My Growing Distaste and Intolerance for Preachy, Bombastic NeoProg and its Homogeneity

As much as I admire the kind of music that artists like Peter Gabriel, Mark Trueack, Marco Bernard, Galahad, Big Big Train, Arjen Anthony Lucassen and many others seem compelled to make in this, the 21st Century, more and more I am finding it all quite homogenous and interchangeable, and, thus, rather boring. It has become virtually impossible for me to listen to an album of this type of music straight through because I get so antsy--I'm ready to move on to something different (something I like); the music just drives me away! Plus, these artists are the type that like to put out these monstrously long albums. I've found that I can get into a 40 to 45 minute long album much more easily than I can anything longer than that. (Is my nervous system conditioned from the thousands of vinyl albums I owned in the 1970s--albums whose hand-held liner notes were as valuable to the listening experience as the expensive needle and speakers I had to deliver it?) 

It seems that my recent years of deep dives into the musics of the 1960s and 1970s (Prog Folk, the Psychedelic Rock movement, Jazz and the birth of Jazz-Rock Fusion with its successive rapid evolution) has left me even more annoyed and unmoved by these bombastic, manifesto-delivering world NeoProg artists and their moralizing albums. I am VERY much of their globally-empathetic mindset and greatly admire their fortitude to carry on their personal crusades, but I just don't find the music enjoyable or the messages necessary for me. This makes me sad for I know that these artists are working very hard--that they are very serious in their compositional discipline and artful expression of the conscience-raising messages that compel them to create. I'm just not there anymore. (I see Collapse as inevitable: the consume-and-throw-away mentality is too inextricably ingrained within our species' deepest consciousnesses.) So I apologize. Perhaps these are the artists and albums that I should simply stay away from; I should just let others be, give them the freedom to travel their own path without having to face the negativity of a nay-sayer like me. Hmm. Something to seriously ponder. 

As U2's Paul Hewson ("Bono") was able to convince me back in the 1980s, music cannot, in fact, effect significant social-political change. No matter how much you think John Coltrane or Bob Dylan or The Who or Gil Scott-Heron and Marvin Gaye changed your life, their music did nothing to assuage or change the self-destructive trends in human behaviour. If the studies/findings of scientists like Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, Robert Monroe, Alfred Tomatis, Masaru Emoto, Don Campbell, Jonathon Goldman, Deepak Chopra, and a whole host of New Age musicians have any bearing on the discussion, it would be an incontrovertible conclusion that the vibrational patterns of music have very direct effects on health and well-being--for all species! However, the chaotic cacophony of sound constantly bombarding the first world human since the takeover of the Industrial and consumer-capitalist world has created such a barrage of dissonance that patterns of self-destruction fed by the individual's and collectives' reflective internal and mental/psychological chaos is the pervasive result. 

The dissonant sound of our 21st Century surroundings are, in fact, causing dis-ease. Human health--on all levels: physical, emotional, mental, psychological, social, and even spiritual--is being not only affected by the pervasive dissonant cacophony but it is being dictated by it. The Monroe Institute--one of America's longest-running human health research academies--has concluded many times over that the healthiest vibrational milieu for humans to exist within is one in which the natural sounds and rhythms of Nature predominate: anything else is disruptive, stressful, and probably deleterious. Many pre-Industrial cultures spent significant time and effort developing health-enhancing musical traditions--often within the Nature-immersed surroundings of monastic life circumstances. It seems that the musical traditions of the 20th Century exorcised some kind of a demonic Shadow, dumping this archetypical god of chaos and gluttony out into the visible world for every one to see, hypnotically seducing people to act according to its will: willing people to act from increasingly lower levels of vibrations--from increasingly haphazard and disorderly fields of chaos and mayhem. Where it may be healthy to recognize and discourse with one's Shadow, the dance did not really come with an instruction manual. Addiction and depravity have been loosed to run rampant, openly, throughout society, in the public eye and full media endorsement, with less and less restrictions (spiritual practices) and an alarmingly increased number of vehicles and tools for expression. (If I sound like a preacher-zealot it is because I feel it is a lack of spiritual focus in our lives that is the key and missing element to provide balance to our Shadow side--that the Shadow is running free and unrestricted because capitalist hedonism has distracted and disconnected us from any awareness of our spiritual core. A return to the personal search for a "spiritual path" is essential to a return to health of our selves, our communities, our species, our planet.)  

Art and music reflect our needs. (In fact, our entire field of conscious and unconscious perception is a reflection of the state of our Innermost Being.) We need Beauty, Truth, Harmony, and Love in our lives. Our more-pragmatic ancestors understood the human need for an understanding and acceptance of our species' place within the circle of life, within, not above or separate from, Nature and the natural order of things. The admirable trend in musical commodities to employ instrumentation and traditions of the world's myriad and diverse folk or traditional musical traditions is something I highly applaud. To then subjugate these "innocent" somewhat-natural sounds and forms to exist within, or coincide with, the structures and weaves of modern electrically-produced or -enhanced instruments is, by definition, a debasement, a dilution, of the "purity" of the Natural conditions from which the original instruments arose. This effort and instinct is arrogant in the typical human way of hubris; this "disturbance" of the natural order ("dissonance") only contributes to the entropic, chaotic effect trend toward disharmony and dis-ease (a term that is here intended to include the tendencies toward an accrual of and invitation to tension, struggle, conflict, and war). While the hidden implications of these artists' intentions are obvious to me, I still commend them despite their ignorance and naïveté.

I would like, therefore, to offer my sincerest apologies to all artists whose works have become boring or irksome to me. I had embarked upon this mission to hear and review musics of 21st Century artists with the pure intention of extolling and promoting the new (young) talent of this era. My allegiances and objectives have shifted. As I have reached the twilight years of my life, I feel that there has been some kind of subconscious alarm going off which is warning me against the wasting of my time; I am finding myself increasingly intolerant of that which I feel "wastes my time." You, my devoted reader, for whom I am very grateful, may be seeing/reading a far more selective list of albums and artists in my future pages. in fact, I can already see a wheedling down of the presence of many representatives of the subgenres of progressive rock music that ProgArchives and I have been espousing over the past 15 years. Sorry! That's just a reflection of my own evolution: my own return to a more spiritually-centered life. Praise be to Me!

A Compendium of My Favorite "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums, Part 3: The Jazz-Rock Fusion Explosion; The "Third Wave": 1974-6 and Beyond

This installment of my Compendium of Jazz-Rock Fusion is meant to incorporate all of the albums that I have had the chance to determine came from the Third Wave of the evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion--including the "masterpieces," the near-masterpieces, and the "other" albums that are, in my opinion, either errantly assigned to the Jazz-Rock Fusion sub-genre where they would probably be better served as examples of "fringe" or "related" outliers.  

1975. Once the original pioneers of Jazz-Rock Fusion had crested the developmental potential of their new art form, the music became polished, formulaic, and rather homogenized. In fact, the albums, artists, and music began to sound so similar that the sub-genre seemed to have become almost redundant.

     By 1976, electronic keyboard crusader HERBIE HANCOCK had long moved beyond the ground-breaking pioneering he had done with his Mwandishi-era collaborators and was even showing signs of phasing out of the Jazz-Rock Fusion fold as his funk-electronic explorations with his newer "Headhunters" gang brought him closer to genres of pop music. 

     With the astonishing undertaking of full integration with Michael Tilson Thomas' London Symphony Orchestra, John McLaughlin's second incarnation of THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA peaked with the release of Apocalypse in March of 1974 though 1975's Visions of the Emerald Beyond was also very good (it just faired worse in terms of sales and popularity). There followed a long tour with Jeff Beck using an expanded lineup on stage which somehow culminated in the release of Inner Worlds in January of 1976. A disappointing album, it had become obvious that the guitar pioneer was ready for a change in direction (the result being his East-West Fusion project with Indian tabla master, Zakir Hussain, calling themselves SHAKTI).

     Chick Corea's RETURN TO FOREVER project reached the pinnacle of their evolution with the release of Romantic Warrior in March/April of 1976. Meanwhile, Chick's side and solo projects had began to take on greater importance--and their sales reflected the artist's demand with the public. The same can also be said for the energy being put into critically-acclaimed side and solo projects of Chick's RTF bandmates, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, and Lenny White. RTF's final burst for Musicmagic in 1977 seemed a failure despite a well-received and well-attended tour (which resulted in the astonishingly good triple live album [Live The Complete Concert]). Unfortunately, the quartet had out-served the talents and ambitions of its individuals--or, rather, the fecund and highly-creative brains of the individuals had outgrown the confining ambitions of the collective.

     At the same time, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul kept morphing their WEATHER REPORT project, receiving a new breath of life from the arrival of young bass guitar phenom Jaco Pastorius--which resulted in the band's March 11, 1976 release of Black Market (their top-selling album of all-time) and a climb into new (and much deserved) fame.

     In Italy the entire RPI "fad" was already fizzling out, most of the early experimenters having moved well beyond their brief forays into fusion. In the Scandinavian countries and their neighbors to the south and east, however, there was a gathering of momentum. Despite repressive governments, Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and even Yugoslavia and the rest of the Balkan Peninsula seemed to be exploding with new jazz-rock fusion bands.

In review: That which I have chosen to call the "First Wave" of Jazz-Rock Fusion is intended to represent the true pioneers of jazz fusion experiments, like Miles Davis, Maynard Ferguson, Sun Ra, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Gary Burton, Larry Coryell, Don Ellis, Herbie Mann, John McLaughlin, Larry Young, Joe Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous, Paul Winter, Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Parliament, John Mayall, Alexis Korner, Graham Bond, Neil Ardley, Joe Hiseman with Colosseum, Brian Auger, Ian Carr with Nucleus, as well as the mercurial Frank Zappa and a young Allan Holdsworth.

The "Second Wave" saw the pioneers make the leap to create the power fusion super groups: Mahavishnu Orchestra (both incarnations), Return To Forever, Eleventh House, and the Canterbury Style artists as well as imitators and strong-willed leaders develop their own versions of jazz-rock and classical fusion, like Paul Winter and his Oregon collaborator/bandmates, Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band and its offshoots, Weather Report, Freddie Hubbard, Bob James, and Manfred Eicher's ever-expanding stable at his ECM label.

The "Third Wave" saw the aforementioned styles get codified and copied--with imitators multiplying geometrically across borders and oceans--while many of the early pioneers now moved into the exploration and incorporation of funk and R&B and World Music influences as well as some electronica. 

The "Fourth Wave" saw the smoothing and watering down of the jazz elements of their music into more radio- and sales-friendly musics. The power of the record companies (and the almighty Dollar) pressured and tempted artists into making more listener-friendly music in order to increase sales and, of course, profits. Thus we have the advent of Easy Listening, Adult Contemporary, Smooth Jazz, and even Disco and "Elevator Music"--often with their bands of seasoned jazz and classical musicians covering popular hit songs with short and/or extended jazzed-up instrumentals, remixes, or dance versions. Younger, up-and-coming artists thus had been given many jazz-, pop-, and rock-related musical avenues to choose from in order to express their visions, ideas, and skills.

The pressure from major record companies to produce albums that would sell (and thereby produce financial return and even profits) had mounted--even in the world of jazz music, a market that had traditionally had a history of generating only modest sales. Those artists who bought into this making-music-for-sales mentality became famous because of the PR money poured behind them and probably became financially solvent enough to take on and develop more artists and projects--projects of which were more on the fringes of popularity but which satisfied inner longings or curiosities within the more creative artists. Unfortunately, those artists who either stuck firmly to their principles or to older styles and standards (Larry Coryell) probably lost out in terms of both fame and financial reward; those who were willing to grow with the popular trends (like Disco/Dance, Funk R&B, Smooth Jazz, and Adult Contemporary or even New Age) were far more likely to be nurtured and promoted by their record companies. 

Masterpieces of the Third Wave:

1. CHICK COREA The Mad Hatter (1978)

I've never been certain why this album has always, since I acquired it in 1978, maintained a very high place on my all-time list of Favorite Albums, but now, after examining it from the critical perspective of a music reviewer I think I have a better grasp of it. 

Lienup / Musicians: 

- Chick Corea / Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Mini-moog, Poly-moog, Moog 15, Moog Sample & Hold, Arp Odyssey, Oberheim 8 Voice], Effects [Mxr Digital Delay, Eventide Harmonizer], Shaker [African Shaker], Marimba, Finger Cymbals, Cowbell

With: 

- Eddie Gomez / Double Bass (4, 6, 8,9)

- Steve Gadd / Drums (4, 6, 8, 9)

- Joe Farrell / Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute

- Gayle Moran / Vocals

- Herbie Hancock / Fender Rhodes (9)

- Harvey Mason / Drums (3, 5)

- Jamie Faunt / Double Bass (3, 5, 7)

Horn Section:

- Trombone: Ron Moss

- Trumpets: John Rosenberg, John Thomas, Stu Blumberg

Strings:

- Cello: Dennis Karmazyn 

- Violin: Charles Veal, Jr., Kenneth Yerke (9)

- Viola: Denyse Buffum, Mike Nowack (9)

1. "The Woods" (4:23) a wonderfully atmospheric, psychedelic, even appropriately-comedic collection of sounds and melodies to open Chick's 1977 rendering of Charles Dodgson's famous story. What a great, perfect opening (overture). Like a soundtrack to a book-on-tape. (10/10)

 

2. "Tweedle Dee" (1:10) piano and cello & strings; sounds very much like one of Yo-Yo- Ma and Edgar Meyer's "Goat Rodeo" pieces from the 21st Century. (5/5)

3. "The Trial" (1:43) Gayle Moran's singing of The Queen Hearts' famous line "Who stole the tarts was it the Kind of Hearts?" is fittingly quite annoying. Perfectly appropriate for this story! (5/5)

4. "Humpty Dumpty" (6:27) great jazz jam that sounds coming from Chick's piano, Eddie Gomez's double bass, Steve Gadd's drums, and Joe Farrell's tenor saxophone that feels more based in the realm of true jazz due to the double bass play but, it does cross over into the J-R Fusion style with Farrell's sax style and Gadd's nuanced drumming palette. The song also does kind of an "overture" job of presenting melody themes that will come up (repeatedly) in later songs. Awesome high-energy, melodic jazz piece! Man are these artists skilled and talented! One of the most tightly composed and performed (recorded) songs I've ever heard! (10/10)

5 "Prelude to Falling Alice" (1:19) Chick's piano, strings, metal percussives, and Gayle Moran (and, later, horns) present the ephemeral framework of the song that follows. (5/5)

6. "Falling Alice" (8:17) Horns are the opening mood and melody setter for this before Gayle brings us into the story. Chick's electronic keyboard play in the instrumental solo sections is at its absolute best but Gayle Moran, Joe Farrell (and the horn section), Eddie Gomez, and Steve Gadd's contributions make this one of my absolute favorite J-R Fuse songs of all-time. It's even better than any RTF song! (20/20)

7. "Tweedle Dum" (2:54) Chick's piano with the strings complement (with Jamie Faunt on double bass) and Gayle Moran's ghost-like vocalise make this an excellent buffer between the album's two highlights. (1010)

8. "Dear Alice" (13:06) Chick's piano arpeggio provides all the support necessary for both Eddie Gomez and Chick's right hand (not to mention Steve Gadd's amazing subtle support on the drum kit) to issue forth two minutes of some of the finest soloing you'll ever hear. At 2:45, Gayle returns to move forward the Alice story before stepping back to allow one awesome flute solo from Joe Farrell (while Chick, Eddie, and Steve continue to provide their amazingly nuanced support.) I LOVE Chick's rhythmic Latin melodies in the background! At 6:40 we bridge into Chick's turn at the lead. It takes a few cycles for him to warm up, but once he gets cooking in the (eighth minute) it's epic! And the support from and Joe, Eddie, and especially Steve is phenomenal. While not quite as mind-blowingly perfect as "Falling Alice" this is, for me, another highlight of the Jazz-Rock Fusion's "Classic Era." Steve's drum play over the final two minutes not only rivals, in my opinion, that of the famous "Aja" sequence but surpasses it! (24/25)

9. "The Mad Hatter Rhapsody" (10:50) Chick and Herbie going toe-to-toe using some of the album's previous themes and patterns. Chick is on piano and Herbie is playing a Fender Rhodes with Eddie, Steve Gadd, and the Joe Farrell-led horns (mixed masterfully with Chick's synth horns) bringing us a rollicking race-track tune with great solos from Chick's Minimoog, Herbie's Fender, The rhythm section is so tight--even when the dance rhythm turns slightly Disco! I'm not crazy about the little Latin motif in the eighth minute, but I LOVE the way they tie it up with Gayle taking us back to the "main melody" of the Alice songs. (19.25/20)

This is an album that I find so hard to find fault with. It may not be as free and unstructured as Bitches Brew or the Mwandishi albums but this musicianship of the very highest order as well as inspired compositional genius. It will be of no surprise to me if the metric ratings for this one come out extremely high.

98.41 on the Fishscales = A+/five stars; one of the finest jazz, jazz-rock fusion, or prog albums I've ever heard/known. In a rather unexpected twist of fate, The Mad Hatter is my highest rated and one of my Top 10 Favorite J-R Fuse albums of the "Classic Era"! 

2. U.K. UK (1978)

In the summer of 1976, after most recent stints with Uriah Heep and Genesis, respectively, former King Crimson mates John Wetton and Bill Bruford met and began exploring ideas/scenarios to work together again. After several failed attempts (a Wetton solo album, a trio with Rick Wakeman, a reformation of King Crimson) the duo decided to form a quartet with each person bringing in a respected "ringer." Sometime late 1977, Wetton brought in former Roxy Music bandmate Eddie Jobson and Bruford brought in guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth with whom he was working on the first Bruford album (which would be released in January of 1978 as Feels Good to Me). The quartet convened in London at Trident Studios for recording dates in December of 1977 and January 1978. The E.G. record label would release the eponymously-titled album in May. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- John Wetton / lead & backing vocals, bass

- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic & electric guitars

- Eddie Jobson / electric violin, keyboards, electronics (Yamaha CS-80)

- Bill Bruford / drums & percussion

- In the Dead of Night (Suite):

1. "In the Dead of Night" (5:35) such a memorable riff and melody. (9.75/10)

2. "By the Light of Day" (4:28) I am not, in general, a fan of the voice or singing style of John Wetton, but this is a great performance. Here we get to see, as well, how astute and talented the young pup, Eddie Jobson was--for the first two minutes with his keyboard work, then with some awesome electric violin soloing. The background vocals here are also notable for how well they work--and at such a subtle level. The final 90-seconds with its wonderful bridge from the vocal section into the multi-layered synth-dominated sections is astonishing. (10/10)

3. "Presto Vivace and Reprise" (3:06) full band returns with Bill and John holding down the fort while Eddie's keys go off--and then, of course, there is the return/reprise of the suite's original theme--with John's insistent voice and Allan's signatory guitar. Definitely an epic suite for the ages! (9.5/10)

-

4. "Thirty Years" (8:03) an opening of synth wash chords and Allan's acoustic guitar play prefaces John's tender, almost introspective vocal (which sounds so much like Greg Lake). At 3:22 Allan, Eddie, and Bill leap out from behind the curtain with power and confidence unparalleled in the world of instrumental music at the time. Eddie's imitation of Allan's phrasing style on the keyboard is simply amazing. Then the axe-master himself is given a turn--and he just kills it. The motif at the end of the sixth minute is interesting for how short it lasts before the band shifts into something entirely different for John's final vocal delivery. Allan takes us out over a slowed down but ever-so-powerful support theme from the rest of the crew--until Eddie is left to clean things up with his synth (or violin) for the last few bars. (14/15)

5. "Alaska" (4:48) another impressive atmospheric opening by Jobson with his amazingly creative an mature synth skills--2:42 of it before anyone else joins in! But then, join in they do! With force and abandon--especially Bruford--while Jobson continues to dominate with multiple keys going at once. Wetton is rudimentary support and Holdsworth making only one brief appearance until YES-Fragile-like  final 15 seconds (which is in reality only a bridge to the next song). (9.25/10)

6. "Time to Kill" (4:53) Bursting out of the primordial soup that was "Alaska" this song presents great force from all musicians, not the least of which is John Wetton's forceful voice, all the way to the 1:45 mark when everybody (except Bruford) drops back into a holding pattern for a JEAN-LUC PONTY-like electric violin solo from Jobson. I love Holdsworth's odd chord play and Bruford's autocratic time keeping beneath all of Jobson's pyrotechnics. The song's only weak spot is in its chorus--the choral background vocals. (9.75/10)

7. "Nevermore" (8:10) opening with some stellar acoustic guitar play from Holdsworth--both the support strums as well as the hyper-speed soloing, but then in the second minute we segue with Jobson's synths and violin into another power vocal section (with some pretty hokey lyrics). The song's best part are Holdsworth and Jobson's piano backing up Wetton's vocals with some pretty hot peppering in the third minute--though Jobson's synth play in the call-and-response instrumental section with Holdsworth in the fourth and fifth minutes is pretty iconic. Critically speaking, this is probably the best song--and perhaps my favorite--on the album. For years I had never been able to give Eddie Jobson his due, but now I am ready: he is the star (and Bruford the glue) of this landmark album! (15/15)

8. "Mental Medication" (7:25) Another solid song on all fronts, it seems to serve John Wetton's vocal prowess most, though everyone's contributions are stellar. The middle section of jazz-rock fusion sounds so much like so much of JEAN-LUC PONTY's during this period: Aurora through Individual Choice but especially Cosmic Messenger and beyond. (13.75/15)

Total Time 46:28

One of the high points of music in the second half of the 1970s. Jobson, Holdsworth, Bruford and Wetton gelled to create some incredibly haunting music--as well as some very fresh sounds. All of the soft parts are masterful and emotion-filled but are best because they forebode the imminent attack of BILL BRUFORD, Lord of the Drums. IMO, Holdsworth's best work. Ever. "Alaska," "Time to Kill," "Mental Medication," and the highlight of all, the "In the Dead of Night" Suite, are songs forever seared into my neural pathways. And another thing: How can young Eddie Jobson be so good! He was only 22 at the time of these recordings! 

Listening to this album again as I write its detailed review makes me better comprehend some listeners'/reveiewers' proclamation of it as prog's last homage to the decade of amazing innovation and creativity that was just coming to its final (if reluctant) close. 

95.79 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion expressive progressive rock music. An album of impressive music and unique, innovative sound. One of Top 10 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."

3. SHAKTI Natural Elements (1977)

This album was my introduction to 1) Indian music, 2) tabla/percussion master, Zakir Hussein, 3) the (then) young violin virtuoso who styled himself as simply "Shankar," and, believe it or not, 4) John McLaughlin. Just hearing the combination of all these amazing, exotic instruments (including/especially John's custom-made guitar) was (and still is) a mind-blowing experience, but hearing them play such complicated music with such tightness, and such melodic beauty has landed this album permanently in my all-time top 20. I still get goose bumps every time I hear "Mind Ecology," "Face to Face," or "Peace of Mind"--they are that good, that powerful.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / acoustic guitar, vocals, producer
- L. Shankar / violin, viola, vocals
- Vikku Vinayakram / ghatam, nal, kanjeera, morsing, vocals
- Zakir Hussain / tabla, timbales, bongos, dholak, nal, triangle, vocals

1. "Mind Ecology" (5:48) blasts you away with its amazing sonic onslaught--which seems to beckon one to take up Sufi trance dancing (the whirling dervish). (10/10) 

2. "Face to Face" (5:56) is without question one of the most beautiful and technically stunning songs I've ever heard. McLaughlin's strumming, alone, takes one to another dimension! Music in absolute perfection! (11/10)

3. "Come on Baby, Dance with Me" (1:57) is a lot like a brief jazz rondo piece where each of the instruments takes turns carrying the main melody line before gelling to repeat it as an ensemble. Amazing technical feat! (4.5/5)

4. "The Daffodil and the Eagle" (7:01) feels as if some Indian musicians are laying around in the shade on a scaldingly hot day playing some lazy blues, then getting revved up, they take each other to task, first picking up the pace, then really sitting up and trying to out do one another. That fourth minute is so exhilarating to hear! Very bluesy, very McLaughlin-like. Shankar really blazes on this one. Really fun! (13.33333/15)

5. "Happiness Is Being Together" (4:27) begins like something out of a Santana or South American song catalogue--a mariachi, perhaps? I get so mesmerized when John McLaughlin is strumming! Another Shankar showpiece. (Or is that Itzhak Pehrlman? Wow!) John, in turn, is so cool and at ease--and so Spanish! (8.875/10)

6. "Bridge of Sighs" (3:52) slows it down to a very emotional pace with a very JONI MITCHELL feel. The space in this song is its most beautiful part--where its emotion really presents itself. The musicians get to show off the subtle dynamics they are able to coax out of their instruments on this one. (9/10)

7. "Get Down and Sruti" (7:01) is the showpiece for Zakir Hussein--one of the preeminent percussionists of the past 50 years. John's obtuse and unpredictable chord choices in the second minute are as mesmerizing as ever. This is followed in the third minute by Shankar's turn to seduce some incredibly slippery notes and runs out of his violin. Next Zakir takes his turn, filling the fourth minute and more with what sounds like herds of scurrying marmots or mongooses. Even Vikku Vinayakram gets a turn on his ceramic and metallic hand percussives (the traditional Carnatic instrument called the ghatam) before the konnakol voice chatter begins. Konnakol is the Carnatic Indian traditional vocalese call-and-response and vocal rhythmic repetitions that are more prominent in future SHAKTI albums and concerts. After this album, John McLaughlin even began working konnakol chatter into his concerts even when it wasn't in a Shakti format! (I have had good fortune and privilege of seeing a few of John's concerts). A song of unearthly musicianship. (13.5/15)

8. "Peace of Mind" (3:21) is an absolutely gorgeous song which seems to truly capture the astounding Beauty of true Peace. (10/10)

Total Time: 39:39

Bravo, Mr. McLaughlin and company. Thank you for this album.

It is hard and beautiful to remember that this is an all-acoustic album and could, therefore, be repeated in concert without the aid of electricity. Something I can't help but think about in these dangerous times: What will my favorite musics sound like in a post-petroleum world? The musicians of India and artists like John McLaughlin, Mickey Hart, Ry Cooder have already provided us with some clues to what that might be like. But rarely with the combination of beauty, joy, and astounding virtuosity of SHAKTI.

94.36 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of both Jazz-Rock Fusion and East-Meets-West world music and one of my Top 20 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of All-Time.

4. Michał URBANIAK Atma (1974)

Michał's first album recorded and released for CBS Records in the USA (Fusion was a re-release of a previously released European-recorded album from 1973).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Urbaniak / electric violin, vi-tar violin and soprano sax
- Urszula Dudziak / voice, percussion
- Czesław Bartkowski / drums

- Pawel Jarzebski / electric bass
- Wojciech Karolak / keyboards, Fender piano, Moog, Farfisa, Clavinet
- Ray Mantilla / Congas, drums, percussion

1. "Mazurka" (5:08) opens with a little spirit of Stéphane Grappelli in Michał's violin, but then his ground-breaking MIT-designed vi-tar electric violin hybrid takes off in the fashion only heard by the future sound of L. Shankar--all played over a wonderfully-lo-funk rhythm track held tightly together by Wojciech Karolak's awesome keyboard play (mostly clavinet). Awesome futuristic sound. Definitely genre-bending. (9.5/10)

2. "Butterfly" (7:13) more prototypical Smooth Jazz with wordless vocalist Urszula Dudziak's Northettes-like performance in much of the song's lead position over the first three minutes. The Latin-infused smooth funk is like BOB JAMES music only several steps up in terms of both sophistication and production. Michał's loyal band is so locked in, so synchronized and attuned to one another's perfectly blended contributions to the music playing beneath the soloists. (Wojciech is astoundingly good.) And I can't let this go without mentioning the amazing STEELY DAN/DAVE STEWART-like shift in the rhythmic tone of the song around 5:43 that comes from Wojciech--switching in and out of a bassa nova lite. Genius! So beautiufl! Then why do I find myself craving some of that raw "dirty" play from Michal's earlier albums? (14.75/15)

3. "Largo" (4:30) another "Silence"-like (from Inactin) slow violin and other drone-like bowed and synthetic instruments. Ula is in the mix, helping with the presentation of the main melody, but then providing ghost-like GILLI SMYTH-like faeirie-waif vocals between and around the impressive electric violin play of her husband. The drums, bass, percussion, and keys beneath are solid, as always, in their shifting duties of support. (8.75/10)

4. "Ilex" (5:48) a fast-paced, uptempo mostly-race, sometimes cruising song of great complexity suddenly turns quite serious and heavy at 1:15, but then at the very end of the second minute it shifts back into an awesome J-L Ponty-like cruising speed with some interesting Latin-Caribb rhythm play beneath Michał's soaring Ponty-like electric violin play. The bridges between solo passages are lightning fast and complex whole-band affairs in the same way that Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever use. Urszula gets the next solo but she is rather reserved, holding surprisingly close to the main melodies--which is even more amplified in the next section in which she tandems with her husband's frantic violin lines. It's nothing short of amazing! Easily a top three song for me. (10/10)

5. "New York Batsa" (5:03) more clavinet-heavy highway cruising with Ula in the lead with her husband's vi-tar and some saxophone (?!) very cool composition that takes no little talent and skill to pull off for all the band members--especially the remarkable Urszula Dudziak. After the 2:25 restart, Michał takes a turn soloing all alone on his slow-flanged violin (not the vi-tar--that returns a little later). Columbia must be getting more comfortable (or impressed) with Ula's talents as they're really letting her have free reign as well more front and center positioning in the mixes--it's not all GONG-like faerie work or sexy/soothing Northettes fare. (Thank god! She's just too talented to try to hold back.) (9.5/10)

6. "Kama (part I)" (2:24) or "Kama Ula" on some albums; a solo a cappella performance from Ula that is very, very heavily treated with many effects that I cannot begin to guess at. (Todd Rundgren-like.) (4.375/5)

7. "Kama (part II)" (2:21) the Ula-fest continues but this one is more straigtforward (less prodcessed) and more Flora Purim-like (though she definitely goes far beyond the Santería chanting of Flora as the song goes on) with some great fast-paced, highly percussioned jazz-funk running beneath her. (4.667/5)

8. "Atma : yesterday" (3:17) a surprisingly gentle and spacious slow jazz-funk that provides the spacey foundation for Michał to boldly go on his delay-echo-infinite-sustained violin some amazing melody playing. (Had the band possibly heard KOOL & THE GANG's "Summer Madness" before they created this song?) The man knows how to use his effects! (and inspire Jean-Luc Ponty along the way). Do I hear a little saxophone doubling up the violin at the end? This little tune could very well have served as a back up theme for Alan Almond's Pillow Talk radio show. (9.5/10)

9. "Atma : today" (3:30) uptempo yet not as breakneck as some of the other songs on the album--more Brasilian bassa nova in its base, the bass, drums, congas, rich multiple keys,  and other Brazilian percussion are exquisite in their support of Michał's violin and background saxophone play. The fact that this man, a Pole, could find this kind of affinity for Brazilian bossa nova for his sensuous electric violin to play over but Jean-Luc Ponty never could exposes one of the flaws/biases in M. Ponty's music. (9.3333/10)     

10. "Atma : tomorrow" (3:16) a variation of the first Atma's theme and sound palette, slightly changed, engineered slightly differently. Might Ronnie Laws have heard this before he launched into the recording of his first solo album? Not as rich or powerful as the previous "version" but still quite good. (9/10)

Total time: 42:30

94.08 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion; one of the best shining examples of peak Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion that I've ever heard (and by now I've heard a few!) Absolutely an essential acquisition to any music lover who claims to know or love J-R Fusion.

5. FIRYUZA / Фирюза Firyuza / Фирюза (1979)

An incredibly skilled and seasoned band from the former Soviet Union--from Turkmenistan! 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Dmitry Sablin / keyboards. band leader
- Evgeny Nochevniy / guitar
- Michail Mamedov / guitar
- Sabir Ryazaev / sax, flute
- Alik Nifchenko / bass
- Igor Gordeev / drums
With:
- Gasan Mamedov / violin (not credited on the cover)

1. "Ашхабад / Ashgabat" (7:43) piano and electric instruments enter separately and eventually congeal in the second minute into a very familiar European-style folk jazz motif--but only for a half a minute, then things slow down and spread out so the electrified instruments can each display the subtleties of rich sounds they can create. At the end of the fourth minute, however, everyone steps back into the fast lane to cruise down the city street with another very-European sounding melody--but, again, only for a brief duration of time: at the end of the fifth minute the band shifts again, this time into a series of more jazz-rock motifs that carry Eastern European melody lines. The music is so clever, so intricate and well-timed (and conceived) that I feel as if I'm listening to a soundtrack intended to accompany a silent film from the 1920s. (13.75/15)

2. "Край Родной / Native Land" (9:46) everybody knows how much I love music that is inspired by the band members' own ethnic cultural traditions and this song jumps straight out of the blocks in this fashion. In fact, it's not until the third minute that I detect much influence of Western style as only the electric guitar seems to "feel" out of place. Saxophone, drum kit, electric bass, and electric piano join with the sax flute, traditional percussion instruments and colloquial melodies and eventually establish quite a lovely melody-centered piece in the fifth minute. The four-octave bass lines alone are just killing me, but all of the emotion being put into each instrumentalist's contribution to the weave and overall melody is just heart-wrenching. It's like a classic of Motown Soul! At 7:18, however, the band shifts gear, racing down the mountain side with some very impressive subtleties presenting in several of the instrumental performances (especially electric guitar and drums). But then in the middle of the ninth minute the band reverts back to the heart-wrenching Soul melodies for a beautifully conveyed finale. Wow! I was not expecting this--this beauty! This emotion! This skill! Superlatives abound! I would not change anything about this song: it is absolute perfection! (20/20)

 
3. "Чапыксуар / Chapyksuar" (8:33) opening with a collection of hand percussion instruments woven together with clapping until violin joins in at the end of the first minute expressing a Fiddler on the Roof-like melody. The joinder of the electric guitars in the third minute cause the band to change directions, shifting slowly to more funk and R&B sound palette--and they do it well--especially the guitars and bass but also the sax. At 3:40 there is another shift into a bit of a Caribbean/Latin with, oddly enough, organ leading the way. A minute later we are again changing direction with some "Shaft"-like cymbal play marking the shift into some different folk-R&B stuff. Then at the six-minute mark the fast-playing note play of an electric guitar, accented by a mirroring Igor Gordeev on drums, takes us into some more jazz-rock styles with piano, sax, and muted rhythm guitar strumming to follow, sounding very much as if we'd entered a Wild West salooon with a piano bar. My least favorite song on the album but still overwhelmingly impressive! (17.5/20)

4. "Диалог В Ауле / Dialogue in the Aul" (7:44) opens with solo electric guitar chord play that sounds so much like some of JIMI HENDRIX's playing around (without all of the volume and distortion, with wah and flange used instead). Drums, bass, and violin join in to create a slow, plaintive jam, with saxophone soon joining in to play off the heart-melting melodies being made by the violin. What a duel of gorgeous melodies! How can this kind of beauty even be possible! Then at 2:50 the band pauses to let a bagpipe-like instrument lead them into a new, more up-tempo motif, one that actually shifts a couple of times through several different styles including more jazzy, more serious rock-oriented, and more (I'm assuming) locally-folk-oriented styles before settling into a great folk jazz motif that sounds a bit like early JEAN-LUC PONTY stuff. While I absolutely adore the opening three minutes of drop-dead gorgeousness, I am blown away by the dextrous and seemingly-facile shifts through a series of very different motifs in that second half--and by the fact that each individual motif was so perfectly and richly conveyed: as if they could each one have been developed separately into their own individual song. Amazing! (14.5/15)

Total Time 33:46

While the band's choice to "show off" with its rapid shifting from style to style within the confines of eight and nine minute songs, the flow can get a bit taxing on the diminutive brain of the average 21st Century Homo sapiens sapiens. At the same time, the band's skill level and dexterity in stylistic adaptation is nothing short of breathtaking. 

93.93 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a full-blown masterpiece of impressive and eminently enjoyable Jazz-Rock Fusion. Though I understand that not every progster is a lover of jazz-rock fusion, I consider this an absolutely essential listen for anyone calling themselves a music lover.

6. HERBIE HANCOCK Thrust (1974)

After the final sessions with his Mwandishi collaborators, Herbie was all-in for the Funk and all-in for exploring the latest sounds that technology could provide. Thrust is the result of his deep dive--on of the first jazz artists and jazz albums to take music from the Second into the Third, more melodic and pop-oriented, Wave of Jazz-Rock Fusion.  

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 38:46

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

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

7. ÉDITION SPÉCIALE Horizon Digital (1978)

French Jazz-Rock Fusers' third and final album presents a slightly altered lineup despite the essential core of guitarist Marius Lorenzini, keyboard wizard Ann Ballester, and drummer Alain Gouillard. All of the new members enlisted by producer Laurent Thibault are of equally high caliber with pedigrees including memberships in such bands as Magma and Gong. I also love to see how the French let women get involved to such high degree: they deserve it! They earn it!   

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marius Lorenzini / guitar, synth, vocals
- Ann Ballester / keyboards, synth, vocals
- Alain Gouillard / drums (1-6)

- Francois Grillot (MAGMA) / bass (1-6)
- Mireille Bauer (GONG) / vibraphone, marimba, percussion

1. "Aurore" (5:42) cool two-part song with Mireille Bauer's vibraphone given one of the primary/prominent roles in the weave. I very much like the tone and style of play from guitarist Marius Larenzini and I find this weave with its multiple melodies competing and yet complementing with one another quite enjoyable. (9.125/10)

2. "Camara" (9:25) a similar style to the previous song despite the long intro and presence of French choral vocals. They create a great little weave here with very catchy melodies and swinging rhythm track. Do I hear a little similarity to Belgian band COS here? At the 3:20 mark the band shifts up a gear with a little Latin percussion added to the swing in order to guide and inspire the two synth soloists to strive upwards. At 4:28 we're back to the lighter, smoother COS-like vocal motif, perhaps slowed down a bit, now using some dramatic stop-and-start techniques to punctuate pauses and shifts. Very cool! And boy! can these musicians play! I am SO impressed! Though there is a definite Third Wave smoothness to the engineering and sound palette, the band is definitely carving out their path through the exciting funk of this still-fairly-new seb-genre of music (i.e. Jazz-Rock Fusion). Have I mentioned how impressive drummer Alain Gouillard and bassist François Grillot are on the bottom end? I love the harmonized duet between Mireille Bauer on the vibraphone and Ann Ballester on the electric piano during the closing minute. (19/20)

3. "Ma vie dégénère" (2:58) almost a standard rock song with more choral vocals in the fore. Not nearly as exciting as the previous songs (and not nearly as complex or jazzy). (8.4/10)

4. "Daisy" (7:04) again I'm hearing a much more modern kind of music--something more avant-garde than what the 1970s is usually like--though some of the jazzier Canterbury bands also come to mind during certain sections of this song. Opening with electric guitar and vibraphone arpeggiating a two chord sequence over and over, I am quite reminded of 2023's OIAPOK (almost exactly!) And this is 45 years before Pierre "Cheese" (Wawrzyniak) and company ever released an album! Lots of funky panning, both forward and back and then side to side, very quickly. I'm still quite blown away by the ballsy music and engineering. Could this have really been 1978? Also, the funk coming from both the bass play and the syncopation of the rhythm section as a whole in the middle section, is quite remarkable. Nice Steely Dan quality and familiarity to the keyboard and guitar parts. Wow! (14.25/15)

5. "Jungle's Jingle" (6:32) another odd, off-kilter song that has a very quirky Canterbury sound palette and a twist-and-turning bent to it not unlike Pierre Wawrzyniak's CAMEMBERT project of the 2010s. At 1:15 there is a little pause bridge for a reset before the band drops back into the hypnotically circular motif of the opening section. Odd synth and guitar sounds join the weave to present before 2:18 when a new motif is established, one that is still "circular" but now containing some MAGAM or SETNA-like menace in the feel of the weave. Again the lead instruments (guitar and synths) are put through some very strange futuristic sound-blender or something for several of the solos though vibraphone and piano or still within the realms of normalcy. I love the gutsy experimentalism these guys (and gals) are expressing! (9.25/10)

6. "Confluence" (4:46) a slow and very deliberate mathematical construction opens this one for the first 83 seconds before the band merges onto the autoroute while assuming a piano-led high cruising speed. The somewhat Latin-tinged weave is peppered with piano, synths, marimba and timbales performing the lead melody injections until a whole band chorus joins in spewing forth a wildly crazed African-sounding Babel-speak at 3:03--which starts out within the musical weave but gradually drives the instruments from the soundscape for a full 30 seconds of crazy a cappella time before everything comes to a full stop, leaving us with a sudden and surprising space with no sound! Crazy! Then, at 4:04, the hard-driving motif returns with a new Zeuhlish insistence (especially from the bass, drums, and guitar). This could quite easily have been something I might have heard on CAMEMEBERT's two albums from the 2010s, Schnorgl Attahk and Negative Toe. but nothing I would ever have expected to have heard in 1978! I am stunned! (9.75/10)

Total Time 36:27

I am still stunned--even now after my fifth or sixth listen to this astonishing album! How?! . . .  What?! . . . Where the heck did these cats come from? Where the heck did they get their ideas? I mean, there's only so much you can get from listening to Parliament, James Brown, Mandrill, Osibisa, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, and/or Frank Zappa! How much of this ingenuity can be attributed to producer Laurent Thibault's genius? 

93.03 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of refreshingly original Canterbury- and Zeuhl-infused Jazz-Rock Fusion. I definitely consider this an essential addition to any so-called prog lover's music collection.

8. MATRIX Wizard  (1978)

The Wisconsin-based band's sophomore release: John Harmon's ascendance into the leadership role has progressed though Fred Sturm is still present. Also, fretless bassist Randy Tico has joined the crew while two of the original horn players have left. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Harmon / piano, composition, electric piano, orchestrated by, soloist, other
- Larry Darling / flugelhorn, synthesizer, soloist
- Kurt Dietrich / trombone, soloist, other
- Andy Waterman / engineer
- Mike Murphy / soloist, drums
- John Kirchberger / tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, soloist, other
- Mike Hale / soloist, trumpet
- Jeff Pietrangelo / soloist, trumpet

- Fred Sturm / composition, orchestrated by
- Peter "Herb" Butler / technician
- Randy Tico / bass, soloist

- John Simon / producer
- Matrix / producer

1. "King Weasel Stomp" (6:22) a very funky fast-moving romp through some cinematic/game show theme music. Nice synth solo (from Larry Darling?) in the second minute as Randy Tico and the band support with changing thickness and tempos from behind. John Harmon gets the next solo on his electric piano with sparse accompaniment from Randy and drummer Mike Murphy until gentle horns join in from the background. Nicely done. Then Larry (or more likely, Jeff Peitrangelo) bursts into the fray with some boisterous trumpet play, upping the energy for all--a trend that carries forward to the song's finish. (9/10)

2. "Spring (Inspired By The Season For Ivan)" (8:25) pre-1980s Pat Metheny Group with some really strange dynamic arrangements! A very cool, mature composition of perfectly arranged group dynamics. A mighty nice representation of Spring--not unlike the music of Jay Beckenstein's SPYRO GYRA. (18/20)

3. "Mountolive (Inspired By The Literary Creation Of Lawrence Durell)" (5:14) opens like a dirge for a New Orleans funeral before turning cinematic and DON ELLIS ORCHESTRA fullness and light--and Randy Tico's funk. There's also some more je ne sais quoi-ness to this: like a BURT BACHARACH-itude or Brian ENOssification or BILL CONTI-ness. The massive drum solo paired with the New Orleans dirge doesn't really work for me but the rest is amazing (9.5/10)

4. "Come September (A Father's Farewell To His Five-year-old Son)" (2:54) lullaby electric piano is joined by solo bass trombone for this emotive, surprisingly dark opening. This one definitely develops cinematically though also very much like a collaboration between Weather Report and MAGMA, kind of like Blade Runner's "Blade Runner Blues" except done for trombone instead of flugelhorn. Weird to think this existed before and separate from Vangelis' composition of said soundtrack--which was composed with synthesizers but first published on vinyl by the New American Orchestra using Chuck Findlay's flugelhorn in the lead position. (9/10)

5. "Wizard (Musical Impressions Of J.R.R. Tolkein's Unforgettable Mage, Gandalf From "The Lord Of The Rings")" (10:55) moving straight from the intro of the previous song into this one with no delineation the music takes on many more standard jazz idiosyncracies--even Big Band era stuff--while also using the modern conventions championed by the likes of Chick Corea and Eumir Deodato. Lots of odd and unusual synth sounds--including on the percussion side of things--while the big band rhythm section and choral vocals join in. The drumming and interplay of the fretless bass and electric keyboards are, to my ear, essential anchors for the success of this piece. Everything is so well-conceived and precisely delivered! Plus, there is a "big cinema" classical music film score feel to many of the most dynamic parts--not unlike that which Chick Corea pulls off for his magnificent The Mad Hatter "opera." (19/20)

6. "Smile At The Foot Of The Ladder (A Musical Portrait Of Henry Miller's Clown/Saint August)" (5:02) gentle performed seamlessly over militaristic snare drumming  for the first couple minutes before every thing goes Paul Desmond melodic/smooth jazz with Fender Rhodes, flutes, and choir vocal "Oooo"'s. Again, nice bass and subtle drumming play. I love when the horn section joins in over the Take Five"-like rhythm pattern and electric piano soloing. Return to the military snare drumming with muted horns to close out this wonderful song. (9.25/10)

7. "Brown Boy (A Bermudian Street Scene)" (7:21) a nice piece of sophisticated smooth jazz that Bob James and Joe Zawinul (and even Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Benny Goodman) would have been quite impressed with. Great Jaco-like smooth fretless play in the seventh minute which is followed by quite a jovial, celebratory finish. (13.5/15)

Total Time 46:13

Newcomer Randy Tico's Jaco Pastorius-like fretless bass gives the band a further "in" with the trends int Jazz-Rock fusion as does some of the new synth sounds (like clavinet) and increase of Latin percussionism. Despite an overall movement toward funk and Jazz-Rock Fusion, there are still many signs that this is still an institutional "big band" orchestra. I love the citations of literary references and/or inspirations for each of the songs--and I LOVE the tight, professional sound of what sounds like a very disciplined, well-conditioned orchestra.

 91.84 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; an excellent addition of incredibly well-polished and sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion to any prog lover's J-R F collection. 

9. WEATHER REPORT Heavy Weather (1977) 

An album that brought world fame to an otherwise obscure and rather run-of-the-mill jazz-rock fusion band because of the radio-friendly mega hit, "Birdland." Though I never listened to this album as much as its companion, the previous year's, Black Market, I do like it.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Joe Zawinul / Synthesizer [Oberheim Polyphonic, Arp 2600], Piano [Acoustic], Vocals, Melodica, Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Guitar, Tabla 

- Wayne Shorter / Soprano and Tenor Saxophones, Composer (4, 6)

- Jaco Pastorius / Bass, Mandocello (1, 7), Drums (3), Steel Drums (6), Vocals (1), Composer (3, 8)

- Alejandro "Alex" Acuña / Drums, Congas and Tom Toms (5), Handclaps (7)

- Manolo Badrena / Tambourine (1), Congas (3 5, 6), Vocals (4, 5), Timbales (5), Percussion (6, 7)

1. "Birdland" (5:57) iconic (though never a favorite of mine). (8.875/10) 

2. "A Remark You Made" (6:51) beautiful melodies and performances but the song is so dang slow--and it just seems to drag more and more the longer it goes. Almost irritating! Still, that Zawinal synth solo toward the end is great. (13.33333/15) 

3. "Teen Town" (2:51) a Jaco Pastorius showpiece, otherwise it's not much musically. (8.6667/10) 

4. "Harlequin" (3:59) slow, melodic and memorable, this is one of my three favorite songs on the album and perhaps my favorite Weather Report song (that I've ever heard). (9/10) 

5. "Rumba Mama" (2:11) is this where Pat Metheny got the idea to do this expanded percussion section jam so often? Weird that this is a live recording (Why couldn't they have done it in the studio.) (4.25/5) 

6. "Palladium" (4:46) the second best song on the album with all band members in sync and hitting on all cylinders. I wish it were a little more melodic. (9.5/10) 

7. "The Juggler" (5:03) another decent song: it's fairly slow and spacious with lots of individual subtleties woven together but the song never seems to get into full gear. Another top three song. (8.875/10) 

8. "Havona" (6:01) another top three song: the most dynamic song on the album. Jaco and Alex's performances are sublime. This is jazz fusion! (9.5/10)

91.6667 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of full-blown Jazz-Rock Fusion--one my Top 20 Favorites from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era." 

10. FERMATA Huascaran (1977)

The Slovakian band's third album release--the universally acclaimed one. Could the difference maker be the dynamic bass play of Ladislav Lučenič? or the expanded keyboard array of Tomas Berka?

Line-up / Musicians:
- Frantisek Griglák / guitar, piano, synths (Roland, Arp, Elka Strings)

- Tomás Berka / piano, Fender Rhodes, Hohner, synths (Roland, Arp, Elka Strings)
- Ladislav Lučenič / bass
- Karol Oláh / drums, percussion
With:
- Peter Oláh / vocals
- Dezider Pito / cello

1. "Huascaran I" (13:41) beautiful four-part symphonic piece that at times has the feel of Todd Rundgren's Utopia, at times the beautiful melodic sensibilities of something by Return to Forever, THE ELOY, or some RPI band like PFM. (28.5/30)

2. "80 000" (7:30) opens with a 90-second keyboard chord play that is an obvious nod to the opening to RETURN TO FOREVER's song "The Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" from their 1976 release, Romantic Warrior. But then it moves into a motif that feels all Mahavishnu Orchestra before switching back to RtF at 2:40. Guitarist Frantisek Griglák has definitely expanded his guitar repertoire to include some pretty direct imitation of some well-studied Al DiMeola pyrotechnics. (13.5/15)

3. "Solidarity" (6:34) a song that shows how well the band, and especially keyboard speicalist Tomás Berka had studied and perfected the emulation of RtF leader Chick Corea's music and style. this one like "The Magician" or "Majestic Dance." (9/10)

4. "Huascaran II" (11:13) another Return to Forever imitation on which drummer Karol Oháh and bassist Ladislav Lučenič get to show quite prominently their own mastery of the styles and sounds of Lenny White and Stanley Clarke, respectively. On the front end, Frantisek and Tomás do their part in closing the amazing circle of imitation (of "The Medieval Overture"). The extended outro (1:50) of synth-generated birdsong and kick drum-generated heartbeat is a bit over the top. Great imitation. Wish it had more originality to it. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 38:58

Though too often a pretty obvious imitation of Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior, this is quite an exceptional album for its musicality and musicianship. Imitation is, after all, the highest form of praise, n'est-ce pas?

91.6667 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Return To Forever Romantic Warrior worship and another one of my Top 20 Favorites from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era." 

11. ICEBERG Sentiments  (1977)

The third studio album release from these maturing artists: all their hard work and previous experimentation have finally paid off with this Jazz-Rock Fusion album that shows the band finally committed to one style of music.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joaquín "Max" Sunyer / electric & acoustic guitars
- José "Kitflus" Mas / piano, electric piano, synthesizer, clavinet
- Primitivo Sancho / bass
- Jordi Colomer / drums

1. "Sentiments" (1:50) wonderfully potent atmosphere that begins to deliver big time with the MAHAVISHNU-like finish. Wow! Great start! (5/5)

2. "Andalusia, Andalusia" (5:37) such great sound coming from the drums, hefty electric bass, and joaguín "Max" Sunyer's Al Di Meola/Corrado Rustici-like electric guitar! It builds and forms, and fills the sonic landscape just like a RETURN TO FOREVER tune. Keyboard maestro José "Kitflus" Mas has a sound palette and style that is to my ears more similar to that of JAN HAMMER than Chick Corea--and there's nothing wrong with that--though his keys are often oddly mixed just behind the other band members. Still, Kitflus and Max keep us mighty entertained with their lightning-fast runs performed in perfect synchrony. Great first full song even if a bit overly RTF. (9.25/10)  

3. "A Sevilla" (5:13) another very powerful and dynamic rock-infused funky jazz song that owes much to RTF but also to Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report despite its roots in Spanish folk melodies. The "dirty" sounds of the bass and electric guitar are understandable for giving the song a little edginess but Much of drummer Jordi Colomer's play reminds me of Lenny White but there's also some flashes of Cobham and even Bruford in there as well. (9/10)

4. "Ball De Les Fulles" (5:30) a song whose sound palette for some reason reminds me more of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA or even GEORGE DUKE than the previous stuff. I'm not a real fan of Max's very "dirty" almost fuzzy guitar tone but I can find no fault with his play. Kiftlus' mastery of clavinet might just be more impressive than his Fender Rhodes play. Primitivo Sancho's bass playing is solid if mixed a little too open on the low end and Jordi Colomer's drumming is as masterful as ever. (8.875/10)

5. "Magic" (6:23) human-made dog barking and other sounds open this one up until a coaches whistle announces the real start to the song: a delightfully funky affair that presents some very engaging melodies amidst some quirky sounds and riffs. The funk bass seems quite reinforced and perhaps even enhanced by Kitflus' clavinet while Jordi's drums hold a pretty steady Billy Cobham-like beat but it's the keys that are definitely the star of this show! Nice, tight, easy-going. (9/10)

6. "Joguines" (3:00) a song to show off Max' prowess on steel-stringed acoustic guitar as well as Kitflus' on piano. There's still electric bass and Oberheim-like strings but it's a nice change up from the fire and smoke of the all-electric stuff. Plus, there are some very pretty lines and playing from both Max and Kitflus. (9/10)

7. "Alegries Del Mediterrani" (9:17) this one takes the listener on a musical journey that is surprisingly smooth and melodic--especially the first three minutes. The band tries to go full-speed RTF in the middle section but ends up crossing more into GEORGE DUKE or UTOPIA territory--except for that amazing drummer: Jordi Colomer is definitely on another plane of consciousness throughout this section! At the six-minute mark the music takes another detour, starting with a rather raw and raunchy bridge that opens up into another more smooth and melodic motif similar to the opening, only this time guitarist Joaquín Sunyer shows up with a laser sword to cut and slash his way through and over the rest of the band--at least until the final minute when everybody returns to the second full-speed motif. Nice finish! (18.5/20)

Total Time: 35:50

Though nothing on this album quite lived up to that pretentious proggy opening title song, the rest is definitely of incredibly high caliber and worthy, as a whole, of mention along side some of the greatest J-R Fuse albums of the mid-1970s. The instrumental virtuosity is all there, now the only step left for these guys is the full integration or "fusion" of the band's four members into one, fully synchronized and entrained unit making music that is holistic. That is what the next album (and, sadly , their last) will put on display. An amazing "arc" of growth to behold: self-awareness and enthusiasm turns into self-discovery and, then, finally, self-realization. 

91.50 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of dynamic and hard-drivin' Jazz-Rock Fusion of the early Third Wave, taking its inspiration from the likes of Return To Forever, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and other masters of the domain.

12. ÉDITION SPÉCIALE Aliquante (1977)

A French Jazz-Rock Fusion band whose collective sound is very close to that of BRUFORD--and not just due to the stylistic and sonic similarities to the drummer who happens to lead that band. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marius Lorenzini / electric & acoustic guitars, vocals
- Ann Ballester / acoustic & electric pianos, synthesizers (ARP Odyssey & Omni, Oberheim polyphonic), vocals
- Josquin Turenne des Prés / bass, guitar, vocals
- Alain Gouillard / drums

1. "Vedra" (6:35) very impressive musicianship over creatively fresh multi-tempo music. Everybody raves about this drummer's talent but is anybody listening to the bass player? Who does he think he is? Percy Jones? Nice bluesy motif in the third minute that sounds quite Canterburian despite its more-skilled guitar player. I also love the switch in guitar sounds that Marius Lorenzini uses for his next solo: very cool! Overall, the song is somewhat melodic despite its choppy, staccato structure and frequent and quickly-shifting motifs but so full of life and wonder! (9/10)

2. "À la source du rêve" (7:45) opening with a sound palette that is more befitting the Second Wave of (with the use of electronic percussives and "pretty" chord choices). I very much like the different, slower pace to this one: it allows for more space between the instrumentalists. The real song starts at the 1:35 mark when a BRUFORD-like near-disco-funk weave leads the way for keyboard master Ann Ballester to lay down a pretty cool synth solo. Acoustic guitar is next--here sounding a lot like Jean-Luc Ponty's recent guitarist, Daryl Stuermer. Drummer Alain Gouillard's drums sound like Bill Bruford's--not just his style but everything about those toms! A good song with a very impressive sound palette and mighty impressive individual performances from each one of the quartet. (13.75/15)

3. "So Deep Inside" (5:45) bass and guitar interplay in the instrumental passage after the vocals is incredible how similar they are to Holdsworth-era BRUFORD's Canterbury-tinged sound--a feeling that is only reinforced with the unexpected appearance of Ann Ballester's singing voice. The rhythmatists playing beneath Ann's voice and, later, her piano solos, are tight but perhaps a bit too stiff, but the instrumental passages that follow are incredible! And the bridges are so RTF-like (even YES-like)! I love the ARP solo in the fifth minute with the flattened out rhythm support. Cool finish to a rather mind-boggling song. (9/10)

4. "Le temps d'un solo" (5:43) piano and acoustic guitar fly through some very complex lightning fast arpeggio runs like some famous Belgian duo to open this before everyone clicks into their electric selves, carrying forward the riffs that started it for some seconds before settling back into a piano-based jazz-rock motif over which Marius Lorenzini solos with a distorted wah-effect giving his axe a kind of muted-trumpet squawking sound. Nice bridge leaves us back in the same motif for yet another extended solo of guitar squawk. The three other band members stay pretty tightly-committed to the supportive weave beneath (despite Alain's irresistible urges to flourish and embellish). I'm amazed at the way the whole band can create a horn-section like effect for the bridges. Very impressive. (9.25/10)

5. "La ville en béton" (5:00) guitarist Marius Lorenzini is back using yet another muted-trumpet sound for his guitar (one sounding very much like some of the "old-time jazz" sounds Jeff "Skunk" Baxter used on Steely Dan's early albums.) Ann opens with some ARP play but then backs way off to help supply the rhythmic support to Marius' multiple-sound-choice guitar solos. Man! This bass-and-drums duo are so tight! Their solid performances must give the soloists quite a little confidence to dare to do pretty much anything they well please. Male singing voice! What? Yet another unexpected occasion. (Singing in French, of course.) Looks like that remarkable rhythm section offers all kinds of risk-taking confidence! (Is this what Demtrio Stratos felt with AREA?) Amazing song! (9.5/10)

6. "La fille du ruisseau" (6:45) this one sounds like it could have come straight off of RETURN TO FOREVER's final studio album, Musicmagic--at least, that is, until the muted-trumpet guitar and ARP synth start dueling in the fourth minute. Group vocals enter over STEELY DAN-like Fender Rhodes chords singing in French. They certainly add a certain disarming charm to the music--(just as the female b vox singers do on Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho). The on-going to the finish duel between Ann's ARP and Marius' rock guitar is awesome. A strong song if a little less intense than the previous ones. (13.5/15)

7. "Alone, Completely Unknown" (6:55) a mutli-part song in which I hear definite tinges of Canterbury as well as RTF and/or Brand X starts out with a whimsical Chick Corea intro before falling into a whimsical male v. female vocal exchange (conversation?) singing in English! Impressive and fun bordering on both funny and cute! The "conversation" between the guitars and synths seem to be mirroring that of Ann and Marius. Around the four-minute mark we are taken into a different kind of dreamy rabbit hole with a new slower, more spacious motif over which Ann solos on her Oberheim synth both prolifically and abundantly. The supporting motif reminds me of something from the 21st Century band NIL: very mixed in meters--which allows Alain a little more room to show off on la batterie. Cool song--especially since I love the music of both the Canterbury Scene and Nil. (13.75/15)

Total Time 44:28

I love the fact that the French were that rare breed who were secure enough in their sexuality that they could live with a female among their ranks (albeit a very gifted female--in the form of keyboardist Ann Ballester); no other country I can think of (certainly not the English or Italians) seemed to be able to think of a female instrumentalist being equal to the task of being a principal unless it is as a vocalist or perhaps flutist. At the same time, I'm a little bewildered at the fact that this band obviously felt the need or urge to have vocals as integral parts of the bulk of their songs. And to sing in English--something that seems so rare for (and degrading to) the French! Perhaps it was the Bruford-Annette Peacock or Gayle Moran effect. Even more impressive is the individually unique sound and sytle this band is able to project despite being obviously influenced by many Anglo and American projects: they sound like but they are not such-and-such band. 

91.47 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of sophisticated and multi-dimensional Jazz-Rock Fusion from a power house quartet of electrified virtuosi.

13. JEAN-LUC PONTY Imaginary Voyage (1976)

The first album into my Jean-Luc Ponty collection and still a favorite.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / Electric & Acoustic Violins, Organ, Synthesizer, Arranger & Producer
With:
- Daryl Stuermer / Electric & Acoustic Guitars
- Allan Zavod / Piano, Keyboards
- Tom Fowler / Electric Bass
- Marc Craney / Drums & Percussion

1. "New Country" (3:07) what a way to show off the collective skills of the new crew! Daryl Stuerner impresses from the get-go! (9.5/10)

2. "The Gardens Of Babylon" (5:06) on of the 1970s most beautiful jazz-rock instrumentals--a harbinger of the Smooth Jazz and Adult Contemporary Music that would become so radio popular in the late 70s and 1980s. (10/10)

3. "Wandering On The Milky Way" (Violin Solo) (1:50) a precursor to my favorite J-L Ponty song of all-time, "Cosmic Messenger," as well as to the "George Romero" solo on 1984's Individual Choice. (4.375/5)

4. "Once Upon A Dream" (4:08) very pleasant and engaging/melodic jazz-rock. Some great bass and keyboard play from Tom Fowler and Allan Zavod, respectively. (9/10)

5. "Tarantula" (4:04) more on the rock side of things, not the Tango I was expecting. A little too static and repetitive in the support of J-L's violin work. (8.666667/10)

6. "Imaginary Voyage" :
- a. Part I (2:22) a play on RTF and Mahavishnu (4.425/5)
- b. Part II (4:05) a more laid back, slow cruisin' song--quite typical of one to two songs per album over the next ten years for Jean-Luc. Nice spaciousness given Allan Zavod for his solo in the second half.(8.75/10)
- c. Part III (5:28)  a song with a little more evenly-parsed musical expression: everybody is on high-gear throughout and the solos all excel. (9/10)
- d. Part IV (8:00) the catchiest part of the suite and, therefore, the highlight. Great solo from Daryl, great bass work from Tom Fowler, and, of course, Jean-Luc. (14/15)

Total Time 38:10

My introduction to the world of Jean-Luc Ponty, I am still a huge fan of the opening two songs, "New Country" and "Gardens of Babylon"--the latter being one of the most gorgeous and emotional songs from the classic era of progressive rock and a progenitor of the Smooth Jazz movement while the former represents pure fun and unadulterated joy. The side-long "Imaginary Voyage" suite on Side Two was always a bit inaccessible to me until I recognized the tremendous similarities to the music of one of my favorite 1970s prog albums, 1974's Todd Rundgren's Utopia, as well as a melodiousness similar to the same period's work of WEATHER REPORT. The album as whole offers great contributions from all of Jean-Luc's session men--especially keyboardist Allan Zavod, fledgling guitarist Daryl Stuermer, bassist Tom Fowler and drummer Mark Craney (who would go on to serve Jean-Luc, Niteflyte, PhD., Jethro Tull, Dana, Headpins, Tommy Bolin, and Gino Vanelli each on multiple over the next three decades and for whom Imaginary Voyage represents the 22-year old's first studio album). Then there is Jean-Luc himself: Really, folks, has there ever been anyone with a more beautiful, creative, and dynamic contribution to the place of violin in rock music much less jazz, jazz fusion, and progressive rock? I would argue that there is not.

91.43 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion and one of my all-time favorite Jean-Luc Ponty albums.

14. EBERHARD WEBER The Following Morning (1977)

My first exposure to the liquid bass sound of European jazz great Eberhard Weber. Side One of this album has been a mainstay fixture in my life since 1979, harboring two absolutely perfect songs, rendering its whole as that incredibly rare phenomenon: a perfect side.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eberhard Weber / double bass
With:
- Rainer Brüninghaus / piano
- Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo / French horn, oboe, cello

1. "T. On A White Horse" (10:52) (20/20)

2. "Moana I" (10:10) (20/20)

3. "The Following Morning" (12:04) far more spacious and less melodic and less flowing that the previous two rather lush and sweeping song. The piano and double bass are more bare and authentic sounding--more jazzy--and less processed and engineered--the very thing that makes the album's sound feel like proggy fusion. I have, however, grown to like this one. Rated down for so much "empty" space. (21.875/25) 

4. "Moana II" (7:42) this one is just a weird variation of the other Moana--with Rainer doing things that make him sound bored and Eberhard sounding as if he's just trying anything that comes to mind--like the first practice session out which "Moana I" came. Kind of unprofessional sounding filler. (12.25/15)

Total time 40:48

The arrival of this music--including Side One, a "perfect" side (an all-too-rare feat)--caused a profound awakening, such a dramatic transformation in my listening adventures and tastes, that I will forever be indebted to Eberhard and Rainer. Side Two is, unfortunately, far below the level of breathtaking beauty and much more experimental with 'soundscapes' than Side Two. Otherwise, this would be one of my favorite albums of all-time.

Wait a minute! It still is! I just turn it off after "Moana I"!

NO DRUMS! What a joy! What a revelation: that music doesn't have to have a 'beat'--or that it doesn't have to be provided by a standard drum kit. Hail to Brian Eno for turning off the drums! Hail Peter Gabriel and his WOMAD! Hail to Bill Bruford and his Simmons electronic drum kit! Hail to Zakir Hussein and his non-Western percussion! Hail to Mickey Hart and his ethnic musicology! Hail to Glen Velez and his hand drums!

If you want a trip to some of the most beautiful, peaceful inner mindscapes you could ever imagine, program "T. on a White Horse" and "Moana I" to play and repeat, over and over and over. I call this blissful place heaven!

I also love the orchestral support throughout the first two songs (something sadly lacking on Side Two's offerings). I'm really having trouble giving this album less than five stars, for it is such an unusual music listening experience, yet, the third and fourth songs, as mentioned, are far less appealing and engaging than the transportive first two. "T. on a White Horse" and "Moana I" are, IMHO, an essential experience of the mastery of truly 'progressive' music. This will be one of those rare times when the pieces of an album will earn the album a high rating despite the true 'adjusted rating' of the whole. 

91.40 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of pristine jazz-rock fusion. For me, The Following Morning represents the absolute peak of the wonderful Weber-Brüninghaus-ECM relationship.

15. JEAN-LUC PONTY Aurora (1976)

Teaming up with youngsters Daryl Stuermer (age 23), Patrice Rushen (21), and ex-Mother of Invention bass player Tom Fowler (who was only 25 years old) resulted in Jean-Luc's first successful solo foray into the burgeoning market of Jazz-Rock Fusion. After brief but intense stints with Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra (Second Incarnation), the French violin virtuoso had a pretty good idea of the directions he wanted his career and music to go.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / acoustic & electric violins, Violectra, autoharp, arranger & producer
With:
- Daryl Stuermer (future GENESIS/PHIL COLLINS) / acoustic & electric guitars
- Patrice Rushen / acoustic & electric pianos, synthesizer
- Tom Fowler (IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY, FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION) / bass
- Norman Fearrington (MFSB, BILLY PAUL, future EDDIE HARRIS) / drums, percussion

1. "Is Once Enough?" (4:52) a fast cruisin' song that band leader Ponty graciously gives first dibs on extended solo time to his newbies: first to a very impressive Daryl Stuermer and then to keyboard virtuoso Patrice Rushen. A song that very much reflects Jean-Luc's recent experiences with both Zappa and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. (9.5/10)

2. "Renaissance" (5:45) an all-time great song of Jean-Luc's that harkens back a bit to his youth and to his fairly recent acoustic collaborations with Stéphane Grappelli. One of the things that makes this song so wonderful is the long drawn out melodies being played up front over the amazing bass melodies coming from not only the bass but Patrice Rushen's left hand and Daryl Stuermer's rhythm guitar support. (10/10)

 
3. "Aurora, Pt. 1" (2:45) innocuous and trite, mostly for the bouncy little keyboard sound and pattern that plays repetitively over the course of the song. This alone might not be so irksome were it not for the fact that it sits up front the entire time. Nothing special in the solos. Nothing special in the groove. Could've thrown this one away. Perhaps it served the band as an exercise in integrating and merging the sounds and styles of the five personalities involved with the making of this album. I would not be surprised to find out that this was the first song worked on when the band first got together. (4.25/5)

4. "Aurora, Pt. 2" (6:11) a smooth, easy going song that portends a lot of J-L P songs in the next decade. Nice shredding from Daryl on his own in the fourth and fifth minutes, but more impressive is the way he and Jean-Luc double up on harmonic paths at hyperspeeds on several occasions. Impressive but not as great as the first two songs. (8.875/10)

5. "Passenger Of The Dark" (4:14) has a kind of Canterbury feel to its opening, but then we go into an interesting "future funk" kind of sound with semi-funky bass and oscillating synth/violin notes weaving a patttern together with the drums that plays for the first two minutes over which Daryl starts out with an aggressive rock-like solo. In the softer, more spacious third minute Jean-Luc experiments with some of his new electronic/synthesized violin sounds--some of which his audience become quite familiar over the course of the next decade. I'm not sure why Patrice has been given almost exclusively background support roles for the past two songs, but it's noticeable. (8.75/10)

 
6. "Lost Forest" (5:23) roilling piano arpeggi and ocean-shore-like cymbal play opens this one while Jean-Luc presents his synthesized violin sound. In the gorgeous, rich full-band motif that develops Tom Fowler's effected (underwater) bass sound is awesome. Jean-Luc introduces the song's main theme before bowing out to let Patrice express her own ideas/variations with a Fender Rhodes. Then, in the fourth minute, Jean-Luc resumes his place at the fore with a typically melodic and dynamically impressive solo, which then is doubled up in the recapitulation of the opening theme with Daryl's guitar while Patrice plays around a bit from underneath. Such a cool song and songscape! Arise: Master of the Hypnotic Fairie Beauty! (9.125/10)    

7. "Between You And Me" (5:54) a melodic song that somehow lets bassist Tom Fowler lead the way!(?) Pretty awesome. Though not funky, it is a catchy groove that Tom, Patrice, and drummer Norman Fearrington present and hold fast. Jean-Luc's electric violin seers an impressive solo in the first slot. When the band recongeals, it is with the same jazzy weave that Tom's bass lead us in with. Next up is Patrice with a very warm and smooth Fender Rhodes solo (the whole song is warm and almost smooth). Jean-Luc reclaims the spotlight for the next verse for a brief solo before calling the band back in for another go-round of the opening weave. Nice. (9/10)

8. "Waking Dream" (2:24) pensive piano chord play opens this before electric bass and electric violin and electric guitar join in to co-present an interesting melody--one that at first is perfectly harmonized by Tom's bass lines but then see him fall into a kind of one-bar counterpoint. Nice. (4.425/5)  

Total Time: 37:28

Despite the fact that I owned this album back in the day, it feels fresh to me today, and yet, at the same time, revelatory of many of Jean-Luc's consistent future patterns and tricks of his trade. It was the next studio album, Imaginary Voyage that hooked me in as a devoté (and concert attendee) over the next ten years. I've also watched with no small sadness at the way keyboard virtuoso Patrice Rushen's career has slowly been whitewashed of her keyboard talent in place of her success as a singer. I've always loved her warm keyboard playing. I would think that this album helped significantly to serve each and every one of the performers in advancing their careers.

91.32 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion, the first of a long line of them for this J-R Fusion master.

16. CHICK COREA The Leprechaun (1976)

Chick's demo hopeful for entry/admittance to the world and work of Broadway composer.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chick Corea / acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Yamaha electric organ, Hohner clavinet, synthesizers (ARP Odyssey, Micromoog, Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer), percussion
With:
- Eddie Gómez / double bass
- Anthony Jackson / bass guitar
- Steve Gadd / drums
- Gayle Moran / vocals

And:

- Danny Cahn / trumpet
- John Gatchell / trumpet
- Bob Millikan / trumpet
- Wayne Andre / trombone
- Bill Watrous / trombone
- Joe Farrell / saxophone, flute
- Ani Kavafian / violin
- Ida Kavafian / violin
- Louise Shulman / viola
- Fred Sherry / cello

1. "Imp's Welcome" (2:55) very cool intro with many weird, quirky sounds coming from Chick's vast collection of keyboards. (4.5/5)

2. "Lenore" (3:25) great melodic jazz-rock tune with Chick playing off of and against ... himself! Piano, Moog, clavinet, ARP Odyssey, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha organ--they're all playing off one another--as if coming from different musicians on the same stage! Gayle Moran's wordless vocalese at the end is nice touch. (9.25/10)

3. "Reverie" (1:58) opens as a solo piano piece, very pensive and heart-felt, but then Gayle's overly-reverberated vocalese float across the back stage. A sign of how in sync husband and wife are at this point in their lives. (4.625/5)

4. "Looking at the World" (5:29) opening with some previews of some of the future riffs that'll be central to next year's The Mad Hatter, Gayle joins with the rhythm section, this time singing in a more jazz-pop style (with words) before Chick ramps quickly into some heavier j-r fusion between Gayle's multi-track verses. Kind of like an oldie from the 40s with the future jazz-rock fusion that's coming with the Jaco Pastorius version of Weather Report. Interesting "underwater bass" from Anthony Jackson. (8.875/10)

5. "Nite Sprite" (4:31) this one sounds like it feeds right into the RTF Romantic Warrior recording sessions (especially Part II of "The Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant"). A little funkier with Anthony Jackson's bass and Steve Gadd's fantastic near-disco jazz drumming. (9.25/10)

6. "Soft and Gentle" (5:08) with Gayle in the vocal seat for the whole song, this one once again evokes many reminders of Broadway musicals, great chanteuses of old, as well as many old jazz/pop standards of the 1940s and 50s. And I love the presence and powerful effect of the strings, Chick's grand piano, Eddie Gomez's acoustic double bass, Steve Gadd's classy jazz drumming, and the horn section. Quite lovely--as well as being quite a lovely composition. Deserves to be heard. (9.5/10)

7. "Pixiland Rag" (1:10) more light and whimsical keyboard experimentation in a solo format. There's even a little ragtime jazz in here. (4.333/5)

8. "Leprechaun's Dream" (13:03) a thoughtful, rather pensive song that makes one feel fear and uncertainty: as if a person is living in the moment so as to escape having to make any/all decisions in the Big "Real" World. The play of double bassist Eddie Gomez and flutist Joe Farrell are delightfully uplifting--especially playing off of the syncopation genius of Steve Gadd. The contributions of the string and horn sections are also quite welcome. Crossing/blending several unusual styles makes this a rather unique and ambiguous song--making it difficult to define or categorize. Again, I feel that Chick this album's music is best serving as a "getting to know" each other germination fest for what will become Romantic Warrior, and then, The Mad Hatter. Still, it's hard to not admire, respect, and be awed by the performers' performances as well as Chick's growing big-band compositional mastery. (22.6667/25)

Total Time 37:39

 This album, as a whole, sounds like an artist that is sitting on a fence, trying to decide which direction to take his music. As displayed here, the talented man has many directions to choose: we here much of his recent Return To Forever style, some of his older Latin roots, some of the future fanciful future dreaming that he's doing, and a surprising number of riffs, sounds, and styles that feel as if they are coming from the world of the Broadway musical (especially Leonard Bernstein)! The question of what he will choose to "specialize" in--and when he'll come out of his haze of confusion and synaesthesia--will be resolved in the next year or two with the demise of his popular and highly-acclaimed Return To Forever project and the repetitious re-confirmation of his solo career. All in all, this is definitely a step toward Chick's other upcoming masterful releases, Romantic Warrior, My Spanish Heart, and my favorite, The Mad Hatter. 

91.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of eclectic jazz-rock fusion and another amazing release in a long career of astonishingly high creativity and top-tier quality products. 

17. JEAN-LUC PONTY Enigmatic Ocean (1977) 

This was the first of Jean-Luc Ponty's true jazz fusion masterpieces (though many will argue on behalf of Aurora and Imaginary Voyage). It's funky (as was the soft jazz of the time) and well displays the virtuoso talents of several of its young contributors--including super guitarists Daryl STUERMER (just before he left to take on a life-long GENESIS/PHIL COLLINS gig) and Allan HOLDSWORTH, bassist-extraordinaire Ralphe ARMSTRONG, keyboardist Allan ZAVOD, and drummer STEVE SMITH. Many place their attention on the title suite but I've always found that I much prefer both "Mirage" (4:23) and "Nostalgic Lady" (5:24) to the two suites--both of which put on display much of the electronic effects that will become Jean-Luc's signature sound(s) for years to come as well as this groovy, almost dreamy rhythm structure and pacing. This is a pretty great album, but I still hold strong in my feeling and belief that Ponty's best album is the next one, Cosmic Messenger with Individual Choice being his second best--these two having, IMHO, much better sound production than Enigmatic Ocean.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / 4- & 5-string electric violins, violectra, piano (5), bells, conductor & orchestrations, producer
With:
- Allan Holdsworth / lead electric guitar
- Daryl Stuermer / lead & rhythm electric guitars
- Allan Zavod / clavinet, piano, electric piano, synthesizer, organ
- Ralphe Armstrong / bass and fretless bass (5)
- Steve Smith / drums, percussion

1. "Overture (0:47) great intro/opening. (4.75/5)

2. "The Trans-Love Express" (3:56) great groove with everybody clicking and in sync. Nice sound engineering--though the keyboards sounds will be better in the future albums. (8.875/10)

3. "Mirage" (4:54) hypnotic and beautiful--especially the sound of Jean-Luc's heavily-effected electric violin. (9.25/10)

4. "Enigmatic Ocean"
Part I (2:20) synth and percussion opening to which Jean-Luc and, later, the rest of the band are added. The establish some fair groundwork for the suite (4.375/5)
Part II (3:35) a fast pace does not guarantee a great song: technical skill is certainly on display, but melodies are certainly lacking. (8.875/10)
Part III (3:43) the funky side, of course. Daryl's work on rhythm is exemplary. Allan is beyond reproach. (9/10)
Part IV (2:24) a nice closing to what never really felt like a suite of connected movements.  (8.875/10)

5. "Nostalgic Lady" (5:20) another beautiful song with great melodic sensibilities expressed from Ralphe, Allan and Jean-Luc. (9.25/10)

6. "Struggle Of The Sea Turtle"
Part I (3:32) one of the most purely perfect and original of Jean-Luc's songs here. Perfect balance between the band members. (9.5/10)
Part II (3:33) using some of the melodic hooks of "Part I" the band chugs along--interestingly, at a variety of speeds. Steve Smiths best drumming on the album. (9/10)
Part III (6:05) opens with Ralphe's coming out party. Then Allan gets his turn with a weird synth. Daryl gets a solo but is then followed by Allan--who is so smooth and amazing it makes Mr. Stuermer look amateurish--which is sad cuz he is not. And the the song--and the album--just suddenly fades out! It's over! And it makes no sense! (8.875/10)

Total Time 45:00

91.18 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of proggy jazz-rock fusion. The album has some great individual performances but lacks the amazing flow and sound engineering of the next album. 

18. TOTO BLANKE'S ELECTRIC CIRCUS Friends (1979) 

More of Toto Blanke's experimentation outside of his gigs with Pierre Courbois and Jasper Van't Hof and Joachim Kühn. The influence of John McLaughlin's MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA and SHAKTI project is quite obvious here as is the more recent sounds and songs of WEATHER REPORT (on bassist Norbert Dömling). 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Toto Blanke / electric & acoustic guitars, Roland synth guitar, guitarina, PPG synth/sequencer, tambura, composer & co-producer
- Stu Goldberg / Fender Rhodes, MiniMoog
- Mat Nadolny / tenor & soprano saxophones
- Norbert Dömling / bass, co-producer
- Trilok Gurtu / tablas, percussion, hand drum
- Heinrich Hock / drums

1. "Birds Of A Feather" (9:41) opening with some of the sequencing he was experimenting with on his two previous albums, the song moves into WEATHER REPORT territory. A little too uniform in sticking with one single motif throughout the song--which makes it hard to stay engaged over ten minutes, but very high quality musicianship throughout. (17.75/20)

2. "Asiento" (3:51) Trilock Gurtu's opening percussion barrage lets us know that we're in for a SHAKTI-like fusion of Eastern and Western traditions. Norbert Dömling's fretless bass is straight out of the JACO PASTORIUS school of bass. Very nice imitation with nocitceably loose and free feeling from all musicians. (9/10)

3. "Hallo J. (2:00) Toto's beautiful play on his steel-stringed acoustic guitar paired up with Norbert Dömling's wonderful Jaco Pastorius-like fretless bass Wonderful! Could've gone longer (for my tastes). (5/5)

4. "Billi (6:06) a Latin vehicle for some wild tenor sax play from Mat Nodolny. Stu Goldberg's mostly-two-chord support is a bit too forward and, therefore, obnoxious. In the fourth minute, Toto's electric (Roland?) jazz guitar gets the second solo. Lot's of unusual hand percussives and weird synth noises being thrown into the background (Trilock's contributions a little too far forward). (8.875/10)

5. "Floating (5:39) a high-speed cruise that has a lot of angular melody lines in its "Vashkar"/Mahavishnu-like sound palette. Exceptional musicianship on display, top to bottom. (9.3333/10)

6. "Winterlied (3:42) a duet between Stu Goldberg's MiniMoog and Toto's steel-stringed acoustic guitar. It opens as slow and ruminative duet of MiniMoog and gentle acoustic guitar chord picking before breaking down with some more flashy contributions from the acoustic guitar while the MiniMoog continues its melody-searching unphased. Reminds me of both SHAKTI and PAT METHENY. (9.25/10)

7. "I'm A Stranger Here Myself (8:00) very much like something from AREA's Crac!: "Nervi Scoperti" Excellent musicianship (as it would have to be to earn that comparison)! (13.75/15)

8. "Friends (Dedicated To T. Blanke)" (4:27) interesting Weather Report-like weirdness. Smooth and melodic, though. (8.875/10)

Total Time 43:26

I'm not sure why Stu Goldberg gets second billing unless he was integrally-involved in the composition department as his keyboard play serves more in a support role (except for "Winterlied"). 

90.93 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of a broad spectrum of wonderfully-performed jazz-rock fusion--one that could hold a candle to anything happening at the highest levels of fame, virtuosity, and sales marketing in the rest of the world. 

19. EX VITAE Mandarine (1978)

A seven-piece ensemble of very skilled jazz musicians that came together in Limoges, France to create some very intricate, creative, and complex jazz-rock fusion. The sad thing is that they only came together this one time: for this album. Amazingly, this album was self-released--released without the support of a record label!--back in 1978!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean Lars / bass
- Marc Millon / drums, percussion, vibraphone
- Jaen-Michel Philippe / electric & acoustic guitar
- Jacques Lars / electric guitar
- René-Marc Bini / keyboards
- Jean-Loup Marlaud / saxophone, clarinet, flute
- Alain Labarsouque / violin

1. Vive-Versa (6:15) the opening of this album opener lets the listener know straight off the bat that this band likes to explore sophisticated chord progressions through clear multi-instrumental weaves. I can hear a lot of what will become of the Maurin brother's NIL and THORK projects in this music despite its obvious jazz leanings. Dirty saxophone is given the lead throughout the second and third minutes yet the instrument is not really soloing so much as leading one domineering melody over the top of the complex weave or arpeggiated chords that the rest of the band is expressing through beneath. The band definitely uses some interesting and unexpected chord progressions, yet perform it all with such skill. The weaves are beautifully woven! I just wish the final 90 seconds had been a little more pleasant melodically. (9/10) 

2. Saxophonie (15:25) very engaging despite its complexity, speed, and uniquity. The beautiful chord progression the band settles into during the second and third minutes has an immediate heart-wrenching effect on me due to it being the exact same as the foundational chords of LENNY WHITE's "Prince of the Sea." Also, the use of all percussive instruments (piano, drums, bass, vibraphone) to present the music over the course of the first four minutes is quite engaging. Then the music kicks into a full funky fast paced jazz-rock motif in which electric bass, drums, Fender Rhodes, jazz guitar, and sax do a great job of playing some HERBIE HANCOCK-like music. But then everything switches at the six-minute mark--picking up some more mathematical and folk-infused styles in order to express its true allegiance to the historically more-complex jazz styles of the past (as the French love). Violin enters as an electric guitar goes all under-water bubbly with its fast-played descending bass string arpeggios all set within the rich chords of René-Marc Bini's Fender Rhodes. This second half stuff continues to develop closer to being avant garde jazz than jazz-rock fusion--especially in the wild 14th minute--though they do continue to use all of the rock instrumentation of the first, more-melodic half. Definitely a very impressive, very creative song. And, despite its title, I found myself rarely listening to Jean-Loup Marlaud's saxophone play: there was just too much else going on that was far more interesting! (28/30)

3. Gavarnie (10:28) this song opens with some discordant descending chord progressions performed with mathematical skill that sounds very similar to the music created by Quebecois band CONVENTUM until it goes off on an almost Minimalist direction with bass and saxophone presenting some lead/soloing over the top. At 2:30 the music takes a turn, smoothing out a bit though continuing to explore minor and perhaps even chromatic scales and chord combinations (especially with the bass). Two guitars weave their arpeggiated chords within each other with great effect due to the slightly off-center harmonic values of their chords. Bass chords, lite cymbal play, aggressive sax, and electric guitar take turns soloing over the top--even at times, over one another--until the band succumbs to a slow fade starting around the six-minute mark. Left with distant arpeggiated electric guitar chords we are then treated to a show of fairly random percussion play of some metal objects like chimes and cowbells until the eight-minute mark when the rest of the band (bass, jazz drums, Fender Rhodes, sax) rejoin the still arpeggiating electric guitar to create a gentle, almost tender weave that could guide an infant to sleep. Very pretty! Another very, very interesting song that is, unfortunately, weakened by its obtuse chord choices as well as by the overly-simplistic metal percussion play in the sixth and seventh minutes. (17.5/20)  

4. Mandarine (9:42) opening with some complex high-speed interplay between Marc Bini's piano and Jaen-Michel Philippe's steel-string acoustic guitar, the song then switches completely into a gentle, willowy duet of René-Marc Bini's vibraphone and Jean-Loup Marlaud's classical-sounding flute until 1:45 when wordless vocalese, vibes, and electric bass mirror each other in a four-note arpeggio for about 30 seconds. Then the band develops another smooth almost-Genesis-like passage that is founded in arpeggiated chords from electric piano and acoustic guitar. This reminds me of CONVENTUM. The music then continues morphing, now into an electric guitar version of the previous motif with flute and violin taking turns soloing over the top. The fifth minute is quite pleasant with the rich, warm play of the Fender Rhodes dominating, but then the band fly off into about five different directions with each instrumentalist soloing with little connection to one another for about 20 seconds but then they come back into the fold of the rich, warm Fender Rhodes, drums and intuitive bass helping to hold down the funky groove while flute, violin, and the two guitarists (acoustic and electric) take turns sharing the spotlight up front. The song then returns to a gentle repetition of a five chord progression with some solo embellishment to its end fadeout. An odd song that is very entertaining and engaging despite its frequent shifting and morphing. Rated up for creativity and sophistication. (18/20) 

Total Time 41:50

A very interesting and respectable collection of highly-creative compositions performed with quite a little love and attentiveness. The songs only lack, at times, the melodic hooks that pleasure-oriented Western minds ofttimes seek (a pattern of choice that the French seem almost predisposed to).  This album is also quite favorable due to its adherence to hard-line jazz structures and styles and not veering too far into the Smooth Jazz domain that is taking over J-R Fusion.

90.625 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of finely crafted and disciplined jazz-rock fusion that would be of great interest to any prog lover who loves complex, sophisticated instrumental performance.

20. CHUTE LIBRE Ali Baba (1978)

Rich Third or Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion from a short-lived French band that is notable for the prominence of trombones and flutes as well as for the presence of a core of three highly-skilled multi-instrumentalists.

How can this band (and album) have no reviews posted here?!!!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Patrice Cinelu / electric & acoustic guitars, cabasa (6), vocals (8)
- Olivier Hutman / piano, Fender & Yamaha CP30 e-pianos, clavinet, spinet, Hammond, synths (Micro Moog, ARP Odyssey, Hohner String Ensemble), vibes, string arrangements (3)
- Denis Barbier / flute, piccolo flute, alto, tenor & soprano saxes, double bass & harp (5), string arrangements (5)
- Oliver DeLaTaille / trumpet, bugle
- Philippe Simon / trombone, bass trombone
- Gilles Douieb / bass
- Umberto Pagnini / drums
- Mino Cinelu / percussion
With:
- Éric Letourneux / tenor sax (5)
- Raymond Betzi / percussion (1,5)

1. "Ali Baba" (5:10) quite solid and sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion that occasionally slips over into Smooth Jazz and instrumental rock. I like the prominent use of trombones as well as the core trio of band members' willingness to switch between multiple instruments during the course of a single song. (8.875/10)

2. "Trop Tard" (4:45) funk from the perspective of the Soul/R&B bands like the JBs, Tower of Power, and, more, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. Well done! (9.5/10)

3. "Paysages D'Ur" (4:15) nice, smooth yet eminently sophisticated jazz-rock (9/10)

4. "Octopus" (2:48) back to the R&B-grounded Jazz-Rock Funk of the Listen to the electric bass play of Gilles Douieb! as well as the contributions of the horn section! Wow! (9/10)

5. "Cello" (4:48) funny to name a song after an instrument (one of the only) that does not exist in the repertoire of the band or their guests! A beautifully composed and "orchestrated" song that definitely continues the display of absolutely top notch Jazz-Rock Fusion. (9.25/10)

6. "E 330" (5:00) Oh. I get it! Alternating songs deeply rooted in the funk with other sophisticated yet-smoother song constructs. Me like! Here we have yet another amazingly superb funk song, this one founded well within the Latin traditions. The song's only weakness is that it gradually becomes smoother, more Latin melodic and less R&B funky as it progresses--especially as Olivier Hutman's piano takes the lead. It's not bad--the piano play is pretty--especially when woven with the acoustic guitar and flute--but it gets a little bland when he becomes the sole soloist (despite his similarity of style and sound to that of my well-loved favorite, Chick Corea). (9/10)

7. "Flipper Nana" (4:36) a song that has both swing and funk elements to it also presents more of that lovely trombone in the lead while the rest of the band actively and creatively supports from beneath (and beside). The oddly-muted horn section blasts at the two minute mark are awesome, preceding a nice flute solo, then, 30 seconds later the band shifts into a more traditional jazz motif with some excellent double bass walking from Denis Barbier and some great piano soloing from Olivier. Another switch in the second half of the fifth minute leads to some rock electric guitar shredding as the song heads slowly into its long fadeout finish. (9/10)

8. "Canaan Part 1" (4:20) more high-speed Jazz-Rock Fusion of the Headhunters kind with the skills on display that the Mahavishnu Orchestra would certainly have been proud if not envious. All I can say is, Wow! How can it be that this band has received absolutely no attention on either ProgArchives or JazzMusicArchives.com? Even the song-ending drum solo that begins in the second half of the fourth minute is done so tastefully--and does not feel like wasted time or space. (9/10)

9. "Canaan Part 2" (4:14) the band uses a chill, smooth funk motif as if to recover (or let the listener recover) from Part 1. The horn section sets the band up for an extended electric guitar solo backed by some wonderful electric piano chord play and intermittent riff-blasts from the horn section. While electric guitarist Patrice Cinelu does not, in my estimation, stand up to the mind-blowing expressions of the bass, drums, percussionists, and horns, he is quite good. (8.875/10)

Total Time 39:56

This is an album (and band) that has caught me TOTALLY off guard! Who knew France had instrumentalists, composers, engineers, and record companies that not only rivaled but equalled anything that was going on in the U.S. of A?!?! Not like this! 

90.56 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of incredibly high quality funky Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion that definitely rivals anything coming out of the United States.  

21. GONG Gazeuse! (1976)

Now de facto Pierre Moerlen's Gong, the lineup has become nearly 100% French--with only Englishman Allan Holdsworth representing the empire and language of the band's founders.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Didier Malherbe / tenor sax, flute (5)
- Francis Moze (Magma) / fretless bass, acoustic & electric pianos (6), gong (3)
- Pierre Moerlen / drums, glockenspiel & vibes (3), marimba & timpani (3)
- Mireille Bauer (Édition Spécial) / marimba (1,3,5), vibraphone (1,2,4), glockenspiel (5), tom toms (3)
- Benoit Moerlen / vibraphone (1-5)
With:
- Allan Holdsworth ('Igginbottom, Ian Carr, Tempest, The Soft Machine, The New Tony Williams Lifetime) / pedal steel (3), electric & acoustic guitars, violin
- Mino Cinelu (Moravagine, Chute Libre, Miles Davis) / congas (1,4,5), gong (2,4), cuica, triangle, maracas (3), talking drum, temple blocks (4)

1. "Expresso" (5:58) this sounds so much like BRUFORD (or even UK) with a more Latin-ized sound palette (due, of course, to Allan Holdsworth's domineering guitar tone--which is getting very, VERY close to the one he will use predominantly with the aforementioned bands in the next couple years--the result of recommissioning a new neck and fretboard and overhauling the pickups of his '73 Stratocaster. This is the guitar he will use for the next three years--the Bruford and UK albums--until his move to California in late 1981.) You can hear Allan's new-found confidence spilling over across the tape. The recording sessions of Gazeuse! were 15 months after those for The New Tony Williams Lifetime: Believe It! album--an experience that Allan often cited as being the single most transformative for him over his long career. Aside from Allan's opening solo, the music is very good Jazz-Rock Fusion: funky, somewhat smooth and governed by mathematical rules, with some excellent bass play from ex-Magma bassist Francis Moze, great vibraphone support from Mireille Bauer (both of whom would soon be shacking up together and moving on to help strengthen J-R Fusion band Édition Special) and of course Pierre Moelen's flawless drum play. (9.75/10)

2. "Night Illusion" (3:42) a solid song (with some great drumming) that lacks any melodic enticements. (8.75/10)

3. "Percolations, Part 1 + Part 2" (10:00) Benoit Moerlen, Mireille Bauer, and Pierre Moerlen weave together their tuned percussion instruments into something quite beautiful and hypnotic while Didier Malherbe adds some breathy flute. (Is this what Mike Oldfield heard that caused him to recruit Pierre for his Incantations album and tour?) At 2:10 a rock drum beat enters for a short bit, signalling the percussionists to shift their weave. Thereafter Pierre and Mireille's percussion work expand to cover timpani and tom toms and, eventually, drums. Leave it to Pierre to perform one of the most enjoyable/listenable drum solos rendered to vinyl. I love mathematical music like this. Again, I think this music previews (inspired) Brand X ("...and so to F"). (18/20)

4. "Shadows Of" (7:48) a song that starts out a little lackadaisacle despite Pierre's dynamic drumming and Allan's introductory guitar melody, but then, at 1:05, slowly speeds up into a nice cruising speed with Benoit's accenting vibes and Didier's folk-feeling flute play up front. Then Allan takes over at 2:50 with some of the weirdest saw-like bent-note play. It sounds like he's playing through a muted synthesizer clarinet or a Native American drone flute. Eventually he turns back to his regular (new) sound as he's joined/twinned by Didier's flute. At 5:30 the song seems to end, but then, weirdly, it slowly picks back up, one instrument at a time--sounding as if "Ooops! We forgot a round!" Bass and acoustic guitar here are awesome, but then Allan and the band return to a more BRUFORD sound and feel for the song's finish. Solid. Worth many listens. (13.5/15)

5. "Esnuria" (8:00) an interesting percussion weave opens this one before bass, guitar, and sax join in to coerce some funky rock out of it. Quite an interesting blend of sounds and styles: funk, Latin, R&B, rock, blues, jazz-rock, prog, even a little Canterbury. I'm not quite convinced it all works but it is certainly interesting. In the song's second half the band seems to smooth out and cruise down an easy straightaway but then at the end of the fifth minute they move back into a kind of intricate FRANK ZAPPA hodge-podge weave. I must say that Didier Malherbe's sax play coupled with the rhythm section's cohesive play make for some astonishing music. In the eighth minute Allan's guitar "power chords" with Francis Moze's bass and Pierre's amazing drum play make for the most melodic and engaging music on the album. A song that is up and down for me but very impressive. (13.5/15)

6. "Mireille" (4:10) Mireille was, at the time, Pierre's live-in girlfriend and a very popular human among the band (later to fall into relationship with Francis Moze--with whom she would leave Gong in order to join Édition Spécial--helping to make them one of my favorite French Jazz-Fusion bands of the 1970s). The pretty jazz-bar melody offered up to Mireille is given several renditions and variations within this same song: the first a sparse, PAT METHENY-like acoustic guitar with Fender Rhodes treatment, then a Mr. Rogers/Vangelis Blade Runner-like Fender with Ralph Towner-like filigree-style acoustic guitar (Allan showing that his acoustic guitar playing style was quite different than that of his electric axes: his runs much more feathery, like a scurrying mouse, than the slithery stop-and-go large rodent runs of his electric. The final capitulation of the theme is left to Francis' expressive piano, tout seul. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 39:38

There is so much to this album: so many amazing ideas, such amazing musicianship, so many breath-taking riffs and runs, weaves and solos, so many stunning performances, individual and collective, and yet, at the same time, there are so many discordant and even contradictory or combative sounds and styles that I find myself reeling in kind of "wait and see" retreat. This is the first time I've ever been exposed to this album. While I find myself so often feeling exhilarated I  can claim almost equal instances of bewilderment and/or repulsion. In time I imagine that it will all become so familiar to me that it will all become accepted: "Oh. That's just Gazeuse!"

On another note, like The Soft Machine, I failed to ever give this band any credit or attention. This was due to their often-hard-to-take-serious first six albums. I never knew that so many of the Canterbury bands would outgrow their frivolous silliness to become quite serious jazz-rock fusion bands. So glad to be here, now! This is the first Gong album that I've heard that I can willingly call a masterful contribution to the elevation of prog and jazz-rock fusion.

90.47 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of highly entertaining Jazz-Rock Fusion from one of the most extraordinary ensembles you will hear. 

22. FINNFOREST Lähtö Matkalle (1976)

The sophomore album from these Finnish jazz-rockers notes some lineup and directional changes.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jarmo Hiekkala / basses
- Julla Linkola / keyboards, synthesizers
- Pertti Pokki / synthesizers (2-3)
- Jussi Tegelman / drums, congas, synthesizers (3)
- Pekka Tegelman / guitars
- String section (4) conducted by Otto Donner

1. "Alpha" (8:10) delicate, spacious horn-like synthesizer notes backed with gentle electric piano support open this song before bass and drums join in during the second minute. Electric guitar joins in a rhythm support capacity in the third minute as the band establishes a medium-paced two chord jazzy rock motif for guitarist Pekka Tegelman to solo over. There's both a Herbie Hancock (post-Mwandishi) and Larry Coryell feel to this music. And then the solo stick is passed to Julla Linkola for an electric piano solo during which the music thins a bit and the rhythm track becomes more straightforward than it was (though retaining its driving funky-jazz-rock momentum). In the early eighth minute the keyboard solo ends and the musicians all seem to just quit: they stop. For quite a lengthy pause. But then they restart for a 30-second finish. Weird ending to a weird song. The sophisticated foundational weave is kind of cool and interesting, the solos all proficient and, likewise, interesting, but something is lacking in the spirit of "purpose" and "ending" that bewilders--as if, despite their obvious skills and intelligence, the band still has some growing to do. (17.75/20)     

2. "Elvin" (8:30) opening with a cryptic, cinematically-tension-filled syncopated keyboard, bass, drums, and guitar weave, the syncopated chord and note hits become more insistent as the drums assert more power and influence, but then they back off and really promote the decay of their hits with lots of spaces between the hits. In the third minute Peter Tegelman's volume-controlled electric guitar takes on a little solo-like leadership role though the band as a whole--Peter included--remain quite focused on keeping to the odd rhythmic syncopation pattern. Then, at 4:25 the band shifts into full forward with a synth-led Percy Jones-like bass-backed two-chord cruising weave over which two synthesizer players (Perti Pokki and Julla Linkola) then take turns squirting and screaming their solos as if they were both Jan Hammers. And this is the way it plays out till the engineering fadeout ends the song four minutes later. What starts out with such amazing discipline and coordination turns into a full-out jam session! Weird. (17.875/20)

3. "Don" (4:21) a very proggy weave and sound palette plays a pseudo-jazz opening before devolving into a funky rock instrumental with Pekka Tegelman's distorted electric guitar taking the first solo. His followed by the odd electronic sound of Pertti Pokki's synthesizer, then a tight, professional drum solo from Jussi Tegelman which is followed by a return to the main motif for the finish. (8.75/10)

4. "Lähtö matkalle I" (8:36) beautiful symphonic orchestra opens before smooth jazz rock gets involved and takes over. Turns into a great jam with great keyboard and bass play from Julla Linkola and Jarno Hiekkala, respectively. Mahavishnu Orchestra's orchestrated album Apocalypse obviously had a huge impact on the band's composers. (19.25/20)

 
5. "Lähtö matkalle II" (10:39) opens with gentle piano chord play fading upward while subtle orchestral instruments support. Heavily distorted bass steps up to solo in the third minute over the six cycling piano chords. Drums begin to join in during the fourth minute--very dramatically--never really settling into a supportive rhythm pattern until the very end of the sixth minute. The footprint of this song is quite heavy, quite bombastic, and kind of celebratory (like the end of a war or something like that.) Not sure if this song is meant to be paired with "Lähtö matkalle I" since they both seem so isolated and self-contained, but what a pair of songs to finish this album! Oh, and Jarmo Hiekkala can play bass. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 40:16

90.42 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece from a band that feels as if it still has room to grow despite their impressive musicianship and compositional skills. Highly recommended to any self-acclaimed prog lover. 

23. JOHN LEE & GERRY BROWN Mango Sunrise (1975)

European bound (The Netherlands) American ex-pats John Lee and Gerry Brown have assembled a band consisting of perhaps the very crème de la crème of Dutch musicianship--including guitar virtuosi Philip Catherine and Eef Albers and keyboardists Jasper Van't Hof and Rob Franken and even entice a couple of other seasoned American standouts in Mike Mandel and Eric Tagg to participate on a couple of songs. 

  

Lineup / Musicians:

- John Lee / Bass, Clavinet (A3)

- Gerry Brown / Drums, Percussion

- Eef Albers / Electric Guitar

- Philip Catherine / Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

- Rob Franken (Scope, Focus, Zbigniew Seifert) / Fender Rhodes, Synthesizer, (Synthesizer solos on A3, A4, B2, B3, B4, B5)

With:

- Eric Tagg (Beehive, Raibrow Tag, Lee Ritenour) / Clavinet, ARP Synthesizer (B1) 

- Mike Mandel (Larry Coryell, Rough Silk, Naked City, Alphonse Mouzon) / Synthesizer (second ARP on B1)

- Japser Van't Hof (Association, Toto Blanke, Pork Pie, Placebo) / Clavinet (B4)

- Wah Wah Watson / Guitar (B4)

A1. "Mango Sunrise" (5:17) incredible performances by all of the band members--with amazing cohesion and great melodic hooks and riffs. (9.25/10)

A2. "Breakfast of Champions" (4:03) powerful and well-performed--especially by the lead guitarist(s)--but the main theme, repeated ad nauseum, is too dull and distance-causing. (8.75/10)

A3. "Keep It Real" (5:21) acoustic guitars with electric bass and gentle drum play (mostly cymbals) opens this like the potential-energy-filled opening of LED ZEPPELIN's "Heartbreaker." Rob Franken's synth solo is the leader for the first 90 seconds but then there is a stop and resent as the band switches into a slowed-down recapitulation of the chorus theme of the same song while Eef and Philip show off their incredible skills. Gerry really fills it up as the Al Di Meola-like power choruses bridge the verse sections. Man! Are these musicians incredible! The final minute sees the band turning back to the same motif as the opening: acoustic guitars with synthesizer creating the melody over the top. (9/10)

A4. "Ethereal Cereal" (3:40) a nod to Stanley Clarke? or Larry Coryell? or The Allman Brothers? or Jean-Luc Ponty? or Ernie Isley? The speed limits are all blown away on this one as every musician in the weave is in overdrive. Wow! Did I say "wow!" yet? If only it had a little more variety in melody and dynamics. (9/10)

B1. "The Stop and Go" (3:12) another very tight, very impressive whole-band display of sophisticated complexity and virtuosity that somehow lacks enough variation and melodic hook to remain memorable. Dripping in the super funk of the time--the stuff that Herbie, Larry Young, Parliament, and Lenny White were championing. (8.875/10)

B2. "Her Celestial Body" (5:10) a slowed down, stripped-down sound palette that has great, haunting melodies and awesome bass, drumming, and keyboard performances. (9.125/10)

B3. "Pickin' the Bone" (4:00) another song with Al Di-era RTF-inspired choruses bridging some fairly smooth BOB JAMES-like Fender Rhodes-led verses. (8.875/10)

B4. "Magnum Opus" (5:09) to the races straight out of the gate with John hitting Percy Jones-level note speed, matched by Gerry's precise yet-nuanced drumming and some awesome rhtym guitar work. The ensuing electric guitar solos are out of this world with their speed, dexterity, and melodic sensibilities. If you told me that John, Gerry and company were inspired by Lenny White's "Mating Drive" for this song I would not be at all surprised. Lenny, Dougie Rauch, Ray Gomez, and Doug Rodrigues would all be clapping enthusiastically in their congratulatory approbation. (9.5/10)

B5. "Haida" (2:53) kind of an excerpt from a jam that, while impressive, really goes nowhere. (8.75/10)

Total time: 38:05

Unlike any other bands or musicians outside of the "Bitches Brew" circle of progenitors, John Lee and Gerry Brown get it: They understand fully and completely that which Jazz-Rock Fusion is all about; they  unleash music that is fully in line with the fullest potential of the Jazz-Rock Fusion medium as defined by the likes of Herbie Hancock with his Headhunters, John McLaughlin with the second incarnation of his Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, and Lenny White with their Return To Forever and initial solo projects.

My one complaint with the albums on which Eef Albers and Philip Catherine team up is that I do not know which guitarist's style is which: they are both so fluid, so melodically-gifted, and both use similar sounds to project their guitar playing that I never feel certain which one is soloing at any given time.

90.14 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of breath-taking whole-group performances from a band of total virtuosi. It could've been better (more melodic, more memorable hooks and transitions) but the playing is so off the charts amazing that I cannot deny this as an absolutely essential representation of peak Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.  

24. ICEBERG Arc-en-ciel (1978)

Same lineup, last album from these awesome J-R Fusionists from Barcelona. The band here sliding a little more into the Latin-biased sounds and styles that Chick Corea was gravitating to in his solo work of the same period.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joaquín "Max" Sunyer / electric & acoustic guitars
- José "Kitflus" Mas / piano, electric piano, synthesizer
- Primitivo Sancho / bass
- Jordi Colomer / drums

1. "El caminant nocturn" (8:21) Fender Rhodes chord play is soon joined by bubble-effected bass and militaristic jazz drumming before synthesizer and electric guitar step in to take the lead. Lots of stops and goes, lots of rock and prog-sounding riffs and passages give this an almost NOVA-like feel, though something about it also reminds me of The MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA's last album, Inner Worlds. We've definitely entered the gratuitous world of commercial J-R Fuse that Herbie Hancock's Thrust and Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior opened up to the world. (17.5/20)

2. "Càntics de la carn" (11:18) so like the music that Chick Corea was doing with Leprechaun, My Spanish Heart, and The Mad Hatter that I had to keep checking as I was listening to this to make sure it wasn't something from him, Al Di, or a hidden RTF album that I'd missed! Excellent performances top to bottom (despite Kitflus' rather schlocky and now-dated array of keyboard sounds). (18/20)

3. "Riu d'agost" (7:41) piano and acoustic guitar opening that sounds suspiciously like something from Al Di Meola and Chick Corea. Even the sound engineering seems perfectly imitative of some of those earlier RTF albums (not Romantic Warrior). At 1:45 the full band breaks the spell of the acoustic duo and launches into a long bridge before settling into another Latin-rhythmed dance tune. The lead instrumentalists retain their acoustic orientations while bouncing back and forth between 10-to-20 second bursts as soloists often bridged by patches in which they play together. Quite a nice, light and jolly, and impressive song of instrumental prowess--and such tight, whole-band feel coming from the quartet. (13.5/15)

4. "Embrujo" (6:14) yet another song in which the band lets their ethnic roots come shining through--though once again expressed with incredible virtuosity and intuitive interplay. These guys are really gelling! And Max has never been more effusive! (9.25/10)

5. "Crisàlide" (6:30) piano and acoustic guitar open this one until 1:20 when searing Al Di MEOLA-like electric guitar ushers in the rest of the band. This complex, never straightforward song offers some great bass playing as well as tight disco-ish drumming with Kitflus' DEODATO-like bouncy Fender Rhodes play when Max is shredding up front. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 40:04

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion approaching the Smooth Jazz era.

25. RONNIE LAWS Pressure Sensitive (1975)

The album that opened with the song that would launch and sustain a career.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Ronnie Laws / Soprano & Tenor Saxophones, Flute

- Clint Mosely / Bass

- Steve Guttierrez / Drums

With:

- Joe Clayton / Percussion [Flexitone] (A1), Congas (A1), Tambourine

- Roland Bautista / Guitar, Composer (A2, A3)

- Joe Sample (THE CRUSADERS / Electric Piano (A3), Clavinet (A4, B1), Piano (B1, B3)

- Jerry Peters / Synthesizer [String Ensemble] (A3, B2, B3), Arp (A4), Piano (B2) 

- Mike Cavanaugh / Clavinet (A4), Electric Piano (A4), Composer (A3)

- John W. Rowin, Jr. / Guitar (B1, B2)

- Michael Willars / Drums (B2)

- Wilton Felder (THE CRUSADERS) / Electric Bass (B2)

A1 "Always There" (4:52) the iconic song that pretty much started a new genre of sax-led pop-radio instrumental music. Great rhythm guitar. (9.75/10)

A2 "Momma" (4:20) a composition by Ronnie's guitarist, Roland Bautista, has lyrics and very funky guitar, clavinet, and bass lines making it sound more like a early EARTH WIND & FIRE, WAR, or even Brothers Johnson song. I love Ronnie's free-flowing sax over/within throughout no matter if there's singing. Great instrumental performances throughout. Very cool smoothed out finale. (9.25/10)

 

A3 "Never Be the Same" (4:23) a gorgeous song with three keyboard players creating a sound that sounds like Minnie Ripperton and all that would become "Yacht Rock" and "Smooth Jazz." (9.25/10) 

A4 "Tell Me Something Good" (4:50) instead of just imitating the RUFUS with Chaka Khan sound of this Stevie Wonder song, why not just cover the real thing! Genius! A song that always fascinated me (enough to provoke me to purchase the album) while I never truly liked it. The squeezy synth is a bit over the top for me. (8.75/10)

B1 "Nothing to Lose" (4:54) funky clavinet and Fender Rhodes from Joe Sample while guitarist John W. Rowin, Jr. fires away with his lead. Great solo work from Ronnie on the soprano sax. (8.875/10)

B2 "Tidal Wave" (4:08) a William Jeffery composition with great Fender Rhodes and synth strings play from Jerry Peters. Ronnie is so smooth over the top with his speedy deliveries! Also nice is the mature presence of Wilton Felder on the electric bass. (8.875/10)

B3 "Why Do You Laugh at Me" (3:55) a composition provided by producer Wayne Henderson (otherwise known as The [Jazz] Crusaders' trombonist). It's mellow and very straightforward--like a rock ballad from THE LITTLE RIVER BAND. (8.75/10)

B4 "Mis' Mary's Place" (3:32) one of Ronnie's originals opens with bass line and tambourine before twangy guitar, bouncing clavinet, bass and drums join in to create a very simple vamp over which Ronnie solos with an electronically-processed tenor sax. Too monotonous with its whole-song repetitiveness. (8.5/10)  

I love the keyboard work of Jerry Peters and Mike Cavanaugh, the bass and keyboard contributions of The (JAZZ) CRUSADERS' Wilton Felder and Joe Sample, respectively, as well as the rhythm guitar work of Roland Bautista.

90.0 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of early "Third Wave" Jazz-Rock Fusion from one of Smooth Jazz's pre-eminent masters.  

The Near-Masterpieces 

MOIRA Crazy Countdown (1978)

Weird J-R fuse that has more in common with artists like Frank Zappa and some of the other off-color German bands (like Embryo and Kraan). Also, I can't help but think that this album might have been composed and/or recorded some time earlier than this year becasue it just doesn't sound compatible with the instrumental sound palette or current stylistic choices of their contemporaries in 1978.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jörgen Kanwischer / guitar
- Doctor Bogarth / keyboards
- Edgar Hofmann / soprano saxophone, flute
- Rainer Frank / bass
- Butze Fischer / drums
- Geoffrey Ramos / percussion

Side A
1. "Para Jofrey" (8:05) flute, piano and wind chimes opens this with guitar lurking behind until Jörgen Kanwischer's electric is revealed at the end of the first chord progression. After another round of this introductory chord progression, the band settles into a spacious two chord groove with Latin rhythmic foundations and instruments providing the background for acoustic guitar and electric guitar and saxophone weirdness to solo over the top. At 2:54, as if by Divine providence, the band suddenly switches into more serious Fender Rhodes-supported jazz-rock motif over the Latin percussion over which Jörgen solos with his acoustic guitar (with chorus-only electric accompanying in the background). The electric seems to step delicately forward in the fifth minute only to be relegated to support for an organ and electric piano solo from "Doctor" Bogarth. At the six-minute mark the Fender steps to full frontal confidently soloing while Jörgen's electric provides some nice rhythm support behind. All the while, the Latin-bound rhythm section behind all this is rock solid, even fully entertaining in and of themselves. It's almost as if they're really Latins! A bit odd-especially in the sound engineering choices--but overall a pretty cool song. (13.75/15)

2. "Crazy Countdown" (5:55) opens with 75 seconds of breakfast/kitchen coffee percolation, pouring, and conversation coupled with African vocal rhythm talking, kitchen table utensil noises, and even a vocalist mentioning his California trip in English! Then, as if out of the percolator, the band bursts into full jazz-rock fusion with some fuzz guitar in the lead (sounding a bit like a kazoo!). In the third minute the instrumentalists get pretty serious with some Percy Jones-like bass from Rainer Frank and some searing fuzz lead guitar over the tight, syncopated rhythm section and hand play on the congas. This is a lot like Al Di Meola's early solo stuff with a little more melody involved (and less clean/sterile sound engineering). Next, a different motif takes over as the band cruises down a funky autobahn in support of a keyboard solo from the Doctor before then returning to a cycle of the first two motifs (as well as the breakfast table vocal percussion). (9/10)

3. "Smile" (5:41) some very quiet keyboard work opens this song--playing for about a minute and a half in this very subdued, though-dynamic fashion. Then the sound of a sitar notifies the band that there is going to be a launch into some discordant chords are employed in equally discordant (yet not repelling) sequences so that electric guitar, flute, and keys can solo. The way the drums and bass jump in at a more dynamic level late is pretty awesome (and powerful), taking a little away from the flutist's limelight but making the song that much more interesting. Too bad there isn't a little more variety in the three-chord foundation of this (until the very end), cuz it's very powerful. I love the band members' laidback confidence throughout. (8.875/10)

Side B
4. "Mata Meme" (5:45) odd volume pedal-controlled electric guitar experimentation over loosely improvised hand percussion play. The guitar play seems to morph in and out of Robert Fripp-like sustained loops and Al Di Meola-like speed riffs with several very convincing flourishes. Interesting and impressive though not necessarily top notch jazz-rock fusion. (8.875/10)

5. "Gemini" (4:12) a fast-strumming flanged acoustic guitar start with stop-and-start Mahavishnu-like pacing and structure unleashes a torrent of blistering Larry Coryell-like playing. The band keeps up the rather frantic Mahavishnu/Return To Forever-like pace and complexity through to the end even accommodating for a couple breaks for some solo acoustic guitar riffs. (9/10)

6. "Always Later" (6:34) sounds like a cut in from some jamming the band might have been doing on some old blues-jazz motifs. Even the saxophone solo in the lead position is playing with this old-time jazz flair and flourish. The performances are pretty cool despite the old feeling to the music. Then surprise of all surprises! About three minutes into the song the band suddenly shifts into a kind of disco-jazz mode, picking up the pace considerably, with funky synth, sax, and electric guitar taking turns soloing over the top. The chordal construction is still pretty rudimentary rhythm & blues jazz but the instrumentalists sure make it zing! The synth sound used is so unusual it could be wah-wahed--like something Jan Hammer or Thijs van Lier would come up with--practically sounding like an electric violin. The song races along with the engineer hand-volume-fading the soloists in and out of the "front" of the mix while drums and bass speed along. (8.875/10)

7. "Spain Mandala" (5:01) coming straight out of the blocks sounding incredibly like something off of one of Al Di Meola's first two solo albums--the Latin-infused power electric pieces or suites. Great imitation--even down to the Mingo Lewis percussion play and Al Di (though sometimes more Larry Coryell)-like solo guitar runs and injection of Spanish acoustic guitar towards the middle. (9/10)

Total Time 41:13

Despite some questionable recording choices, I find the rawness of these songs, played by very capable musicians, acting as if with quite a little humor and fun, quite charming and enjoyable. It seems as if the band's one and only wah-wah pedal was traded around amongst the electrically-miked instruments for different songs, which is a clever and entertaining experimentation. 

89.83333 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of clever, eclectic, and fairly innovative experimental jazz-rock fusion that I think every prog lover would enjoy hearing.

URSZULA DUDZIAK Urszula (1975)

Husband Michal Urbaniak recruits his usual high-profile band of musicians (the same lineup that would appear on his first Arista album, Body English, published in the following year) to perform his compositions for his wife's unique wordless scat-plus vocals to soar. What an advantage: to have this kind of quality music beneath you to show off your individual skill!

 
Line-up/ Musicians: 

- Urszula Dudziak (Michal Urbaniak's Fusion) / Vocals, Percussion 

- Basil Fearrington (Mtume, Stephanie Mills, Mary J. Blige) / Bass 

- Gerald "Gerry" Brown / Drums 

- Harold Ivory Williams / Electric piano, Keyboards 

- Reggie Lucas / Guitar (solo A2) 

- Joe Caro / Guitar 

- Michal Urbaniak / Lyricon, producer 

A1. "Papaya" (4:02) I'd never heard this song before checking this album out but I can definitely concede my comprehension as to why this received such world-wide acclaim and popularity; it's delightfully upbeat--like a Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song. It's Disco with absolutely excellent musicianship--especially from the rhtyhm guitarists and Urszula's husband's Lyricon. The vocal skills Ula shows in the third and fourth minutes put her in the company of some of the 21st Century's greatest acrobatic vocalists. (9/10)

A2. "Mosquito" (4:25) straight on funk--like the stuff being used to fill soundtracks of Black Exploitation films of the era. Ula's vocal work here sounds like something between underwater gargling and orgiastic ecstasy. Nice guitar solo from Reggie Lucas but the albums other solos, which, by default, seem to be credited to 19-year old Joe Caro, are much better. (8.875/10)

A3. "Mosquito Dream" (2:34) heavily-treated, multi-effected Irene Pappas/Donna Summer-like orgasm vocals left to their own spacey psychedelic drug scene. Interesting but not really great music. (4.333/5)

A4. "Mosquito Bite" (4:23) sounds like a Discofied version of high-speed jam of  over which Urszula scats aggressively, almost violently, alternating (and duelling!) with some rather amazing heavily-treated electric guitar work which, until further notified, I'll attribute (as indicated in the credits on the liner notes) to 19-year old Joe Caro. Several instruments seem treated by flange and chorus pitch-shfiters--including Urszula's voice, the drums, and the lead guitar. (9/10)

 

A5. "Just The Way You Are" (3:22) a slow, three-plateau jazz-funk torch song (with English words) that sounds very much inspired by both Maria Mudaur and Minnie Ripperton's work of the same period. Sexy yet bird-like. What a talent! What I love most about the song is the tandem work of bassist Basil Ferrington and the guitarists. Really cool! (9/10) 

B1. "Sno King" (4:34) opening with some really funky solo drumming that is quickly joined by the rest of the rhythm section to gradually establish the pedestrian music over which Ula and her guitarists will present the song's melody. It's nice, kind of a step up from the concurrent music being produced by the like of BOB JAMES and the Laws family. Great musicianship. Not my favorite song. (8.75/10)

B2. "Butterfly" (4:34) smooth and melodic--almost dreamy--very much in a LONNIE LISTON SMITH meets The NORTHETTES sound and form. Great instrumental performances on some heavily-drugged up instrumental sounds. Michał 's lyricon is a cool touch. The further the song goes on the more I'm reminded of NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN's albums from 1976 into the Eighties, though there is a little JEAN-LUC PONTY in the sound palette as well. (9/10)

 

B3. "Zavinul" (5:06) a very cool and unusual (innovative) sound palette with many unusually processed instruments forming a gorgeously dreamy music over which Urszula vocaleses in an unusually-pitchy/scratchy vocal. Is this meant to be something negative directed toward Joe? I wish I knew Urszula's intentions with this. (9/10)

B4. "Funk Rings" (2:24) Urszula performing a single-track solo vocal in which her percussion-imitating voice is sent through a Moog processor. Real cymbals, drums, and fretless bass join in in the second half. I really like this! (4.5/5)

B5. "Call Me Monday" (5:12) another jem of an Elysiac jazz-funk piece with Urszula fast-scatting with 19-year old Joe Caro on guitar and some more stellar drum and bass play (often bordering on the Disco fringes) from Gerry and Basil with Harold Ivory Williams' excellent I've heard Ula's vocals compared to ecstatic female expression of the "hedonistic era" that was the mid-1970s, drug or nature induced, perhaps even orgasm. As always, I think her expertise on her percussion instruments really contributes to her astonishingly controlled and skillful scatting runs and vocal sound variations. (9.25/10)  

Total time: 40:36

Haters of this album probably don't like Minnie Ripperton, Annette Peacock, The Northettes, Gilli Smyth, or many of the 1960s Brazilian hits of Sergio Mendez, Herb Alpert, and Burt Bacharach as well some of the vocal experimentations of Flora Purim and Gayle Moran. All of this would be understandable. I just happen to like all of the above.

89.68 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion. Another of Michał Urbaniak's masterful productions. I love his music--the sound palettes his musicians and engineers create. 

AL DI MEOLA Casino (1978)

The album that followed his two most acclaimed solo efforts after leaving Chick Corea's ever-evolving RETURN TO FOREVER project, Casino is a very polished album, eminently listenable, yet lacks something. I think it is the push and prodding that collaborators can have. Here it feels as if Al is definitely the boss--confident to the point of being cocky, taking the vast majority of the limelight--even multi-tracking his own instruments--rather than giving away any of the show time to anyone else. (The album's "Fantasia Suite for Two Guitars" has two guitars, but his! Recorded in two tracks!) Though Al has enlisted the help of amazing team of players--including Steve Gadd, Mingo Lewis, Eddie Colon, Barry Miles, and Anthony Jackson--the team are all subordinates; all are very respected in their field but none of them have been leaders--whereas on previous albums Al had hired help from seasoned veterans--some of whom were senior to him (and, therefore, more strongheaded). For Casino, gone are previous collaborators Jan Hammer, Lenny White, and Paco De Lucia (and before that, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, and Stanley Clarke). And it shows: This is Al's show now. So what's wrong with that? the music comes out a little too proscribed, cerebral, even sterile. Don't get me wrong. It's impressive and clean and genius. It just lacks some kind of . . . soul. Or emotion.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Al DiMeola / electric guitar, acoustic guitar & mandolin (5), percussion (congas, bongos, castanets, handclaps) arranger & producer
With:
- Barry Miles / Yamaha organ, Minimoog, acoustic & electric pianos, marimba
- Anthony Jackson / bass
- Steve Gadd / drums
- Mingo Lewis / percussion (6), bongos & congas (3,4,6)
- Eddie Colon / percussion & timbales (6)

1. "Egyptian Danza" (5:57) a wonderfully eerie organ intro from Barry Miles sets the tone for something heavy that is intended, I'm guessing, to be spooky. Great mix of the bass, drums, and keys into the spce with Al. The "oasis interlude" in the second minute is a bit odd, but, then, so is the over-arching Latin feel and sound of this song about "Egypt." Nice work from Al, of course, on multiple tracks, but my favorite parts are his little flurries opposite Barry's organ and MiniMoog riffs. Also, this is the Steve Gadd I saw when I saw Jan Hammer and Al in concert about the time of this release or Splendido Hotel. (8.875/10)

  
2. "Chasin' the Voodoo" (5:05) the Mingo Lewis composition that exists in several places including Mingo's own solo album Flight Never Ending where it is called Frankincense. It's a hard-driving song often cruising along in a surprisingly straightforward time despite the prevalence of endless flurries of challenging moves like a game of lightning chess. Really, this is an amazing song; it just lacks engaging melodies except in a few places. (9/10)

3. "Dark Eye Tango" (5:25) a fairly even-tempoed song that starts out slow with a protracted intro before settling into a nice Latin groove. Great percussion play from Mingo Lewis while Al plays electric guitar with some less-than-usual spaciousness which seems to exhibit some emotion. I really like Al's more drawn out lead guitar playing: that's where he impresses me with his sense of melody as well as the sense that there is feeling being broadcast/channeled from his inner being. At the same time one can almost feel as if he's human playing at speeds that we humans can appreciate, process, and enjoy. (9.25/10) 

4. "Señor Mouse" (7:21) a fairly recent Chick Corea song (from his and Gary Burton's 1973 album release, Crystal Silence) is here revived. Despite owning the albums on which Chick approaches this song and its variations, I have to admit that I do not recognize it or its melodies. In spite of this, the ease and spaciousness within the song's construct are greatly appreciated even if the melodies are not all that great. (13.25/15)

5. "Fantasia Suite for Two Guitars" (5:12) :
- a. "Viva La Danzarina"
- b. "Guitars of the Exotic Isle"
- c. "Rhapsody Italia"
- d. "Bravoto Fantasia"

In my opinion, this song might have contributed greatly to the turning of the tide of public opinion/disfavor that Al began to experience around this time. His machine-like technical skill and antiseptic sound production were already raising some negative feelings for being "too clean" and/or "soulless," but creating a song such as this in which he chooses to use his own guitar playing on multiple tracks to play off of--instead of the use of another player as he'd used on previous albums (like Paco De Lucia) or other instrumentalists of different instruments who possess comparatively equal skill--he was interpreted by some as exhibiting a level of arrogance that turned many off. I know when I saw the acoustic trio of he and John McLaughlin and Paco live in concert the two times I saw them, I came away feeling much greater affinity for the two elder statesmen (though some of this affinity I attribute to the use of nylon string guitars by John and Paco) because Al looked like it was work while John and Paco looked like it was an expression of joy and reverence for their medium and muse (music). At the same time, this suite is actually a very pleasant and beautifully-nuanced piece of music with several melodies feeling familiar enough from the classical and Latin music memories of my childhood. Perhaps it's also due to my enjoyment of Al's acoustic guitar play over his electric. (9.3333/10)

   
6. "Casino" (9:29) a brilliant 55-second intro leads into a catchy riff that, unfortunately, does not continue on to become the pace or melodic determiner of the first motif; instead this becomes much slower and lazier than expected--very much like that of the exotic strains of "Flight Over Rio" from his previous album. After the midpoint, the song just keeps getting softer and softer, more spacious and drawn out, with Al even giving way to a rather cheesy smooth/Calypso-like electric piano and percussion section in the seventh and eighth minutes. When the guitar maestro does return to reclaim the lead he chooses to have himself backed by some cheesy synthesizer strings before sliding into a lull at the 8:30 mark, which is then followed by a weird Bach/Who-like series of chords to finish. (17.5/20)

Total Time 38:29

An album that at times exhibits almost-incredible skills and speeds from all of its musicians, offers enough scaled down, more-gentle material to help win me over. Where I seem to always fail to get into Al is in his choices of melody lines: they are rarely the kind that please my brain the way it was hard-wired by  the likes of Mozart, Burt Bacharach, and Motown and Philly soul/R&B.    

89.611 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; if talent and skill alone could make a masterpiece, this would be the case here. Unfortunately, some of Al's choices for arrangement and song structure seem to get lost going down odd side-streets. Recommended but I would never consider this an essential acquisition for anyone's music collection.  

BELLA BAND Bella Band (1978)

An Italian band from Firenza that uses sophisticated, multi-part compositions with all of the bells and wihstles that the late 70s offers in terms of electronic gear and effects; drummer Mauro Sarti used to be in popular RPI band CAMPI DI MARTE. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Riccardo Cioni / clavinet, Fender piano, Omni Arp, Arp 2600
- Roberto Buoni / flute, saxophone, electric clarinet
- Luigi Fiorentino / guitar
- Mauro Sarti / drums
- Tonino Camiscioni / bass

1. "Fairadiesis" (6:45) the very tight, well-disciplined rhythm section sounds a lot like that of JEAN-LUC PONTY around this time. The whole song is based upon a very catchy melodic hook--one that sounds quite familiar from the world of pop music or cinema. Excellent! (13.75/15)

2. "Promenade" (10:45) a slow, almost B-movie cinematic start with Fender Rhodes chords and saxophone gives way to ANT PHILLIPS-like arpeggiated electric guitar chords at the end of the first minute. This guitar-dominated motif continues for while the Fender Rhodes, gentle cymbal play, and saxophone make subtle contributions in the background. Then, at the 2:15 mark everybody kicks into a melodic two chord motif with chunky bass and full drums jumping into the fore. This is kind of NOVA Vimana-like. At the end of the fifth minute the music suddenly switches into a more Latin/Caribbean-flavored movement with lots of fast moving staccato parts. The music almost enters the area of rock/rockabilly before finally slowing down to create a new, more somber and rich keyboard and sax-filled theme in which bass and guitar have some solo exposure. The final two minutes, then, show the band backing off into just Fender Rhodes for a bit before restarting a variation on the arpeggiated guitar-with-saxophone motif from the beginning. Interesting and very pleasant song to experience. (17.875/20)

3. "Porotopostrippa Sul Pero" (8:50) fast opening with sax, bass, guitar and keys all jumping in full volume before settling back into a jerky groove in support of keyboardist Riccardo Cioni's keyboard play--and I do mean play! The dude jumps around from keyboard to keyboard for a it before settling on an unusual synth sound for a good minute. Then the full band jumps back into a whole-band pastiche with guitars and saxes (multiple tracks, each) competing for lead until finally a clarinet is left to occupy the spotlight. Very interesting solo over some nice funk. (The bass and drums are definitely in The Zone!) Guitar and bass take the next leads, in tandem for the bit in which the guitarist takes to establish himself. Then there is another lull while Luigi Fiorentino preps himself mentally for an extended electric guitar solo--here using a heavily-processed  sound for his axemanship. It's a very nice rock solo in the vein of Hiram Bullock or David Sancious. (17.75/20)

4. "Cipresso Violento" (5:20) Fender Rhodes and sax interplay on this spacious, slow-to-develop-and-define-itself Smooth Jazz song. At times it has a very distinctive STEELY DAN Aja ("Aja") sound and feel. After over two minutes of feeling their way around, the band finally settles into a very RTF "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant"-like motif with heavy bass chords and repetition of a two chord form. The heavy speeding down the highway only lasts a minute or so before the song regresses to its patchy, pastoral exploratory style of the opening two minutes and then eventually closes. All in all, it's a nice song, with lots of very rich, pleasant, and engaging sounds, I just wish it would/could have established a little more structure and rhythm for a longer portion of its five-and-a-half minutes. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 31:40

A very interesting and engaging display of creativity and skill coupled with the melodic sensibilities and influx of electronic effects and sounds of the late 70s.

89.42 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of sophisticated "Third Wave" Jazz-Rock Fusion that is definitely serving to help usher in the Smooth Jazz era.  

BRAND X Product (1979)

I'm pretty sure this was my first Brand X acquisition and, therefore, one of my lasting favorites. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Goodsall / guitar, vocals (2,4)
- Robin Lumley / keyboards & sounds (1,3,5,6,8,9)
- Peter Robinson / keyboards, sounds & vocals (2,4)
- John Giblin / bass (1,3,5-9)
- Percy Jones / bass (2,4,7)
- Phil Collins / drums, percussion, vocals (1,3), Roland drum machine (7)
- Michael Clark / drums (2,4)
- Morris Pert / percussion (2,4)

1. "Don't Make Waves" (5:08) More RUSH-like than RTF. (8.75/10)
2. "Dance of the Illegal Aliens" (6:52) (13.25/15)
3. "Soho" (3:47) not j-r f at all. Like RTF for pop radio. (8.66667/10)
4. "Not Good Enough- See Me!" (7:27) PJ is amazing! Very Weather Report like with total thematic changes three times! (13.5/15)
5. "Algon (where an ordinary cup of drinking chocolate costs .£8.000.000.000)" (6:07) Stanley/RTF-like. Seriously! Great percussion work. (9/10)
6. "Rhesus Perplexus" (4:06) a little more based in traditional Latin jazz works though very much more electrified--like some of the "World Music" acts about to emerge in the 1980s. (8.875/10)
7. "Wal to Wal" (3:09) more Percy magic. Unfortunately, the entire song exists simply to showcase said skills. (8.66667/10)
8. "...And So to F..." (6:34) one of my favorite BX songs of all-time. I love Goodsall's Santana/Holdsworth-like sound and feel. (9.75/10)
9. "April" (2:40) more pensive WReport-like fare. (4.375/5)

Total Time: 48:50

Like all of the Brand X albums, there are a couple great songs ("…and So to F…") surrounded by many fair to mediocre songs.

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

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Expansions (1975)

Recorded on November 25 & 26 of 1974. The Cosmic Echoes continue on their funk-imbued quest to promote the manifestation and realization of higher states of consciousness.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano, Electric Piano, Keyboards [Electronic Keyboard Textures] 

- Cecil McBee / Bass
- Leopoldo / Bongos, Percussion
- Michael Carvin / Clavinet
- Lawrence Killian / Congas, Percussion
- Art Gore / Drums
- Michael Carvin / Percussion

- Donald Smith / Flute, Vocals, Vocal Textures 

- Dave Hubbard / Saxophones [Tenor, Soprano], Flute [Alto]

A1. "Expansions" (6:04) an awesome funk-cruisin' groove over which Lonnie's wah-wah-ed Fender Rhodes bounces and Donald Smith's smooth voice and expressive flute slashes and thrashes. It feels right that the Cosmic Echoes now have a full-time clavinet player on board (Michal Carvin). Cecil Bee is his usual awesome self while J-R-F's best percussion team hold it close and a little unusually tight. (9.125/10) 

A2. "Desert Nights" (6:45) Lonnie switches to piano while the rhythm crew establish a slow-groovin' motif to quell us into nighttime submission while flute, sax, piano, and drums take turns spewing forth their subdued solos, flourishes, and fills. Lonnie's piano pounding feels a little unsuited to the desert vibe being bouyed by the others but then, who knew he'd have had a history with Don Pullen? (8.875/10)

   
A3. "Summer Days" (5:53) a happy-go-lucky two key samba sounding like something from a Herb Alpert or Sergio Mendes song. Here we find Lonnie once again reverting to the acoustic piano as his main voice. (8.75/10)

B1. "Voodoo Woman" (4:13) a very engaging song that is built over a more insistent beat (due to the prominence of the clavinet). Flutes, hand percussives, and Lonnie's flanged Fender Rhodes make this rather two dimensional song rise above the Easy Listening fare of artists like the more-pop-oriented Bob James, The Crusaders, Grover Washington, Jr., and Hubert Laws but don't quite take it into the arena of the jazz-funk greats like War, Mandrill, Osibisa, Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Ohio Players, or The Isley Brothers. (8.875/10) 

B2. "Peace" (4:13) a gentle song with Donald Smith back in the vocal driver's seat--very much a vocal-centric song that sounds as if it is built over a variation of Leon Russell's "This Masquerade" chord and melody lines. Very pleasant and jazzy but nothing earth-shattering or ground-breaking. (8.75/10) 

B3. "Shadows" (6:20) another gentle melody line around which is constructed a weave of bass, flanged drums, congas and other hand percussives, and rich electric piano and synth strings textures. Dave Hubbard plays a gentle sax over the top before Lonnie takes over with his delay-echoed Fender Rhodes. (He must have really been trying hard to figure out how to use this echo effect. It's really hard to do--and Lonnie by no means crushes it.) The overall music is actually good but diminished by (8.875/10)

B4. "My Love" (5:40) how can one not like this beautiful song! Donald Smith sings a flawless vocal over a great musical tapestry of support. This is a song I would love to see live--to dance with my beautiful wife to. Lonnie's piano playing is absolutely perfect for this, and the two-key motif so lovely and romantic--with the usual awesome work of the rhythm & percussion team beneath. (9.25/10)

Total time: 39:08

89.29 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of early Easy Listening / Adult Contemporary / Smooth Jazz. 

ÉDITION SPÉCIAL Aliquante (1977)

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marius Lorenzini / electric & acoustic guitars, vocals
Ann Ballester / acoustic & electric pianos, synthesizers (ARP Odyssey & Omni, Oberheim polyphonic), vocals
- Josquin Turenne des Prés / bass, guitar, vocals
- Alain Gouillard / drums

1. "Vedra" (6:35) nice Fender Rhodes-driven jazz-rock fusion of the Third Wave. (8.875/10)

2. "À la source du rêve" (7:45) a song that sounds quite a bit like something straight off of JEAN-LUC PONTY's albums of the previous year, Aurora and Imaginary Voyage. For me, it's drummer Alain Gouillard that really shines on this song--especially in the second motif with some Bill BRUFORD-like sound and techniques. Marius Lorenzini's acoustic guitar play is quite like the modern Django-style that Daryl Stuermer uses on the Jean-Luc albums mentioned, while Ann Baellester's multi synth-dominated play is quite fresh and adventurous, though always quite melodic. She really shines. And, did I mention bassist Josquin Turenne des Prés' excellent funk play with his Anthony Jackson sound? A most engaging, enjoyable, and impressive song, even if it is rather simply constructed; the lively, energetic play of all of the instrumentalists makes something "simple" into an impressive display of complexity. (13.875/15)

3. "So Deep Inside" (5:45) Trying to blend with some Chick Corea/Al Di Meola riffs and themes with the  There's even some part (in the fifth minute) that reminds me of UK's debut album! Like a lot of the music on the next band's next album, I can hear beginning strains of similarities to the quirky music of 2010s Camembert unconventional fringe Zeuhl. (8.875/10)

4. "Le temps d'un solo" (5:43) weaving their creative instrumental play with a somewhat STEELY DAN sound palette over another fairly simple (two-chord) construct allows for plenty of opportunity to show some flash--they're all doing it: from drummer Alain Gouillard's Steve Gadd-like rudiments to Marius Lorenzini's Jeff "Skunk" Baxter guitar tone and style, even down to Josquin Turenne des Prés' Chuck Rainey-like funk bass playing. Nice! (8.875/10)

5. "La ville en béton" (5:00) sounds very much, to my ears, like a slightly different instrumental palette performing a slightly more laid-back variation/version of the previous song. It's nice if a little pre-Yacht Rock smooth. Then add in the male vocal here and it only serves to add to the Steely Dan vibe. (8.875/10)

6. "La fille du ruisseau" (6:45) even more Steely Dan-inspired music that begins to show signs of some of the quirk that I associate with Pierre "Cheese" Wawrzyniak's fringe-Canterbury style band from Strasbourg, Oiapok. The addition of Ann Ballester in the vocal mix--with her Mélanie Gerber sound-alike voice--definitely contributes greatly to this feeling--while the bass, drum, and rhythm guitar render it so completely into the Steely Dan wheelhouse. Ann's Jan Hammer-like synth soloing with Marius' Larry Coryell-sounding guitar flourishes are the two elements that serve most to keep this song in the Jazz-Rock Fusion world. (13.375/15)

7. "Alone, Completely Unknown" (6:55) Ahh! Here we get the first serious evidence of the band's future direction and predilection! Some quirky Jazz-Rock Fusion founded, at first, in some of the basic tenets and lessons of Second Wave J-R Fusion, but then stepping down a pop-rock side street when the vocal motif starts. The signs of this being only the infancy of this path lie in the interesting vocal arrangement: alternating male and female dialogue similar to that which HUMAN LEAGUE will exploit in a few years on their monster hit, "Human." A cute, likeable song that, when compared to the much more sophisticated weaves of the next album, feels infantile and simplistic. (13.125/15)

Total Time 44:28

I can see why so many reviewers elevate this album above its successor: it's quite melodic and its simpler instrumental palette does make it a bit more accessible and engaging. The musicianship is also incredibly high, but the quirky, unusual complexity of the next album--with a full complement of five musicians working relentlessly on some very challenging and more mature compositions--makes it superior to me. 

Though Gong's Mireille Bauer (vibraphone, marimba, percussion) and one of Magma's great bass players, Francois Grillot, worked with the band during some late studio sessions for some songs that never got developed enough to be included on this album, they (and their songs: "Camara" and "Aurore") would become prominent members on the band's next album, their masterpiece, Horizon Digital. 

     I'm not sure if I would have been dissing this album as much had I not started with Horizon Digital, but I am so glad that I did. This is wonderful music but definitely, in the contextual perspective of knowing the fullness and maturity of the compositions of Horizon Digital, this is, to my mind, analogous to comparing Genesis' Trespass with Nursery Cryme or Yes' The Yes Album with Close to the Edge. 

89.26 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion. Highly recommended--but only if you promise to follow up with their next album, Horizon Digital. 

GARY BOYLE The Dancer (1977)

Indian-born British guitarist Gary Boyle gathers behind him a veritable who's who of UK prog and fusion artists to create an album of blended Third and Fourth Waves Jazz-Rock Fusion styles.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Gary Boyle / guitar

- Robin Lumley / keyboards
- Morris Pert / percussion

With:

- Rod Argent / MiniMoog (A1)
- Simon Phillips / drums (A1, B2, B3, B4)
- Doni Harvey / bass (A1, B2, B3, B4)
- Zoe Kronberger / keyboards (A2, A3, A4, B1, B4)
- Dave McCrae / Clavinet (A2, B1), Arp Synthesizer & Electric Piano solo (B3) 
- Maggie Pert / vocals (A2)
- Jeff Seopardie / drums (A2, A4, B1)
- Steve Shone / bass (A2, A3, A4, B1)

A1. "Crowshed Shuffle" (5:08) great skills on display on this song that feels like something between JAN HAMMER and GEORGE DUKE. Great drumming from Simon Phillips and almost-Percy-Jones-bass from Doni Harvey not to mention the majestic presence of Rod Argent on MiniMoog and Brand X's Robin Lumley on Fender Rhodes and other keyboard sounds. Rod's MiniMoog soloing dominates the first three minutes of the song--and it is great! When Gary's guitar finally takes over in the lead, his picking/plucking style and sound and fiery runs are quite reminiscent of that of the great Larry Coryell. Rod and Gary duel it out for the final 45 seconds before the song is, sadly, faded out. (9/10)

A2. "The Dancer" (7:30) some quirky, funky music over/within which Gary tries to Al Di MEOLA us. I love the rhythm guitar-like clavinet play of Dave McCrae here. Bassist Steve Shone (someone heretofore unknown to me) is quite excellent--shining very brightly in a long solo during the third and fourth minutes. A very good song despite traveling a rather whimsical, mercurial route. (13.25/15)

A3. "Now That We're Alone" (1:30) beautiful EBERHARD WEBER-like bass and electric piano. (4.675/5)

A4." Lullaby for a Sleepy Dormouse (for Georgie)" (5:25) gorgeous Smooth Jazz motif over which Gary does some very nice EARL KLUGH-like nylon string guitar playing. (8.75/10) 

B1. "Almond Burfi" (5:02) another cute, quirky, funky ABAC form that relies on one or two chords for structure per motif. Cute clavinet and bass teamwork while Gary solos in both Larry Coryell jazz and rock styles. At 3:45 the drums suddenly shift, taking us into a new synth-led proggy motif within which we fade out. (8.75/10)

B2. "Pendle Mist" (5:40) cymbals, bass, and Fender Rhodes take the first 1:45 to create a very mysterious, sexy, and spacious late-night motif which Gary finally joins playing in his Al Di Meola-sounding acoustic guitar. It's a really nice piece for the space that allows the musician and listener plenty of time to hear the nuanced skills of these mature performers. I love the fact that everyone seems to hold value for the mood their setting rather than move into some of the flashy soloing that they might be craving. Beautiful. I know I'd play this on repeat around midnight for a ruminative sit in my NYC penthouse apartment if I had one.  (9.33333/10)

B3. "Apple Crumble" (3:18) fast near-disco funk over which synthesized guitar, Fender Rhodes, and othe r synth sounds add their two or three cents. It flies, it excites, it entertains. (9/10)

B4. "Maiden Voyage (for Brian Auger)" (4:15) very nice, smooth, two-chord that sounds strikingly like Captain & Tennille's "The Way I Want to Touch You" over which Gary solos on his plug-in-miked acoustic guitar before switching to his electric for some more Larry Coryell-like melodic guitar shredding. I love the WES MONTGOMERY-like gentle chord play that takes us out during the fadeout. (8.875/10)

Total Time 37:48

In my humble opinion, Gary excels as an acoustic guitarist while his electric guitar playing, though excellent, sounds as if he is playing as a Larry Coryell clone. Despite this "flaw," the music here is quite excellent--often containing very high musical skill--and eminently enjoyable.

89.17 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Third and Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion that would be an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection. 

MÚSICA URBANA Música Urbana (1976)

A quartet of classically-trained multi-instrumentalists from Spain have their first album released to minor acclaim, produce one other, more classically-oriented album two years later, and then disappear into the æther. Too bad! These Todd Rundgren's of instrumental Jazz-Rock Fusion are so very gifted!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Lluis Cabanach / electric & Spanish guitars
- Joan Albert Amargós / Steinway grand piano, Fender e-piano, Hohner clavinet, Moog & Logan String synths, keyboards, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, trombone, composer & arranger (excl. 4)
- Carles Benavent / bass, contrabass, acoustic guitar, percussion, percussive vocal effects
- Salvador Font / drums, marimba, gong, percussion, vocal effects
With:
- Aurora Amargós / castanets
- Lucky Guri / Steinway grand piano, Fender e-piano, Moog

1. "Agost" (6:54) the Return To Forever approach to Jazz-Rock Fusion is without doubt, but band members' foundations in and proclivity for classical music can neither be ignored. The virtuosity of these young musicians is at times jaw-dropping. The fact that they apparently have some kind of visceral need for frequent time and stylistic shifts has also been noted but it is still so striking to experience first-person. (13.5/15)

2. "Violeta" (8:20) a gentler, smoother, almost STEVIE WONDER approach in the opening minute of this soon reveals the band's "itch" with several sudden turns into very brief little quirky motifs: it's almost as if the band are acting partly from a collective attention deficit disorder and partly out of some kind of innate mischievousness though it could also come from a serious curiosity for the chaos and humor one can express through art. Perhaps it is a combination of these three traits that also drove artists like Frank Zappa, S(Z)amlas Mammas(z) Manna, Mr. Bungle, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and the like. An odd, at times humorous, at others annoying, song. (17.75/20)

3. "Vacas, Toros Y Toreros" (4:41) more quirk and circumcision--like a slightly more Latinized continuation of the previous song. Some of the melodies are like tongue-in-cheek pop riffs, others aborted and or "fake" forays into serious J-R Fusion. The whole time, however, I find myself smiling at all of the references being made (and being lampooned). Very interesting. At the same time, there is no doubt as to the skill and talent possessed (and expressed) by these musicians. (8.875/10)

4. "Font" (4:47) more musical ideas that seem to be purposefully making light of the seriousness of other people's music. The band is showing off their talents for imitation but in way that seems to show A) how stupidly easy these famous riffs and motifs are to make as well as B) how silly they are when put into other contextual fields or when contrasted with other equally classic riffs or phrases. I actually like this one. (9.125/10)

5. "Caramels De Mel" (5:24) opening with an edgy pseudo-cool, pseudo smooth jazz motif, the band then moves in and out of other equally-saccharine motifs. It's like listening to a Todd Rundgren album from the early 1970s knowing how NOT seriously he's taking himself with his music (whereas Frank Zappa, I think, took his music very seriously). Every note, every weave, every phrase just seems so tongue-in-cheek sarcastic! (9/10)

6. "El Vesubio Azul" (8:24) a piece that is a little less focused on exposing the perceived idiocy of others and, perhaps, more about expressing their own personal ideas for modernizing classical music--or for just expressing their own true musical ideas as a whole: I feel much less offended, embarrassed, or uncomfortable with the music coming out of this song than that coming out of the previous four songs. (17.5/20)

Total time 38:30

Such an unusual collection of music! I have to admit to feeling quite confused as how to respond to this album. Part of me is quite entertained by the band's irreverent poke at music in general (it would seem that NO artist or style is off limits from their jabs) as well as to their exceptional command of musical style and instrumental prowess, yet, at the same time, part of me is a bit put off by their unapologetic, almost cruel and nihilistic opinion of the artists they lambaste. I seriously wonder if there would be any fun to be had by hanging out with these always-critical, very cynical human beings or if any- and everyone in their circle of attention was equally subject to such unabated bullying. 

89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an extraordinary work of partly-satirical art that some will love and others might feel put off by. Highly recommended for your own personal experience.

MISSUS BEASTLY Space Guerilla (1978)

The boys of silliness are back--at least two of them (wind player Friedemann Josch and keyboard maestro Burkard Schmidl). Also, the band's number is down to a quartet as they have obviously gotten more comfortable with multi-tracking. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Friedemann Josch / wind
- Locko Richter / bass, violin
- Burkard Schmidl / keyboards, electric guitar, percussion, vocals
- Jan Zelinka / drums

1. "Space Guerilla" (10:48) a three-part suite in which the second movement is full of experimental keyboard work, while only the final super-fast, super-fun section is really high quality Jazz-Rock Fusion. (18/20)

2. "Guitar For Sale" (7:57) a murky, funky vehicle for some superb Al Di Meola/Jan Hammer-like guitar synth and/or synth play from keyboardist Burkard Schmidl (who is also providing the rich electric piano chords in the rhythm section beneath). My big question is: Is that really a guitar doing the soloing over the first three minutes or a synth mimicking a guitar?

      Great sound and mix with the bass and drums sticking right out there with Burky's axe-like keyboard. At 3:50 everybody dials down their volumes for a delicate passage over which flute, piano (Possibly a very nice electric piano--which would be unusual for 1978 but, knowing German ingenuity, could be possible), and tuned percussion solo (mostly piano), carrying forward the same descending chord progression from the first half. Great "guitar" soloing in the first half, solid Jarrett-like piano solo in the second half. Odd, though to have it expressed like this in a two-part song. (13.5/15)

3. "Rahsaan Roland Kirk" (2:50) obviously a tribute to recently-deceased Indiana-born American sax and flute player of the same name. Multiple tracks of layers of flutes imbedded with multiple tracks of percussive voicings. Interesting. (4.5/5)

4. "Fuzzy, Don't Go To The Disco" (3:21) like an étude in funk. Can a Jean-Luc Ponty violin play funk? Can Burkard adapt to the clavinet. Can flute and sax accents supplant a brass section? etc. (8.75/10)

5. "Hoffmannstropfen" (6:04) another very mathematical and stringently-constrained construct that sounds like a study/practice session in funk mastery. Though I'll give them props for going further than Thijs Van Lier's FOCUS ever went. (8.75/10)

6. "Cose Dola" (5:17) a song whose music shows the band approaching, almost encroaching upon the new style taking over Jazz-Rock Fusion: commercially-driven Smooth Jazz. Competent but rather dull. (8.666667/10)

7. "For Flü" (6:57) piano and flute playing some frantic melodies at first together, then harmonically, at break-neck speeds. Then synth (synth guitar?) takes the rhythm section along a more Eastern European direction before flute rejoins to mirror Burkard's breathtaking melody lines. A quiet section in the third minute is filled with only solo piano and sonorous kazoo-like vocalese before flute rejoins. The two speed up, insidiously, until 4:35 when the rest of the band (the rhythm section) rejoins to support the crazy-fast drive through the Carpathian Mountains. Burkard rejoins a synth in place of his piano to duke it out with Friedemann's flute. Very impressive performances from the two remaining holdovers from the band's two previous albums. (13.5/15)

8. "King Garlic" (6:40) piano, electric bass, and simple yet-solid drumming present a powerful presence despite still retaining a bit of the lounge musicians' sound. I'm very much reminded of ANNETTE PEACOCK's "Real and Defined Androgens" from her X Dreams albums from this same year: the sound and structure and chords and drumming are so similar! Did one borrow from the other? I'd like to know since Annette's song is definitely one of my favorite songs of hers (and Bill Bruford's). (9/10)

Total Time: 49:54

The engineering of the sound on this album definitely shows a new era and new attitudes toward high-end and compression. (I don't like it.) The drums and bass feel muted and dull while the keyboards are so bright. Also, I hear much more effort going into the musicians attempts to "master" American funk.

 89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of very solid Jazz-Rock Fusion. Highly recommended.

ALPHONSE MOUZON Mind Transplant (1975) 

Alphonse's breakthrough funk album that is often cited as his best work. What a coup to get not one, not two, but three amazing guitarists both reaching the prime of their careers in Tommy Bolin and Lee Ritenour and Jay Graydon!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Alphonse Mouzon / drums, ARP 2600 synth, Fender Rhodes (6), Farfisa organ, vocals, arranger & co-producer
With:
- Jay Graydon / guitar, ARP 2600 programming
- Tommy Bolin / guitar (solos 3,7,8)
- Lee Ritenour / guitar (solos 4-6)
- Jerry Peters / Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3 organ
- Henry Davis / bass

1. "Mind Transplant" (4:05) hard drivin' rock with a lot of funk reveals a side of Alphonse that I do not know! Impressive but issuing no memorable riffs, melodies, or solos to make it memorable. (8.75/10)

2. "Snow Bound" (3:05) another impressive rock-oriented album that kind of goes nowhere. (8.75/10)

3. "Carbon Dioxide" (4:38) great drumming beneath those rock guitar riffs from the very opening. When the musicians settle into a flowing groove at 0:45 Tommy Bolin gets to lead into the melody, but then there is a dramatic tempo shift around 1:30 that leads into a very-JEAN-LUC PONTY-sounding high-speed chase passage in which Tommy flies around the fretboard with the more-than-adequate support of second guitarist Jay Graydon. Jerry Peters's Hammond B3 gets the second solo but it's oddly mixed behind everyone else. (8.875/10)

4. "Ascorbic Acid" (3:26) impressive drum opening that leads into a song structure in which Alphonse's snare hits feel off-center, making for a kind of odd distraction throughout. On this song Lee Ritenour gets front billing while Jerry Peters plays some pretty awesome Fender Rhodes beneath. I really admire the incredible tightness of all of the musicians' performances. (8.875/10)

5. "Happiness Is Loving You" (4:09) a bit slower and more melody-oriented, it's another excellent twin-guitar exhibition--though Lee gets the credit as the guy with all the solos. Not a great song but it does have catchy melodies and some pretty great nuanced double-guitar work between Jay and Lee. (9/10)

6. "Some of the Things People Do" (3:40) vocal screams at the beginning let one know that we're in for a Afro-funk song that sounds very much like the recent music coming from EARTH WIND & FIRE (without the horns) or KOOL AND THE GANG and/or THE OHIO PLAYERS. Alphonse's singing voice is okay--he's got plenty of confidence and swag--it's just not a great pop song. (8.75/10)

7. "Golden Rainbows" (6:56) a spacey, cinematic song in the vein of the stuff JEFF BECK, THE ISLEY BROTHERS or NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN will be doing. Nice. (13.5/15)

8. "Nitroglycerin" (3:03) as the title indicates, this one is pretty explosive: more from Alphonse and bassist Henry Davis as much as from the twin guitarists and Jerry Peters. Sounds a lot like Jeff Beck's "Freeway Jam." (9.25/10)

Total Time: 33:06

An album that is most impressive for the dominance of its hard-rockin' lines and sounds to me more like the music that would be coming out of bands like RUFUS and

89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of hard-drivin' jazz-rock fusion.

GONG Shamal (1975)

Left stunned and reeling by the departures of Daevid Allen and Steve Hillage, the band fumbles around to try to reconfirm or redefine their identity.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Patrice Lemoine / pianos, organ, Minimoog synth
- Didier Malherbe / tenor & soprano saxophones, flutes & bansuri (bamboo flute), gong
- Mike Howlett / bass, vocals
- Pierre Moerlen / drums, vibraphone, tubular bells
- Mireille Bauer / marimba, glockenspiel, xylophone, assorted percussions & gong
With:
- Miquette Giraudy / vocals (3)
- Sandy Colley / vocals (6)
- Steve Hillage / acoustic & electric guitars (1,3)
- Jorge Pinchevsky / violin (2-4,6)
- Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) / producer

1. "Wingful of Eyes (6:20) bassist Mike Howlett tries to be the band's new Daevid Allen with his vocals and lyrics while the musicians beneath seem to be inextricably drawn to the Jazz-Rock Fusion that so many Canterbury bands and adventurous jazz performers were trying out. (8.875/10)

 
2. "Chandra" (7:18) man! Pierre Moerlen sounds like a A1 jazz fusion drummer! The quirk is still present in the sax, electric violin, and synths, but the rest of the the instrumentalists are definitely grooving in a J-R F way. Quite like how Brand X will sound when they debut next year. At 4:23 Mike Howlett suddenly enters singing in the band's usual style of lyrics based upon double-entendres and plays on words. I don't really like how the song just gradually deconstructs and then fades out, otherwise this is a J-R F winner. (13.5/15)

3. "Bambooji" (5:13) music that is fully-intended to present as some kind of quasi-Asian--at least for the first two minutes as bamboo flute (bansuri), xylophone, marimba, plucked violin, and other Asian-sounding percussion instruments blend together to present some semi-Asian-sounding melodies entrapped within the quasi-Asian sounds of a strings and percussion ensemble. A fair to middling representation. (8.6667/10)

4. "Cat in Clark's Shoes" (7:43) a syncopated circle weave of jazz-rock music which goes stop 'n' go ZAPPA-klezmer in the fourth minute, bluegrass jamboree for the fifth, then a weird kind of blend of these and other New Orleans-type stuff for the sixth and old-time Roaring Twenties for the seventh before returning to a horn-supported funk for the final 30 seconds. Weird and unattractive despite the admirably flexible instrumental performances. (13/15)

5. "Mandrake" (5:04) this one opens with a slow but steady exercise in mathematical teamwork before finally spreading out and hitting a third gear forward speed at 2:17. Multiple tuned percussion instruments are the main conveyors of both of the song's two motifs with Didier Malherbe's weirdly-processed (muted?) soprano saxophone pepping things up in the middle. (8.75/10) 

6. "Shamal" (9:00) again Mike's bass, Pierre's drumming, and Patrice Lemoine's bumpin' Fender Rhodes provide the foundations for some excellent J-R F funk over which Didier Malherbe's reverbed tenor sax plays some appropriately soul-ful melodies. Singing that previews 1980s Talking Heads, Human League, and Tom Tom Club enter with Mireille Bauer's vibraphone. Sax returns to the lead in the funky sixth minute as Mireille switches to tubular bells and vibes. Jorge Pichevsky's heavily-wah- and -flanged  electric violin joins in with the next round of choir chant vocals. I have to say that everybody really clicks and steps up for this one; it's easily the best song on the album. (18.5/20)    

Total Time: 40:01

89.11 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-fusion heading hippy music. Recommended to all lovers of the jazzy direction taken by most of the 1970s Canterbury bands.

Michał URBANIAK Fusion (1974)

The prolific artist from Poland gets Columbia Records to re-release this studio LP from the previous year. It is a collection of songs that was recorded in June of 1973, in Europe, three months before Michał and wife Urszula Dudziak moved to New York City where they were to establish permanent residency. It was released in Europe in 1973, with the same song order and recording versions, under the title "Michał Urbaniak Constellation Super Constellation." In order to give proprietorship and title to this new version CBS had Michał record one additional song in the US using American musicians. This was the song "Fusion," which would become the title of the "new" album as well as one of the side-monikers Columbia would use for the Jazz-Rock Fusion project they had in mind for Michał over the next couple of years. (Unfortunately, the label would only continue their contract with Michał for three albums: this one, 1974's Atma, and 1975's Fusion III, three albums that are usually considered his peak contributions to the Jazz-Rock Fusion lexicon.)

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Urbaniak / Electric violin, violectra, soprano sax
- Urszula Dudziak / Voice, percussion
- Adam Makowicz / Keyboards
- Wojciech Karolak / Hammond organ, Farfisa
- Czesław Bartkowski / Drums, Paiste cymbals

A1. "Good Times, Bad Times" (5:13) potent hard-driving bass, drums, and keys (organ, clavinet, and Fender Rhodes) support the smooth violin play of Mr. Urbaniak as well as the treated Northettes style vocalese of Ula Dudziak. Ula is most aggressive when she's off on her own, but she is "reigned in" for most of the song by running the same melody lines alongside her husband's violin or the right hand of Wojciech Karolak's organ. Strong, demanding composition. Great performance from drummer Czesław Bartkowski. (9/10)

A2. "Bahamian Harvest" (7:14) opens with a long Billy Cobham-like syncopated drum line over/within which Urlszula performs some GILLI SMYTH like pixie/faerie mischief. Multiple bass lines, coming from organ and Fender, help the two keyboardists drive the song forward so that Michał can get the most out of his electric violin and violectra (a Barcus Berry-electrified baritone violin). The second half of this song--the violin-dominated half--is the part of the song presents to the world the Jean-Luc Ponty "cruising" sound that would become the signature Jean-Luc Ponty sound even before Jean-Luc Ponty ever heard or conceived of it. (13.25/15)

A3. "Impromptu" (3:25) percussion instruments and loose Fender Rhodes support Michał's slow and pensive violin play (on two violins in two different tracks). Organ and other heavily-treated electronic keyboard sounds provide a kind of bubbling effect to go with the Fender and percussion sounds. (8.75/10)

A4. "Seresta" (6:06) an upbeat, cheery tune of electro-funk that presents Ula and Michał's instruments in an early version of what would become the Third pre-Fourth Wave Smooth Jazz that Brian Auger had already been pioneering and that Jean-Luc Ponty, Larry Young, and others would soon become fully entrenched in. Very cool, innovative percussion sounds being used here by both Czesław and Urszula. The big lead instruments are not only Michał and Ula but Wojciech Karolak's organ. Very new and fresh overall sound palette. (9.125/10)

B1. "Fusion" (2:55) chorused electric guitar arpeggi and congas open this one before bass, organ, clavinet and Fender Rhodes join in with Ula's vocal scat lines performing the lead melody along side her husband's electric violin and a Moog-y synth. (I'd love to know exactly who the "American musicians" Columbia employed to create this song with the Urbaniaks.) Sounds very much like some of those early GONG songs only with much richer and fuller sound engineering. (9/10)

B2. "Deep Mountain" (6:34) organ chord, introductory drum rolls, long-held bass and flanging violin notes behind which Ula's pretty voice soars like a smooth-flying raptor--all this lasting almost a minute and a half before Czesław and the keyboardists launch into the medium-paced funky track that they're going to play beneath Michał's wah-wah/flange-effected electric violin. Ula's duplication of the synth (or heavily-treated violin)'s main melody line is remarkable--and so charming. CBS most definitely must have had an idea of what they wanted from Urszula cuz she never ever gets as wild and crazy as she used to on the band's earlier albums; her singing lines are very smooth and supportive, often mixed well into the background (though mixed very clearly)--angelic like the three voices of Hatfield And The North's Northettes--rarely used as a lead instrument and never mixed out in the front. (I feel bad for her!) Adam Makowicz gets the next solo after Michał with his "dirty" Fender Rhodes. Very smooth, engaging, and well-performed. While I love the Northettes-like vocalizations asked of Urszula, I can't help but feel sorry for her being so much more reigned in than usual. (9/10)

B3. "Bengal" (13:51) Shakti-Shankar-like plaintive violin opens this one as frenetic Fender Rhodes, African-like percussion, organ, and drumming elements play wildly around in the background, beneath the increasingly effected-disrupted violin sounds. After more than two minutes the music smooths out from beneath with drums, bass, and percussion settling into fairly straightforward jazz play (while the "distant" Fender and Wulitzer organ continue their frenzied play). Ula is given free reign aand front billing for the fifth minute--and she does not disappoint with her Flora Purim-like scatting of a wide variety of African jungle noises. Drummer Czesław Bartkowski really shines throughout this entire song with his constantly creative rhythms and fills. Michal, of course, takes a few of the solo segments though there is a very interesting/entertaining passage in the tenth minute when two keyboardists (two channels of Adam Makozicz?) seem to both take on the frenzied, frantic lizard/instect style of their vocalist and violinist leader (all the while with Czesław Bartkowski absolutely killing it beneath them). While this song stands out for many people for many reasons, I find it less cohesive and less enjoyable than the previous three songs. It's too loose and spacey like something from Bitches Brew (an album I've never particularly enjoyed). Impressive performances and ideas brought to life, to be sure, but just not as enjoyable to listen, groove, or dance to as some of Michał's other stuff. (26.5/30)

Total time: 45:14

I happen to agree with many reviewers that Side Two of this album is superior to the music and songs of Side One. Another aspect of this album that renders it so essential as a representative of peak Jazz-Rock Fusion is the advanced sound recording and engineering techniques: it's so clear and clean, mixed with such excellent definition, despite the use of many effects on almost all of the individual mics and instruments. 

89.08 B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of genre-defining Jazz-Rock Fusion music. Though this is not my favorite Michal Urbaniak album, the band is definitely back on track after the disturbingly substandard Inactin. 

ALPHONSO JOHNSON Moonshadows (1976)

Long-time WEATHER REPORT bass player, this was Alphonso's debut studio album as a band leader after being replaced/pushed out of his former band by Jaco Pastorius. An album produced and shaped by Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Narada Michael Walden--which means there will be many more infusions of pop and rock elements as well as a tendency to want to tell stories with each song.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Alphonso Johnson / bass, vocals, Chapman Stick

With:

- Narada Michael Walden / drums, keyboards, Producer, co-composer (8)
- Dawilli Gonga / keyboards, vocals

- Alejandro Acuna / percussion

And:

- Lee Ritenour / guitar (1, 3, 5-8)

- Bennie Maupin / reeds (1, 4, 6)

- Flora Purim / vocals (2, 5, 6, 8), co-composer (6)

- Airto Moreira / percussion (2, 5, 6)

- Gary Bartz / soprano saxophone (2)

- Chris Bond / guitar (3)
- David Amaro / guitar (3)
- Alphonse Mouzon / keyboards (Orchestron voice choir) (4)
- Blackbird McKnight / guitar (5)

- Patrice Rushen / keyboards (5)

- Ndugu Leon Chancler / drums (5)
- Ian Underwood / keyboards, synthesizer, programming (5, 6)

1. "Stump" (4:19) funk with a happy, upbeat, pop-orientation. (8.75/10)

2. "Involuntary Bliss" (6:08) pretty, fey-like music with some lotus garden like soundfeel noises and gentle chord play for the first 2:45, then the band changes lanes and picks up the speed in order to enter the real world and compete with the blind consumers cluelessly choosing that way of life. At 4:15 the acolyte gives up and returns, exhausted, to the lotus world where she tries to recover and recuperate. A very interesting Narada Michael Walden-like song. (8.875/10)

3. "Cosmoba Place" (6:18) definitely a very visual/cinematic multi-part song. Narada Michael Walden's drums are given a very different treatment here--slightly flanged or reverbed, I'm not sure what, but I like it! The song set up is part RTF part GENESIS and the bass play and Chris Bond's lead guitar work (similarly effected) are awesome. (8.75/10)

4. "Pandora's Box" (2:10) a gentle Alphonso Johnson composition that feels like a sonic and textural étude--projecting what angel music might sound like. (4.5/5)

5. "Up from the Cellar" (5:41) despite the dramatic and heavy opening wave, this song quickly establishes as a quirky funky early-Disco tune with lots of elements that will be further developed as the Disco and House music genres take root and blossom. Right now it's like a cross between The OHIO PLAYERS and EARTH, WIND AND FIRE or early Kool & The Gang. The wordless vocals are nice but it's Blackbyrd McKnight's rhythm guitar and Patrice Rushen's clavinet work that are the two instruments that really attract my attention. (8.875/10)

6. "Amarteifio" (4:48) beach waves and seagull song give this mellow opening a Lenny White Venusian Summer feel. The gentle play of Alphonso's double bass, Bennie Maupin's "distant" lyricon, Alex Acuña and Airto Moreiri's gently hypnotic percussion, the delicate picking of both acoustic and electric guitars, coupled with co-composer Flora Purim's gorgeous voice and bucolic words, as well as Dawilli Gonga's piano and keys and Ian Underwood's ARP 2600 synthesizer all work perfectly together to make this by far and away my favorite song on the album. (9.25/10)

7. "On the Case" (6:23) Alphonso tries to hook us in with a rather extended opening repetition of his bass riff but I find it kind of boring and not very melodic. It's his solo play during the fully established song that really impresses: yes, this guy's good! Nice drumming from Narada Michael Walden and electric piano work from Dawilly Gonga. Alphonoso's "electric guitar" [ChapmanStick] solo preceding that of Lee Ritenour is fresh and inventive. I'm not sure I like the carbon copy of the main song base being taken from Jeff Beck's "Freeway Jam" but here we are. (8.875/10)

8. "Unto Thine Own Self Be True" (5:14) this Narada Michael Walden composition's bombastic opening makes me think that I'm going to be hearing something from JOURNEY or FLEETWOOD MAC, but then it evolves into something different with Moog and harpsichord and piccolo bass and MiniMoog lead play, but there is a wave-like flow to the song, overall, that feels very Michael Walden-esque. (8.875/10)

Total Time 41:01

Pleasant and melodically pleasing as all Narada Michael Walden music is there is a certain flow and feel to it that is rather predictable and, thus, becomes familiar, even dull, to the listener despite all of Narada's sincere attempts to reach for music that stimulates a higher thinking and functioning for the human animal.

89.0 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent adventure in Third Phase Jazz-Rock Fusion from one of prog/fusion's premier bassists. 

Other Great Albums: 

GONG Expresso II (1978)

Gong's third studio album since the departures of Daevid Allen and Steve Hillage, first since the loss of Mike Howlett and Didier Malherbe. The band's full commitment to Jazz-Rock Fusion is a sign of (and tribute to) the firm leadership of Pierre Moerlen. And, for all you percussion lovers, Mireille is back! And Curved Air's Darryl Way and the ghost-like presence of Allan Holdsworth are in.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Hansford Rowe / bass, rhythm guitar (2)
- Mireille Bauer / marimba (1,2,5), vibraphone (3,4)
- Benoît Moerlen / vibes (1-6), xylophone & tubular bells (6), glockenspiel & claves (6), marimba & percussion (3)
- Pierre Moerlen / drums, glockenspiel & vibes (1), xylophone (2), tubular bells & timpani (5)
With:
- Allan Holdsworth / rhythm (1) & lead (3,4, 6) guitars
- Mick Taylor / lead guitar (1)
- Bon Lozaga / lead (2) & rhythm (3) guitars
- Darryl Way / violin (3,5)
- Francois Causse / congas (2-5)

1. "Heavy Tune" (6:22) a dull and plodding song that seems to exhibit an over-arching malaise or fatigue from the band (though more from the guitarists (including Allan Holdsworth) and bass guitarist Hansford Rowe, but even Pierre's drum playing seems lackluster and uninspired--leaving all his energy for his vibraphone play. Stupid KISS-like rock chord progression propelled by the rhythm guitarists' "power" chords. What a sad opening. (8.66667/10)

  
2. "Golden Dilemma" (4:51) maybe now they've awakened! But the main rhythm track/motif is still so bland/quitidian and rock-like--with a "Take Five"/"Living in the Past" sound and feel to it. Nice play from the tuned percussionists. (8.875/10)

3. "Sleepy" (7:17) opening with a peaceful yet mesmerizing arpeggio pattern on the vibraphone, Benoît Moerlen is soon joined by Mireille Bauer, also on vibes, then brother Pierre on the drum kit and Hansford Rowe's bass to create a very engaging weave. Allan Holdsworth and then Darryl Way take the first two solo spots on the electric guitar and electic violin, respectively. At 3:30 their is a switch in the baseline vibraphone weave over which Hansford's wah-wah-ed bass solos for nearly a minute. The drums rejoin at 4:45, cushioning the entrance of Darryl Way for a searing albeit brief solo before the rhythmatists again take control, amping up the tuned percussion weave before Hansford's bass redirects once again into a funkier, more straightforward repeating pattern--which serves the song until it's long fadeout end. Decent! (13.5/15)

4. "Soli" (7:37) another pleasant and engaging JEAN-LUC PONTY-like melodic weave opens this one over which Allan Holdsworth solos briefly as if from behind the stage. The two-person vibraphone rhythm section shifts to a quicker, faster-paced weave while Hansford Rowe provides a rather beautiful bass solo. In the third minute the music straightens out again so that both Benoît Moerlen and Mireille Bauer can solo on their vibes. The fifth minute is Holdsworth's. Over the same high-energy fast-paced motif he seems uninspired, unenthusiastic, or lost for the first 30 seconds, then he finally gets it: that it's his turn. His soloing finally begins to live up to the reputation he's been building for the past ten years: unusual melodies, furious runs, angular note choices. The whole band seem to get involved in carrying the melody forward during the last 50 seconds. Really nice finish. (13.375/15)

5. "Boring" (6:23) a simple, almost Orffian percussion weave is presented by the marimba and vibes while bass, violin, and tubular bells take turns rising into the spotlight. The most interesting thing on this song is the wonderful interplay between Hansford Rowe's chunky-fuzzy fretless bass and Darryl Way's violin. I also like the prominent role that François Causse's congas play in the mix. A top three song for me. (9/10)

6. "Three Blind Mice" (4:47) two vibe arpeggi repeated a few times opens this one before the rest of the band kicks in with a nicely energetic motif. The entrance of Allan Holdsworth distinctive guitar seems to signal a slow down and slight simplification for the rest of the band as Benoît and Mireille settle into a fairly simple four-chord pattern. Once Allan has finished (and left the building) the percussionists carry the song, kind of a weird song for the sudden disappearance of Mr. Holdsworth ("Allan has left the building"!). The two thirds of the song that was left to the rhythm section might be a sign of things to come. Not a bad song, just . . . pointless . . . like a practice jam. (8.875/10)

Total Time 37:17

A far-inferior album to their previous effort, Gazeuse!, the band seems to have lost their way--or at least band leader Pierre Moerlen. Yes, I have to say it: I find Pierre's performances throughout this album to be quite lackluster and unimpressive. On Gazeuse! I felt that his playing suddenly vaulted him into the conversation of greatest J-R Fuse drummers of the 1970s. Not anymore. I probably doesn't help that his drums were recorded the most poorly of any of the instruments: muddied and buried in the mix. Bad engineering! All of these disappointing elements lead me to wonder: Could it be that the loss of bass player Mike Howlett was more devastating to the band's core spirit than those of Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth, and Steve Hillage? Not that Mike's replacement, Hansford Rowe is bad--he's not--it's just that the Moerlen brothers seem less inspired. Or, maybe it's the absence/loss of Didier Malherbe? Such a fun yet-calming presence. (Perhaps it's actually the dynamic between they and former-lover Mireille Bauer; we all know from the past two albums what a high her presence infused into the band.) 

88.99 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a very nice if somewhat disjointed representation of the more-mature form of GONG yet somehow disappointing when coming off of the highs of their previous album. Still, highly recommended.

CASIOPEA Casiopea (1979)

The debut album from this excellent Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion band from Japan.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Issei Noro / Yamaha SG2000 electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals (7)
- Minoru Mukaiya / Fender Rhodes piano, acoustic piano, synthesizers, Yamaha Electone electronic organ, vibraphone
- Tetsuo Sakurai / Fender Jazz Bass bass guitar
- Takashi Sasaki / drums
With:
- Randy Brecker / trumpet (1, 8)
- Michael Brecker / tenor saxophone (1-2, 8)
- David Sanborn / alto saxophone (1, 8)
- Masatoshi Maeda / strings

1. "Time Limit" (3:07) man! what a bass player! Tetsuo Sakurai can play! Not a big fan of the David Sanborn horn section though. Still, it's good enough to earn its place as one of my top three favorites on the album. (9/10)

2. "Tears of the Star" (4:32) sexy, sultry Smooth Jazz. On this song it's the acoustic guitarist, Minoru Mukaiya, that gets to shine (though Tetsuo also gets to wow us some more). The synth chord sound and progressions in the second half are so saccharine, leading into a whole melodramatic passage for the finish. Would have been great on General Hospital to go along with the Luke and Laura melodrama going on at the time. (8.875/10)

3. "Space Road" (5:14) opens as an exercise in a certain chord progression by the bass and electric piano before the drummer (Takashi Saski) takes off in another direction at a whole different speed--leading the electric guitarist with him before convincing the bassist to follow as well. Very interesting! Ends up feelin and sounding more like something from Jean-Luc Ponty's dynamic lineup of the same time period. Excellent stuff! Defintely my favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

4. "Midnight Rendezvous" (5:20) expressing the usual high standard of musicianship, it's just that the music doesn't really excite or bring me in. (8.75/10)

5. "Far Away" (3:55) more akin to something by The Crusaders, Bob JAMES, or even Barry White's LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA. It's very pretty but approaching golf theme or even elevator music. I do love the Joe SAMPLE-like piano work. (8.6666667/10)

6. "Swallow" (4:24) another song that sounds like one of the USA's West Coast jazz collaborations--like Tom Scott, Lee Ritenour, Dave Gruisin, or the like. Nice synth solo in the second minute, electric guitar in the third, and, of course, excellent (even astonishing) bass play. Got to give this one high marks despite its shlocky main melody and overall sound palette. A top three song. (9/10)

7. "Dream Hill" (5:39) EARTH WIND AND FIRE pop funk?! With even background vocals. Not what I was ever expecting! Guitar leads the melody parade before vocal choir joins in. (8.5/10)

8. "Black Joke" (4:17) jazz-funk that feels and sounds like 1980 with THE CRUSADERS, LARRY CARLTON/LEE RITENOUR, GEORGE BENSON, or DAVID SANBORN (which is more than a coincidence since David performs on this song). Beautiful and impressive but so dated. (8.75/10)

Total Time 36:28

This music is so pretty, so upbeat and happy, and so refined and virtuosic that it can only be Third Wave j-r fusion.

88.80 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent album of melodic and funky Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion from Japan. Highly recommended for any prog rock lover in order to experience the work of these skillful (and soulful) musicians!

AERA Hand und Fuss (1977)

A German Fusion band from Nürmberg that was led by guitarist Muck Groh. They were active from 1975 to 1983.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Klaus Kreuzeber / Soprano alt-sax & flute
- Peter Malinowski / bass
- Christoph Krieger / violin
- Lucky Schmidt / drums (vocal)
- Muck Groh / guitar, vocals (7)
- Als Gast Onkel Latzi / Bariton-saxophone & oboe (7)

Side 1
1. "Mechelwind" (9:24) some American Southern rock-influenced themes and sounds with some very rock-like drumming, bass, and guitar playing. (Much of this song reminds me of American bands like THE OUTLAWS, DIXIE DREGS, early JEAN-LUC PONTY and perhaps Molly Hatchet and even a little bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd). Several impressively-sophisticated weaves back some nice rock-oriented solos. (18/20)

 
2. "Alabaster Keaton" (3:06) using variations on fairly familiar jazz melodies (from the flutes and acoustic guitar) the band presents a piece that sounds like some of the more folk-classical explorations of FOCUS. (8.875/10)

3. "Wrdlbrmfd" (5:33) a piece that has a more modern discordant edge to it (not unlike VAN DER GRAAF GENERATIOR while also preparing us for bands like SEVEN IMPALE). Once the initial weave has been beaten to death, the band shifts into a more relaxed though still-mathematical motif within which saxes, violin and guitar get to take some turns doing some soloing (but how boring for the rhythm section of bass, drums, and rhythm guitar). A good song but nothing to write home about. (8.75/10)

Side 2
4. "Elephen Elephants" (8:40) a little attempt at some JTULL both rhythmically and sound palette wise. This becomes especially evident when the flute and saxes become the lead instruments. There is also a bit of KCRIMSON feel to parts of this as well as a tastefully done (and well-recorded), extended, multi-part drum solo in the middle. When the band is allowed to rejoin it is through the heavily-effected ministrations of a picked electric guitar followed by some very pretty and enjoyable saxophone playing. Christoph Kreiger's echoed electric violin gets the next solo before the band uses a couple of sequences of slowly-ascending arpeggiated chords to close down the song. (17.5/20)

5. "Herbstzeitlos" (2:27) what opens like a mathematical exercise--and étude--ends up supplying enough grist for some melody making over the top. It's actually a decent little song! (9/10)

6. "Ad Absurdum" (5:06) this is a song that seems to indicate that the band needed to get a little Frank Zappa-like parody out of their system--here making fun of some of the musics used in American westerns or even some of the old Country & Western musics. The skills are obviously all here, I just don't find the humor of FZ-like parodies particularly entertaining (they're usually quite inane and dehumanizing). (8.75/10) 

7. "Kamele On" (5:35) using a blues bass and drum rhythm track as foundation material, the guitarist band leader finally lets himself loose. The Allman Brothers-like guitar work is quite impressive; too bad the music supporting him from beneath gets a little stale. But then there is a switch at 3:30 into a new motif that is more mathematical but then they switch back to the first rhythm motif for an Spanish-Arabian take on the opening. I like it! (8.875/10)
 
Total Time: 39:48

An album of diverse and highly creative and mature compositions that are not as guitar-centric as one might expect having a guitarist for their leader and main composer. As a matter of fact, I commend Muck on the way his compositions get the entire band involved. While this shows little or no tendencies toward following the rising tide of melodic Smooth Jazz, there is a rockishness that seems to be pulling them away from the true J-R Fusion movement.

88.61 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent album to add to any prog lover with a proclivity for creative "Third Wave," pre-Smooth/Easy Listening jazz-rock fusion. 

MATRIX Tale of the Whale (1979)

Definitely Jazz-Rock Fusion of the Third or early "Smooth Jazz" Wave from this band from Appleton, Wisconsin's Lawrence University.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Harmon / piano, composition, soloist
- Peter "Herb" Butler / engineer, co-producer
- John Kirchberger / tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, soloist, alto flute
- Randy Tico / bass, soloist, electric bass
- Mike Hale / composition, soloist, trumpet, percussion
- Greg Zajack / photography
- Brad McDougall / bass trombone, percussion, soloist
- Larry Darling / soloist, trumpet, percussion
- Patrick Soo Hoo/Designers / design
- Andy Waterman / engineer
- John Simon / producer
- Jeff Pietrangelo / soloist, trumpet

- Michael Murphy / drums

1. "The Fly" (4:04) pseudo-funk that sounds like it came from a high school "big" band/orchestra--recorded in their own gymnasium. (8.75/10)

2. "Tale Of The Whale" (10:35) sounds like someone crossed an exaggerated Eberhard Weber bass with some VANGELIS music in an effort to try to replicate whale music in the ocean. Not quite Paul Winter Consort, but close. Around the fourth minute the band tries to go full PAUL WINTER Consort with a WEATHER REPORT rhythm section. Very catchy and engaging. The bass player, Randy Tico, is very good: very melodic. Too bad the opening four minutes wasn't so corny. (17.75/20)

3. "Homage" (3:38) (bass) trombone soloing over piano, fretless bass, and drummer's mostly-cymbal play. A bit of an early Pat Metheny vibe to this. Horn section takes over in the third minute for a crescendo before settling in for a gentle let down to finish. (8.75/10)

4. "Galadriel" (7:04) cinematic VANGELIS-like soundtrack music over which Randy Tico solos on his fretless bass. Horn section and drums kick in around the one-minute mark giving it a Broadway musical sound and feel. Piano solo that follows is very easy listening lounge music. It's a nice song--but definitely more elevator/Adult Contemporary music than hard-drivin' or funk J-R F. (13.125/15)

5. "Nessim" (4:57) definitely some late night street creepin' cinematic stuff. Randy Tico's fretless bass is once again in the driver's seat though the chatter of the horns in the back seat and toms of the road noise certainly play a role. Then we get the input of the choral male vocalists singing wordless "Aaah"s. Dreamy and somnambulistic--and perhaps a little too repetitive and, therefore, monotonous. (8.66667/10)

6. "Narouz" (7:40) opens with the enticing promise of SHAKTI's "Mind Ecology" before muted trumpet and chorale vocalese takes on a. When the band settles into its full form, it is over a near-Latin rhythm track of a single speedy fretless bass riff, fast drum pace, and Herbie Hancock-like Fender Rhodes support. Bridge into refresh over which Larry Darling's trumpet lashes out with the Fender Rhodes just beneath. At 2:45 there is a slow down for a solo from John Harmon on his electric piano. The band gradually--almost imperceptibly--rejoins and pushes John farther. Michael Murphy's drums are quite impressive. This is definitely the most vibrant, dynamic, and true example of Jazz-Rock Fusion on the album--maybe the only exemplary example. (13.75/15)

Total Time 37:58

A mixed bag of wide-spectrum samples of Jazz-Rock Fusion styles--from Latin, funk, cinematic, New Age, Smooth, and "big band," there's a lot of J-R Fuse's history represented here.  

 88.49 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent eclectic sampler of many styles of Jazz-Rock Fusion with some very clean sound and very tight performances. Recommended!

AL DI MEOLA Elegant Gypsy (1977)

Guitar master Al Di Meola's sophomore release as a band leader and his most highly-acclaimed album of all-time.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Al DiMeola / electric 6- & 12-string and acoustic guitars, ARP synthesizer (2), ARP String Ensemble & piano (6), castanets & maracas (2), timbales (4), producer & arranger
With:
- Paco De Lucia / acoustic guitar (3-second solo)
- Jan Hammer / electric piano & Mini Moog (1,6)
- Barry Miles / electric & acoustic pianos, Mini Moog (4)
- Anthony Jackson / bass guitar
- Steve Gadd / drums (1,6)
- Lenny White / drums (2,4), timbales (2)
- Mingo Lewis / percussions, congas (2,4,6), shakers, timbales, cowbell, organ & background synthesizers (1), ARP Odyssey & ARP sequencer (1)

1. "Flight Over Rio" (7:16) a song whose first 90-seconds always felt to me as if the band were being forced to play through a blizzard; it feels almost artificially slowed down! By contrast the second motif that starts at 1:38 is more humanly paced--enough so that Al is able to show his seemingly-superhuman powers and prowess on his axe. Hearing this song brings to light the fact that I"ve never really liked the sounds projected from the MiniMoog: I guess they're just a little too unnatural for my tastes. (This also makes reminds me of the fact that I've never been much of a fan of Jan Hammer--ever.) Weird song. (13/15)

2. "Midnight Tango" (7:28) a murkily-engineered song that always felt to me as if Al was pandering to the new wave of radio- and adult-friendly Smooth Jazz audiences. It's nice as elevator music. it's not until the first riff of Al's fiery electric guitar leap out from the dross of everything behind it at 4:15 that I finally find myself sitting up with any kind of hope. Alas! That one little riff, as magnificent as it is, is not enough to save the song--even when played over and over … and over and over. Nor is the oddly-tacked on Latin percussion party at the end. (13.125/15)

3. "Mediterranean Sundance" (5:14) the world's introduction to the fiery genius of Flamenco master Pace De Lucia. What an extraordinary piece! (So which one of The Trio is passion, which one fire, and which one grace?) If I have one complaint of this song it's of its length: a have always felt that it's too long, that the novelty of these guys flying around their fretboards in their friendly duel is just a bit overwhelming. (9.5/10)

4. "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway" (6:18) a song that takes an unnecessarily long time to develop and reach its form and ease. (3:18, to be exact.) Nice instrumental skills on display but, to my mind, that is not reason enough for a "song" like this to exist. All flash and glitz, no guts or beauty. (8.666667/10)

5. "Lady Of Rome, Sister Of Brazil" (1:46) acoustic guitars (12-string and steel-string) in duet. I've always had quite a soft spot for this little one. (4.75/5)

6. "Elegant Gypsy Suite" (9:16) an interesting mix of acoustic instruments (guitars and percussion) and electric. Once again Steve Gadd is relegated to things I consider far beneath him--at least until 90-second mark. Does anyone else out there find Anthony Jackson's "tone-destabled" bass sound annoying? Al is extraordinary no matter what he's doing but I'm never convinced that any of the other musicians or sounds are right for this. As a matter of fact, I can't help wondering if Al's solos alone wouldn't be enough to carry an audience into heaven. More mosquito-annoying MiniMoog to take us into another super-slowly developing motif (one filled with Latin charm and gorgeously seductive melody--if only he'd stay there!) A song"suite" that never really seems to reach its potential. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 37:18

By the time I heard this album I'd already been familiar with Carlos SANTANA, John McLAUGHLIN, and RETURN TO FOREVER, so I was primed for some amazing guitar pyrotechnics--which this album (and Al's predecessor, his solo debut) more than provided. While many people here on PA revere the work in the 1970s of keyboard wizard Jan HAMMER, I've never really been drawn in by his playing, his choice of sounds or his compositions, so this album loses a little on me when I can compare it to Al's contributions to RTF (which had Chick COREA, Stanley CLARKE and Lenny WHITE), Lenny WHITE (which had Onaje Alan GUMBS), or Stomu YAMASH'TA's GO (which had Steve WINWOOD and Klaus SCHULZE). The acoustic guitar duet with Paco DE LUCIA, "Mediterranean Sundance" (5:14) has always been a favorite of mine, and "Elegant Gypsy Suite" is impressive no matter how you look at it. The other songs are impressive compositions, technically amazing and performed at the highest level but have lost some of their lustre over the years. "Midnight Tango" is elegant and beautiful but seems a bit simple and immature now. It is, however, brought up a notch by Lenny's wonderful drum play. The album is very well recorded, mixed and engineered though at times it feels a bit sterile (and others murky), but it is undoubtedly a wonderful representative of a (then) young genius showing his precocious talents.

I'm going to buck tradition here and claim my undying allegiance to Al's debut album over this one: despite Al's prodigious and unarguable talent, the music here just feels too showy, too scattered and afraid to commit to anything much less reach for its true potential.

88.39 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent j-r fuse album for any prog lover's music collection but more to serve as a showpiece, not for the enjoyable musical listening experience.

JOHN McLAUGHLIN Electric Dreams (1979)

Even the Mahavishnu has to take a turn exploring the smoother side of the genre that he helped to create.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John McLaughlin / electric guitar, 6- & 12- & 13-string acoustic guitars, banjo
- L. Shankar / acoustic & electric violins
- Stu Goldberg / electric piano, Moog synthesizer with Steiner-Parker modifications, Prophet synthesizer, Hammond organ
- Fernando Sanders / Fender bass, acoustic bass, vocals (5)
- Tony Smith / drums, vocals
- Alyrio Lima / percussion, amplified Chinese cymbals
- David Sanborn / alto saxophone (8)

1. "Guardian Angels" (0:52) John with multiple tracks of acoustic guitar: some in rhythm support roll, some in that of lead soloist. (4.25/5)

2. "Miles Davis" (4:54) (8.75/10)
3. "Electric Dreams, Electric Sighs" (6:27) the Mahavishnu plays banjo?!!! John's attempt to forge/force the East into Western music? Shankar is as amazing as ever but doesn't really fit as well as (8.75/10)

4. "Desire and the Comforter" (7:35) excellent once John's jazz guitar is soloing. (13.5/15)

5. "Love and Understanding" (6:39) I know it had been frustratingly difficult for John to get back together with his original SHAKTI collaborator Shankar since the 1977 recording sessions of Natural Elements, so I'm sure this Shakti-sounding opening with Shankar is a bit of a concessionary homage to that fact, but then the song tries to go SANTANA Love Devotion Surrender with some mellow group vocals. (At least these vocals sound better arranged and rehearsed--more professional.) But the odd Smooth Jazz rhythm track of very simple drums, bass, and bouncing electric piano are so much more Narada Michael Walden-like than Mahavishnu. Aside from the Shakti opening, this is just a sadly disappointing song. (8.75/10) 

6. "Singing Earth" (0:38) electro-synth play. (4.25/5)

7. "The Dark Prince" (5:17) retrieving old memories of Emergecy! and Bitches Brew, we have a jaunt into the past with this much more dynamic expression of old jazz updated with 10-year newer instrumental sound. The construct and foundational melodies sound so very much from the two afore-mentioned albums! Nice performances all around. Just wish it were a "newer" composition. (8.875/10)

8. "The Unknown Dissident" (6:18) tender-point ROY BUCHANAN-like blues guitar soloing over modern palette blues with fretless bass from Fernando Sanders and the distinctive sonorous sax of David Sanborn. Over the course of its six minutes it settles into the listener's bones like this year's wine. (8.875/10)

Total Time 38:40

Aside from that of the Mahavishnu, the work of Stu Goldberg and Fernando Sanders are very much noted and appreciated.

88.0 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid J-R fusion LP representative of its time as well as of JMac's history and diversity, as well as of his willingness to grow and experiment.

BRUFORD One of a Kind (1979) 

Bill Bruford's continued excursion into the burgeoning and exciting world of electrified percussion using a jazzier prog medium--and a band of incredibly technically accomplished musicians. You would be hard-pressed to put together a band of more proficient instrumentalists than bassist Jeff BERLIN, keyboard wizard Dave STEWART, guitar genius Allan HOLDSWORTH and, of course, drummer unparalleled, Bill Bruford. Gone is mysterious chanteuse Annette PEACOCK (whose talents I actually love) and gone, too, are any attempts at songs with vocals. This is an experimental jazz fusion album, no longer representative of the Canterbury style of musical exploration. Accordingly, it takes the listener some time to become familiar and friendly to the sometimes obtuse or oblique sounds and styles of the music and musicians. But, if you put in the effort, I think that you will find this album well worth it. "The Sahara of Snow, Parts 1 & 2" Is probably one of my ten favorite prog songs of all-time--and definitely the best Allan Holdworth soloing ever.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar (1-10)
- Dave Stewart / keyboards and synths
- Jeff Berlin / bass
- Bill Bruford / acoustic & electronic drums, percussion, voice of "The Mock Turtle" (5)
With:
- Sam Alder / voice of "Narrator" (5)
- Anthea Norman-Taylor / voice of "Alice" (5)
- Eddie Jobson / violin (8) - originally uncredited

1. "Hell's Bells" (3:33) (8.75/10)

2. "One of a Kind, Pt. 1" (2:20) (4/5)

3. "One of a Kind, Pt. 2" (4:04) (8/10)

4. "Travels With Myself - And Someone Else" (6:13) (8.25/10)
5. "Fainting in Coils" (6:33) (9/10)
6. "Five G" (4:46) Jeff Berlin getting Allan Holdsworth charged. (8.75/10)
7. "The Abingdon Chasp" (4:54) (8.25/10)
8. "Forever Until Sunday" (5:51) Throw away the slow Jobson first half and you have a GREAT song. (8.5/10)
9. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1" (5:18) (10/10)
10. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2" (3:24) (10/10)

Total Time: 46:28

Lots of noodling with too little structure to hold one's attention and make the songs memorable. The new synth-orientation is also less attractive and comprehensible than the sound palette of the band's previous album. However, as much as the first half of the album bores, the second half cooks.

87.89 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-aspirng progressive rock music.

SLOCHE Stadaconé (1976)

The upbeat funksters from Québec produce their second (and, unfortunately, final) studio album.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Caroll Bérard / acoustic & electric guitars, percussion, talkbox
- Réjean Yacola / piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, clavinet, Minimoog
- Martin Murray / Hammond B3, Minimoog, Solina, soprano saxophone, tambourin, backing & chorus (1) vocals
- Gilles Ouellet / celesta, percussion, backing & chorus (1) vocals, co-producer
- Pierre Hébert / bass
- André Roberge / drums, percussion, timbales, tam-tam, chorus vocals (1)
With:
- Rénald Des Rocs / chorus vocals (1)

1. "Stadaconé" (10:19) While I don't like the bluesy-jazz guitar here, I like the easy funk jazz and clavinet coming from the rest of the band. They've definitely figured out how to get mainstream "hooks" in their music. The two keyboard artists are definitely the stars here! I love how the rhythm section slowly, almost imperceptively, pick up the speeds in the middle. Fun! (17.666667/20)

2. "Le Cosmophile" (5:43) more pop-friendly music that comes from a Todd Rundgren jazz-funk orientation. The first 80-seconds are a bit weird, but then the second motif brings us even closer to the funked up world of Todd Rundgren and particularly his UTOPIA incarnations. There's even a blazing smooth jazz saxophone à la DAVID SANBORN as well as a requisite Hammond solo. (8.875/10)

3. "Il faut sauver Barbara" (4:19) a little quirkier than the previous two songs though not so quirky as to fall into Canterbury territory. at the same time I feel as if the jerky song never really establishes flow nor resolution. (8.6666667/10)

4. "Ad hoc" (4:30) mouth-wah guitar and very busy funk keyboards (Fender Rhodes) and bass give this one more of the FOCUS sound and feel that I caught a little of on their previous album--here more like something off of Mother Focus or Focus Con Proby. Nice but nothing extraordinary. (8.75/10)

5. "La 'baloune' de Varenkurtel au Zythogala" (4:57) another song that starts out with a FOCUS-like sound palette but then goes the direction of Smooth Jazz artists like Ronnie Laws or Narada Michael Walden. However, I absolutely love the bird-like vocals with the bass, Fender Rhodes, and saxophone in the third minute--very HATFIELD AND THE NORTH-like. A fun and pleasantly engaging (if progressively simplistic) song. (8.875/10)

6. "Isacaaron (ou Le démon des choses sexuelles)" (11:22) a quirky-jerky song that plays out like a cross between a cerebral ELP piece mixed with a discordant RETURN TO FOREVER and one of those "unfinished" feeling FOCUS songs. (17.375/20)

Total Time 41:10

The music here is confident but definitely heading a little bit more toward the Smooth Jazz that will take over the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement in the next couple of years. It's clean and focused, the musicianship top notch, but feels as if the constructs are a bit watered down or smoothed out to make them more accessible to a larger audience.

87.76 on the Fishscales = B-/a low four stars; a well-engineered display and well-played album of proggy jazz-rock fusion that at times feels like a announcement that Smooth Jazz is here.

 Still Very Good Albums:

WLODZIMIERZ GULGOWSKI Soundcheck (1976)

Polish keyboard master who had been super busy since 1972, apparently having played with some of Sweden's jazz-rock fusion stars, met Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson while working on compatriot Michal URBANIAK (Jean-Luc PONTY, DZAMBLE, NEIMEN, Larry CORYELL)'s Fusion III and FUNK FACTORY albums in 1975.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Wlodek Gulgowski / acoustic & electric Piano, celesta, minimoog
- Steve Gadd / drums & percussion
- Anthony Jackson / bass

1. "Soundcheck" (4:32) Wlodek sure picked a winning combo for his rhythm section! The style and sound presented here is pure Chick Corea/Return To Forever--even using his keys to mimic the Al Di Meola guitar inputs as well as plenty of moments reminding the listener of Chick Corea. The rhythm track is so excellent that it'd be hard for Wlodek to go wrong no matter what he chose to play! Though the overall effect is still Jazz-Rock Fusion, the melodic dictates of the rising Smooth Jazz and Yacht Rock strains are fully present here. (9.25/10)

2. "Truth-Seeker" (5:49) another great very smooth and easily-accessible Chick Corea-like motif that is spread out (dumbed down) a bit as if to give the listener more space and time with which to digest and hear the melodies and hooks. Not quite on a BOB AJMES level of Easy Listening, but almost. (8.875/10)

3. "Manhattan Vibes" (5:24) playful keyboard play that almost feels like a child playing with the keyboard most talkie-voice-like synth sounds, all occurring over some simplified simple funk. I'll give Wlodek credit: his affinity for trying to recreate human voicings with his arsenal of keyboard sounds is nearly matched by his success at doing so. I can just see the animated robotrons interacting and conversing with so much of his musical antics. (8.75/10)

4. "Love Is Back" (5:06) sounds like a slowed down version of a RETURN TO FOREVER song--lifted straight from Chick's tapes. As a matter of fact, there are so many sound and structural similiarities on this song to the music on Al Di MEOLA's first two albums it makes one wonder why Al didn't just hire Wlodek as one of his keyboard players (though Jan Hammer is tough to top) or why Wlodek couldn't lure Al over for some guitar  (8.875/10)

5. "Pan-Jan" (3:29) this one feels like a reprise (or repeat!) of the "Manhattan Vibes" song with a little RTF-like bridge into a second, clavinet-supported motif and then back to the BOB JAMES-like Fender Rhodes-supported synth shlock. It's not bad--at least the rhythm track is solid and impressive--but there is this nervous feeling I'm getting that either I'm going to be brainwashed into liking this stuff or numbed into accepting it into the same world as the more serious jazz-rock fusion explorers like Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, or Herbie Hancock. (8.75/10)

6. "Lady G" (3:16) some slowed-down blues-pop rock shlock of the television theme song/soundtrack sort. Here Wlodek is almost debasing his talented rhythmatists (but, heck! They're getting paid, right?!) Playful in an almost-child-like way. (Did Mr. Rogers have a Fender Rhodes?) (8.375/10)

7. "Cosmic Strut" (3:20) Wlodek's favorite MiniMoog "child's toy that is almost a cute little voice" sound opens this before being joined by a simple, sparsely executed funk bass and drum rhythm. Nice melodies--especially in the chorus--but they're so Chick Corea-like! I do admire Wlodek's ability to take Chick's precedents and take them quite a bit forward (perhaps even helping to pave the way for the 1980s' Rap/R&B artists who use the synths for robot/alien voices). (8.75/10)

8. "One Time Sometime" (5:00) a decent if-at-times-disco rhythm track used to play with/expand upon multiple Chick Corea sounds and melody lines. The interweave of the three musicians' play in the third and fourth minute is most excellent! But then it goes downhill with a very annoying/cloying repetitive bass and drum Disco line locked in while Wladek messes around with silly sounds over the top--and then it fades out! Horrific! And the usurpation of the famous "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" melody line is almost sacriligious! (8.666667/10)

9. "Tribute To Frederic Chopin" (2:34) Solo piano opens this one (Pole to Pole, of course!)  before being joined by keyboard synth strings support. Then Anthony and Steve are invited in to provide structured forward motion to Wlodek's piano chord-supported play on multiple synths. It's pretty! But it's definitely shlocky and simple. (8.666667/10)

Total time: 38:30

While I enjoyed being exposed to the sound-making genius of this keyboard player, I found myself a bit turned away by the artist's obsession with expanding upon the MiniMoog sounds that Chick Corea had been elevating to popular consciousness over the past two years or so. The guy is obviously quite talented; I hope there is some forward movement in the near future--that he doesn't get stuck here.

 

87.73 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; some excellent keyboard experimentation that is often elevated by the support of an incomparable duo of accompanying rhythmatists but sometimes it's not enough (or he is too much). Highly recommended for the experience of hearing the masterful exploitation of the MiniMoog but probably not an album you'll want to return to very often much less own.  

RETURN TO FOREVER Musicmagic (1977)

The final studio album of Chick Corea's 1970s Return to Forever project.  

Line-up / Musicians:

- Chick Corea / piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synthesizers (MiniMoog, Moog 15, Polymoog, ARP Odyssey), vocals, co-producer
- Gayle Moran / piano, Hammond B3, Polymoog, vocals
- Joe Farrell / flute & piccolo, tenor & soprano saxophones
- James E. Pugh / tenor trombone
- Harold Garret / baritone horn, tenor & bass trombones
- John Thomas / trumpet (lead), flugelhorn
- James Tinsley / trumpet, piccolo trumpet
- Stanley Clarke / electric & acoustic & piccolo basses, vocals, co-producer
- Gary Brown / drums

1. "The Musician" (Corea) (7:12) okay music with fine individual performances with a vocal over the top that does not work. (13/15)

2. "Hello Again" (Clarke) (3:49) proto-Smooth Jazz with Stanley singing a soulful love song with Gayle  over some pretty but also cheesy music. (8.875/10)

3. "Musicmagic" (Corea, Moran) (11:00) less smooth jazz but trying too much to bridge the popularity gap à la Weather Report. Stanley's piccolo bass seems a gimmick to join Jaco Pastorius territory. (17.33333/20)

4. "So Long Mickey Mouse" (Clarke) (6:09) more saccharine schlock with Stanley and Gayle again exchanging love signals, at first through vocalese "la-las." The song kicks in with some potent horn blasts at the end of the second minute but then returns to the "la-las" before settling into a third gear Romantic Warrior-like vamp for dueling. (8.75/10)

5. "Do You Ever" (Moran) (3:59) actually a pretty song with some deep philosophical questions. One of the only songs from the album that I remember carrying with me away from the listening experience. (8.875/10)

6. "The Endless Night" (Corea, Moran) (9:41) an almost nice set up for a nice j-r fuse epic turns silly with some of Chick's MiniMoog sound choices and sad with Gayle's vocal but does eventually become more serious fusion (with some great drumming and pretty cool Hammond work). Gayle and Stanley's dual voices are actually very nice when they stay in their lower registers together. (17.5/20)

Total time 41:50

If you want to really experience the amazing energy of Chick's Return to Forever at the end of their stay I would strongly suggest you try their 1978 triple vinyl live album LIVE - The Complete Concert. The sound quality is out of this world as are the performances of Chick, Stanley, and drummer Gerry Brown.

87.45 on the Fishscales = B-/four stars; a lot of chaotic results with very mixed messages within amazingly clean sound production from some amazing musicians who have been duped by promise of mass popularity (and sales/$).

MICHAL URBANIAK's FUSION Smiles Ahead (1977)

Apparently the husband-wife team either didn't make any money for the Arista company or else they were too much to handle because suddenly they are back in Europe recording this album for the legendary German label MPS (the first of two albums they would release in 1977 for Joachim Berendt's pro-Polish company) recorded at the famous Zuckerfabrik studio in Stuttgart, Germany in November of 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Michal Urbaniak / Violin, Lyricon, synthesizers

- Urszula Dudziak / Vocals, electronic  percussion, synthesizer

With:

- Harold Ivory Williams / Keyboards (1, 2, 4, 8)

- Robert Anthony Bunn / Bass (1, 2, 4)

- Transcending Sonship (Woody Theus) / Rhythm-sounding color (drums & percussion, voice) (1, 2, 6)

 - Emmett Chapman / ChapmanStick (3)

- Joe Caro / Guitar (8)

- Basil Farrington / Bass (8)

- Steve Jordan / Drums (8)

1. "Smiles Ahead" (10:55) (17.25/20) :

- a) "Smiles Ahead" (4:00) more of that feeling of band fatigue (standard bass play, very boring keys) while the engineering department continues to over-compress the high ends.

- b) "From Smiles to Smiles" (2:07) Ula playing within an echo chamber--like a little kid in a big room. (4/5)

- c) "More Smiles Forever" (4:48) Ula leads the band into a carnival madhouse. It's a little more lively and enthusiastic but still less "invested" than anything Michal's composed before. (Maybe here are the signs that the couple's marriage is on the decline: the collaborative fires are dwindling.)

2. "Hymn of the Uranian Sequels" (7:03) Unfortunately this Jean-Luc Ponty-like groove song suffers a bit from a compressed feeling: it's as if all of the high ends of the sound spectrum have been dampened/muted. Also, this is just too loose and underdeveloped to stand up to the extremely high standard of the amazingly full and sophisticated compositions that Michal had been penning up to this point (except for the other scrap heap from his previous German record label, Inactin). Everybody just sounds tired and uninspired (except perhaps the ever-energetic Ula). But even Ula and Michal's melodies feel tired and practically dialed in. (13.125/15)

3. "Piece for 15 Strings" (4:35) a duet between Michal's 5-string electric violin and Emmett Chapman's treated ChapmanStick (the other 10 strings). Definitely previewing the spacey violin sound that will become Jean-Luc Ponty's standard about this time but more this song demonstrates far more of the sonic potential and versatility of the ChapmanStick than expected. It also demonstrates, once again, Michal's affinity for exploring the latest innovations in technology. (8.875/10)  

4. "In the Wake of Awakening" (6:37) tom-tom-heavy drums with heavily "warped" fretless bass and odd ChapmanStick-like chords coming from the keyboard (an oddly-destabilized [chorused] clavinet?). Lyricon, Ula-scatting, and perform most of the soloing over the top of the underwater rhythm section. Kind of cool, interesting, but not my favorite sound palette. Plus, it has a weird little coda tagged onto the end that seems like more of a "loose end." (8.75/10)

5. "Aflatus" (5:10) Gentle GILLI SMYTH-like Ula vocalese accompanied by slowly played, slow-to--decay heavily-echoed and -reverbed electric violin for the first 2:20 before Ula's vocalese turns to her African/Santería-style percussive scatting--only with a heavily-processed sound product. Meanwhile, Michal's violin must've turned off an effect or two as it starts sounding more present, more defined. Again, interesting, but not a very pleasant or danceable song. (8.6667/10)

6. "Schwarzwald Vibes" (2:55) synths and synth washes with synthetic and treated percussion sounds dispersed throughout. Very cinematic and creepy. (4.33333/5)

7. "Sunday Melody" (1:19) rapid fire Ula-scatting. Reminds me of Cos's Pascale Son. Entertaining and joyful. (4.375/5)

8. "Autobahn" (4:45) a song that was left over from the previous album (Body English) starts out as a steady one-and-a-half chord first 3:25 over which Ula gets free reign to perform her magic--this time with little or no sound-warping effects on her voice. (8.75/10)

Total Time 43:19

Unfortunately, this album feels more like another attempt to grab a bunch of underdeveloped or unfinished pieces of sound experimentation (many of which feature Urszula performing her unique vocal craft) 

87.21 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; an interesting representation of Michal and Urszula's experimentalism but not one of their most engaging or inspired song collections. 

JONI MITCHELL Mingus (1979)

A continuation of Joni's jazz era and collaboration with the rhythm section of Weather Report (and, especially, the tonal genius of Jaco Pastorius). In my opinion, Joni Mitchell paired with Jaco Pastorius make one of the most creative magical timeless duos of all-time.

Line-up/Musicians:

Joni Mitchell / guitar, vocals

With:

- Wayne Shorter / soprano saxophone

- Herbie Hancock / electric piano

- Jaco Pastorius / bass, horn arrangement

- Peter Erskine / drums

- Don Alias / congas

- Emil Richards / percussion

A1 "Happy Birthday 1975" (Rap) 0:57

A2 "God Must Be A Boogie Man" (4:33) Great interplay between Joni (vocals and her inimitable guitar chord play) and Jaco Pastorius' amazingly lyrical bass. The weird chorus could've been eschewed. (9/10)

A3 "Funeral" (Rap) 1:07

A4 "A Chair In The Sky" (6:40) a very interesting "meeting of minds" with Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius! With Joni jazz singing over the top. A little Peter Erskine and Wayne Shorter are thrown in there for texture but totally unnecessarily. Not as friendly to the ear as I'd like despite some truly magical moments: that 's just the problem with this album: you're listening waiting for those incandescently bright moments while being tolerant of a lot of inhospitable or obtuse passages between. Again: I can truly appreciate the genius but cannot find enough pleasure in the means to the realization of that genius  in moments of amazing transcendence. (8.875/10)

A5 "The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey"( 6:33) guitar striking that brings back the opening song of Don Juan's Reckless Daughter ("Overture/Cotton Avenue"). Still, anything close to anything from Don Juan is going to strike a chord of joy and love in me since that album is one of my Top 10 Favorite Albums of All-Time. Percussionists Don Alias, Emil Richards and what sounds like an acoustic bass add their two cents as well as plenty of "wolf" horn sounds in them thar background hills. (9/10)

B1 "I's A Muggin"' (Rap) 0:07

B2 "Sweet Sucker Dance" (8:06) Herbie's Fender Rhodes and Joni start off alone together before Jaco joins in. Really nice trio. Drum snare hit turns into a complete torch song support system. Sometimes one wishes that Joni would stop singing and let the musicians intermingle on their own. At times there are almost melodic hooks that connect with my little melody-starved brain. (17.375/20)

B3 "Coin In The Pocket" (Rap) 0:11

B4 "The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines" (3:22) Jaco let loose! Drums, hand percussives, horn banks, and the occasional injection of Wayne Shorter's gentle soprano sax notes. This song seems to owe a lot to songs like Don Raye and Hughie Prince's "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company 'C'" (8.875/10)

B5 "Lucky" (Rap) 0:03

B6 "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" (5:41) Joni's history-lesson tribute to the namesake of this album. Peter Erskine's brushes, Herbie's Fender Rhodes, Jaco's intuitive bass, Wayne's gently-supportive sax riffs, and Joni's crystalline voice. (9/10) 

Total Time: 37:24

86.875 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; such a well-intended tribute album stretches the imagination of the average Joe just beyond its limits of assimilation and accommodation.

BRUFORD Feels Good to Me (1978) 

The first of the three Bruford albums from the late 1970s, Feels Good to Me is so tightly wound, so concisely constructed and precisely performed, that it almost scared me off upon first listen. (I bought it when it came out). The angular and often dissonant lead guitar work of Allan Holdsworth took me some getting used to--as did the vocal stylings of Annette Peacock (though I was much more quickly won over by her than I was by Holdsworth). The funky "non-keyboard" keyboard work of Dave Stewart--especially on that (in retrospect, amazing) opening song took me by surprise (I had not at this point been exposed to any Canterbury-style jazz fusion). I knew BRAND X and, of course, drummer extraordinaire Bill Bruford. I also had quite a challenge in having to process and accommodate bass player Jeff Berlin's amazing speed, dexterity, and melodic choice-making. All in all, this was a form and style of music that pushed all of my musical buttons; I was just not ready for it! And yet I persisted and continued to play and accumulate Bruford albums and anything and everything he touched over the next three decades. Every song here is jaw-dropping for the virtuosity of its musicians as well as for the innovation of its compositional twists and turns. Great work from a collective of very strong-willed virtuosi. No wonder it only lasted a couple of years. As for the album's Canterbury-ness, it's a bit of a stretch when compared to the music of Caravan and Khan, but it is quite comparable, in my opinion, to that of the more "serious," jazz-oriented Canterbury artists such as Gilgamesh, National Health and later Soft Machine. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Allan Holdsworth / electric guitar (1-10)

- Dave Stewart / keyboards, synths

- Jeff Berlin / bass

- Bill Bruford / drums and percussion (tuned & untuned), co-producer

With:

- Annette Peacock / vocals (2,3,10)

- John Clark / electric guitar (11)

- John Goodsall / rhythm guitar (6)

- Kenny Wheeler / flugelhorn (3,7,9)

- Neil Murray / addit. bass

1. "Beelzebub" (3:22) (9/10)

2. "Back to the Beginning" (7:25) (13/15)

3. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Pt. 1)" (2:31) (8/10)

4. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Pt. 2)" (4:29) (9/10)

5. "Sample and Hold" (5:12) (9/10)

6. "Feels Good to Me" (3:53) (8/10)

7. "Either End of August" (5:24) (8/10)

8. "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." (3:26) Jeff Berlin on display. (8.75/10)

9. "Springtime in Siberia" (2:44) Kenny Wheeler ballad/duet with Dave Stewart. (4.75/5)

10. "Adios a la Pasada (Goodbye to the Past)" (8:41) (18/20)

Total Time: 46:58

86.81 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent example of the jazz fusion side of progressive rock music.

Outlier Bands / Albums:

(that is, whose sound cannot quite be considered pure Jazz-Rock Fusion) 

ALAS Alas  (1976)

A trio of Symphonic proggers from Argentina who have somehow been mislabeled and classified under the Jazz-Rock Fusion sub-genre label.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Gustavo Moretto / keyboards, synthesizers, flute, trumpet, vocals

- Alex Zucker / bass, guitar

- Carlos Riganti / drums & percussion

1. "Buenos Aires Solo es Piedra" (15:48) Very much like a mix between EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER (ELP), FOCUS, and PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI (PFM). The side-long suite contains several quirky motifs that feel carnivalesque as well as one smooth, pretty one with a trumpet solo. Very impressive composition, musicianship, and rendering. (28/30):

- a) Tango
- b) Sueño
- c) Recuerdo
- d) Trompetango
- e) Tanguito
- f) Soldó

2. "La Muerte Contó el Dinero" (17:36) I like the Gregorian chant-like opening vocals (reminding me a lot of Hungarian band After Crying). The second (awesome) motif falls completely into the veins of ELP and FOCUS. This is then followed by a part that reminds me of both Focus and Chilean band Los Jaivas. Bassist Alex Zucker has a most excellent Chris SQUIRE style and tone and keyboard maestro is all over the place (even into a little jazzy-ness in the sixth minute). A really wonderful prog epic--one of the best I've ever heard! (33.75/35):
- a) Vidala
- b) Smog
- c) Galope
- d) Mal-ambo
- e) Vidala Again
- f) Amanecer - Tormenta
- g) Final

3. "Aire" (bonus track) (4:35) a fun jazz- and pop- infused instrumental to add to the two epics.

Total Time 37:59

A very well-composed, sell-performed, and stunningly well-recorded album--especially for a debut--until the day when ELP, Focus, and PFM get reassigned to a jazz-related sub-genre, I will remain steadfastly adamant that this band has no place in Jazz-Rock Fusion. But what impresses me most about this band--and this, their debut album--is how they seem to have taken the magic and fire of both ELP and Focus--two Symphonic forces!--somehow removed the egos in order to create music/songs/epics that goes beyond--surpasses--those of their inspirateurs.

95.0 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an unassailable masterpiece of original and highly sophisticated symphonic progressive rock music. Essential for any self-proclaimed "prog lover." 

HAROLD BUDD The Pavilion of Dreams (1978)

Harold Budd's collaboration with his friend Brian Eno starts here, with these compositions that he and Brian made in London several years after Harold had composed them for friends and students while he was teaching at California Institute for the Arts. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Harold Budd / electric piano (1), piano & vocals (4), choir conductor (3), composer
With:
- Marion Brown / alto sax (1)
- Richard Bernas / celesta (1), electric piano (3)
- Gavin Bryars / glockenspiel (1,4), celesta (3), vocals (4)
- Maggie Thomas / harp (1-3)
- Howard Rees / marimba (1), vibes (4)
- Jo Julian / marimba (1), vibes & vocals (4)
- Michael Nyman / marimba (1,4), vocals (4)
- John White / marimba (1), percussion & vocals (4)
- Nigel Shipway / percussion (3)
- Lynda Richardson / mezzo soprano vocals (2), chorus vocals (3)
- Alison Macgregor / chorus vocals (3)
- Lesley Reid / chorus vocals (3)
- Margaret Cable / chorus vocals (3)
- Muriel Dickenson / chorus vocals (3)
- Ursula Connors / chorus vocals (3)
- Brian Eno / vocals (4), producer

1. "Bismillahi 'Rrahman 'Rrahim" (18:25) rich electric piano play that could be mistaken for some of the music Fred Rodgers made for his television show in Pittsburg is beautifully enhanced by marimba, harp, celesta, and saxophone, all of it receiving the Eno engineering touch (a lot of reverb). Is this where Vangelis got some inspiration for his soundtrack recordings for Ridley Scott's Blade Runner? Peaceful, dreamy, mesmerizing, and thoroughly relaxing, this could just be the music of Heaven. Though the song is consistent in its vibe, there are two motifs, the first dominated by Marion Brown's saxophone while the second gives the team of marimba players (four of them!) more attention--and it never really overstays its welcome (as many a satisfactorily rejuvenated massage client will attest). (37/40)

2. "Two Songs: Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord / Butterfly Sunday" (6:26) Harold barely accompanies Maggie Thomas' concert harp while mezzo soprano Lynda Richardson supplies the soaring, angelic vocalese. Incredible chords played sporadically from the harp. (9.66667/10)

3. "Madrigals Of The Rose Angel: Rosetti Noise / The Crystal Garden And A Coda" (14:20) more gorgeous major seventh chords being played as arpeggi from the harp, marimba, and electric piano as the Budd-directed choir sings their amazing melodies. Celesta and other tuned and untuned metallic chimes and percussives add their important contributions over the middle section of the song. A little weak in its sparse and drawn-out finish, otherwise this is just an amazing masterpiece of heavenly music. (29/30) 

4. "Juno" (8:26) minor chords from Harold's piano that preview some of his future work with Eno on their Ambient album series. The vocals on this one are different in that they come from a male ensemble of six. Marimbas, vibes, and chime percussion take over for the vocals in the middle section. (18/20)

Total time 47:37

One of my favorite albums of all-time, Brian Eno's collaboration with his friend Harold Budd starts here, with these university compositions Harold had made for friends at school. Every song here is a jewel, spanning a spectrum from jazz to classical with New Age and experimental overtones throughout. I am especially drawn in by the harp, saxophone (which I usually dislike) and, of course, the choral and solo female voices. A perennial favorite that I've been playing since the 70s, the album never strays far from my playlists--especially in my massage work--and I never fail to find elements and nuances that I thoroughly enjoy with each and every listen. Also, each and every song stands on its own as a masterpiece, while the album as a whole (short as it is coming in at under 36 minutes), also qualifies as such. Beautiful stuff--perhaps Harold's best compositions ever. (Major seventh chords rule!)

93.667 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of jazz- and classically-infused ambient music that was actually composed before Brian Eno's celebrated creation of the Ambient Music sub-genre.

ATILA Reviure (1978)

An album that came to my attention due to its high ratings and frequent reference by other PA members over the years. As the Spanish band's third and final album of their 1970s run, it is their most highly-developed, but I would urge music lovers to also check out their wonderful if slightly-less-mature 1976 release, Intención.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Eduardo A. Niebla / lead guitar
- Miguel A. Blasco / rhythm guitar
- Benet Nogue / organ, Mellotron, piano, Moog, vocals, composer
- Juan Punyet / drums, percussion
With:
- Jean P. Gomez / bass

1. "Reviure" (9:56) starts off like a MAGMA song but then quickly moves into an ominously-chorded formative weave in which the musicians feel like they're figuring each other out, trying to find the common structure and space from which to launch into song. It's very Mahavishnu/RTF-like. At 2:15 they finally congeal--bursting forth into a fiery controlled chaos in which stops and starts are peppered with blistering soli from guitarist Eduardo Niebla as well as Benet Nogue's Moog. Drummer Juan Punyet is forceful and constant as is loud bassist Jean Gomez. A break at 4::50 leads into a keyboard riff that is repeated over and over as all the other instrumentalists join in with their own two-measure staccato melody lines, creating an complex and energetic weave which somehow turns smooth as Mellotron and organ join in. Another break and organ-supported "quiet" section at 6:40 leads to Benet Noque's first vocals. He sounds like Aldo Tagliapietra or one of the other RPI vocalist who like to used the distant reverb sound effect on their voice. In the ninth minute the band returns to full rock power, cruising along at a fast but safe speed until the second half of the tenth minute when everybody starts speeding up and speeding up, resulting in a "crash" into a spaceless void in which spacey sounds make you think the careening vehicle flew off into the cloudy heavens (which is, in fact, the start of the second song). (18.25/20)

    
2. "Somni" (9:34) the suspended animation-voyage through the cloudy heavens continues with lots of weird psychedelic phenomena to observe and feel. It's really like being in a dream--or better, a drug trip--in which you are the astonished observer of so many unbelievable and totally random and disconnected things floating (or sometimes speeding) by you. The overwhelming feeling, though, is definitely childish delight and fearless amazement. In the seventh minute the music heavies when a distant vocal announces some change like a circus ringmaster. Very NEKTAR-like. The dirty bluesy guitar lead that ensues is over the ramped up music is also quite ROYE ALBRIGHTON-like, but then the rhythm section slows way down--holding on to the same melody and chords but slowing them down with their effects makingit seem as if the whole world--the observer's perspective--had suddenly moved into slow motion. And there it ends. Cool song with, as mentioned, elements that fell Nektar-ish, but also a pleasant and melodic feel (due a lot to the soothing constant of the gentle acoustic guitar strumming)--not quite Gong-like; more BRAINTICKET. Not as instrumentally flashy or complex as the previous song but quite engaging. (18.5/20)

   
3. "Atila" (11:56) opens with some coughing noises--as if from a drunk smoker--before keyboard arpeggio riff and bass line open things up. Within 30-seconds the band has congealed in a two-chord driving flow that sounds very much like the music coming from our current Cornwall-based Scottish favorites, THE EMERALD DAWN. In the fourth minute they slow down for a serene patch (probably to water the hourses) before drummer, bass, and keyboards begin to announce the time to recommence the procession. With the army on the road again, there are many constants in the march with plenty of small, light conversations going on within the phalanx. Another bridge in the sixth minute leads us into some landscape in which there are more challenging mountain paths, giving the soldiers not only a tougher journey but also some spectacular views of the land below them. This section culminates in rollicking downhill jaunt with an "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock 'n' Roll Band" sound, speed, and structure to it. Nice lead guitar and synth dual soloing in the eight minute just before an impressive drum solo to fill a minute or so (which, by the way, I'm very pleased at how clear/cleanly it was recorded). At the 10:30 mark the rest of the band rejoins, picking up the rapid pace of before but employing a different chord structure. Then shows up the monstrous ogre who, apparently, devours the phalanx of soldiers, leaving behind a windswept plain empty of not only humans but life as a while. I guess that's what Atila did! (22.5/25)  

   
4. "Al Mati" (7:14) apparently, a very melodic rock song is needed to complete the story: a vehicle for a narrator to expound upon the lessons and morals of the story we've just been privy to. I have to admit that I do like this kind of RPI-like narrated story scape. Then, for the second half of the song, there is an instrumental divertimento in which the band members get to show off their chops a bit. (13.75/15)

Total Time: 38:40

The involvement of the keyboard player's contributions is amazing: he is involved everywhere and many times with multiple sounds/tracks going on at once. The lead guitarist is highly skilled but I do not always like his choice of "antiquated" sounds. The bass player and rhythm guitarist are both very good while the drummer has a lot of nice moves and energy he just doesn't always feel in sync with the rest of the band. 

92.50 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of energetic progressive rock. It is especially impressive how involved each and every one of the dextrous band members is at every turn, shift and straightaway. 

PEKKA POHJOLA Visitation (1979)

The Finnish bass virtuoso's fourth solo album and second since officially leaving his former band, Wigwam. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Pekka Pohjola / grand piano, bass, arranger & co-producer
With:
- Seppo Tyni / guitar (2-6)
- Olli Ahvenlahti / electric piano & bass (2), grand piano (6)
- Pekka Poyry / saxophone (1-3,5), soprano saxophone solo (1,4)
- Juhani Aaltonen / saxophone (1,3,5)
- Eero Koivistoinen / saxophone (1,3,5)
- Teemu Salminen / saxophone (1,3,5)
- Tom Bildo / tuba (3), trombone (6)
- Markku Johansson / trumpets (4,6)
- Aale Lindgren / oboe (5)
- Vesa Aaltonen / drums, percussion (2-4)
- Esko Rosnell / percussion (2-4)
- Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / woodwinds & strings (3,6)
- Esko Linnavalli / conductor (3,6)
- Jorma Ylönen / concertmaster (3,6)

1. "Strange Awakening" (5:11) sax, bass, and piano dominate this song--a song that feels as if it's based on a folk melody or tune. Pekka's bass playing in the fifth minute is extraordinary (though not quite as free and innovative as Jaco Pastorius--more like a rock version of Eberhard Weber). (8.875/10)

2. "Vapour Trails" (4:44) more in the rock world than jazz or prog, though qualifying for those too, this one has the electric guitar leading the way and contains a guest bass player (!) in Olli Ahvenlahti. Guitarist Seppo Tyni is quite good with great technical skill and a clear, clean sound. The brief spell in the third minute when the music moves smoothly straightforward instead of syncopated staccato is my favorite--feeling very Joe and Gino Vannelli-like. (It's repeated a couple of times.) (9/10)

3. "Image of a Passing Smile" (5:38) the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra's winds and strings accompanying the piano and rock combo are quite lovely--leading the way for a big chunk of the first two minutes before the electric guitar, bass, and piano rise to dominate. A melodic bass passage in the middle of the third minute bridges into the faster paced rock-jazz motif that ensues, guitar and piano chords rising and falling, over and over for about a minute. Then at the end of the fourth minute the music switches directions again going for an almost-cabaret/vaudeville sound. It's actually quite complex and interesting though definitely making me feel as if I'm either in a circus tent or a parade processional. (9/10)

4. "Dancing in the Dark" (5:39) setting up with a RUFUS "Tell Me Something Good"-like foundation, the horn section provides the melody and accents for the first minute while the bass, percussion, and drums roll the music down the road. Guitar and piano become breakout instruments in the second minute before everybody falls back into the Rufus motif for a pretty decent trumpet solo. The rhythm section is very tight, but the solos feel a little too proscribed and constricted. (Was Pekka tough to work with?) An okay song that I'm marking up for such pristinely performed and captured music. (8.875/10)

5. "The Sighting" (3:32) another complex circus-sounding song. (8.75/10)

6. "Try to Remember" (7:10) solo bass playing a heart-wrenching "Come o Come Emmanuel" like melody is joined by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra's bassoons for the second verse and then the full wind section for the third, strings for the fourth and fifth. The orchestral interlude in the third minute sounds so much like something by Ralph Vaughan Williams. At the very end of the third minute the last notes of the  orchestra strings fade and a the "Emmanuel" melody is taken up by bass, piano, guitar, and horns in a marching motif. Quite an accomplishment of fusion--just not the jazz-rock combo we're usually expecting. Very cool, dynamic bass playing in the final 70 seconds. (14.5/15)

Total Time 31:54

One can tell how much Western jazz, rock, and jazz-rock fusion Pekka has been hearing from the sound and stylings of this album--his band members as well as everybody seems to be on the same page performing Pekka's compositions. 

90.77 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars (rated down for the album's brevity); a near-masterpiece of jazz-tinged progressive rock music. Too bad it wasn't longer and had so much "circus" sound to it.

IMÁN CALIFATO INDEPENDIENTE Califato Independiente (1978)

Complex, well-executed and interestingly-composed Andalusian jazzy progressive rock that borders on NeoProg at times with its lush keyboard washes.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Iñaki Egaña / bass and vocals
- Kiko Guerrero / drums
- Marcos Mantero / keyboards
- Manuel Rodrigue / guitar

1. "Tarantos del Califato Independiente" (20:46) a very long and drawn out intro which eventually culminates in some very nice HAWKWIND-like two-chord jazzy prog over which the electric guitarist and synth player take turns soloing with competency and Spanish-infused creativity. Too bad it took them seven minutes to get there! (Must be the effects of the hash.) At 9:40 there is a cymbal crash, stoppage, and reformulation to create a new motif that has a bit of a Reggae feel to it--though more of a GONG-like version of Reggae. At 11:40 there is a stoppage of keys and guitars as drummer and bass player begin a motif with some staccato syncopation played off and with one another. The rest of the band soon rejoins, continuing the staccato motif but quickly bringing a Moorish flavor to it--especially melodically. This turns Miles Davis Spanish in the fourteenth minute with the takeover of a synth horn in the lead. Then things break down into spacey/eerie synth and guitar textural sounds before bass and guitar begin forming a spacious nest for some organ and then vocalese (on two tracks). Very pleasant and relaxing. The vocalist (Iñaki Egaña) is very good! Around the 18-minute mark we return to full rock, albeit slow and atmospheric, for some nice electric guitar soloing from Manuel Rodrigue--which takes us pretty much to the end. This is definitely way more proggy than jazzy or jazz-rock fusion, despite its instrumental nature. It's a very nice construct. (36/40)

2. "Darshan" (8:30) a lush two-chord keyboard bed of wash that provide the comfortable backing for guitarist Manuel Rodrigue to solo. Then, four minutes into the song, there is a sudden shift in motif and tempo as Manuel slips into rhythm guitar role for Marcos Mantero to solo on his synth. The motif is blues but fast, like Country-Western, held down by some very solid drum and bass play. In the eighth minute things fall back into half time as the synth wash chords rejoin and the music plods along for some more guitar soloing. Proficient and disiplined soloing over some rather monotonous musics. They sound a little like 1990s NeoProg band KALABAN to me. (17.5/20)

3. "Cerro Alegre" (7:33) acoustic guitar solo opens before piano takes over. The rest of the band gradually joins in, figuring out their roles in the song, until finally shifting into a fully-planned motif with and harpsichord beneath some fiery electric guitar soloing. Another down-shift into a kind of mysterious spy-thriller soundtrack motif over which Marcos solos on his electric piano. When Manuel is given the lead again, the music is very thin, slow, and very synth washy, but his SANTANA-like solo is so clean and excellent it wouldn't  matter what he was being accompanied by. Great stuff! More tempo and motif changes ensue for piano and Spanish themes to express. Wow! What a journey these guys just took me on! Worth many more listens. (14/15)

4. "Cancion de la Oruga" (5:32) the album's final song opens with some airy synth soloing over gently-picked acoustic guitars (multiple) before bassist Iñaki Egaña enters with his pleasant singing voice. There's a bit of a Renaissance "Trip to the Fair" feel to the chord and melody choices the band establishes after Iñaki's first verse (almost as if it has been lifted directly from the Sheherazade album!). Even when the band goes instrumental and heavy on the percussion its still feels like I'm listening to the creepy, eery parts of "Trip to the Fair," albeit a Spanish version. I have to admit, however, that the band has done a rather remarkable job of adapting this to their own instruments, language, and interpretation, thus, I'm going to give them credit and respect for the petit vol. (9/10)

Total Time: 42:21

An album that has some great musicianship if sometimes dull NeoProg foundations, I am very impressed with the band's dextrous and rather complete adoption of progressive rock forms and sounds.

90.0 on the Fishscales = B+/A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-infused progressive rock music.

ALPHONSO JOHNSON Yesterday's Dreams (1976)

Former Weather Report bassist has definitely oriented himself toward pop music and the popular melodic disco-funk world now despite the remarkable variety of song styles represented here.  

Line-up / Musicians:
Alphonso Johnson / Vocals, Bass, Guitar [Acoustic]

With:

- Chester Thompson / drums

- Patrice Rushen / Keyboards

- Sheila Escovedo (SHEILA E) / Congas, Percussion

- Ian Underwood / Synthesizers

- Mike Clark / drums (A1, A2)

- Lee Ritenour / Guitar [Acoustic, Electric] (A1, A2, A3, A4) 

- Ray Gomez / Guitar [Electric] (B1, B2, B3, B4)

And:

- David Foster / organ (A1)

- Mark Jordan / organ (B2)

- Ruth Underwood (FRANK ZAPPA) / Bells [Orchestra], Marimba, Vibraphone (B3)

- Ernie Fields / Saxophone [Baritone] (A3, B4), Flute (A3)

- Grover Washington, Jr. / Saxophone [Tenor] (A1, A3)
- Ernie Watts / Saxophone [Tenor] (A3, B4)
Horn Section (A3, B4): 

- Trombone - Garnett Brown, George Bohannon
- Trumpet - Chuck Findley
- Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Gary Grant
Vocals - Diane Reeves (A1), Jon Lucian (A4), Phillip Bailey (EARTH WIND & FIRE) (A1)

A1. "Love's The Way I Feel 'Bout Cha" (4:43) jazz pop from Philip Bailey with wonderful vocals from Diane Reeves. Nice bass play as well. A rather powerful song that should have charted as a single on the R&B or Dance charts. (9/10)

A2. "As Little As You" (3:23) a funky instrumental (8.75/10)

A3. "Scapegoat" (5:10) an upbeat disco-funky instrumental over which lyrical saxes perform. We're definitely in the world of Smooth Jazz now. Great funk bass, sax play (from both Grover Washington, Jr. and Ernie Watts), and use of brass section for accents. A top three for me despite the fact that it never really realizes its tremendous potential. (8.875/10)

A4. "Show Us The Way" (4:55) beautiful gentle electric guitar arpeggi provide all the support necessary to buoy the gorgeous deep vocals of jazz singer Jon Lucien. A top three song. (9/10)

B1. "Balls To The Wall" (5:00) opens for 30-seconds like a heavy metal/power rock song with Ray Gomez's electric guitar and Alphonso's power chords and Chester Thompson's racing drum play before turning Mahavishnu funk. From here out everyone is so tight keeping up with Chester and Alphonso. Another top three song for me. (8.875/10)

B2. "Tales Of Barcelona" (2:16) interesting Mahavishnu-like power prayer. (4.5/5)

B3. "Flight To Hampstead Heath" (5:55) opens with a very proggy harpsichord-like arpeggi track over which Alphonso solos with a fretless electric bass. Ruth Underwood's work is so perfect! As is the amazing chemistry between Alphonso and Chester Thompson. My favorite song on the album despite it being far more prog-rock than j-r fusion--more like something from a NOVA or STEVE HACKETT album. (9.25/10)

B4. "One To One" (3:53) another funk track that feels like something between Jan Hammer and Weather Report. Lots of spice and hot sauce coming from all directions--especially the horn section but also from Alphonso, the guitar, keys, and percussion. Nice Fender Rhodes solo in the second minute. Ray Gomez gets the next solo and it's good though far more rock-oriented than prog or j-r fuse; he's definitely a master of sound clarity. Alphonse's Jaco-like interplay with the horn section in the final minute is cool. Solid. (9/10)

Total Time 35:14

89.667 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of eclectic jazz-infused music, pop to funk to j-r fuse to prog: it's all here!

BILL CONNORS Of Mist and Melting (1978)

Bill's second solo album after leaving Return To Forever, on Manfred Eicher's ECM label; his first album with other collaborators--this one all acoustic.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bill Connors / Acoustic Guitars
With:
- Jan Garbarek / Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
- Gary Peacock / Double Bass
- Jack DeJohnette / Drums

1. "Melting" (11:33) excellent jazz foundation from Bill's nylon string guitar's arpeggitions, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette's exquisite more-traditional jazz work in the rhythm department, all set up to support and elevate the clear melody work of Jan Garbarek's tenor sax. Beautiful. In the sixth minute Bill finally steps into the spotlight as Gary and Jack continue their exquisite support. Such beautiful, fluid, and yet dynamic acoustic guitar playing! It's almost on a par with classical guitar virtuoso John Williams. Though Jack DeJohnette's drumming never sounds boisterous or ultramasculine, he does an amazing job of performing at an incredibly high level of skill: His play in the second half might even be called racy or piquant. If all jazz sounded as beautiful as this it might be my go-to choice of music. (18.75/20)

2. "Not Forgetting" (6:33) solo guitar on a John McLaughlin-playing-Bill Evans-level opens this before the rhythmatists join in with some sparse support. Jan's tenor is the first to solo--a little too strong or loud for fitting in with the others (in my opinion) but then Bill solos on a steel-string acoustic guitar as Gary very much plays off of him. All the while, Jack remains affixed to his cymbal work. Bill's unexpected and sometimes-obtuse chords used to support Jan's next solo are so reminiscent of the amazing support work that John McLaughlin creates on so many songs throughout his career. I can't say that I've heard many jazz guitar virtuosi perform on this kind of level. (9/10)

3. "Face In The Water" (6:25) spacious, more spacious, discordant, and avant-garde/free jazz than anything before lends to the thinking that this album and music (and ECM productions in general) may actually belong more in the straight jazz category than fusion. Impeccably and virtuosically performed, just not my favorite. (8.66667/10)

4. "Aubade" (9:38) another tune that starts out in a style that is more true jazz in its chordal and melodic patterning. In the second minute there is an almost-imperceptible shift into some gloriously gorgeous chords and melodies. But it doesn't last as Bill and Jan move back into pensive and discordant patterns while Jack's delicate cymbal play increases its pace and syncopated, expressive sophistication. No Gary Peacock bass (that I can hear) in the first five minutes though a second guitar track appears in that fifth minute. Again, Jack's drum contributions grow and increase in intensity despite still remaining in what one would call a "gentle" and "background" role. Jan returns around the six-minute mark for a turn on his soprano sax, really exploring some of the instrument's high notes for a stretch before leading everyone down into a quieter place so that Jack can have a solo. The man is so skilled, so creative, that it's hard to take in much less comprehend all that he offers to the listener. Amazing is the truest adjective one can apply. At the nine-minute mark we return to that catching little chord progression in order to usher out the song. Not a song that I will be drawn back to hear very often but one that definitely has my fullest respect and admiration. (18/20)

5. "Cafe Vue" (5:40) another more fully jazz expression within which each of the musicians seem to have looser, almost free-jazz compartments in which to act while Bill, and, later, Jan, solo using quite astringent or perhaps chromatic melody lines. Again, not my favorite: too much dissonance for my puny, unaccommodating brain. (8.666667/10)

6. "Unending" (7:33) another John McLaughlin-plays-Bill-Evans-like song with soprano sax, nylon string guitar and Gary and Jack's active and nuanced support. Not as pretty as the first time through ("Not Forgetting"). In fact, the overall palette is a bit too busy and too loud, making it very challenging to enjoy. (13/15)

Total Time 47:20

This album just solidifies the proof that the combination of Manfred Eicher, ECM, acoustic jazz, and a band of exclusively high virtuosi is tough to beat. My issue with this album (and a lot of ECM albums and artists) is in the seriousness of the jazz music being played and expressed: they're just a bit too dense for me to enjoy (though I definitely appreciate them).

89.51 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an excellent album of incredible performances of fully-jazz-oriented music that occasionally brushes onto the yard of the Jazz-Rock Fusion domain. 

IZVIR Izvir (1977)

Though it was called Yugoslavia, these musicians were from Slovenia and spoke (and sang in) Slovenian (among other Slavic languages [like Russian, Serbian, and Croatian]). The band apparently had some regional fame due to a couple minor hit singles and popular performances at outdoor concerts throughout Yugoslovia.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marko Bitenc / vocals, percussion
- Franc Opeka / guitar
- Andrej Petkovic / drums
- Andrej Konjajev / keyboards
- Davorin Petric / guitar
- Marjan Lebar / bass
with:
- Mitja Bavcon / flute, guitar
- Slavko Lebar / guitar
- Marko Rudolf / Canon F-1

Side One:

1. "Sel je popotnik skozi atomski vek" (12:08) strings synth, waves of cymbal crashes and hand bell jingles while electric guitar warms up with some notes and small chords until the second minute when the bass and full band gel into a hypnotic CAMEL-esque groove. Electric keyboard takes the first lead before vocalist Marko Bitenc enters with a theatric performance: half speaking, half singing--with female background vocalists. Nice! The keys seem to have the leadership role among the musicians as Andrej Petkovic seems to take the opening opportunities to fill with a few flurries. At 4:15 there is a dramatic shift into a brand new motif--one that presents an entirely new and different kind of energy: blues rock with clavinet and blues lead guitar with more rock-oriented drums and bass. Instrumental "chorus" at 6:15 serves to bridge and reset before the band starts round two of this new motif--but then, just as suddenly, everything stops and we're left with the big Itallian operatic voice of Marko Bitenc with just a lone electric piano to accompany him with gentle chords. The wooden (or clay) flute of guest Mitja Bavcon takes us to the nine-minute mark where organ, guitars, and fast hi-hat play takes us into another motif, this one dynamic in a somewhat funky R&B rock style over which Marko continues singing in his theatric RPI lead voice. The background singers are present and forceful throughout this section, lending great emphasis to Marko's words and voice. Nice rock guitar solo in the 12th minute which eventually takes us into the song's long fadeout. Pretty good stuff! (22/25)

2. "Oblak" (5:07) using a palette and style that sounds like 1960s Surf Pop taken toward early Doors and Lynyrd Skynyrd blues rock. Enter Marko in the second minute with his strong RPI voice. After his first verse and chorus the band subtly launch into a jazzified instrumental section reminding me of the early days of both The Animals or Argent. Nice guitar and organ solos here as the tight rhythm section chugs along. It's the datedness of the instrumental sounds coupled with an older rock form that makes me think, "Man! These guys must have been playing this song since the 60s." (8.75/10)

2011 Bonus:

 3. "Medtem" (2:47) this one opens with a little more TEMPTATIONS-like Soul/R&B palette and style. Nice fast rolling bass and clavinet play. Marko's treated voice enters trying to be a white R&B voice like Gino Vannelli or something of the like. Both Davorin Petric and Franc Opeka take turns soloing on their respective electric guitars in the first instrumental passage. Too bad the sound recording  (/10)

Side Two:

3. "Izvir" (5:40) disco! with a "Black Betty" form and pace! Great intricate instrumental play from drummer Andrej Petkovic, bassist Marhan Lebar, and clavinet player Andrej Konjajev. The two guitarists almost sound like some of King Sunny Adé's band members playing their Juju music guitars. Marko's vocal participation is rather secondary and more similar to the delivery of the vocal on Ram Jam's "Black Betty." Another song that the band had probably been developing and perfecting over the course of years. Well done! (9/10) 

4. "Sareni pas" (2:52) though the instrumental performances on this funky tune are tight and nuanced the vocals render it more like a Slovenian version of some current or recent rock song from the West that I cannot place--Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Under Foot", I think. (8.75/10)

5. "Covjekov strah" (8:04) more ethnically-infused rock with some jazzy inflections and amplifications. A Southern California and Jamaican feel. I really like this rather loose vocal from Marko despite its poor effects and recording. Great guitar play that, again, feels as if came from an African or Caribbean musician and, once again, great keyboard play from Andrej Konjajev--he really gets the clavinet as well as the placement and appropriate usage of his other keys. Drummer Andrej Petkovic is also extremely talented: playing always what seem really appropriate for each moment and motif. Nice tune. (14/15)

6. "Vibrolux" (3:08) definitely the rock side of jazz-rock fusion; Herbie Hancock would be quite proud of this one. I am quite proud of drummer Andrej Petkovic for his tasteful solo to end the song (and album). (8.875/10)

Total time: 36:59

This album is not always (or, perhaps, ever) a truly jazz-rock fusion album but the eclectic mix of musical forms and styles are performed by musicians of such high skill and talent that it might as well be. Plus, by 1976 jazz rock was already beginning to unravel and take on a myriad of new directions. This may be one of them. 

89.22 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of eclectic jazz-rock-pop fusion that I highly recommend for if only for the fun of it.

IMPULS Impuls (1977)

Another awesome one-off from a short-lived Czech band.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Zdenek Fiser / guitar
- Pavel Kostiuk / keyboards
- Michal Gera / trumpet
- Jaromír Helesic / drums
- Frantisek Uhlír / bass

1. "Horni konec dolni konec" (4:07) two motifs, one funkier than the other and containing some nice dueling between trumpet, flanged electric guitar, double bass, and keyboard synth. (8.875/10)

2. "Cervanky" (4:47) slow and reflective with delicate yet-nuanced performances from all of the musicians. The music keeps getting stronger, more dynamic (and, melodically, more 1960s game show-like) over the course of its almost-five minutes. (8.75/10)

3. "Osmikraska" (5:49) opening with some bowed electric bass (or cello) that has a very interesting effect plugged into it, the song then launches with the whole band moving into a great bass-and-drum-led groove with horn section. Great syncopation from the drums and bass while guitarist Zdenek Fiser solos and Fender Rhodes player Pavel Kostiuk supports. Trumpeter Michal Gera takes the next turn in the lead while bassist Frantisek Uhlír does some interesting moving around beneath. Bowed electric violin (or cello) gets the next turn before the band comes back together to recite the collective melody line with the horns fully involved. Cool song! (9/10)

4. "V klidu a pohode" (4:23) ominous melody line to open this slow, ruminative song of suspicion and paranoia. A little too herky-jerky for my tastes. (8.75/10)

5. "Sextant" (4:43) even though the title here seems to give a nod to Herbie Hancock, I hear a predominance of Mahavishnu Orchestra with Jan Hammer-type Moog soloing. (9/10)

6. "Cumulus" (5:03) a nod to Billy Cobham's "Stratus"? a very quirky and interesting song making footprints in several j-r fusion camps: funk, technical, Smooth, experimental, and (9/10)

7. "Riko" (4:45) smooth jazz with some admirably-tight whole-band playing--especially from the multiple instruments proposing the melody together. My favorite song on the album. (9.25/10)

8. "Povidlove hody" (5:26) from the start this sounds like an experimental practice étude--like one of the band's warm up songs. (8.5/10)

Total Time 38:58

Very solid and nicely rendered performances of solid Jazz-Rock Fusion compositions.

88.91 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an album of Jazz-Rock Fusion that is, I feel, actually better than its score indicates. I recommend you try it for yourself--especially if you're into Jazz-Rock Fusion.

PATRICK MORAZ The Story of "I" (1976)

Swiss keyboard virtuoso takes the prog catalogue of instruments he learned with YES back to his jazz/classical roots. The question is: Is this proggy jazz-rock fusion or jazzy prog world fusion?

Line-up / Musicians:
- Patrick Moraz / vocals, piano, Hammond C3, synths, Mellotrons, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, harpsichord, marimbaphone, Taurus bass pedals, sequencers & assorted keyboard instruments, gong, cymbal, alpine horn & addit. percussion, arranger, orchestrator, conductor & producer
With:
- John McBurnie (Jackson Heights) / lead vocals
- Vivienne McAuliffe (Principal Edwards Magical Theatre, Anthony Phillips, Camel, ) / lead vocals
- Veronique Mueller / French vocals
- Children of Morat, Switzerland / chorus vocals
- Ray Gomez / lead & rhythm guitars
- Auguste de Anthony / acoustic & electric guitars
- Jean Ristori / cello, double bass
- Jeff Berlin (Bruford) / electric bass
- Alphonse Mouzon / drums (1-7)
- Andy Newmark / drums (8-14)
- Jean-Luc Bourgeois / gong, tom-tom
- Phillippe Staehli / timpani, percussion
- Rene Moraz / tap dance, castagnets
- Percussionists of Rio De Janeiro (Paulinho Braga, Hermes, Chico Batera, Gordinho, Claudio, Bezerra, Doutor, Nenem, Jorginho, 

- Wilson, Geraldo Sabino, Risadinha, Jorge Garcia, Marcal, Luna, Elizeu) / Brazilian percussions
- Gilson de Freitas / percussionists' leader

1. "Impact" (3:31) Patrick progs up some jazzy Brazilian rhythms. Interesting and very weird (especially the first time one hears it!) Great percussion performances. (8.875/10)

2. "Warmer Hands" (3:31) flowing over from "Impact," the song quickly morphs into a kind of Latinized "Gates of Delirium" before smoothing out for the group choir to deliver some lyrics in choral style. This section bulges forth some very strong funky coming from the solid rhythm section of Jeff Berllin, Alphonse Mouzon, and Ray Gomez. Surprisingly complex and sohpisticated but lacking the kind of melodies that Anglo-minds can latch onto. (8.875/10)

3. "The Storm" (0:52) announced by the crow-like "achhh!" of several band members as the percussion and keyboard storm cacophony explodes and slowly decays.

4. "Cachaca" (4:07) in the aftermath of the storm the percussionists, keys, and vocal choir come up with a upbeat wordless melody. Then the band is led off into a Chick Corea-like Latin carnival passage by the band leader and, later, full choir, as the very-expanded rhythm section goes into some more serious Latin funk. (8.75/10)

5. "Intermezzo" (2:49) a classical piece with multiple keyboards performing alongside the piano until it switches into acoustic backing for vocalist Vivienne McAuliffe, but then the full electric complement return for the song's post-vocal finish. (8.875/10)

6. "Indoors" (3:44) a very dense, condensed ZAPPA/Todd Rundgren's Utopia-like song race that eventually has presents some more ANNETTE PEACOCK/GAYLE MORAN-like lead vocals (that are buried too deep within the overall mix). A lot of similarities to some of the music Larry Fast's SYNERGY was doing at the same time (as well as NEKTAR's Recycled.) (8.875/10)

7. "Best Years of Our Lives" (3:59) a gentle, somewhat-incongruously placed pop, or stage musical, ballad sung in a delicate, over-saccharined voice coming from John McBurnie. Nicely arranged and composed but ultimately too out of place. (8.666667/10)

8. "Descent" (1:43) the high-speed synth weave that gets Side Two off and running. Finishes sounding a lot like BRAND X's "...and so to F." (4.75/5)

9. "Incantation (Procession)" (1:51) prefaced by the decaying synthesizer of the previous song, the deceptively slow, odd (carnivalian), and yet surprisingly engaging sound weave that is established is suddenly usurped by an all-percussion motif before reasserting itself to then finish the song. (4.75/5)

10. "Dancing Now" (4:38) the percussionists return, piano, drums, bass and choral "Da-da, da-da, das" congeal so that John McBurnie can sing a much more powerful though still a bit hoaky vocal (and lyric) over what is really a very standard rock-pop song. Nice Gothic keyboard melodies in Patrick's solo section (coming from multiple keys!) (8.75/10)

11. "Impressions (The Dream)" (2:49) great Gershwinian classical piano rapture. Another "WTF" song that leaves one wondering how Patrick ever conceived and pulled this album off--as a "concept" album. (9/10)

12. "Like a Child Is Disguise" (4:05) another piano-based pop-rock "stage musical" ballad for John McBurnie and gang to sing over. The "stuck in the middle with you" chorus is perhaps the first real hook I've latched onto but the rest of the John Lennon-performance over an early bluesy Elton John song is just fair. (8.75/10)

13. "Rise and Fall" (5:34) and the melodrama increases! (What melodrama! I cannot for the life of me pick out a story from this album!) By the end of the first minute this song has veered into some rock-dominated Latin funk similar to some of the songs on the opening of Side One--even going back to those YES-like time and chord changes before spilling out into another "Gates of Delirium"-like chaotic jam. Nice performances from so many of the band members (though the soundscape does get rather congested/murky), but then the speed picks up (especially crazy Jeff Berlin and the percussionists) while wordless choir vocals make their reappearance before Patrick launches into an instrumental passage in which he nimbly switches between about a dozen keyboards--repeating many of the melody themes from the rest of the album. (So this IS a Broadway musical!) (8.875/10)

14. "Symphony in the Space" (2:56) In this all-keyboard final song we are once again treated to a Larry Fast-SYNERGY/VANGELIS-like demonstration of the new world of electrically-possible synthetic sound. (8.875/10)

Total Time 46:09

Since the very first time I heard this album back in 1977 I've had an ambivalent like-dislike relationship with this album. It's just so weirdly different than anything I'd ever heard before. Ambitious, I think Patrick has ultimately failed in revealing a musically-coherent work to express his idea for a concept album. And, despite it's occasional funk and dominating Latin percussion work, I would never call this a Jazz-Rock Fusion album. 

88.889 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an interesting if somewhat haphazard-seeming collection of songs strung together to convey, supposedly, a single story arc. Try it out for yourselves; I cannot endorse it from the perspective of something I enjoy very much. 

ROBERT GENCO Oltra la vita (1977)

A very obscure Italian artist who only recorded this one album in 1977 but didn't get it released in CD form until 2011 (and later in digital streaming formats on Bandcamp).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Robert Genco / drums, percussion, vibes, vocals
- Hugo Heredia / sax, flute
- Luciano Biasutti / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Giorgio Cocilovo / guitars
- Tuccio Garofalo / e-piano, organ
- Silvio Condemi / bass, cello

1. "Angosia" (10:15) funky bass and drum line runs through the whole five-part jazz-rock suite. Excellent drumming and composition but the bass line gets rather old. The lead instruments over the top (flute, trumpet, electric guitar, electric piano, and reverbed voice)) do a pretty good job of distracting as do the accent horns in the third motif. (17.75/10) 

2. "Beyond The life" (5:11) excellent emotional song sung very powerfully by Robert. Impressive guitar play from Giorgio Cocilovo but excellent sound and play from Tuccio Garofalo on electric piano, bassist Silvio Condemi, and Robert on drums. Beautiful Smooth Jazz. (9.75/10)

3. "All Recomposes" (5:24) a more symphonic approach to jazz pop. Sounds like a cross between Donovan and Greg Lake-led PROCOL HARUM. Robert really does have an excellent, very emotive singing voice. The song builds beautifully after Robert finishes singing the first verse, eventually climaxing in a kind of "Space Oddity" finish. (9.5/10)

4. "Nature And Transmigration" (18:32) this seven-movement suite starts out very atmospheric/pastoral for the first two movements--like a classically-formulated song, but then it gets funky with the arrival of the fifth minute. Flute solos over the first minute of this movement before Robert starts to sing, then electric guitar gets a turn to solo. The fourth "chapter" or movement starts at 6:57 and flattens out into more-Mahavishnu-like speed sprint with Hammond organ dominating the first minute but then turning over the reigns to electric piano while electric guitar shreds and bass and drums drive the song forward.  At 11:18 we subtly shift into yet another motif--this one more rock-driven with the Fender taking the first solo over the hypnotic bass and hard-driving drums. When the trumpet takes over in the lead position the bass drops down an octave or two while Robert's drums get a little more adventurous. Some stop-and-go staccato play in the final portions of this allow Robert a little more show-time before settling into a slightly different pattern to support more electric guitar lead play. The sixth "chapter" finds the band settling into an-almost Canterburian rhythm for some silliness, but then, after a little Mont Campbell-like singing, everybody shifts gears to into some more jagged, angular jazz musicianship. The seventh and final "chapter" finds us listening to a flange-effected drum solo. Nothing here is quite as compelling or quite as beautiful as the other songs on the album. That third "chapter" is the best one here. (34.75/40)

5. "Passagio" (5:15) opens with a flange-effected drum solo (a continuation, obviously, of the previous song)--one that starts out impressively but then gets too simplistic. Eventually, the rest of the band joins in and establishes a kind of poppy STEELY DAN-like motif over which Griogio solos on electric guitar before and between Robert's charged singing. The guitar solo eventually sounds just like The Eagle's at the end of "I Can't Tell You Why" (sung by Timothy B. Schmit). Another beautiful song! (9/10)

Total Time 44:37

An incredibly-well recorded and produced album--especially considering its self-recorded and self-published history!

88.4375 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent little gem plucked out of obscurity for any prog lover historian. 

DIXIE DREGS What If? (1978)

A band I only had the privilege of seeing live once--as a warmup act for YES--and it was with international competition winner Mark O'Connor playing violin in place of Allen Sloan (but I swear it was earlier than 1982 when he first appeared on a Dregs album). Mark was jaw-dropping amazing, as was Steve Howe clone Steve Morse.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Steve Morse / Classical, electric & synth guitars
- Mark Parrish / keyboards
- Allen Sloan / strings
- Andy West / Alembic bass, Fender fretless bass
- Rod Morgenstein / drums, vocals (5)

1. "Take It Off The Top" (4:07) a perfect display of why I always thought this band more classic rock with prog and jazz elements than true progressive rock or Jazz-Rock Fusion: it sounds like a cross between ASIA and JAN HAMMER. And it's really not all that interesting, melodic, or impressive. (8.66667/10)

2. "Odyssey" (7:35) what starts out sounding like a modern Jan Hammer composition turns neo-classical in a KITARO or TOMITA even Eddie Jobson-UK way; not quite all the way to rock like Kansas (but could be if there were vocals/lyrics). The composition is quite modern and quirky in a jazz kind of way but full of an endless parade of little tangential solos, especially from violins. Interesting but a little too busy and pointless for my tastes. (13.125/15)

3. "What If" (5:01) slow, melodic, and a little quirky and sappy like a NOVA or Narada Michael Walden song, but very interesting for its melodic sensibilities and modern "latest-greatest" instrumental sound choices. All this electrification and synthesizer and effects processing just seems a bit too excessive. I'm missing the more natural, organic sounds of these instruments' originations. (8.75/10)

4. "Travel Tunes" (4:34) what starts as an interesting weave or reel of multiple instruments that I can hardly recognize for the way they've been processed and masked turns into a more Southern-hillbilly rock jam. Impressive performances across the board but this is an example of the beginning of the unhuman, processed sound that will become the dominant form in so much of the 1980s (8.875/10)

5. "Ice Cake"s (4:39) several quirky, near-classical, some unclassifiable, themes are worked into this song through instrumental palettes that vary from Rod Morgenstein southern-fried funk drum playing to Jeff Berlin-like bass playing with Allen Sloan's Eddie Jobson-like synthetic violin and keyboard sounds. Interesting and likable--even inviting me to come back for repeated listens. (8.875/10)

6. "Little Kids" (2:03) a nice little Irish folk jig performed between Steve Morse's classical guitar and Allen Sloan's violin-sounding violin and perhaps Mark Parrish's Vivaldi keyboard. The best song on the album due to its sound being the most pure. (4.75/5)

7. "Gina Lola Breakdown" (4:00) opening like an electrified hoedown from an episode of Hee Haw. Impressive performances all around: violin, country electric guitar, upright saloon piano, two-step bass line, and horse-step-like drum play. Man! Is Steve Morse talented! A great display of skills (delivered in an unadulterated way). (9/10)

8. "Night Meets Light" (7:47) an interesting weave that sounds classical Baroque while also hitting the second-incarnation Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jean-Luc Ponty buttons. Slowing it down the way it is here makes it feel disingenuous--like they're showing their potential for a New Age album or one of Christmas carols. The gated- or Simmons-sounding drums are also a little disturbing: as if noting the end of drums as we once knew them. (13.125/15)

Total Time: 39:46

This is a band that I never felt completely comfortable welcoming into the prog or J-R Fuse clubs (like Jan Hammer's solo stuff). The band's musicianship is never in question. I think they have an overall sense of melody that is quite foreign to me--one that does nothing to invite me in. 

88.43 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent if enigmatic display of sophisticated sound and compositional skill: each of the song's sound palettes and styles are so hard to pinpoint or categorize. 

MANDRILL Composite Truth (1973)

The band is kind of losing its Jazz-Rock Fusion edge, drifting more into the realms of R&B Funk and Hard Funk.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Carlos Wilson / trombone, vocals
- Lou Wilson / trumpet, vocals
- Ric Wilson / saxophone, vocals
- Claude "Coffee" Cave / keyboards
- Omar Mesa / guitar
- Bundie Cenas / bass
- Charlie Padro / drums

A1. "Hang Loose" (4:45) solid and, of course, excellent musicianship, but nothing new or super-engaging here. (8.75/10)

A2. "Fencewalk" (5:26) sounds like the funk-R&B of WAR (or vice-versa). Great if you're into hard funk that will become PARLIAMENT. (8.75/10)

A3. "Hagalo" (2:47) Latin Caribbe! Love the xylophone-led group vocal chant-enhanced salsa! (8.75/10)

A4. "Don't Mess with People" (3:43) Again, WAR is the band that this style of song immediately reminds one of. (8.66667/10)

B1. "Polk Street Carnival" (6:06) early SANTANA-like Caribbean carnival music! (8.75/10)

B2. "Golden Stone" (7:16) with its many different motifs this one sounds a lot like a CHICAGO song. (13.5/15)

B3. "Out with the Boys" (5:10) a beautiful ballad that harkens back to some folk roots--though with a definite nod to the Broadway musical. (9/10)

B4. "Moroccan Nights" (6:43) starts out with the pronunciation of the same melody line from the previous ballad, building with bass, rhythm guitar, percussion, and banked flutes before letting a single flute take off on its own in the third minute. Alto sax is next to solo as the music settles into a seductively hypnotic slow groove--sounding a bit like Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? Great song if rather simple. (Perhaps the boys were into some serious ganja during the making of this one.) (8.875/10)

Total Time 41:56

Not as deserving to be included in this Compendium meant for true Jazz-Rock Fusion.

88.28 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a welcome collection of solid songs from a great band though not quite the sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion I was hoping for.

TOTO BLANKE Electric Circus (1976)

ASSOCIATION P.C. guitarist and keyboard player Jasper Van't Hof's second round of self-expression outside of Pierre Courbois' leadership. The result is a more experimental sound adventure over which Toto plays his jazz-guitar (and banjo).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Toto Blanke / guitar, banjo (4), Moog bass, PPG synth & sequencer, Fx (3), co-producer
With:
- Jasper Van't Hof / prepared organ, electric grand piano & Fender Rhodes (5)
- Ulrich Rutzel / piano (7), co-producer
- Dave King / bass
- Edward Vesala / drums, percussion

1. "PPG" (6:06) cool TERRY RILEY-like Minimalist electronica is here used to create a weave that ends up supporting Toto's guitar soloing. (8.75/10)

2. "Flowers All Over" (6:16) oddly experimental music with jazz guitar eventually dominating the top. I find it boring due to the extremely drawn out time it takes to develop into anything resembling jazz music--and that only a Weather Report-like level of pop jazz. (Bassist Dave King is relegated to playing two notes on infinite repetition for the first 5:45!) Once Toto gets into gear (over half way through the song), he plays some great GEORGE BENSON-like guitar albeit over some ultra-smooth melodic support. Great drumming, though. (8.75/10)

3. "Arabab" (5:52) yet another experimental soundscape opening before wah-wah-rhythm guitar and funk bass and drums take over bringing a funked-up AREA-like sound. This may be the most jazzy song on the album, but still a far cry from the sophisticated stuff these guys are capable of. (8.75/10)

4. "Minister Ed" (7:37) again the unusual dominance of the Berlin School-like sequencer is notable. In the third minute the sequencer disappears and a slow funk with banjo rises in its place. Interesting. Not my favorite. (13/15)

5. "Song For Zeenat" (3:59) long, spacious, slow, and rather eerie electronica intro with delicate cymbal play, percussive noises, sustained low bass note amp hum, and gentle volume-pedal controlled electric guitar notes and riffs, and finger-plucking of piano strings. Over half way into the song it's still forming, coagulating, as Toto and drummer Edward Vesala are still figuring each other out. I actually love this experimental "unfinished" kind of stuff! (9/10)

 
6. "Spiesser Krollak" (4:32) Berlin School-like saw-synth arpeggio pans across the sonic field for a minute before being supplanted by a slow, mathematical funk chord weave that repeats itself over and while the "prepared [wah-wah pedaled] organ" solos over the top. Edward embellishes and enriches with his fills and flourishes as Toto and bassist Dave King hold fast to the foundations of the math rock motif. Interesting as an experiment/étude, but, in the long run, a waste of valuable tape and vinyl. (8.25/10)  

7. "Spinner" (2:03) tuned percussion [muted marimba] organ that seems sequenced which African/Caribbean percussives add to the weave so that Toto can solo Calypso-style (like a steel drum) with the very upper register of his guitar played in a muted staccato fashion. (4.25/5) 

Total Time 36:25

My over all feeling from this album is that Jasper and Toto were going through a growing phase upon the acquisition/access to some new electronic equipment, that this album came from tapes garnered from the recording sessions in which the band were just getting to know these instruments and their potentialities; these were just the captures of their experimentations. In my opinoin, only bass player Dave King and drummer Edward Vesala live up to the standards of true Jazz-Rock Fusion, Toto and Jasper are caught in a wormhole of Steve Hillage-like audio distortion. Thus, I would not consider this a very highly recommended album: though there is a much that I like here, I think it would be better suited for collectors only. 

87.86 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a sparsely populated album filled with a large percentage of  sound and new instrument experimentation. Best suited for collectors.  

ICEBERG Coses Nostres (1976)

The wonderful sophomore effort of highly-regarded fusion artists from Spain's Catalan.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Joaquín "Max" Sunyer / electric & acoustic guitars
- José "Kitflus" Mas / piano, electric piano, synthesizer
- Primitivo Sancho / bass
- Jordi Colomer / drums

1. "Preludi I record" (2:14) sounding more like a Journey or schmaltzy FOCUS song of the Mother Focus period, there are even West Side Story references to what feels like anthemic music. Weird! I'm not even sure I would call this Jazz-Rock Fusion! (4.25/5)

2. "Nova (musica de la Llum)" (8:56) music that is both cinematic and proggy enough to warrant comparisons to bands of the time like SANTANA, YES, and even Todd Rundgren's UTOPIA. Nice drumming display (if a bit sophomoric) in the fifth and sixth minutes. They're trying so hard to be top-tier prog--or J-R Fusionists--but are just not there yet. (17.5/20)
 

3. "L'acustica (referencia d'un canvi interior)" (9:10) opening with a sound palette and choatic playing style that reminds me of the early songs and albums of GONG, NOVA, and STEVE HILLAGE. At 1:45 a new motif starts with some out-of-tune reverb-guitar arpeggi and electric piano notes. At 2:45 the full band finally comes together into a gorgeous space-proggy motif that reminds me of one of the early Canterbury artists (like EGG) wherein acoustic guitar and piano take turns soloing over The music and performances are so simplistic compared to what will come ahead on Sentiments and Arc-en-ciel! And the sound engineering is awful compared to what's ahead. In the end this is a pretty prog song showing a band of ambitious young musicians on the rise. (17.75/20)
 

4. "La d'en Kitflus" (6:49) despite the cheesy synth strings and Fender Rhodes play, here is the first song that begins to encroach the possibilities of Jazz-Rock Fusion--though there are just as many symphonic elements employed: It reminds me of early FOCUS. Some very impressive guitar and synth synchronized runs here and there! The lumbering bass-centric motif in the fourth and fifth minutes is as mystifying as it is cheesy. Again: some brilliant ideas that the band (and producer) are just too young and inexperienced to turn into fusion (or prog) gold. The skills are impressive but they're still learning how to best display and express them. (13.125/15)

5. "La flamenca electrica" (5:56) sounds like a continuation of the previous song; as if the band is using these song ideas to figure how to best express their talents instead of trying to make the composition their primary focus of their expression. Interesting and very skillfully layered but lacking the sounds from their instruments as well as the engineering acumen (or equipment) to pull off some great sound. (I'm often wondering if these were demos that never reached the finishing/polishing stages.) Again, great skills in development and aspiration; they're just not there yet. (8.75/10)

6. "A Valencia" (8:45) a song that seems to be based on working on the mastering of a borrowed riff: like any student of classical music, you work with études and other practice vehicles in order to perfect your chops as well as your musical foundations. That is exactly what this song feels like--especially with its "Never Been Any Reason" HEAD EAST sound palette. There's even a couple more styles to work on in successive motifs within the song. Nice to hear Jordi's drum skills put on full display in the final motif. (17.25/20)

7. "11/8 (Manifest de la follia)" (6:54) the first of the band's songs on which I've heard a little of the Latin flavors that will continue to grow and take over their playing sound and style. Definitely a song reaching for RETURN TO FOREVER territory--and almost successfully doing so! You go, Guys! You'll get there! (13.375/15)

Total Time: 48:44

The band has definitely not evolved into its masterful RETURN TO FOREVER sound nor the incredible cohesion and synchrony of Arc-en-ciel yet; the band's engineering, compositional, and performative skills are just not up to the speed and skill level necessary to pull off those next couple albums. Give 'em a year! 

87.50 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent tier-two contribution to the lexicon of progressive rock music from a band that is still finding its way, still experimenting with its preferences for style and sound (as well as still growing their skills). It's worth listening to, but if you want the peak of this band's output, seek out 1977's Sentiments or 1978's Arc-en-ciel.  

IAN GILLIAN BAND Clear Air Turbulence (1977)

Deep Purple-departed Ian Gillian gathered a whole bunch of A-level all-stars to make a fairly decent jazz-infused album.

 
Line-up / Musicians:
- Ian Gillan (DEEP PURPLE) / lead vocals
- Ray Fenwick (SPENCER DAVIS GROUP) / guitars, vocals
- Colin Towns / keyboards, flute
- John Gustafson (QUARTERMASS, ROXY MUSIC) / bass, vocals
- Mark Nauseef / drums, percussion
With:
- Phil Kensie / tenor saxophone solo (2)
- Martin Firth / baritone saxophone
- John Huckridge / trumpet
- Derek Healey / trumpet
- Malcolm Griffiths / trombone
- Cy Payne / brass arrangements (1,3,4)

1. "Clear Air Turbulence" (7:35) atmospheric opening with butterfly-flutes suddenly burst forward with a somewhat-funky bass-led rock motif over which Ian sings (with some growling poorly-effected vocals). Reminds me of one of Jean-Luc PONTY's hyperdrive songs from the same era. Around 2:30 it suddenly slows way down for a different motif. Bass and drums are quite impressive in this section with nice electric piano support. (13.25/15)

2. "Five Moons" (7:30) solo flute opens this before Fender Rhodes takes over. Ian's treated, John Anderson-like singing joins the electric piano before the end of the first minute. At the two minute mark the full band joins in with a bombastic burst of sound but then calms back down to Fender and voice after only 25-seconds. Too bad for Ian's effected voice cuz I can't really get a sense if he's a good singer (his melodic choices are nothing to write home about). The bass is about the only element of this song that is not rock--that is kind of jazzy--though maybe the dreamy Fender Rhodes qualifies at times. It's a voice like Steve Hillage uses on his first couple solo albums. (12.875/15)

3. "Money Lender" (5:38) purely a rock song with Ian going off with some raunchy stereotypic rock singing. The music is also pure two-chord rock though horn section and jazzy bass somehow work into the song's foundation. It sounds a bit like GRAND FUNK RAILROAD with Mel Shacher in the lead. The secondary motif in the third minute is pleasant and melodic in a pop-jazz way. The rest is pretentious (unless, I suppose, you take stock of the message of his lyrics). (8.6666667/10)

4. "Over The Hill" (7:14) nice Cauca-funky bass, drums, and rhythm guitar within a driving rock-vocaled  song. Some of the best musicianship of the album. Great keyboard solo in the fourth and fifth minutes. Too bad about the vocal. The moslty-instrumental second half of the song contains some great music but then Ian's "Smoke on the Water" vocal rejoins. (13.375/15)

5. "Goodhand Liza" (5:24) hand percussion opens this one for 30-seconds before bass and drums join in--voice at 0:45. Whole-group vocals join in with keys and rhythm guitar over the cruisin' conga play giving it a kind of STYX or feel. Interesting and not bad instrumental passage in the fourth minute before John Gustafson starts a STANLEY CLARKE/ RTF-like bass chord sequence at 4:00. Off set by cat-like synth sounds, John's bass and Mark Nauseef's play out to the end. (8.66667/10)

6. "Angel Manchenio" (5:17) almost a variation of QUEEN's "Another One Bites the Dust." Nice guitar and keyboard performances. The work of the steady, fast-drivin' rhythm section eventually hypnotizes the listener into liking it--as well as the THIN LIZZY-like twin-melody-making of the guitar and Fender Rhodes. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 38:38

Despite jazz elements (mostly coming from the wonderfully-talented bass player, John Gustafson), this is not Jazz-Rock Fusion, not even jazz-rock; it's just rock 'n' roll. Why the guys decided to allow their identity to be lead by their singer (who, I'm sure, had little to do with the writing of the album's music) I do not know. I guess the dude had star power--"name recognition" as they say.

87.44 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice addition to any rock-oriented prog lover's music collection.  

THE MUFFINS Manna/Mirage (1978) 

America's only entry into the Canterbury style of music issued their debut in 1978 as the real Canterbury movement was fizzling out and/or filtering into other realms (jazz, new age, avant, eclectic, etc.). Still, they contributed a well-acclaimed gem in the true Canterbury style. Though I'm familiar with this album after repeated listenings to recognize each song and smile, I do not seem to be able to recall the Muffins sound when I am away from their music--when I am just trying to conjure up the "essence" of the band and their sound. All nice music, eminently listenable--and enjoyable--just, for some reason, not memorable. This is why this album isn't higher in my personal favorites. I remember that "Hobart Got Burned" (5:56) is an example of the band venturing off into the more challenging and dissonant realms of free jazz--though it does come together in a somewhat cohesive flow for the second half. (8/10)

Line-up / Musicians:
- Dave Newhouse / piano, organ, piccolo flute, alto & baritone saxophones, bass clarinet, whistle, percussion
- Tom Scott / piccolo, E-flat, alto & C-flutes, soprano, alto & baritone saxophones, B-flat & alto clarinets, oboe, soprano recorder, percussion
- Billy Swan / bass, piano, guitar, percussion
- Paul Sears / drums, gong, xylophone, vibes, percussion, "pots & pans", pennywhistle
With:
- Steven Feigenbaum / guitar (3,4)
- John Schmidt / baritone horn, tuba
- Doug Elliot / trombone
- Larry Elliott / trumpet (1)
- Greg Yaskovich / bubble trumpet (4)

Favorite songs: 4. "The Adventures of Captain Boomerang" (22:48) (38/45); 1. "Monkey with Golden Eyes" (4:02) (9/10), and; 3. "Amelia Earhart" (15:45) (25.5/30).

Total Time: 48:36

85.79 on the Fishscales = four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection. I am sure that this album would be an eminently more enjoyable listening experience for fans coming from (or for) a true jazz background, as there is a lot of that. The performances are all exquisite: high in technical skill as well tightly orchestrated.