Classic French Jazz-Rock Fusion

In the 1970s, the French response to the Jazz-Rock Fusion boom was greater in the Canterbury and Zeuhlish styles than it was to the styles and sounds presented by Bitches Brew, Mwandishi, Emergency! or The Inner Mounting Flame. One can come up with quite an impressive list of the bands ascribing to the former styles while only a meager few owing their inspiration to Miles, Herbie, Tony, or The Mahavishnu. It seems that it was the increasing infiltration and adoption of elements and strains funk and R&B into American Jazz-Rock Fusion that really captured the interest and imagination of the 1970s Frenchman. 

In 1969, the Magma commune produced their initial response to the liberating fusion movement, but the visions of several very strong-willed individuals attempting to collaborate in a world of constant compromise for a couple of years proved too difficult. They were able to produce two exceptional albums: Magma (which is also often called, Kobaïa), which was released in October of 1970 by Phillips, and 1001* Centigrades (or "2") released in October of 1971, but the resultant difference of opinions resulted in constant bickering and conflict. Each of these highly-creative artists which would go their separate ways, each to contribute significantly to the French art scene. The scene was similar to the effect of the sub-atomic bombardment of a nucleus which results in an atomic explosion or, when multiplied astronomically, the fusion chain reaction that is the operational core foundation of a star (like our sun). The fallout gave us Teddy Lasry, François Cahen (Zao), Claude Engel, Laurent Thibault, Francis Moze (Rhesus O, Gazeuse, Mais on peut pas rêver tout le temps, Pascal Duffard, Dan Ar Braz)), Larurent Thibault (Mais on peut pas rêver tout le temps, important producer), and Yochik'o Seffer (Zao, self/solo), not to mention long-time leader and creator of the Kobaïan mythology and language, Christian Vander. 

Here are some truly great Jazz-Rock Fusion albums that were produced by French artists/musicians:

CORTEX Troupeau bleu (1975)

French jazz-funk catchy fun female vocalists--in French!--from supernova Mireille Dalbray. Recorded June 15 &16 at Studio Damiens in Paris (in the western suburb of Boulogne) and released by Disques Espérance late in the year (1975), the band was the idea of songwriter-keyboardist Alain Mion, who posted leaflets advertizing for band members on walls, kiosks, and stores all over Paris. The result is pretty magical, if you ask me.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Mireille Dalbray / Vocals

- Alain Mion / Keyboards, vocals, lyrics, music, arrangements

- Alain Labib / Alto Saxophone

- Jean Grevet / Bass

- Alain Gandolfi / Drums, vocals, co-composer (A1)

- Jo Pucheu / Percussion

- Jean-Claude "Le Boeuf" d'Agostini / Guitar

A1. "La rue" (4:23) the album's only track credited (partially) to drummer Alain Gandolfi, it opens with some very funky Herbie Hancock-like Fender Rhodes play before the band kicks in with some serious funk (especially from bass player Jean Grevet) as well as Mireille Dalbray's airy wisp of a voice breathing an incredibly playful-sexy vocal (in French). Her vocal is effected (and mutli-tracked) to create an effect that I've heard before--quite commonly--from French song-makers of that era--since they started putting effects on vocals from "yé-yé" artists like Sylvie Vartan, France Gall and Françoise Hardy. Chantale Goya would be the best example that I know of. At 1:12 Mireille stops singing and the electric piano of bandleader Alain Mion takes over (with Jean Grevet's bass right over his shoulder). Great jazz-funk! Alain Gandolfi is right there in the pocket with Alain and Jean. Though they're credited on the album, I hear no additional instrumentation until Alain Labib's sax at the end of the fourth minute--after Mireille has returned to the microphone. (9/10)

A2. "Automne (Colchiques)" (2:35) the album's only song not credited to current band members for composition, it opens with a rapid full-band funk with some interesting dated synth in the lead instrument position behind Mireille's breathy yet precisely timed vocal. Despite its brevity, this is a fully-developed song. Very spunky. Mireille even gets to stretch out and blast out her pipes in the final minute. She's got power! (8.875/10)

A3. "L'enfant samba" (3:00) a kind of BOBBY CALDWELL/EARTH,WIND & FIRE pseudo-samba. Mireille returns to and I can finally hear the presence of Jo Pucheu's percussion and Jean-Claude "Le Boeuf" d'Agostini's rhythm guitar. Finally, Alain Labib's sax gets to shine (if only rather briefly). (8.875/10)

A4. "Troupeau bleu" (5:00) from the opening piano notes of this one you just know that it's something special. And then you get the delivery of an excellent even heart-wrenching multi-facetedd vocal from Mireille--backed to great effect during the chorus sections by Alain Labib's reverberated sax. Now this feels like a bossa nova. Plus, it's a very nuanced and well-constructed sophisticated song. And then, bonus! we get to hear, in the fourth minute, the first of Mireille's extraordinarily beautiful and acrobatic Northettes-like vocalese as a kind of additional "instrumental" solo. Extraordinary! My favorite song on the album. One of the best songs I've ever heard out of France! (11/10)

A5. "Prelude à 'Go Round'" (3:52) excellent playfulness between Alain's electric piano, Jean's funky bass, and Mireille's wordless vocalese. Mireille's command and effortless creation of melody are so stunning! What skill! What perfection! Not in the same league (or same style) as the amazing Urszula Dudziak, more like Amanda Parsons or Pascale Son. Such a cool song: so simply constructed and populated. And to top it off, Alain Labib gets to play a beautifully-nuanced sax solo in the final minute. Awesome! (9.75/10)

A6. "Go Round" (1:20) beautiful solo piano play. Hard to believe that this is the "meat" to the previous song's "prelude." (4.75/5)

B1. "Chanson d'un jour d'hiver" (5:20) some of the most melodically-rich smooth jazz-rock fusion. The piano play alone is worth the entire song but then add the wonderfully filling bass and drums and Mireille's NORTHETTES-like wordless vocalese into the mix and what you have is a kind of heart-wrenching result. Wow! (9.75/10)

B2. "Mary et Jeff" (2:40) feels like a variation on the previous song, only Discofied and without Mireille's presence. The drums and bass don't align very well with Alain's piano--nor do they seem fitting for the song's mood. Alain keeps using these chord progressions on his piano that are so gorgeous that they make my knees want to buckle. (9.125/10)

B3. "Huit octobre 1971" (4:22) opens sounding very, very much like something straight out of HATFIELD AND THE NORTH's studio jams leading up to their debut album, only funked up a little more by the bass and keys. Mireille's wordless vocalese sounds just like the airy angelic voice of Amanda Parsons, but Jean Grevet's in-your-face electric bass and Alain Mion's multiple keys are definitely the stars of this show. There's a little homage to Kool and the Gang's "Summer Madness" in Alain's long solo in the third and fourth minute--and then there is an awesome double-time final minute in which Mireille returns and steals the scene. Wow! (9.25/10) 

B4. "Sabbat (1ère partie)" (1:00) bouncy clavinet and groovin' bass and drums unveils a HERBIE HANCOCK like funk party. It's happenin'! This then leads into . . . (5/5)

B5. "Sabbat (2ème partie)" (3:15) . . . a big bossa nova party scene using crowd noises and everything with lively percussion, Fender Rhodes, really moving bass, and Mireille's mutli-tracked voice delivering some fast moving happy Fender Rhodes-dominated music. Alain Labib's sax solo in the frenetic third minute really scores! Awesome stuff (and I am NOT a sax fan.) (9.25/10)

B6. "Sabbat (3ème partie)" (0:26) . . . and then you have the feeling of a big reveal: explosive like an orchestra-embellished motif, but then everything falls into line for . . . (5/5)

B7. "Madbass" (2:50) . . . another Discofied funky Head Hunters-like jam of danceable joy. Sax duplicates the bass line before Alain Mion's funky clavinet-like synth takes the lead. This is the best part: It's very jazz/Herbie-like. (9/10)

Total length: 40:03

Such a great album, consistently top notch jazz-funk with a few touches of Canterbury magic thrown in for great measure. 

94.46 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of Third Wave Canterbury- and Headhunters-tinged Jazz-Funk. As an album that ranks among my top five Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion albums of the "Classic Era," I cannot recommend it more highly!

ATOLL L'araignée-mal (1975)

Top notch symphonic prog from France with amazing production, composition, power, and melody.

Line-up / Musicians

- André Balzer / lead vocals, percussion
- Christian Beya / guitar
- Michel Taillet / Eminent synth, clavinet, percussion, backing vocals
- Richard Aubert / violin
- Jean Luc Thillot / bass, vocals
- Alain Gozzo / drums, percussion, backing vocals
With:
-Bruno Géhin / piano, Fender electric piano, Mellotron, Mini-Moog

- Laurent Gianez / sax (5) 

1. "Le Photographe Exorciste" (9:10) theatric three-part suite with very theatric opening section, prog-rich mid-section and then brilliant electric guitar exhibition in the finale section. (18.333/20)

2. "Cazotte N°1" (6:00) speedy jazz-rock fusion-infused prog with violin and tight jazz-rock rhythm corps fully featured. Overall, this song feels like a highly-competent and wholly-original blend of 1975 Fusion III-era MICHAL URBANIAK, No Mystery RETURN TO FOREVER, and second-incarnation MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA's Apocalypse. I find Michel Taillet's clavinet and bassist Jean Luc Thillot's work to be very impressive throughout this excellent piece. (9.75/10)

3. "Le Voleur d'extase" (7:30) electric violin with pastoral electronic prog instrumentation in support open this before André Balzer steps in to start singing (with a heavily-treated but still-recognizable and admirable display of emotion). After only one introductory verse the band shifts into high gear to take us into a very theatric section in which a choir of vocalists add their "ho, ho, ho" punctuation points to the band's music. Kind of PFM "L'isola di niente" like. Cool! several other different and separate instrumental motifs are explored over the next couple of minutes before there is a little break in which Michel Taillet's or Bruno Géhin's keyboard bridges the band into a new more ALLMAN BROTHERS-like motif in which guitarist Christian Beya solos impressively in a Southern Rock style over the clavinet, Fender Rhodes, thick jazz bass, and fiery drums of Alain Gozzo. Impressive and by no means a weak song, just not as good as the others on the album. (13.375/15)

4. "L'Araignée-Mal" (21:20) since I first heard this song, I've considered it one "classic era" progressive rock's pinnacle/mountaintop prog epics. (38.5/40):
 - a. Imaginez Le Temps (6:40) Impossibly gorgeous! Prog perfection in every way possible! I love the synths and violin. (10/10)
 - b. L'Araignée-Mal (5:05) starts off rather dully but builds with amazing emotion coming from the vocals, drums, bass and panning synths. (10/10)
 - c. Les Robots Débiles (3:35) great bass, guitars, and keys in this dynamic and diverse (mostly) instrumental section. And I love the clavinet as a foundational piece. The vocals, while continuing to be full of power and emotion, might be a bit over the top here. (9.5/10)
 - d. Le Cimetière De Plastique (6:00) (9/10)

I also love how the four sections aren't stop and go, the music shifts and blends from one movement to the next.

Total time 44:00 

94.07 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of progressive rock music of the very highest order and caliber. L'araignée-mal deserves to be in the conversation with all of the very best albums of the Big Six, best RPI, and best Jazz-Rock Fusion albums of the 1970s.

GONG Shamal (1975)

Left stunned and reeling by the departures of founder Daevid Allen and, six months later, innovative guitarist Steve Hillage, the band fumbles around to try to reconfirm or redefine their identity. Recorded in London in December of 1975 at Olympic Studios and Basing Street Studios with Pink Floyd's Nick Mason in the production booth, Shamal was released in February of 1976 by Virgin Records.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time: 40:01

The band seems to be definitely grasping for roots in the Jazz-Rock Fusion forest. It will be their next album, Gazeuse! that will get them there.  

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

ZAO Shekina (1975)

Band leaders Yochok'o Seffer (saxophones, clarinets, flutes, other winds) and keyboard player François Cahen are both alumni of the the foundational years of MAGMA. Both left disgruntled due to the direction Christian Vander was taking the music (with the make-believe world of Kobaïa being equally important to the John Coltrane and Carl Orff influences that inspired the band's founders). Zao was born of this schism.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Yochok'o Seffer / saxophones, clarinets, vocals
- François "Faton" Cahen / keyboards
- Gérard Prévost Electric / bass
- Jean-My Truong / drums
- Pierre "TV Boum" Guignon / percussion
- Michèle Margand / violin
- Marie-Françoise Viaud / violin
- Françoise Douchet / viola
- Claudine Lassere / cello

1. "Joy!" (3:54) one of my all-time favorite "happy songs," "Joy" is a song that just grooves and gets into your bones so that you can't help but get up and dance, be happy. Of course its in the funk being delivered by Gérard Prévost's bass, Jean-My Truong's drums, composer François Cahen's awesome keyboards, and Pierre Guignon's percussion, but it's also in the way the strings and Yochok'o Seffer's nasal saxophone holds notes, thereby allowing the instruments beneath him to be more noticed. (10/10) 

2. "Yen-Lang" (8:10) The gentle use of ethnic flutes and percussion bells and shakers in the long (four-minute) opening section are awesome, as are the strings later. Once the song begins to "move," once can tell how the band members have retained some of the band's Zeuhl foundations with its quiet start and slow build, eventually using a pulsing, bass-infused, almost-single-chord (single key) melody line. An enjoyable and atmospheric song that comes across as more of a natural, primitive, group contemplation tune. (13.25/15)

3. "Zohar" (10:53) opens at a pretty fast speed with all band members laying it all on the line--though none more than drummer, Jean-My Truong. By the third minute the music transitions radically to an all-strings format, here sounding very much like something from one of the early SHAKTI albums (which would be virtually impossible since the initial Shakti recording sessions were occurring at almost the exact same time [July of 1975] as this material). At 5:00 bass, drums, keys and percussion sneak back in while strings disappear. Cahen's experimentation with keyboard sound takes over for a bit. Though the band is tight in their occasional cohesiveness (like in the whole-band burst in the final 90 seconds), the song lacks a unifying flow and overall feels a bit more like an experiment in experimentalism. (17.75/20)

4. "Metatron" (8:17) opens with Zeuhlish voices and sax and bass before taking off on a run through a series of challenging sections of disciplined precision-timed chord sequences. At two minutes, driving bass and drum race us along while keys, horns and voices move at a deliberately contrasting snail's pace. Things finally shift around the frenetically-paced drums as bass and keys open the way for some sax and keyboard solos. This smoother part is very reminiscent of both Weather Report and even Brand X (as well as Magma). An impressive song displaying an impressive drummer! (18/20)

5. "Zita" (4:38) François Cahen's second composition on the album (the others are all attributed to Yochok'o) opens quietly with sophisticated chamber strings play while electric piano and bass gently support weaving into a little soundtrack chamber music exercise with a sound that is kind of similar to both Eberhard Weber and Vangelis. The presence of the lone soprano voice slightly in the background is a very cool effect. Beautiful and peaceful. A tender, contemplative song that I adore! (9.5/10)

6. "Bakus" (5:13) is just angular weirdness--not unlike the music of 1990s Japanese artists BONDAGE FRUIT and KOENJI HYAKKEI. François' keys, bass, and drums really put their Zeuhl chops on full display here but really it's Seffer's vocals that I love the most: here sounding more like the fore-runner of those from 21st Century Japanese bands Koenji Hyakkei or OOIOO. Still, this is a solid song. (8.875/10)

Total Time 40:54

Opening with one of my all-time favorite 'happy songs', "Joy!" the rest of the album is interesting for the range of emotions it takes the listener through. Though Seffers, Cahen, Prévost and the rest of the band continue to move farther away from their Magma roots, and more into that of the Jazz-Rock/Fusion sub-genre, this is still an album I'd classify as 'Zeuhl'--unlike their next one, Kawana, which is pure jazz fusion (perhaps due to the addition of classically-trained, jazz/J-R Fusion-leaning violinist Didier Lockwood). There's something I like so much about this album. Kind of like the way I feel about AREA's Arbeit Macht Frei versus the more polished and virtuosic follow up, Crac!

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

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 ('Igginbottom, Ian Carr, Tempest, The Soft Machine, The New Tony Williams Lifetime) / pedal steel (3), electric & acoustic guitars, violin
- Mino Cinelu (Moravagine, Chute Libre, Miles Davis) / congas (1,4,5), gong (2,4), cuica, triangle, maracas (3), talking drum, temple blocks (4)

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

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

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

4. "Shadows Of" (7:48) a song that starts out a little 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

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.

LOCKWOOD Jazz-Rock (1976)

 

The Lockwood brothers--20-year old violinist, Didier, and his older keyboard-playing brother, Francis--team up with monster bass player Bunny Brunel and recent Zeuhl artist Patrick Gauthier to produce an album that was inspired by Jean-Luc Ponty's work (especially his collaboration with Frank Zappa for King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa) and probably that of Michal Urbaniak, and perhaps even Italian fusion artists Arti E Mestieri, David Cross (King Crimson, Clearlight), and Darryl Way (Curved Air). Though this album's original vinyl release was listed under Didier and Francis' surname, "Lockwood," later reissues (as early as 1980) tend to list the band as "VOLKOR"--though I know not why. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Bunny Brunel (CAD) / bass
- Kirt Rust / drums
- Francis Lockwood / acoustic piano, electric piano
- Patrick Gauthier (Heldon, Magma, Wiedorje) / Moog synthesizer
- Didier Lockwood (Magma, Synthesis, Zao, Gong) / electric violin

1. "To-Morrow" (2:15) opens with some super funky bass from Bunny Brunel--deep water bass, I have to call it. With the establishment of the main motif dueling solos ensue between Didier's electrified violin and Patrick Gauthier's Moog. This felt like a complete song despite being only two minutes long! (9.375/10)

2. "Astral Trip" (5:30) a great foundation presents fecund ground for Didier and to fly--while drummer Kirt Rust and, to a slightly lesser extent, Bunny Brunel also seem to fly underneath. Francis gets the  next solo on his electric piano in the fourth minute and then Bunny in the fifth (which merely magnifies the prowess of power drummer Rust's extraordinary skill). Cool song with some great things accomplished with tempo changes over just two chords rotating over and over! (9.25/10)

3. "Elbow" (7:00) opening with some super-funky effected-bass establishing both the melody and pace before distorted Moog synthesizer starts to squawk its way into the groove. Drums and echo- and delay-treated-electric violin are next, the former playing a straight-time near-Disco beat while Didier provides melodies to counter Patrick's squawking synth. In the fifth minute Bunny and Kirt slow things down as Francis' Fender Rhodes stabilizes things with regular chords played in a Zeuhlish progression while Didier really goes to Jean-Luc Ponty town with his screaling violin. Cool shift--which allows Kirt to show more of his skills and creativity on the batterie. Patrick re-enters with that saw-squawk Moog for the final 30 seconds as the engineers give the song a slow fade. (13.75/15)

4. "What's The Matter" (2:15) multiple tracks given to Francis' distorted Fender Rhodes while Patrick puts on display another of the highly-unusual sounds that he's discovered on the Moog--this one sounding as if a calypso steel drum were filtered through a garbage disposal. An unique little novelty piece. (4.375/5)

5. "Volkor" (6:05) a Jazz-Rock Fusion piece that is structured and paletted like a Zeuhl song with a fairly constant/rigid Fender Rhodes four-chord progression and deep bass line towing the line while Kirt's drums race frenetically-along and Patrick's Moog and Didier's reverb-violin trade barb's up top. A shift in motif (but not sound palette) occurs at 5:30 but this just leads to a slow fade-out from the production crew. Cool song with great play from Bunny, Kirt, Patrick, and Didier. (9.125/10)

6. "Yellow Faces" (3:35) sonosphere-dominating underwater bass and spacious time-keeping rock drums  provide the fertile medium for Didier to solo on his ever-increasingly-reverberated electric violin. It's cool, with a great sound palette, but ultimately a little monotonous in its one dimensionality: like another experimentation or étude. (8.75/10)

7. "Green" (3:50) another cute, quaint, and yet interesting little sound experiment (more in palette--due to another one of Patrick's sonic discoveries on his Moog) that ends up never changing, never developing into a full song, always feeling like another étude. (8.875/10)

8. "Naita" (4:20) the Lockwood brothers performing a spacious duet: Francis' dirty Fender Rhodes more supporting and reactive to his brother's wonderful soaring, plaintive work on the heavily-treated electric violin. In the fourth minute Francis picks up his involvement--almost sounding as if he's providing structure and pace for the rhythm section to join in--but it never happens. The song dies with Didier's last sad note as Francis' last echoed-chords filling the sonosphere. (8.75/10)

Total Time 34:50

Some amazing experimentations with sound and sound textures are occurring throughout this exciting, inventive album but there are two tendencies that render my overall impression one of words that are not all superlatives: 1) the clear Jean-Luc Ponty-ness of Didier's sound and stylistic approach to his violin play and 2) the fact that so many of the songs (three of them) feel incomplete--as if the brothers were so enamored of their sound creations that they figured a little blurb of these rather unique (and entertaining) sonic experiences was deserving of public preservation.

90.31 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of innovative and experimental Jazz-Rock Fusion that never seems to reach its fullest potential. 

ZAO Kawana (1976)

With this line-up of musicians such as this you really shouldn't go wrong. The addition of Didier Lockwood there seems to be yet another step further into the fold of true Jazz-Rock Fusion--I'm even hearing the funky stank entering into Gérard Prévost's bass style and sounds.

Line-up / Musicians:

- François Cahen / Yamaha acoustic piano, Fender electric piano, Korg synthesizer 

- Didier Lockwood / acoustic & electric violin, artianal bass violin 

- Gérard Prévost / Fender bass, hors phase bass, acoustic bass 

- Yochk'o Seffer / saxophones [soprano & sopranino], vocals, piano on "F.F.F." 

- Jean-My Truong / orange double drums

1. "Natura" (7:03) sounds so much like a modern Pat Metheny Group epic--but it pre-dates all that! Piano, chunky and jazzy bass, and nasal soprano (sopranino?) sax all sound good together. Jean-My is, for my tastes, a little quiet in the mix. (13.6875/15) 1.3125

2. "Tserouf" (8:59) a very tight funky jazz fusion song that could have come off of any of the American masters of the era--Miles, Chick, Stanley, Zawinal, even Jean-Luc Ponty, Area or Bob James! Great song. Very melodic. I particularly enjoy François Cahen's use of synthesizers in the middle section: he sounds so at home, so masterful (and so melodic--all the while pounding away on the piano beneath it all!) The third motif for the final third of the song sees Yochok'o and Didier trading solos like something straight out of Jean-Luc Ponty's greatest songs from the same period (especially from the Stéphane Grappelli, Aurora and Imaginary Voyage albums). (18.75/20)

3. "F.F.F. (Fleurs for Faton)" (2:34) ("Faton" is Fançois' nickname) A very nice little musical étude performed by piano, acoustic violin and bowed double bass--like a gift from Débussy or Fauré. (9.5/10)

4. "Kabal" (4:14) very tightly performed, fast-paced opening before stepping down to a slower tempo at 0:50 for some synth work--but then things ramp up again with EVERYBODY getting into the act, MAHAVISHNU style. The bass and drum work remain super tight and focused at the bottom throughout this display of whole-band virtuosity. Weird that I like Yochok'o's kazoo-like nasal horn (that sounds like a Middle Eastern surnai) much more than I do the soprano saxophone. There is, however, a little monotony with the hard repetition of the melodies in each motif that I find a bit irritating (not unlike some of the work in the songs of the Mahavishnu Orchestra). (9/10)

5. "Sadie" (3:43) opens rather loosely, as if the listener were walking by Jean-Luc Ponty performing as a street musician. The sopranino sax, bass, and electric violin melodies and harmonic support from the keys throughout this oft-shifting-tempo-ed song are gorgeous. At 2:40 we are even treated to an overdubbed solo track for a second and third violin. Nice. A creative, inventive song. (9.375/10)

6. "Free Folk" (10:44) there's a very relaxed vibe throughout this song--like a WEATHER REPORT song. As a matter of fact, there's very little here--or on this album--that harkens to Zeuhl music. It Feels and sounds like the Zao crew has shaken loose from the Vander clutches and moved fully into the jazz fusion fold. Nicely done. Probably the weakest song on the album--almost anti-climactic fill--but still good--and, weirdly interesting that I just commented on how much I enjoy Yochok'o's surnai-sounding nasal clarinet more than a soprano saxophone and yet on this song I find it almost cloyingly annoying. And then, right in the middle of the song, the band speeds up in a very Zeuhlish fashion (again, right after I'd pronounced the umbilicus severed!) Luckily this ends and is replaced by a vocal-only section for a minute or so before the whole band bursts out of the gate again for a frenetically celebratory final two minutes. Amazing construct and performances that seem a little mysteriously disjointed and haphazardly pieced together for my puny little brain to comprehend (much less accommodate). (17.625/20)

I like the direction the band is taking with this album: more fully into the fold of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement, less entrenched in the roots of the world of Zeuhl. My biggest question is: why is Jean-My Truong so sedated and/or mixed so low in the soundscape (especially when compared to how awesomely forward he was mixed into the Shekina tracks)?

91.75 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of complex and highly-skilled Jazz-Rock Fusion.

ÉDITION SPÉCIAL Aliquante (1977)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 44:28

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

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

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

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

CORTEX Cortex 2 (1977)

The infectious popularity of Alain Mion's first CORTEX album obviously called for a follow up. The problem was in keeping his original band mates interested (and, I suppose, paid). Aside from drummer Alain Gandolfi (who, with Mion, would remain the core-constant throughout the Cortex career), an entire cast of newcomers has had to have been recruited in order to record an publish (and tour) with Alain's new songs.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Nicolas Mirkov / Bass, Guitar, Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano]
- Alain Gandolfi / Drums, Percussion
- Philippe Vautrin / Guitar
- Alain Mion / Keyboards [Fender Rhodes, Clavinette, Mini Korg], Organ [Hammond], Piano
Saxophone [Soprano]

- François De Bricon / Saxophone [Soprano]

- Alice Prévost, Pascale Richard / Vocals

A1. "Devil's Dance" (2:30) a great upbeat, piano & guitar-based Disco tune to open the album. Nice! New bassist Nicolas Mirkov and guitarist Philippe Vautin prove their worth from the opening minute. Even though it's short, it could easily (and happily) have been extended as a long jam (with perhaps some saxes or more solo work from Alain or Nicolas). (9.3333/10) 

A2. "Funk Around The Punk" (3:18) definitely funk with the whole band--bass, drums, keys, and rhythm guitar--all participating in the wholeness of a 70s funk song. Guitarist Philippe Vautrin does some pretty cool things with his guitar: partly rhythmic, partly lead (small chords and both plucked and strummed strings). Alain Mion is active on several keyboard tracks indicating multiple over dubs. No horns or winds (that I can detect) on this one. Cute and peppy--very much like a BOB JAMES song. (8.875/10)

A3. "Hurluberlu" (5:10) two chord blues-based funk-rock/R&B with a rolling bass line and driving drum beat so that Alain and Philippe can play around on top. Nice, interesting work from Philippe's fuzzy-flanged lead guitar over this awesome cruisin' song. Excellent work from bassist Nicolas Mirkov (who, by the way, is the sole composer credited for this song) as well as from drummer Gandolfi. (9/10)

A4. "Soul" (2:50) three-chord keyboard entry leads into a funky Disco song with cool clavinet, rhythm guitar, and K.C. & The Sunshine Band "Get Down Tonight" lead guitar work, plus saxophone solos in the second half. Actually a pretty cool and creative song! (9/10)

A5. "Datura" (2:30) bass and guitar provide the most important inputs on this song. Though it has two motifs, it is another song that feels simple, one-dimensional, like a warm-up song or étude/practice/audition tune. One of the few songs not totally credited to Alain Mion, the guitar work of Philippe Vautrin is purely rhythm guitar but co-composer Nicolas Mirkov's bass (and sax) are plenty funky. (4.625/5)

B1. "Poxa" (3:25) this one sounds sappy enough to be a cover--like something that would likely end up as elevator music--but when the female background singers enter and start their "la-la-la-la-las" it kind of eliminates it from elevator heaven and renders it more of a soundtrack to some low-budget film. It's not bad--the musicians' performances are all fine--it's just a bit hokey. (8.75/10)

B2. "Mister J." (3:36) funky and perky little composition by drummer Alain Gandolfi that sounds like an American advertizing song. Female background vocalists enter in the second minute intermittently injecting the word some word that sounds perhaps more like "raina" than "régina." (8.875/10)

B3. "Régina"  (5:00) the lone composition of guitarist Philippe Vautrin opens with guitar setting the chord progression, key, and pace. Funky bass, straightforward drums, keys, and clavinet "horns" plus real horns join in (the real horns gaining more traction the further into the song we go). (8.875/10)

B4. "Efficace Swing" (2:58) a nice little flute-led dittie that feels unfinished, more like an étude or practice song that never received the attention needed to finish it. Why is there no credit given to the flutist? (8.875/10)

B5. "Oh. Lord" (6:20) I love the etheric female vocalese singing like an angel over the church-like Hammond organ chords throughout the first half of this song. The little Hammond flurries in-between the two rounds of Alice Prévost's vocals is a little corny, but overall it's very cool. And then it ends. There is a rather long pause as if there is a whole new song starting, but I do recognize the same chords/key in the opening Fender Rhodes display. And then the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar-like chord play of Alain's left hand join in and provide a lovely funk-lite love song. (9.5/10)

Total Time: 37:52

The overall impression I have of this album is that it is a collection of interesting and fun ideas that the two Alains and their band mates were using for practice/workout sessions, most of which never really got fully developed or "polished." There are plenty of nice melodies and pleasant funk-lite grooves throughout, just nothing as amazing as the first album.

91.27 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; though I really would not consider this a true masterpiece of top tier Jazz-Rock Fusion, the album is filled with brilliant, sometimes innovative ideas, excellent performances by all musicians involved and some great earworm-like ditties and hooks--and, of course, a core of silky-smooth funk! I sure miss the dreamy voice of Mireille Dalbray!

ZAO Typhareth (1977)

Gone are both founder Yochok'o Seffer and recent acquisition Didier Lockwood, here come percussionist Michel Séguin, wind player François Debricon, trombonist Hamid Belhocine, and a young Manu Katché on drums (the first recorded presentation of this future superstar).  

Line-up / Musicians:
- François "Faton" Cahen / piano, electric piano, synthesizers
- Hamid Belhocine / trombone
- François Debricon / saxophone, flutes
- Manu Katché / drums
- Michel Séguin / drums 'toubabou', percussion
- Gérard Prévost / electric bass

1. "Merci Jacky" (7:20) opens with a Smooth Jazz-like feeling before Jaco Pastorius-like bass joins the percussion and steady one-chord electric piano motif. Key change at 0:50 continues the one-chord foundation approach while Gérard Prévost and Michel Séguin continue to impress (especially the former). 2:00 the reins are handed over to "Faton" for a solo that could come from lighter J-R Fusion players like Donald Fagen, Michael Omartian, or Greg Phillinganese. chord progression sequence in the fourth minute leads into a much more developed motif (though it feels the same because the drum and percussion lines are much unchanged) but trombone and saxophone now join in while the keyboard/synth and bass lines are now more sophisticated, melodic, and, frankly, interesting. Fuzz synth mirrors bass play for a score of seconds before circus-like sounds and chord progression take us into the dismantling finish. Nice, fun and light. Good opener. (13.25/15)

2. "Typhareth (Beauté)" (12:44) I love the presence, prominence of trombone coming from unconventional trombonist Hamid Belhocine. The flanged bass (with its great solo in the eleventh minute) is cool, too--especially due to the loving support that Faton's hypnotic keyboards play below him. This is a very easy-going, gentle and melodic tune which lulls the mind into perhaps failing to notice all of the lovely subtleties going on in the soil and underbrush. Truly a lovely song. (23.75/25)

3. "Troupeau De Bisons Sous Un Crane" (3:32) Hand claps and congas! A light, fun, and upbeat tune that seems to reflect a carefree, fearless Cajun-like attitude. Nice! A little Weather Report feel to this--and so nice to hear a lower-register saxophone for a change! (8.875/10)

4. "Binah / Comprehension Feminine" (5:04) dreamy ethereal combination of piano, flute, and EBERHARD WEBER-like flanged electric bass start this one out as cymbals and metal percussives add to the effect while flutes, percussives, change, trombone enters. At 3:00 there feels like a shift in temperament: as if the sun has come out and there's a reassurance that everything will be okay. But then it goes back to the more dreamy, less settling motif for the final minute. Nice! Interesting! Creative. (8.875/10)

5. "Les Temps Changent" (8:44) keyboard, congas, and café chatter open this for about 30 seconds before bass, drums and horn section enter to move the song forward--but slowly, with lots of stutter steps and shifting, twisting dance moves--before finally letting Faton lead us into the pedestrian lanes of the cobblestone shopping area of la vieille ville. As we walk the troupe gets more stylish, more swaggy and cocky with its self-assured, attention-getting footwork and audaciousness. I love it: These were the Seventies! This is a perfect representation of the Black-positive attitudes that styles, clothing, and music were expressing at the time--and François Debricon's expressive tenor saxophone solo in the seventh minute is the perfect cherry on top! This is followed by an ensemble finale which feels as if it were choreographed by Mandy Moore for a street scene in La La Land. (18/20)

Total Time: 37:24

Like reviewer/friend John Davies, I find much more hiding in this music than what might appear at first listen: besides eminently-impressive musicianship from all involved, there are plenty of compositional and improvisational intricacies that might be masked by the easy-on-the-ears melodic sensibilities that François offers the listener.    

90.94 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Third-moving-into-Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion. Very engaging and upbeat while being deceptively intricate and sophisticated. 

ÉDITION SPÉCIALE Horizon Digital (1978)

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

Line-up / Musicians:
- Marius Lorenzini / guitar, synth, vocals
- Ann Ballester / keyboards, synth, vocals
- Francois Grillot / bass (1-6)
- Alain Gouillard / drums (1-6)
- Mireille Bauer / vibraphone, marimba, percussion

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 36:27

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

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

EX VITAE Mandarine (1978)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 41:50

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

90.625 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of finely crafted and disciplined jazz-rock fusion that would be of great interest to any prog lover who loves complex, sophisticated instrumental performance. Mandarine ranks well inside my top 50 Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion albums of the "Classic Era."

CHUTE LIBRE Ali Baba (1978)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 39:56

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 37:17

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

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

DIDIER LOCKWOOD New World (1979)

French violinist records an album for MPS in the Netherlands with an international all-star cast. Here we find Didier deciding to reach backward toward a more classic acoustic-oriented jazz, sounding very much like the music Stéphane Grappelli and the great European jazz violinists of the 1950s and 60s. Didier even goes so far as to cover several jazz "classics"--as if he feels he has to prove himself to the Jazz community.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Didier Lockwood / violin, bass-violin
With:
- John Etheridge / guitar (5, 8, 9)
- Jean-Michel Kajdan / guitar (5)
- Gordon Beck (Nucleus, Allan Holdsworth) / piano
- Francis Lockwood / piano (6)
- Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen / bass
- Anthony "Tony" Williams / drums

1. "Vieux Pape" (5:19) opening with a sound palette and style that sounds completely acoustic Sixties, this Didier composition is highly melodic and richly-full with the busy, virtuosic jazz musicianship of pianist Gordon Beck, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen, and drummer extraordinaire, Tony Williams while Didier puts in a performance that would make him worthy for competition with the great Jean-Luc Ponty. Beck's wonderful piano play is capped by a solo that finds me thinking of the late, great Chick Corea. Lovely! Then Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen takes a turn in the spotlight and he's also quite wonderful--projecting lovely melody despite moving along the fretboard of his stand-up double bass at breakneck speeds. (9.25/10)

2. "Autumn Leaves" (5:24) a fully-jazz expression of the jazz classic (which was originally composed by Frenchmen Joseph Kosma and lyricist Jacques Prévoert when titled "Les feiulles mortes"--meaning "dead leaves"). Great performances--especially if you like high quality jazz musicianship. Also, I never really realized how wonderfully this song's main melody lends itself to expression on the acoustic violin. A kind of revelation! Gordon Beck's pristine solo in the second minute is so clean, crisp and yet beautiful. And Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen's walking bass line so perfect for holding it all together. (9.3333/10)

3. "La Manufacture De Sucre Engloutie" (3:50) gorgeous piano chord play opens this song--a composition credited to both Gordon Beck and Didier. Listening to this song truly is like being in the presence of humans possessed with a direct line to otherworldly beauty. I can definitely see how anomolous music mathematician Allan Holdsworth forged such a deep and lasting bond with Mr. Beck. (9.75/10)

4. "New World" (5:04) composed by Didier's brother, Francis, the ensemble really has fun with this one--especially, methinks, Didier and Tony. A great listen of impressive musicianship. (9.25/10)

5. "The Last Blade Of Grass" (4:26) the first song to sound a little like J-R Fusion with electrified violin, electric guitars, this song is attributed to guest fusion guitarist Jean-Michel Kajdan. Jean-Michel's performance is particularly impressive for its fiery dexterity as well as emotional expressiveness. Matter of fact, the rest of the band seem rather sleepy when set beside J-M's play: as if they're all stunned, standing in jaw-on-the-floor shock, as they go through their motions perfunctorily while Jean-Michel plays. In fact, it takes a full 20-to-30 seconds after Jean-Michel pauses for the others to re-focus and put some passion back into their own play--including the next soloist himself (Didier)! In the end, everybody gets up to speed and the song finishes well, but those first two minutes were extraordinary! (9.3333/10)

6. "My Memories Of You" (5:40) interesting that this Francis Lockwood-penned song title and sound, chord progressions all sound like a song of a similar name that would find its way onto Vangelis Pappathanassiou's soundtrack for the 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner. This duet between the Lockwood brothers finds the one using electrified violin, the other using a standard grand piano. (8.875/10)

7. "Giant Steps" (2:10) an interesting sprint through one of the giants of jazz history. (4.5/5)

8. "Pent-up House" (2:31) a Sonny Rollins song that Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli made their own on which guitarist John Etheridge quite capably takes the role of Django, while Didier, of course, takes that of Stéphane. Quite a respectful and faithful rendering. (9.125/10)

9. "Zbiggy" (6:55) a tribute to the recently-deceased Polish-born jazz violinist Zbigniew Seifert. Perishing of cancer at the age of 32, "Zbiggy" had been an early pioneer of electrified violin sounds and an active member of the "free jazz" movement though he contributed significantly to the J-R Fusion albums of Volker Kriegel, Jan "Ptaszyn" Wróbleweski, Jasper van 't Hof, Joachim Kühn, Hans Koller, Charlie Mariano, and Glenn Moore's Oregon. Didier's song here allows his collaborators (Tony Williams, John Etheridge, Gordon Beck, and Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen) to also pay tribute to their lost compatriot. Kind of a two-chord high-speed, dynamic vamp that allows for lots of soloing. (13.375/15)

Total Time: 41:19

It's all great acoustic jazz--maybe "rock" can be tagged onto the descriptive referents, but it's really just jazz. To me, this album is more of a retrospective tribute to Jazz history than a step forward in the evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion. At the same time, after repeated listens I've come to appreciate the absolute genius of the performances of these jazz stalwarts. Beautiful!  

91.99 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; while not what I would consider an expression or full-fledged Jazz-Rock Fusion, this is without a doubt a wonderful expression of music, musicianship, and jazz of the absolute highest quality and must, therefore, be extolled as a masterpiece of music--general Götterdämmerung-ed music--no matter what genre or category you choose to assign it to. 

BEDJABETCH Subrepticement (1979)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 40:17

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

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

LAURENT THIBAULT Mais on ne peut pas rêver tout le temps (1979)

A recent discovery that has quickly climbed into my Top 5 All-time favorite Zeuhl albums. There are such great riffs, melodies and oddities throughout the brief album's four songs. Plus, there is a milder, subtler, more delicate side to this music than is common to most Zeuhl music--at times almost dreamy or bucolic--and yet the tapestries of each song are quite full, mature and fascinating. And with its excellent recording and production this one stands up incredibly well with the passage of time--better than most other albums from its era. Learning that Laurent was MAGMA's original bass player and later member and songwriter for MOVING GELATINE PLATES makes complete sense. The bass playing is so sublime! And the bold use of recording samples and world voices/vocals to accompany the music is breathtaking if not revolutionary. And I can't help but mention the always wonderful presence of "Northette" Amanda Parsons!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Laurent Thibault / bass, guitars, noises, producing & mixing
With:
- Lisa Bois / voice
- Jean-Claude Delaplace / voice
- Amanda Parsons / soprano vocals
- Lionel Ledissez / Indian vocals
- "Le Muezzin Mystérieux" / Arabic vocals
- Serge Derrien / chorus vocals, flute
- Jacqueline Thibault / keyboards
- Anne-Sophie / toy piano
- David Rose / violin
- Richard Raux / tenor saxophone, reita (Indian flute)
- Guy Renaudin / soprano saxophone
- Francis Moze / fretless bass, whil, tumbas
- Dominique Bouvier / drums

1. "Orée" (11:28) a song that sounds like RENAISSANCE/ANNIE HASLEM-guests-JACO PASTORIUS-era-WEATHER REPORT. (20/20) 

2. "Aquadingen" (4:30) Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young meets early PAT METHENY GROUP. (10/10)

3. "La caravane de l'oubli" (7:08) has an awesome kind of STEVE HACKETT and STEVE HILLAGE feel to it--even moreso with the Arabic influences. The presence of "Le Muezzin Mystérieux" with her Arabic vocals is ingenious and David Rose's violin play (and sound) is awesome. Great ending! Rip a hole into the fabric of space and time! (15/15)

4. "Mais on ne peut pas rêver tout le temps" (8:21) an experimental marriage of driving jazz funk and pastoral ethnic-folk sounds. The Indian-tinged wordless choir vocals are very cool, but the crazy guitar work and hard-driving rock motif in the third and fourth minutes caught me by surprise. Francis Moze' domineering fretless bass is awesome! This is definitely not a pleasant easy-going dream! (20/20).

Total Time 31:25

100 on the Fishscales = A+/five stars; despite its brevity, this is without doubt or hesitation a masterpiece of cross-multiple-subgenres music. ESSENTIAL!

Outliers / Bands/Albums on the Fringe

MOVING GELATINE PLATES The World of Genius Hans (1972) 

Definitely more on the jazzy side of what we call Canterbury music. Moving Gelatine Plates' second album--released only a year after their surprisingly mature debut--displayed a better quality of recording and engineering to equally mature and accomplished instrumental jazz arrangements. Other than their self-titled debut album's great "London Cab," I like this album hands down over the debut. There is more warmth in the songs and performances here--and a feeling that the band is more relaxed, as if they are just grooving and enjoying themselves and their unique sound. Recorded from December 7 through 15, 1971, at Studio Des Dames and Studio Johanna, The World of Genius Hans was produced by Claudio Delcloo for CBS Records, which released it in February of 1972. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Maurice Helmlinger / Hammond & Capri Duo organs, trumpet, alto, soprano & tenor saxophones, flute & backing vocals (1-7)
- Gérard Bertram / electric, 12-string & Leslie guitars, vocals (1-7)
- Didier Thibault / bass, guitar, synth & vocals (1-12)
- Gérard Pons / drums (1-7)
With:
- Claude Delcloo / backing vocals (1-7)
- Jean-Pierre Laroque / bassoon (1-7)
- Michel Camicas / trombone (1-7)
- Guy Boyer / vibraphone (1-7)

The opening song, the fourteen-minute epic title song, 1. "The World of Genius Hans" (14:05), is a very jazzy piece with some quite technically challenging ensemble sequences all working coherently and cohesively together. (27/30)

2. "Funny Doll" (4:29) opens with some light, bouncy interplay between sax and lead guitar with snappy bass and drum play beneath. Towards the end of the first minute the band gels into a full sound just before a male voice sings to us in a kind of Benmont TENCH kind of raspy way. The following jazz section is quite lovely, with the band playing really tightly and with some awesome multi-instrumental melodies. In the fourth minute it starts to get a little more mathematical just before a very fun section with a circus-master like vocal saying "good-bye" to us. Awesome song! (10/10)

3. "Astromonster" (6:20) opens with a rolling bass playing beneath some guitar, bassoon, and percussive oriental-sounding staccato melody weave. Then things slow down for a bit, as if to reset, before opening the third minute with some more straightforward, driving ensemble jazz with organ and fuzz bass. The fourth minute then brings in another shift--almost a bolero kind of Latin section with a very Santana sound and feel to it (except for the drums). The Santana-like melody is carried forward by the guitar until, at the end of the fifth minute, a faster paced start-and-slow alternating pattern is established for about a minute. The final minute sees a very slowed down regurgitation of one of the song's main melodies--from the flute! Weird but awesome song.  (9/10)

The next song, 4. "Moving Theme" (3:56), feels like an étude, like a song created to exercise the group's dexterity and entrainment timing. Not particularly melodic or enjoyable except in the way one can appreciate the band members' command of their instruments and their ability to play tightly. It could just be what its title says: a theme for moving! (8/10)

5. "Cauchemar" (3:53) is a fast-paced piece that kind of follows one format for its entire four minutes--even trying to establish a melody line that follows the pop ABACAB-type of flow. (8.5/10)

6. "We Were Loving Her" (3:19) is a slow-to-unveil-itself piece that has a kind of MATCHING MOLE/SOFT MACHINE experimental feel to it. The song has nice melodies expressed by the saxophone in the last minute. (8.5/10)

7. "Un jour..." (1:30) has quite a SATIE feel to it despite it's being a bass and saxophone duet. (2/2.5)

Total Time: 37:05

Perhaps not as silly as their debut but not as serious either. While not my favorite type of Canterbury music--I go for the more melodic fun stuff of Caravan and Supersister--it is not my least. The musicians and compositional team of MGP are definitely amazingly good and awesomely confident. What feels like their step forward in World of Genius Hans is how relaxed and fun the band feels to be on this album. Too bad they never generated the interest or fan base to sustain their passion.

88.48 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a wonderful addition to any Canterbury-loving prog lover's music collection.

MAGMA Magma (aka Kobaïa) (1970)

The band/collective's first/debut album.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Christian Vander / drums, vocals
- Klaus Blasquiz / vocals
- Claude Engel / guitar, flute, vocals
- Francis Moze / electric bass, contrabass
- Teddy Lasry / soprano saxophone, flute, woodwind
- Richard Raux / alto & tenor saxophones, flute
- François Cahen / piano
- Alain Charlery "Paco" / trumpet, percussionReleases information

Composers: Christian Vander (1-3, 6, 9, 10), Teddy Lasry (4), François Cahen (5), Claude Engel (7), Laurent Thibault (8)

Disc 1 - Le Voyage (43:07)
1. Kobaïa (10:15)
2. Aïna (6:15)
3. Malaria (4:20)
4. Sohïa (7:35)
5. Sckxyss (3:47)
6. Auraë (10:55)

Disc 2 - La Découverte de Kobaia (39:13)
1. Thaud Zaïa (7:00)
2. Naü Ektila (12:55)
3. Stöah (8:05)
4. Mûh (11:13)

Total Time 82:20

I've had a lot of trouble over the past ten years trying to comprehend everyone's love and appreciation for this album. I agree: It's impressive--even amazing--for a debut--and even moreso due to its massive length; a double album for your first release?! The jazziness of this album is only equalled by its theatricity. Reminds me of APHRODITE'S CHILD's "666." I wonder if AC had heard this album as they were creating 666 or if they had seen Magma in concert. I was most interested in exploring this album despite my affection for and allegiance to 1972's MDK because of the presence of compositions credited to woodwind player Ted Lasry, keyboard player François Cahen, and producer Laurent Thibault--all of who would go on to contribute significant compositions and collaborations on their own to the Zeuhl and jazz fusion/avant garde/RIO sub-genres. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that each of these compositions presents a feel and style that is not Vanderish--that is, not steeped in the styles and philosophies of Carl Orff and John Coltrane. Perhaps the band was not yet entirely "his" as this was the last time Christian Vander would let this happen. Yes, impressive debut, full of youthful power and creativity, but, in the end, it's a bit of a hodge-podge of so much--too much. The band needed to reign in its style--which it would do in the next two recordings.

B+/4.5 star; a near-masterpiece of jazz and jazz rock. 

MAGMA 1001* Centigrades [aka "2"]

Magma "2" following some of the patterns established by the band's first album in that the three long songs contained here are each credited to different composers: the opener (and by far longest) to Christian Vander, the second to Ted Lasry, and the third to François Cahen. In an unusual move, the band decided to record without a guitarist after the departure of Claude Engel. Also, tensions within the group were mounting with regard to which direction the music was to go. This resulted in the splintering off of members Yochk'o "Jeff" Seffer and François Cahen to form their own group (which would be called Shekina).

Line-up / Musicians:
- Christian Vander / drums & percussion, vocals
- Teddy Lasry / clarinet, saxophone, flute, vocals
- François Cahen / piano, electric piano
- Francis Moze / bass
- Klaus Blasquiz / vocals, percussion
- Jeff Seffer / saxophone, bass clarinet
- Louis Toesca / trumpetReleases information

Composers: Christian Vander (1), François Cahen (2), Teddy Lasry (3)

1. "Rïah Sahïltaahk" (21:45) constructed in a big band fashion with lots of staccato motion with lead vocalist Klaus Blasquiz doing most of the story telling throughout (and a complete absence of female vocalists!). The opening passage is segued to the mid-section by a two minute passage of theatric orchestral effects while the cinematic mid-section sounds and feels quite like a Burt Bacharach film soundtrack passage, though a little more dramatic due to the Blasquiz effect. Still, the "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and "South American Getaway" motifs and feel are quite noticeable--though there is also quite a few moments that remind me of Leonard Bernstein sounds and motifs. Powerful but less engaging, less hypnotic, than many future compositions. (32/40)

2. "Iss Lanseï Doïa" (11:46) as is common with Ted Lasry compositions, there is much more of a familiar jazz foundation--here modern and very much in line with other contemporary film soundtracks--and the softer, more nocturnal side of humanity seems to be expressed more in Lasry pieces. There are still multiple voices being explored, but here it is done through a cacophonous horn section, each spouting its own voice and pace. Mid-song there is a break down in which only the horns play their plaintive discordant weave, but then bass and male choir enter to prep us for the cohesive horn and keyboard support of a section of deep-gutteral alien-sounding narration. The horns and piano are actually being used as two separate voices of this civilized intergalactic "conversation." Cool! (17/20)

3. "Ki Ïahl Ö Lïahk" (8:23) less jazzy, less staccato, but still founded in what were current principles of cinematic soundtrack music, this piece feels to me closer to the music that Eumir Deodato and Herbie Hancock were exploring at the same time. A nice, unobtrusive piece of lounge jazz. (12/15)

Total Time 42:14

The music of "2" or 1.001* Centigrades is definitely a step forward in the progression of the establishment of Zeuhl as its own musical form, but not quite there yet. Also, for the sake of Zuehl, I think it a good and necessary thing that Christian Vander step forward to take full control of the band's musical direction; only then do you get a more comprehensive feel for that which defines the musical sub-genre.

3.5 stars; a collection of nice cinematic jazz pieces that are more interesting for their place in the history and development of the musical form that would soon be called "Zeuhl."

VORTEX Vortex (1975)

An album that displays a band searching/seeking its own identity. With both jazz and classical roots and training, what we get here is a jazzy side of what will become the world occupied by Art Zoyd and Univers Zero.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Pierre Vivante / Fender Rhodes piano
- Gérard Jolivet / saxophone
- Jeff Trouillet / flute, percussion
- Jacques Vivante / bass guitar
- François Gerald / drums

1. "Haroun'thasckouack" (10:40) (/20)
2. "Ahsquoumboum" (6:55) (/15)
3. "Delicieuse Creature" (14:32) (/30)
4. "Abominable Creature" (1:10) (/5)

Total Time: 33:17

VORTEX Les cycles de Thanatos (1979)

Even more avant-garde/RIO than their debut.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jean-Pierre Vivante / Fender Rhodes & Yamaha e-pianos, Yamaha organ, piano
- Christian Boissel / Fender Rhodes, oboe, cor Anglais, synth
- Gérard Jolivet / / alto, tenor, soprano, baritone & bass saxophones, contrabass clarinet
- Jacques Guyot / alto, tenor, soprano, baritone & bass saxophones
- Jacques Vivante / bass guitar
- Jean-Michel Belaich / drums, percussion, gong
- Alain Chaléard / percussion, timbales, vibes, xylophone, tubular bells
- Maurice Sonjon / percussion, vibes, xylophone, tubular bells
With:
- Sunny James / violin (1)
- Michel Boissel / bassoon (3)

1. "God Is Good For You, John" (4:28) (/10)
2. "Prolegomenes" (11:43) (/20)
3. "Les Cycles De Thanatos" (25:16) (/50)

Total Time: 41:27