Bill Bruford - 2005 Bill Bruford Japan Mini LP CD x 4 titles + Promo Box

Feels Good to Me is the first solo studio album by former Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford. The band Bruford grew out of the line-up assembled for this album. The album features guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist Jeff Berlin, keyboardist Dave Stewart, and ECM stalwart Kenny Wheeler on fluegelhorn. Bruford also enlisted singer-songwriter Annette Peacock (who performs two of Bruford's lyrics, and contributes one of her own) and Brand X guitarist John Goodsall (who plays rhythm on the title track only). Dave Stewart was a pivotal figure in the music of the Canterbury scene with groups like Egg, Hatfield and the North and National Health, but despite his strong playing (and co-writing) presence, the album does not sound much like the Canterbury bands, and is instead closer to contemporaries Brand X (whose keyboardist Robin Lumley co-produced the album with Bill Bruford).

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bill Bruford, except where noted.

1. "Beelzebub" 3:16

2. "Back to the Beginning" 7:09

3. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part One)" 2:30

4. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part Two)" 4:25

5. "Sample and Hold"

BrufordDave Stewart

5:12

6. "Feels Good to Me" 3:49

7. "Either End of August" 5:27

8. "If You Can't Stand the Heat..."

BrufordStewart

3:20

9. "Springtime in Siberia"

BrufordStewart

2:43

10. "Adios a la pasada (Goodbye to the Past)"

BrufordAnnette Peacock

7:55

2005 remaster bonus track

11. "Joe Frazier" (live) Jeff Berlin 4:39

Personnel

Bill Bruford – drums, percussion, vocals (2)

Allan Holdsworth – electric guitar

Dave Stewart – keyboards

Jeff Berlin – bass

with

Kenny Wheeler – flugelhorn (on tracks 3, 7, 9)

Annette Peacock – lead vocals (2, 3, 10)

John Goodsall – rhythm guitar (6)

One of a Kind is the second solo album by the drummer Bill Bruford, and the first proper album by his band Bruford. Released in 1979 on EG Records, it is a collection of instrumentals in a style that can loosely be defined as jazz rock. Bruford features guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist Jeff Berlin, and keyboardist Dave Stewart. "Forever Until Sunday" and "The Sahara of Snow" had originally been performed at 1978 concerts by Bruford and Holdsworth’s previous band U.K. They were intended for a studio album, but were never properly recorded by U.K. as Bruford kept the pieces for himself when he and Holdsworth exited the band. U.K. bandmate Eddie Jobson co-wrote "The Sahara of Snow" and reprises his violin part on "Forever Until Sunday". Stewart's "Hell's Bells" utilizes a fragment penned by his former National Health colleague Alan Gowen (the 3-chord pattern underlying the guitar solo). Holdsworth's "The Abingdon Chasp" is the only piece he wrote for Bruford.

Track listing

Side one

No. Title Writer(s) Length

1. "Hell's Bells"

Dave StewartAlan Gowen

3:32

2. "One of a Kind, Pt. 1" Bill Bruford 2:20

3. "One of a Kind, Pt. 2"

BrufordStewart

4:00

4. "Travels with Myself – And Someone Else" Bruford 6:10

5. "Fainting in Coils" Bruford 6:33

6. "Five G"

Jeff BerlinBrufordStewart

4:41

7. "The Abingdon Chasp" Allan Holdsworth 4:50

8. "Forever Until Sunday" Bruford 5:46

9. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1" Bruford 5:18

10. "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2"

BrufordEddie Jobson

3:23

2005 remaster bonus track

11. "Manacles" (live 1979)

BrufordStewart

7:25

Personnel

Allan Holdsworth – electric guitar, acoustic guitar (midsection of "The Abingdon Chasp")

Dave Stewart – keyboards, synthesizers, electronics

Jeff Berlin – bass guitar

Bill Bruford – drums & percussions, voice of the Mock Turtle (intro to "Fainting in Coils")

with

Eddie Jobson – violin ("Forever Until Sunday")

Anthea Norman Taylor – voice of Alice (intro to "Fainting in Coils")

Sam Alder – narrator (intro to "Fainting in Coils")

John Clark – electric guitar ("Manacles")

Gradually Going Tornado is the third and final studio album by Bruford. It was co-produced by Bruford and Ron Malo, the latter known from his work with Weather Report. The music on the album leans closer to progressive rock than the jazz fusion oriented sound of the band’s previous albums. More of Bruford's lyrics are featured as well, for the first time sung by bassist Jeff Berlin. "Land's End" incorporates music keyboardist Dave Stewart had previously composed for the National Health album Of Queues and Cures (1978). Guitarist Allan Holdsworth left the group before recording began, and recommended John Clark as his replacement. Clark was listed as “the Unknown John Clark” on the album sleeve as part of a running joke highlighting his obscurity in comparison to Holdsworth.

The title of the album was taken from the British-based Romanian artist Paul Neagu who did a performance under the name "Gradually Going Tornado" in London in 1974. Neagu created the album's cover art.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length

1. "Age Of Information" Bill Bruford, Dave Stewart 4:41

2. "Gothic 17" Bruford, Stewart 5:07

3. "Joe Frazier" Jeff Berlin 4:41

4. "Q.E.D." Bruford, Stewart 7:46

5. "The Sliding Floor" Bruford, Stewart, Berlin 4:58

6. "Palewell Park" Bruford 3:57

7. "Plans For J.D." Bruford 3:50

8. "Land's End" Stewart 10:20

2005 remaster bonus track

No. Title Writer(s) Length

9. "5g" (Live) Bruford, Stewart, Berlin 7:21

Personnel

Dave Stewart – keyboards, synthesizers

John Clark – electric guitar

Jeff Berlin – bass guitar, lead vocals

Bill Bruford – drums

Guests:

Georgie Born – cello (“Gothic 17”)

Amanda Parsons, Barbara Gaskin – backing vocals (“Land’s End”)

The Bruford Tapes is a live 1979 album by the British band Bruford, only issued in the United States, Canada and Japan. It was recorded on July 12, 1979 in Roslyn, New York State and originally broadcast on WLIR radio. Shortly before the tour, guitarist Allan Holdsworth left the band and was replaced by his student John Clark (appearing as "the unknown John Clark" on the album sleeve), who had played with the prog group Quasar. The show features extended performances of material from the group's previous two albums Feels Good to Me and One of a Kind.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length

1. "Hells Bells" Dave Stewart, Alan Gowen 4:02

2. "Sample And Hold" Bill Bruford, Stewart 6:18

3. "Fainting In Coils" Bruford 6:34

4. "Travels With Myself - And Someone Else" Bruford 4:37

5. "Beelzebub" Bruford 3:28

6. "The Sahara Of Snow (Part One)" Bruford 4:46

7. "The Sahara Of Snow (Part Two)" Bruford, Eddie Jobson 3:07

8. "One Of A Kind (Part Two)" Bruford, Stewart 8:06

9. "5g" Bruford, Stewart, Jeff Berlin 2:39

2005 remaster bonus track

10. "The Age Of Information" Bruford, Stewart

 

Personnel

Bill Bruford – drums & percussions

Dave Stewart – electric piano, synthesizer, electronics

Jeff Berlin – bass guitar, vocal on 10

John Clark – electric guitar

King Crimson - 1975 [1990] "A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson"

A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson is a 2-LP compilation album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released in 1976. At the time of release, the band had been disbanded for nearly two years. Guitarist Robert Fripp selected the tracks for inclusion.

Its name is most likely derived either from the famous orchestral work The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by composer Benjamin Britten or the 1960s television series Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, created by conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein.

The gatefold sleeve featured artwork by Scottish artist Fergus Hall, with the front cover being The Landscape Player and the back cover being Earth. Included as part of the package was a booklet, replete with photographs, and detailing gig history and notable events; this was compiled by Robert Fripp from his own archive. The only studio album not represented is Lizard (1970).

To date, its sole CD release has been in Japan, in 1990. This 2-CD set, which faithfully duplicated the vinyl running order, included a reproduction of the booklet, scaled-down. Playing times are approximately 40 minutes long for CD1 and 35 minutes for CD2.

For almost two decades before King Crimson's catalog became a minefield of odd retrospectives, live oddities, and archival treasure troves, A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson was the only worthwhile retrospective the band had ever had -- or seemed likely to receive. Originally released in 1976 following the band's apparently irrevocable split of the year before, this Robert Fripp-compiled double album rounded up an excellent, if somewhat idiosyncratic, survey of the group's seven years together, its contents ranging from the unimpeachable classics to unimaginable rarities -- the pre-Crimson demo of "I Talk to the Wind" was a collector's dream at the time, while the presence of "Groon" took the heat off anyone who missed out on its sole previous appearance, as the B-side of 1970's "Cat Food" single. Of the other tracks, three-fifths of the debut album included the anthemic poles of "21st Century Schizoid Man" and "Epitaph," and served to remind just how powerful In the Court of the Crimson King was on release, while more recent highlights included both "Red" and "Starless" from the band's final album (Red), Starless and Bible Black's eternally atmospheric "The Night Watch," and, as if to prove that the band's sense of humor was never far from the surface, the ribald saga of "Ladies of the Road." A vast booklet of facts and figures, again compiled by Fripp and drawing from his own squirrel-like horde of King Crimson memorabilia, rounded off the package. It's a sign of just how well conceived this collection was that, no matter how many more so-called "best-ofs" the band has endured, A Young Person's Guide remains the definitive study of the original King Crimson.

Track listing:

CD 1

Epitaph (8:52)

March For No Reason

Tomorrow And Tomorrow

Cadence & Cascade 3:36

Ladies Of The Road 5:27

I Talk To The Wind (Previously Unreleased Version) 3:15

Red 6:18

Starless 12:17

CD 2

The Night Watch 4:38

Book Of Saturday 2:52

Peace - A Theme 1:14

Cat Food 2:43

Groon 3:30

Coda From Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part I 2:09

Moonchild (2:24)

The Dream

The Illusion

Trio 5:36

In The Court Of The Crimson King (9:21)

The Return Of The Fire Witch

The Dance Of The Puppets

Personnel:

- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion (5, 6, 7, 12 & 14)

- Boz Burrell / bass, vocals (3)

- Mel Collins / saxes, flute (2, 3 & 6)

- David Cross / violin (7, 8 & 14) viola & voice (12)

- Judy Dyble / vocals (4)

- Robert Fripp / guitars, mellotron, devices (all)

- Michael Giles / drums, percussion, backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 10, 11, 13 & 15)

- Peter Giles / bass (4, 10 & 11)

- Gordon Haskell / vocals (2)

- Greg Lake / bass, vocals (1, 10, 13 & 15)

- Ian McDonald / woodwinds, reeds, keyboards, mellotron, vocals (1, 4, 6, 13 & 15)

- Robin Miller / oboe (6)

- Jamie Muir / percussion, voice (12)

- Peter Sinfield / words (1, 2 & 15)

- Keith Tippett / piano (2 & 10)

- Ian Wallace / drums (3)

- John Wetton / bass, vocals (5, 6, 7, 8, 12 & 14)

Wayne Shorter - 1974 [2023] "Moto Grosso Feio"

Moto Grosso Feio is the thirteenth album by Wayne Shorter, recorded in 1970 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1974. The album features four originals by Shorter and an arrangement of "Vera Cruz" by Milton Nascimento. Some of the musicians include guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist/cellist Ron Carter, bassist Dave Holland, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Micheline Pelzer.

When delving into the expansive and storied discography of Wayne Shorter, “Moto Grosso Feio,” released in 1974, stands out as one of the most enigmatic entries. Here is an album that, while remaining true to Shorter’s reputation for innovation and exploration, veers off into terrain less traveled, even by his adventurous standards.

From the onset, “Moto Grosso Feio” invites the listener into a universe distinctly different from Shorter’s earlier works. If one were expecting a linear continuation from his previous efforts with Weather Report or even his solo albums of the ’60s, they’d quickly realize this was a departure. This isn’t to suggest a disconnection from his past but rather a bold foray into new realms.

The album’s title track, “Moto Grosso Feio,” which translates from Portuguese as “big ugly motor,” serves as an appropriate metaphor for the music’s engine: gritty, relentless, and evoking imagery of industrial landscapes and mechanized processes. It’s a sprawling epic of a track that unfolds over 12 minutes, where Shorter’s saxophone interplays beautifully with John McLaughlin’s guitar, offering an engaging dialogue between the two. Their instruments, at times, seem to be conversing, arguing, and harmonizing in the same breath.

“Iska” provides a different flavor. It’s a contemplative piece, where the complexity of the arrangements is evident. Shorter’s soprano saxophone soars, delves, and dances, guiding the listener through a labyrinth of sound. There’s a certain spaciousness to this track, a quality that allows for introspection amidst the intricate instrumentation.

“Manhattan Lorelei” is perhaps the most accessible track on the album. Its nod to more traditional jazz structures provides a sense of familiarity, but this isn’t a regression. The song serves as a reminder of Shorter’s roots, his foundational love for jazz, and his ability to interweave conventional and avant-garde elements seamlessly.

The inclusion of Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira on “Vera Cruz” infuses the track with a rhythmic vivacity that feels both earthy and ethereal. There’s an organic nature to this piece, a raw heartbeat that pulses beneath the surface of Shorter’s melodic explorations. It’s a journey to a different place, perhaps a rainforest or a bustling Brazilian cityscape, showcasing Shorter’s fascination with world music.

Yet, while the album is undeniably innovative, its experimental nature might be a double-edged sword for some. “Moto Grosso Feio” demands attentive listening. It’s not an album of instant gratification but requires patience and immersion. For the uninitiated or those expecting a more conventional jazz experience, it might feel overwhelming or esoteric.

Recorded on the same day as the superior Odyssey of Iska, this loose session (Wayne Shorter's final one for the Blue Note label) is quite unusual. Although Shorter sticks to his customary tenor and soprano, pianist Chick Corea plays marimba, drums, and percussion; bassist Ron Carter mostly performs on cello; electric guitarist John McLaughlin sticks to the 12-string guitar, and bassist Dave Holland also plays acoustic guitar, with drummer Michelin Prell rounding out the group. Not released until 1974, the music is influenced by early fusion and has its interesting moments although it often wanders. The group performs Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz" and four of Shorter's originals, of which "Montezuma" is the best-known.

“Moto Grosso Feio” can be seen as a pivotal moment in Wayne Shorter’s illustrious career. It’s a testament to his restless spirit and desire to constantly evolve, to seek out new horizons and challenge both himself and his listeners. While it may not be for everyone, its place in the annals of jazz history is indisputable. For those attuned to its frequency, it’s a profound experience that resonates deeply, long after the final note has been played.

Track listing:

All compositions by Wayne Shorter except where noted.

"Moto Grosso Feio" – 12:30

"Montezuma" – 7:53

"Antigua" – 5:25

"Vera Cruz" (Milton Nascimento) – 5:12

"Iska" – 11:22

Personnel:

Wayne Shorter — soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

John McLaughlin — 12-string guitar

Chick Corea — marimba, drums, percussion

Ron Carter — bass, cello

Dave Holland — acoustic guitar, bass

Jack DeJohnette — drums, thumb piano

Miroslav Vitouš — bass (uncredited on album cover but mentioned as part of sessions in liner notes)

Micheline Pelzer (credited as Michelin Prell) — drums, percussion

Schizoid Paul Reed Smith

 I just bought this guitar!

Robert Fripp, Brian Eno - 2014 "Live in Paris 28.05.1975"

These days nobody bats an eyelid if somebody taps at a laptop or twiddles an oscillator or two for the duration of a gig.

In 1975 it was just too much for the punters who’d packed into the Paris Olympia to see Fripp & Eno. Having escaped the restrictions of their parent acts, Robert Fripp and Brian Eno were keen to present the results of a collaboration that first began in 1972 to a live audience. It didn’t really work – the second night in Paris saw the duo booed off the stage. Thankfully, the first evening was bootlegged and it’s this gig that occupies two discs of this historic three-CD set.

Handsomely packaged, painstaking audio restorations have removed layers of sonic dirt, ensuring the music really shines through. In a way, it’s a kind of audio documentary – we hear the gentle undulations of Eno’s pre-gig VCS3 percolating through the Gauloise smoke drifting up from a bemused and restless crowd.

When the players come on stage, the sound world they create is about as far removed from the dramatic extremes of King Crimson or Roxy Music’s showmanship as it’s possible to imagine. With the players partially obscured by a movie loop of a horse endlessly trotting around a yard, the event was more akin to an art installation than the traditional gig most punters were expecting.

What we hear are raw renditions of material that comprised the darker angularities of _(No Pussyfooting) _and the slightly sweeter tones of Evening Star. The music manages to be both beautiful and, at times, incredibly brutal, veering from contemplative proto-ambient meanderings to blistering the paintwork within a 300-yard radius of the stage and blowing the bloody doors off the place.

Complementing the actual concert, the third disc consists of the reels of guitar loops across which Fripp soloed. The pristine sound quality makes these worthy of release in their own right. Added to them comes Later On, the B-side of Eno’s The Seven Deadly Finns single featuring the pair. Long out of print, its appearance on CD for the first time makes the completists among us shiver with delight.

While owing much to Terry Riley’s pioneering work, Fripp & Eno’s albums had a much wider impact on the mainstream rock audience over the longer term. With King Crimson now back in action, would it be too much to hope that in a more accepting climate, Fripp & Eno might take to the stage once more? In the meantime, this essential package is a must-have addition to your collection.

Track listing:

1-1 Water On Water 10:46

1-2 A Radical Representative Of Pinsnip 9:39

1-3 Swastika Girls 7:44

1-4 Wind On Wind 2:00

1-5 Announcement 1:13

2-1 Wind On Water 9:44

2-2 A Near Find In Rip Pop 7:21

2-3 A Fearful Proper Din 4:12

2-4 A Darn Psi Inferno 4:59

2-5 Evening Star 5:59

2-6 An Iron Frappe 10:33

2-7 Softy Gun Poison 12:31

2-8 An Index Of Metals 7:20

3-1 Test Loop I 4:07

3-2 Test Loop II 0:47

3-3 Loop Only: A Radical Representative Of Pinsnip 10:39

3-4 Loop Only: Wind On Water 9:53

3-5 Loop Only: A Darn Psi Inferno 5:40

3-6 Loop Only: Softy Gun Poison 14:45

Bonus Tracks

3-7 Loop Only: Wind On Water Reversed 9:50

3-8 Later On (Single B Side) 4:56

Personnel:

Guitar – Robert Fripp

Loops, Electronics [Devices] – Brian Eno

Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams - 1978 [1992] "Third Plane"

Third Plane is an album by jazz bassist Ron Carter, released on the Milestone label in 1977. It features performances by Carter, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams.

A second selection of five tracks recorded by the trio during the same day's sessions was released under Herbie Hancock's name as Herbie Hancock Trio.

The second album that was released from the material recorded with Herbie, Tony, and Ron at David Rubinson's new studio in San Francisco on July 13, 1977--this one released on Milestone Records due to contractual obligations

A1. "Third Plane" (5:52) a nice little Latin-shaded tune composed and anchored by Ron that sees Herbie taking the melodic lead with vim, verve and a Antonio Carlos Jobim-like respect for space and clean phrasing. The drumming is solid though rarely Tony Williams-like in its fire and creativity. Still, an excellent, beautiful tune. (9.25/10)

A2. "Quiet Times" (7:50) a late night wanderer that slides into some Miles Davis Kind of Blue-like blues in its second minute while Ron's slip-sliding bass runs up front, Tony's brushed drums down beneath the others, and Herbie's piano somewhere in between. Though Ron is credited as the song's composer, he performs more as if this were so than on the album's opener (to which he is also the credited composer), soloing quite eruditely throughout fourth and fifth minutes. Herbie's piano play even brings in a lot of Kind of Blue phrasing and stylings. (13.625/15)

A3. "Lawra" (6:06) on this one the boys return to the light, performing a Tony Williams song that would also be exhibited in expanded form (9:43) on the September V.S.O.P. release of the Greek Theater concerts sandwiched around this date in the recording studio entitled The Quintet. (9/10)

B1. "Stella By Starlight" (8:24) another cover a jazz standard, yet another one that Miles helped to resuscitate make popular, this one a song from a film of the same name that came out in 1944 and whose music was composed by Victor Young. The song was made a jazz standard via covers by Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Bud Powell, Stan Kenton's big band as well as Nat King Cole before Miles grabbed it and twice revived it's popularity in 1955 and as part of his live concert standards in the mid -1960s. Nice rendition though I know the previous versions so little that it feels fresh and original (if a little scattered) to me. (17.75/20)

B2. "United Blues" (2:59) another Carter composition that displays Ron's propensity for bounce and syncopation with the trio being asked to hold fast and firm to a very clean and clear-cut discipline throughout. (8.875/10)

B3. "Dolphin Dance" (8:18) here reviving an old Herbie classic (originally from Maiden Voyage, it was inspired by a Count Basie tune), the band rises and falls with the ocean swells as Herbie and Ron swim playfully around each other while Tony seems content to watch like a mesmerized child. (18.5/20)

If I have any complaint of this album it would be of the continued low levels of the drums and continued far-forward push of Ron's bass: I would like to have heard from these recordings at The Automatt a little more even leveling of the three instruments as I found myself tiring a bit at trying to work past Ron's bass playing, as amazing as it is, in order to hear Tony's drum play.

Total Time 38:03

Track listing:

"Third Plane" (Carter) – 5:53

"Quiet Times" (Carter) – 7:52

"Lawra" (Tony Williams) – 6:08

"Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 8:26

"United Blues" (Carter) – 3:01

"Dolphin Dance" (Herbie Hancock) – 8:20

Personnel:

Ron Carter – bass

Herbie Hancock – piano

Tony Williams – drums

BEAT - 2024 - "Neon Heat Disease" LIVE in Los Angeles

BEAT: Former King Crimson members ADRIAN BELEW and TONY LEVIN band together with guitar virtuoso STEVE VAI and explosive Tool drummer DANNY CAREY for the first time to create BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s KING CRIMSON albums – Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.

ADRIAN BELEW

“The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own. Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce. For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we’re going for it! There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”

STEVE VAI

“Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the 80’s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. Adrian, Tony and Danny are unique musicians with an otherworldly insight into presenting rich musical complexities in a very accessible way, and I am looking forward to searching each other’s musical minds in real time on stage. I’m sure sparks will fly.” He continues, “Father Robert Fripp is one of our historical geniuses. His highly specific and exceptionally brilliant guitar technique is studied and revered. His contribution to the quality of my musical life, and so many others is supreme. I can assure the fans of KC that I will be putting my best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves. Did I say ‘sparks will fly?’”

TONY LEVIN

“This is going to be quite a tour. Revisiting some of my favorite music is a treat in itself, but in company of this stellar lineup, I expect to have my musical butt kicked! And it’s also great that we’re not just playing a few shows, we’re hitting it hard. So, Road Dogs are coming to your area soon.”

DANNY CAREY

“I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet. Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true. There’s nothing better to make some sparks fly and light a fire under your ass than getting out of your musical comfort zone, and I can’t think of any other three guys I’d rather do this with. I think I can speak for all of us when I say I hope all of our fans are as excited as we are about this tour.”

“A truly virtuosic and deeply musical homage to King Crimson’s legacy – hugely entertaining”: BEAT LIVE captures the joy of Adrian Belew, Steve Vai, Tony Levin and Danny Carey reviving and evolving the 80s"

In 2017, as they were working on the live production of Celebrating David Bowie, Adrian Belew and the show’s producer Angelo Bundini got chatting. Wouldn’t it be great, Bundini enthused, if Belew could put together a live band performing songs from Discipline, Beat and Three Of A Perfect Pair, the celebrated King Crimson triptych of the 1980s?

Founding member Robert Fripp was consulted. He eventually declined involvement, but gave Belew his blessing to proceed. The pandemic and the conflicting tour schedules of eminent in-demand musicians further stalled proceedings, but by 2024 Belew’s dream line-up was good to go.

Tony Levin would revive his position on Chapman stick, Tool’s resident Bill Bruford aficionado Danny Carey would handle drums, and Steve Vai – a big fan of Fripp’s 1979 solo LP Exposure – would step up on second guitar alongside frontman Belew.

“Crimson’s music has a complexity that scratches an itch I have,” Vai said in 2024, chatting about the challenges of nailing Fripp’s “relentless” riffage on Discipline and other releases.

Documenting the band’s September 2024 show at The Theater On Broadway, Los Angeles, BEAT LIVE is a truly virtuosic and deeply musical homage to Crimson’s legacy. The deluxe Blu-ray version has beautifully filmed footage of the entire show – hugely entertaining from the moment a grinning Belew appears in a salmon-pink suit and pork pie hat.

Buzzing on the live resurrection of such deliciously tricksy tunes as Neal And Jack And Me – not to mention Three Of A Perfect Pair material that was never played live back in the day – BEAT also sound supremely relaxed here, as can be garnered from Belew’s banter with the crowd.

He and Vai coax alien love secrets from their guitars, while Carey pounds on Bruford’s old rototoms, given to him by Belew. There’s an audible joy in their live performance, which, together with their ability to segue from pachyderm-impersonating dissonance (Elephant Talk) to languorous ambience (Matte Kudasai), ensures they never sound remotely indulgent.

The quartet’s combined chops are next level, but it’s all done in the service of some wonderfully daring and unique music that Belew’s articulate, stream-of- consciousness lyrics pull in a more art-rock direction. And Vai, we’re reminded, is often at his very best while serving the music of others.

Belew is clearly in his element here, thrilled that he and Levin’s work with Crimson is alive, kicking and evolving.

Track listing:

CD1:

1. Neurotica 

2. Neal And Jack And Me 

3. Heartbeat 

4. Sartori In Tangier 

5. Model Man 

6. Dig Me 

7. Man With An Open Heart 

8. Industry 

9. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, Part III 

CD2:

1. Waiting Man 

2. The Sheltering Sky 

3. Sleepless 

4. Frame By Frame 

5. Matte Kudasai 

6. Elephant Talk 

7. Three Of A Perfect Pair 

8. Indisicipline 

9. Red 

10. Thela Hun Ginjeet 

Personnel:

Adrian Belew – guitar & vocals

Tony Levin – bass, chapman stick, keyboards, backing vocals

Steve Vai – guitar

Danny Carey – drums

Wayne Shorter - 1967 [2021] "Schizophrenia"

Schizophrenia is the eleventh album by Wayne Shorter, recorded on March 10, 1967, and released on the Blue Note label in May 1969. The album features five Shorter compositions and an arrangement of James Spaulding's "Kryptonite". The album features Shorter with alto saxophonist/flautist Spaulding, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Joe Chambers.

Wayne Shorter was 33 on March 10, 1967, when he recorded Schizophrenia. It was his eleventh leader date overall, his eighth for Blue Note, and first in a little over a year, after having recorded the previous seven within the 17 months following Night Dreamer in April 1964. He was 30 months into a five-and-a-half-year association with Miles Davis, who had followed a half-year hiatus in 1965 by finding steady work for the Shorter-Hancock-Carter-Williams laboratory, resulting in the music documented two months after Schizophrenia on the astonishing Sorcerer, the date that clarified, as Todd Coolman wrote in the notes for Miles Davis Quintet: 1965-‘68, that Miles “had found and solidified the sound, style, and substance he had been searching for” and that the group, with Shorter as its “central compositional voice,” had become “the singular pivotal force in propelling jazz out of the bebop era and into the music of the ‘70s and beyond.”

On Schizophrenia, the leader deploys a less-traveled front line mix of his tenor saxophone, James Spaulding’s alto saxophone or flute, and Curtis Fuller’s trombone, and the same unitary Hancock-Carter-Joe Chambers “rhythm section” that coalesced Shorter’s October 1965 septet suite, The All Seeing Eye, into a visionary masterpiece. He feeds them such ravishing, harmonically ambiguous songs as “Go” and “Miyako” (for his daughter) and burners-with-an-edge like the title track and “Playground” to dig into. In sum, Shorter attains an equipoise between his first-half-of-the-‘60s achievements in “bish-bash, sock ‘em dead’ hardbop as musical director with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the form-bending equations he was conjuring for his Davis bandmates to experiment with on a nightly basis.

Although it couldn’t be predicted in 1967, Schizophrenia would be Shorter’s last “straight-ahead jazz” album for a while. On his ninth Blue Note date, Super Nova, rendered 30 months later, Shorter incorporated multiple guitars and percussion (with a decidedly Afro-Brazilian orientation), offering his own perspective on the new sounds that Miles Davis was exploring on the 1969 recordings In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. “Miles called me later,” Shorter once told me. “He said,‘We covered a lot of ground, didn’t we.’ His saying that stayed with me. It was music for music’s sake. Miles realized that we had covered a lot of ground; somehow it touched his whole human essence.”

One of the albums that Shorter recorded while he was part of Miles’ second quintet, Schizophrenia is somewhat of a cornerstone or hinge in his solo discography. Indeed, while still entrenched in the standard jazz like his previous albums (like SNE, for ex), Wayne is definitely wondering about and sometimes daring to reach beyond himself, something that Miles was also doing, as clearly both men were pushing each other. The present album is still in the previous effort’s line, despite a psychedelic photo for artwork, with the usual suspects of Hancock, Chambers and Carter, but fronting a horn-trio with, perhaps, the less-expected Spaulding (flute, sax) and Fuller (trombone).

Track listing:

"Tom Thumb" – 6:16

"Go" – 5:42

"Schizophrenia" – 6:50

"Kryptonite" (James Spaulding) – 6:29

"Miyako" – 5:00

"Playground" – 6:20

Personnel:

Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone

Curtis Fuller – trombone

James Spaulding – flute, alto saxophone

Herbie Hancock – piano

Ron Carter – bass

Joe Chambers – drums

The Subterraneans - 2010 "The Subterraneans"

The initial concept of blending jazz and rock some 42 years ago was inspired, but the fusion was soon hijacked by the come-upstairs-and-see-my-technique brigade, and bombast came to replace groove and imagination.

James Ryan's "Subterraneans" - the name of both the band and album - actually fulfils the concept's original promise, with sophisticated improvising and lithe melodies harnessed to raw power and savage riffs. The band is one of Sydney's strongest live acts, and this brilliant studio debut catches all that excitement, and delivers it with a mighty sonic punch.

  Ryan's tenor saxophone is burly, coarse-grained and bullying (in the instrument's best tradition!), with a sweeter temper periodically glimpsed through the pugnacity. He needs all those qualities to share his music's foreground with James Muller, one of the finest electric guitarists alive.

Unleashing his most stunning recorded work to date, Muller's every solo is an explosion of ideas, realised with the sinuousness of jazz and the muscle of hard rock.

The rhythm section echoes those qualities. Bassist Steve Hunter is all suppleness as he rounds the music's edges and adds delicious little counterpoints. Drummer James Hauptmann ensures the grooves crunch with enough power to satisfy a strident rock audience, without forsaking a more pliable sense of groove.

This sensational CD is launched at the Basement on June 30.

John Shand Sydney Morning Herald June 2010 

Track listing:

01 The Rush

02 Portobello Road

03 Jackie Dragons

04 The Journey

05 So to Speak

06 The Subterraneans

07 Currumbin Sun

08 Zing Zing Zing

09 Kid Shuffle

10 Them's the Brakes

Personnel:

Baritone Saxophone – James Ryan 

Drums – James Hauptmann

Electric Bass – Steve Hunter 

Electric Guitar – James Muller

Tenor Saxophone – James Ryan 

Teus Nobel Liquid Music Quintet - 2012 "Flow"

Teus Nobel is a Dutch jazz trumpet player and flugelhorn player. He performs with different bands and is a teacher at Fontys Hogeschool. In 2020 he won an Edison Award for the album Saudade.

Teus Nobel studied classical music and jazz at the Codarts University for the Arts in Rotterdam. Here he obtained a bachelor's (2006) and a master's degree, with a research project on the intellectual legacy of jazz trumpeter Woody Shaw.

He has played and toured with the Rotterdam Ska Jazz Foundation, Caro Emerald, The Kyteman Orchestra and Frank McComb. With his own Liberty Group he performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

Nobel has released several albums, with Liberty Group and collaborated with Jef Neve and Roeland Jacobs/Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. With Jacobs he won an Edison Award in 2020 for their Saudade album.

He has been a teacher at Fontys Academy of Music & Performing Arts since 2020.

In 2012, Teus released his first solo album, an album called “Flow”. The album featured several dutch artists, including alto star Ben van Gelder. The band was welcomed as a ‘fresh and wayward quintet’ (newspaper Parool) and an ‘interesting new group’ (magazine Jazzism) and Teus was called out “Soul & Jazz Talent” bij Radio 6. The album single “Shifting Expectations” was #1 in the iTunes jazz charts for over a week and Teus’ Liquid Music Quintet made their appearance in multiple radioshows, introduced as the ‘new kid on the block’.

Dutch trumpet player Teus Nobel presents his first solo album Flow! This cd features his Liquid Music Quintet with their own compositions. These songs were created when Teus melted the music of the great trumpeters Roy Hargrove, Christian Scott, Eric Vloeimans and Woody Shaw together with the music of Pat Metheny and Herbie Hancock.

The result is Liquid jazz: a style balancing on the flow-motion between comfort zone and the unknown which sounds like groovy, contemporary jazz dipped into a little fusion.

Track listing:

1 Intro 0:49

2 Shifting Expectations 3:51

3 Gut Feeling 8:10

4 Water Resist (Feat. Tom Beek) 5:45

5 Believe 5:42

6 Escape From All I Know (Feat. Ben van Gelder) 6:51

7 Big Four 5:08

8 Inner Depth (Feat. Qeaux Qeaux Joans) 6:32

9 Brain Storm 6:27

Personnel:

Teus Nobel (trumpet/fluegelhorn)

Jerome Hol (guitar)

Daan Herweg (keys)

Hugo Den Oudsten (bass)

Salle de Jonge (drums)

Ben van Gelder (alto saxophone)

Tom Beek (tenor saxophone)

Qeaux Qeaux Jones (vocal)

Bunny Brunel - 1984 [1996] "Ivanhoe"

Ivanhoe by Bunny Brunel Featuring... BUNNY BRUNEL: Fretless Bass & Electric Upright Bass CHICK COREA: Mini Moog & Fender Rhodes HERBIE HANCOCK: Piano STANLEY CLARKE: Piccolo Bass TONY WILLIAMS: Drums JOE FARRELL: Tenor & Soprano Saxes BILL WATROUS: Trombone STEVE KUJALA: Tenor Sax AL VIZZUTTI: Trumpet DANIEL GOYONE, KEI AKAGI, KEN SHIMA: Keyboards MICHAEL O'NEILL, BERNARD TORELLI: Guitars JEAN PAUL CECCARELLI, TOM BRECHTLEIN: Drums DON ALIAS, LAUDIR DE OLIVIERA: Percussion.

About Bunny Brunel.... When CHICK COREA watched BERNARD BUNNY BRUNEL play one night at an upscale London jazz club in 1978, Bunny was unaware of the ultimate significance Corea would play in his future success as a bassist. A few weeks after that visit to London, Chick called Bunny on the telephone and asked him to pack up and join him on a world wide tour. Bunny quickly accepted and went on to record the classics "Tap Step" and "Secret Agent" with the legendary jazz fusionist. 

The roster of artists Bunny went on to record and perform with is practically a "Who's Who" of music industry giants. Notables include: HERBIE HANCOCK, WAYNE SHORTER, TONY WILLIAMS, AL JARREAU, NATALIE COLE, LARRY CORYELL, AL DIMEOLA, MIKE STERN, JOE FARRELL, and a list that goes on and on. Besides his work as a performer, he is equally at home in the roles of composer, arranger and producer. 

As a soundtrack composer, Bunny collaborated with Clint Eastwood in creating the main theme ("Claudia's Theme") for the Oscar winning film, "The Unforgiven." He also worked on several TV shows, including the popular series "Highlander." As a designer, Bunny created a line of Electric Bass Guitars for Carvin Corp. And an Electric Upright Bass. 

Bunny has released many albums. See his page on CD Baby or personal website at bunnybrunel.com for current list. These projects highlight his beautiful compositions and melodic solos and show off breathtaking bass lines. 

'CAB2' was nominated for the "Best Contemporary Jazz Instrumental Album" Grammy award of 2002. Taking an active interest in helping bass players, Brunel regularly gives seminars and lessons on his unique approach to the instrument. He has written several books and instructional videos.

Great, great, great! Meaningful and well-constructed music for jazz-fusion aficionados. The overall sound is awesome and Brunel has it all: the sound, the groove, the compositional knack. The guests are well-chosen and used: Herbie Hancock on piano on two tracks, Chick Corea, Tony Williams, Joe Farrell etc. Tracks are in various styles: latin, funk, jazz... Track dedicatees include Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea.

As far as bass players are concerned, this is better than anything by Stanley Clarke (who plays piccolo bass here on the opening track), Marcus Miller or Victor Wooten. If I was to describe Brunel's sound on bass, I'd say he is somehow at the crossroads between Jaco Pastorius (for the velocity and groove) and Bill Laswell (for the BIG sound and some of the effects used), with a strong hint of Stanley Clarke thrown in. This record (which I discovered via the Hancock connection) has made me hungry for other Brunel recordings. This one's from 1986, still sounds fresh in 2009 and it sincerely is a blast.

Track listing:

1 Ivanhoe 4:48

2 Going Home 4:28

3 Dede 6:00

4 Latin 6:10

5 Magic Player 3:25

6 Song For Wayne 8:50

7 As My Brother 3:20

8 Nani 3:23

Personnel:

Bass [Piccolo] – Stanley Clarke (tracks: A1)

Bass, Producer – Bunny Brunel

Congas – Don Alias (tracks: A2)

Drums – Tony Williams* (tracks: A1, B4), Jean Paul Ceccarelli* (tracks: B1, B3), Tom Brechtlein (tracks: A2, A3, A4, B2)

Guitar – Bernard Torrelli* (tracks: B1, B3), Michael O'Neill (tracks: A2, A3)

Keyboards – Chick Corea (tracks: A2, A4), Daniel Goyone (tracks: B1, B3)

Percussion – Laudir De Oliveira (tracks: A2, A4)

Piano – Herbie Hancock (tracks: A4, B2), Ken Akagi* (tracks: A3)

Piano, Keyboards – Ken Shima (tracks: A1, A3)

Saxophone – Joe Farrell (tracks: B1, B3), Steve Kujala (tracks: B1, B3)

Trombone – Bill Watrous (tracks: B1, B2, B3)

Trumpet – Al Vizzutti* (tracks: B1, B3)

Vocals, Percussion – Nani Villa Brunel

Ray Riendeau Joe Morris Ted Belledin - 2002 "Arrhythmia"

Arrhythmia is a classic jazz Fusion record. Original compositions played by truly gifted musicians. Certainly on the high energy side chops is the game and these guys can play. Thought has been put into these arrangements and the flow of the charts shines through. Very cool record for anyone who appreciates great performances. Recording sounds smooth and authentic.

The latest project, Arrhythmia, was more of a band effort that included Joe again on drums along with saxophonist Ted Belledin. This CD was different than all the previous ones in that we spent a lot more time writing ideas rather than just jamming. I also included more of my fingerstyle playing along with the usual slap acrobatics.

All in all, I'm proud of every CD. Each one of them was recorded at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences here in Phoenix. Joe is the musical director so we got free studio time. The only drawback was that everything we recorded was done under severe time constraints and was live, meaning we didn't use Pro Tools to fix things. We got one or two takes to get it right before we had to move on. I think the recordings reflect this, and I like that they have a very raw, visceral quality to them. Ray Riendeau.

Track Listing:

01 Arrhythmia

02 Kundalini

03 Momentum

04 Right View

05 Bodhi Tree

06 What is Rhythm?

07 Decon Recon

08 Right Speech

09 Chant

10 Sunyata

11 Hidden Channels Of The Mind

12 Mental Landscape

13 Ornithology

14 911

Personnel:

Ray Riendeau - Bass

Joe Morris - Drums

Ted Belledin - Saxophone

King Crimson - 1982 [2024] "Sheltering Skies" (Live in Frejus August 27th 1982)

Sheltering Skies is the first time the Frejus '82 show has been made available as a standalone release, and deservedly so. It's a fine snapshot of King Crimson at the height of their technical powers during a period of reinvention and stands as one of the group's finest live recordings.

Recorded initially for a video release, the audio from the concert will be issued as standalone release for the first time. Also, this is the first time a live album from the 1980s line-up appears on vinyl. The 1980s King Crimson was, in terms of concert performances/album releases, still less than a year old when this album was recorded. The collective decades’ of experience of the individual musicians is funnelled through the enthusiasm and freshness of the line-up and the newness of the material to produce a special concert recording.

There’s a palpable sense of energy and enthusiasm from the audience captured on the tapes at this concert as King Crimson (sharing a European tour with then label band mates Roxy Music) take to the stage in Fréjus, France, in late Summer, 1982. With two albums’ worth of material to draw upon (Discipline, October 1981 and Beat, June 1982) and extensive touring that had already seen the band play concerts in the UK, Europe, USA, and Japan, the live shows - as often with King Crimson – had a dynamism & punch that simply couldn’t be replicated in a recording studio. Add a pair of classic KC instrumentals, (Red & Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part Two), to that mix & all the ingredients were there for a very special performance.

In terms of live performance – the area in which King Crimson had and would always do its more innovative sonic exploration – the group was arguably at its peak circa 1982. The foursome had become comfortable (though that’s assuredly the wrong word) with the material from Discipline, and there was a cracking energy applied to the newest tracks showcased on Beat. That second-of-three was released in mid-June of ‘82, and by late August the band was simply on fire.

One more especially notable recording would come from an August 27, 1982 performance in Frejus, France. Now released commercially – which is to say not via fan-only channels, but through wider retail outlets – Sheltering Skies is a document of that performance.

The set list draws primarily from Discipline and Beat, but torrid versions of “Red” and “Larks Tongues in Aspic” are presented as well. The arrangements strike a fine balance between faithfulness ot the studio counterparts and an exploratory approach that opens up the material. Belew’s vocals in particular often deviate from the studio versions. The improvisational approach that marked mid ‘70s Crimson (as documented on USA) and later “double trio” and “seven headed beast” configurations would largely be set aside. But the music still crackles with unpredictability. The dizzyingly complex musical interplay of cuts like “Thela Hut Ginjeet” demanded much of the four musicians, but in their capable hands it also provided a canvas for flights of musical adventurousness. The aural maelstrom that is “Indiscipline” is even more terrifying in Frejus than in the studio. The subtle magnificence of “The Sheltering Sky” is even more transcendent here than on Discipline.

The music is muscular, tight and daring all at once, and thanks to the confluence of superb sonics and the spontaneity baked into live performance, some listeners may find that they prefer the recordings here over the ones on the studio LPs. Ultimately, there’s no reason to choose. Get ‘em both and luxuriate.

Track Listing:

01 Thela Hun Ginjeet 7:07

02 Matte Kudasai 3:32

03 Indiscipline 10:09

04 Red 6:02

05 Heartbeat 4:10

06 The Sheltering Sky 10:42

07 Elephant Talk 5:05

08 Neal And Jack And Me 5:42

09 Waiting Man 8:32

10 Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part II 7:14

11 The Sheltering Sky 9:31

Personnel:

Robert Fripp: Guitar       

Adrian Belew:­ Guitar, Lead Vocal

Tony Levin: Stick, Bass Guitar and Support Vocal

Bill Bruford: Drums and Percussion

Various Artists - 1998 [2000] "Who Loves You?" A Tribute to Jaco Pastorius

Jaco Pastorius was as brash and confident as they came, an innovative and challenging musician who, if anyone asked, would call himself the best bass player in the world. Almost 14 years after his death, the legend of Jaco continues to grow. This tribute, produced by Michael Colina, assembles players who jammed with Jaco on record and stage, and also those who were and continue to be inspired by his groundbreaking style.

Former bandmates Peter Erskine, Michael and Randy Brecker, Don Alias, David Sanborn, Mike Stern and Bob Mintzer all play with passion, as do bassists Victor Bailey (who replaced Jaco in Weather Report), Mark Egan, Will Lee, Marcus Miller, John Geus and John Patitucci.

Fittingly, the CD opens with Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone from the Sun.” Hendrix’s time was a few years before Jaco’s but Hendrix’s guitar was the same as Jaco’s bass: reckless, daring, uncompromising. Although Jaco could jam like a mother, he expressed many moments of tenderness, as invoked by Egan’s fretless bass on Joe Zawinul’s “A Remark You Made” and Bailey’s lead bass on Pastorius’ “Continuum” from Jaco’s debut solo album.

There are many more highlights, including the seldom-heard “Dania,” a free form and flying excursion with soaring sax lines from Mintzer. Two magical moments are fresh takes on Jaco’s best songs: “Three Views of a Secret” and “Portrait of Tracy,” the latter with Marcus Miller producing and playing all instruments. Sanborn’s sax is magical on “Song for Jaco-Song for a Friend.”

Of course, this isn’t a bass CD anymore than Jaco’s records were bass albums. It’s a jazz CD, with top jazz musicians infusing their own styles, from Bob James and Jeff “Train” Watts to Will Lee, saxophonist Bill Evans and Joey Calderazzo.

A bonus: Excellent liner notes from Jaco biographer Bill Milkowski.

This tribute to the genius of jazz/fusion bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius features many of the friends and musicians that jammed with the legendary musician, including Victor Bailey (who replaced Pastorius in the Weather Report lineup in 1982) and drummer Peter Erskine (Pastorius's bandmate in Word of Mouth). Bassists Mark Egan, Marcus Miller, Will Lee, James Genus, and John Patitucci play three originals composed in memory of the bassist and cover six songs composed by Pastorius. 

"Third Stone From the Sun" is also included, a song that alludes to a riff that Pastorius would often quote in concert during his bass reign with Weather Report. At the center of this tribute the listener will find a treasure. In what must be one of the most stirring renditions of "A Remark You Made," tenor saxophonist Bill Evans plays a beautifully haunting sax melody underscored by Gil Goldstein's accordion and keyboards that taps into the depths of one's soul. This powerful rendition of Joe Zawinul's composition is even more emotional because of Mark Egan's recreation of the signature fretless bass voice that brilliantly reflects the nucleus of Pastorius' greatness. This, along with the plaintive wail of Mike Stern's guitar that adds another layer of pent-up passion, will bring tears to your eyes. 

Victor Bailey plays "Continuum" to perfection and offers some highly authoritative statements to his excellent perception of the original vision. The song continues to stand as an enduring medium for their brilliant bass chops. Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Bob James perform the compelling ballad "Three Views of a Secret," with Brecker's muted trumpet emphasizing the dramatic inner self, or secret through shifts in nuance. "Song for Jaco - Song for a Friend" spotlights the reverence of alto saxophonist David Sanborn, the beautiful piano of Bob James, and the contemplative guitar of Steve Cardenas and closes the beautiful tribute. 

The music on Who Loves You: A Tribute to Jaco Pastorius is expressive, emotional, and brilliantly eulogizes the passion and forces that were a part of Jaco Pastorius' essence.

Track Listing/Personnel:

01 Third Stone From The Sun - Michael Brecker/Joey Calderazzo/John Patitucci/Jeff 'Tain' Watts

02 A Remark You Made - Bill Evans/Mike Stern/Gil Goldstein/Mark Egan/Steve Gadd/Don Alias/Kevin DiSimone

03 Continuum - Victor Bailey/Gil Goldstein/Steve Gadd/Don Alias/Michael Colina

04 Jaco - Bob Mintzer/Mike Stern/Gil Goldstein/Mark Egan/Steve Gadd/Don Alias

05 Fall'n Star - John Patitucci/Steve Cardenas/George Whitty/James Genus/Peter Erskine

06 Okonkole Y Trompa - Randy Brecker/George Whitty/John Patitucci/Peter Erskine/Don Alias/Michael Colina

07 Come On, Come Over - Hiram Bullock/Will Lee/Jim Beard/Steve Gadd/Don Alias/Andy Snitzer/Chris Hunter/Jim Hynes...

08 Three Views Of A Secret - Randy Brecker/Bob James/Steve Cardenas/James Genus/Peter Erskine

09 Dania - Hiram Bullock/Jim Beard/Mark Egan/Steve Gadd/Don Alias

10 Portrait Of Tracy - Marcus Miller

11 Song For Jaco - Song For A Friend - David Sanborn/Bob James/Steve Cardenas/James Genus/Peter Erskine/Michael Colina

Selling my CD's!

 I'm selling most of my CD's. Unfortunately they will only let me list 100 at a time. In alphabetical order, I'm up to "C". As I sell more I will list more and keep adding on. Peace.

crimhead420 on eBay

John Beasley - Frankfurt Radio Big Band - 2024 "Returning To Forever"

Return To Forever, led by the legendary Chick Corea and featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, was one of the great fusion bands of the 1970s. The group evolved through three distinct phases: the Brazilian fusion group with vocalist Flora Purim, percussionist Airto, and reed/flute player Joe Farrell; the rock-influenced quartet with drummer Lenny White and either guitarist Bill Connors or Al DiMeola; and a later ensemble with six horns, drummer Gerry Brown, and Corea’s wife, singer Gayle Moran.

In 2019, pianist/keyboardist, arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, music director, and educator John Beasley embarked on an ambitious project: reimagining Return To Forever’s music for the GRAMMY®-nominated Frankfurt Radio Big Band (hr-Bigband.) While some of Corea’s pieces (and Clarke’s “Vulcan Worlds”) have been performed in various ways over the years, they had never been adapted for a large jazz orchestra at this level. Due to the COVID pandemic, the music was not recorded until 2023, and is now being released as Returning To Forever.

Before starting the project, Beasley reached out to Corea for his blessing. “Chick gave me his blessings and offered his original handwritten charts. He asked me to share my arrangements with him. I was amazed by how open-minded he was,” says Beasley. He wrote four arrangements, but before he could send them, the world learned of Corea’s passing on February 9th, 2021.

Beasley preserved each chosen song’s form, theme, and essence while making the pieces sound like a natural fit for a big band. Starting with the excitement of Captain Señor Mouse, Returning To Forever includes exhilarating transformations of Space Circus, No Mystery, the funky Vulcan Worlds (with the horns playing transcriptions of Corea’s keyboard solos), the passionate Medieval Overture, the lyrical ballad You’re Everything which also includes La Fiesta, and the episodic Return To Forever.

THE MUSIC OF CHICK COREA’S LEGENDARY GROUP, RETURN TO FOREVER . . . REIMAGINED THE LATEST COLLABORATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE GRAMMY®- WINNER BEASLEY & THE TWICE-NOMINATED FRANKFURT RADIO BIG BAND “Chick gave me his blessings and offered his original handwritten charts. He asked me to share my arrangements with him. I was amazed by how open-minded he was.” —JOHN BEASLEY As a pianist/keyboardist, arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, music director, and educator, John Beasley has contributed to countless memorable, critically-acclaimed projects. Returning To Forever, with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, is a standout achievement in his illustrious career. 

Return To Forever, led by Chick Corea and featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, was one of the great fusion bands of the 1970s. Now, Beasley has rearranged and reimagined RTF’s music for the GRAMMY®-nominated Frankfurt Radio Big Band. Before starting the project, Beasley reached out to Corea for his blessing. Excited by the idea, Chick sent Beasley handwritten charts, but passed away before he could hear where Beasley and the Big Band would take them. With a dozen Grammy® nominations and two wins, Returning To Forever is the latest milestone in Beasley’s career. 

In his twenties, he worked as a keyboardist with both Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. He has had a long-time association with Dianne Reeves and has collaborated with Christian McBride, Chaka Khan, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Steely Dan, Queen Latifah, Somi, and Chucho Valdés, among others. He’s worked behind the scenes on countless film & TV scores and released over a dozen albums as a leader. The Frankfurt Radio Big Band (aka hr-Bigband) is a 17-piece jazz orchestra currently led by 12-time Grammy®-nominee Jay McNeely.

From the opening salvo of Captain Señor Mouse on John Beasley's Returning to Forever album, featuring the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, it's clear that you're in for a magical reimagining of classic Return to Forever (RTF) compositions. It's been half a century since Chick Corea launched RTF, elevating jazz fusion to new heights on the musical landscape. And as legendary as the original 1970's recordings were, John Beasley's insightful arrangements brought to life by the musical prowess of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band provokes an energy and vibrancy that only a jazz orchestra can deliver.

Track listing:

1. Captain Sen?or Mouse

2. Space Circus

3. No Mystery

4. Vulcan Worlds

5. Medieval Overture

6. You're Everything / La Fiesta

7. Return to Forever

The Fusion Syndicate - 2012 "The Fusion Syndicate"

 

The Fusion Syndicate is a supergroup project from the producer of the similarly ambitious Prog Collective album. Featured on various jazz-rock and fusion cuts here are such musicians as Yes' Rick Wakeman, guitarist Larry Coryell, drummer Billy Cobham, Dixie Dregs' Steve Morse, and many more. These are moody, sometimes funky, sometimes more hard-rocking and always atmospheric instrumental cuts that blur the lines between rock, jazz, and new age.

In 2012, the world of Fusion Rock/Jazz was shook by the introduction of a new supergroup of unparalleled musical virtuosos who came together under one umbrella for a blockbuster studio album. Both the group and its debut album were called simply The Fusion Syndicate, and it featured some of the biggest names in fusion including members of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Yellowjackets, Brand X, Soft Machine, and Spyro Gyra PLUS Yes, Dream Theater, King Crimson, Tool, Porcupine Tree, Hawkwind and more!

Tracks Listing:

1. Random Acts Of Science (7:52)

2. Stone Cold Infusion (7:30)

3. Molecular Breakdown (7:19)

4. Particle Accelerations (7:37)

5. At The Edge Of The Middle (7:34)

6. Atom Smashing (7:33)

7. In The Spirit Of... (7:15)

Total time 52:40

Line-up / Musicians

- Billy Sherwood / keyboards, Rhodes, synths, guitars, vocals, composer, production & mixing

With:

- Rick Wakeman / keyboards (1)

- Jerry Goodman / violins (1)

- Nik Turner / sax (1)

- Jimmy Haslip / bass (1)

- Steve Stevens / guitar (2)

- Jordan Rudess / keyboards (2)

- Mel Collins / sax (2)

- Colin Edwin / bass (2)

- Billy Cobham / drums (2)

- Jay Beckenstein / sax (3)

- Billy Sheehan / bass (3)

- Gavin Harrison / drums (3)

- David Sancious / keyboards (3)

- Larry Coryell / guitar (4)

- Derek Sherinian / keyboards (4)

- Eric Marienthal / sax (4)

- Chester Thompson / drums (4)

- Steve Morse / guitar (5)

- Jim Beard / piano (5)

- Randy Brecker / trumpet (5)

- Percy Jones / bass (5)

- John Etheridge / guitar (6)

- Tony Kaye / Hammond & synths (6)

- Chad Wackerman / drums (6)

- Steve Hillage / guitar (7)

- Scott Kinsey / keyboards (7)

- Theo Travis / sax (7)

- Justin Chancellor / bass (7)

- Asaf Sirkis / drums (7)

Jimi Hendrix - 1968 [2013] "Miami Pop Festival"

Miami Pop Festival is a posthumous live album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, documenting their May 18, 1968 performance at the Pop & Underground Festival in Hallandale, Florida. It features eight songs recorded during their evening performance, along with two extra songs.

The album was released on November 5, 2013, in conjunction with the Jimi Hendrix video documentary, Hear My Train A Comin'. "Fire" and "Foxey Lady", recorded during the afternoon-show, were also released as a stereo 45 rpm single. The album reached number 39 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and number 120 on the Belgian (Walloon) chart.

By the time Jimi Hendrix took the stage at Hallandale, Florida’s Gulfstream Park on May 18, 1968, the 25-year old guitarist, songwriter and visionary’s reputation preceded him.  He had already released two studio albums (1967’s Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love released in 1967 in the U.K. and 1968 in the U.S.) and established himself as an unpredictable performer not to be missed when he set his guitar ablaze amidst the peace and love of the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967.  With Jimi Hendrix, there was always fire – if not literally, always musically.

There were actually two Miami Pop Festivals that year.  Hendrix joined Frank Zappa and his Mothers of Invention, Blue Cheer, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and others for the May festival promoted by Flipper trainer Ric O’Barry and future Woodstock guru Michael Lang.  In late December, promoters Tom Rounds and Mel Lawrence held another fest at the same venue, enlisting artists including Procol Harum, The Turtles, Jose Feliciano, Country Joe and the Fish, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.  The May event welcomed an estimated 50,000 people, and inspired Hendrix to pen “Rainy Day, Dream Away” (included on Electric Ladyland, released in September 1968) when his planned performance on the second day was cancelled due to inclement weather. Lang, proprietor of a Miami head shop that was one of the first such establishments on the East Coast, dubbed the event as “where the seeds of Woodstock were sown.”

So, you’re probably thinking: “wait, another Hendrix live album – aren’t we scraping the bottom of the barrel”?  The answer is, an emphatic NO.  In fact, Miami Pop Festival may turn out to be one of the finest documents of the cosmically-talented guitarist’s short career.

If it’s that good, why wasn’t it released until now?  Well, these tapes were thought to be long lost, so better late than never, right?

Organized by Michael Lang, who would famously put together Woodstock a year later, the Miami Pop Festival was the first outdoor rock festival on the East coast.  Thrown together in a month, the promoters lucked out when Jimi Hendrix said “yes” to an invitation to play.  He had wowed the audience at Monterey the year before with his flaming guitar, and since then, he was the biggest concert attraction around.

What sets Miami Pop apart from other Hendrix live albums is that this one sounds really good. While even Winterland, for all its greatness is kind of sludgy in the mix of instruments, Miami Pop is really crisp.  A lot of the credit goes to engineer Eddie Kramer, who was asked to record the concert while on hiatus from helming Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland LP.   He was also brought back in to remix these tracks 45 years later.

The disc opens with an introduction which features something unbelievable: Hendrix, one of the greatest guitarists of all time, having to tune his own guitar.  Certainly, you’d think he’d have a guitar tech standing by to do that!  As was tradition, this is followed by a long jam, which encompasses the beginning of “Hey Joe.”  As the actual song begins, marvel at the frenetic kick pedal of drummer Mitch Mitchell.

“Tax Free” gives Hendrix a chance to work out the wah wah pedal, while “Fire” is played at lightning speed.  Things slow down for an intense version of the blues standard “Red House.”

The booklet comes with an excellent essay giving background to the event.  Plus, there’s some fantastic photos, showing Hendrix with his signature hat in place.

There’s excellent video footage from this show in the new Hendrix documentary Hear My Train a Comin (read our review).  Seeing Hendrix and band perched on a makeshift stage made of flatbed trucks, makes you appreciate just how good this material sounds, despite the conditions.  In a long line of Jimi Hendrix live albums, Miami Pop Festival stands as one of the all-time best.  

Track listing:

Introduction (no music) – 1:54

Hey Joe (Billy Roberts) – 6:22

Foxey Lady – 4:33

Tax Free( Bo Hansson, Janne Karlsson) – 8:20

Fire – 2:47

Hear My Train A Comin' – 7:58

I Don't Live Today – 4:50

Red House – 12:07

Purple Haze – 4:19

Fire (afternoon show) – 3:07

Foxey Lady (afternoon show) – 4:56

Personnel:

Jimi Hendrix – vocals, guitar

Noel Redding – bass guitar, backing vocals

Mitch Mitchell – drums

Frank Zappa/Mothers 1974 [1992] "Roxy & Elsewhere"

Roxy & Elsewhere is a double live album by Frank Zappa and The Mothers, released on September 10, 1974. Most of the songs were recorded on December 8, 9 and 10, 1973 at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California. The material taken from the Roxy concerts was later amended with some overdubs in the studio, while the "Elsewhere" tracks ("Son of Orange County" and "More Trouble Every Day") were recorded on May 8, 1974, at the Edinboro State College, Edinboro, Pennsylvania (and parts of "Son of Orange County" on May 11, 1974, at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois [late show]) and do not contain overdubbed material.

The album primarily comprised recordings from three shows at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood, and featured tracks never before or thereafter released on any Zappa/Mothers album.

The opening track, "Penguin in Bondage", is edited together from performances at the Roxy and the Chicago date. The guitar solo on "Son of Orange County" is one of the few Zappa guitar solos edited together from more than one concert, in this case the Edinboro and Chicago dates.

Some of the unused tracks from the Roxy shows circulate as bootlegs, as well as the entirety of the Edinboro show. Other tracks were released on Volumes One, Three and Four of the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series. On a side note, Zappa can be heard, on the released and unreleased Roxy tapes, speaking of the making of a 'film' that could potentially be "broadcast on television", as well as reminding the audience not to be "uncomfortable around the intimidatingly large 16 mm cameras."

A four-channel quadraphonic version of the album was mixed by Zappa[4] and advertised, but the quad version has never been released.

The 2014 CD Roxy by Proxy includes other material from the Roxy shows, including alternate versions of some songs from Roxy & Elsewhere, with no overdubs.

In the documentary Genesis: Together and Apart, Phil Collins states that the twin drum solos in "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?" is what inspired him to ask Chester Thompson to become Genesis' touring drummer in late 1976.[5] Collins and Thompson also used the drum fill from the chorus of "More Trouble Every Day" in the coda of live versions of the Genesis song "Afterglow."

On February 2, 2018, Zappa Records/UMe released The Roxy Performances, a definitive set that collects all four public shows from December 9–10, 1973, and the December 8th film shoot and soundcheck, each presented in their entirety without overdubs, along with bonus content featuring rarities from a rehearsal, unreleased tracks and highlights from the recording session at Bolic Sound.[6]

On June 17, 2022, Zappa Records/UMe released Zappa/Erie, a six CD box set including the complete May 8, 1974 concert from Edinboro that had been one of the sources of "Son of Orange County" and "More Trouble Every Day" from Roxy & Elsewhere.

That's entertainment! This double LP record has been recorded live, and Frank Zappa plays the role of an entertainer on it! There are many parts where just a light background music gives an atmosphere to the conversations and to Zappa's oral presentations. The record has many fast and complex instrumental parts. "Be-Bop Tango" is a 16 minutes tracks where Zappa invites some people in the audience to dance while George Duke scats and plays a solo at the same time; this track also contains an outstanding trombone solo, plus "impossible to play" xylophone-drums-bass-trumpet combination. "Cheepnis" is an absolutely addictive track, very catchy, rhythm changing, complex and fast! The consecutive "Echidna's Arf" and "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?" demonstrate a great mastering of the challenging synchronization of instrumentation; those tracks have very complex and fast fusion patterns; Ruth Underwood's percussions are outstanding! Zappa does not miss to play some impossible guitar solos. After the jazzy Grand Wazoo album, Zappa made 5 records between 1973 and 1975, and this one is the most instrumental and jazz/fusion by far!

Track listing:

01 Penguin In Bondage 6:48

02 Pygmy Twylyte 2:13

03 Dummy Up  6:03

04 Village Of The Sun 4:17

05 Echidna's Arf (Of You) 3:53

06 Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? 9:41

07 Cheepnis  6:31

08 Son Of Orange County 5:54

09 More Trouble Every Day 6:01

10 Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church) 16:40

Personnel:

- Frank Zappa / guitar, guitar (electric), keyboards, vocals

- George Duke / keyboards, vocals

- Tom Fowler / bass

- Ruth Underwood / percussion

- Jeff Simmons / rhythm guitar, vocals

- Don Preston / synthesizer

- Bruce Fowler / trombone, dancing!

- Walt Fowler / trumpet

- Napoleon Murphy Brock / tenor saxophone, flute, vocals

- Ralph Humphrey / drums

- Chester Thompson / drums