Allan Holdsworth
Some argue that Allan Holdsworth is the pre-eminent musical genius over the past 60 years. I know that he lived in a musical universe of his own creation, a mathematical world that he alone practiced in a language that he alone created. I know that the first time I became aware of the existence and genius of Allan was in 1978 when the first Bruford album came out. His playing leapt out of the grooves immediately, both stupefying me and annoying me for the extreme unorthodoxy of both his sound and his scales. But it was the UK album that really sealed my respect and awe, and "Sahara in the Snow" from the second Bruford album that sealed my undying curiosity--the drive that kept me buying his albums and the albums on which he appeared through the 1980s. Most everything I'm disclosing in the list and reviews below are made possible by the access to all of the world's music that the Internet has provided me in the past 15 years. Only in the last two years had I ever heard of 'Igginbottom or Tempest, Allan's role on The Soft Machine's Bundles and Tony Williams' revived and rejuvenated "New Lifetime" albums of 1975-76 or the Gong albums of 1976 & 1977.
Allan Holdsworth's first band--for which he wrote the majority of the material. It will not surprise anyone to learn that the music here is blues-rock based with very jazzy guitar. In fact, the music here--all ten of its songs--represent a direction of jazz-rock fusion that is rather unique in the prog/j-r fusion world--and one that has very seldom been approached again.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Alan Holdsworth / guitar, vocals
- Dave Freeman / drums
- Mick Skelly / bass
- Steven Robinson / guitar, vocals
1. "The Castle" (2:55) the album opens with an Allan Holdsworth composition. Jazzy guitar playing syrupy chords all alone starts the song before the bass, drums, and guitars settle into a BEATLES-like blues-rock song over which Allan sings. He has a rather pleasant, unexceptional voice that sounds like a cross between RICHARD SINCLAIR, a young, higher-pitched Chet Baker, and demo-level GREG LAKE. The instrumental performances on the tune are full-on jazz rock with Mick Skelly's electric bass moving prominently in the foreground while the two guitars amply fill the sonic field with their sophisticated chord and riff playing. What a big, unexpected surprise! Like very little I've ever heard (before or since) for its instrumental jazz virtuosity and melodic Beatles/Caravan capriciousness. (9.25/10)
2. "Out of Confusion" (2:09) a whole-band composition that opens with a recording of a random conversation between the band members--one with levity and purpose--which leads into a rather wild expressly-Coltrane-inspired improvisation (mostly by Allan) over which one of the band members recites a poem. (4.333333/5)
3. "The Witch" (3:03) another Holdsworth composition, this one opens with snare and hi-hat-dominated (and stereotypic) jazz drum before the bass and guitars join in and the band settles into a with almost-Hawai'in slack-key style guitar chord play between and, sometimes, beneath the vocal. It's the ultra-Beat/jazzy flourishing that everybody does between the vocal passages that are interesting for their jarring million-mile per hour note exhibitions that impress and astound. Another impressive lyric with melancholy, almost-detached Astrud Gilberto/jazz delivery and affect. (8.875/10)
4. "Sweet Dry Biscuit"s (2:52) Holdsworth and company opening with some Charlie Christian/Wes Montgomery-caliber music (this is another Allan Holdsworth original) before his mellifluous voice joins in to settle the musicians down into a gentler support role while he provides a laid-back almost MICHAEL FRANKS- (though, more accurately, Astrud Gilberto-)like vocal. Wow! What a shocking revelation is this music, this album, this singer! And he was just 23-years old! And I love the jazzy sound engineering and mix of this with the instruments all up front and the slightly reverbed vocal track in the middle, just in front of the drums but behind/beneath the bass and guitars. (9.75/10)
5. "California Dreamin" (4:00) a cover of the classic Mamas & The Papas hit song, Allan has chosen to slow this down--way down--which is totally unexpected and absolutely genius. As one might expect, Allan gives this such an unique form that it becomes, at times, almost unrecognizable from its original form. I even love the high-speed improvisational work at the two-minute mark in which Allan fails: his mistakes and missteps lead to an actual pause and breakdown in the music! But then, like a good jazz musician, he picks it up again and tries once more. VERY impressive guitar playing. (8.875/10)
6. "Golden Lakes" (5:12) a very cool, even beautifully-textured song with excellent lead vocals of some great lyrics. Allan's vocal styling is so much more like some of the laidback 1960s French jazz/café chanteuses than anything I know from Britain. By the way, this is another Allan Holdsworth composition.
The instrumental section that occurs after the second chorus, however, turns very blues-rock with some quite jazzy and quite experimental guitar play over some very VAN MORRISON-feeling music. Then it returns to the main motif for the gentle finish. (9.75/10)
7. "Not So Sweet Dreams" (5:00) another unique song (and, of course, a Holdsworth composition), here a very interesting jazz-chromatic play on some of the pop jazz standards of the 1940s by Cole Porter or perhaps George Gershwin. There are moments in which I feel I'm listening to Beatnik music as well as early King Crimson and/or Terje Rypdal--or a French chanteuse--or JAN AKKERMAN's solo work or work with Kaz Lux. It's really all-over the place yet quite beautiful and relaxing. (9.5/10)
8. "Is She Just a Dream" (4:33) credited to bassist Mick Skelly and Allan Holdsworth, this song opens up with an unusually-simple arpeggiated chord progression performed by the guitar before a dramatic drum roll redirects the band toward an unusually melodied jazz vocal motif that is interspersed with wild uptempo instrumental passages filled to the brim with jazz flourishes from guitars and drums--mostly playing all at once. This could be a BRUFORD song with ANNETTE PEACOCK's melodic sensibilities running the show. (Interesting that Allan and Annette would be working together on that first Bruford album.) An odd little duck that sits far outside the realms of pop/radio-friendly music but might be quite popular in an underground Beat coffee house. I still find it eminently impressive. (9/10)
9. "Blind Girl" (3:46) the first of two songs credited to guitarist Steven Robinson, one can tell from the opening notes and chords because this is nothing like the ultra-complex yet-very-melodic jazz-rock that Allan makes: it's actually more experimental, dissonant, and obtuse than Allan's compositions--even the vocal performance! And the chord progressions Steven uses are definitely distinctly different from those favored by Allan. I hear a lot of similarity to Paul Weller and Steve White's STYLE COUNCIL in the vocal sections (which are still sung by Allan despite this being Steve's song) of this one, but it is, in fact, more instrumental "Moonchild" like than pop-vocal. The vocal makes me think rather distinctly of Caravan's classic hit, "Golf Girl"--in many respects. (8.875/10)
10. "The Donkey" (10:42) the second and final Robinson composition ends the album with a nearly-eleven minute epic suite. It opens with a minute and a half of jazz drum soloing before walking jazz bass joins in, helping the drummer to usher in a structure so that the guitarists can also join in. When they do, it's a solo fest, first with the speed runs of one guitarist in the left channel while the other plays interesting support chords from the right side. At the 5:29 mark the right side guitarist gets his turn to fly and impress while the left side provides quite standard blues and jazz chords in support. At 7:45 the drums and guitars simply disappear, leaving bassist Mick Skelly to venture off on his own. His solo is interesting for his choice to slow down and work within the sparsity of a vacuum. All in all, this is my least favorite song on the album due to the fact that it is pure jazz with very little melody (and no vocals. Who would ever though you'd hear/read that an Allan Holdsworth song is lacking because it doesn't have vocals on it!?!?!?) (17/20)
Total Time 44:12
Definitely an unique listening musical experience. Not unlike King Crimson's "Moonchild" and early Penguin Café Orchestra or some of Terje Rypdal's most experimental works, there is a quietude to the sonic landscapes presented on this album that one rarely hears in recorded music--and something that one almost never hears on stage since the advent of loud rock 'n' roll power amps. With almost every song on this album I found myself thinking a lot of the small, quiet Beat/Beathnik poetry readings and bongo music often parodied in 1960s film and television (shows like The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Peter Sellers films), scenes that have much more in common with the music of this album than anything else I can conjure up.
It is my strong feeling that this album qualifies as a musical masterpiece--a significant landmark in history--not only for its sophisticated performances and top notch musicianship, but for the utterly unique angle of jazz-rock fusion (and often Canterbury Style-like pop-jazz fusion) that Allan and mates created.
90.67 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of one of the strangest, most unique examples of jazz-rock fusion from the very earliest days of fusionhood; definitely an album that every so-called prog-lover should hear before they die. I'll even go so far as to exclaim that several of the songs on this album are among my all-time favorite Holdsworth songs--and sometimes for the presence of the smooth, very quirky vocals of Mr. H!
IAN CARR Belladona (1972)
In effect a NUCLEUS album, I can see, however, how/why Ian Carr dropped that moniker for this album in that only one musician (other than himself) remains from the original Nucleus albums (Elastic Rock and We'll Talk about it Later). (Brian Smith.) Allan has no compositional credits on this album.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
With:
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxophones, alto & bamboo flutes
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar
- Dave MacRae / Fender electric piano
- Gordon Beck / Hohner electric piano (1,4-6)
- Roy Babbington / bass
- Clive Thacker / drums, percussion
- Trevor Tomkins / percussion (1,3,4)
1. "Belladonna" (13:42) an album that sounds very much as if it is taking its cues and inspiration from the post-Bitches Brew work of Joe Zawinul & Wayne Shorter (who had just launched their WEATHER REPORT project with both the self- titles debut and 1972 release, I Sing the Body Electric, both having been released prior to Belladonna's July recording sessions) and especially, Herbie Hancock, whose Mwandishi and Crossings albums had also both been released prior to Belladonna's recording sessions. (In case you were wondering, Chick Corea's Return to Forever album had its European release in September of 1972, two months after, Belladonna came out.) While Brian Smith's soprano sax is the real start of this show, Gordon Beck's peaceful Hohner electric piano is a key component to its success. While Brian's play and melodies are quite pleasing, even enjoyable, the song never gets elevated into anything but a long late night contemplative--and, perhaps a fitting inspiration for Vangelis Papathanassiou for the spacey "New Age" music that would occupy his attention for the rest of his life. (26.333/30)
2. "Summer Rain" (6:13) after a 90-second slow and deliberated intro in which Ian's trumpet and Brian's tenor sax set the melodic groundwork, this song is blessed by a dynamic breakout performance on the "dirty" Fender Rhodes by a Kiwi age-mate of Ian's, Dave MacRae (who would stay with Ian for the next three Ian Carr/Nucleus albums). I find myself not only absolutely mesmerized by this piece, but actually loving both the sound and melodies created by Dave and his Fender Rhodes. (It's the same sound that French downtempo chillout band AIR used so successfully on their massively-popular 1998 debut album, Moon Safari.) Bass, jazz guitar (mixed far-left into the background) and chill drums progress throughout the length of the song. Weird to hear Allan Holdsworth--the Allan Holdsworth--relegated to playing rhythm/background jazz guitar using neither his own trademark scales nor his own "trademark" sound. (9.6667/10)
3. "Remadione" (3:48) flutes take up a full two minutes of this song's opening while dirty Fender Rhodes electric piano (L) and more rock/proggy lead electric guitar gently support. The third and fourth minutes see the full band engage in another AIR-like downtempo motif while Dave and Allan ramp up considerably their "duel." (9/10)
4. "Mayday" (5:41) opening with the "Shaft"-like cymbal play and over all sound of Bitches Brew and Mwandishi/Crossings, Allan is strumming away wildly in the background while Dave MacRae and Gordon Beck. At 3:35 the band's rhythm section feels as if it finally "falls into" the song's main motif--which is an awesome jazz-rock groove while Brian continues soloing. The finish is tailed off with a coordinated horn section riff and poof! It's over! I'm not so great a fan of Brian's sax solo (most of the time I don't even hear it) but the bass and double keyboard play are awesome. (9.125/10)
5. "Suspension" (6:15) opening tracks dedicated to bamboo flutes, electric pianos, and percussion sounds is kind of cool--definitely evoking garden and/or Japanese/Asian images/feelings. Roy Babbington's bass enters around 1:15, soloing on its own as if trying to find its place in the mix, but then suddenly at 1:55 he "falls into" a steady riff that becomes the foundation for the rest of the song--and which Allan Holdsworth doubles up with his own lowest octave strings. Meanwhile the bamboo flute and Gordon Beck's dreamy Hohner electric piano continue to explore the background but now we add Ian's trumpet up front left and, soon, Dave MacRae's dirty Fender Rhodes in the right channel. The bamboo flutes disappear as Ian and the two electric pianos continue to explore their passions on their own tracks with their own separately effected instruments (Dave's Rhodes getting particularly wild--sounding like a wile organ or heavily-treated lead guitar). Despite a rather mundane and pastoral opening, this one became something quite interesting--especially with that cool Fender Rhodes sound flailing aggressively away in the final third. (9.125/10)
6. "Hector's House" (4:33) though definitely firmly rooted in the rock traditions, this one has one of the more convincing jazz-rock feels to it--all built on a riff and motif that is not so far from the opening song, "Song for the Bearded Lady" from We'll Talk about it Later. Brian Smith really tears an awesomely-smooth high-speed performance on his soprano sax in the second and third minutes while Allan Holdworth really rips up the soundwaves in the fourth with his jazz-rock guitar shredding. Once again there are such highs in this song to offset the lows/deficiencies. (9.125/10)
Total Time: 40:12
One of the most significant outcomes of the making of this album is the meeting of young Allan Holdsworth and elder statesman Gordon Beck as the two would forge a life-long friendship that would result in their collaboration on no less than four albums over the next few decades.A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of highly-creative First or Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.Allan has no songwriting credits on this album.
A1. "Gorgon" (5:44) here the quartet tries out the style and sounds of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Though the song opens with 90 seconds of beautiful acoustic guitar chords being picked while Paul's heavily-effected voice give the music a very proggy psychedelic sound, once they establish the Experience sound they do a pretty good job! Paul Williams' lead vocal is actually quite like Jimi's and the music is solid with, of course, some great bluesy rock guitar work from Allan. Did I mention how great these guys blend as vocal harmonists? (9.25/10)
A2. "Foyers Of Fun" (3:41) CREAM, RARE EARTH, with a little GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in the mix and some stellar rock lead (and rhythm) guitar work. This band is made up of four very top notch musicians who can pull off very high quality "reproductions" of other band's styles while still instilling their own talents, skills, and creativity to make them sound even better than the originators. (9/10)
A3. "Dark House" (5:02) the first "weak" song on the album falls short not due to poor performances or sound but for the sake of being long and overly-drawn-out with no real relief or high points. (8.75/10)
A4. "Brothers" (3:37) a little funk in this melodic rocker. Great drumming, rhythm guitar work and group vocals with Paul's Richie Havens-like lead. The problem is that the gospel-blues-like stops and slow downs are a bit disruptive to the overall flow and power of the music. Great little guitar solo in third minute. Not a particularly great or memorable song, but that musicianship! (8.875/10)
B1. "Up And On" (4:19) Paul's David Clayton Thomas voice sings over a pretty standard rock anthem. Great performances from all--especially Jon Hiseman (who is quickly climbing in my esteem of all-time great prog/rock/J-RF drummers). Again, this is not necessarily anything to write home about, but the musicianship is amazing--earning it extra points. (8.875/10)
B2. "Grey And Black" (2:29) sounds like STYX before Styx had really evolved into the Styx sound that Styx has become known for. (4.375/5)
B3. "Strangeher" (4:07) blues/blues-rock on the level with and in the style of ZZ TOP. Impressive but not my cup of tea. (8.667/10)
B4. "Upon Tomorrow" (6:41) Allan plays the violin! And he plays it well! The accompanying jazz-rock music is awesome if a little rudimentary. Luckily they have Jon Hiseman to fill in all the spaces with plenty of drumming awesomeness. (Plus, a track of Allan's rhythm guitar and a joinder in the third minute of Allan on lead guitar in place of the violin). The rockin' vocal second half of the song is okay with Paul's Richie Havens-like vocal performance being a highlight more than the music and other band members' performances. (8.875/10)
Total Time: 35:00
There is no doubt that these guys could easily have made a career at this power rock format: they are so talented and so good at making every minute of their songs full of clever and skilled creativity.
B+/4.5 stars; an album displaying some truly astonishing musical skills! I have to admit that this album would most certainly have earned higher marks had the music been more in the styles that I prefer.
After two years off, Mike Ratledge, the only remaining member of the original Softs, pulls his previous lineup of former-NUCLEUS members together for one more time but this time recruiting one more recent NUCLEUS member into the fold: guitar phenom ALLAN HOLDSWORTH. What an injection of life and power he is! What results is one fine collection of jazz-rock fusion songs--one that is unfortunately often overlooked due to the band's previous history and, to many, disappointing evolution. (I think a lot of people had long given up on buying their new releases--myself included--which is sad as this is an absolutely stellar album.)
1. "Snake Oil" (6:30) opening with a truly funked up bass, the surprisingly-raunchy guitar from Allan Holdsworth enters with Tony's surprisingly straightforward drumming to establish a foundational framework within which the band members work in their little nuances of extras until 1:40 when Allan begins a guitar solo of subtly varied guitar chords based on the foundational flow. The band is very tight but, again, surprisingly stiff and unadventurous--until Alan Pasqua starts a clavinet solo around the three-minute mark. Thereafter one can hear Tony start to loosen up and fly around his drum kit beneath the rigid form of his bandmates. In the sixth minute, Allan launches on a surprisingly controlled and "slow" solo for about a minute, and then the song just slow fades! Wow! Kind of weird--and definitely unexpected! (8.75/10)
2. "Fred" (6:48) one of Allan's compositions, it is surprisingly melodic and smooth--especially Allan Pasqua's keyboard parts (which Allan matches with his soft guitar chords for the first two minutes. Tony's play is nice. Electric piano gets the first solo--a surprisingly extended two minute jaunt during which Tony's drum play just gets more and more dynamic. Allan finally enters as the soloist at 3:45--but it's Tony again who garners all my attention--even after 4:25 when Allan finally starts to cook, it's Tony that I am enjoying the most. How can a drummer be this "melodic"? Nice guitar solo finally ends about 5:37 whereupon we reenter the lush keyboard-and-guitar chord sequence of the opening. Nice tune. Great drum display! My favorite. (13.75/15)
3. "Proto-Cosmos" (4:02) a nice driving jazz-rock tune on which Tony once again shines despite more-than-adequate performances from his band mates--just nothing as extraordinary or dynamic as Tony's play. (8.875/10)
4. "Red Alert" (4:39) opening with a rock sound that sounds like the sound palette of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein." At the end of the first minute bass player Tony Newton is the only one left carrying the song forward as everybody else clears out for a stupendous Allan Holdsworth solo. This is the first time on the album that Allan has displayed any of the fireworks that we heard on his last album prior to this one, The Soft Machine's Bundles. Alan Pasqua gets the next solo on his electric piano in the second half of the third minute. I love how both Holdsworth and Newton (as well as Williams) embellish their own "support" play beneath Pasqua--this is the first time the three have done this to this degree. (8.875/10)
5. "Wildlife" (5:22) a slow, melodic arrangement with upper register electric piano and electric guitar presenting and carrying the BOB JAMES-like melody forward from the start. Holdsworth takes his time taking the first solo slot--and never hits third gear, just maintains and supports the basic melody, pretty much. Pasqua's clavinet is a nice second keyboard and Newton's bass play is the most loose and satisfying that we've heard beneath Pasqua's cool electric piano solo in the fourth minute. I LOVE how the bass and drum play--both fairly straightforaward and sedate--give the feeling of pushing: giving more power and even trying to push the pace up a notch. Really cool feeling! Otherwise, just a nice song. My second favorite song. (9/10)
6. "Mr. Spock" (6:15) another song that seems to have more of a rock and pop orientation--at least until the speed is finally established at the one-minute mark. In the second minute, Alan Pasqua takes the first solo with silence from Mr. Holdsworth beneath--which makes Tony's play even more noticeable. Nice bass play from Mr. Newton. Even Tony's straightforward play is filled with such nuance and subtlety! Holdsworth puts in a decent solo in the fourth minute with Pasqua now completely dropping out. Cool idea! Tony's solo play in the second half of the fifth minute (beneath Holdsworth somewhat annoying distorted three-chord guitar play) feels a little bit "amateurish" for its showy-ness. (8.87510)
Total time 33:36
Overall this is a nice album of almost proto-Smooth Jazz on which Tony Williams shows us some of the amazing power he controls in his most basic drum play. The rest of the quartet are adequate in their play but rarely jaw-dropping. The songs are a little too formulaic with the way in which they are set up to harbor a succession of individual solos (except for "Fred").
B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion.
- Jack Nitzsche / string & horn arrangements
A1. "Sweet Revenge" (6:04) definitely a hard-rock-oriented tune with a five chord repeating power motif within which Tony and keyboardist Alan Pasqua fly around while Allan and bassist Tony Newton hold down the fort until the 1:35 mark when the musicians shift into a spacious funk groove that is led by Tony Newton's bass line and Tony Williams' steady straight-time drumming while Alan and Allan add little of their spice to the mix. By the three-minute mark Allan is back to providing the five power chords while Tony Newton remains fixed to the funk bass lines as band leader Tony and the keyboardist begin to add their spicey flourishes and riffs. Guitar gets some solo licks in during the sixth minute but really nothing more: it never becomes a song for solo set ups; the musicians are each responsible for working their own creative ideas over and above the mainline they are each charged with. Very interesting! Once again "Jazz Drummer" Tony Williams surprises me with his firm rock orientation and commitment. (9/10)
A2. "You Did It To Me" (3:50) is this where DEVO got the ideas for their hit "Whip it"? Tony Newton's vocals (multiplied with some tracks effected with heavier reverb) is rockin' funky R&B in a kind of Jazz-Rock AVERAGE WHITE BAND form and sound. (The uncredited horn section leads me to surmise that all of those extraordinary horn lines can be attributed to keyboard genius Alan Pasqua and his familiarity with the very latest of keyboard technologies--perhaps the Yamaha CS-80 or ARP Omni or even Mellotron.) Though Jack Nitzsche is listed as contributor of arrangements, not artist/musician/or group is ever credited, which makes the employment of a horn section suspect. Rated up for the extraordinary work of Alan Pasqua. (8.875/10)
A4. "Joy Filled Summer" (5:51) the melodic offerings of this song almost make it guilty of sliding into the realm of Smooth Jazz (especially with Tony's anchoring it all in his souped-up Disco drumming) but there is just too much nuance and complexity going on here to ever call this "Smooth"--and too much rock infusion to call it "Jazz"--and yet, Jazz-Rock Fusion it is in all it's perfect if decadent glory. (SO sad to see/hear J-RF go this route.) At the end of the fourth minute the band deigns it possible (and perhaps permissible) to clear out for some Holdsworth pyrotechnics but it's short-lived as the other three exceptional musicians all are suddenly flooding the pool with their own extraordinary offerings: all at the same time! Amazing! I mean, musically this isn't that enjoyable, but instrumentally it's quite a show! (9/10)
B1. "Lady Jade" (3:59) gentle Fender Rhodes and, later, ARP Strings and Moog synth from Alan P. that sound as if they could be coming from or BRIAN JACKSON or JOE SAMPLE (or Richard Clayderman!): it's like an overture or intro to something much bigger, much more grandiose. With this song I've finally begun to understand how and why Allan Holdsworth treasured his two year stint with Tony Williams as the most formative and transformational of his lifetime: the music here is so creative, the ideas so fresh and boundary-pushing (and eclectic). While the end results, as polished and incredibly-well-executed as they are, may not be to everybody's liking, they are, each and every one, displays of extraordinarily complex, extraordinarily difficult pieces to play. What an adventure! What an apprenticeship for any musician! As a matter of fact, I would go so far to say that any musician who is hired, mentored, and then launched out into the world after being part of a Tony Williams project has been given the finest "finishing school"--or, better yet: "graduate school"--experience available on the planet. (9.25/10)
B2. "What You Do To Me" (7:06) beautiful and melodic "smooth" Alan Pasqua-decorated funk with deceptively hard to play music in which each of the band members has to keep devoutly disciplined as well as ego-lessly focused in order to add their own idiosyncratically-generated "more" on top. The execution of this song reminds me of the stories that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis tell of Prince's demands of them during band practice/rehearsals for THE TIME: always adding more to what he wanted from his musicians: dexterity, syncopation, polyphony, harmony with and over the melodies, but then movement (dance moves), looks and facial expressions and other theatricals, vocals, costuming, attitude, etc. The point is: by asking/expecting more from his musicians (multi-tasking), Prince was able to help his musicians grow: to help them realize that they are capable of so much more than they themselves ever thought themselves possible. I imagine that this is exactly how Tony Williams made his collaborators feel: as if they were helped to re-imagine themselves as much better, much bigger, much more capable musicians (and humans) than they had ever imagined of themselves. (13.875/15)
B3. "Inspirations Of Love" (9:48) Opening with a rather bombastic full band "orchestrated" motif that feels like an opening overture or intro to a Broadway musical, but then after 90 seconds everybody just kind of quits: going on a walkabout as Tony Newton and Alan Pasqua wander off into a stunned space-filling spacey space filler with spacious bass notes and swirling Rainer Brüninghaus-like waves of piano runs that feels like part Pharoah Sanders, part space interlude. At 3:45 the full band/orchestra chords signal the entry into a new motif (reminding me of The Soft Machine's "Hazard Profile") which then turns into a funk-rock Mahavishnu--like vehicle for some stellar new-era Allan Holdsworth soloing until Tony asks for a clear-out in the sixth minute to make room for a beautiful and impressive (for being so incredibly smooth) extended drum solo, the echoing cavernous tom-tom play extending well into the eighth and ninth minutes even as Alan Pasqua's Chick-Corea-like waves of piano runs begin to rejoin and fill part of the field. At 8:20 Tony Newton's big bombastic bass re-enters and leads the band into an "orchestrated" outro that feels like a bookend match to the song's rockin' Broadway musical opening. An unusual song that feels like a response to some of the more symphonic and proggy pieces of recent Lenny White, Chick Corea, and Return To Forever albums (Venusian Summer, Leprechaun, and Romantic Warrior, respectively). I found this particular song so surprising, so wildly unexpected yet so uncommonly creative and mystifyingly enjoyable (for the cinematic and melodramatic journey it takes one one) that I found myself listening to it over and over for several hours before I finally felt that I could finally get a grasp on it. One of the best musical listening experiences I've had in a long time. (20/20)
- 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 / pedal steel (3), electric & acoustic guitars, violin; do-composer "Night Illusion"
- 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)
Recorded at Riverside Studios, London, May 19th, 1977, this represents modern British musicians who choose to be serious about preserving the old sounds and styles of 1960s jazz.
- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
With:
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxophones, alto & bamboo flutes
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar
- Dave MacRae / Fender electric piano
- Gordon Beck / Hohner electric piano (1,4-6)
- Roy Babbington / bass
- Clive Thacker / drums, percussion
- Trevor Tomkins / percussion (1,3,4)
1. "Belladonna" (13:42) an album that sounds very much as if it is taking its cues and inspiration from the post-Bitches Brew work of Joe Zawinul & Wayne Shorter (who had just launched their WEATHER REPORT project with both the self- titles debut and 1972 release, I Sing the Body Electric, both having been released prior to Belladonna's July recording sessions) and especially, Herbie Hancock, whose Mwandishi and Crossings albums had also both been released prior to Belladonna's recording sessions. (In case you were wondering, Chick Corea's Return to Forever album had its European release in September of 1972, two months after, Belladonna came out.) While Brian Smith's soprano sax is the real start of this show, Gordon Beck's peaceful Hohner electric piano is a key component to its success. While Brian's play and melodies are quite pleasing, even enjoyable, the song never gets elevated into anything but a long late night contemplative--and, perhaps a fitting inspiration for Vangelis Papathanassiou for the spacey "New Age" music that would occupy his attention for the rest of his life. (26.333/30)
2. "Summer Rain" (6:13) after a 90-second slow and deliberated intro in which Ian's trumpet and Brian's tenor sax set the melodic groundwork, this song is blessed by a dynamic breakout performance on the "dirty" Fender Rhodes by a Kiwi age-mate of Ian's, Dave MacRae (who would stay with Ian for the next three Ian Carr/Nucleus albums). I find myself not only absolutely mesmerized by this piece, but actually loving both the sound and melodies created by Dave and his Fender Rhodes. (It's the same sound that French downtempo chillout band AIR used so successfully on their massively-popular 1998 debut album, Moon Safari.) Bass, jazz guitar (mixed far-left into the background) and chill drums progress throughout the length of the song. Weird to hear Allan Holdsworth--the Allan Holdsworth--relegated to playing rhythm/background jazz guitar using neither his own trademark scales nor his own "trademark" sound. (9.6667/10)
3. "Remadione" (3:48) flutes take up a full two minutes of this song's opening while dirty Fender Rhodes electric piano (L) and more rock/proggy lead electric guitar gently support. The third and fourth minutes see the full band engage in another AIR-like downtempo motif while Dave and Allan ramp up considerably their "duel." (9/10)
4. "Mayday" (5:41) opening with the "Shaft"-like cymbal play and over all sound of Bitches Brew and Mwandishi/Crossings, Allan is strumming away wildly in the background while Dave MacRae and Gordon Beck. At 3:35 the band's rhythm section feels as if it finally "falls into" the song's main motif--which is an awesome jazz-rock groove while Brian continues soloing. The finish is tailed off with a coordinated horn section riff and poof! It's over! I'm not so great a fan of Brian's sax solo (most of the time I don't even hear it) but the bass and double keyboard play are awesome. (9.125/10)
5. "Suspension" (6:15) opening tracks dedicated to bamboo flutes, electric pianos, and percussion sounds is kind of cool--definitely evoking garden and/or Japanese/Asian images/feelings. Roy Babbington's bass enters around 1:15, soloing on its own as if trying to find its place in the mix, but then suddenly at 1:55 he "falls into" a steady riff that becomes the foundation for the rest of the song--and which Allan Holdsworth doubles up with his own lowest octave strings. Meanwhile the bamboo flute and Gordon Beck's dreamy Hohner electric piano continue to explore the background but now we add Ian's trumpet up front left and, soon, Dave MacRae's dirty Fender Rhodes in the right channel. The bamboo flutes disappear as Ian and the two electric pianos continue to explore their passions on their own tracks with their own separately effected instruments (Dave's Rhodes getting particularly wild--sounding like a wile organ or heavily-treated lead guitar). Despite a rather mundane and pastoral opening, this one became something quite interesting--especially with that cool Fender Rhodes sound flailing aggressively away in the final third. (9.125/10)
6. "Hector's House" (4:33) though definitely firmly rooted in the rock traditions, this one has one of the more convincing jazz-rock feels to it--all built on a riff and motif that is not so far from the opening song, "Song for the Bearded Lady" from We'll Talk about it Later. Brian Smith really tears an awesomely-smooth high-speed performance on his soprano sax in the second and third minutes while Allan Holdworth really rips up the soundwaves in the fourth with his jazz-rock guitar shredding. Once again there are such highs in this song to offset the lows/deficiencies. (9.125/10)
Total Time: 40:12
One of the most significant outcomes of the making of this album is the meeting of young Allan Holdsworth and elder statesman Gordon Beck as the two would forge a life-long friendship that would result in their collaboration on no less than four albums over the next few decades.A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of highly-creative First or Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion.Allan has no songwriting credits on this album.
TEMPEST Tempest (1973)
After Ian Carr (Neucleus)'s Belladonna, guitar prodigy Allan Holdsworth finds himself lured off by Belladonna producer and Colosseum founder and drummer (and former John Mayall Bluesbreaker), Jon Hiseman to try out the power rock trio format ( . . . as a quartet).
Line-up / Musicians:
- Paul Williams / vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, violin, vocals; co-composer of first five songs.
- Mark Clarke / bass, keyboards, vocals (6)
- Jon Hiseman / drums, percussion, producer
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, violin, vocals; co-composer of first five songs.
- Mark Clarke / bass, keyboards, vocals (6)
- Jon Hiseman / drums, percussion, producer
A1. "Gorgon" (5:44) here the quartet tries out the style and sounds of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Though the song opens with 90 seconds of beautiful acoustic guitar chords being picked while Paul's heavily-effected voice give the music a very proggy psychedelic sound, once they establish the Experience sound they do a pretty good job! Paul Williams' lead vocal is actually quite like Jimi's and the music is solid with, of course, some great bluesy rock guitar work from Allan. Did I mention how great these guys blend as vocal harmonists? (9.25/10)
A2. "Foyers Of Fun" (3:41) CREAM, RARE EARTH, with a little GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in the mix and some stellar rock lead (and rhythm) guitar work. This band is made up of four very top notch musicians who can pull off very high quality "reproductions" of other band's styles while still instilling their own talents, skills, and creativity to make them sound even better than the originators. (9/10)
A3. "Dark House" (5:02) the first "weak" song on the album falls short not due to poor performances or sound but for the sake of being long and overly-drawn-out with no real relief or high points. (8.75/10)
A4. "Brothers" (3:37) a little funk in this melodic rocker. Great drumming, rhythm guitar work and group vocals with Paul's Richie Havens-like lead. The problem is that the gospel-blues-like stops and slow downs are a bit disruptive to the overall flow and power of the music. Great little guitar solo in third minute. Not a particularly great or memorable song, but that musicianship! (8.875/10)
B1. "Up And On" (4:19) Paul's David Clayton Thomas voice sings over a pretty standard rock anthem. Great performances from all--especially Jon Hiseman (who is quickly climbing in my esteem of all-time great prog/rock/J-RF drummers). Again, this is not necessarily anything to write home about, but the musicianship is amazing--earning it extra points. (8.875/10)
B2. "Grey And Black" (2:29) sounds like STYX before Styx had really evolved into the Styx sound that Styx has become known for. (4.375/5)
B3. "Strangeher" (4:07) blues/blues-rock on the level with and in the style of ZZ TOP. Impressive but not my cup of tea. (8.667/10)
B4. "Upon Tomorrow" (6:41) Allan plays the violin! And he plays it well! The accompanying jazz-rock music is awesome if a little rudimentary. Luckily they have Jon Hiseman to fill in all the spaces with plenty of drumming awesomeness. (Plus, a track of Allan's rhythm guitar and a joinder in the third minute of Allan on lead guitar in place of the violin). The rockin' vocal second half of the song is okay with Paul's Richie Havens-like vocal performance being a highlight more than the music and other band members' performances. (8.875/10)
Total Time: 35:00
There is no doubt that these guys could easily have made a career at this power rock format: they are so talented and so good at making every minute of their songs full of clever and skilled creativity.
B+/4.5 stars; an album displaying some truly astonishing musical skills! I have to admit that this album would most certainly have earned higher marks had the music been more in the styles that I prefer.
THE SOFT MACHINE Bundles (1975)
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars; composer of "Gone Sailing" and "Land of the Big Snake"
- Mike Ratledge / Fender Rhodes, Lowrey organ, AKS synthesizer
- Karl Jenkins / oboe, soprano saxophone, acoustic & electric pianos
- Roy Babbington / bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion
With:
- Ray Warleigh / alto & bass flutes (12)
- Mike Ratledge / Fender Rhodes, Lowrey organ, AKS synthesizer
- Karl Jenkins / oboe, soprano saxophone, acoustic & electric pianos
- Roy Babbington / bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion
With:
- Ray Warleigh / alto & bass flutes (12)
- "Hazard Profile" (5 part suite) (41.5/45): 1. Part 1 (9:18) introducing: ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, NUCLEUS, and Mike Ratledge! a song that not only cruises but grooves--and is relentless in both aspects! And the band is so tight! Holdsworth, of course, is impressive (though in a surprising Jan-Akkerman-kind of way), but Babbington and Marshall are almost equally so. Ratledge's "glue" that is is Lowrey organ really helps to hold it all together while at the same time directing the soloists with his oft-unexpected chords. Very interesting! And Holdsworth's similarity to the FOCUS guitarist's sound and style are really rather striking. In the seventh minute we get to hear a little Eef Albers-like style but it really isn't until the eighth minute that we get to start hearing any of the "destablized" notes that he becomes so well known for in the UK era and beyond. (19.5/20) 2. Part 2 (2:21) soft, delicate interlude of Karl Jenkins' piano and, later, Allan on acoustic guitar. Nothing really very interesting here much less innovative. (4/5) 3. Part 3 (1:05) a Jan Akkerman-like dramatic interlude over Ratledge's Lowrey, carrying forward the exact same chord progression and melody line of "Part 2" (4.5/5) 4. Part 4 (0:46) another transitory interlude in which the band takes have heavy, low-end-dominant approach to expressing the previous chords. (4.375/5) 5. Part 5 (5:29) with its repetitve base it sounds like something from a previous era of jazz-rock fusion--something from the earlier Tony Williams Lifetime, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, or even Mahavishnu Orchestra transition period from jazz to rock using standard two-chord blue-rock foundations to jam over. Karl Jenkins' heavily treated horns, Mike's AKS synthesizer, and Allan's soar and fly over the solid rhythm section of Marshall and Babbington (and Holdsworth). (8.875/10) - 6. "Gone Sailing" (0:59) opens with what sounds like an acoustic steel-string guitar (or Celtic harp), but then it turns into a more-advanced Steve Hackett-like guitar. Breathtaking! (5/5) Total rating: (27/30)
7. "Bundles" (3:14) sounding very Return To Forever-ish, this one launches with some very complex and intricate whole-band play, but then shifts into jam-formation using a two-bar riff from Babbington's bass repeated ad infinitum to support the soloing of Holdsworth and Jenkins. (9/10)
8. "Land Of The Bag Snake" (3:35) carrying seamlessly forward from the previous song as if it was just another stylistic shift into another motif that slowed down the previous one, Holdsworth continues soaring and racing around though with a muted effect on his horn-like guitar sound. Ratledge's Fender Rhodes work beneath is awesome. Marshall's ride cymbal is a little loud and Babbington's bass mixed a little fun, but this is a pretty good groove. (9.25/10)
9. "The Man Who Waved At Trains" (1:50) again, no separation from the previous song--as if the band just slides into this totally new, completely softer Weather Report/Chick Corea-like motif. Jenkins gets a turn to solo with his soprano sax, at times being shadow/mirrored by Holdsworth. (4.5/5)
10. "Peff" (1:57) yet another slide--this time into fourth gear, yet while still holding on to the softer, gentler sound palette of the previous motif--a motif that reminds me of GINO VANNELLI's wonderful Storm at Sunup suite (form the album of the same name that won't come out for another six months). What starts out so great, however, eventually becomes stale and boring. (4.5/5)
11. "Four Gongs Two Drums" (4:09) a Carl Palmer-like drum and percussion exhibition. (8.75/10)
12. "The Floating World" (7:12) gentle Fender Rhodes doubled with Lowry organ provide a gently floating foundation for the first 55-seconds before Karl's oboe and guest Ray Warleigh's flute present an equally etheric melody line in harmonized tandem. Another Fender Rhodes comes forward at the three-minute mark as the keyboard weave seems to take on a thicker, more intentionally-disorienting polyrhythmic pattern while Babbington's steady bass stays just below the surface--as if anchoring the floating world above. Oboe and flute pick up the melody-giving again at the 4:15 mark. Very Alice in Wonderland-like--and very aptly titled. Great piece. (14.5/15)
Total Time: 41:55
Many people refer to this album as the Allan Holdsworth breakout album as he would go on to work with many of the jazz fusion superstars in the next couple of years. I believe that this "breaktrhough" is made possible by the amazing cohesion of the Nucleus support crew--Babbington, Marshall, and Jenkins. As a matter of fact, this album, in my opinion, should have a different band name cuz they're not really the Soft Machine (history says that with Bundles Ratledge had given the reins over to Karl Jenkins). They're more Nucleus but not Nucleus: they're really the Allan Holdsworth Debut Project.
A/four stars; an excellent masterpiece of evolving and eclectic jazz-rock fusion masterpiece on the level of Newcleus, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea/Return To Forever, Tony Williams Lifetime, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Brand X, but NOT a Canterbury style album. Definitely in my Top 20 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."
8. "Land Of The Bag Snake" (3:35) carrying seamlessly forward from the previous song as if it was just another stylistic shift into another motif that slowed down the previous one, Holdsworth continues soaring and racing around though with a muted effect on his horn-like guitar sound. Ratledge's Fender Rhodes work beneath is awesome. Marshall's ride cymbal is a little loud and Babbington's bass mixed a little fun, but this is a pretty good groove. (9.25/10)
9. "The Man Who Waved At Trains" (1:50) again, no separation from the previous song--as if the band just slides into this totally new, completely softer Weather Report/Chick Corea-like motif. Jenkins gets a turn to solo with his soprano sax, at times being shadow/mirrored by Holdsworth. (4.5/5)
10. "Peff" (1:57) yet another slide--this time into fourth gear, yet while still holding on to the softer, gentler sound palette of the previous motif--a motif that reminds me of GINO VANNELLI's wonderful Storm at Sunup suite (form the album of the same name that won't come out for another six months). What starts out so great, however, eventually becomes stale and boring. (4.5/5)
11. "Four Gongs Two Drums" (4:09) a Carl Palmer-like drum and percussion exhibition. (8.75/10)
12. "The Floating World" (7:12) gentle Fender Rhodes doubled with Lowry organ provide a gently floating foundation for the first 55-seconds before Karl's oboe and guest Ray Warleigh's flute present an equally etheric melody line in harmonized tandem. Another Fender Rhodes comes forward at the three-minute mark as the keyboard weave seems to take on a thicker, more intentionally-disorienting polyrhythmic pattern while Babbington's steady bass stays just below the surface--as if anchoring the floating world above. Oboe and flute pick up the melody-giving again at the 4:15 mark. Very Alice in Wonderland-like--and very aptly titled. Great piece. (14.5/15)
Total Time: 41:55
Many people refer to this album as the Allan Holdsworth breakout album as he would go on to work with many of the jazz fusion superstars in the next couple of years. I believe that this "breaktrhough" is made possible by the amazing cohesion of the Nucleus support crew--Babbington, Marshall, and Jenkins. As a matter of fact, this album, in my opinion, should have a different band name cuz they're not really the Soft Machine (history says that with Bundles Ratledge had given the reins over to Karl Jenkins). They're more Nucleus but not Nucleus: they're really the Allan Holdsworth Debut Project.
A/four stars; an excellent masterpiece of evolving and eclectic jazz-rock fusion masterpiece on the level of Newcleus, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea/Return To Forever, Tony Williams Lifetime, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Brand X, but NOT a Canterbury style album. Definitely in my Top 20 Favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of prog's "Classic Era."
THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME Believe It (1975)
An album that is as notable for luring guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth away from a pretty good gig with The Soft Machine as it is for being one of the legendary drummer's finest. The album was recorded in New York City early in 1975 for Columbia Records and released in October. The two years spent with Tony (actually living with him in his NYC apartment!) have often been cited by Mr. Holdsworth as the most transformative experience of his life.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Tony Williams/ drums, vocals, arrangements
With:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, composer of "Fred"
- Alan Pasqua / piano, clavinet
- Tony Newton / bass1. "Snake Oil" (6:30) opening with a truly funked up bass, the surprisingly-raunchy guitar from Allan Holdsworth enters with Tony's surprisingly straightforward drumming to establish a foundational framework within which the band members work in their little nuances of extras until 1:40 when Allan begins a guitar solo of subtly varied guitar chords based on the foundational flow. The band is very tight but, again, surprisingly stiff and unadventurous--until Alan Pasqua starts a clavinet solo around the three-minute mark. Thereafter one can hear Tony start to loosen up and fly around his drum kit beneath the rigid form of his bandmates. In the sixth minute, Allan launches on a surprisingly controlled and "slow" solo for about a minute, and then the song just slow fades! Wow! Kind of weird--and definitely unexpected! (8.75/10)
2. "Fred" (6:48) one of Allan's compositions, it is surprisingly melodic and smooth--especially Allan Pasqua's keyboard parts (which Allan matches with his soft guitar chords for the first two minutes. Tony's play is nice. Electric piano gets the first solo--a surprisingly extended two minute jaunt during which Tony's drum play just gets more and more dynamic. Allan finally enters as the soloist at 3:45--but it's Tony again who garners all my attention--even after 4:25 when Allan finally starts to cook, it's Tony that I am enjoying the most. How can a drummer be this "melodic"? Nice guitar solo finally ends about 5:37 whereupon we reenter the lush keyboard-and-guitar chord sequence of the opening. Nice tune. Great drum display! My favorite. (13.75/15)
3. "Proto-Cosmos" (4:02) a nice driving jazz-rock tune on which Tony once again shines despite more-than-adequate performances from his band mates--just nothing as extraordinary or dynamic as Tony's play. (8.875/10)
4. "Red Alert" (4:39) opening with a rock sound that sounds like the sound palette of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein." At the end of the first minute bass player Tony Newton is the only one left carrying the song forward as everybody else clears out for a stupendous Allan Holdsworth solo. This is the first time on the album that Allan has displayed any of the fireworks that we heard on his last album prior to this one, The Soft Machine's Bundles. Alan Pasqua gets the next solo on his electric piano in the second half of the third minute. I love how both Holdsworth and Newton (as well as Williams) embellish their own "support" play beneath Pasqua--this is the first time the three have done this to this degree. (8.875/10)
5. "Wildlife" (5:22) a slow, melodic arrangement with upper register electric piano and electric guitar presenting and carrying the BOB JAMES-like melody forward from the start. Holdsworth takes his time taking the first solo slot--and never hits third gear, just maintains and supports the basic melody, pretty much. Pasqua's clavinet is a nice second keyboard and Newton's bass play is the most loose and satisfying that we've heard beneath Pasqua's cool electric piano solo in the fourth minute. I LOVE how the bass and drum play--both fairly straightforaward and sedate--give the feeling of pushing: giving more power and even trying to push the pace up a notch. Really cool feeling! Otherwise, just a nice song. My second favorite song. (9/10)
6. "Mr. Spock" (6:15) another song that seems to have more of a rock and pop orientation--at least until the speed is finally established at the one-minute mark. In the second minute, Alan Pasqua takes the first solo with silence from Mr. Holdsworth beneath--which makes Tony's play even more noticeable. Nice bass play from Mr. Newton. Even Tony's straightforward play is filled with such nuance and subtlety! Holdsworth puts in a decent solo in the fourth minute with Pasqua now completely dropping out. Cool idea! Tony's solo play in the second half of the fifth minute (beneath Holdsworth somewhat annoying distorted three-chord guitar play) feels a little bit "amateurish" for its showy-ness. (8.87510)
Total time 33:36
Overall this is a nice album of almost proto-Smooth Jazz on which Tony Williams shows us some of the amazing power he controls in his most basic drum play. The rest of the quartet are adequate in their play but rarely jaw-dropping. The songs are a little too formulaic with the way in which they are set up to harbor a succession of individual solos (except for "Fred").
B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion.
THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME Million Dollar Legs (1976)
Recorded at Caribou Ranch, Neder Land, Colorado in June of 1976 for August 20 release by Columbia Records. Who is Jack Nitzsche and for whom (on this record) does he make string and horn arrangements?
Line-up / Musicians:
- Tony Williams / drums & percussion- Allan Holdsworth / guitars
- Tony Newton (Motortown Revue) / bass, vocals
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards
With:- Tony Newton (Motortown Revue) / bass, vocals
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards
- Jack Nitzsche / string & horn arrangements
A2. "You Did It To Me" (3:50) is this where DEVO got the ideas for their hit "Whip it"? Tony Newton's vocals (multiplied with some tracks effected with heavier reverb) is rockin' funky R&B in a kind of Jazz-Rock AVERAGE WHITE BAND form and sound. (The uncredited horn section leads me to surmise that all of those extraordinary horn lines can be attributed to keyboard genius Alan Pasqua and his familiarity with the very latest of keyboard technologies--perhaps the Yamaha CS-80 or ARP Omni or even Mellotron.) Though Jack Nitzsche is listed as contributor of arrangements, not artist/musician/or group is ever credited, which makes the employment of a horn section suspect. Rated up for the extraordinary work of Alan Pasqua. (8.875/10)
A3. "Million Dollar Legs" (6:36) using JIMMY CATOR BUNCH's bass line from "Troglodyte," Billy Preston's "Outa Space"-style clavinet, plus some gorgeous ARP strings, more keyboard-generated horns, Disco drumming, and horn-like lead guitar work from Allan gives you this interesting . By this time, the third song in line, I am coming to feel that band-leader Tony Williams had a very diverse and comprehensive plan for this album, for these musicians--a plan for which his enlisted musicians would have to be fully-attentive to. (9.125/10)
A4. "Joy Filled Summer" (5:51) the melodic offerings of this song almost make it guilty of sliding into the realm of Smooth Jazz (especially with Tony's anchoring it all in his souped-up Disco drumming) but there is just too much nuance and complexity going on here to ever call this "Smooth"--and too much rock infusion to call it "Jazz"--and yet, Jazz-Rock Fusion it is in all it's perfect if decadent glory. (SO sad to see/hear J-RF go this route.) At the end of the fourth minute the band deigns it possible (and perhaps permissible) to clear out for some Holdsworth pyrotechnics but it's short-lived as the other three exceptional musicians all are suddenly flooding the pool with their own extraordinary offerings: all at the same time! Amazing! I mean, musically this isn't that enjoyable, but instrumentally it's quite a show! (9/10)
B1. "Lady Jade" (3:59) gentle Fender Rhodes and, later, ARP Strings and Moog synth from Alan P. that sound as if they could be coming from or BRIAN JACKSON or JOE SAMPLE (or Richard Clayderman!): it's like an overture or intro to something much bigger, much more grandiose. With this song I've finally begun to understand how and why Allan Holdsworth treasured his two year stint with Tony Williams as the most formative and transformational of his lifetime: the music here is so creative, the ideas so fresh and boundary-pushing (and eclectic). While the end results, as polished and incredibly-well-executed as they are, may not be to everybody's liking, they are, each and every one, displays of extraordinarily complex, extraordinarily difficult pieces to play. What an adventure! What an apprenticeship for any musician! As a matter of fact, I would go so far to say that any musician who is hired, mentored, and then launched out into the world after being part of a Tony Williams project has been given the finest "finishing school"--or, better yet: "graduate school"--experience available on the planet. (9.25/10)
B2. "What You Do To Me" (7:06) beautiful and melodic "smooth" Alan Pasqua-decorated funk with deceptively hard to play music in which each of the band members has to keep devoutly disciplined as well as ego-lessly focused in order to add their own idiosyncratically-generated "more" on top. The execution of this song reminds me of the stories that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis tell of Prince's demands of them during band practice/rehearsals for THE TIME: always adding more to what he wanted from his musicians: dexterity, syncopation, polyphony, harmony with and over the melodies, but then movement (dance moves), looks and facial expressions and other theatricals, vocals, costuming, attitude, etc. The point is: by asking/expecting more from his musicians (multi-tasking), Prince was able to help his musicians grow: to help them realize that they are capable of so much more than they themselves ever thought themselves possible. I imagine that this is exactly how Tony Williams made his collaborators feel: as if they were helped to re-imagine themselves as much better, much bigger, much more capable musicians (and humans) than they had ever imagined of themselves. (13.875/15)
B3. "Inspirations Of Love" (9:48) Opening with a rather bombastic full band "orchestrated" motif that feels like an opening overture or intro to a Broadway musical, but then after 90 seconds everybody just kind of quits: going on a walkabout as Tony Newton and Alan Pasqua wander off into a stunned space-filling spacey space filler with spacious bass notes and swirling Rainer Brüninghaus-like waves of piano runs that feels like part Pharoah Sanders, part space interlude. At 3:45 the full band/orchestra chords signal the entry into a new motif (reminding me of The Soft Machine's "Hazard Profile") which then turns into a funk-rock Mahavishnu--like vehicle for some stellar new-era Allan Holdsworth soloing until Tony asks for a clear-out in the sixth minute to make room for a beautiful and impressive (for being so incredibly smooth) extended drum solo, the echoing cavernous tom-tom play extending well into the eighth and ninth minutes even as Alan Pasqua's Chick-Corea-like waves of piano runs begin to rejoin and fill part of the field. At 8:20 Tony Newton's big bombastic bass re-enters and leads the band into an "orchestrated" outro that feels like a bookend match to the song's rockin' Broadway musical opening. An unusual song that feels like a response to some of the more symphonic and proggy pieces of recent Lenny White, Chick Corea, and Return To Forever albums (Venusian Summer, Leprechaun, and Romantic Warrior, respectively). I found this particular song so surprising, so wildly unexpected yet so uncommonly creative and mystifyingly enjoyable (for the cinematic and melodramatic journey it takes one one) that I found myself listening to it over and over for several hours before I finally felt that I could finally get a grasp on it. One of the best musical listening experiences I've had in a long time. (20/20)
Total time: 43:14
The technical and keyboard wizardry of Alan Pasqua really comes shining through for me throughout this album. Tony's drumming are dependably flawless and Allan Holdsworth guitar playing feels very restrained and constrained while Tony Newton's contributions feel spot on top-notch quality for whatever Tony Williams is asking of him (which is considerable--but which the 15+ years Motown/James-Jamerson-trained bass player is well prepped and suited), but, in my opinion, it's really the keyboardist's album to show off on despite the exceedingly high demands Tony has placed on his band mates. As for my assessment on Tony's performances and accomplishment: I am awed at his ability to play at multiple levels of technical prowess: playing flawlessly on the timing front while spicing things up with his endlessly-creative flourishes and embellishments that wow and impress without taking anything away from the rest of the song or his collaborators. To listen to six songs over 43 minutes in which not a second is wasted, not a second is "coasting" or moving along rotely, without having to work, not a second goes buy without the listener being able to find a "resting" place for any of the musicians, this is such a rare feat in the world of music that I have endless respect and admiration for this album.
93.09 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a purely unique masterpiece of incredibly well-rendered and well-played performances of intensely-creative and highly-sophisticated musical ideas unlike any other album from Jazz-Rock Fusion's "peak era" that I've heard. For those listeners and critics of this album who fail to see its redeeming qualities--the way it stands up to either the standards set or the expectations provided by Tony's previous albums (or Allan Holdsworth's future potential), I will stand up mano à mano to them and ask them one single question that should serve to settle any dispute as to whether or not this album is great: I want you to show me that you can play one minute of any part of any of these musicians' parts in any one of the songs on this album. If you can do that without flaws or overdubs, then only then will I let you get away with trashing this album as a "sub-par" sellout illustrating the crumble and demise of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement. Instead, I choose to hold this album up as one of the most remarkable peaks and apogees of the entire Jazz-Rock Fusion scene.
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Velevet Darkness (1976)
An album of unfinished recording session tape that Allan never wanted published and always hated (both that it was published without his endorsement as well as as a representation of his artistry, compositional skill, and leadership).
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic (2,4,7) & electric guitars, violin (6); composer
With:
- Alan Pasqua / electric piano
- Alphonso Johnson / bass
- Narada Michael Walden / drums
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic (2,4,7) & electric guitars, violin (6); composer
With:
- Alan Pasqua / electric piano
- Alphonso Johnson / bass
- Narada Michael Walden / drums
1. "Good Clean Filth" (5:20)
2. "Floppy Hat "(2:46)
3. "Wish" (4:20)
4. "Kinder" (3:07)
5. "Velvet Darkness" (4:42)
6. "Karzie Key" (3:11)
7. "Las May" (1:38)
8. "Gattox" (4:51)
Total Time: 29:59
I have trouble reviewing an album that the artist himself never wanted published. Out of respect for the late, great artist, I am going to refrain from doing so.
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. It was recorded at tThe Manor Studio in Shipton-on-Cherwell (Oxfordshire) in September of 1976 and then released by Virgin Records at the very end of the year.
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 / pedal steel (3), electric & acoustic guitars, violin; do-composer "Night Illusion"
- Mino Cinelu (Moravagine, Chute Libre, Miles Davis) / congas (1,4,5), gong (2,4), cuica, triangle, maracas (3), talking drum, temple blocks (4)
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 lackadaisical 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
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.
JOHN STEVENS Touching On (1977)
Recorded at Riverside Studios, London, May 19th, 1977, this represents modern British musicians who choose to be serious about preserving the old sounds and styles of 1960s jazz.
Line-up / Musicians:
- John Stevens / drums
- John Stevens / drums
- Ron Mathewson / double bass
- Jeff Young / piano
- Allan Holdsworth / jazz guitar; writing credit for "Touching On" and "Finally"
A. "Touching On" (21:15) traditional jazz with traditional instruments. (34/40)
B1. "Home" (14:10) (25.5/30)
B2. "Finally" (1:40) (/5)
JEAN-LUC PONTY Enigmatic Ocean (1977)
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.
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)
Total Time 37:17
5. "Nostalgia" (5:00) a nice electro-jam that we fade into for JLP & Allan's excellent trade offs. One of my favorite guitar displays from Allan, ever, cuz it's rather patient and subdued--and cuz it feels as if its from the heart, not from the brain. A top three song for me and one of my all-time favorite JLP songs. (10/10)
7. "In Spite Of All" (5:57) The full band again, sounding a bit 1980s German, but coming together nicely for a fully collaborative effort. I love Jean-Luc and Allan trading riffs from the main melody--and then, of course, their solos. Randy Jackson's bass playing is so rich, so loose and fluid. Great song. (8.75/10)
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Metal Fatigue (1985)
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, producer
With:
- Paul Williams / vocals (1,4)
- Paul Korda / vocals (6)
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards (5)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass (1-4, 6)
- Gary Willis / bass (5)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (1-4)
- Gary Husband / drums (5)
- Mac Hine / drum machine (6)
1. "Metal Fatigue" (4:54) despite the blues-rock baseline and technologically relevant synth support and a lot of space given to Paul Williams' vocals, you can definitely hear, feel, and sense the genius of both Allan's guitar skill as well as his compositional skill. Just wish it were more about his guitar, less about fitting into the rock world. P.S. Nice drumming and drum sound, Chad Wackerman! (8.75/10)
2. "Home" (5:29) strolling into the realm that Pat Metheny was making up at the time, we have a nice instrumental chord-walk down some interesting jazz-rock phrasing using some leading-edge guitar sound. Gentle, with an unusual sense of melody and (!) Allan playing some acoustic guitar (!), this is a decent song but nothing to really write home about. (Again: Pat Metheny had been doing this stuff for almost a decade.) P.S. I really like Jimmy Johnson's bass sound and playing style. (8.667/10)
3. "Devil Take The Hindmost" (5:33) using the same synth guitar sound as the previous song, Allan steps it up a notch in terms of speed and jazziness--that is, until he slows it down in the second minute. At 1:45, the real Allan steps into the limelight to display the melodic technical skill we've all come to know and love him for. Again, great work from Chad Wackerman. Jimmy Johnson's funky bass work feels a bit contrary to both Allan's guitar play and Chad's drumming. Too bad. (8.667/10)
5. "The Un-Merry-Go-Round" (14:06) great rolling bass play among Pat Metheny Group-like music (and sound palette) over which Allan plays between and against Alan Pasqua's keyboards and Gary Husband's drum clinic. As impressive as Gary is, I really came to this to hear Allan's guitar genius.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, SynthAxe, producer
With:
- Rowanne Mark / vocals (7)
- Billy Childs / keyboards (2, 5)
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards (3, 4, 6)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass (1-6)
- Gary Husband / drums (1, 2, 4, 6)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (3, 7)
- Tony Williams / drums (5)
1. "Non Brewed Condiment" (3:39) Allan's first SynthAxe presentation leaves us all wondering which is guitar and which is synthesizer? Mind-blowing yet only an okay song. (One that does not stand up too well to the tests of time.) (8.667/10)
2. "Funnels" (6:10) same response and verdict as the previous song. Chad Wackerman's drumming tries too hard and Jimmy Johnson's normally-enjoyable bass play just feel as if they're in different universes--from both Allan and each other. (8.33/10)
3. "The Dominant Plague" (5:41) ridiculous chord play from the ridiculous sounding SynthAxe. How can Jimmy and Chad be expected to play over this stuff? The "old" 'Allan makes an appearance for a nice solo in the fourth minute. (8.25/10)
4. "Atavachron" (4:45) Allan's SynthAxe chord sequence at least establishes a nice melody with its pleasant (non-grating) sound. Gary Husband's drums and Jimmy Johnson's bass fit a little better with this kind of straightforward, one-directional music. Another more tuned-percussive sound is MIDI-ed through Allan's Axe in the second round. Some old Allan soloing in the fourth minute (something we can grasp and sink our teeth into). Still, not a great or very engaging song. (8.5/10)
5. "Looking Glass" (4:31) Tony Williams! If that doesn't give one high expectations I don't know what does! And true to the hype, Allan gives Tony front and center for the first 90 seconds while he and the band carefully support from the wings. Then "old Allan" takes a turn in front, delivering a stunning solo while Tony continues to deliver his magic from beneath. Jimmy Johnsons and Billy Childs are just lucky to be in the same room. Easily the best, most accessible and impressive song on the album. Great chord play throughout. (9/10)
B1. "Home" (14:10) (25.5/30)
B2. "Finally" (1:40) (/5)
Total time: 37:05
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; co-composer "Nostalgic Lady"
- 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)
- Jean-Luc Ponty / 4- & 5-string electric violins, violectra, piano (5), bells, conductor & orchestrations, producer
With:
- Allan Holdsworth / lead electric guitar; co-composer "Nostalgic Lady"
- 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.
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. The album was recorded in London, England, in July and August of 1977 at Pye Studios and Matrix Studios (produced exclusively by the band) and then released by Virgin Records in February of 1978.
Allan has no writing credits for this album.
- 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)
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.
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:
- Bill Bruford / drums and percussion (tuned & untuned), co-producer
- Allan Holdsworth / electric guitar
- Dave Stewart / keyboards, synths
- Jeff Berlin / bass
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) an iconic song that many people identify with the Bruford experience. (8.875/10)
2. "Back to the Beginning" (7:25) great chorus among pleasantly sophisticated, unique, and memorable music (especially those iconic drum travels). Awesome slow-build to Allan's iconic guitar solo in the fifth and sixth minutes. (13.25/15)
3. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Pt. 1)" (2:31) a surprisingly serene Canterbury/Alice in Wonderland-ish opening with Annette's gentle vocals a little too muted. Dave, too. Kenny Wheeler's trumpet play and Jeff's warbbly bass are about the only things up front and clear. (8.75/10)
4. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Pt. 2)" (4:29) the real Bruford lets loose here with some wonderfully quirky (if dated) syncopation--letting Allan loose from his containment cell and giving Bill the freedom to realise some of his great ideas through a quartet of virtuosi. (9/10)
5. "Sample and Hold" (5:12) opening with Jeff Beck's drum line from Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" surprises, but all is alieved when the rest of the band joins in and takes a sudden left for the drive down the long hillside with Bill's xylophone and Dave's organ taking key rolls in the mix along with Fender Rhodes, what sounds like a fretted bass, and Allan's growling guitar taking part as a melody reinforcer and/or counterpuncher for much of the duration. The recurrent stop-and-restarts in the song's structural pattern allow for a lot of instrumental sound changes, especially from Dave and Bill but even from the effects Jeff employs on his bass. I've always liked the sophistication and convoluted paths and variable speeds used through the course of this song: it makes me think of the sudden and unexpected and events one used to encounter when driving in rural England back in the 1960s and 70s. (8.875/10)
6. "Feels Good to Me" (3:53) an almost-Disco beat quickly turns into something more New Wave/BUGGLES-like in which a surprisingly effective church-like melodic hook issued from Dave Stewart's organ is introduced (where it proceeds to worm its way into one's brain in the same way that an innocuous children's nursery rhyme does). By the time Allan Holdsworth enters in the third minute the layers of the song have beefed up and buried the main melody that one thinks one is now in the land of EMERSON LAKE and PALMER but Allan stops and the rest of the band raises the flag of that earworm melody again, retaining the ELP fullness, before coming round to a AH-assisted finish. Brilliant! (8.875/10)
7. "Either End of August" (5:24) opens with an emerging sound that sounds like it might become Weather Report's "Birdland" but then takes an unexpected turn onto some of Dave Stewart's territory (lots of experimental keyboard sounds being gently yet-unusually deployed here). Solos from Kenny Wheeler, Jeff Berlin, and Dave ensue before coming back around again for more demonstrative second and third times for each of the soloists. Kenny, Jeff and Dave really get most of the spotlight though none really shine the way Allan can (and finally does in the final 45 seconds). (8.6667/10)
8. "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." (3:26) Jeff Berlin on display over and between some cool Bruford tuned percussion work. Dave Stewart seems to exist more as a glue that forms the structure and Allan only enters with legato solos briefly in the first half of the second minute and then for an extended appearance from 1:39 to 2:39. Dave finally gets a little shine thereafter--thought partly in tandem with Bill's xylophone. (8.75/10)
9. "Springtime in Siberia" (2:44) an excellent Kenny Wheeler ballad/duet with Dave Stewart. (4.75/5)
10. "Adios a la Pasada (Goodbye to the Past)" (8:41) long synth and Fender Rhodes play over Jaco-like wandering fretless bass before Bill's driving drum track is slowly entered and lifted into the mix (though remaining far in the background--with Allan's guitar solo--for quite a long time). Around the three minute mark all instruments are finally at equal volume: fully present in the mix--just when Annette's whisper spoken voice starts to recite her uniquely worded poetry. At 3:40 the band rises to a level behind Allan's guitar while Annette pauses--but she soon returns, even singing in her unusual way over Allan and the band's full-volume play before the boys back down to let her return to her whisper delivery. More complex and unusual structural and chordal music in the fifth and sixth minutes with the mountaintop finally achieved around 5:42 whereupon every one regales at the amazing 360 degree panoramic views with each their own expressive release: Bill with lots of cymbal crashes, Annette by screaling her odd epithets, Allan emoting in an almost humble and forlorn melody, Dave and Jeff sounding awed and appreciative. (17.5/20)
Total Time: 46:58
88.45 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent example of the jazz fusion side of progressive rock music.
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; writing credit for "Nevermore"
- 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."
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:
- Bill Bruford / acoustic & electronic drums, percussion, voice of "The Mock Turtle" (5)
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar; writing credit on "The Abingdon Chasp"
- Dave Stewart / keyboards and synths
- Jeff Berlin / bass
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) another iconic song many people associate with the unique sound that came from the three Bruford albums. Dave Stewart's main melodies definitely conjure up reminders of the Hatfield and National Health albums, but Allan Holdsworth's unique and alien/unEarthly guitar phrasings definitely lift it out of the ordinary and mundane! (8.75/10)
2. "One of a Kind, Pt. 1" (2:20) the song that gives me the first feeling that the Bruford sound is formed and, perhaps, never going to change--that the band could conceivably coast on this formula and sound palette . . . (4.25/5)
3. "One of a Kind, Pt. 2" (4:04) . . . but then the action in Part 2 reveals some jazzy (and even some DIXIE DREGS-like Bluegrass) tendencies that make me think that, yes, there is still life in this quartet. (8.75/10)
4. "Travels With Myself - And Someone Else" (6:13) gentle, even ruminative explorations of a panorama of melodies, pacings, and mixes. I am not a fan of the sound Allan chooses to feed his guitar through. Even back in the day it just felt too artificial, too processed: like Velveeta or Marmite--failing to elevate a rather dull and mundane song to anything more. (8.6667/10)
5. "Fainting in Coils" (6:33) I know that this is one of Bill's favorites from this album but for me it's too WEATHER REPORT-like with Jeff's Jaco Pastorius bass sounds and phrasings and Dave's Zawinul-like chord and sound changing. Were it not for the absolutely unique sounds and styles of Mssrs. Bruford and Holdsworth, this song would be lost in the mire that, for me, is Weather Report sound-alikes (even despite the Alice in Wonderland references). My favorite part of the song is actually Dave's piano solo in the final quarter. (8.75/10)
6. "Five G" (4:46) Jeff Berlin getting the rest of the gang charged up. These performances are among the liveliest and most spirited on the album. (8.75/10)
7. "The Abingdon Chasp" (4:54) nice song from the gang with cool motif changes and lots of interesting solos. (8.75/10)
8. "Forever Until Sunday" (5:51) Throw away the slow Jobson/Bob James-like first half and you have a GREAT song--something in the vein of a UK or even an and-then-there-were-three GENESIS tune. (8.875/10)
9. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1" (5:18) the best song the Bruford lineup ever created opens with lots of eerie-spacey synth and synthetic sounds swirling round like an opening to one of LENNY WHITE's overture openings from his Venusian Summer album. Dave, Jeff, and Bill's weave rises from out of the primordial soup to drive us forward in a very insistent fashion with some elements of the polyphony traveling along at different clips and on different melody lines--including a marimba--as Allan joins in a subtly propels the song with his not-so-subtle now-iconic electric guitar sound. Very cool break of reverse decay at the end of the fourth minute leads to a restart with some wonderful weaving of Jeff's hunting dog bass, layers of Dave's synths with piano, Bill's drums and marimba with Allan's melody line again directing the launch into the skies. Absolutely brilliant proggy Jazz-Rock Fusion! (10/10)
10. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2" (3:24) one of the great motifs of all-time with one of the greatest guitar solos of all-time. (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.
90.04 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-aspirng progressive rock music.
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH & GORDON BECK The Things You See (1980)
Kindred souls who first met through Ian Carr's Nucleus project gatherings (Belladonna) finally get a chance to collaborate.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic & electric guitars, vocals (6)
AND
- Gordon Beck / piano, Fender electric piano
1. "Golden Lakes" (4:45) both gents show a marvelous ability to express in gorgeous melodies--in tandem and separately--and then to return to them occasionally thus keeping the listener tethered to the song. And this is from piano and electrified acoustic guitar! (The main melody does, however, sound familiar.) (9/10)
2. "Stop Fiddlin'" (2:53) a song of bluesy piano-sounding electric piano. (8.5/10)
3. "The Things You See" (4:29) beautiful Fender Rhodes and electric guitar interplay that remind me of BOZ SCAGGS' "Harbor Lights." 50-seconds in we are spliced into a completely different track on which Gordon is playing acoustic piano in a kind of Chick Corea/George Gershwin style while Allan scurries around on an acoustic-sounding electric guitar. At 2:45 the music then splices back to the opening instrumental sound palette with someone playing a "fretless"-sounding bass line (methinks it Gordon's Fender Rhodes). I love these acoustic duets the most--wish they would stay away from the electric stuff (and stay away from the bluesy, N'orleans sounds and stylings). (9.33333/10)
4. "Diminished Responsability" (8:14) fast Chick Corea-Al Di Meola-like acoustic piano and acoustic guitar playing off one another à la the song "Romantic Warrior" if sped up and/or juxtaposed with something more classical in origin--not unlike something that John McLaughlin would do were he paired up with pianist wife Katia Labèque while on his steel-stringed acoustic guitar. Allan's guitar sounds so Stanley Jordan like in his solo voce section whereas Gordon's piano sound and styling sounds like a very serious, classically-oriented Chick Corea. (13.375/15)
5. "She's Lookin', I'm Cookin'" (11:54) despite the continous "wandering" feel of this one--where the piano and acoustic guitar continuously feel as if they are feeling each other out, trying to figure out whether to dance or run--the beauty of this "get to know me" conversation is reminiscent of some of John McLaughlin's most tender "conversations" with other musicians (and himself). At the end of the fifth minute Gordon switches to electric piano kind of freeing Allan to explore his own inner ruminations and inspirations. Gordon gets to do some of the same with his right hand on the piano in the second half of the song--over the course of both of the main motifs employed by the songwriters. I just don't like it when Allan goes to warp speed or when Gordon moves into his blues-based chord and phrasings. Otherwise, this is a great, beautiful, enjoyable song. (23/25)
6. "At The Edge" (3:15) I specifically looked this one up because I saw that Allan sings on it. (I LOVED his voice and vocal stylings on the 1969 'Igginbottom album.) This one-man song reminds me of both 'Igginbottom's lone album and the softer parts of "Nevermore" and "Mental Medication" from the debut UK album. (9.25/10)
7. "Up Country" (4:15) almost some stride New Orleans-style piano. Allan plays more reactively than in a planned, composed fashion--though two separate tracks mirroring each other illustrates some rehearsal and planning pretty well. (8.75/10)
Total time 39:45
I have to admit that Allan Holdsworth's unique and sometimes abrasive melody choices become much more tolerable and even enjoyable and, believe it or not, soothing when delivered from an acoustic guitar. The electric guitar sound that he discovered in 1977 that became his "iconic" signature sound (until he discovered the SynthAxe and other guitar synthesizers) is well and good but sometimes setting him so far apart from the other instruments (and musicians) in a song that you really do feel as if the man is just a visitor from another planet or another dimension. The acoustic guitar humanizes him.
90.23 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of more traditional acoustic blues and jazz duet play between two amazing virtuosos.
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH I.O.U. (1982)
Finally! Allan Holdsworth releases an album as the band leader of his own band--as the master of the outcomes of his songs and playing. (I do not count the previous "solo album" that was released against Allan's will, Velvet Darkness as it is not representative of that which Allan wanted.)
I remember buying this in some iteration during the 1980s and having trouble connecting to it: it felt too cerebral and alien. It's taken me a long time to learn to like Allan Holdsworth's impressive language. I will never claim to understanding it, but I now appreciate it and, yes, like it. Very much. (I think it took these three years of nearly exclusive concentration on the history and make up of jazz-rock fusion and, at its core, jazz for me to come to this point of appreciation and small comprehension.)
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, violin (6), producer
With:
- Paul Williams (Zoot Money, John Mayall, Juicy Lucy, Tempest) / vocals
- Paul Carmichael / bass
- Gary Husband / drums, piano solo (6)
1. "The Things You See (when You Haven't Got Your Gun)" (5:50) I have nothing to complain or criticize about this song: even the mundane vocals of Paul Williams work--and there are more enticing and deeply satisfying melodies than I expected--and they come from Allan's chord play! As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that, as impressive as his legato solo runs are, I find myself much more under the spell of his intriguing chord progressions. The spacey David Torn-like volume pedal controlled bridge at the end of the second minute leads into a new motif in which the jazzy inputs of bassist Paul Charmichael and drummer Gary Husband play a much more important, integral role while Allan solos in the other dimensions somewhere up in the ether. At 4:10 the band returns to the slower, more chord-centric motif but it was really those first two minutes that won me over. (9.25/10)
2. "Where Is One" (5:32) the sound over the first 90 seconds of this one has quite a little in common with the sounds Pat Metheny had been producing over the previous five or six years: the sounds and chord work. But then things ramp up into a heavier wall of sound over which Allan switches to legato soloing--using melodic phrasing that is nothing whatsoever like Mr. Metheny (or anyone else on this planet--at least, no one that I've ever heard). A return to chord play for the fifth minute (with a few occasional injections of both Al Di Meola threatening riffs and David Torn edgeless sounds). (9.125/10)
3. "Checking Out" (3:34) a more traditional rock palette led by Paul Williams' return to the microphone to provide the vocals that remind me of Carmine Appice, John Wetton, and Frogg Café's Nick Lieto. Cool passage in the instrumental passage around the two-minute mark when Allan duels with himself in two different tracks (and two different channels). (8.875/10)
4. "Letters Of Marquee" (6:57) another awesome Jazz-Rock Fusion song that is set up to support Allan's exploration of his unusual and unique chords and chord progressions. Though the sounds and styles used by Gary and Paul are known to me, they, too, are unusual--which makes them a perfect fit (and complement) to Allan's guitar work. Paul's extended solo takes up about 90 seconds in the second and third minutes before he returns to arpeggiating his own chord progressions while Allan solos and Gary accents and fills space beneath and between Allan's runs. Three amazingly competent musicians each playing extremely complicated music, exploring their own extremely creative and free-flowing inputs, spurred on by Allan's new "leave them alone: let them do what they think they should/want to do" collaborative attitude that he learned from Tony Williams. Gary's solo in the sixth minute feels as if two drummers are playing the same kit: one for bass drum and cymbal crashing, the other for tom and snare play. Allan and Paul return at 5:53, Allan with even more bizarre chords than we've heard before (so much so that Paul seems momentarily stunned into muted simplicity while he tries to recollect his wits!) (13.75/15)
5. "Out From Under" (3:32) on this one Paul tries to find melodies to sing over Allan and Paul's very odd chord progressions. It feels forced--like something from VAN MORRISON. At 1:25 Paul steps back and the others take a turn down a THIN LIZZY-like rock motif--with, of course, Allan's special "out of the blue" lighting strikes of riffs and flourishes. Short-lived, Paul returns to try to help bring the song round to closure. Weird and impressive but not altogether enjoyable or memorable. (8.6667/10)
6. "Temporary Fault" (3:15) a slowed-down and reverberated palette that almost sounds conformist to the Smooth Jazz sounds and styles that have (sadly) taken over the Jazz-Rock Fusion world in the past four or five years. Accomplished as a pianist in his own right, Gary Husband is given a separate track to add a piano solo in the second minute while Allan smooth chords the background and Paul Jacos the low end as Paul's drums seem to respond to himself. Then, surprise of all surprises: Allan takes a turn as a soloist on an electric violin! Very Jean-Luc Ponty-ish! Then the song is just faded out! Done! (8.75/10)
7. "Shallow Sea" (5:51) slow attack and long sustain guitar wash chords play on their own, in their own mysterious progression, feeling like the work John Martyn, Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, and are exploring around the same time. After two and a half minutes, drums and bass join Allan, pushing him to move along--which he soon does: exploring his oddly-phrased guitar runs and David Torn-like note-bending amusements, prodded along by some creative and inventive bass and drum play beneath (or is it beside--or within?) And then there is yet another very odd sudden exit/fast fade out. Weird! (8.75/10)
8. "White Line" (4:50) An odd song that sounds more like something from Frank Zappa-cover band turned eclectic prog band FROGG CAFÉ (owing much to Paul Williams' melody choices and vocal timbre). A tough song to find melody much less placement within but Paul does quite a remarkable job of succeeding to do both. After some less impressive encounters I've had with him (on the Tempest album), he has definitely redeemed himself and more. (8.875/10)
Total time 39:21
Drummer Gary Husband is such a great fit as Allan's sound creator--and Paul Carmichael is nearly as capable to really support and push Allan. An album that started so well grows old as the songs from Side 2 feel less collaborative, less "finished," more like musings and mental exercises for Allan's own study and entertainment, not as much for an audience or for his collaborators.
89.46 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an album with the dubious distinction of having a Jeckyl and Hyde presentation: an amazing Side One followed by a rather oblique and nearly-impenetrable Side Two. At the same time, I think Side One alone is worth giving this album my highest recommendation as it contains some of my all-time favorite Allan Holdsworth productions.
JEAN-LUC PONTY Individual Choice (1983)
The beginning of the downward spiral that Jean-Luc had after peaking with that incredible run of albums from 1975 (post Mahavishnu Orchestra) through 1984.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Luc Ponty / Violin, organ (5), synthesizer, synth bass (3, 5, 6), rhythm programming (3), orchestrations & producer
With:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar (5, 7)
- George Duke / MiniMoog synthesizer (3)
- Randy "The Emperor" Jackson / bass (2, 7)
- Ray Griffin / drums (2, 7), percussion (6)
7. "In Spite Of All" (5:57) The full band again, sounding a bit 1980s German, but coming together nicely for a fully collaborative effort. I love Jean-Luc and Allan trading riffs from the main melody--and then, of course, their solos. Randy Jackson's bass playing is so rich, so loose and fluid. Great song. (8.75/10)
Total Time 37:05
A very good album--with truly great performances from Ponty, Allan Holdsworth, George Duke, Randy Jackson, and Ray Griffin--but something is missing . . . something cohesive and human--this despite the very emotional tribute to Oscar Romero and the awesome synth-violin "duet" on "Computer Incantations for World Peace." Most of J-L's previous albums had a kind of warm, engaging continuity to them--and maybe a better feeling of whole-band gelling. Again, I loved this album when it came out and felt little or no connection to the next one, Open Mind. Maybe it was just me--as I was moving into different directions musically (though Pat Metheny was still at the center of my world . . . ) It took Rites of Strings for me to reengage with J-L (and Al Di and Stanley). No doubt that Ponty and company are all virtuosi of their instruments. And mysterious axeman Holdsworth has one of his better (i.e., more accessible and engaging) outings here. Check it out!
90.24 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of 1980s Jazz-Rock Fusion (or such as it was in that decade) and excellent addition to any prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion lover's music collection.
One of Allan's more universally-acclaimed solo albums.
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, producer
With:
- Paul Williams / vocals (1,4)
- Paul Korda / vocals (6)
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards (5)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass (1-4, 6)
- Gary Willis / bass (5)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (1-4)
- Gary Husband / drums (5)
- Mac Hine / drum machine (6)
1. "Metal Fatigue" (4:54) despite the blues-rock baseline and technologically relevant synth support and a lot of space given to Paul Williams' vocals, you can definitely hear, feel, and sense the genius of both Allan's guitar skill as well as his compositional skill. Just wish it were more about his guitar, less about fitting into the rock world. P.S. Nice drumming and drum sound, Chad Wackerman! (8.75/10)
2. "Home" (5:29) strolling into the realm that Pat Metheny was making up at the time, we have a nice instrumental chord-walk down some interesting jazz-rock phrasing using some leading-edge guitar sound. Gentle, with an unusual sense of melody and (!) Allan playing some acoustic guitar (!), this is a decent song but nothing to really write home about. (Again: Pat Metheny had been doing this stuff for almost a decade.) P.S. I really like Jimmy Johnson's bass sound and playing style. (8.667/10)
3. "Devil Take The Hindmost" (5:33) using the same synth guitar sound as the previous song, Allan steps it up a notch in terms of speed and jazziness--that is, until he slows it down in the second minute. At 1:45, the real Allan steps into the limelight to display the melodic technical skill we've all come to know and love him for. Again, great work from Chad Wackerman. Jimmy Johnson's funky bass work feels a bit contrary to both Allan's guitar play and Chad's drumming. Too bad. (8.667/10)
4. "Panic Station (3:31) incredible chord play from Allan's Robert FRIPP/SIMPLE MINDS-sounding rhythm guitar over which Paul Williams sings innocuously and Allan riffs on his lead guitar in between. A top three song for me. (8.75/10)
5. "The Un-Merry-Go-Round" (14:06) great rolling bass play among Pat Metheny Group-like music (and sound palette) over which Allan plays between and against Alan Pasqua's keyboards and Gary Husband's drum clinic. As impressive as Gary is, I really came to this to hear Allan's guitar genius.
A solid stop at the 4:30 mark allows for a reset. The new, fully-formed song coming out the break is really nice. At 5:34, however, they change style and tempo--quite radically, actually--and then again at the six-minute mark. This kind of bait and switch tactic is used so extensively--ad distraction and confusion--throughout the song that it finally sends me away. This is a song? Not even multi-movement classical music pieces are as fragmented and disjointed as this. Too bad cuz some nice motifs and instrumental performances, just not a cohesive, coherent song. Can't denigrate the instrumental talent here but I can't rate this song very high as a memorable, engaging, "put on replay" kind of piece. (24.667/30)
6. "In The Mystery (3:49) in the funk-jazz-pop style that was popular at the time (popularized by the likes of Al Jarreau, Narada Michael Walden, Hiram Bullock, Manhattan Transfer, and many Soul R&B acts in the early 1980s) -sound alike Paul Korda sings over some really nice bass play from Jimmy Johnson, computer drums and R&B-styled rhythm guitar. Allan takes a solo in the requisite "C" part of this ABACAB-formatted song. (8.5/10)
Total Time: 37:22
Total Time: 37:22
Finally, Allan seems to be gelling with a cast of collaborators--all of whom seem to be on the same page with his musical ideas and needs. It's too bad he hasn't yet found the confidence or support to move totally into his preferred experimental jazz-rock fusion realm of instrumental music because one of the things detracting from these songs are the vocals--not so much the performances or messages but the space that is required to give up for the vocalists to do their job--space that could be filled by Allan and his amazing guitar playing. (See 1989's Secrets to understand better what I mean.
85.0 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; after a good start, and some great guitar, bass, and drum performances, this album only represents a legacy of flawed competence. Good but not essential.
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Atavachron (1986)
Look out people: Here it comes: Allan's SynthAxe obsession has begun.
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, SynthAxe, producer
With:
- Rowanne Mark / vocals (7)
- Billy Childs / keyboards (2, 5)
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards (3, 4, 6)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass (1-6)
- Gary Husband / drums (1, 2, 4, 6)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (3, 7)
- Tony Williams / drums (5)
1. "Non Brewed Condiment" (3:39) Allan's first SynthAxe presentation leaves us all wondering which is guitar and which is synthesizer? Mind-blowing yet only an okay song. (One that does not stand up too well to the tests of time.) (8.667/10)
2. "Funnels" (6:10) same response and verdict as the previous song. Chad Wackerman's drumming tries too hard and Jimmy Johnson's normally-enjoyable bass play just feel as if they're in different universes--from both Allan and each other. (8.33/10)
3. "The Dominant Plague" (5:41) ridiculous chord play from the ridiculous sounding SynthAxe. How can Jimmy and Chad be expected to play over this stuff? The "old" 'Allan makes an appearance for a nice solo in the fourth minute. (8.25/10)
4. "Atavachron" (4:45) Allan's SynthAxe chord sequence at least establishes a nice melody with its pleasant (non-grating) sound. Gary Husband's drums and Jimmy Johnson's bass fit a little better with this kind of straightforward, one-directional music. Another more tuned-percussive sound is MIDI-ed through Allan's Axe in the second round. Some old Allan soloing in the fourth minute (something we can grasp and sink our teeth into). Still, not a great or very engaging song. (8.5/10)
5. "Looking Glass" (4:31) Tony Williams! If that doesn't give one high expectations I don't know what does! And true to the hype, Allan gives Tony front and center for the first 90 seconds while he and the band carefully support from the wings. Then "old Allan" takes a turn in front, delivering a stunning solo while Tony continues to deliver his magic from beneath. Jimmy Johnsons and Billy Childs are just lucky to be in the same room. Easily the best, most accessible and impressive song on the album. Great chord play throughout. (9/10)
6. "Mr. Berwell" (6:21) thunder greets the listener before sensitive solo SynthAxe (sounding like Pat Metheny's guitar chorus effect ramped up and fast-vibrato-echoed to the max). The full-band support team enters at 1:28 in a BRUFORD/DAVE STEWART kind of way before "old Allan" begins soloing over the top. I think an overdub of Allan's Axe is beneath, creating the chordal base, as the tempo changes from fast to slow (though Gary Husband's frenetic drumming would bely another reality), back and forth a couple times before another section starts out. I'm not sure whether the support chords are Allan's SynthAxe and the "keyboard" solo over the top Alan Pasqua's electric piano or vice versa (or all Allan)--such is the confusion created by the MIDI effect. (I remember playing an awesome piano-and-trumpet dual solo with a MIDI-ed saxophone syphoned through my brother's Mac in 1991. Listening to the tape of it you'd never know it was a saxophone that created the sounds.) (8/10)
7. "All Our Yesterdays" (5:25) vocalist Rowan Marks sound so much like Gayle Moran!
At 2:25 tuned percussion (MIDI-synth drums?) and SynthAxe begin to trade punches, but, wait! Which is which? Interesting but not so much as a pleasant listening experience; more as an experimental exercise. Then to return to the atmospheric, almost operatic motif of the opening to let Rowanne sing to the song's finish. What a Jeckyll and Hyde experience! (8.75/10)
Total time 36:32
Total time 36:32
The musics generated by Allan through his new toy are just far too foreign for our ears to take in and process--even now, 38 years on. It's as if everybody is been cheapened, sold out, for the sake of synthetics. I can't even like the keyboard, bass, and drumming paired up with Allan's domineering Axe! It just doesn't work. The album's saving grace lies in the individual performances of Tony Williams, Rowanne Marks, and "old Allan" Holdsworth.
85.0 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; interesting from an historical perspective but hardly the type of music I would recommend to any prog loving music collector. Half the time I'm not even sure it's music!
ALLAN HOLDWORTH Sand (1987)
While former band-mate/collaborator Bill Bruford spins the MIDI technology now available through his Simmons drums, Allan is busy exploring the same through his new SynthAxe. The results are incredibly similar with both confusing ears and eyes by producing unheard of sounds (both "acoustic" and synthetic) from their favored instruments, respectively. On this album Allan demonstrates that he's finally figuring out how best to use his new favorite toy.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / SynthAxe, guitar (3), producer
With:
- Alan Pasqua / keyboards (3)
- John England / Mac computer programming (6)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass
- Biff Vincent / Octopad bass (6)
- Gary Husband / drums (1, 3)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (4, 5), percussion (6)
1. "Sand" (5:25) solo SynthAxe used to generate the intro (now, this is the way I always felt the SynthAxe should be used!) Chord play continues after Jimmy Johnson and Gary Husband have joined in. Hey! This is working! At the three-minute mark Allan uses his Axe to generate a pleasant solo over his rhythmists. (Too bad the sound mix is so odd: it's as if Chad and Gary and the Axe chord progression are coming out of the boom box while Allan is playing his lead solo in the room by himself.) Still, this is a much better/more successful blending of the "gifts" of the SynthAxe with the contributions of a more traditional rock support crew. (8.5/10)
2. "Distance Vs. Desire" (5:17) Now this is more like the ideal format for experimentation (and delivery of such to a remote listening audience) of the SynthAxe. Quite similar to the guitar-and-keyboard sound and textural experimentations done by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays (only I think this is all Allan). (9/10)
3. "Pud Wud" (6:43) Allan piddling around on his SynthAxe for three minutes while generously letting his posse have some free-play time (nice work both Jimmy Johnson and Gary Husband), but then he steps into the front with his "old Allan" guitar to steal the show. He yields to Alan Pasqua for one fine keyboard performance (at least, it feels like a real keyboard, not the SynthAxe) before weird-noising it to the end.(8.75/10)
4. "Clown" (5:14) more weird noises conveyed through the SynthAxe. At least Allan's getting a bead on what works with a support band cuz this definitely works with Chad Wakcerman's drums and Jimmy Johnson's fretless bass. In fact, this might be the best SynthAxe-led song I've heard yet from Allan (or anyone, for that matter, including Chuck Hammer, Lee Ritenour, and Roy Wooten). (9/10)
5. "The 4.15 Bradford Executive" (8:28) A synth-pop take on Peter Gabriel's "We Do What We''re Told"? The SynthAxe chordplay is actually quite cool--even pretty, but Chad Wackerman's accompaniment over the first 2"40 is totally unnecessary. (The song would have been much better if Allan were left alone for that opening section). But then "old Allan" shows up and Chad's reactive interplay become's quite appropriate--even perfectly complementary to Allan's work. (17.25/20)
6. "Mac Man" (4:02) Allan's welcome and to computer-generated/programmed sound and song construction/production. If there's one thing we should applaud Allan for it's his openness to new technologies and ideas. (At least at this point in his life/career.) Very cool song! Definitely one of my top three.
I find it amazing how similar the parallel tracks of Mssrs. Holdsworth and Bruford were at this point in their lives/careers. (9.25/10)
Total Time: 35:06
After the fiasco that was his previous album, Atavachron, I think Allan was figuring that out how and where the SynthAxe should be used (as well as who and what it should/could be used with). Thank heavens. All we have to do, then, is wait for his next album to see him really get back into the full realization of his genius and potential.
88.21 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection.
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Secrets (1989)
Allan's obsession witth never playing the same thing (phrase) twice results in yet another masterful collection of frustrations in which he has surrounded himself with a cornucopia of the world's very best musicians.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitar, Synthaxe (2,5,8), spoken voice (7), producer & mixing
With:
- Rowanne Mark / vocals (2)
- Craig Copeland / vocals (8)
- Gary Husband / keyboards (1)
- Alan Pasqua / piano (3)
- Steve Hunt / keyboards (4, 6)
- Jimmy Johnson / bass (1-6, 8)
- Bob Wackerman / bass (7)
- Vinnie Colaiuta / drums (1-6, 8)
- Chad Wackerman / drums & keyboards (7)
- Claire Holdsworth / spoken voice, in French (7)
- Jeffrey Ocheltree / "hammer" (7)
1. "City Nights" (2:33) stunning guitar work/melody making on this powerful Jean-Luc Ponty-like instrumental. Heck, the bass play is stunning, too! What an opening! (9/5/10)
2. "Secrets" (4:21) Rowanne Mark singing a bit over Allan's jazz fusion SynthAxe-dominated jazz fusion. She sounds remarkably similar to Gayle Moran--in both tone and style. Great Chick Corea-like "keyboard" sound from Allan's SynthAxe--until he starts exploring melody lines that Chick would never think of. Jimmy Johnson's bass play coupled with Vinnie Colaiuta's rolling drum play are quite lovely to hear beneath/with Allan's melody lines. It's actually quite a lovely song. (P.S. I love Gayle and Annette.) (9.5/10)
3. "54 Duncan Terrace (Dedicated To Pat Smythe) (4:35) piano jazz with some (la lot less than I would expect) guitar play from the bandleader. Opens with heavily-effected Jan Akkerman-like guitar chord work before giving way to the piano for a big chunk of the song. Again, absolutely stunning drum play beneath. Bassist Jimmy Johnson even gets a nice solo spot in the third and fourth minutes. The "harp"-like solo in the final minute must be another one of Allan's SynthAxe masks. Odd "big chord" ending. (9.75/10)
4. "Joshua" (5:59) even thought this starts out kind of sappy, pop-ballad-like, arrives more great SynthAxe work and Fender Rhodes play over stunning drums and bass. Unfortunately, the keyboard work remains in sappy-cheesy pop-ballad land throughout. (9.25/10)
5. "Spokes" (3:32) a little more funk from the bass and drums with this SynthAxe-led song. (8.75/10)
6. "Maid Marion" (7:17) very spacious soundscape of Fender chords with SynthAxe "sax" opens this before bass and delicate drums come in to support an extended MIDI-Fender Rhodes solo from Steve Hunt (or is it a SynthAxe MIDI-ed "keyboard"?) In the fifth minute another synth "soprano sax" solo ensues--this one sounding more like a guitar's product, for sure. Vinnie is certainly having fun beneath during this section: quite the conversation they're having! Almost Corea-Gadd-ish. (14/15)
7. "Peril Premonition" (4:44) the Wackerman brothers help play out this cute "safe room" role play song while Allan returns to the non-SynthAxe electric guitar that we've all come to expect from him since his Bruford/UK years. Some wonderful support of some awesome guitar work though a little less loud and punchy than the Johnson-Colaiuta combo. (8.75/10)
8. "Endomorph (Dedicated To My Parents)" (4:19) male vocals over synth washes. Craig Copeland has an interesting Gino Vannelli tone with a more jazzy, Al Jarreau-like style; the melody he establishes is replicated quite accurately and respectfully by Allan's guitar in the second verse, and then Craig is given the third verse for a reprise. Beautiful. Allan is at his peak in the same way Jean-Luc Ponty was at his peak with Individual Choice. (9.5/10)
Total Time: 37:20
The rhythm section of bassist Jimmy Johnoson and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta are quite a match for Allan's guitar; I think they, in fact, soften his often abrasive, angular approaches to melody making.
92.94 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a veritable masterpiece of timeless jazz-rock fusion. This is an album that I didn't give the light of day for years until seeing an interview with Rick Beato and Vinnie Colaiuta but, now that I have, I think it is an essential acquisition for any prog lover's music collection. Now I consider this Allan's finest album as a bandleader, besides the UK album, my favorite album of his, as well as the finest Jazz-Rock Album of 1989.
While Allan continued to record and tour throughout the rest of his life, this is where my interest in his work ends. In my opinion, his most significant contributions to the phenomenon known as Jazz-Rock Fusion spanned the 20 years from 'Igginbottom's Wrench to Secrets--two absolute masterpieces of music. His ideas and passions for growth and creativity may never be fully appreciated much less comprehended but I can finally say that I am forever grateful to him for his contributions to music, to my life, to the most beautiful and mysterious musics that have graced my life.
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