Jack DeJohnette

Perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived, I hesitate to admit Mr. De Johnette into my Compendium of "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion because I feel that his drum playing always stood firmly within the historical threads that we call "Jazz Music." Even when contributing to an album that has been included in the Jazz-Rock Fusion world, Jack's performance really never veered into the corrupt world of electrically-enhanced "rock and roll"; his playing always remained pure and totally acoustic. Also, I would never consider him a master or even much of a contributor to the evolution of the Black man's Rock 'n' Roll: Funk music; though Funk became such a draw for many, many drummers in the 1970s, Jack never really condescended ("dumbed himself down") to comply to the pressures to conform.
     At the same time, every time I come across a performance of Jack De Johnette I am totally blown away. As stated in my opening sentence, I don't know if I've ever, ever heard a better drummer--certainly none so consistently virtuosic, so consistent in their effortless smoothness, so delicately nuanced and dripping with mind-bogglingly creative subtleties. But, he does not rock. He rarely grooves. He does not pound and crash like a Tony Williams or a Billy Cobham. His drumming is more akin to the percussion work of a Indian grand master of the tabla: every single subtlety fully intended, perfectly placed, practiced, and rehearsed a million times, yet too subtle, too nuanced, to even be detected . . . until one tries to play it: then one knows how supremely difficult--perhaps impossibly out of reach--are the strokes and brushes of this master.

Jack reached the public ear via his work with Atlantic Records recording artist Charles Lloyd, a reed instrument specialist who had a blood line of mixed ethnicities (including African, Mongolian, Irish, and Cherokee) and who had already been exposed to a wide variety of international musics and musicians (including Chico Hamilton, Gabór Szabó,  Babatunde Olatunji, Cannonball Adderley) and now felt compelled as a band leader to continue to pursue the fusion of world musical sounds and traditions with Jazz. The Charles Lloyd Quartet formed in 1965 with Cecil McBee, Keith Jarrett, and Jack receiving great acclaim from an album was produced from their live concert performance at the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival, called Forest Flower, which earned Charles DownBeat Magazine's "Artist of the Year" award in 1967. Due to Charles' openness to all musics--even Rock 'n' Roll (he was actually part of the Beach Boys' touring band in the mid-1960s as well as previous side man for Bobby "Blue" Bland, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, and 1950s R&B star Johnny Ace), the band gained a popular reputation among the young, even burnishing decent sales among the Hippie Generation. With Charles Jack participated in the recording sessions that turned out three studio albums in 1966 and 1967 and one live album from 1966 that wasn't released until 1968.

     In 1968 Jack was lured away from The Charles Lloyd Quartet to join celebrated pianist Bill Evans in his new Trio. With The Bill Evans Trio Jack was cited multiple times by Miles Davis. Impressed, Miles invited Jack to join him to lead his rhythm section August recording sessions that would end up becoming the material for the January 1970 release of Bitches Brew. Jack, then, stayed as Miles' principle drummer for tours through 1972. At the same time, he was being invited for one-day recording sessions by band leaders for albums that would be released in this period by Joe Henderson, Eric Kloss, Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Wayne Shorter, Jackie MacLean, Freddie Hubbard, Miroslav Vitous, Lee Konitz, Sadao Watanabe, Joe Zawinul, Alice Coltrane, George Benson, Hubert Laws, Sonny Rollins, and Bobby Hutcherson.

Though obviously capable, there are very few albums released in the 1970s on which Jack was the bandleader. There exist many albums skirting the Jazz-Rock Fusion fold on which Jack played, including with Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Sadao Watanabe, Freddie Hubbard, Miroslav Vitous' Infinite Search, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Joe Farrell, George Benson, Hubert Laws, Gabor Szabo, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Steve Kuhn, Stanley Turrentine, Jan Hammer & John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler, Michael Mantler, Colin Walcott, Gary Peacock & Keith Jarrett, Ralph Towner, John McLaughlin, and McCoy Tyner. Looking at this list, one can note that while almost every one of these Jazz artists dabbled with the new-found freedoms and possibilities offered by the technology-led and engineering-driven world of Jazz-Rock Fusion, almost all of them kept one foot very firmly planted in the ruled and restricted world of traditional Jazz the entire time--or else, when these artists employed Jack, they knew they were helping to prove their own loyalties to core Jazz traditions.
     Also, Jack was not just a drummer. He was very attracted to the piano and other keyboard instruments as well as tuned and untuned percussion instruments, which make his albums and contributions to others' albums interesting for the color he might add through multiple or non-drum sounds and instruments.

JACK DE JOHNETTE The De Johnette Complex (1969)

Drummer Jack De Johnette breaks out on his own, as a bandleader, here with some of his upstart and accomplished young Jazz friends. It feels as if they are stretching out on the porch of some upstate Connecticut country home. Recorded in New York City on December 28 & 29, 1968, The De Johnette Complex 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jack De Johnette / drums, melodica 
- Stanley Cowell / piano, electric piano 
- Miroslav Vitous / bass (A1, A2, A4, B1, B4)
- Eddie Gomez / bass (A3-B4)

- Roy Haynes / drums, percussion (A1, A4, B4)
- Bennie Maupin / saxophone [tenor], flute [wood] (A1-A4, B2-B4)

A1. "Equipoise" (3:48) drums (two?), electric piano, bass, melodica (Jack), and tenor sax all start at once, issuing the song's main melody from the first note. It's quite pleasant, quite quotidienne, almost pop-friendly, taking the first minute of whole-group participation before Jack's melodica and Bennie Maupin's tenor sax and Stanley Cowell's electric piano take off and proceed with their own solo expressions. At the very end of the third minute the whole band reunites to go through the recapitulation of the first minute to draw the song to a close. Lovely! (9.125/10)

A2. "The Major General" (6:35) drums and only drums for the first 70 seconds, Jack making a drum solo sound surprisingly melodic before rest of the band jumps in, Miroslav flying around the neck of his double bass with some serious fast-walking as Stanley fuels the flames with his piano so that Jack and Bennie can fly off together for a bit of competitive soloing. At 3:30 everything turns into standard Hard Bop as the piano takes a turn in the light. He's good! Meanwhile Miroslav and Jack continue to race through the open fields, evading each other while never losing track of the other. At the end of the seventh minute Bennie jumps back in even though Stanley does nothing to let up but then Jack starts to deconstruct the song, commanding omnipotently from the seat behind his kit. So impressive! These guys can play! (9.125/10)

A3. "Miles' Mode" (6:36) featuring Jack playing melodica on his own separate track while also laying down the drum tracks tout seul. Eddie Gomez (on double bass), Bennie Maupin's tenor sax, and Stanley Cowell's piano are also present but only Eddie is given his own solo (other than the melodica)--which is particularly bare/unaccompanied whereas Jack's drum playing is quite active and dynamic beneath every other part of the song. The melodica I can do without while the rest of the song is quite hard bop jazz with some jaw-dropping drumming throughout and no electrified instruments as far as I can tell. (9/10)

A4. "Requiem Number 1" (2:21) more melodica. Why? Eddie is Jack's main accompanist for this one though Roy Haynes adds some percussion from his own kit. (4.25/5)

B1. "Mirror Image" (5:08) soft jazz featuring Stanley Cowell on heavily reverberated electric piano and Jack playing softly with Eddie Gomez. I like this. There's a spunkiness to it which everyone seems to get--kind of like Herbie Hancock's treatment of Bill Cosby's comedic cartoon characters on Fat Albert Rotunda. Very fun, light, airy, and unusual. Quite brilliant how the band is able to establish such a "see-thru" fabric and then seamlessly maintain it over the course of five minutes. A top three for me. (9.75/10)

B2. "Papa-Daddy And Me" (7:53) as with the album's opening song this one features the whole band: drums, double bass, piano, melodica, and sax laying out the main melody from the very onset. The main difference here is it's the melodic play of Eddie Gomez, not an electric piano, and the whole-band intro is over in a flash, opening up to a melodica solo from Jack followed by Bennie on tenor and then Stanley's piano (the longest solo) until 4:30 when Jack starts spitting out some machine gun rounds on his snare to signal his turn. The solo that follows again displays Jack's brilliant ability to allow his drumming to kind of "tell a story": it feels as if he's orchestrating a conversation between several voices (different drums), even using those voices to talk over one another (as father-sons are want to do). Jack add's a melodica, followed by Bennie on his tenor, as Jack's father-son drum conversation continues--as if other voices are trying to join in (and possibly take over) the conversation. Cool! (13.75/15)

B3. "Brown, Warm And Wintry" (5:02) electric piano, comforting bass, cymbal-crashing drum brushing all serve to support Bennie's pastoral flute in a lovely little ditty that feels as if it has folk or even Celtic roots. Mid-third minute Bennie stops and the interplay that follows between Stanley's electric piano and Eddie Gomez' bass is so lovely--like lovers swimming in a country lake at sunset. Jack's use of a constant low-level cymbal crash is quite unusual--something that could be construed as "wintry." (9.125/10) 

B4. "Requiem Number 2" (1:41) A piece that feels/sounds like the band just messing around on the front porch of his country home, Jack's melodica leads the porch band while flute, brushed drums, what sounds like the stroking of an (uncredited) autoharp (which could be Roy Haynes' doing), and bass (I only hear one though two are credited). Nice little capture though it's just a bunch of fidgety musicians goofing around. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 39:37

Yes, I can consider this effort by Jack as an early attempt by some hard-core but open-minded Jazz musicians to enter and add to the explorations of fusing other musics within the Jazz idiom. Though not so much a foray into Rock territory, there is an infusion of ideas from the international- and folk-rich 1960s being incorporated into the music produced for this album as well as some of Jack's own evolving ideas for how the drums can be used to expand and grow Jazz.

91.20 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of delightfully exploratory Jazz-Fusion by some of Jazz's young but staunchest defenders. A display of Jack and friends' delightful senses of daredevilry. Highly recommended! 

MILES DAVIS Bitches Brew (1970) Jack is credited with sitting at his drum kit on all 94 minutes of this album's music. Miles called him the "leader" of his rhythm crew as evidenced by his employ of Jack in live concert performances throughout the next three years. 

MIROSLAV VITOUS Infinite Search (1970) Jack's first album with Miroslav. Throughout the album we find Jack more than capable as a perfect match for the energetic 21-year old.

FREDDIE HUBBARD Straight Life (1970) Despite his credited presence on all three of these proto-fusionary songs, I find this one of Jack's few sub-par performances: he just doesn't seem to fit in with the styles (or energy) of Herbie Hancock--which was probably a contributing factor to the fact that he rarely did any recording with projects involving Herbie during the 1970s and 1980s. 

Jack was a part of several acclaimed live album releases between 1969 and 1974, including Miles' Miles Davis at Fillmore (1970), Live-Evil (1971), and Black Beauty (Miles Davis at Fillmore West) (1973), Charles Lloyd Quartet's The Flowering (1971), as well as his own Have You Heard? (1970) and Jackeyboard (1973).

MILES DAVIS A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1971) Though the "leader of Miles' touring rhythm section during the period that the Jack Johnson recording sessions were occurring (February 18 through June 4 of 1970) only seven of the 40 takes lists Jack as a contributing drummer.

FREDDY HUBBARD First Light (1971) No Herbie = much better performances from Jack on this minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

MILES DAVIS On the Corner (1972) A masterpiece of percussion work, Jack was the de facto leader of this amazing cast of percussionists--one that included Billy Hart, Don Alias, James Mtume, and Badal Roy.

COMPOST Take Off Your Body (1972) 

Jack DeJohnette's social-political fusion vehicle cobbled together with drummer Bob Moses, reed specialist Harold Vick, percussionist Jumma Santos, and Jack Gregg on bass. Jack used this project to focus on expressing himself through his other trained instruments--which included keyboards (clavinet, organ, and piano), Vibraphone, and singing. The album was recorded in 1971 and then released by Columbia Records in February of 1972.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jack Gregg / bass
- Jumma Santos / congas, percussion
- Bob Moses (Gary Burton, Larry Coryell) / drums, vocals
- Jack De Johnette / drums, vocals, clavinet, organ, Vibraphone
- Harold Vick / tenor saxophone, flute

A1. "Take Off Your Body" (3:00) sounds like uptempo War, Sly & the Family Stone, or Parliament (with the rhythmic groove of The TALKING HEADS' "The Great Curve")--especially with the party-like vocalizations in the background of the mix. Great community party-like atmosphere--and great musicianship! (9/10)

A2. "Thinkin'" (6:36) sounding like a WAR song before turning into RARE EARTH's "I Just Wanna Celebrate." Heavy use of hand percussion, clavinet, and saxophone; the vocals are kind of just add ons to make some political commentary. (9.333/10)

A3. "Bwaata" (4:51) picking up some African instruments, rhythms and melodies to create something gentle that sounds like it comes straight from the Dark Continent. They beat Micky Hart to the punch by 15 years. Beautiful! The Vibraphone really sings! (9.5/10)

 
A4. "Happy Piece" (6:50) laid back L.A. cruisin' music that, unfortunately previews the "David Sanborn" effect of over-saturating the melody-carrying lead with multiple tracks of saxophones. Once Harold goes solo (stops layering his sax play with multiple tracks) the song is much more amenable--like listening to more soundtrack music for Bill Cosby's Saturday morning cartoon show, Cosby Kids. It sounds as if Jack is having a ton of fun with a wah-wah pedal used on his clavinet and organ. Around the five minute mark Harold Vick's multiple saxes diverge into each their own solo paths, which is rather fun--and which seems to egg on the rest of the band to even higher heights of Latin Funk. (13.75/15)

B1. "Country Song" (2:31) I'm beginning to think that with Compost Jack just wanted to prove that he could be some ordinary guy but that, like a Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Winwood or Wonder or Paul Weller, he was just born with too many extraordinary talents--a situation that never left him with enough time to do everything that he wanted to do. Bass, percussion, and Harold Vick's light and airy flute work highlight this one for me. (4.4375/5)

B2. "Sweet Berry Wine" (4:04) more of that laid back Eric Burdon/Jimi Hendrix-contemporary voice  singing in the urban jargon of the day about a woman with whom Jack had an exciting short-term relationship. Sounds like Jack wants to do what Gil Scott-Heron is doing. (8.875/10)

B3. "Funky Feet" (4:31) some solid funk groovin' within which the recorded voice of an accented male is incorporated (sometimes with gross editing glitches and smears to the tape) it's a gutteral language--like Afrikaans or Dutch or some other near-Germanic language, only garbled more by the intentional editing effects employed on it (to possibly include reversing the tape feed so as to hear the voice backwards). It's fun, funny, and interesting--and quite enjoyable from a musical perspective. (9/10)

B4. "Inflation Blues" (7:09) the busy percussion work feels a little out of sync with the rest of this slower-paced music but I like Jack's social consciousness and aspiration to use music as a platform for consciousness-raising. (13.25/15)

Total time: 39:32

Okay, perhaps I've been too harsh: perhaps Jack DeJohnette can do funk. The drumming and percussion are still very tight, very skilled, very technical, but surrounding himself with a bunch of very skilled musicians who are very commit to the fusion of Latin and funk sounds and rhythms--not to mention giving the drumming duties to another musician--certainly helps. The music here is like a cross between Sly and the Family Stone, War, Rare Earth, Santana, Graham Central Station, Osibisa, Mandrill, Cymande, and even Billy Preston and Curtis Mayfield. I really do like Jack's familiar voice and Jack Gregg's bass tone and style as well as the awesomely rich dimension that the percussion work brings. Overall, I actually like this music (and kind of music) more than the often-unusual, -experimental and -avant-garde work of Jack's other solo projects. 

90.76 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of funked up pop music on a par of the stuff Eric Burdon's War or even Sly & The Family Stone were doing. Jack DeJohnette wants to be like Tony Williams!

COMPOST Life Is Round  (1973)

Jack's second and final outing as principle keyboardist and sometimes-drummer with this ensemble of forward-thinking Jazz-Rock fusionists. It was released by Columbia Records sometime in 1973. 

- Jack Gregg / bass
- Bob Moses / drums (A1, A3, B2, B3, B5), organ, clavinet (A2, B1, B4),

Vibraphone (A4)

- Jack De Johnette / keyboards [organ, clavinet, piano] (A1, A3, A4, B2, B3, B5), drums (A2, B1, B4), vocals (B4)

- Jumma Santos / drums (A4), percussion, congas
- Ed Finney / guitar (B3 to B5)

- Roland Prince / guitars (A1 to B2)
- Harold Vick / saxophone, flute

With:

- Lou Courtney / vocals (A2)

- Jeanne Lee / vocals (B5)

A1. "Seventh Period" (8:07) this song opens up with much more sophistication and syncopation, like an intro to a much jazzier song than the band's previous release revealed. Jack Gregg, Jumma Santos, and Harold Vick are back with the same force and zeal as the band's previous effort while Jack DeJohnette and Bob Moses have added guitar to their band's mix--here Antiguan jazz guitarist Roland Prince. The fact that the album opens with a hard-drivin' instrumental also connotes a shift in focus and purpose for the band: into musical expression more than fun and/or socially-relevant message deliveries. Jack's clavinet and organ work feature solos that are more aligned with instrumental jazz works: letting the world know that he's a pretty good keyboard player (many people may not know--or have forgotten--that piano was always his first instrument). (13.375/15)

  
A2. "Moonsong" (4:27) opening with Jack Gregg playing some melodic solo bass (electric) while Jumma accompanies him with some hand percussion (shakers, wooden box). When the full band kicks in its as if I've arrived on an island of psychedelia with multiple flutes, laid-back grooving bass, piano and Lou Courtney stepping up to sing an Ernie Isley fantasy lyric. It's actually quite nice. (9/10)   

A3. "Compost Festival" (5:19) yes, the title is quite apropros with this Rio/N'Orleans like carnival music for Harold Vick and guitarist Roland Prince to offer their melodic solos over. Background party vocals only add to the carnival-like atmospheric feel (though I kind of wish I knew which band members were participating in the vocals--probably Jumma, the main percussionist, as this was not an uncommon behaviour for members of a drum circle. I'm willing to bet that this type of party music would not have been foreign to island-born Antiguan Roland Prince either). The interplay of Jack's clavinet and Roland's rhythm guitar is intriguing since their sounds are not so different from one another. By the song's fadeout finish it's not so different from the jam at the end of CHICAGO's wonderful song "Beginnings" from Side ONe of their debut album. (8.875/10)

A4. "The Ripper" (3:53) another very upbeat, muy funky tune that uses a JAMES BROWN-like rhythm section groove while also purporting a kind of Smooth Jazz preview from the sax up top. Meanwhile, Jack G's bass and Bob (and Jumma)'s drums cruise in perfect tandem to support both Jack DeJ's wah-wah-ed clavinet and Roland's wah-wah-ed rhythm guitar while Harold's sax wails away up top. (9/10)

B1. "Buzzard Feathers" (6:22) a steady, almost routine and nearly-smooth jazz funk groove that has Harold's wah-wah-ed sax "talking" to the rhythm corps--especially to Bob Moses' clavinet--in a kind of call-and-response form. Man! Jack DeJ is such a smooth yet-uber-nuanced drummer! Roland Prince finally gets a little solo shine time in the fourth and fifth minutes but since he's using very little effect on his electric guitar he sounds almost like a Dick Dale Surfer Rock guitar! And then: What! A Jack DeJ solo!? Why?! He's so cool that he does veritably nothing---more after the rest of the band rejoins. Long fade out lets you know that this jam probably went on for quite a bit longer. (13.5/10)

B2. "Changing Streams" (5:16) opening with one speed-oriented funk motif and then switching mid-stream into something slower: a more heart-string-pulling and super melodic, but then, equally-unexpectedly, the band turns the corner at the one minute mark and shifts back into fourth gear for some organ, clavinet, wah-wah-guitar and sax soloing--though when saxophonist Harold Vick rejoins the whole band slows things down to that romantic, heart-string-pulling paced motif as it did before. Weird! Definitely changing streams! And then they do it again at the end of the third minute: speeding up, but only briefly, before dropping back into a slow first gear (and, later, second) cruise. Maybe it's scenery, maybe it's stream of consciousness, but the whole band seems fully on board with each and every shift. Interesting! (9/10)

B3. "Mon Cherry Popsicool" (5:28) a very nice, easy-going two-chord vamp within which piano, guitar, sax, and flute each get to stream their beautiful melodies: all at the same time--over the course of the entire five and a half instrumental minutes! At first it's Harold and fast-wah guitarist Ed Finney doing so but then Jack DeJ's piano joins in--at first as an accompanist to Ed's guitar solo but more as an accenter to anyone else up front  So nice to hear musicians just enjoying a song and feeling so free and comfortable (and unpressured) to do so--and doing it in a way that is so harmonically enmeshed! This is actually quite remarkable! (9.125/10)

B4. "Restless Wave" (4:19) another War-like funk song that suddenly gets transported into KING CRIMSON/EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER territory as Jack DeJ's Greg Lake/John Wetton-like voice begins singing within the funky matrix. Guitarist Ed Finney definitely gets more room to step up than Roland really got--because he's good! (Not that Roland wasn't.) The vocal just makes it kind of weird. (9/10) 

B5. "Life Is Round" (3:31) a definite heavy dose of funk while percussionist Jumma and guitarist Ed Finney play around in the wings and funk singer Jeanne Lee gets to do some seductive Betty Davis domination recitation/singing about sex(!) Bob Moses' drumming is awesome. Interesting and sultry but ultimately a little too risqué or novelty-like. (8.875/10)

Total time: 46:42

The addition of electric guitar to the band's palette makes for a huge difference when comparing the musics here to those of the previous year's Take Off Your Body. For whatever reason it definitely brings more of a seriousness and sense of commitment to the songs--to the level of competence in the interplay between the musicians--as if they're competing--but not! The musical performances have such a feeling of collaborative joy and unity consciousness that I'm blown away by that feeling of singular purpose despite the type of music being tackled. Perhaps due to the attention and exposure given to (taken by?) the guitar players, the presences and performances of Jack DeJ and Harold seem to be far less flamboyant as they were on the band's debut. With this in mind, I guess it is no wonder that the band failed to continue after this album. At the same time, I do really enjoy the music of this album: It's much more satisfying as an album than its predecessor but it does fall short in terms of "highlight" songs and performances.

89.21 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's collection of high-quality Jazz-Rock Fusion.

JACK DE JOHNETTE Sorcery (1974)

Recorded in two distinct sessions at two completely different recording studios: in March at Willow, NY, and in May at Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, NY--the former with the expanded lineup, the latter with only Dave Holland and Michael Fellerman on "The Reverend King Suite" only. It was released by Prestige Records in October.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jack De Johnette / drums, keyboards (organ, electric piano, harpsichord, synthesizer, effects)

- David Holland / bass 
- Bennie Maupin / bass clarinet (A1 to 3)
- John Abercrombie / guitar (A1 to 3)
- Mick Goodrick / guitar (A1 to 3)
- Michael Fellerman / trombone (A1 to 3, B1)

A1. "Sorcery # 1" (13:50) something that reminds me quite a bit of the material that came from the Bitches Brew and Mahavishnu albums. While Gary Burton pupil Mick Goodrick, John Abercrombie, and Bennie Maupin performances are good, this is some of the poorest playing (and sound recording) I've ever heard from both Jack and Dave Holland--you could almost say this is the worst song performance I've ever heard from either: they're just off! As if some drug has warped their hand-eye coordination. Overall the song is just too free, loose, and Bitches Brew like for me to enjoy. (25.5/30) 

A2. "The Right Time" (2:21) more reaction to the post-Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination anger. (4.125/5)

A3. "The Rock Thing" (4:14) a song that certainly does sound like some standard three-chord rocker--and becomes even more Zappa-like with the joinder of the two guitarists. Again if find myself befuddled at the lackadaisical lack of enthusiasm in any of the players--and the total lack of form, structure, and design. Is this intended as a sardonic slap in the face of Rock 'n' Roll? (8.667/10)

B1. "The Reverend King Suite" (14:19) Jack and Dave support Jack's own organ noodling before Michael Fellerman and some uncredited sax player (possibly Bennie Maupin) do their own noodling around (on multiple tracks each).  (26/30)
B1a. "Reverend King"
B1b. "Obstructions"
B1c. "The Fatal Shot"
B1d. "Mourning"
B1e. "Unrest"
B1f. "New Spirits On The Horizon"

B2. "Four Levels Of Joy" (3:09) Jack playing congas, piano, harpsichord, synthesizer, wah-wah-ed electric piano, and other percussion instruments while Dave (or maybe he himself) provides a very simple bass track. Actually a very pleasant, upbeat, and melodically-engaging little tune even if it is a little two-chord étude-like vamp. (9/10)

B3. "Epilog" (3:11) drums, funk drums, of a very high skill level that is eventually joined by Dave Holland's bass and Jack's own wah-wah-pedaled electric piano and wah-wah-ed organ. Hypnotic, engaging, and memorable. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 41:15

Jack offers the world an album of introspective, sometimes avant garde, jazz music that seems to carry/preserve the spirit and sound of those 1969 sessions in the studio with Miles Davis on which he participated. I consider this one of those albums on which the artist was trying to push his own interpretation of what Jazz-Rock Fusion could or should be into a direction of his own envisioning. Like so much of Jack's contributions to the 1970s and Jazz-Rock Fusion, this is not a direction that ever really hit the marks for me--more aligned with Jazz's avant garde or free-jazz movements. Perhaps these were the result of some amazing drug tripping!

86.89 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; there may be more underlying intention and, therefore, meaning and significance to these songs but to my ears they are far from the celebratory spirit of Jazz-Rock Fusion and far adrift from the Jazz mainstream.

GATEWAY Gateway (1975)

An ECM production of the collaborative music of three of the greatest jazz musicians to have graced the  vinyl and plastic grooves of last 40 years of the 20th Century. The album was recorded in March 1975 and released on ECM Records later in the year.

Line-up / Musicians:

- John Abercrombie / guitars
- Dave Holland / double bass
- Jack DeJohnette / drums

1. "Back-Woods Song" (7:54) starts out sounding a bit like an ALLMAN BROTHERS song before the three start exerting their jazzy virtuosity. John Abercrombie, whom I've come to recognize as one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever, really puts on a display of CHET ATKINS-like virtuosic subtlety, also like Chet, often covering the low and middle ranges as well as rhythm--despite the fact that he's got one of the best rhythm sections ever assembled beneath him. The ECM sound is, as one comes to expect, incredibly well recorded, engineered, and rendered unto tape: it seems that every tiny little nuance of each players' performance is captured with pristine accuracy. Dave Holland is such a lyrical bass player that I don't for a minute lament the absence of vocals or words, and when he's soloing, we get to observe the creative/inventive rhythm strokes of Mr. Abercrombie--one of the areas that he excels in a way similar to that of John McLaughlin and Jan Akkerman. While I don't really like this style of music, I find myself sitting back while bathing in the enjoyment of hearing these fine musicians captured for all time, just for me. (13.75/15)

2. "Waiting" (2:13) interesting little loose piece with Dave's bass providing the focal material. Innocuous and forgettable. (Even as I just heard it two minutes ago.) (4.25/5)

3. "May Dance" (11:04) a piece that sounds a lot like the old jazz of the 1960s when the free-jazz artists were really starting to take off. Jack sounds like he's doing the best job playing off of John's lead guitar work, but then Dave Holland is so adept, so attuned that he may be not only in perfect synchrony but also perhaps the lead instrument. Heck! I understand free-jazz so poorly that maybe Jack's the lead--or all three could be racing off in their own direction. What let's me know that the artists aren't too far out there is the fact that there is some cohesion in the form of the pacing. John's guitar play in the sixth minute is so bizarre it reminds me of the free-form guitar playing of Sonny Sharrock or Robert Fripp. We get a nice extended bass solo in the seventh and eighth minutes as Dave and Jack back off to provide only minimal assistance. When double bass players solo like this I feel that they're really just practicing scales and inventing inversions and chords, never really thinking in terms of melody. In the meantime Jack and John's subtleties are equally, if not more, mesmerizing. Oh, to be in their heads in order to gain some inkling of comprehension for what they are doing! Though this is not my favorite form of music, at least with this song I am able to stay with the guys: I'm not driven away by the dissonance or anarchic chaos. (17.75/20)

4. "Unshielded Desire" (4:52) this song starts out as a Jack DeJohnette drum solo (with emphasis on the cymbal play). John enters about 30-seconds in with some wah-wah-ed staccato machine gun note play, but I find myself still glued to Jack's performance. I'm astonished to find that over two minutes into the song it's still a duet: nary a sign of Dave Holland! And yet, it's brilliant! It's breath-taking! The edge of Jazz-Rock Fusion but fascinating! At the end of the fourth minute the boys turn on the rock afterburners and really charge it up! Wow! Terry Kath and Danny Seraphine: eat your hearts out! (9.5/10) 

5. "Jamala" (7:47) delicate cymbal play with sparse- and subtle-ly played volume controlled electric guitar note play and quiet, mostly accenting bass far beneath. John hits some stunningly beautiful riffs and runs, providing just enough space in between to allow the simple listener, such as myself, time to digest the offerings. Such pristine clarity in the guitar notes (and cymbals)! Though the music of this song falls more into the realm of pure jazz, it is still quite accessible and totally enjoyable. On the version I have access to, this song is over seven minutes long--with the final three minutes spaciously evolving into some aggressive, distorted, more-rock-oriented guitar and band play for the final minute. Wow! Now that was unexpected! (13.875/15)

6. "Sorcery 1" (10:56) Jack, followed by a very melodic Dave Holland, establishing a song with some blues-rock attitude. I like it! John enters with the same aggressive, distorted guitar tone that snuck into the end of the previous song. Now this is cutting edge Jazz-Rock Fusion of the highest order! These three musicians are so gifted! To be able to deliver this kind of cohesive music while playing at such high levels of virtuosity--and making it all feel as if it's so EFFORTLESS! Incredible! John sounds as if Jimi Hendrix were gifted, and Dave as if Noel Redding had a clue, and Jack as if Mitch Mitchell had some skill and restraint! The musicians' performances are so mesmerizing that the song's eleven minutes pass by in the blink of an eye! Dave's intuition for holding back! Jack's intuition for providing such brilliant accent to John's guitar! And John! The dude that makes it all feel so Power Trio rock 'n' roll! Not a note wasted and yet not a note that isn't jaw-droppingly shocking! One of the best trio songs I've ever heard! Total perfection! (20/20)

Total Time: 44:46

Gateway's variety surprises me. The level of virtuosity coming from all three musicians even comes as a surprise. (I mean: I knew, but I never KNEW!) And then put that immaculate ECM production value from Manfred Eicher into the mix and you have an indisputable masterpiece of Jazz-heavy Jazz-Rock Fusion. 

93.09 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a total masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion. If everyone heard that last song, "Sorcery I", alone, there would be a reshuffling of the greatest power trio songs of all-time. Step down Jimi, Eric, Larry, Stevie Ray, and Johnny Mac! There was a trio that was way better than you! And please, let's start adjusting our pantheon of guitar greats to include Mr. John Abercrombie at or near the very top! 

JACK DE JOHNETTE'S DIRECTIONS Cosmic Chicken (1975)

Recorded shortly before its release by Prestige Records, on April 24–26, 1975, at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jack De Johnette / drums, keyboards 

- Alex Foster / alto saxophone, soprano saxophone 
- Peter Warren / bass

- John Abercrombie / electric guitar 

A1. "Cosmic Chicken" (4:53) with bassist Peter Warren's sonically-altered bowed double bass sounds and John Abercrombie's equally-effected electric guitar sounds this song definitely starts the album with the kind of sonic experimentation that sets Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion artists of the era apart from Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll bands--and with the addition of Alex Foster's chicken-scratch sounds from his saxophone, we get no reprieve from the weirdness. As a matter of fact, the only thing recognizable as "normal" in this song is Jack DeJohnette's drumming (which is incredible, top and bottom). Amazing song! (9.5/10)

A2. "One For Devadip And The Professor" (3:35) are we referring here to Carlos and Mahavishnu John? I think so. I love Jack's experimental Larry Fast minimalist keyboard play, Peter's murky bass, and John's searing guitar. This might be a fitting tribute chord-wise but sonically it's more fitting the spacey sounds that Khalid Yasin (Larry Young) or some of Santana and The MO's keyboard players were getting in the years previous. Very cool song! (9.6667/10)

A3. "Memories" (5:58) I always forget how proficient Jack was on the piano--and how much he gravitated to it during this period of his life. I don't think he has quite the touch or dexterity of Chick or Herbie, but he's pretty good. Some of his legato runs sound a lot like Johnny Costa of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Even his chord selection and progressions are far less adventurous than his amazing drumming. (8.75/10)

A4. "Stratocruiser" (7:28) bass and drums turns into drums only by the second minute. The two-plus minute solo is impressive, of course, and Jack shows himself to be nearly as gifted as Billy Cobham at creating "music" and "melody" from his drum soloing, but it's when the rest of the band joins in that the music really becomes something more than a solo: at times it is as wild and dynamic as anything The Mahavishnu Orchestra ever did (especially with the combination of Jack's drums and John's McLaughlin-esque fire), and, at others it feels like structure-less chaotic free jazz. (13.75/15)

B1. "Shades Of The Phantom" (6:13) a bass-heavy song that seems to be creating a kind of bridge between the power fusion bands like the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Larry Coryell's Eleventh House, Chick Corea's RTF, and Herbie Hancock (or Eddie Henderson)'s post-Mwandishi fare--until, that is, Jack turns it into a Keith Emerson-like organ concerto/exposition. Weird combo but I like both sections. (9/10)  

B2. "Eiderdown" (5:35) piano jazz combo with smooth soprano sax up top over the ivory-tinkling piano, walking jazz double bass, and nimble jazz guitar play. It has a definite retro-Sixties Hard Bop sound and feel to it despite John Abercrombie's more modern note-bending and dynamics. (8.875/10)

B3. "Sweet And Pungent" (3:32) another song that starts and builds like a Mahavishnu Orchestra classic, building over some rock drumming and heavy bass chords and psychedelic guitar and bass sounds while Alex's tenor sax blasts and screams (with some effects?). Cool and powerful. (9.125/10)

B4. "Last Chance Stomp" (7:07) old time jazz with a modern drum kit and modern drum play? Interesting! Unfortunately, John Abercrombie does not quite have the Les Paul/Django/Charlie Christian sound and stylings mastered. (He IS a master but of more of the Coryell/McLaughlin era of Jazz guitarists.) At the half way point Jack does yet another "out of left field" drastic turn into a New Orleans-style jazz piano solo, but then a couple minutes later the rest of the band rejoins him, taking off into the stratosphere of speed-crazed free jazz before devolving into the "microphone/radio-muted" sound of old-timey jazz music to close it out. Interesting. Really a three-part, three-motif song (or suite) that may qualify as a "stomp" on all counts but is more like a Fun House of musical rooms to me. (13.25/15)

Total time: 44:21

91.02 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of rough and tumbling song experimentations. Though I will admit that this is definitely Jazz-Rock Fusion, the music here definitely pushes boundaries that would be beyond the comfort zones of most musicians--no matter what genre they were trained in, feel grounded in, or aspire to.

FREDDY HUBBARD Polar AC (1975) Jack contributes drums to the first song, the album's title song, and that's it.

JOHN ABERCROMBIE Timeless (1976)

A guitarist that has been known to me since the 1970s due to his long association with ECM Records, it has only been recently that I've really come to know and appreciate his skill and genius as a technical wizard of both acoustic and electric guitar formats, as well as his high intelligence and creativity in conditions requiring structure, support, and improvisation. I am now unafraid to include John in the highest circle of jazz-rock fusion guitarists (with the likes of John McLaughlin, Janne Schaffer, Jan Akkerman, Volker Kriegel, and Al Di Meola). Recorded in June 1974 at Generation Sound Studios in New York City, the album was released early in 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Abercrombie / guitar
With:
- Jan Hammer / Hammond organ, piano, synthesizer
- Jack DeJohnette / drums

1. "Lungs" (12:08) organ and electric guitar trading incandescent flares for solos over some equally-stunning drum play. In the fourth minute, just as the two melody-makers start to really duel, the music slows down, spreads out, leaving a lot of space for some spacey organ and volume-controlled and echoed electric guitar note play while Jack gives a virtual clinic in cymbal and bass drum play which turns into a tom-tom and snare clinic as well. This is easily as powerful and virtuosic as anything the Mahavishnu Orchestra ever produced. At the beginning of the eighth minute the band resets and restarts with some kind of low-bass note play (from Jan Hammer, of course) providing a kind of funky rhythmic propulsion for Jan, John, and Jack to slowly, very deliberately, start contributing notes, riffs, and other idiosyncratic flourishes and musical catchphrases from here to the song's end. What this has to do with lungs, I'm not sure. (22.5/25)

2. "Love Song" (4:34) Jan Hammer's piano and John Abercrombie's acoustic guitar are here recorded performing a beautiful duet. These guys really hear each other--which is why this lovely conversation sounds so respectful and co-ordinated--like a dance--and not unlike something Chick Corea and Al Di Meola might have done together. (9.75/10)

3. "Ralph's Piano Waltz" (5:21) a more typical jazz swing with a great melody "hook" This is a John Abercrombie composition that became one of his signature songs--one that he re-recorded on several other studio albums and, of course, performed live with many of his bands--and I wouldn't understand anyone who wouldn't be able to "see" why. Great performance by John with awesome support from Jan's organ play and Jack's stunning drum play. Though I have great trouble thinking of Jack DeJohnette as a "fusion" drummer, he is definitely on the short list of the best jazz drummers I've ever heard (probably #1): his creativity is a marvel to behold. (9.5/10)

4. "Red In Orange" (5:21) a furious syncopated opening sounds like it could come from both EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER or the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA though the jazz guitar play ends up sounding more like JOHN TROPEA or ERIC GALE during the early section, the Larry Coryell in the fiery second section, and then like John McLaughlin in the photon-speed final minute. Jan Hammer's dynamic organ play sounds like LARRY YOUNG (Khalid Yasin)--especially when in support mode--but then he fires up some amazing Keith Emerson-like stuff in his duels with John--and Jack is right there with them the whole way! (9.625/10)

5. "Remembering" (4:32) back to piano and acoustic guitar dueting, this one meandering a little more like something from the Americana or Chick Corea school of austere acoustic or atmospheric duet music. Despite the flourishes of virtuosity, the key and tempo changes are met with ease with both musicians delivering gorgeous melodies and variations on those melodies throughout. Both musicians are showing their masterful ability to bring the listener back to the security of "home" by positing the occasional, perfectly-timed, dominant "comfort" chord. (Thank you!) There is, however, something very warm and humane about this song--this style of duet music--that feels more inviting and engaging--more personable--than the "competitive" duets that Al Di Meola became known for. (9.25/10)

6. "Timeless" (11:57) ominous low-end synth chord provides the steady foundation for John to noodle around improvisationally using a very gentle, soft tone on his electric guitar. I love this kind of electric guitar performance where volume and dynamic take a backseat to heart-felt feeling and sensitivity. In the fifth minute there is a transition into a section in which Jan sets forth a patterned bass line over which John plays off of with equally-interesting, beautiful fluidity and melodic sense. Jack joins the puff parade with his brushes, rarely beating anything dynamic, instead keeping to the same delicate sensibilities as his band mates. Jan is allowed to jump in a couple of times with his MiniMoog and the song never really changes or shifts or deepens again, just plays out with this same bass-line-led motif to the end. A nice exhibition of a certain kind of solo improvisational music but not a really engaging or deeply interesting song from a listener's standpoint. (22/25)

Total Time: 43:53

Jan Hammer has always come across as a much weaker keyboard player in my mind due to the fact that I've seen and heard mostly his performances where he is playing on either his stage "keytars" or dueling with guitarists and/or violins by using the right-hand upper registers of his computers, thus, I never thought the guy had a left hand. On several albums from the 1970s that I've stumbled across over the past couple of years I've been impressed to hear Jan Hammer as a more "complete" keyboard player: playing piano, organs, Fender Rhodes, Moogs, and, as here, lots of bass as a substitute for the more typical upright or electric bass player. 

91.88 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of fringy jazz-rock fusion from three of Jazz-Rock Fusion's all-stars (two of which are lesser known). An album that I highly recommend to any prog lover who love it when virtuosic musicians can meld together really well.

JACK DE JOHNETTE's DIRECTION Untitled (1976)

Recorded February 1976 at Talent Studios, Oslo, Norway, and then released by ECM Records on September 1.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jack De Johnette / drums, tenor saxophone (B1)
- Mike Richmond / bass, electric bass
- John Abercrombie / guitars [electric & acoustic]
- Warren Bernhardt / piano, electric piano, clavinet, cowbell
- Alex Foster / saxophones [tenor, soprano]

A1. "Flying Spirits" (13:50) the unmistakable virtuosity of bandleader drummer Jack DeJohnette is presented to the listener from the opening notes of this one and does not stop until the song's end. Brilliant contributions from all the musicians listed above with Alex Foster, Warren Bernhardt, and Mike Richmond really impressing me early (John Abercrombie's two guitar tracks are, for some odd reason, relegated to the background for the first minutes). It is such a privilege to hear such virtuosi weave around Maestro DeJohnette's impeccable drumming. The song has quite the dreamy Paul Winter Consort/Eberhard Weber-like feel to it--one that John McLaughlin would replicate on his song "Zamfir" from his gorgeous 1981 masterpiece, Belo Horizonte--one of my favorite "beautiful" songs of all-time: I love it! The band does such a great job of maintaining that feel throughout the many directional and formatic changes--even in the slightly-chaotic 11th minute. Just brilliant! (28.625/30)

A2. "Pansori Visions" (2:20) John Abercrombie messing around on some Indian stringed droning instrument while Jack messes around on Indian hand percussion instruments. Interesting but nothing Earth-shattering to warrant writing home about. (4.333/5)

A3. "Fantastic" (5:52) another drumming display opens this one, paving the way for the joinder of John Abercrombie's guitar sqeaks, Warren Bernhardt's cowbell play, and, eventually, Mike Richmond's funky flange-wah-ed electric bass and Alex Foster's tenor sax squeaks. By the time we get into the third minute everybody is squeaking, squawking, and jerking together, weaving into a farmyard-like chicken funk. Clavinet, microtonal guitar note play, and sax screaming become the more interesting tracks to follow though Mike and Jack are quite impressive as well. Not my favorite kind of music but quite impressive from a creativity perspective. Adrian Belew, I'm sure, would've been highly impressed. (8.875/10)

B1. "The Vikings Are Coming" (6:43) a song that sounds like a cross between the 1970s Kosmische Musik of POPOL VUH, the meditative music of HAROLD BUDD on his 1976 album Pavillions of Dreams (which ws not released until 1978), and the 1980s spiritual music of JAN GARBAREK. No drums, two saxophones (Jack's tenor and Alex's soprano), underwater bass, rolling waves of Rainer Brüninghaus-like piano, and very little electric guitar. Lovely! (9.125/10)

B2. "Struttin'" (6:30) Jack, John, and Alex playing off one another in a stark kind of jazz weave; no bass or keys. Impressive free jazz--and fairly melodic and woven--but not really my cup of tea. (8.75/10)

B3. "Morning Star" (7:22) Warren's grand piano and John's acoustic guitar try to match one another's speedy riffs with John usually lagging a bit behind (purposefully?). I find myself really liking Warren's melody lines (as I usually do) but somewhat resenting John's picking style (as I often do when he's playing acoustic guitar) and the fact that his flourishes constantly lag behind those of Warren's. At the two-minute mark the piano and guitar move into support background roles as bass and drums arrive. Alex's tenor sax picks up the melody from Warren's piano and the song turns into something quite lovely. I like the points of separation between each of the musicians' melody lines, often finishing out of kilter with one another. I also like that Warren finally gets some shine time. (He's so talented!) But, then, this is his compositional contribution to Jack's album. At 5:42 they all slow down to leave Warren and John alone to pick up where the song started--only this time the two are not trying to mimic or follow each other--at least, not until the final minute. I could do without the awkward bookends but the center five minutes is quite lovely. (13.75/15)

B4. "Malibu Reggae" (3:03) sounds more like a quirky, more-sophisticated version of the fun circus-like soundtracks that have been coming from jazz musicians to serve as themes for popular television shows (The Streets of San Francisco, The Six Million Dollar Man, Sanford & Son, Starsky & Hutch, Barney Miller, Taxi, et al.) There is some Reggae here--mostly in the keyboard--but the rest doesn't really hit the nail on the head. Too bad to spoil a whole album with one song. (8.70/10)

Total time: 45:40

With less focus on his own experimentations with other instruments and solo performance we get a wonderful exposition of Jack at his collaborative (and inspirational) best. Plus, we get to hear the master doing what we all want to hear him do: create unbelievable beauty on his drums!

91.29 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion--an album that continues to use quite a bit of experimentalism in its musical explorations.

MIROSLAV VITOUS Magical Shepherd (1976)

After eight years in the think of the foundation and development of Jazz-Rock Fusion, Miroslav apparently felt it important to "prove" to critics that he could play/do funk (which had become all the rage since Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Thrust albums in 1974 and 1975, respectively). So, who better to help him out than the jazz-funk-master himself! Recorded in 1975 in San Francisco, Magical Shepherd was released by Warner Brothers Records in March of 1976.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Miroslav Vitous / bass, guitar [360 synth], synthesizer (MiniMoog)
- James Gadson / drums (A1, A2, B3, B4)
- Airto Moreira / percussion
- Jack DeJohnette / drums (B1, B2)
- Herbie Hancock / keyboards (Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synthesizers [Arp Odyssey, Arp String Ensemble, MiniMoog])- Cheryl Grainger / vocals (A1, A2, B2, B3, B4)
- Onike / vocals (A1, A2, B2, B4)

A1. "Basic Laws" (11:46) two female vocalists open this with some celestial chanting accented by bass notes and weird synthesizer sounds. At the 90-second mark the song funnels into a slow-tempo funk tune with clavinet, bass, congas, drums, and guitar and synth incidentals. The rhythm section remains totally constant while the vocalists, guitar noises, and synth noises play a bit over the top (far less than one would imagine). An occasional key shift seems to add impetus to try new things--especially the one at 6:30--and it does but not really enough. Still, as a funk song, this one has it. Whispered vocals repeating over and over "it's rhythm" join in for the ninth and tenth minutes but then slip back into the background celestial heraldry in the eleventh as the music thins out a bit (while remaining totally committed to the funk). Then it fades out. (22.5/25)

A2. "New York City" (9:32) a more up-tempo, near-disco tune from the first note with very funky wah-wah-ed clavinet and Fender Rhodes (Herbie at his very best!). Vocalists make their first appearance, briefly, around the one-minute mark and thereafter become like curious alien beings making background commentary (a previewof Newcleus' "wicky, wicky, wicky"?) The keyboard work in the third minute makes one think of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something." The changes and variety of offerings make this one a real pleaser (despite the near-disco beat). And, yes: Miroslav can play funk! But, this for whatever reason, this is Herbie's song to shine on--even rivaling Billy Preston's "Space Race" in places. The shift into spacey dreamland in the seventh minute is very cool--very engaging--really giving Miroslav and Herbie room to show of even more of their keyboard and (for Miroslav) guitar ideas. (18.75/20)

B1. "Synthesizers Dance" (5:09) a syncopated more WEATHER REPORT-like attempt at funk: more spacious and less groove-oriented. Even the sounds being generated for lead instrument sounds are kind of off the wall--like something Parliament funkadelic would explore. Lot's of instrumental flare being shown off from multiple musicians here (and especially Miroslav)--which raises the interest/intrigue factor significantly. Good jazz-rock fusion. (8.875/10)

B2. "Magical Shepherd" (6:09) horn like call opens this before bass and Rhodes join in with lots of percussive noise from both Airto and Jack DeJohnette. The lady vocalists are back, this time singing in tandem, singing like a church or Broadway choir. It's actually kind of cool! And the music on top is interesting. At the end of the second minute there is some smoothing out of the basic music, almost committing to a set structure, then, just as you're getting used to it, things shift again into something more jazzy, less committed to linear flow (sounding a little like some of Larry Coryell's brilliant, but chaotic, ideas). Guitar soloing ensues as Herbie and Jack play off of one another with some fun recklessness. Vocals return at the five-minute mark to give the song a kind of celestial stamp of approval into the finish. This one is not a funk song; it is jazz-rock. It is, however, very interesting--definitely worth repeated listens. And the song one which I like the effect of the female vocals the best. (9/10)

B3. "From Far Away" (2:30) a song built around Cheryl Grainger's jazz vocal. Airto and Miroslav's synth bass, Arp, wah-ed rhythm guitar, and Arp strings (no Herbie on this one). Feels like an étude or interlude--definitely an ude. (4.375/5)

B4. "Aim Your Eye" (6:57) a pretty decent funky jazz-rock fusion tune despite the weird background female vocal chants and weird synth "saw" guitar chords! (13.375/15)

Total Time: 42:06

Another case in point to my argument that Jack DeJohnette--as extraordinary a drummer as he is--is not a funkster. I have the feeling that getting Jack to play funk was like asking Bill Bruford to play straight time (or, for that matter, funk!) Also, with the coincidental presence of Herbie Hancock resulting in yet another less than stellar performance from Jack, my theory that Herbie served as Jack's kryptonite gains traction. 

90.44 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion: one that is consistently of very high compositional and performative standards but does little to really excite or push boundaries. Also, an album that presents two rather strikingly different faces: the funk side with Herbie Hancock, Airto Moreira, and drummer James Gadsen, the other with jazz-stalwart Jack DeJohnette and funk-less Miroslav steering the rest of the musicians toward more jazz-traditional and Jazz-dominant (yet experimental) Jazz-Rock Fusion. Recommended to all Jazz-Rock Fusion enthusiasts. If anything, the performances of these top notch musicians might be worth it all on their own.

JACK DE JOHNETTE'S DIRECTIONS New Rag (1977)

Recorded in May 1977 at Tonstudio Bauer in Germany, New Rag was released by ECM Records on September 1, 1977.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jack De Johnette / drums, piano

- Mike Richmond / bass, electric bass 
- John Abercrombie / electric guitar, electric mandolin 
- Alex Foster / tenor & soprano saxophone 

A1. "Minya's The Mooch" (11:22) after a long (almost two minutes) warm-up with Mike Richmond slowly, carefully wandering around the neck of his double bass while John Abercrombie almost-clandestinely tries to connect with his deceptive, unobtrusive background electric guitar notes, Jack De Johnette's nuanced stick hits join in and Alex Foster jumps into the leadership with his tenor sax, pulling the rest of the musicians into the light, slowly but significantly drawing them into an increasingly-dynamic conversation. This is jazz. I'm surprised to hear within the mix so many incidental noises like Mike's vocalized grunts and groans and Jack's trading out of sticks and pops and clicks from the double bass as Mike's fingers move and scrape strings and fretboard. John's guitar tone always projects a long-sustained, fast-reverb echoeyness which I guess is the main reason this music can still qualify for J-R F categorization. When the song ends I find myself so surprised as it doesn't so much fade out as just stop--with no resolution, no big crescendo and dénouement, no closure, just musicians walking away from their instruments one at a time. Weird. Another one of those edgy-creative tuneless jazz songs that leaves me scratching my head, "What? Why?" I just don't get the focus on harmony over melody--especially in a world that seems to understand chromaticism. (17.5/20)

A2. "Lydia" (3:41) Jack's delicate, pensive piano play opens this up before Mike's bass notes and Alex's soprano sax join in. Now this is pretty! It's still not what I'd call "mainstream melodic" but there is melody, there is structure, and their is definitely a cohesive effort being made to render the chordal structure laid out by the composer/composition. No guitar. (9/10)

 
A3. "Flys" 6:03) drums open this one establishing what sounds/feels quite like a rock-informed swing while Mike's double bass joins in, very much meeting and playing off of Jack's rhythmic structure very well. John's electric guitar soon joins--and Alex's tenor sax--both offering harmonically-compatible melody lines--both feeling as if they're trying to fit into as well as feed off of Jack and Mike's wonderful entrainment to a groove. John's solo is nicely connected--even incorporating some homage "Vashkar"-like riffs, chords, and phrases. Alex gets a few short windows to inject his own ideas but when Mike gets an opportunity to be in the spotlight it's an impressive solo but you barely get the sense that it's much beyond what he's already busying himself with in his conversation with Jack's drums. Impressive! (9.25/10)

B1. "New Rags" (9:06) everybody launches this one together but they allow for a lot of voice to be given to the spaces between their injections of sound--all four of them. This would be even more impressive if Mike weren't vocalizing his rhythmic grunts and onomatopoeias with his bass playing. Then there is the really weird "end" sequence in the fourth minute in which the band seems to be pulling everything into a fairly traditional, routine closing and end but then they start up again after a pause--as if another song but, apparently meant to be considered the second part of a suite. This movement is much more dense, the legato lines being made by each musician much more fluid and constant--the spaciousness of the previous motif virtually obliterated, smoothed out. In the seventh minute there is another transitional section that seems designed to either bring a section to end or theatrically introduce "the next act"--which turns out to be a motif built around a Caribbean sound and flavor--which then takes to the songs end. A weird grouping of song sisters that feels more like the scripting of the music for the various segments of a television game show. It almost seems unfitting or even disrespectful to the Jazz musician. (17.5/20)

B2. "Steppin' Thru" (10:28) This one sports Mike Richmond playing an electric bass (fretless?) while using some machine-gun minor-slap techniques while Jack rams home some powerful (but thin) Rock 'n' Roll drumming (making fun of John Bonham?) as John provides some enriching chords and Alex speeds along with a peppy-spritely sax legato (at times they sound like a high school/college pep band!). The first half of the song is a showcase for some really exhilarating tenor sax play from Alex--really enthusiastic and memorable. In the sixth minute John steps up for a spirited solo that reminds me once again of how talented he is--how he should be considered in the conversations for Jazz/Jazz-Rock Fusion's best guitarists. While the main motif supporting the solos is not my favorite, this song should not be overlooked if only for the contributions of Alex Foster and John Abercrombie. (18.125/20)  

Total time: 40:40

The skills are there and the solos are memorable but the stylistic choices are sometimes a bit more mundane and simplistic than I would ever have expected from these musicians. It's hard for me to ever be critical of Jack De Johnette's drumming but the atonal opening song and the choices made for oddly-paired set of motifs that they crammed into the "New Rags" suite just put me off. 

89.22 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent acquisition of exploratory and oddly-creative Jazz, Jazz-Pop, and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Three not-to-be-missed songs with two "WTF" pieces?

GATEWAY Gateway 2 (1978)

The trio of fairly conservative jazz virtuosos take on their second album together, this time presenting their own interpretations and variations of other songs and styles. Recorded in July 1977 at Talent Studio in Oslo, it was released on the ECM Records label March 1978. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- John Abercrombie / electric & acoustic guitars, electric mandolin
- Dave Holland / double bass
- Jack DeJohnette / drums, piano

1. "Opening" (16:19) there is a lot of textural experimentation over the course of the first four minutes--mostly coming from Jack DeJohnette's drums, a little from Dave Holland's bass play, while John Abercrombie takes quite a long time to introduce and then his very heavily-treated electric guitar (chorus, reverb, delay, and echo--thankfully no distortion). Amazingly the song maintains a rather steadily-increasing trajectory of development throughout the song--even managing to make a lot of noise with their highly-sophisticated weave (a weave that reminds me of peak-era 1980s Pat Metheny Group). Then the solos start in the second half with Dave's cymbal-supported bass solo occupying the eleventh and twelfth minutes before John and Jack jump forward to boost the energy: really complementing and augmenting Dave's continued buoyant enthusiasm. In the second half of the fourteenth minute Dave and John's play begins to stagnate and then fade (in volume) in order to make way for a sophisticated (as opposed to a showy or extra-dynamic) drum solo from Jack. All hands go to delicate mode for the wind chime bells finish. Cool song! Not what I expected from that long disorganized intro. (27.75/30)

2. "Reminiscence" (4:36) the boys here exploring their personal and rather separate improvised ruminations on Rodrigo's Adagio from "Concierto for Aranjuez." (9/10)

3. "Sing Song" (6:57) structured like a "Tea for Two" waltz using a sound palette that would become quite prevalent for the more traditional guitar jazz songs on Pat Metheny albums for that artist's entire career.  I mean the sounds and stylings of all the musicians here are remarkable for sounding so close to those of Pat, Steve Rodby, and Paul Wertico! Beautiful and masterful. These guys know what they're doing even if the results aren't as dynamic as those of the Power Fusion bands like The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and Eleventh House. (13.5/15)

4. "Nexus" (7:58) an unusual song that is rendered almost Third Stream Jazz-Rock Fusion for its David Torn-like guitar sounds and phrases used by John Abercrombie. I find it interesting that the most controlled and unexciting musician here is also the song's composer (Dave Holland). (13.75/15)

5. "Blue" (8:14) for this song Jack gives up his drummer's stool for the piano bench, playing the lead work while Dave and John respond and react to his musings. The song starts out as if Jack is trying to challenge and trick the others but then they seem to fall into line with forward motion for a while. Then, at the five-minute mark, Jack's collaborators step aside to watch as Jack solos, but they're soon back offering quite minimal/subtle support (Dave with his bowed bass). The music is quite lovely and evocative of many emotions and memories: some pastoral, some psychological. I like this very much but it is not background music. (14/15)

Total Time: 44:01

The jazzier side of Jazz-Rock Fusion is here anchored in Jack DeJohnette's very classically-conservative jazz drumming as well as Dave Holland's clear adherence to traditional jazz bass sounds and stylings. Even John Abercrombie's electrified guitar is well-within the sound traditions of past guitar masters from the 1960s like Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, and Wes Montgomery.

91.76 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; another masterpiece (though of the minor type) from this trio of maestros. When you get three of the finest craftsmen of their particular instruments together, it feels as if expectations are raised, so it's nice when the band can deliver--as they do here.

BILL CONNORS Of Mist and Melting (1978)

Bill's second solo album after leaving Return To Forever, on Manfred Eicher's ECM label; his first album with other collaborators--this one all acoustic. The album was recorded in December 1977 at Talent Studio in Oslo, Norway and then officially released by ECM Records in 1978.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Time 47:20

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

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

JACK DE JOHNETTE New Directions (1978)

Recorded in June 1978 at Talent Studio in Oslo New Directions was released in 1978 on the ECM Records label. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Jack De Johnette / drums, piano

- Eddie Gomez / bass
- John Abercrombie / guitars, mandolin
- Lester Bowie / trumpet

A1. "Bayou Fever" (8:40) a very cool, dreamy-like-Eberhard-Weber motif in which drums, double bass, and multiple tracks of electric guitar seem to drift and float around the sonic field while trumpeter Lester Bowie offers equally-aimless wanderings. I just love how Eddie locks into Jack's melodic drum play. This is pretty much, to my ears and brain, a perfect Jazz-Rock Fusion song--an example to be extolled as a perfect illustration of what Jazz musicians can still contribute to the J-R F lexicon--even at this late date in the fast evolution of the sub-genre. (20/20)

A2. "Where Or Wayne" (12:27) another highly-enjoyable and somehow fully-accessible song that seems more fitting of the musics released in the mid-Sixties by Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet. (24.25/25)

B1. "Dream Stalker" (5:56) What?! Another masterfully-rendered soundscape of atmospheric Jazz Fusion--one that, again, seems to have benefitted from ECM's work with nurturing the proclivities of bassist Eberhard Weber. It's gorgeous, it's dreamy, it's subtly sophisticated, yet always beautifully-gelled into a seamless weave. I love it! (9.75/10) 

B2. "One Handed Woman" (10:50) with the experimental avant-garde/free jazz forays in the background of each and every one of these musicians, one could not help but expect at least one loosely-scripted free-for-all into four-way improvisation (five if you are allowed to count the two tracks laid down by Eddie Gomez: one for fast-walking double bass, the other for bowed bass play). John's chosen guitar tone is a little too quiet and, for my ears, staccato to fit this weave: it's like adding colored telephone cable wire to a weave of woolen fabrics. Lester's trumpet play, however, works for me. (The trumpet rarely sets me off--sometimes disappears in the mix but rarely ever disturbs me). Anyway, as I was saying: I knew that there had to be one of these. At least it's not one absent of melody or full of incomprehensible (to me) harmonic rules and sensibilities. (17.625/20)  

B3. "Silver Hollow" (8:23) soft and spacious piano with muted trumpet notes straining to be heard from the background while Eddie and John gradually add their own inspiration from within the weave. Though John is playing both acoustic guitar (far in the background) his electric guitar tone during his brief solo appearances is definitely where the famous Pat Metheny tone comes from! Beautiful, John! Beautiful, Eddie! Beautiful, Jack! Beautiful, Lester! Another absolutely perfect song! (20/20)

Total Time: 46:31

Whereas most Jazz artists who've made the commitment to the Jazz-Rock Fusion or other avenues of fusionary musical expression, by 1978 they were either gravitating back to the Jazz folds (e.g. Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller) or fully committing to the more commercially-rewarding and financially-gratifying realms of the Smooth Jazz movement, Jack, Eddie, and John seem to be as committed as ever to the continued explorations of that which Jazz-Rock Fusion can churn out. As result, they have come up with a string of post-1975 albums that stand up well to any and every innovative and pioneering album put out before. And now Pat Metheny seems primed and ready to join the bandwagon that only Chick Corea and Jack seem composed to adhere to . . . for the time being.

96.45 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an indisputable masterpiece of quintessential Jazz-Rock Fusion; one of the finest albums to ever come out of the J-R F movement. 

PAT METHENY 80/81 (1980)

A landmark double album of 84 minutes of music--all recorded while saxophonist Michael Brecker was sick while trying to kick a drug addiction! Great performances of Pat's music.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Pat Metheny / acoustic & electric guitars
With:
- Michael Brecker / tenor saxophone (1, 2, 4, 6-8)
- Dewey Redman / tenor saxophone (3, 4, 6, 7)
- Charlie Haden / double bass
- Jack De Johnette / drums

I think I grew into Jack De Johnette more than I ever did any other artist. My exposure to his presence in music in the early 1980s came at a time when I was still not ready to hear, much less comprehend, Jazz music--and Jazz is all I heard from the musics that I was exposed to on which Jack was a participant (much of which was on the rather dry, Jazz-oriented ECM label). With this concentrated dive into Jack's 1960s and 1970s discography--as both a collaborator and as a composer and band leader--I feel humbled to now recognize the creative genius and bold adventurer he was. No, he may not have become the funk master that Herbie Hancock, Lenny White, Billy Cobham, and Lonnie Liston Smith did, but he tried so many things. Singing! Jazz-Rock! and I had no idea that his first instrument had been the piano--and that he never neglected his use and exploration of it and the fecund world of keyboard opportunities. I not only willingly--enthusiastically--include Jack among my five favorite drummers of all-time but have learned to appreciate him for his diversity and nearly-insatiable compulsion toward, and joy in, experimentation--in stretching himself, fearlessly following his curiosities.