A Compendium of "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums: 1970

January

MILES DAVIS Bitches Brew (recorded August 19-21, 1969)

I've been listening to this album with great attention for the past couple years, trying to fully comprehend the accolades it has received over the years--especially from a prog perspective--as well as in the context of Miles' own personal evolution. What I've truly come to appreciate, more than anything else, is Miles' amazing, almost unique desire to grow, to absorb all that he hears, to gather, listen to, and integrate the leading innovators of the younger generations around him. His track record is truly astounding (and perhaps a bit of a psychological issue: feeding like a vampire off of fresh, young blood and then taking all the credit). For fifteen years Miles had been learning how to command and squeeze the best out of his studio musicians in as little time as possible, and Bitches Brew offers yet another example of this.

After a year of introduction to modern psych-pop culture via socialite wife Betty Mabry, the changes in Miles manifest in everything from clothes, food, and cars, to music, social circles, and concert attendance choices. Miles was now hep to Hendrix, Sly Stone, James Brown, The Byrds, Aretha Franklin, and Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach. Then came the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival in July. Witnesses say that after that--after seeing James Brown staged next to Frank Zappa and the Mothers and Dave Brubeck and Art Blakey, as well as a roster that included Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Roland Kirk, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans and Freddie Hubbard, B B King, Sly and the Family Stone, Led Zeppelin and Blood, Sweat and Tears--Miles was super stoked to get back into the studio. (His first funk-infused album, In a Silent Way was already in the can but would not be released for another three weeks!) He was itching to try out some of the musicians and styles and recording techniques that he'd been hearing, seeing, learning about. Over the course of three days in August, using a kind of revolving door of musicians and multiple instrumentalists at each main instrument (three keyboard players, two drummers, two bass players [one acoustic, one electric], four drummers [not all at once; two at a time], and three percussionists, three horn players and electric guitarist John McLaughlin, the expanded or "new style big band" ensemble rehearsed and laid down six long tracks, only one of which had been composed and performed before ("Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" was one of the songs he played in his 24-minute set with his quartet at Newport--which may be one reason that song occupied all of Saturday, August 20). Then it was Miles' permission given to producer Teo Macero that led to much of the magic that we hear in the final release as he used many editing techniques in the post production, including tape loops, tape delays, reverb chambers and echo effects as well as splicing and micro-edits. In effect, it is the production work of Teo Macero that really brought Miles' work and Bitches Brew into the realm of modern sound recording and, thus, the attention and adulation of experimental rock and jazz musicians. While not the start of the jazz-fusion movement (that honor would have to be wrestled for between Gary Burton, Herbie Mann, Don Ellis, Larry Coryell, and Jimi Hendrix [this latter due to his influence on The Soft Machine), Bitches Brew was certainly the album that blew open the floodgates for jazz musicians EVERYWHERE to experiment and dabble in the "dark arts." For me, the contribution of Bitches Brew is more in the story, the lineup, the production, the rather noticeable (some might say "drastic") shift in the direction of Miles' sound, not in the songs, per se. I find the songs interesting but none have ever found their way into my jazz-rock/jazz fusion playlists. Thus my four star rating: while the entire album is fascinating and essential for the observation of the evolution of Miles Davis, I would not recommend any of these songs as introductions to the world of jazz-rock fusion.

Line-up / Musicians:

– Miles Davis / trumpet

– Dave Holland / acoustic bass

– Harvey Brooks / electric bass [Fender]
– Bennie Maupin / bass clarinet
– Don Alias / drums (,)

-- Jack DeJohnette / drums ()

-- Lenny White / drums ()
– John McLaughlin / electric guitar
– Chick Corea / electric piano

-- Joe Zawinul / electric piano (tracks: A, B, C1, D2)

-- Larry Young / organ, electric piano (A, C1, C2, D1)

– Jim Riley / percussion
– Wayne Shorter / soprano saxophone

A. "Pharaoh's Dance" (19:25) the long, slowly developing opening is kind of unusual for its meandering, amorphous way, but eventually the band members seem to get into their own individual grooves. One can easily sense that the trumpet player is in command with each other soloist getting a nod of permission for their turns in the spotlight, no more. The song chugs along, moving but never really getting anywhere; it's like a 19-minute video clip of a train motoring through Wyoming. (35/40)

B. "Bitches Brew" (26:45) this one is quite a bit more diversified and dynamic than the opener: with enough twists and turns, stops and gos, to keep it interesting. (48.5/55)

C1. "Spanish Key" (17:30) definitely a more rock-oriented rhythm track, which is probably why the keys and guitar (and drums) are more aggressive and abrasive. (31/35)

C2. "John McLaughlin" (4:23) If this was Miles' nod to John, why didn't he let the guitar innovator use more of the distortion and other effects he was using on his other State-side shows and recording gigs? (8.75/10)

D1. "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down" (14:03) just a little too much on the bluesy side of R&B for my tastes, though I actually love the perfect recording and mix of all the instruments in the weave. My favorite part is the tenth and eleventh minutes when the Chick Corea's dirty Fender Rhodes and Larry Young's organ (as well as the bassists) go bat shit crazy--not a typical phenomenon in a Miles song. (26.5/30)

D2. "Sanctuary" (10:54) opens with rich Fender Rhodes support of Miles' plaintive, almost-tender trumpet play. I love it when Dave Holland and Bennie Maupin join during the second minute, Bennie trying to second Miles' melody line (but being a bit off). Until the song gels into its "solid form" at 3:!5 the drummers feel as if they're just warming up, each in their own universe. Joe Zawinul also has a rather unusual way of play off the beat (Teo Maceo's choice?) and yet, this is probably the album's most accessible song for me and, thus, my favorite. (18/20)

A little more exciting, diverse, and dynamic than its predecessor, In a Silent Way, I still have great difficulty understanding what people see in this album's music that elevates it to such high ratings. I understand the landmark it represents historically in the rise and development of that which will become the Jazz-Rock Fusion sub-genre, but there are very few moments on this album in which my blood gets pumpin' or my brain gets blown away by the solos, duels, or interface of these expanded lineups and their "new and exciting" electrified instruments. I mean, had I heard them in the day--in the context of what was going on sonically, evolutionarily, at that time, sure I would probably have been impressed. But, would it have made me inspired to become a musician? Would I have been blasting these songs across the Quad from my dormitory windows? Would I have been wearing out the grooves of my vinyl copy because I was playing it so much? I seriously think not!

Total Time: 93:00

88.29 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a ground-breaking album, as they say, but to me this is just a rather messy conglomeration of highly creative musicians who have been given a certain amount of instruction, a little more freedom, and a lot of time. I mean, let's give credit where credit is due: Teo Macero took the tapes from the recording sessions and made whatever he thought sounded good to him, right? I mean, how much say did Miles or any of the other musicians have in the finished product that was released seven months after the recording sessions? Probably very little, so, then, in reality, how much credit should Miles receive for this product? Did he ever perform these songs live, in concert, the way they appeared here on vinyl? I seriously doubt it. I think we've been giving too much credit to a bandleader who had very little to do with the product that the world and posterity can own when in fact it is, according to what I've read, Teo Macero who shaped the finished product.

HERBIE MANN Stone Flute

Recorded in 1969 in New York--on March 18 & 20 and August 8, 1969--Stone Flute was then released on January 15 of 1970 on Herbie's new label, Embryo. The album represents quite a departure from previous Herbie albums in that it contains five (out of six) original compositions. It also employs several fairly young, experimental instrumentalists in vibraphone player Roy Ayers, experimental guitarist Sonny Sharrock, and bass players Ron Carter and Miroslav Vitous.

Lineup / Musicians:
- Herbie Mann / flute
- Roy Ayers / vibraphone
- Sonny Sharrock / guitar
- Ron Carter / bass (1,2, 6)
- Miroslav Vitous / bass (3-5)
- Bruno Carter / drums (1, 2, 6)
- Mickey Roker / drums (3-5)
with Strings:
Violins: Peter Dimitriades, Emanuel Green (1,2, 6), Gene Orloff (1,2, 6)
Viola / Selwart Clarke, Al Brown (3-5)
Cello: Kermit Moore (3-5), George Ricci (1,2, 6)
Arranger: William Fischer

1. "In Tangier/Paradise Beach" (10:35) quite a long, atmospheric, and very cinematic (think Lawrence of Arabia) opening with mellifluous low flute notes played alongside Bruno Carter's twinkle-touch cymbal play. Guitar, bass, and other percussives begin to eek their way into the mix in the third minute. Then strings, At the five-minute mark the music shifts into its second theme, "Paradise Beach." Ron Carter double bass, uncredited piano (that I'll assume is Herbie but could be Roy Ayers), a little vibraphone, with simple time-keeping brushed drums and, later, orchestral strings establish the rich, almost lush soundscape; it's beautiful! Herbie Mann's approach to flute is so soothing and melodic. I love this! Now I know who might have inspired BOB JAMES to make the kind of music he did. A very enjoyable tune! (19/20)

2. "Flying" (5:21) from the Baptist church organ opening to the Southern fried blues meat of the soft center, I can appreciate the music and its performances but have to admit that I do not really enjoy this music. (8.75/10)

3. "Don't You Know the Way (How I Feel About You)" (5:17) a song mired in the blues. Slow and melodic but it just doesn't satisfy me. (8.5/10)

4. "Miss Free Spirit" (12:40) Very nice work (and interplay) between Miroslav Vitous, Herbie, and drummer Mickey Roker. The music is still very much jazz despite the enlistment of electronic elements (like Sonny Sharrock and the uncredited organ). The flute play is way more vivacious than anything before this, Herbie really showing his skills in the third and fourth minutes. Song swims along rather placidly until some weird descending strings chords are added near the end. (22.25/25)

5. "Waltz for My Song" (4:23) another slow, drawn out rather contemplative exploration of unusual chord progressions from bass, vibes, and organ over which Herbie's flute tries to find and create melody. Very interesting. (But what's the deal with all of the uncredited keyboard parts? That's four songs now!) I like it most for the fact that everyone on board feels equally invested and engaged. Great, fitting performances. And a beautiful closing with William Fischer's strings arrangement in support. (8.875/10)

6. "Pendulum" (2:35) a little bit of stage-friendly Burt Bacharach-like pop and circumstance. (5/5)

Total Time: 40:51

As other reviewers have noted, this is not the Sonny Sharrock that everyone will be expecting: here he's quite reserved and circumspect; the album offers more opioid effect than exciting experimentalism. Also, this not a very inspired or dynamic Ron Carter. Even the young and adventurous Miroslav Vitous has a little trouble unleashing his true self on the songs he performs on.

90.47 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; an excellent album of subtle performances from a great cast but not quite a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

MIROSLAV VITOUS Infinite Search (released January of 1970)

This childhood friend of Jan Hammer had made the move to the United States after winning a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in 1966. After a stint with flugelhorn pioneer Clark Terry in Chicago, he matriculated to New York at the invitation of Miles Davis in 1967 where he met Herbie Mann with whom he recorded two albums--one that was to come after this.

Infinite Search was recorded on October 8, 1969, with Herbie Mann producing, and then released in January of 1970. This publication was one of the first releases of Herbie Mann's new label, Embryo Records. The album is also remarkable for bringing on board four of jazz-rock fusion's hottest fairly-young phenoms in John McLaughlin, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Henderson.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Miroslav Vitous / double bass

- Jack DeJohnette / drums (A1 thru B2)

- Joe Chambers / drums (B3)

- Herbie Hancock / electric piano

- John McLaughlin / guitar

- Joe Henderson / saxophone

A1 "Freedom Jazz Dance" (10:54) a basic show of fiery bass and drum skills with a notable display of unhinged guitar pyrotechnics in the sixth and seventh minutes. Despite the electrified contributions of Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin, this music is still well inside the realms of what I'd call jazz. (17.5/20)

A2 "Mountain in the Clouds" (1:51) more display of Miroslav's youthful exuberance (he was only 22 when this album was recorded) with matching support from Jack DeJohnette. (4.375/5)

A3 "When Face Gets Pale" (7:38) a much more melodic and soothing dynamic from more processed (electric) sound palette, both Herbie and John softly and beautifully dance around on the wings while Miroslav sprints his seven and a half minute marathon. The drums remains more in the background while Joe Henderson doesn't even make an appearance. A much more pleasant listen than the previous two songs but I am still pretty surprised at the speed with which Miroslav thinks he needs to move in order to express himself. A top three song for me. (13.5/15)

B1 "Infinite Search" (6:49) slowing things down even further--even Miroslav himself!--Jack even relegating himself to brushes--it is Herbie's excellent, dreamy chord play that I most love about this song--though I do enjoy Miroslav's bass play when it's at this tempo: he's quite melodic in his play. Fascinating how John McLaughlin--the John McLaughlin--can discipline himself to sit in the background playing two notes over and over! But, I guess that's what the song calls for. Once again there is a notable absence of any saxophone. A top three song, for sure. (13.75/15)

B2 "I Will Tell Him on You" (11:00) sax and bass present the main melody near the start while everyone else tries to support, but then Miroslav takes off: racing toward some finish line that nobody else can see. Jack DeJohnette does the best at feeding off of the bassist's unbound energy but Herbie is also well-matched in his support. Joe Henderson and John McLaughlin don't get to spend enough time on the front lines, but are also up to the task when asked to join in--in that frenetic fifth minute, for example (Go! Jack!) And then, for John, the sixth and seventh (in which Miroslav is amazingly restrained despite still speeding along on autodrive). Herbie's solo in the eighth minute sounds so much like mice scurrying over the floor on their nighttime escapades, then being interrupted by the pouncing cat. Even Jack gets some spotlight in the ninth and tenth minutes. This song must have been the reward everyone received for showing up for these recording sessions. When everyone comes back together at the end of the tenth minute it is to recapitulate the melody themes of the opening minute. Good though still quite "traditional jazz" in both form and style. (17.5/20)

B3 "Epilogue" (6:57) a gentle, atmospheric closer. With jazz and jazz-rock fusion I am not always such a sucker for the slow and spacious songs or passages, but there is something quite arresting to Miroslav's melodies and the band harmonic constructs that I can really pick up on during these slower passages--something that penetrates deeper when there is space and time with which to process and let them reverberate and resonate. My other top three song. (14/15)

Total Time:

89.58 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of pre-adolescent Jazz-Rock Fusion.

Though undoubtedly influenced by the slow but noticeable pushing of the envelope of what was possible--what was permissable--within the world of jazz music, British trumpeter Ian Carr, recently of the Rendell-Carr Quintet, had formed the idea of a new kind of rock-infused jazz music. This was before any of Ian's British band mates had heard Miles Davis' mind-blowing Bitches Brew (which only saw release into the British market in the same January that Ian and his mates were gathering for rehearsals and recording sessions for this album). It is, however, highly likely that they would have heard Jimmy Hendrix, Cream, Brian Auger's Trinity, In a Silent Way, Tony Williams' Emergency! and even some of the work of Don Ellis, Larry Coryell, Herbie Mann, Donald Byrd, and Terje Rypdal. The result was the formation of Britain's first Jazz-Rock Fusion band, Nucleus, and their first album, Elastic Rock, which was recorded January 12-21, 1970, and then released in March.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chris Spedding / guitars
- Karl jenkins / piano, Hohner Electra-Piano, oboe, baritone saxophone
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxophones, flute
- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jeff Clyne / acoustic & electric bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

FREDDIE HUBBARD recorded, at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on January 27-29, 1970, the material that would then be released to the public by CTI in May as Red Clay.

This was Freddie's first album produced by Creed Taylor, thus announcing a new style and sound that would become Freddie's signature over the next decade (despite only working with Creed and Rudy for the next five years).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Freddie Hubbard / trumpet
- Joe Henderson / tenor saxophone, flute
- Herbie Hancock / electric piano, organ
- Ron Carter / bass, electric bass
- Lenny White / drums

February

In February of 1970, John McLaughlin gathered a quartet of adventurous and dynamic musicians together to record the material that would become his solo release, Devotion.

Devotion was John's second solo album but first to be recorded in and released from the United States (thanks to Douglas Records). It was recorded in New York City, at the Power Plant Studios, and then released in July. The recording sessions featured a lineup that included organist Larry Young (with whom John had been playing for six months in Tony Williams' Lifetime power trio), Billy Rich on bass, and former member of Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys drummer, Buddy Miles.

Upon release, John immediately distanced himself from the album due to his disappointment in the way producer Alan Douglas "destroyed" the music when mixing the songs down in the artist's absence.

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

Also in February, over the course of one day, in fact: February 11, 1970, a loosely-rehearsed group of musicians gathered behind dynamic flutist Jeremy Steig at the studios where they recorded enough material to produce not one, but two albums of highly-charged, innovative Jazz-Rock Fusion. These would become the albums, Legwork and Wayfaring Stranger, both released later in 1970, which represented the magical collaboration of Jeremy with drummer and Bitches Brew veteran, Don Alias, bass player and veteran of ten years with the one-and-only Bill Evans, Eddie ("Edgar") Gomez, and pedigree guitarist Sam Brown, who'd completed ten years as a journeyman session player, collaborating with the likes of Paul Winter, Gary MacFarland, Gabor Szabo, Hubert Laws, and Mike Mainieri (on Journey Thru an Electric Tube). Later, this same core of musicians, minus Brown, would be joined by Jan Hammer to produce another significant contribution to the evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion, an album that was recorded in New York but only achieved success when published in Italy as I Giganti del Jazz, Vol. 78 or Something Else.

March

NUCLEUS Elastic Rock (Recorded Jan. 12-21, 1970; released in March of 1970)

Though undoubtedly influenced by the slow but noticeable pushing of the envelope of what was possible--what was permissable--within the world of jazz music, British trumpeter Ian Carr had formed the idea of a new kind of rock-infused jazz music. This was before any of Ian's British band mates had heard Miles Davis' mind-blowing Bitches Brew (which only saw release into the British market in the same January that Ian and his mates were gathering for rehearsals and recording sessions for this album). It is highly likely that they'd heard Jimmy Hendrix, Cream, Brian Auger's Trinity, In a Silent Way, Tony Williams' Emergency! and even some of the work of Don Ellis, Larry Coryell, Herbie Mann, Donald Byrd, and Terje Rypdal.

The debut studio album release from Ian Carr's Jazz-Rock Fusion brainchild. Recorded in January of 1970--before Miles Davis' Bitches Brew had been released and before (Ian claims) he or his band members had even heard In a Silent Way, the spirit of fusion expressed on this album is very much ahead of its time. The album presents a style of interweaving dynamic instrumental play coming from multiple electrified or electrically-effected instruments that was totally new and, in my opinion, genre-defining. Much of the compositions on this album and the next are attributed to keyboardist Karl Jenkins, resulting in a consistency of sound and style that would pervade the band's first two albums (and which would arise in The Soft Machine when Karl moved to that band in 1972). There are some quite iconic riffs and grooves on this album that many Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, and even Prog lovers will, no doubt, recognize.

1. "1916 " (1:11) such an epic opening! Like a signature song for some radio or television show! Great display for John Marshall's talents. (5/5)

2. "Elastic Rock" (4:05) this laid back piece sounds and feels like something from Miles Davis' Kind of Blue 2.0--at least, it starts that way: it's the feel as, obviously, Miles' original had neither electric piano, electric bass, nor any type of guitars; it's all about the feel. But then as Chris Spedding takes on his solo the music plants itself firmly into the post-Post Bop world of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Great song with great use of accenting horn "section." (9.25/10)

3. "Striation" (2:15) a really enjoyable duet of fascinating interplay between Jeff Clyne and his bowed double bass and Chris Spedding's finger-picked electric guitar. (4.75/5)

4. "Taranaki" (1:39) upper-register electric bass, gentle electric guitar and electric piano chord interplay driven by hi-hat & rimshot rhythm over which Ian and Brian also dance a beautiful duet with flugelhorn and tenor sax. Amazing! (5/5)

5. "Twisted Track" (5:15) gentle electric guitar picking carrying over from the previous song is soon joined by bass, cymbals, and breathy horns usher this into Jimmy Webb territory: if Burt Bacharach arranged Miles Davis to play a Jimmy Webb song! Pretty cool! Ian & co. were definitely creating some very sophisticated and beautifully woven tapestries! Somehow even Chris' bent C&W guitar notes work in the intricate mix of this song. (9.333/10)

6. "Crude Blues, Pt. 1" (0:54) Karl Jenkins' oboe and Chris' gentle jazz electric guitar make for strange but beautiful bedfellows as they introduce this one.… (4.5/5)
7. "Crude Blues, Pt. 2" (2:36) … which turns into a "cool" 1960s Beatnick-turned-Hippie tune as the full band joins in. More solos from Karl as Ian, Chris, and Brian, populate the middle-ground above this groovy keyboard-less rhythm track. (4.5/5)

8. "1916 - The Battle of Boogaloo" (3:04) take the opener of Side One and then turn it into a multi-track three- and four-part rondo and you might get an idea of the feel of this one. (9.25/10)

9. "Torrid Zone" (8:40) built over a bass-and-guitar earworm riff that keeps the listener engaged (more like hypnotized!) John Marshall and Ian really get to shine on this one: Ian in a very FREDDIE HUBBARD-like sound and style, John recorded with one mic?! Karl and Chris get a little more animated (on the left and right, respectively) as Ian plays on (just as Freddie would). Great groove; great performances! (18.25/20)

10. "Stonescape" (2:39) muted trumpet opening feels like something straight off of Kind of Blue but then electric piano joins in. Double bass and brushed drums join in later. Cool little late night BILL EVANS-like song. (4.625/5)

11. "Earth Mother" (5:15) repeating some previously-explored riffs and themes that were used in the "Crude Blues" suite (including the presence of Karl Jenkins' oboe)--performing variations on them like the restatements, inversions, and modulations that occur in the recapitulations of classical music movements. Nice work from Karl. (8.875/10)

12. "Speaking for Myself, Personally, in My Own" (0:54) a skillful John Marshall drum solo that bridges "Earth Mother" and "Persephone's Jive." (4.375/5)

13. "Persephones Jive" (2:15) great little jazzy-gem to finish things off. I love this (still a continuation of Side Two's tape-jam). Ian, (distant) Brian, Chris, and the rhythm section are all firing on all cylinders on this one. (4.625/5)

Total Time 36:18

It had been a long time since I'd heard this album and I'd completely forgotten how amazing it is. Though I have not yet tried to substantiate this, I have a feeling that the music on Side One was all recorded in one straight session as was the same for Side Two--the separations and song "breaks" thereby being artificially created in the engineering room.

91.333 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion and a landmark album in the history and evolution of the burgeoning melieu.

April

May

JEAN-LUC PONTY King Kong - Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa (released in May of 1970)

The landmark collaboration between rock music's only successful jazz-rock fusionist and the ever-expanding, ever-adventurous, boundary-pushing virtuoso violinist was recorded in 1969 (on October 6 and 7) at Whitney Studios in Glendale, California, but not released to the public until the following May (1970). The Frank Zappa-penned (and produced) songs contain all of the jazz- and modern classical-underpinnings and eccentricities that Frank loved to put into all of his compositions--especially during this period of his career--and, of course, they all contained at least some presence of the humor that he was so famous for--in both the music as well as the song titles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 43:42

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

FREDDIE HUBBARD Red Clay (released in May of 1970)

Recorded at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on January 27-29, 1970, and then released to the public by CTI in May. This was Freddie's first album produced by Creed Taylor, thus announcing a new style and sound that would become Freddie's signature over the next decade (despite only working with Creed and Rudy for the next five years).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Freddie Hubbard / trumpet
- Joe Henderson / tenor saxophone, flute
- Herbie Hancock / electric piano, organ
- Ron Carter / bass, electric bass
- Lenny White / drums

A1. "Red Clay" (12:05) Lenny White's muscular, more-rock-inspired drums are noticeable from the get-go as are Herbie Hancock's electric piano and Ron Carter's hyper-active electric bass. I love how Freddie and Joe both seem to feed off of the energy coming from Lenny and Ron, while Herbie tempers everybody with his smoothed out electric piano sound and play. I can see why everybody loves this song: great enthusiasm captured here! High marks for Ron's play alone (though when given a solo he's rather subdued and toned down)! And then there is the wonderfully-synchronized whole band staccato play in the last 90 seconds to finish. I would definitely call this a Jazz-Rock Fusion song. (23/25)

A2. "Delphia" (7:25) opening with that long-held discordant chord on the organ is genius--especially in light of the gorgeous, gospel-bluesy song that comes out of it. Freddie's trumpet play is so smooth--this despite the raw and raunchy organ play from Herbie. The bass and drums seem much more aligned with Freddie's mood and melody, but it is Herbie's dirty organ play that takes the song's simple "purity" out of the realms of guileless innocence and makes it rather suggestive and risqué--even winning over the horn players to the side of sin and temptation over the course of the song's seven minutes. Wow! What an honest though disturbing scene to have to witness! Like watching an innocent, unassuming young girl be seduced into giving up her virginity! The suggestive storytelling power of music! (Despite the fusion of innocence with lechery, this is not very fusion music.) (13.5/15)

B1. "Suite Sioux" (8:40) more relaxed and upbeat than the previous song, the song opens with a light conversation between Herbie's organ and Fender Rhodes and the two horn players until 1:10 when Freddie takes off into the first of two alternating bop motifs, the rhythm section beneath him seeming to be alternating between two (or three) very different lanes on the free way (or air currents over the Badlands). Whatever their instructions or motivations, the seemingly-random switches between the three motifs are quite radical: requiring quite a little skill and focus from the bass and drummer (deftly manifested by both Ron and Lenny). The soloists flying on the air currents above seem hardly to take notice, even when Ron and Lenny fly into unexpected wind gusts. At the six-minute mark we get the launch into a drum solo that is rather unusual for its loud and pronounced bass drum and then oddly subtle dénouement. The horns and Herbie come back to the motif of the opening "conversation" while Ron and Lenny hit an even more strangely different pattern beneath. Wow! What did I just hear?! Some intrepid (and extended) étude? Some kind of alchemical magic? Listening to Lenny White alone makes for a fascinating and mind-boggling experience. (18.25/20)

B2. "The Intrepid Fox" (10:40) sounds like music rooted very firmly in the hard bop jazz of the 1960s despite the free reign given to Herbie Hancock and his electric piano. Even Lenny sounds quite disciplined to constrain himself within the rigors of standard jazz practices here. (17.375/20)

Total time 38:50

90.16 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of highly diversified music that spans a spectrum from be-bop, hard bop and the new Jazz-Rock Fusion. In terms of adding to the J-R F lexicon, the opening title song is definitely the most fitting, but even "Delphia" and "Suite Sioux" express experimental elements that will go far to influence other artists dabbling in the medium. Definitely a landmark album for both Freddie and the rapid maturation of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

The material that would become DONALD BYRD's album, Electric Byrd (released in November), was recorded on May 15, 1970, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. We see with this album Donald's deeper dive into a commitment to both electric instrumentation with the prominent featuring of electric bass (from experienced jazz bassist Ron Carter, a man that did not stick with it for very long despite his electric bass play being very highly in demand), heavily-effected electric guitar and new special effects used on several of the other instruments in order to add a new "psychedelic" pastiche to his music. Also, Donald is here effectively using melody lines that intentionally fall out of line with the foundational keys and scales they're generally used in, giving the music a strongly disorienting, even "drugged" feeling. The album was released by Blue Note in November.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Donald Byrd / trumpet
- Jerry Dodgion / alto sax, soprano sax, and flute
- Frank Foster / tenor saxophone and alto clarinet
- Lew Tabackin / tenor saxophone and flute
- Pepper Adams / baritone saxonphone and clarinet
- Bill Campbell / trombone
- Hermeto Pascoal / flute (on "Xibaba" only)
- Wally Richardson / guitar
- Duke Pearson / electric piano
- Ron Carter / bass
- Mickey Roker / drums

- Airto Moreira / percussion

June

MOGUL THRASH Mogul Thrash (released in 1971)

Recognize any of those band members' names? Right!?!? Was this an early "supergroup"? Not when several of the future superstars had not yet made names for themselves. Produced by Brian Auger, engineered by Eddie Offord, containing two future members of the Scottish jazz-rock sensation Average White Band as well the thus-far little-known John Wetton, the band's one and only album was released in early 1971 after having been recorded in London at Advision Studios in June of the previous year.

Line-up / Musicians:
- James Litherland / guitar, vocals
- Malcolm Duncan / tenor saxophone
- Michael Rosen / trumpet, Mellophone, guitar
- Roger Ball / alto, baritone & soprano saxes, brass arrangements
- John Wetton / bass, guitar, vocals
- Bill Harrisson / drums
With:
- Brian Auger / piano (5), producer

July

JOHN McLAUGHLIN Devotion

Devotion was John's second solo album but first to be recorded in and released from the United States (thanks to Douglas Records). It was recorded in New York City, at the Power Plant Studios, in February of 1970 and then released in July. The recording sessions featured a lineup that included organist Larry Young (with whom John had been playing for six months in Tony Williams' Lifetime power trio), Billy Rich on bass, and former member of Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys drummer, Buddy Miles. John immediately distanced himself from the album due to his disappointment in the way producer Alan Douglas "destroyed" the music when mixing the songs down in his absence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total time: 35:40

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

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

Burnin' Red Ivanhoe, the second album released by Denmark's first progressive rock band, BURNIN' RED IVANHOE, was recorded in Cøpenhagen in May of 1970 with the rest being recorded in London, England, in July and August of 1970. The result is a cornucopia of psychedelic rock with some infusion of jazz, though more blues, sounds and instruments.

Sonnet Records released the album in December of the same year.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ole Fick / electric & 12-string (2) guitars, vocals

- Kim Menzer / mouthharp, trombone, tenor saxophone, flute, percussion (2)

- Karsten Vogel / soprano & alto saxophones, organ, piano (3)

- Jess Stæhr / bass, acoustic guitar (2)

- Bo Thrige Andersen / drums, percussion (2)

DEMON FUZZ Afreaka! (released in November)

An odd cornucopia of blues-rock, brass-rock, jazz-rock, Afro-rock music from 1970 that gives the listener the feeling that this band was still forming, still trying to figure out the direction it was going to go with its music. The music was recorded during the summer of 1970 at Pye Studios and then released by the Dawn label in November. The band membership were all Caribbean expats who had experienced a consolidating musical awakening and vision during a trip to Morocco the year before.

Line-up / Musicians:

Sleepy Jack Joseph / Bass

Ayinde Folarin / Congas

Paddy Corea / Congas, Flute, Saxophone

Steven John / Drums

W. Raphael Joseph / Guitar

Ray Rhoden / Organ, Piano

Clarance Brooms Crosdale/ Trombone

Smokey Adams / Vocals

A1. "Past Present And Future" (9:50) heavily-distorted rock bass play with the accompaniment of cymbal play opens this one before sax, trombone, and electric guitar join in acting as a kind of horn section. W. Raphael Joseph's guitar takes the first solo, a brief one, before Ray Rhoden's organ takes over while the bass and percussionists below keep the momentum moving forward. Sleepy Jack Joseph's two note bass line gets rather annoying so I feel quite relieved when the music shifts at 4:20 to a more R&B-oriented parade plod. The horns feel as if they're supposed to be the featured sound in this section but they don't do anything exciting or adventurous. Then a little bridge at the six-minute mark signifies a shift into a keybaor-less section in which Raphael solos again (again briefly). Then the organ returns and another very monotonous four-note rhythm track is established to support a trombone solo. This music is so very simple! Even the drumming sounds so rudimentary (not to give the drummers rudiments a bad name). (16.5/20)

A2. "Disillusioned Man" (4:58) nice conga rhythm track opens this one before Keith Emerson-like organ joins in, leading the in-rushing of the rest of the bands, this time with sax acting more alone. Vocals start before the end of the first minute, a kind of Soulful variation of the BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS shtick. Smoky Adams has a nice voice: he pulls of some nice melody-making with some thoughtful lyrics over some very interesting music. The now-interesting near-minimalist weave then supports an extended soprano sax solo from Paddy Corea. (His instrument sounds much like an Irish Uilleann pipes.) A much more impressive song than that sad opener. (8.875/10)

A3. "Another Country" (8:28) after hearing the opening of this, the album's third song, I had to check back with the year of publication of this album: its rhythm tracks sound so 1969/70 Blood Sweat & Tears/Chicago Brass Rock! More singing on this one--a song that is more complicated musically, which makes Smokey Adam's job more difficult (finding a catchy, smooth-flowing melody to fit this herky-kerky music would be tough). A big shift into a different motif occurs in the third minute to what will become the firm but gentle support for an extended tenor sax solo. The new motif, while quite simple, is in actual fact quite hypnotic. Weird! (17.5/20)

B1. "Hymn To Mother Earth" (8:10) what begins as a kind of a turns into a rather plaintive ballad of hope Luckily, it turns back into a driving, though still simplistic, blues-rocker with some nice work from the rhythm section--especially drummer Steven John. At the halfway point another brass-led motif bridges us into a nice, hypnotic rhythm pattern for a sax solo. The music returns to the ecologically-motivated vocal motif around the six minute mark and thereafter continues flowing in and out of the dynamic and slow motifs--like a Jimi Hendrix Experience song style. Overall, this is a very interesting song--especially in its construction but also for the fact that Smokey Adams can manage a fairly successful, even-keeled vocal over the top. (13.25/15)

B2. "Mercy (Variation No. 1)" (9:20) Opening with an obnoxious riff of organ arpeggio played with a slightly more interesting rhythm track from the rest of the band which then gradually straightens out to provide support and guidance for trombone and saxophone solos over the next few minutes. The percussion play within this one makes it, in my opinion, the only song that treads across the ocean into some native African sounding musical territory. Nice work Aynde Folarin, Paddy Corea, Steven John, and Sleepy Jack! Organist Ray Rhoden tries to inject some Egypt into the mix with a stereotypic Black Land arpeggio in the final minute. An okay song that still could have been better--more dynamic and energetic as so many drum-and-percussion-oriented African traditional musics are. (17.5/20)

Total time: 39:46

I do not feel or hear any profound or obvious connection to African music other than the possibilitiy of the performers being likely African-American. I do, however, hear a very slight Jamaican/Reggae inflection in a lot of the songs. Overall, this is a very pleasant, almost innocuous album to listen to, but there is nothing here that I feel is very fresh or innovative.

86.62 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; a fair album from musicians that can obviously do better--especially compared to that lame opening song. Would that the Side One had been more like Side Two--and Side 2 been more adventurous.

August

ASSOCIATION (Pierre Courbois) Earwax (released in 1970)

Forming late in 1969, Pierre Courbois' Association did not start performing to audiences until June of 1970, but then they were quick to get into the studio. Their debut record, Earwax, was recorded in the Netherlands for Munich Records during the month of August at Middlehorst Studios in Wageningen and then released later in the year.

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

- Peter Krijnen / Bass (4-6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total time: 34:46

Having come across almost all of these musicians on other albums early into my "deep dive" into the world of Jazz-Rock Fusion, I was really looking to hear what this lineup had to say, and, I must say, this album does not disappoint in the least.

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

MIROSLAV VITOUS Purple (released in 1970)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time: 35:39

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

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

September

NUCLEUS We'll Talk About It Later (released in March of 1971)

Seasoned trumpeter Ian Carr had had his fill with co-leading a band and so branched out with his new band Nucleus. In 1970 the UK label Vertigo released the new band's debut album, Elastic Rock, to much acclaim and popular fervor. Next came an album from the same lineup, Songs Without Words, on which guitarist Chris Spedding received top billing. Recorded on the 21st and 22nd of September of 1970, We'll Talk About It Later was released in March of 1971.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time: 45:48

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

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

October

HANNIBAL Hannibal (released in October of 1970)

A jazz-rock one off from Birmingham, their one and only studio album was recorded at Island Studios in London on of 1970 and then released by B & C Records in October.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Alex Boyce / vocals

- Adrian Ingram / lead guitar, composer

- Bill Hunt / Hammond organ, French horn

- Cliff Williams / tenor saxophone, clarinet

- Jack Griffits / bass

- John Parkes / drums

1. "Look Upon Me" (6:13) Oh! The bluesy kind of jazz-rock, not really what I'd call fusion. The music shifts to BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS territory for the second motif and chorus (part of which sounds as if it is intentionally lifted from Andrew LLOYD WEBER's Jesus Christ Superstar: Jesus' emotional performance in the "Garden of Gethsemane" scene (and song). There's quite a little of The Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" in there, too. Nice musicianship and pretty good sound reproduction throughout. (8.75/10)

2. "Winds of Change" (7:26) more music that feels as if it's on the verge of going PROCOL HARUM or ANIMALS with some nice (and original) melodic singing over the top of interesting, subtly shifting and changing instrumental performances beneath. The slower middle section sounds a lot like The SPENCER DAVIS GROUP, even when it picks up. The sound of the Hammond organ is so domineering despite the wonderfully performed and mixed bass and drums. The guitar and horn accents are pretty cool, too. The final sections up the tempo while letting the instrumentalists go unrestricted for a bit. Great blues-feeling song. (13.5/15)

3. "Bend for a Friend" (10:27) opens with a guitar and bass riff that sounds like a Sergio Leone film score. The rest of the band joins in and proceed to set up a motif that is quite stereotypic for what we consider "Indian music"--that is, the music of Native Americans (as depicted, of course, in the soundtracks of film and the occasional Indian-themed hit song). At the three-minute mark the motif switches to a different, more strident and jazzy interpretation of yet another fairly familiar N.A. melodic theme. Guitarist Adrian Ingram goes a bit crazy on his electric guitar, again bridging the jazz and blues-rock worlds throughout his solo: part Hendrix, part Johnny Mac (or Randy California). At the 5:30 mark there is another, rather radical thematic change--this one feeling as if we've started a completely different song. It's cinematic like something befitting a B-movie horror flick. At 6:30 we again stop to listen to a solo saxophone solo: that's right: a solo with absolutely no accompaniment. Finally, 45-seconds in drummer John Parker joins saxophonist Cliff Williams' chorused woodwind. Then in the tenth minute the rest of the band throbs their way back in before lining up to finish the song with original pseudo-Native American motif. Interesting song. (17.5/20)

4. "1066" (6:28) (a reference, I take it, to either the Norman Invasion or the Battle of Hastings.) opens with a bluesy motif beneath Alex's recitation of words and terms tied into the year 1066. But then the music turns anachronistic--almost "mediæval"--with flutes, bass, organ, and harpsichord and a Michael Giles-like drumming touch. I find this anachronistic motif the most interesting and favorite of the album. Next is a rather spacious percussion-dominated passage that is quite reminiscent of King Crimson's quiet passage in The Court of the Crimson King's "Moonchild." Bass and drums get their time in the spotlight here. Hearing this makes me wonder if Carl Palmer and Greg Lake heard this song before (finally) rendering Greg's 10-year old song "Lucky Man" to tape. A very interesting song that never really seems to gel into something consistent or cohesive. (8.875/10)

5. "Wet Legs" (4:44) a kind of jazzy intro morphs into another Blues-Rock riff-based alternating four-chord progression. In the second minute of this completely-instrumental song there is a temporary detour down a jazzy sidestreet, but then we return fairly quickly to the original motif for some funky organ play and slow ROBIN TROWER-like guitar soloing (ending in "The Note": a single guitar note that is held for 45 seconds of slow decay while the organ continues to bounce around rather excitedly). The two motifs cycle around a couple more times before the song cashes out. (8.875/10)

6. "Winter" (8:06) a song that sits on the fence from its very opening notes as to whether it's prog or J-R Fusion, soon reveals its (surprise!) blues-rock nature. Syncopated drumming is the only truly jazzy element over the first few minutes as a descending four-chord motif beneath vocalist Alex Boyce's R&B voice drives the song until the instrumental vamp of the fourth and fifth minutes. Here a different rock rhythm motif is played beneath Alex Ingram's guitar soloing. The dude has obviously had some training in both blues and jazz guitar play (and may revere artists like Wes Montgomery and John Mayall) as he unleashes a truly nicely evolving solo over the course of its three minute length. Then the band suddenly stops and lays down a very spacious, mellow, and gorgeous gentle JIMMY WEBB-like motif to finish the song with. Great song though I wouldn't really call this Jazz-Rock Fusion--or even Jazz-Rock. (13.5/15)

Total Time 43:24

The musicians were obviously inspired by COLOSSEUM, CHICAGO, and BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS as well as PROCOL HARUM, The SPENCER DAVIS GROUP and even Andrew LLOYD-WEBER.

88.75 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent album of well-crafted, superlatively-performed, and nicely-recorded Blues-Rock-moving-into-Jazz-Rock songs. Highly recommended to all lovers of progressive rock--especially if you're into the origins and development of Progressive Rock Music.

November

DONALD BYRD Electric Byrd

Recorded on May 15, 1970, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, we see with this album Donald's deeper dive into a commitment to both electric instrumentation with the prominent featuring of electric bass (from experienced jazz bassist Ron Carter, a man that did not stick with it for very long despite his electric bass play being very highly in demand) heavily-effected electric guitar and new special effects used on several of the other instruments in order to add a new "psychedelic" pastiche to his music. Also, Donald is here effectively using melody lines that intentionally fall out of line with the foundational keys and scales they're generally used in, giving the music a strongly disorienting, even "drugged" feeling. The album was released by Blue Note in November.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Airto Moreira / percussion

A1. "Estavanico" (11:00) for this song's first seven minutes Rudy Van Gelder convinces Donald and his crew to pull out all the stops on reality-based music: bending, distorting, panning, pitch-shifting all kinds of tracks while Donald, for his part, convinces his musicians to slip in some "off" or "sour" notes from time to time as if to prove or at least amplify the "drugged out" state being expressed in the music. The musicians who seem to be having the most trouble "fitting in" to the new style are experienced bassist Ron Carter and saxophonist Frank Foster; the rest seem to fall easily into the act of being under hallucinagenic sedation--especially the awesome flutes and percussionists. A pretty cool, bold, and successful foray into the counter culture. (17.75/20)

A2. "Essence" (10:30) late night jazz with some electrified accoutrements: walking bass, electric piano, and electric guitar. The sound effects added to the recording of the flute and cool drumming style provide some of the more interesting elements to the song. As experienced as Ron Carter was at this time, you'd think he'd have done a better job of finding his place in the groove; as it is he just feels lost and out of his element. Jerry Dodgion's heavily-effected (echoed) sax is interesting as is the berimbau and echoed trumpet and other percussives. The muted electric guitar is totally weird and irritating--even when the echo effect is applied to it. Could this have been the one and only take of a poorly rehearsed composition? (17.25/20)

B1. "Xibaba" (13:35) to me this is the album's most interesting song because of the fact that there is so much space in it--space with which to take in every sound and echo, every jingle and jangle, every electric piano chord and At the same time there is this rather heroic presence of the self-proclaiming, screaming (and echoing) trumpet. It feels as if the conquering young Spanish-Roman hero has returned, alone, to his home town, with all the excitement of fresh victory bursting to be shared, but when he reaches the normally-peopled public places he finds them empty, the city desolate, his cries echoing off of the stone walls of the empty open places, hallways and streets and edifices. The structure formed at the end of the fifth minute merely suggests the hero's more resolute walk around the streets and alleys as he fixes to his determination to find people--find his family and friends--but all he finds are ghosts and reverberations of his own echoing voice. I find this song intriguing as it heartily feeds my own imagination's tendency to visualize and storyboard the music I hear. For me, this song is more about impressions than technical prowess or sophistication. (27/30)

B2. "The Dude" (8:00) a suped up song that sounds as if it came from the overdubbing of a Motown foundational track. The R&B is strong with this one, Obi-wan. Though the "Motown" rhythm section remains tight and the soloists dancing lightly over the top sensitive, respectful, and creative, the song really doesn't do enough over the long run to make it memorable. (13/15)

Total Time: 43:48

I have to say that I respect Donald Byrd, now almost age 40, for his adventurousness. I also love the fact that engineer and recording studio owner Rudy Van Gelder was able to remain so fascinated with and invested in the latest greatest technological advancements in sound recording and engineering. The two coupled with a cast and crew who were at least able to try--to go along with their leader and producer's weird and whimsical requests (orders)--despite their own training, predilections and reservations. Many people look back upon the experiments and fumbles into the world of "psychedelics" as a laughable mistake--many with regrets--but I like it: it is all so entertaining (and nostalgic).

88.235 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent second and further sortie into the world of electronic sound manipulation--one that definitely qualifies as a pulsating representative of the First Wave of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

THE SOFT MACHINE Fourth (released in February of 1971)

Recorded in October and November of 1970 at London's Olympic Studios, Fourth was released by Columbia (CBS) Records on February 28, 1971.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Mike Ratledge / Lowrey organ, Hohner pianet, piano
- Elton Dean / alto sax, saxello
- Hugh Hopper / bass guitar
- Robert Wyatt / drums
With:
- Roy Babbington / double bass (1,3,4,6)
- Mark Charig / cornet (2-4)
- Nick Evans / trombone (1,2,4)
- Jimmy Hastings / alto flute (6), bass clarinet (1,6)
- Alan Skidmore / tenor sax (1,6)

1. "Teeth" (9:15) Jazz! Free jazz! At least, from the saxophone. From the opening notes this song presents the band as a jazz band with little or no ties to its previous incarnations. It's too bad as this is not one of the album's better songs--even the recording mix is "off." (15/20)

2. "Kings and queens" (5:02) slow and melodic with the gentle waves of keys, toms, and cymbals to support. Ratledge is brilliant in his support and Wyatt and Hopper and Dean are impressive as well. (8.75/10)

3. "Fletcher's blemish" (4:35) pure free-form jazz in which the musicians exhibit some great control and, surprisingly, cohesiveness. (8.5/10)

4. "Virtually part 1" (5:16) jazz, pure and simple, with some nice structural experimentation. The barebones-ness of this piece gives each instrumentalists plenty of space in which to shine. (8.5/10)

5. "Virtually part 2" (7:09) enter the Lowrey organ--the last vestige of the Canterbury sound--and multiple tracks given to Elton Dean for his two instruments. Great instrumental performances--especially true of Robert Wyatt--but nothing very special melodically or emotionally. (12.5/15)

6. "Virtually part 3" (4:33) sees a step back from pacing and walls of sound as the drums check out and everybody else goes into "tuning mode." The electric bass of Hugh Hopper takes the lead while everybody else offers a kind of gentle support. It's actually kind of pretty music despite the fuzzed bass up front. (8.75/10)

7. "Virtually part 4" (3:23) smoother and more cohesive, even melodic. My favorite section of the album and the one that allows me to keep this album in the list of Canterbury favorites. (9.5/10)

Total Time: 39:13

If one had never heard the previous albums with their quirky beginnings in psychedelia one might enter into the world of Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt, and Elton Dean thinking that these guys are 1) serious jazz musicians and 2) great masters of their instruments. The only problem is: There is very, very little here that feels or sounds like Canterbury style music--a little in "Kings and Queens" and "Virtually part 3." That's it.

While Dean's saxes will become more refined and creative in his more free-form future, the playing here of Robert Wyatt is the first and only time that I found myself thinking that "this is a really impressive musician." Ratledge and Hopper are really good and the addition of double bass from NUCLEUS founder Mike Babbington is awesome. Also, I still think it rather unique and brave of the band to go without a guitar player.

84.12 on the Fishscales = B-/low four stars; a nice jazz album for its time but not a very glowing representative of the Canterbury Scene.

BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS Oblivion Express (released in March of 1971)

Recorded for RCA in November of 1970, the debut "Oblivion Express" album was then released in March of 1971. It is an album that puts on display how seriously the mercurial keyboard wiz had been affected by the music coming from Jimi Hendrix, Tony Williams, John McLaughlin, and even Jeff Beck. Gone are Julie Driscoll and Brian's Doors-style keyboard melody making; abandoned are The Trinity and the "Wassenaur Arrangement" Dutch musical commune experiment. Here are the heavy bass and drums, searing sound effects on guitars and keys.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Brian Auger / keyboards, vocals
- Jim Mullen (Average White Band) / guitar
- Barry Dean / bass
- Robbie McIntosh (Average White Band) / drums

1. "Dragon Song" (4:30) power Jazz-Rock with every bit as much heaviness as anything John McLaughlin or Tony Williams were doing at the same time. The bass, drums, organ, and searing electric guitar work scream "Hendrix Lifetime Devotion"! An incredible song! (9.75/10)

2. "Total Eclipse" (11:38) more heavy instrumental jazz-rock, though at least a little slower and steadier than the album's opener. Great guitar and experimental (for Brian) keyboard play. Engaging as Brian seemed to have a gift for making. (18/20)

3. "The Light" (4:24) the first song with any vocals here shows Brian trying to engage the hippy-trippin' culture but with a high-speed ride rather than some dreamy peacenik stuff. Despite great performances from Brian and bassist Barry Dean, the melodies and hooks just miss the mark. (8.75/10)

4. "On the Road" (5:28) a song whose music is stylistically more oriented toward American blues-rock or even Southern rock of the Band/Allman type. Multiple voices are used to choral sing the lyrics. Nice instrumental performances but just not my kind of music. (8.6667/10)

5. "The Sword" (6:36) more rock that has that Americana or American Rock base and feel--sounding a lot like early Grand Funk Railroad at its base though with much more impressive instrumental performances. (8.6667/10)

6. "Oblivion Express" (7:45) sounding more like Don Brewer-led GRAND FUNK Railroad and the heavier rock 'n' roll from EMERSON LAKE & PALMER. (13.25/15)

Total Time 40:21

A lot of male energy was expended in the creation of these songs! Those were the times!

89.43 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent foray into the heavier rock-oriented side of Jazz-Rock Fusion that was being pioneered at the time by Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Tony Williams, and John McLaughlin.

As an interesting epilogue, three of Oblivion Express' lineup members (two from this album plus Steve Ferrone on 1974's Straight Ahead release) would go on to help form the popular Scottish jazz-rock band, AVERAGE WHITE BAND, but more, Brian's participation on the recording of the band MOGUL THRASH's lone album (self-titled, released in 1971) would see him working with two other future AWB members in Roger Ball and Malcolm Duncan!

DREAMS Dreams (released in November of 1970)

Jazz-infused rock music in the CHICAGO/BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS vein from New York City. Recorded in 1970 at three CBS studios, two in New York City and one in Chicago, the band's first of only two albums was released in November by Columbia Records.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Michael Brecker / tenor sax & flute

- Randy Brecker / trumpet & flugelhorn

- Billy Cobham / Drums & percussion

- Jeff Kent / keyboards, guitar & vocals

- Doug Lubahn / bass & vocals

- Barry Rogers / trombone & Wagner tuba

- Edward Vernon / vocals

- John Abercrombie / lead guitar

1. "Devil Lady" (3:33) a very concise BS&T-modeled song. (I get the very distinct feeling that the iconic LaBelle song, "Lady Marmalade" pretty much lifted the music from this song,.) Solid song that might have deserved radio airplay. (8.75/10)

2. "15 Miles to Provo" (3:01) a more mainstream pop-oriented song of the CHICAGO, Jimmy Webb or Eric Burden orientation--except for the elaborate play of the horn section that joins in (and dominates) late in the first minute. Besides the dynamic (though oddly engineered) horn play, I like the organ play here from Jeff Kent. (8.75/10)

3. "The Maryanne" (2:25) a very pretty strummed-acoustic guitar-based love song, bass and horns join Doug Lubahn and Edward Vernon as the song progresses. Nice. (9.25/10)

4. "Holli Be Home" (5:42) delicate cymbal play with electric guitar harmonics makes for a very pretty opening. "Distant" horns join in before Ed Vernon takes the lead in vocals. He's mixed a little into the back of the mix--sounding like a song from Broadway's Godspell. The horns are so amazing in support--even getting lead time third minute's instrumental passage (with electric guitar and Tenor Sax). Such a well-constructed song; too bad the sound mix is a little off. Nice song! (9.25/10)

5. "Try Me" (5:10) hard driving jazz-infused rock music with Sly Stone-like vocals, very tight, dynamic, and essential horn play, solid bass play, and emphatic drum play. Watch out world: here is Billy Cobham! (9/10)

6. "Dream Suite: Asset Stop/Jane/Crunchy Granola" (15:21) the first movement is a totally-R&B groove with tenor sax to start it out before the band chimes in and supports vocalist Edward Vernon on a very David Clayton-Thomas-like bluesy-rock performance. The wild horn interplay in the brief instrumental passage in the fourth minute is quite remarkable--and it continues after Ed's next soulful passage. (A great vocal performance here, by the way.)

The transition into the second movement, "Jane" is quite murky--almost uneventful as the band members just seem to peter out. At the end of nearly a minute of this nebulous amorphous pool the band reemerges with a more blues-oriented song. One simply cannot help but notice the dextrous skill of these musicians in so many instances of this album, here Billy Cobham's lightning fast fills and the horn players' remarkably precise accents.

The third and final movement of this is hard-drivin' jazz-rock fusion, "Crunchy Granola," sounds like it could come from Side One of CHICAGO's 1969 debut album, Chicago Transit Authority--the most accomplished and jazz-rock side of that wonderful album. Billy really gets to shine here beneath all of the funky elements interplaying above. It presents as a long high speed jam until the final two minutes when the music again devolves into the kind of soup of malaise that occurred at the end of the first movement--but is now rescued by an impressive Billy Cobham drum solo. Cool! Wish it had all been as catchy and dynamic as that first movement. (26.5/30)

7. "New York" (5:43) announced by a repeated horn bank chord before dynamic bass, drums and keys jump in--with choral vocals singing a very engaging melody with anthemic lyrics. Great organ and tenor sax performances in the first instrumental passage, trumpet in the second, electric guitar in the third. Such a great, lively tune! The horns, bass, and group vocals are the definite winners here! (9.75/10)

These musicians are so well-adapted to one another --and the horns are incredibly tight when they need to be yet incredibly skilled when they contribute as individuals.

90.278 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of incredibly well-performed jazz-infused rock music from a veritable all-star lineup of future Hall of Fame artists.

ASSOCIATION (Pierre Courbois) Sun Rotation (released in 1971)

Another go round with Pierre, Toto, Jasper, and, this time, all Siggi Busch on the electric bass. Recorded in Hamburg, Germany, in 1970 at Windrose Studio, from November 24 through 27, the album was released in 1971 by MPS Records and distributed by BASF.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jasper van't Hof / E-Piano, Orgel (electric piano, organ)
- Toto Blanke / Gitarren (guitar)
- Sigi Busch Bass / Kontrabass (bass: both acoustic and electric)
- Pierre Courbois / Schlagzeug (drums)

1. "Idee A" (4:30) engineered far more toward the accentuation of the electrified elements of the music than anything on Earwax (8.75/10)

2. "Suite":
a) "Scorpion" (6:47) spacey experimental soundscapes of a 2001: A Space Odyssey-like cinematic disorder opens up this suite as everyone in the band busies themselves with some unrestricted free-form play--yet there is a flow and tempo and even the shadows of some structural elements including harmony and interplay. The second half goes (13.25/15)
b) "Neuteboom" (5:42) buoyed by a very repetitive bass and circus-organ arpeggio line, guitar and electric piano are sent soloing while drummer and bandleader Pierre Courbois messes around with perfect timing beneath. Interesting--and a little annoying after five minutes of the same bass line--though not quite so much when Toto and Jasper begin to try to weave their way into the bass and organ's line. (8.75/10)
c) "Scorcussion" (5:56) Pierre is left alone to express on his drum kit. At the end of the third minute of Pierre's soloing Toto starts to inject some noise burst from his fuzz guitar while Jasper adds a spray of chords, flourishes, and crazed hits from his electric piano. At the end of the fifth minute everybody backs off to zero before Toto is given space for some target practice for his alien space ray gun. Despite my understanding the band's effort to take Herbie Hancock's spacey experimentation further, this is just not my cup of tea. (8.5/10)

3. "Silence" (0:18)

4. "Don Paul" (3:09) more jagged, angular jazz musings and exercises in cohesion and cooperation, this one opens a little too aggressively and then just as suddenly and quickly moves into a solo of Siggi's double bass. Eventually, he's joined by brushed drums and dissonant chord play from Toto's un-effected guitar. These guys are obviously so comfortable and proficient at their instruments that they can easily and smoothly do just about anything, but this is not the type of musical listening that I choose to come back to: there's just too much of the crazy Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! avant garde experimentation going on here for my liking. (8.375/10)

5. "Totemism" (16:45) These guys are obviously so comfortable and proficient at their instruments that they can easily and smoothly do just about anything, but there's just a little too much of the crazy Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! avant garde experimentation going on here for my liking. (Didn't I already say that?) Luckily, about two minutes into it the quartet gels into a forward-moving, single-direction motif over-and within which all of the individual musicians still find the freedom to move about and pave their own way. Having heard enough of Toto Blanke's guitar playing now to appreciate his skills, I have to say that when he plays like this--like 1960s jazz guitar with an experimental edge-- I am not a fan: impressed, yes, but not a fan. Jasper van't Hof is experimenting with way too much distortion on his electric piano which gives it a very "dirty" sound than I also do not like. This would probably be a very fun song to experience in a live jazz club scene but it is really not my kind of jazz (or jazz-rock fusion)--and here they're forcing 17-minutes of it down my throat! (30.375/35)

6. "Frau Theunisse"n (1:10) a FOCUS-like jam that seems to be coming out of some other jam (it's faded in to get started) but then is over far too quickly. (4.5/5)

Total time 44:17

After the previous year's Earwax, I was very excited to hear this, their follow-up!

86.84 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; a very good display of experimental, loosely-performed avant garde electrified jazz that feels like a detour down the wrong (but, I get it: necessary) direction. Check it out for yourself but this is no album that I will return to soon--maybe ever.

OUT OF FOCUS Wake Up! (released in March of 1971)

The debut from this München-based band, Wake Up! is an album of psychedelic blues-rock music in the vein of The Rolling Stones, Cream, or even early Jethro Tull. It was recorded at Union Studios, in München, over two months in 1970 (27 October to 7 December) and then released in March of 1971.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Remigius Drechsler / guitar
- Hennes Hering / keyboards
- Moran Neumüller / vocals, saxes, flutes
- Klaus Spöri / drums
- Stefan Wisheu / bass

1. "See how a white negro flies" (5:48) a song that opens announcing clearly that the band is firmly entrenched in blues rock sound palettes of the previous two years. Flutes and organ add some spice over the top of the insistent motif. Vocalist Moran Neumüller sings in a haunting voice similar to other psychedelic blues rock icons of the late 1960s. Remigius Drechsler's distorted lead electric guitar solos in the fourth minute. Again, this could come straight out of anything that CREAM or BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD had been doing in the previous two years. Though derivative, it is a very solid example of late 1960s psychedelic blues-based rock 'n' roll. (8.875/10)

2. "God saved the queen, cried Jesus" (7:28) the Mick Jagger-like vocals and provocative lyrics give this early Jethro-Tull-like song some teeth. With the much softer, delicate instrumental passage in the fourth minute, with its Ian MacDonald-like extended flute solo, serves notice of the band's prog aspirations. This is then followed by a heavier section over which Moran's flute continues to be the main soloist. Singing and guitar soloing follows before the JTULL-like finish. Pretty remarkable song! (13.5/15)

3. "Hey John" (9:35) opens with a pensive bass, guitar, a cymbal note-by-note interplay overwhich Moran's flute sings mellifluously. When the full band kicks into full dynamics it is with a very familiar LED ZEPPELIN-like descending four-chord progression. Things spread out again for the entrance of Moran's Mick Jagger-like vocal, delivered in a kind of Robert Plant style. In fact, the whole song feels like a replication/variation of Zep's "Heartbreaker." Nicely done extended tribute (though Remigius is not Jimmy Page and drummer Klaus Spöri is no John Bonham). I really like Hennes Hering's unusual Hammond solo in the middle. Also, I'd like to commend the clean, clear sound gleaned from Stefan Wisheu's electric bass: it's very important to the overall "mature" and "professional" sound of the album. (17.75/20)

4. "No name" (3:06) opening with Moran's a cappella voice, almost whisper-sung, before the band bursts into a heavy blues rock motif with flute, theatric vocals, Hammond, and electric guitar each adding their distinctive flourishes. I love the cute little upper register guitar garnishes over the bass and Hammond in the instrumental mid-section. Kind of cool! (9/10)

5. "World's end" (9:55) a fairly simple chord structure presents this anthemic feeling--as if the band is truly expressing their thoughts, concern, and confusion over the state of the world's social-political scene (the Cold War tensions and the misguided expeditions of the American military [Vietnam]). There is quite a feeling of Krautrock solidarity in the hypnotic commitment to such strict rhythmic foundations in this one--at least up until the quite passage that serves as a reset and reconfirmation of the overall insistence to the song's and then ends up surprising us by starting a new motif for the 45 seconds of the song. Trippy! And powerful. Definitely a great representation of the angst of 1970. (18.5/20)

6. "Dark, darker" (11:37) Moran's vocal is mixed quite uniquely for this song: as if in an isolated, separated chamber. The music is remarkably simple and almost emotion-lessly mathematical in its rhythmic foundations, giving the musicians the feeling that they're "dialing it in" i.e. not fully invested. Even in the circular three-chord instrumental jam supporting the frantic flute solo in the song's middle third feels too rote (especially in the bass, guitar, and organ play). Then there is a pause that allows a reset, which sees the band filling the final three minutes of the song with some militaristic pulse-running before everything ends with some crashing instruments and musicians (whose fatigue is well-captured on tape during the final minute of recording: "Are we done?" and "Ughhh!" being expelled as the musicians shut down, unplug and put away their instruments. Weird and sadly anti-climactic song. (17.25/20)

Total Time: 47:29

With four unusually-long songs crammed into this 47 and a half minute long album, one can only guess at the band's full intentions. What I love most about the songs on this album is the clear "team" approach to song construction and performance on display with each: no one musician/artist is really trying to grab the spotlight; everybody seems fully supportive of the effort to present fully-developed and fully-integrated songs.

89.34 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of angst-filled compositions that feel so precisely representative of the zeitgeist of the times. If it weren't for the weakness of the final "song of exhaustion" this would probably qualify as a masterpiece.

December

CHASE Chase (released in April of 1971)

Released in April of 1971, Bill Chase was a Schillinger House of Music (later renamed the Berklee College of Music) trained jazz trumpeter with experience playing in the 1950s for Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman's Thundering Herd. Sadly, Bill died only three years after the recording of this album, in a plane crash, at the young age of 40. He is often seen on lists of the greatest trumpeters of all-time.

This band and album was Bill's attempt to give the "hot ticket" of jazz-rock a try. The album was recorded in Chicago by Bob Destocki and Frank Rand in November and December of 1970. The radio-friendly hit "Get It On" charted on the Billboard Top 100 for 13 weeks, even reaching as high as #23, helping the album to sell an unusually high number of 400,000 units while itself spending 26 weeks on the album chart.

Line-up / Musicians:

Bill Chase - trumpet

Ted Piercefield - trumpet, lead vocal on "Handbags and Gladrags" and "Boys and Girls Together"

Alan Ware - trumpet

Jerry Van Blair - trumpet, lead vocal on "Hello Groceries"

Phil Porter - keyboards

Dennis Johnson - bass guitar, vocals

Angel South - guitar, vocals

Jay Burrid - percussion

Terry Richards - lead vocals

1. "Open Up Wide" (3:48) amazing full-throttle brass rock. (8.875/10)

2. "Livin' In Heat" (2:54) a little Broadway musical feel to this one (as well as BS&T). I guess the lead vocals hear must be attributed to Dennis Johnson. (8.875/10)

3. "Hello Groceries" (2:56) R&B brass rock. Jerry Van Blair's lead vocal is pure R&B. (8.75/10)

4. "Handbags and Gladrags" (3:23) slowed down New Orleans funereal music start turns into New York City open air style jazz-rock. Love the wavy, layered horn arrangements in the back ground. Lead vocalist Ted Piercefield sure sounds like David Clayton Thomas. (9/10)

5. "Get It On" (2:59) (8.666667/10)

6. "Boys and Girls Together" (2:56) Ted Piercefield again in the lead vocals. (8.666667/10)

7. "Invitation to a River" (14:13) so much like the soundtrack and arias from a single act of a Broadway musical. Even so, it would be considered great, moving theater music. (27.75/30)

a) "Two Minds Meet" - Dennis Johnson again on lead vocals?

b) "Stay" - slow and atmospheric with choral background vocals supporting Dennis' plaintive lead.

c) "Paint It Sad" - there's that David Clayton Thomas sound and feel again.

d) "Reflections" (ad lib) - Astounding horn play--especially from lead trumpeter Bill Chase.

e) "River" - more akin to the slow and plaintive music and lyrics of the second movement.

Total time - 33:09

This is an album that sounds as if the Don Ellis Orchestra produced Blood Sweat and Tears and they composed for Broadway musicals. The horn play is amazing throughout this album--so crisp and clear, creative and powerful--but the songs aren't always as engaging and are rarely inventive or forward-thinking (except for the horn arrangements) as some of the other J-R Fusion artists of the day. I feel that Bill and company's compositional and stylistic orientations are quite similar to the music Stephen Schwartz was doing for musical theater.

91.02 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of theatric brass rock.

BURNIN' RED IVANHOE Burnin' Red Ivanhoe (released in December)

The second album released by Denmark's first progressive rock band results in a cornucopia of psychedelic rock with some infusion of jazz, though more blues, sounds and instruments. "Canaltrip" was recorded in Cøpenhagen in May of 1970 with the rest being recorded in London, England, in July and August of 1970. Sonnet Records released the album in December of the same year.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ole Fick / electric & 12-string (2) guitars, vocals

- Kim Menzer / mouthharp, trombone, tenor saxophone, flute, percussion (2)

- Karsten Vogel / soprano & alto saxophones, organ, piano (3)

- Jess Stæhr / bass, acoustic guitar (2)

- Bo Thrige Andersen / drums, percussion (2)

1. "Across The Windowsill (7:40) rooted in psychedelic pop music of the Argent/Animals ilk, this is a song that sounds like it could have come from the Sixties. Oh. Wait! It did! Four chord rock for the jam in the third through minutes over which Ole Fick solos on his electric guitar. Karsten Vogel's organ sound and riffs are straight out of the Animals' repertoire and Ole's voice is pure late Sixties Steve Winwood or Mark Farner. The most interesting thing in the song is the weird sounding saxophone soloing through the seventh and eighth minutes. All in all it's a very solid song for its time. (13.25/15)

2. "Canaltrip" (5:21) with their acoustic instruments only we get a conglomeration of Django-ed "Take Five" played in a relaxed Beatnick circle. Two acoustic guitarists, two percussionists, and Kim Menzer's tenor saxophone playing over five minutes of a two-chord cycle. Interesting--especially the purposely-raunchy sax play--but not sure it's worth five minutes of attention. Though Kim's sax play is awesome (as far as saxophone play goes), perhaps this one would have been better off left in the practice room. (8.75/10)

3. "Rotating Irons" (8:19) harmonica leads us into a very laid-back, San Francisco-sounding blues-rock tune. Nice, steady play from the Lou Reed bass and drums. Free floating bluesy electric guitar joins for a bit before Ole Fick enters with a raspy shout vocal. This is as good as anything coming out of the U.S.'s West Coast psychedelic scene of the late 1960s. A slight increase in both tempo and intensity occurs at the end of the fourth minute as the organ's two chords and Kim's mouthharp rejoins, but it's really Ole's show: guitar and vocal alternating in the spotlight like a true star of the blues (B.B. King comes to mind). Very solid and engaging for this kind of music. (18/20)

4. "Gong-Gong, The Elephant Song" (5:40) opens with one chord held long and hard while multiple horns spin around with the shaker percussion. Then the band jumps into gear with a near-surfer three-chord guitar riff repeated ad nauseum within a rhythm section that is moving along at a runner's pace. Kim's mouthharp takes the lead for a good long minute before any sign of the reeds returns, but then a motif switch allows the alto sax to grab the lead while the band returns to the pseudo-surfer motif.around the four minute mark the wind group comes together for a bit to announce room for the second saxophone, and then it just kind of ends, with each instrument sticking around a bit as if unsure if they're really supposed to stop. Nice solid jamming that yields nothing very memorable. (8.75/10)

5. "Near The Sea" (3:58) here Ole sings as if he's Electric Dylan while the band accompanies him with some gentle folk R&B. Electrified folk, if you ask me. (8.75/10)

6. "Secret Oyster Service" (9:48) five minutes of spacious, pensive, bare-minimum of instrumental support for an extended tenor saxophone solo before the band breaks into a "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock 'n' Roll Band"-like rock motif only to continue to support a now-more frenetic saxophonist. in the eighth minute a second saxophone starts his engine and gets into the act while the others continue their crazy pace down the mountainside. While Karsten Vogel's alto screeches and wails, the rest of the band coalesces into a harmonically-texturalized flow for the big finish. Okay; that was that! (17.25/20)

Total Time: 40:46

I'm not convinced this album should be anywhere near the Jazz-Rock Fusion classification; if it's due to their future production (and Kim Menzer's wind instrument acumen), I get it, but I'll not be including this album among the mainline J-R F albums.

87.94 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice display of burgeoning talent getting their chops in line. Not sure I'd recommend this album to anyone other than the die-hard fans of 1960s blues psych but it's not bad!

A Compendium of "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums

Thursday, September 4, 2025

1970

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1970

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