really nice arrangements and layering in the "chorus" sections. (8.875/10)

B3. "Wild Rice" (5:33) more 1970s Discofied pop funk excellently arranged, performed, thickly layered, and sterilized for the masses. Though I may not like it, the vision and foresight of the creators of this music are definitely of a genius level: they won! (8.75/10) 

B4. "Ohla Maria (Amparo)" (3:50) the cover of a Antônio Carlos Jobim tune by Lee on his Classical guitar. There is minimal support from tracks dedicated to other Classical guitars as well as synthesizer flutes and gentle, rich electric piano. Gorgeous. Though not really Jazz-Rock Fusion, this still gets my vote for favorite song on the album. (9.333/10)

Total Time: 41:34

West Coast Smooth Jazz of The Crusaders, Bob James, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Dave Gruisin type here is being defined--born of the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom, the music has been taken from the realms of the experimental and exploratory and codified into a specific pop sound that is friendly to the television-watching and radio-at-work-listening masses. Despite the Skip Drinkwater production credit, I cannot help but lump this album's sound in the sanitary pile of Bob James-style productions of the era--though this does have more of the pristine, over-production sound that is more associated with the Steely Dan and Dave Gruisin and many of the top pop-R&B acts like Earth, Wind & Fire and I slather when visualizing that studio filled with those amazing West Coast studio musicians all playing together, at once, layer over layer: Chuck Rainey, Louis Johnson, and Bill Dickenson! Harvey Mason and Ed Greene! Dave Grusin, Jerry Peters, Larry Nash, Michael Omartian, Ian Underwood, and Patrice Rushen! Tom Scott, Jerome Richardson, Ernie Watts, Frank Rosolino, and Chuck Findley! How can one possibly fail with walls of sound from that mini orchestra of L.A.'s finest? And I am not going to contest the amazing performances, arrangements, engineering, and production of this album's sounds; I'm just not as much an advocate of the direction this kind of production took Jazz-Rock Fusion: like it took the excitement and freshness out of it and made it pedestrian. I always find myself lamenting the watered-down accessibility of music as this represents yet I can still hear the amazing virtuosity of its performers in the music, so I feel bad for my perhaps-unjust denigration of the artistry involved to create this kind of music. It just all starts to sound and feel . . . the same! Also, I do not wish to denigrate demean the skills and talent of Lee Ritenour: he is without a doubt an amazing guitarist, amazing songwriter, arranger, and producer. As mentioned above: perhaps the world gives far too little credit to Lee for his role in shaping the direction that made Jazz-Rock Fusion so accessible to the masses that it became ubiquitous, and popular!  

88.92 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; though this is not what I consider a masterpiece of innovative Jazz-Rock Fusion, I cannot fault the songwriting, musicianship, arrangements, production, or engineering for anything! They were just conforming to the sonic trends that were taking over the world of instrumental music at the time--and to which Lee Ritenour's personal vision and preferences were fixated! This is a Smooth Jazz album of the very highest quality!

RONNIE LAWS Flame (1978)

Despite the co-production credit going to The Crusaders' Wilton Felder, this album has so much in common with the sound of Narada Michael Walden albums at this time. The rich keyboard and synthesizer work of Larry Dunn are, I believe, what really won me over with this album--that and the vocal participation of Ronnie's sisters, Debra and Eloise. Long-time Ronnie cast member, Roland Bautista continues to grow his supportive jazz guitar skills. United Artists Records released Flame on September 22, 1978.

Lineup / Musicians:
- Ronnie Laws / saxophones, flute, vocals, piano (A3, B4)
- Larry Dunn / ARP, clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Moog

- Bobby Vega / bass (A2, B1-B3)

- Pat Kelly / guitar (A2, A3, A4, B2. B4)

- Melvin Robinson / guitar (A1, B1, B3)

- Raymond Pounds / drums (A1, A2, B1-B3)
- Roland Bautista / guitar (A1, A2, B1, B3)
- Andrew Acosta / percussion (A1-A3, B1, B3)

With:

- Art Rodriguez / drums (A3, B4)

- Barnaby Finch / piano (B2, A3)

- Onija (Woody Murray) / vibraphone (B3)

- Louis Satterfield / bass (A4)

- Nate Morgan / piano (B4)

- Philip Bailey / vocals (A4)
- Eloise Laws / vocals (A1)
- Debra Laws / vocals (A1)
- Diane Reeves / vocals (A4)

- Debra Thomas / b vox (B1) 

- Sylvia St. James / b vox (B1)

A1 "All for You" (3:04) (8.6667/10)

A2 "These Days" (4:35) funk with all the electro bells and whistles (literally!) and some treated soprano sax from the band leader. (8.75/10)

A3 "Flame" (7:06) one of my all-time favorite Ronnie Laws songs, I love the spaciousness and long, unhurried atmosphere. The electronic keys are wonderful but Pat Kelly's guitar work is wonderful. It does get a little overdrawn at times--and Ronnie's sax work never really does anything very dynamic; it's more about the structure and atmosphere. (13.75/15)  

A4 "Living Love" (4:12) a nice Narada-sounding pop/R&B-oriented song featuring the vocals of Diane Reeves and Phillip Bailey (what a treat!) and some great melodic hooks by Ronnie's sax and flutes. (8.875/10)

B1 "Love Is Here" (4:53) here Ronnie shows the influence that The Isley Brothers' 1970s transition to heavy funk has had on him. A great tune that could have benefitted from one more motif instead of the long instrumental solo finish. (8.875/10)

B2 "Grace" (6:02) classic late-night groove over which Ronnie's flute reigns supreme! Great Bob James feel to this one. All of the musicians are completely attuned to the vibe Ronnie's trying to create. I love it!(9/10)

B3 "Joy" (5:34) has a bit of a Stevie Wonder feel to it (yet another of Ronnie's models/mentors). I'm very happy to hear Woody Murray's vibes as well as Ronnie's funked up flute-and-vocalese play. (8.875/10) 

B4 "Live Your Life Away" (3:40) definitely has the design of a radio-friendly pop song--and no winds! Ronnie sings, plays electric piano and the synth bass. Another song that is oh-so close to the music that Narada Michael Walden was doing at the same time--especially the vocal (which I like). (8.75/10)

While Side One contains three songs that Ronnie co-wrote with his keyboardist Larry Dunn (and one cover), all of Side Two's songs are compositions of the band leader exclusively.  

88.87 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of genre-defining Smooth Jazz.

BOB JAMES Three (1976)

Recorded in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.,  at Rudy Van Gelder Studios, in November of 1975 and January of 1976 and then released by CTI Records in June. An album I owned but never felt very attracted to repeated listens back in the 70s.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Bob James / keyboards

Bass – Gary King (tracks: A1, A2, B3), Will Lee (tracks: B1, B2)
Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken
Drums – Andy Newmark (tracks: A1), Harvey Mason (tracks: A2 to B3)
Flute – Hubert Laws, Jerry Dodgion
Flute, Saxophone [Tenor] – Eddie Daniels
Guitar – Eric Gale (tracks: A2 to B2), Hugh McCracken (tracks: A2 to B2), Jeff Mironov (tracks: A1)
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano], Tin Whistle – Grover Washington, Jr.
With:

Trombone – Wayne Andre
Trombone [Bass] – Dave Taylor
Trombone [Bass], Tuba – Dave Bargeron
Trumpet – John Frosk, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm
Viola – Al Brown , Manny Vardi
Violin – David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Frederick Buldrini, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Lewis Eley, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen
Harp – Gloria Agostini 

A1. "One Mint Julep" (9:03) an attempt at the Big Band side of orchestrated Jazz-Rock Fusion (not unlike the work that Eumir Deodato had been doing in the previous three years). Where this song suffers in is in its spaciousness: it just makes everything seem so laid back and easy (while I know it's not). Very solid play from the rhythm section and accenting brass section. (17.5/20)

A2. "Women Of Ireland" (7:58) opening with 90 seconds of quite lovely solo Irish flute before a masterful display of Smooth Jazz song construction unfolds. The initial flute melody really hits home with Bob's gorgeous piano rendering but once things start getting recapitulated and the rhythm track morphs beneath (into an almost-Jamaican Reggae ). At 3:23 the gorgeous orchestral strings take over the main melody (thereby rendering this an Adult Contemporary cover); not even Eric Gale's guitar solo in the fifth minute  (or his excellent rhythm accents alongside Bob's Fender Rhodes solo in the sixth) can save it from elevator conscription. (13.25/15)

B1. "Westchester Lady" (7:23) a very popular Smooth Jazz radio hit on the Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz formatted shows. The main hook melody is definitely one of those unforgettable earworms. The song is essentially a masterclass of composition and arrangement and remains one that I still like to this day even though it plays out a little longer than one might desire. (13.75/15)

B2. "Storm King" (6:30) horns and synths making themselves known from the opening strains while the funky-lite Smooth Jazz foundation is laid down beneath. So classic 1970s Smooth Jazz/Yacht Rock! Excellent discipline shown by the rhythm section as well as pretty dynamic (and extensive) saxophone solo from Grover Washington, Jr. while Bob continues to display masterful placement of his orchestral injections. (9/10)  

B3. "Jamaica Farewell" (5:16) the classic Harry Belafonte hit here covered by Bob and the Irish flute play of Grover Washington, Jr. Weird to have that BJ strumming guitar and Fender Rhodes with Gary King's pseudo-Reggae bass and the soft-jazz-diluted performances percussion section. (8.6667/10)

Total Time: 36:46

There are elements and passages and performances on this album that shine--that contribute nicely to the advancement and lexicon of the Peak Era of Jazz-Rock Fusion, and yet there are more that feel schlocky. The mere fact of three of the album's six songs being covers (thereby launching them into the realms of Elevator Music) denigrates the Jazz-Rock Fusion domain that BJ purports to strive for. 

88.81 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; another excellent collection of fairly simple song constructs making a fair contribution to the burgeoning movement toward a more popular "Smooth Jazz" domain of music. 

BOB JAMES Heads (1977)

Recorded at Media Sound, Sound Mixers and A&R Studios, New York City, May-September 1977, Bob was definitely in the middle of a hot streak with songs from each of his previous four albums receiving regular rotational play on Adult Contemporary/Smooth Jazz radio shows. Bob's success in fact allowed him to start his own record production label in the summer of 1977: Tappan Zee Records, a subsidiary of the giant Columbia Records conglomerate. Heads was released by Tappan Zee on October 14, 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Bob James / keyboards: clavinet, electric piano [Fender Rhodes], piano, synthesizer [Oberheim Polyphonic], bells [Oberheim Polyphonic Tinkle Bells] 

With:

- David Sanborn / alto saxophone

- Gerry Niewood / saxophones [alto, tenor], alto flute

- Michael Brecker / saxophones [tenor, soprano] 

- Grover Washington, Jr. / saxophones [tenor, soprano] 

- Randy Brecker / trumpet

- Jon Faddis / trumpet

- Gary King / bass

- Alphonso Johnson / bass 

- Will Lee / bass

- Andy Newmark / drums 

- Steve Gadd / drums 

- Alan Schwartzberg / drums

- Richard Tee / keyboards [acoustic rhythm]

- Jeff Layton / guitar

- Jeff Mironov / guitar

- Eric Gales / guitar

- Steve Khan / guitar

- Ralph MacDonald / percussion

- Michael Mainieri / Vibraphone

Vocals: Gwen Guthrie, Lani Groves, Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry

Members of the Orchestra:

Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken, Jonathan Abramowitz

English Horn, Flute, Baritone Saxophone, Oboe, Recorder [Sopranino] – George Marge

French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon

Harp – Gloria Agostini

Oboe, Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet – Phil Bodner

Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Eddie Daniels

Trombone – David Taylor, Tom Mitchell, Wayne Andre

Trumpet, Flugelhorn – John Frosk, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker

Viola – Al Brown , Manny Vardi, Lamar Alsop

Violin – Barry Finclair, Diana Halprin, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, John Pintavalle, Marvin Morganstern, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Max Pollikoff, Paul Gershman

A1. "Heads" (6:40) Rapper's Delight bass opening coupled with tubular bells melodic hook and bass/trombone notes made this popular to play while studying in my college dormitory but its infectious "magical" effect has long since worn off. (8.75/10)

A2. "We're All Alone" (5:32) another aberration of a contemporary pop hit (written and performed by Boz Scaggs) that turns out to be much better once it veers away from the main melody and theme. Yeah, these dudes are cookin' it in the second and third minutes and then again when the DEODATO "Also Sprach Zarathusra: 2001"-like section that ends the song starts. (9/10)

A3. "I'm In You" (6:47) a song that opens like a Disco BeeGees "Night on Disco Mountain" before turning to pick up Peter Frampton's lead melody from his hit of the same name--but this is quite an unrecognizable rendering of that song as so many odd instruments are used to take the place of the vocals (including synth saws and horn section blasts). To my ears this sounds more like a novelty song--one of those that gets radio play specifically for its odd sounds and Disco beat. It's not horrible--and definitely displays some sophistication and tightly-co-ordinated arrangements, it's just not that great of a song! (13/15)

B1. "Night Crawler" (6:17) another of those songs that I would include in my own playlist entitled "The Best of Bob James"--as much for its multiple earworm melody hooks but also for its tight, professional performances. (9/10)

B2. "You Are So Beautiful" (6:50) an instrumental arrangement of Billy Preston's amazing song--one that actually does justice to the original despite the liberties taken in its jazzification. Grover Washington, Jr.'s very heart-felt, respectful soprano sax play is one of the big reasons, but it's also got a lot to do with the spacious arrangement that Bob has made. The actual weakest part of the song is Bob's own bluesy piano solo! I love the whole-band chord hits (and progression) in the bridge in fifth minute and then the background vocal girls in the final two minutes. (13.375/15)

B3. "One Loving Night" (5:48) Bob's rendering of the famous Henry Purcell British folk song--here even incorporating a harpsichord-like keyboard sound (Bob's Oberheim Polyphonic "Tinkle Bells" setting). The orchestral arrangements added in the second minute even add to the respectful "classic" feel, but then, toward the very end of the second minute, the jazz-rock combo launches into a pretty funky movement (thanks in no small part to the bass play that sounds like Alphonso Johnson but goes uncredited as far as I can find). Nice, mature song rendition. The weakest part, for me, are the saxophone inputs. (9/10)

Total Time: 38:54

Yet another album on which less than half of the songs are original compositions (two of six). I find it quite interesting to realize, just now, that it's the two Bob James originals that I like the most--by far! (Time to get out of the business of banking on covers for sales and radio popularity, Bob!)

88.75 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent display of ever-maturing compositional acumen from one of Smooth Jazz's true masters.

PAT METHENY GROUP American Garage (1979)

Pat's first "Group" lineup finds studio time for the making of their second studio album, American Garage was recorded at Long View Farm Studios in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, in June of 1979. The album was then released by ECM Records on November 1, 1979.

  Line-up / Musicians:
- Pat Metheny / 6- & 12 string guitars, producer
- Lyle Mays / organ, piano, autoharp, Oberheim synth
- Mark Egan / fretless bass
- Dan Gottlieb / drums

1. "(Cross the) Heartland" (4:54) one of those delicate, multi-part Group collaborations that explore the possibilities offered by both acoustic and electronic instruments. There is a lot of poppy shlock in the up-tempo whole-band parts while much more tension and nuance in the softer acoustic-guitar woven parts.  There is also an unmistakable recent-Weather Report influence to the commerciality of this song. (8.875/10)

2. "Airstream" (6:55) Lyle's piano work in the opening minute of this feels so Midwest Americana--like something that belongs to a soundtrack of a Ken Burns production. But then when the whole band becomes involved it sounds like something from Burt Bacharach's soundtrack to the film Arthur (which won't come out for another two years). You get my point: this is very friendly, very accessible, very familiar and highly-melodic music--qualifying for admission to the Bob James School of Smooth Jazz. (I wonder if Burt, Carole, and Christopher Cross heard this album before/as they were composing the music to their award-winning Arthur soundtrack.) (13.375/15)

3. "The Search" (6:20) a Smooth Jazz palette for Lyle to show off (one of) his signature synthesizer leads: the amorphous "ghost cor anglais." (8.75/10)

4. "American Garage" (4:13) Bruce Springsteen! The rock and Americana foundations of this song are so blatant and pop-oriented as to make me feel a tremendous amount of gratitude that Pat did not continue on this path of shlock production. Again the effect of the Popular Weather Report influence is strongly present here. (8.667/10)

5. "The Epic" (12:59) another hugely Popular Weather Report Era influenced song: both the rhythmic and melodic patterns as well as the sound palette. After about three minutes, it does, however, morph into something more akin to classic Pat Metheny Group sound and then wind and wend its way through several other motifs making it definitely qualify as a suite-like "epic." The soft and gentle motif in the 10th and 11th minutes is probably my favorite--especially as it leads to a cool buildup and crescendo-lite in the 12th--before it returns to a recapitulation of the themes of a couple of the opening movements. (22.125/25)

Total Time 35:21

I'd never thought of Pat Metheny as a contributor to the Smooth Jazz movement until hearing this album. Yes, they definitely were! 

88.27 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent, if temporary, foray into Weather Report-like radio-friendly Smooth Jazz.

SONNY ROLLINS Easy Livin' (1977)

The Recording sessions took place between August 3–6, 1977, with most sources admitting to a late 1977 release from Milestone Records.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Sonny Rollins / saxophones (soprano, tenor) 

- Tony Williams / drums

- Paul Jackson / electric bass (A2 to B3)

- Charles Icarus Johnson / guitars (A1 to B1, B3)
- George Duke / keyboards
With:

- Byron Miller / bass (A1)
- Bill Summers / congas (A1)
Recorded By [Additional] – Kerry McNabb (track A1)

A1. "Isn't She Lovely" (6:39) nice Smooth Jazz cover of Stevie Wonder's classic hit (8.875/10)

A2. "Down The Line" (7:59) not bad Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion (13.375/15)

A3. "My One And Only Love" (5:05) a little too slow and dragging for my tastes. Nice soprano sax play with solid professional support. (8.75/10)

B1. "Arroz Con Pollo" (5:37) nice support music for Sonny's okay soprano sax play up top. Nice to hear the band get to stretch out (especially Tony). (8.875/10)

B2. "Easy Living" (6:09) nice spacious, late night blues song but again such wasted talent! (8.875/10)

B3. "Hear What I'm Saying" (9:40) weird sound engineering (weird sax sound mixed far too forward with everybody else way back in the mix). (It gets better as the song goes along.) Nice to hear Paul Jackson stretched out and some Charles Johnson and George Duke solos. Tony is awesome, too. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 41:18

With this talented of a posse, Sonny needed to do more upbeat, uptempo stuff to challenge them, keep them interested, show off the talent accompanying him. 

88.667 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice foray into the world of Jazz-Rock Fusion (much better than the previous year's effort) but still a lot of wasted talent and rather simplistic sax soloing. 

DONALD BYRD Stepping into Tomorrow (1975)

Recorded, once again, at Hollywood's Sound Factory under the production team of Larry and Fonce Mizell (Sky High) in November and December of 1974. Stepping into Tomorrow was released to the public in March of 1975.

Line-up/Musicians:
- Donald Byrd / Trumpet [Solo], Flugelhorn, Vocals [Solo]
- Gary Bartz / alto saxophone, clarinet
Backing Vocals – Fonce Mizell, Fred Perrin , Kay Haith (tracks: A3, A4), Larry Mizell, Lorraine Kenner (tracks: A1, A2, B1), Margie Evans (tracks: B3), Stephanie Spruill (tracks: A1, B1)
- Chuck Rainey / bass [Fender]
- Fonce Mizell / Clavinet, Trumpet
- Mayuto Correa / Congas
- Harvey Mason / Drums, Bata [Batah Drum], Jew's Harp [Mouth Harp] (B1),
- David T. Walker / Guitar 

- John Rowin / Guitar 

- Rhonghea Southern  / Guitar (A4)

- Stuff 'N Ramjet / Percussion
- Jerry Peters / Piano [Acoustic Piano], Organ
- Larry Mizell / Synthesizer [Arp Synthesizers], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], conductor, arranger
- James Carter / Whistle [Whistler]

A1. "Stepping Into Tomorrow" (5:11) such simplicity! Please, say it ain't so! Luckily, it's a great, very catchy groove, otherwise there's more similarity to the music of later HERB ALPERT (1981's Rise) and the Blackbyrds (due to the choral vocals)--which is fine if you're heading toward radio-friendly pop-oriented "Smooth Jazz." I like the keyboard experimentations being done by Larry Mizell and Jerry Peters--and the vocals are actually quite a bit better (recorded/engineered) than those on the Blackbyrds' albums. Whoever is doing those ultra-soprano vocalese above the rest has got some pipes! (Lorraine Kenner? Stephanie Spruill?) (8.875/10)

A2. "We're Together" (4:19) opening with an excellent and enticing "conversation" between Donald and Gary with piano, background female vocals, and background horns offering nice accents. I also like the scraping noise of the pick hitting the strings on the rhythm guitar. Unfortunately, the choir vocals end up occupying too much space: taking away from the instrumentalists. (8.875/10)

B1. "Think Twice" (6:10) more vocal smoothation, this time with Team Male alternating with Team Female over some very simple jazz-funk (though with another great bass line and some nice vocal melodies). Jerry Peter's bouncy piano and Gary Bartz's smooth sax are nice complements to both the vocals and Donald's trumpet. (8.75/10)

B2. "Rock And Roll Again" (6:09) smooth, smooth instrumental Soul music. Harkens back to the early 1960s in its simplicity. And there's that whistler dude James Carter who'll be so dominant on Side Two of the next album (Places and Spaces). Otherwise, this is really just a classic soul/DooWap tune on which the alto sax takes the place of the human voice. Donald must be feeling really nostalgic. (8.66667/10)

C2. "I Love The Girl" (3:53) piano and gentle percussion instruments open this before the band engages in some cinematic Burt Bacharach-like music behind James Carter's whistling. When Donald kicks in with his flugelhorn in the second minute it is over some loose funk in which laid back yet playful bass and steady drums amuse beneath Jerry's wildly-adventurous piano play. It's kind of shame that his piano is mixed so far back into the mix cuz it's really entertaining and interesting. (8.75/10)

C3. "You Are The World" (4:29) bongos, timbales, and two fast-strummed rhythm guitar chords repeated over and over precede the "you are the world" male choir pronouncements. Then the music travels into a funkier BARRY WHITE world with piano and wildly flailing wah-wah chord fast-strumming rhythm guitar. This is definitely early Disco. I don't dislike it; it feels so ready for radio! (Especially in Detroit town!) (9/10)

D2. "Design A Nation" (4:21) very pleasant Smooth Jazz with very relaxing vocal choir work, whispered female voice, smooth sax from Gary Bartz, and a great bass-led groove at its foundation. (9/10)

D3. "Makin' It" (3:49) a song with a little more zip and jazz in it despite the funk/R&B presentation. Jew's harp, piano, clavinet, and percussion are key components beneath Donald and Gary's horns. I like the lively spirit of those contribution to the foundation. (9/10)

The master of borrowing riffs and sounds from past masters has been caught: it's no longer working its magic as it once had. Is just my ears or has Chuck Rainey's bass playing (and volume) been curbed or downscaled from the levels and freedoms expressed on the previous album? I think this an unfortunate mistake on the part of both the composer, bandleader, and producers.

Total time: 39:21

88.65 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent album of simplified Jazz-Rock Fusion that finds portents of Disco, Jazz-Funk, and Smooth Jazz in its weaves. 

FREDDIE HUBBARD Bundle of Joy (1977)

Three Freddie Hubbard originals ("Bundle of Joy," "Tucson Stomp," and "Rahsann") and five covers of other pop songs that were released as the Bundle of Joy album released by Columbia Records in July of 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Freddie Hubbard / trumpets, flugelhorn
- Curtis Robertson, Jr. / bass

- Eric Ward / bass

- Henry Davis / bass
- Carlos Vega / drums

- Ed Greene / drums

- Fred Alexander / drums
- David T. Walker / guitars, [soloist] (A1)
- Michael Stanton / keyboards
- David Garfield / keyboards [all solos], celesta [celeste] 
- Paulinho Da Costa / percussion
- Bob Zimmitti / percussion

- Tommy Vig / percussion
Backing Vocals [Background Vocalist] – Dee Ervin, Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Pat Henderson, Venetta Fields

With:

- Bert DeCoteaux / conductor

- Bill Henderson / concertmaster [of strings]
- Dorothy Ashby / harp [soloist] (A3)

- Bill Green / tenor saxophone, flute
- Ernie Watts / tenor saxophone [soloist] (B2), flute [alto]
- David Sherr / oboe

- Azar Lawrence / tenor saxophone, [soloist] (B1)

- Ernie Fields, Jr. / baritone saxophone

- Marilyn L. Robinson / French horn

Trumpet [other trumpets]: Bobby Bryant, Nolan Smith, Snooky Young

Trombones: Garnet Brown, George Bohanon

Guitars: Craig McMullen, Jay Graydon, Rick Littlefield

A1. "Bundle Of Joy" (5:36) Freddie and his team must have thought a lot of this song to open the album with it. It opens cinematically before settling into a Love Unlimited "Love's Theme" kind of groove--with much more active Barry White strings and horn section and more of Freddie's "practice"/build up to his "Love Connection" masterpiece. It's just a little too old-style big band/orchestra dominated for me--and too much like "Love's Theme" underneath. Freddie's flugelhorn sounds a bit different--like it's bigger: more like a trombone. David T. Walker's credited guitar solo is quite disappointing: both surprisingly short and totally underwhelming. (8.75/10)

A2. "Rainy Day Song" (3:58) a broad spectrum lineup of orchestra- and choir-dominated vocals over a pedestrian pop-rock near-Disco 4/4 tempo renders this one just too schlocky for my favor. Freddie often allows his horn to be immersed within the fabric of the overall weave, which is really a no-no for frontmen like him. (8.6667/10) 

A3. "Portrait Of Jenny" (6:20) lush harp play opens this, over which Freddie enters, establishing a very delicate and subtly-nuanced horn melody to cover this old-time (1948) classic from J.R. Robinson. A beautiful performance made even better by the bare-bones arrangement (harp and vibraphone). One of my top three songs for the album. (9.125/10)

A4. "From Now On" (4:38) opening like a Gloria Gaynor/Donna Summer Disco Queen song before Freddie steps into the spotlight. I'm not fond of the reverb being used on Freddie's horn while no one else is receiving the same treatment. The music really allows the listener to hear several of the multiple instrument groups: the multiple guitarists, the multiple bass players, the multiple horns in the horn section, as well as the multiple drum and percussion players. The melodies and strings and vocal arrangements on this Bunny Sigler-by-way-of-Lou Rawls song, however, render it just too familiar--too much like a familiar Disco tune. (8.75/10)

B1. "Tucson Stomp" (4:42) the second of Freddie's original compositions is funky, it's grounded more in Jazz traditions than those of the current or recent pop scene. The basses, rhythm guitars, and horn section play a much more focused roll on the Funk instead of the Adult Contemporary sound, which I much prefer and appreciate. Azar Lawrence's credited sax solo in the fourth minute is not only brief but ends up being drowned/usurped by Freddie's joinder halfway in. It's a fun song to listen to for the fact that there is so much going on--so many musicians making interesting contributions. (8.875/10)

B2. "Rahsann" (6:37) the third and final original contribution of Freddie's to the album starts out kind of dreamy--like steam rising out of the subway staircase. But then the smooth jazziness emerges and we have a slowed down, smooth version/variation of that which will become his greatest song of all-time, 1979's "The Love Connection." (It is rather amazing how many times Freddie has reworked this song, these melodies, the complementary instrumental arrangements and tempo/groove.) Ernie Watts' sax solo in the fourth minute is the first (and only--other than Dorothy Ashby's harp on "Portrait of Jenny") to be given enough length to have some substance and make its mark. Great piano presence and great Burt Bacharach/Bob James-like chord progressions in the verse sections. The best, most well-contrived and rendered song on the album. A top three. (9/10)

B3. "I Don't Want To Lose You" (4:02) opens with oboe over a pasty palette and motif that sounds like something that was lifted from a Hallmark Children's Hour afternoon special (or Anne Murray/Maureen McGovern song). (8.75/10)

B4. "From Behind" (4:56) opens with a fully-potentialized EWF.Bobby Caldwell-like smooth funk palette and sound, which is amplified satisfyingly by Freddie's opening notes. But then it goes all Bob James schmaltzy for the second part--but then it quickly turns into a little more fun with some Latin percussion and gorgeous French Riviera feeling arrangements. In the third minute David Garfield is given a nice chunk of time in which to deliver a beautiful little Fender Rhodes solo. Nice! Then we're back to the late-night funk of the opening before shifting into second (and, soon, the third, Latinized) gear per the song's prescribed construct. Nice finish (even though it's a fadeout). A top three song for me. (9/10)

Total Time: 41:18

With this album I feel that Freddie has gone too far over to the orchestra-supported Adult Contemporary/ Smooth Jazz world--sounding more like big stage production Burt Bacharach music than either Jazz or Jazz-Rock

88.65 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice contribution of Adult Contemporary music. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Renaissance (1976)

The Echoes are crumbling: falling into the allure and trappings of the more commercially-successful but soulless musics of Earth, Wind & Fire, Bob James, and Freddie Hubbard. The recording and release of the music that reached Renaissance was supervised by Bob Thiele on behalf of RCA Records all within the calendar year 1976.

Line-up/Musicians:

- Gene Bertoncini / Acoustic Guitar
- Al Anderson / Bass
- Leon Pendarvis / Clavinet
- Lawrence Killian / Congas
- Wilby Fletcher / Drums
- David Hubbard / Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
- Donald Smith / Flute, Vocals
- Guilherme Franco / Percussion
- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano [Acoustic], Electronics [Electronic Colorations]

 - Ken Bichel / Synthesizer [Moog]

A1. "Space Lady" (6:40) great heavily-processed electric bass coupled with the clavinet and keyboard-generated electronic bass. Lonnie has definitely mastered the strings (must be a new keyboard he's using to generate them). Flute, saxophone and Fender Rhodes are exemplary at adding the smooth textures while the song remains totally grounded in Jazz-Funk. Brilliant! (9.25/10)

A2. "Mardi Gras (Carnival)" (6:02) raucous celebratory music so fittingly titled. Here Lonnie moves back to his acoustic piano while the percussion team and rhythm section hold fast to a Latin motif start to finish. Great energy and, of course, get-up-and-dance motivation. Nice contributions from the flutes, too. (8.875/10)

A3. "Starlight And You" (5:21) rich, chorused Fender Rhodes with airy flute and percussives open this before the bass, drums, and synth strings set up a gentle NORMAN CONNORS-like motif for Donald Smith to sing over. The problem comes in that Donald is singing a sexy love song--something that feels icky/uncomfortable for we the listener after all of his hymns to the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, and the Cosmos. Plus, the song has less jazz pinions and more pop-Soul/R&B foundations than anything I've heard before from Lonnie and the Echoes. (8.66667/10)

B1. "Mongotee" (5:44) back to some jazz-funk with percussion, bass and sax-and-flute providing the grist to the motif. Lonnie's synth strings take over the lead in the third minute, showing his skill at arranging and conducting for an orchestra. (8.75/10)  

B2. "A Song Of Love" (4:05) the band tries returning to their more universal themes of praise and gratitude within a song that feels like the band has finally gone fully over to the making of Easy Listening Elevator music. It's good--for that genre--but it just feels so strongly as if it is loosing its jazz-soul to something more commercially-oriented--as if the band is more invested in getting something out for the sales and radio play than the expression of their inner longings and spiritually-elevating mission. (8.75/10)

B3. "Between Here And There" (2:36) Lonnie soloing on his heavily-treated Fender Rhodes. Loveley. (4.5/5)

B4. "Renaissance" (4:53) A high-quality soul/R&B song more akin to the pop-successful music of Earth, Wind & Fire, Rick James, or Steely Dan--complete with female background vocalists. The band has lost their center: allowed it to drop from the heart and third eye to the pelvis. And Donald! I commend your past commitment to the attainment of higher planes while worrying about the giving in to the temptations of the carnal world. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 35:34

Too much of this album is dedicated to showing off Lonnie's new found string synthesizer--and the skill he has at working orchestral strings arrangements into his music. 

88.53 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a collection of very nice, smooth easy listening songs bordering on pop directed. Maybe Lonnie was converted by the success Earth Wind & Fire had with their cover of his own song, "Reasons." 

PASSPORT Ataraxia (Sky Blue) (1978)

Oh, no! Gone are drummer Curt Cress and bass player Wolfgang Schmid! Let's see how Klaus does with replacements Willy Ketzer and Dieter Petereit (and new full-member on keys, Hendrik Schaper). At least he was able to keep percussionist Elmer Louis and his extraordinary guitarist brother, Roy. The album was released by Atlantic Records in December of 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Klaus Doldinger / saxophones, flute, keyboards, Mellotron
- Willy Ketzer / drums
- Elmer Louis / percussion
- Roy Louis / guitar
- Guillermo G. Marchena / vocals, percussion
- Dieter Petereit / electric bass
- Hendrik Schaper / keyboards

1. "Ataraxia, Pt. 1" (2:55) truly a pastoral introductory piece--one with little to no development. (4.375/5)
2. "Ataraxia, Pt. 2" (5:23) In these first two pieces Klaus' new predilection toward rich keyboard textures in his music is accented by the significant contributions of newcomer Hendrick Schaper. There is almost a TANGERINE DREAM feel to this music--certainly to the sound palette--at least until the arrival of Klaus' saxophone at 2:20--which brings out the not-so-TD-sounding funk from bassist Dieter Petereit and the keyboardists. I like this music, the new keyboard-rich sound palette; I just lament the loss of the music's Jazz-Rock Fusion footings. (9/10)

3. "Sky Blue" (4:38) keyboard synth wash chordal opening--a sound that reminds me more of early synths (like those used by Vangelis at this time) --leads to a rock-heavy theme that sports a pretty awesome "recorder/flute" synth solo. I do not like the thinner, poorer quality of sound coming from the engineering team for this album; this is a much more rock 'n' roll-sounding engineering sound--like something from The Crusaders at about this same time. The synth sounds are all quite dated (and unprocessed?) I like it all but, again, I just feel sad for the drift away from the sounds that made Jazz-Rock Fusion its own unique sub-genre. (8.875/10)

4. "Mandrake" (4:27) okay, here at least we're back to a little of the funky that Bob James, Steely Dan, and the pop-rock-jazz artists are making popular in the States. With doubled-up (chorused?) sax leads and handclaps(?) This, to me, is still Jazz-Rock Fusion, though definitely of the lighter, Fourth Wave or "Smooth Jazz" version. Nice guitar soloing from Roy Louis. This must be what Klaus thinks the public want. Another very pleasant, likable song, if definitely more pop-oriented. (8.875/10)

5. "Reng Ding Dang Dong" (3:01) this one sounds like a funk-affected modification of early Terry Riley-like synth sounds--as if the array are all trying to break free of the minimalist sequence they are stuck in.  Interesting! (4.5/5)

6. "Loco-Motive" (4:17) all sounds here but the Disco-lite bass and drums seem to be trying to create an I Robot-like ALAN PARSONS PROJECT song--only, here, the danceable, disco version! It's certainly entertaining--and likable--even when the DAVID SANBORN sax joins in for the third minute. Creative and yet perhaps a little too derivative. (8.875/10)

7. "The Secret" (5:05) the Weather Report sound and style is back! Sax, keys, and bass all exposing the opening chords/melodies in unison. At the one-minute mark they spread out and begin expressing new melodic streams in a harmonized, if still syncopated, fashion. Then, with the third minute's opening we move into a motif that feels as if borrowed straight from some of the quieter passages of NOVA's brilliant Vimana album ("Vimana," "Night Games" and "Driftwood"), but then it goes back to the poppier Weather Report mode as Klaus solos with his soprano sax. The final minute sees a total return to the Weather Report-like opening motif. It's okay, but, again, the sound quality is a bit disappointing--especially after a string of seven previous albums whose sound quality was among the greatest in the music industry. (8.75/10)

8. "Louisianna" (4:32) slowed down fair that might be trying to emulate a Louisiana sound or style but end up sounding completely like one of those blues DAVID SANBORN songs. A sad waste of space. (8.5/10)

9. "Algeria" (5:12) wild upbeat and up-temp Latin-/Caribbean-dominant music. Great percussion performances throughout the song with nice "big band"-like full-band-backed horn arrangements defining the bookends but leaving plenty of time for some spry and fun tenor sax soloing in the middle. Certainly a fun song. (9/10)

Total Time: 39:11

Though I admire Klaus' ever-adventurous spirit for being open to the exploration of many of the latest and current trends in music, I find the drop in sound quality of this album's production to be surprising--especially since I had, since 1971, upheld his albums as the gold standard in sound recording. What happened?

88.4375 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice addition of diverse music that represents rather perfectly the the "awkward teen" years of the late 70s.  

THE BRECKER BROTHER The Brecker Brothers (1975)

Though they'd been trumpeting around NYC since the late 60s, this was the brass brothers' first attempt at leading their own band. The result is one of the early examples of what I call the Second Wave of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement. The material for the brothers' debut band as bandleaders was recorded in New York City in January of 1975 at Todd Rundgren and Moogy Klingman's Secret Sound Studio and then released in April by Arista. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Randy Brecker / trumpet, electric trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals (8), composer, arranger & producer
- Michael Brecker / tenor sax
With:
- Bob Mann / guitar
- Don Grolnick / keyboards
- David Sanborn / alto sax
- Will Lee / bass, vocals (5)
- Harvey Mason / drums
- Christopher Parker /drums (5)
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion

1. "Some Skunk Funk" (5:50) with its horn section opening and funk play from the rhythm section this song sounds a lot like something from a Steve Wonder album of the same period (next year's Songs in the Key of Life, in particular). The horn arrangements are rather impressive, perhaps even unusual, while the play of the rhythm section is top notch funk and brothers Michael and Randy spew forth some pretty awesome, R&B-funky solos on their respective horns (as does 30-year old David Sanborn--who is here still fairly early in his long and esteemed career). While high on the funk and jazz scales, this one lacks the melodic hooks necessary to make it more memorable. (9/10)

2. "Sponge" (4:05) organ chords, cymbal taps and snare snaps with heavily wah-wah-ed electric bass open this one before the tightly synchronized horn section and keys join in. Funk is oozing from this song as Randy's trumpet amicably duels with Don Grolnick's Odyssey Strings synth. The tight horn bank motif continues to pop up between the soloist's "verses"--one of which is given to Will Lee's very funky bass. (8.875/10)

3. "A Creature Of Many Faces" (7:41) opening with some "older"-sounding horn charts, the song then surprises with a turn down Smooth Jazz Lane. Wah-wah-ed bass and rhythm guitar accompany the horn and keyboard synth on a rather insipid and very vanilla-melodied pop construct. The solos (alto and tenor saxes, trumpet, electric guitar) are also rather tame in a Herb Alpert kind of way: I mean, you can tell the players are skilled, but they've chosen to go for easy-listening melodies and hooks rather than test the proletariat brain of the masses with more complex lines. I get a frequent flood of acrid taste whenever the band congeals for its Burt Bacharach-like bridges between the solos--which is weird cuz I used to adore the horn arrangements on Burt Bacharach and Fifth Dimension songs as well as all those schlocky television show theme songs of the late Sixties and early Seventies. (13.125/15)

4. "Twilight" (5:44) cinematic horn section melody opens this one before Will and Ralph MacDonald's Latin percussion take us down a speeding highway, but then the whole band slips into what feels like a Matrix-like state slow motion. These two seemingly incompatible motifs continue to alternate over the course of the entire song, the faster one (with some very impressive bass, drum, and percussion play) allowing space for soloists like Dave Sanborn and Bob Mann to try to shine. In the end, the two very different motifs sour me. (8.75/10)

5. "Sneakin' Up Behind You" (4:54) just hearing those electronic percussion sounds of the Disco era activates my PTSD. And then, put on top of it, the AVERAGE WHITE BAND/RUFUS/TAVARES-like group vocals and you really get me wandering into a wormhole. This would've been a very popular song in the Disco's at the time (even later as this was 1975: quite early from full-fledged Disco music.) It jsut doesn't stand up as well 50 years later. (8.875/10)

6. "Rocks" (4:38) the funk here feels rather diminished by the constant injection of bursts from the CHICAGO-like big band jazz horn arrangements. When the soloists (Dave Sanborn and Michael Brecker, dueling) play, the horn section goes quiet, and these are the best parts of the song. The arrangements and performances are super-impressive but they don't always register very high on the enjoyment scale. (8.75/10)

7. "Levitate" (4:32) gentle, plaintive reverbed-trumpet opens this with minimal support coming from Don Grolnick's Fender Rhodes and Ralph MacDonald's electronic percussion "water drips." In the second minute spacious bass and drum play and horn section support join in, but the song proceeds as a very gentle, doleful and introspective late-night performance. Randy is so gifted. The song is amazing if not quite as engaging as one might expect (or hope for). (8.875/10)

8. "Oh My Stars" (3:14) a smooth Yacht Rock type of jazz-rock pop song with Randy singing the lead vocals in a kind of MICHAEL FRANKS-like voice. Nice Yacht Rock accompaniment and solos from all. Had Randy's voice been a little better--more experienced--this might have been an Adult Contemporary radio hit. (8.875/10)

9. "D.B.B." (4:46) some smooth jazz with very lightning fast and complex horn section accents and a pre-Disco beat. Saxophone takes the first solo. (I believe it is Dave Sanborn on his Alto.) Nice performances from one of jazz-rock fusion's stellar rhythm duos in drummer Harvey Mason and bassist Will Lee. Randy takes the next solo with an electronically-treated trumpet (called his "electric trumpet")--backed nicely by Bob Mann's active rhythm guitar. (8.875/10)

Total Time 43:24

1975. This just feels so early for both Disco and Smooth Jazz, but I cannot deny it: They're both here on this album! Luckily, so are the incredible skills and prime funk. 

88.42 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent example of some of the earliest Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz despite its complex horn section performances. Recommended for any of you fans of the more commercial, radio-friendly side of late 70s Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

MICHAL URBANIAK Urbaniak (1977)

Recorded at Powerplay Studios, Zurich, Switzerland, and Secret Sound Studios, New York City in August 1977, this is the second of the two albums Michal and Urzula would make for Joachim Berendt, the famous advocate of Polish jazz music.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michal Urbaniak / Violin, Lyricon

- Urszula Dudziak / Vocals, percussion, synthesizer

- R. Anthony Bunn / Bass

- Kenny Kirkland / Piano, Synthesizers

- Lurenda Featherstone / Drums

- Zbigniew Namysłowski / Saxophone

A1. "Tie Breaker" (7:03) it might be Smooth Jazz but it's definitely back to Michal's sophisticated, well-composed, multi-layered tapestry-making. (Thank god!) (13.375/15)

A2. "Strife" (6:13) a little more smooth, simple, and straightforward than I'd like to hear (sounding more like something from Joe Sample or his [Jazz] Crusaders or some of Jean-Luc Ponty's simple stuff from 1979-82) at least the sound isn't overly compressed and the musicians can be clearly, cleanly distinguished. Weird to hear Urszula singing out of time with the other melody makers (especially Zbigniew Namysłowski's saxophone). That's a first! Nice drumming and keyboard play. (8.875/10)

A3. "Mountaineers" (4:00) another unusually less-sophisticated, more-spacious weave from Michal that hits all of the radio-friendly buttons but falls short of anything propelling Jazz-Rock Fusion into anything that a future conveyance of background/elevator music. A lot of similarities to the music coming from STEELY DAN at around the same time (Aja and even previewing 1980's Gaucho). (8.75/10)

A4. "Weird Creatures" (7:03) another very simple funk-lite weave that seems like such a watered down version of Michal's former compositional skill and genius. Nice performance from drummer Lurenda Featherstone. Interesting to hear Michal's Lyricon mixed between a real live sax, a sax-like synth, and Ula's treated vocalese. (13.25/15)

B1. "Jasmine Lady" (8:22) Ula's gentle vocalizations here predate some of Bobby McFerrin's stylings  from the 1980s--here presented within a gentle Caribbean-lite JAY BECKENSTEIN/ SPYRO GYRA-like smooth jazz weave--even moving toward choral presentation of the song title using words! How Bob James-like! Zbigniew Namysłowski's smooth DAVE SANBORN-like sax seems to get most of the spotlight on this one--which is okay cuz he's rather good. Michal's murky electric violin gets its first really distinctive solo spot in the fifth and sixth minutes as the rhythm section soothes and lulls us with its JEAN-LUC PONTY "I Only Feel Good With You"-like motif from below. As corny as parts of this are (which was all the rage at the time and for some time thereafter) this is the best, most complete and satisfying song on the album. I just noticed the attempt to incorporate something into the main melody that might sound Asian/Oriental: cringe-worthy--big fail! (18/20)

B2. "Always Ready" (7:08) Michal's soaring electric violin over richly-chorused Fender Rhodes electric piano opens this one for the first 1:40 before poorly plucked electric bass tries to initiate and introduce the main motif for the rest of the song. I don't really like the cheesy electric percussion sounds Ula is playing but am glad to hear her African-style scatting take the lead in the fourth minute. Michal is next up for the spotlight, playing his electric violin with the note-bending melodic sensibilities of both Jean-Luc Ponty and Hugh Marsh. The best lines in the song seem to be coming from Kenny Kirkland's Fender Rhodes. (13/15)

B3. "Stray Sheep" (5:08) an odd four-part suite that opens with another simplified smooth jazz piece that actually sounds more like something created for a television theme song or as an advertising jingle. After a minute of this motif, the band switches gear and puts their head down to try to create a solid cruising groove over which Zbigniew Namysłowski's sax gets some significant time to solo. The problem is that this rhythm track is quite lame--thin and almost aggravating. At 3:20 we switch again, this time quite radically, into a nice little syncopated jazz swing, over which Michal solos on his violin with beautiful charm and smoothosity. The song then ends with some kind of weird attempt at the employment/usurpation of some kind of Scottish drinking melody and sound palette. Weird. Some parts are embarrassing, some actually kind of nice. (8.666667/10)

Total time: 45:10

88.33 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a step up from their other 1977 release, Smiles Ahead, but still a step down from the masterful music and compositions Michal was creating in the first six years of the decade. Recommended but more for fans of Jazz-Rock Fusion who can tolerate the movement's degraded descent into Easy Listening/Smooth Jazz.  

IL BARICENTRO Sconcerto (1976)

Il Baricentro was an Italian band from Bari whose previous incarnation was FESTA MOBILE. Their album Sconcerto was recorded in Roma in December or 1975 and January of 1976 at Chantalain Studio and then released later in 1976 by EMI Records.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Francesco Boccuzzi / keyboards, guitars, percussion
- Vanni Boccuzzi / keyboards, percussion
- Tonio Napolitano / bass, percussion
- Piero Mangini / drums, percussion

1. "Sconcerto" (4:58) using a sound and instrumental palette that definitely comes from the more electronically-enhanced Third Wave of Jazz-Rock Fusion, the band jumps right into a smoother RETURN TO FOREVER-like groove grounded in some nice funky bass and clavinet with solid near-Disco fusion drumming. The Fender Rhodes solo in the third is quite good, reminding me a bit of the work of both DONALD FAGEN and JOE SAMPLE. I love the use of harpsichord in the latter half but the highlight for me is definitely the bass. (9/10)

 
2. "Lido Bianco" (10:04) the longest song on the album, it starts out with some pastoral/faerie synth sounds and wind chime like percussion before synth and harpsichord-like synth bring in chords and melody. Piano and a whole host of other keyboard sounds take over in the third minute. At the three-minute mark the drums and bass slowly, almost trepidatiously enter, slowly establishing a somewhat Billy Preston-like synthetic funk over which a Casiotone-sounding synth solos. This goes on for a couple minutes before the band eschews this motif for a more pregnant military one over which fluid piano and more deliberate synth solo in different channels at the same time (the piano more in the background). At the very end of the sixth minute the rhythm section and guitarist show signs of wanting to break into something more power-oriented. A minute later, they kind of convince the rest to do so but then it is sidetracked by an insistence to chaos and cacophony--which sets the band up for a reset. The new motif is more pensive and deliberate with cinematic melody and undertones. Overall, the song is nothing to really write home about--and made less so by the almost-cheesy synth and keyboard sounds employed (not to mention the poor sound rendering of such). (17.25/20)

3. "Meridioni E Paralleli" (6:15) pregnant jazzy-prog with some CAMEL-, SPYRO GYRA-, and PASSPORT-like instrument sounds and melody-making. It's nice but it's definitely more Smooth Jazz than Jazz Fusion. (8.875/10)

4. "Afka" (6:11) funky clavinet opens this with drummer and percussionist trying to make something of the odd syncopation being elicited from the keyboard lead. Eventually it all begins to make sense, everybody gets in line, to provide a rather fascinating and fun percussive event. Fender Rhodes adds its chords and flourishes to the fore and we have a nicely-filled song over which solos can occur. The first one is a lyricon (Tom Scott)-sounding synth. The song really grows on you despite the fact that it feels like it should be the theme song to some 1970s television show. Plus, the sound engineering on this is wonderfully done. (9/10)

5. "Pietre Di Luna" (4:29) rich and warm keyboard play from both Boccuzzi brothers at the some time. (It sounds MIDI-ed but I don't think MIDI was a thing back then). The song forms and twists and turns--especially dynamically--giving it a kind of BOB JAMES feel: at times melodic and pretty, at others jazz-like. I like the way this band uses (and is fond of) syncopation. (8.75/10)

6. "Della Venis" (4:16) another gentle, melodic, and smooth electric piano intro (recorded in a very dated sounding mute effect) is soon joined by second keyboard playing a smooth-horn-like synth, interweaving with the increasingly active Stevie Wonder/Joe Vannelli-like keyboard play of the other brother. Some cymbal play from drummer Piero Mangini is the only other contribution to this rather pretty, almost gut-wrenching song. The future of some New Age music makers? (8.875/10)

7. "Comunque... (Todo Modo)" (5:27) bass and clavinet team up with Fender Rhodes and drums to debut a more rockin' funk piece--one that goes the way of quirk and pop-sentiments the further the song travels.  More impressive and whimsical keyboard play from the piano player while the other brother sticks to his Smooth Jazz Fender Rhodes. Bassist Tonio Napolitano gets some well-deserved time in the spotlight in the fourth and fifth minutes before settling into a heavy funk-disco pattern for the final motif. Interesting but a little too loose and uncentered to be believed. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 41:40

One of the Boccuzzi brothers (Francesco) is listed as the guitar player, but this album is really dominated by the two acting as keyboard players--something they do very well, very beautifully.

88.125 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a very nice addition of Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion to the prog lover's music collection. If you're not a fan of Smooth Jazz, you may not be inclined to like this one more than as elevator music. 

DAVID AXELROD Seriously Deep (1975)

Conductor/composer David Axelrod has been at this a long time, at first pioneering the possibilities of the newly-forming idiom that will become jazz-rock fusion and then perfecting the funk aspect of it. Here he might have settled into a little too much of the 1970s attitudes of laid-back ease and cocky-shlock.

Line-up / Musicians:
 - Jim Hughart / bass

 - Joe Sample / clavinet, synthesizer [Arp Odyssey], electric piano [Fender Rhodes]
 - David Axelrod / composer, conductor
 - Leon "Ndugu" Chancler / drums
 - Billy Fender / guitar 

 - John Morell / guitar

 - Mailto Correa / percussion
 - Jay Migliori / saxophone [baritone], flute
 - Jerome Richardson / saxophone [soprano & tenor]
 - Gene Cipriano / saxophone [tenor], flute
 - Ernie Watts / saxophone [tenor], flute, oboe
 - Dick Hyde / trombone 

 - Jimmy Cleveland / trombone

 - Allen De Rienzo / trumpet 

 - Eugene Young / trumpet

 - Gary Coleman / vibraphone
 - Jack Schulman / violin, concertmaster

 - Violas: Alexander Neiman, Gareth D. Nuttycombe, Rollice E. Dale
 - Violins: Albert Steinberg, Bobby Bruce, Charles Veal Jr., Henry Roth, William Hymanson

 - Cellos: Nathan Gershman and Nathaniel Rosen

1. "Miles Away" (8:22) nice orchestra-supported funk lite that presents a nice theme which ultimately looses its memorability. Not only the best song on the album, maybe the only one that stands up well to the test of time. (17.75/20)

2. "One" (5:35) a great 90-second start of roiling percussion and wah-ed bass from the rhythm section is totally spoiled once the keyboards and guitars enter the main chords and melodic lines. Too bad! Then add the lead guitar in the fourth minute and totally destroy anything that was good (though the bass does recover a bit after the rude interruption of raunchy guitar). Too shlocky--and not even up to Bob James's level. But the interactive play of Mailto Correa's percussion and Ndugu's is amazing! (8.6667/10)

3. "1000 Rads" (8:10) Mailto and Ndugu are re-set into harmonious motion before a new motif is established by the guitars, horns, and keyboards. The rhythmists aren't quite as loose and free on this one as they were on the previous song, and the motif isn't quite as painful as the previous one, but it's still a little too 1970s syrupy. (13.125/15)

4. "Ken Russell" (6:38) pulsing and a little more even keeled and melodic, this one has some very nice performances from the flutes, the Fender Rhodes, and both of the guitarists, rhythm and lead. The spacey-buzz-saw synth and orchestra strings play a big role in the final two minutes. (8.875/10)

5. "Go For It" (3:53) more pleasant funk lite rendered through a nice palette choice of instruments through some pleasant-if-slightly-shlocky (typical for the 1970s) melodies. (8.875/10)

6. "Reverie" (6:53) a bluesy-soulful affair with some lead performances given to the guitars and synths.(13.125/15)

Total time: 39:31

88.02 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a pleasant and interesting foray into pre-smooth jazz J-R Fusion that gets a little too dated in its mawkishness.

CASIOPEA Super Flight (1979)

The Japanese band's sophomore album--released in the same year as their debut but feeling quite different.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Issei Noro / electric guitar, fretless guitar, arrangements
- Minoru Mukaiya / keyboard, organ, pedal bass, synthesizers, vocoder (2, 5, 8), string arrangement (1)
- Tetsuo Sakurai / bass guitar, fretless bass
- Takashi Sasaki / drums
With:
- Kanya Kazama / backup drums
- Penny Itoh / percussion
- Debrah Correll / vocals (7)
- Jun Fukamachi / conducting, horn arrangement (9)
- Koji Hatori / trumpet (9)
- Toshio Araki / trumpet (9)
- Eiji Arai / trombone (9)
- Jake H. Concepcion / alto saxophone (9)
- Takeru Maruaoka / tenor saxophone (9)
- Shunzo Sunahara / baritone saxophone (9)
- Masatoshi Maeda / strings

1. "Take Me" (4:19) sounds like a song by JOE SAMPLE or TOTO's "Georgy Porgy." (8.75/10)

2. "Flying" (4:51) incredible bass play beneath syrupy Yacht Rock/Smooth Jazz. I'm not liking the new tone that the electric guitarist is using. (8.75/10)

3. "Dune" (4:51) a slowed down variation on/version of JOE SAMPLE's "Midnight and Mist" from his 1979 album, Carmel. (8.75/10)

4. "Asayake" (5:05) competent but does little to engage me. (8.75/10)

5. "I Love New York" (4:08) anthemic song with vocoder lyrics. Could've been a R&B radio hit. (8.875/10)

6. "Sailing Alone" (4:41) another melodic BOB JAMES-like Smooth Jazzer that feels a bit too familiar. (8.75/10) 

7. "Olion" (3:20) now here we have some high-powered Jazz-Rock Fusion in the RTF J-LP tradition! Great song with some astounding individual performances. (9.25/10)

8. "Magic Ray" (4:42) like a late 1970s cover of some syrupy/romantic radio hit. (8.5/10)

9. "Mighty Mouse" (3:09) disco funk jazz with some excellent structure, synchronization, and horn support but it's still sounding more and more like Florida lounge jazz. (8.75/10)

Total Time 39:06

The band's slide further into the realm of Smooth Jazz renders this album far inferior to their debut--this despite continued great compositional skill and virtuosic musicianship.

87.92 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a very nice exhibition of instrumental mastery given away to Smooth Jazz.

BOB JAMES One (1974)

After "apprentice" work under Quincy Jones and as an arranger for Creed Taylor and his record label's stable of studio musicians, Creed backed Bob to start up his solo career. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bob James / keyboards
- Gary King / bass
- Steve Gadd / drums
- Idris Muhammad / drums
- Richie Resnicoff / guitar
- Eric Weissberg / pedal steel guitar
- Ralph MacDonald / percussion
- Dave Friedman / vibes
- Grover Washington, Jr. / soprano saxophone
- Hugh McCracken / harmonica
- Jon Faddis / trumpet and flugelhorn
With: 

Thad Jones / trumpet and flugelhorn
Victor Paz / trumpet
Alan Rubin / trumpet
Lew Soloff / trumpet
Marvin Stamm / trumpet
Wayne Andre / trombone
Paul Faulise / bass trombone
Jack Gale / bass trombone
Alan Ralph / bass trombone
George Marge / alto flute and recorder
Romeo Penque / alto flute and recorder
Max Ellen / violin
Paul Gershman / violin
Emanuel Green / violin
Harold Kohon / violin
Charles Libove / violin
Harry Lookofsky / violin
Joe Malin / violin
David Nadien / violin
Gene Orloff / violin
Seymour Barab / cello
Jesse Levy / cello
Charles McCracken / cello
George Ricci / cello
Alan Shulman / cello
Anthony Sophos / cello

A1. "Valley Of The Shadows" (9:42) great sound, great musicians over a not-so great composition (where are the earworm melodies?) Trying too hard to sound like DEODATO's "Also Sprach Zarathustra: 2001" (17.5/20)

A2. "In The Garden" (3:06) again, like Deodato's prelude here is a smooth-jazzified version of Pachelbel's famous Canon (in D Maj, P 37). It's rather sad in this countrified form. (8.6667/10)

A3. "Soulero" (3:22) a song that is credited as composition by Bob and Richard Evans though it existed since 1965 when Eddie Higgins recorded it (with Richard) as the B-side of his single "Beautiful Dreamer" that sounds a lot like the Ravel "Bolero"-inspired Sketches in Spain. Nicely sophisticated. (8.75/10)

B1. "Night On Bald Mountain" (5:51) the music everyone knows from the Disney use in the uber-popular Fantasia animated film. At least Bob and his gents make it jazzy. (8.875/10)

B2. "Feel Like Making Love" (6:40) Bob & Company's smooth jazz rendition of the Roberta Flack hit. Definitely sounds like a song rendered--and destined--for the Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening/Elevator Music audiences. Pretty, but so was the original. (8.75/10)

B3. "Nautilus" (5:08) Bob's second and only other original composition--and the one that really launched his career as a solo artist. Spacious and slow paced in a way that predicts and feeds into all of the jazz-tinged music that would hit the radio waves in 1975 & 6. There is some great orchestration integrated into this one as well as some awesome bass play (courtesy of Gary King). (9/10)

Total Time: 34:02

87.92 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; a nice presentation of well-performed and -arranged Smooth Jazz--one that relies too heavily on known songs and too little on interesting and engaging melodies.

LEB I SOL Leb I Sol (1978)

I've been waiting a long time to write reviews of this Macedonian band's albums even though I felt an immediate attraction to and affinity for their music when I first discovered them sox months ago. The band's self-titled debut album was recorded in 1970 and then released by the Yugoslavian label RTB in January of 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Vlatko Stefanovski / guitar, vocals
- Nikola Dimusevski / keyboards
- Bodan Arsovski / bass
- Garabet Tavitijan / drums

1. "Devetka" (4:30) opening with guitarist Vlatko Stefanovski introducing the song's main melody a couple of times with minimal support from the rest of the band before he pauses a little to allow the rhythmatists to establish the main weave. When Vlatko starts back up he has the support of a funky weave from bassist Bodan Arsovski, drummer Garabet Tavitijan, and keyboardist Nikola Dimusevski who is multi-tasking with both clavinet and Fender Rhodes. Sadly, the song is faded out after only four minutes: it feels as if they're just getting started! Also, too bad the drums are mixed into the background. (9/10)

2. "Pod vodom" (4:58) a fast-movin' romp with some high speed Mahavishnu Orchestra/RTF-like soloing being traded between Vlatko and Nikola's MiniMoog. The funky bass is steady and in tandem with Nikola's supportive Fender Rhodes chords while the drums seem buried in the mix--given no electric boost. Still, very impressive musicianship. (9.25/10)

3. "Utrinska tema" (3:20) a gentler song that is set up to fully support Vlatko's plaintive Stevie Wonder-like vocal. At 2:15 a Carole King piano riff establishes the base for some fiery electric guitar soloing, which, again, sadly, is faded out rather than let play. (8.75/10)

4. "Kokoska" (5:00) opening with a show of drumming skill, Garabet gets much more notice when the other instruments are not present to drown him back into the background, but he's no Billy Cobham or Tony Williams. The rest of the band begins to make themselves known after about 90 seconds, establishing a poppy, almost-Disco jam before actually going Disco from the 2:30 mark on. The back-and-forth bounce between Garabet's two-step drum pattern and Nikola's clavinet support the fiery display of Vlatko's electric guitar, which leads the band through several sytlistic shifts before coming to a clean ending. Impressive play though not my favorite kind of song. (8.75/10)

5. "Nisam tvoj" (3:20) another watered down piece for the support of a pretty vocal performance (with some very nice harmony work from the background vocalists), there is a little keyboard soloing in the spaces between Vlatko's verses but otherwise this is not really a song meant to impress the jazz, rock, or jazz-rock fusion communities. (8.5/10)

6. "U senci" (3:44) an instrumental that plays out more like a hard-charging rock song despite its occasional Weather Report-like jazz sound palette. The drum and bass play here is two rudimentary though Garrabet's fills are impressive. (8.66667/10)

7. "Cudo za tri dana" (2:50) another simple song construct set up to support a vocal. I must admit that Vlatko's voice is very pleasant. He also has a gift for choosing melodies that are "Western" enough to easily pass through my nervous system, that is, to not sing in musical scales and melodies more typical to his native people's musical traditions. (8.75/10)

8. "Pesma o sonji H..." (5:09) a gentle Smooth Jazz instrumental that feels like something out of the Weather Report wheelhouse. Uncredited pan flute (or perhaps its just a keyboard), acoustic piano, and gentle jazz electric guitar lead the way in establishing the gentle melodies over the simple and spacious rhythm track. Nice but nothing to write home about. (8.666667/10)

9. "Damar" (3:28) Upbeat Smooth Jazz that sounds like The Allman Brothers joining forces with The Crusaders. Once again I hear impressive performances from the guitar and keyboards built over fairly rudimentary rhythm lines. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 36:16

After listening to this album a couple of times I remain unconvinced that Leb I Sol's drummer and bass player are in the same league as Nikola Dimusevski and Vlatko Stefanovski. What these two might be capable of with a rhythm section of true virtuosi.  

 87.87 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent display of Jazz-Rock Fusion's transition from its Third to Fourth Waves: the move from skillful fire and funky brimstone into the radio-friendly pop melody making of Smooth Jazz.

WEATHER REPORT Mr. Gone (1978)

The peak Weather Report lineup PLUS guest appearances from Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Maurice Williams, Deniece Williams, John Lucien, and Manolo Badrena. Needless to say: Expectations are high! The band's eighth studio album was recorded between February and June of 1978 and then released by Columbia/CBS Records in September.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joe Zawinul / piano, Rhodes 88, synths (ARP 2600, Oberheim polyphonic & Prophet 5), Mu-Tron Fx, kalimbas, Thumbeki drums, sleigh bells, melodica, hi-hat, voice (1), arrangements & co-producer
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxophones, voice (1)
- Jaco Pastorius / bass, drums (1, 2), voice (1, 2, 5), timpani (2), arrangements & co-producer
- Peter Erskine / drums (1, 3, 7), hi-hat (3), voice (1)
With:
- Jon Lucien / voice (1)
- Manolo Badrena / voice solo (1)
- Maurice White / vocals (8)
- Deniece Williams / voice (8)
- Steve Gadd / drums (3, 8)
- Tony Williams / drums (5, 6)
- Alan Howarth / synth programming

1. "The Pursuit of the Woman With the Feathered Hat" (5:00) the Zawinul sound parade begins. They could do so much better than this! (8.6667/10)

2. "River People" (4:49) live or not, this just sounds like another of the band's endlessly-protracted themes to allow Joe to show off his keyboards' sound possibilities. Throw in the handclaps and disco drums and you get one boring song. (Can't imagine why Jaco would put up with this!) (8.6667/10)

3. "Young and Fine" (6:54) very repetitive, melodic in the quirky, upbeat way that only Weather Report (and maybe Jay Beckenstein's SPYRO GYRA) can be. At least the musicianship of the instrumentalists keep it interesting--on multiple levels. (13.5/15)

4. "The Elders" (4:20) another surprisingly insipid and bare-bones song construct on which the band's parade of "fresh" sounds gets put on display. (This song would seem to support the theory that by now all of the band members have caught M. Zawinul's "look at me" bug.) (8.6667/10)

5. "Mr. Gone" (5:20) the opening minute of this song sounds like something from the soundtrack of a 1970s Italian horror film. Then it turns to "bizarre circus environment" for the second and third minutes, using lots of "old" sounds and 1960s "robotic" sounds and noises to make their music. Interesting, entertaining, and laughable. (8.6667/10)

6. "Punk Jazz" (5:07) Finally! Jaco breaks free of his master's chains, leading Tony Williams on a journey worthy of his talents. But that's only the first minute, after that they break into an odd organ-backed sax solo like the femme fatale's theme in an old Guy Noir 1960s "Whodunnit?" film. The circus plodding that follows in the third and fourth minutes is unfortunate despite some nice play from Wayne and Jaco, but they've only gone and wasted the talents of one of the most skilled and dynamic drummers of all-time. (Twice in a row: two consecutive songs!) Still, it's kind of likable. (8.875/10)

7. "Pinocchio" (2:25) fade in fade out = a scrap of music from an extended jam that was deemed "worthy" of being included (to fill space). Steve Gadd's performance is amazing! (4.5/5)

8. "And Then" (3:20) like a gentle "good-bye" song--or even a lullaby. The contributions of EW&F's Maurice White and newcomer Deniece ("I've Just Got to Be Free") Williams seems totally wasted. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 37:15

Yeah, the fade in, fade out tactic only shows me that the band was just jamming, most likely exploring without structure, goals, or end in sight. Also, I fin myself annoyed and saddened that band-leader Joe Zawinul is still stuck in his "see what I can do" mode of changing the sound programs on his synthesizer keyboard every 20 seconds, trying to cram as many "new" and "unusual" sounds that he can into each and every song (without ever repeating them!) This tactic often serves only to make each song--or each section of a song--ridiculously drawn out. Two good songs in a band's prime years does not make for a great album. Making it through this album is like 37 minutes of waiting for a plane that's only later found out to have been cancelled. Mr. Gone! Too bad! 

87.86 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; a disappointing collection of song offerings from a lineup of many Jazz-Rock Fusion all-stars--a lineup that seemed to promise something wonderful, could've been so much better. 

MARTIN KRATOCHVÍL AND JAZZ Q Zvesti (1978)

Martin Kratochvíl and company are experimenting with new sounds and simpler, more melody-oriented styles. The material for Zvesti was recorded at studio Dejvice, Prague, November 21 – December 4, 1977, and then released by Czechoslovakian label Supraphon sometime in 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Martin Kratochvíl / piano, Rhodes, Minimoog D, ARP Omni, ARP 2 600
- Lubos Andrst / acoustic & electric guitars
- Premysl Faukner / bass
- Jirí Helesic / drums
- Jan Martinec / soprano saxophone (1,8)

1. "Klekánice" (6:20) some interesting multi-scenic cinematic music opens this with guitarist Lubos Andrst getting some extended solo time in the second and third minutes on his acoustic guitar. At 2:40, then, the band suddenly bursts forward into fourth gear, racing smoothly down a country highway, occasionally slowing down with an oft-repeated bridge in order to negotiate turns on the road. Then, at 4:20, the band stops with a really weird change in motif which turns out only to be a different bridge (maybe a covered bridge), but then it launches right back into the fourth gear motif for some proficient electric guitar work. An okay and interesting start to the album. At least this one's true Jazz-Rock Fusion.(8.875/10)

2. "Vzkřísení" (5:15) opens with a little BOB JAMES-like feel and sound before Lubos' bluesy electric guitar steers us into an unexpected direction. But it's Martin Kratochvíl's synth (MiniMoog D) that takes the real first lead: eschewing melody for the selected sound's ghostly effect while the rest of the band maintains the rock-solid three-chord foundation. At 3:38 Lubos bursts in again, trying to re-assert the fact that this is really supposed to be a blues-rock song. But then Martin takes the next solo on his Fender Rhodes. Some very interesting elements to this song but, in the end, it's just not anything very memorable. (8.75/10)

3. "Slépěj" (5:30) guitar leading straightaway over Fender Rhodes and the rest of the band, here they are obviously trying to deliver a "pop" like melody--one with memorable hooks in it--and they are pretty successful. I love Premysl Faukner's free and undisciplined bass play throughout. And Martin gois into some of the most jazzy keyboard play he uses on the whole album. Lubos' electric guitar play is wonderfully nuanced: He even goes through some fiery John McLaughlin and melodic Santana imitations before he stops. Definitely a top three song for me. (9.125/10)

4. "Jinotaj" (4:30) Martin's piano (electric but on its most "acoustic" setting) is joined by his MiniMoog, setting forth a slow-paced motif with long, sustained note play from the synth lead. Synth strings join in the second minute as the MiniMoog continues its explorations. Jazzy chord progression from the piano in the third minute leads to a temporary key change, and then back down to something lower for the fourth minute. Interesting. Almost a lullaby. Almost a nocturne or ballad. (8.75/10)

5. "Třísť" (4:30) two melody lines coming from guitar and Fender Rhodes create a dreamy weave that is then joined by the rest of the band with Martin adding the MiniMoog to the slow-and-steady rock and roll palette. Lubos takes the first extended solo. (8.75/10)

6. "Korouhvička" (4:30) high registers of two synthesizers playing fast arpeggios give the opening the sound of a flock of birds chirpping around. Guitar, bass, cymbals begin to add their slow melodic notes to the mix, then one of Martin's keyboards peels off to try to lead, but the big reveal of structured music comes at 2:27 with a surprising blues-based motif--which lasts less than a minute before the musicians back off, returning to the roosting birds motif of the first two minutes. Weird. (8.666667/10)

7. "Krůpěj" (4:50) more shlock and surprisingly simplistic music and syrupy melodies. I do like the weird effect given the bass. (8.75/10)

8. "Větroplach" (7:25) bass and MiniMoog open this one, as in "Tríst", making a two-melody weave. ARP strings join in support of Premusl and then chorused Fender Rhodes before the drums and full keyboard complement join in during the second minute. Again Martin and the leads are trying to create melodies that are pretty and memorable, but they err a bit too much on the side of pretty, sounding often like Spyro Gyra smooth jazz. A Steely Dan-like tangent is taken in the third minute as Jan Martinec's soprano sax returns for the second appearance on the album. Still, the chord progressions and support melodies are just too melodic: they've sacrificed rhythmic creativity (even Jirí Helsic's nuanced drum play) for "prettiness." (13/15)

Total Time 42:50

The sound choices and musical style choices made by the band do not work for me: the former is too experimental and rushed into, the latter too simplistic and easy--and the melodies are just too simple. Plus, there's just something weird about the overall sound engineering. The band's exploration of the possibilities of Jazz-Rock Fusion has only resulted in some middle-of-the road Smooth Jazz. 

87.84 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; while exploring a lot of interesting ideas with a lot of interesting sounds, the songs on this album are very inconsistent in style, complexity, and sound quality. Not the best Jazz Q album to start with.