Jimi Hendrix - 1975 [1989] "Midnight Lightning"

Midnight Lightning is a posthumous ninth studio album by American guitarist Jimi Hendrix, released in November 1975. There was the furious media debate that accompanied its release over whether it was appropriate to 'soup up' posthumous Hendrix albums. Producer Alan Douglas brought in many session musicians to overdub parts of songs; the only original recording (apart from those by Hendrix) was Mitch Mitchell's drumming on "Hear My Train A Comin'". Despite this conroversies, this album features one of his best Jimi's ballads ("Gypsy Boy"), instrumentals ("Trashman"), and the stellar studio version of "Midnight Lightning", which otherwise we could only hear live.

Midnight Lightning is a posthumous compilation album by American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. It was released in November 1975 by Reprise Records in the United States and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom. It was the sixth studio album released after his death and the second to be produced by Alan Douglas and Tony Bongiovi. The songs used on the album consist of post-Jimi Hendrix Experience recordings that originally featured Billy Cox on bass and either Mitch Mitchell or Buddy Miles on drums.

Douglas continued the controversial methods he had adopted on Crash Landing and brought in many of the same session musicians to overdub parts of songs. The only original recording (apart from those by Hendrix) was Mitchell's drumming on "Hear My Train". In response to the previous outcry from fans and critics, Douglas did not claim co-writer credit for any songs on Midnight Lightning. Despite the fact that the album included reworkings of the popular live songs "Hear My Train" and "Machine Gun", the album was not as well received as its predecessor, peaking at number 43 in the US. and number 46 in the UK.

In a 1981 review, music critic Robert Christgau gave Midnight Lightning a "B+" and said that it was an improvement by Douglas over Crash Landing because of highlight instrumentals such as "Trash Man", overdubbed guitar from Jeff Mironov and Lance Quinn, and "the blues playing — as opposed to singing or writing".

The opening riff to "Foxey Lady" provides the foundation for the instrumental "Trash Man," and no amount of bastardization can take away from the genius guitarist his legacy. If you take this work at face value, without the baggage of what "producer" Alan Douglas did to the tapes, this time with Tony Bongiovi along for the ride, it's still Hendrix. Maybe God allowed the series of albums to happen so the world could see Hendrix's work could survive doctoring and musicians jamming with his art after the fact. That this disc goes for big bucks on Internet auction sites says something about the timelessness of the music. The title track, as with seven of the eight performances here, has session player Alan Schwartzberg on drums, a far cry from his work with Carole Bayer Sager.

Mitch Mitchell only appears on Hendrix's blues classic "Hear My Train," Schwartzberg adding shakers. Bob Babbit is the "designated bassist" on the entire project (no doubt what Billy Cox and Noel Redding thought about this), and Jeff Mironov shares guitar duties with Lance Quinn. That's not a misprint. Thankfully, the extra guitarists are somewhat invisible -- you know, what's the point of having co-vocalists add their talents to a Janis Joplin disc? What these recordings effectively do is offer the world a comparison between what the official Hendrix estate is doing, and what Douglas did. The Hendrix estate wins that battle, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott carefully restoring all the master tapes of Jimi Hendrix, and restoring them properly.

Discs like Midnight Lightning are also a statement on how a great artist's legacy can go through various hands and the artistic consequences of tapes traveling as if under their own steam. History is an excellent vantage point from which to view. The title track is great -- and it goes along with the cover painting very nicely. Is it blasphemy to say that this is a highly enjoyable disc? All the post-Cry of Love releases -- War Heroes, Crash Landing, Voodoo Soup, Blues, Hendrix in the West, Rainbow Bridge, the soundtrack to the Jimi Hendrix film, and this -- provide another crucial look at Hendrix. The more the merrier. It is great to have the official Hendrix estate with Janie Hendrix, John McDermott, and Eddie Kramer doing this properly, but this version of "Gypsy Boy (New Rising Sun)," the inclusion of Mitch Mitchell's "Beginnings," another "Machine Gun," and "Blue Suede Shoes" exist, thus they are important additions to the Hendrix archives. It will be interesting to see if the official Hendrix estate eventually re-releases the Alan Douglas masters just to keep these once-legit works from cluttering the market with counterfeits.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search/q=Jimi+Hendrix

Tracks Listing:

1. Trashman (3:15)
2. Midnight Lightning (3:49)
3. Hear My Train A Comin' (5:43)
4. Gypsy Boy (3:45)
5. Blue Suede Shoes (3:29)
6. Izabella/Machine Gun (7:36)
7. Once I Had a Woman (5:20)
8. Beginnings (3:02)

Total Time 35:58

Personnel:

- Jimi Hendrix / guitars, lead vocals

With:
- Mitch Mitchell - drums (3)

(All other original backing musicians were wiped in 1975 re-recordings)

Added in 1975:
- Jeff Mironov / guitar (1-3,5,8)
- Lance Quinn / guitar (2,4,6,7)
- Buddy Lucas / harmonica (7)
- Bob Babbitt / bass
- Allan Schwartzberg / drums (1,2,4-8), percussion (3,4)
- Jimmy Maelen / percussion (2,8)
- Maeretha Stewart / backing vocals (2,4,7)
- Hilda Harris / backing vocals (2,4,7)
- Vivian Cherry / backing vocals (2,4,7)

Miles Davis - 1971 [2003] "The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions" [5 CD Box]

The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions were recorded in April 1970 by Miles Davis, and released in September 2003. These sessions formed the basis for the 1971 album Jack Johnson, as well as some of the studio portions of Live-Evil.

Jack Johnson, also known as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, is a soundtrack recorded by American jazz musician Miles Davis. The album was the second film score Davis had composed, after Ascenseur pour l'échafaud in 1957. In 1970, Davis was asked by Bill Cayton to record music for his documentary of the same name on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. Johnson's saga resonated personally with Davis, who wrote in the album's liner notes of Johnson's mastery as a boxer, his affinity for fast cars, jazz, clothes, and beautiful women, his unreconstructed blackness, and his threatening image to white men.
Jack Johnson was a turning point in Davis' career and has since been viewed as one of his greatest works. Davis, who wanted to put together what he called "the greatest rock and roll band you have ever heard," recorded with a line-up featuring guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, clarinetist Bennie Maupin, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham. The album's two tracks were drawn from one recording session on April 7 and edited together with recordings from February 1970 by producer Teo Macero. The music reflected Davis' interest in the eclectic jazz fusion of the time, but also foreshadowed the hard-edged funk that would fascinate him in the next few years.

The first major recording session for the album, which took place on April 7, 1970, was almost accidental: John McLaughlin, awaiting Miles's arrival, began improvising riffs on his guitar, and was shortly joined by Michael Henderson and Billy Cobham. Meanwhile, the producers brought in Herbie Hancock, who had been passing through the building on unrelated business, to play the Farfisa organ. Miles arrived at last and began his solo at about 2:19 on the first track.
The album's two long tracks were assembled in the editing room by producer Teo Macero. "Right Off" is constructed from several takes and a solo by Davis recorded in November 1969. It contains a riff based on Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song". Much of the track "Yesternow" is built around a slightly modified version of the bassline from the James Brown song "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud".This may be a deliberate allusion to the song's Black Power theme as it relates to the film's subject. "Yesternow" also incorporates a brief excerpt of "Shhh/Peaceful" from Davis's 1969 album In a Silent Way and a 10-minute section comprising several takes of the tune "Willie Nelson" from a session on 18 February 1970.

"Right Off" comprises a series of improvisations based on a B flat chord, but changing after approximately 20 minutes to an E chord. "Yesternow" has a similar B flat ostinato and shifts to C minor. It concludes with a voiceover by actor Brock Peters: "I'm Jack Johnson, heavy-weight champion of the world. I'm black. They never let me forget it. I'm black all right. I'll never let them forget it." The album's liner notes provide a description of the music.
Michael Henderson launches into an enormous boogie groove with Billy Cobham and John McLaughlin. Miles immediately leaves the control room to join in with them. He achieved exactly what he wanted for the soundtrack by creating the effect of a train going at full speed (which he compared to the force of a boxer). By chance, Herbie Hancock had arrived unexpectedly and started playing on a cheap keyboard that a sound engineer quickly connected.

None of Miles Davis' recordings has been more shrouded in mystery than Jack Johnson, yet none has better fulfilled Miles Davis' promise that he could form the "greatest rock band you ever heard." Containing only two tracks, the album was assembled out of no less than four recording sessions between February 18, 1970, and June 4, 1970, and was patched together by producer Teo Macero. Most of the outtake material ended up on Directions, Big Fun, and elsewhere. The first misconception is the lineup: the credits on the recording are incomplete. For the opener, "Right Off," the band is Miles, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock, Michael Henderson, and Steve Grossman (no piano player!), which reflects the liner notes. This was from the musicians' point of view, in a single take, recorded as McLaughlin began riffing in the studio while waiting for Miles; it was picked up on by Henderson and Cobham, Hancock was ushered in to jump on a Hammond organ (he was passing through the building), and Miles rushed in at 2:19 and proceeded to play one of the longest, funkiest, knottiest, and most complex solos of his career. Seldom has he cut loose like that and played in the high register with such a full sound.

 In the meantime, the interplay between Cobham, McLaughlin, and Henderson is out of the box, McLaughlin playing long, angular chords centering around E. This was funky, dirty rock & roll jazz. There is this groove that gets nastier and nastier as the track carries on, and never quits, though there are insertions by Macero of two Miles takes on Sly Stone tunes and an ambient textured section before the band comes back with the groove, fires it up again, and carries it out. On "Yesternow," the case is far more complex. There are two lineups, the one mentioned above, and one that begins at about 12:55. The second lineup was Miles, McLaughlin, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and Sonny Sharrock. The first 12 minutes of the tune revolve around a single bass riff lifted from James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." The material that eases the first half of the tune into the second is taken from "Shhh/Peaceful," from In a Silent Way, overdubbed with the same trumpet solo that is in the ambient section of "Right Off." It gets more complex as the original lineup is dubbed back in with a section from Miles' tune "Willie Nelson," another part of the ambient section of "Right Off," and an orchestral bit of "The Man Nobody Saw" at 23:52, before the voice of Jack Johnson (by actor Brock Peters) takes the piece out.

 The highly textured, nearly pastoral ambience at the end of the album is a fitting coda to the chilling, overall high-energy rockist stance of the album. Jack Johnson is the purest electric jazz record ever made because of the feeling of spontaneity and freedom it evokes in the listener, for the stellar and inspiring solos by McLaughlin and Davis that blur all edges between the two musics, and for the tireless perfection of the studio assemblage by Miles and producer Macero.

The role of guitarist Sonny Sharrock is finally defined here. It has previously been discounted and provided endless grist for the Davis rumor mill how he was mixed out of the session. Yes, he was, but so was almost everyone but McLaughlin and Miles at one point or another. Check out Sharrock's killer slide playing that appears on the second inset of "Willie Nelson." For those who worship at the McLaughlin altar, there are the extra minutes of screaming, fuzz-drenched wailing on "Right Off" that were left on the floor by Macero.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Miles+Davis

Track listing:
All compositions by Miles Davis except where noted.

Disc 1
1. "Willie Nelson (Take 2)**" February 18, 1970 at Columbia 30th Street Studio B 6:41
2. "Willie Nelson (Take 3)*" February 18, 1970 at CBS 30th Street Studio 10:21
3. "Willie Nelson (Insert 1)**" February 18, 1970 at CBS 30th Street Studio 6:33
4. "Willie Nelson (Insert 2)**" February 18, 1970 at CBS 30th Street Studio 5:22
5. "Willie Nelson (Remake Take 1)*" February 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 10:45
6. "Willie Nelson (Remake Take 2)" February 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 10:17
7. "Johnny Bratton (Take 4)*" February 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 8:18
8. "Johnny Bratton (Insert 1)*" February 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 6:39
9. "Johnny Bratton (Insert 2)*" February 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 5:20
10. "Archie Moore*" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 4:45

Disc 2
1. "Go Ahead John (Part One)**" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 13:07
2. "Go Ahead John (Part Two A)**" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 7:00
3. "Go Ahead John (Part Two B)**" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 10:06
4. "Go Ahead John (Part Two C)**" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 3:38
5. "Go Ahead John (Part One Remake)**" March 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 11:04
6. "Duran (Take 4)*" March 17, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 5:37
7. "Duran (Take 6)" March 17, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 11:20
8. "Sugar Ray*" March 20, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 6:16

Disc 3
1. "Right Off (Take 10)" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 11:09
2. "Right Off (Take 10A)**" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 4:33
3. "Right Off (Take 11)**" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 5:58
4. "Right Off (Take 12)**" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 8:49
5. "Yesternow (Take 16)*" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 9:49
6. "Yesternow (New Take 4)**" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 16:02
7. "Honky Tonk (Take 2)**" May 19, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 10:04
8. "Honky Tonk (Take 5)*" May 19, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 11:29

Disc 4
1. "Ali (Take 3)*" May 19, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 6:50
2. "Ali (Take 4)*" May 19, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 10:16
3. "Konda**" May 21, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 16:29
4. "Nem Um Talvez (Take 17)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) May 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 2:50
5. "Nem Um Talvez (Take 19)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) May 27, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 2:54
6. "Little High People (Take 7)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 6:52
7. "Little High People (Take 8)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 9:28
8. "Nem Um Talvez (Take 3)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 4:36
9. "Nem Um Talvez (Take 4A)" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 2:04
10. "Selim (Take 4B)" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 3, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 2:15
11. "Little Church (Take 7)*" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 4, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 3:18
12. "Little Church (Take 10)" (Hermeto Pascoal) June 4, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 3:15

Disc 5
1. "The Mask (Part One)*" June 4, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 7:47
2. "The Mask (Part Two)*" June 4, 1970 at Columbia Studio C 15:45
3. "Right Off" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B 26:54
4. "Yesternow" April 7, 1970 at Columbia Studio B ("Yesternow") + February 18, 1970 at Columbia Studio B ("Willie Nelson", uncredited) 25:36

"Right Off" includes an excerpt from an unaccompanied trumpet solo from November 19 or 18, 1969
"Yesternow" includes excerpts from the unaccompanied November 1969 trumpet solo with arco bass overdubbed, "Shhh/Peaceful" from In a Silent Way and the unaccompanied November 1969 trumpet solo with the following overdubs: orchestra arranged by Teo Macero and narration by Brock Peters
"Willie Nelson (Remake Take 2)" and "Duran (Take 6)" were originally released on Directions.
All takes of "Go Ahead John" were released as one assembled track on Big Fun.
"Honky Tonk (Take 2)" was partially released Get Up With It and Live-Evil.
"Konda" was partially released on Directions.
"Nem Um Talvez (Take 4A)", "Selim (Take 4B)" and "Little Church (Take 10)" were released on Live-Evil.
(*) Previously Unissued
(**) Previously Unissued in Full

Personnel:

Miles Davis - Trumpet
Bennie Maupin - Bass Clarinet
Steve Grossman - Soprano Saxophone
Wayne Shorter - Soprano Saxophone
Chick Corea - Electric Piano, Organ, Electric Piano with Ring Modulator
Herbie Hancock - Organ, Electric Piano
Keith Jarrett - Electric Piano, Electric Piano with Wah Wah
Sonny Sharrock - Electric Guitar, Echoplex
John McLaughlin - Electric Guitar
Dave Holland - Electric Bass, Double Bass
Michael Henderson - Electric Bass
Gene Perla - Electric Bass
Ron Carter - Double Bass
Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Billy Cobham - Drums
Lenny White - Drums
Don Alias - percussion
Airto Moreira - Percussion, Berimbau, Cuica
Hermeto Pascoal - Voice, Drums

Shane Theriot - 2003 "The Grease Factor"

The Grease Factor is the second studio album by guitarist Shane Theriot. It was released in 2003.

A heavy hitting dose of modern rock/jazz compositions mixed with equal doses of New Orleans funk. One of Shane’s more “guitar intensive” records that is a favorite among musicians and groove-lovers alike. Featuring some of the funkiest musicians on the planet- including Victor Wooten, Russell Batiste (The Funky Meters), Jeff Sipe (Apt Q-258), Johnny Vidacovich, Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck), Kirk Joseph (Dirty Dozen), Johnny Neel (Gov’t Mule) and others…

Here we have the second solo album from New Orleans native Shane Theriot pronounced "Terry O" for those of you who don't know. This album is a collection of eleven original compositions written by guitarist Theriot. If I had to label the music on "Grease Factor" I'd call it funk/rock fusion with strong connections to the second line New Orleans street beat grooves of his native city "The Big Easy".

Shane employés some high profile musicians on this collection of funky ditties, 6 string monster Adam Nitti shows how well he can lay back & groove with the drummer on one of my personal favorite tunes track 6 "Mr Longhair" a medium tempo funk workout that features a hip multi layered harmonized guitar melody set against some burbling greasy B3 organ played by Johnny Neel.

Track 4 "Shrimp Boots" brings the New Orleans vibe with founding member of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Tuba & Sousaphone master Kirk Joseph laying down the bass & boy does he lay it down! Shane employes several masters of New Orleans style funk drumming such as Russell Batiste, David Northup, Jeff Sipe, Doug Belote. "Shrimp Boots" features the legendary John Vidacovich of the band "Astral Project" covers the beat as well as a short but sweet drum solo.

Track 7 "The Apartment" features living bass god Victor Wooten playing fretless 5 string. The best way for me to describe this tune would be mellow intensity if that makes any sense because the groove is a driving fusion groove with Shane dialing in a more processed wet tone sort of like a cross between Pat Metheny's tone with his Metheny Group & Steve Morse with his Dixie Dreggs. Wooten lays down melodic fretless grooves that support the song they don't dominate it, I think it's nice to hear Wooten on fretless rather than his usual four string fretted bass. Shane takes a ripping solo over Wooten's delft accompaniment.

Track 10 "Zydefaux" is pure Zydeco with accordion & the type of driving up tempo groove that makes Zydeco music so much fun to dance too.

Well there you have it, I hope you've found my review informative & I highly recommend this or Theriot's other two albums "Hywy 90" & "Dirty Power". In my opinion this music is just all around awesome! If you appreciate top self musicianship especially in the guitar department & funky bass & drums with that Big Easy grease factor than pick this up now!

The obvious points of reference when discussing Shane Theriot are Brian Stoltz and June Yamagishi. Like Stoltz and Yamagishi, Theriot is a hot shot New Orleans funk guitarist who plays with various bands associated with people named Neville. While Stoltz and Yamagishi worship at the alter of Hendrix, though, Theriot seems to have more of a thing for John Scofield, and his music has more of a jazz-rock fusion influence. Occasionally, it even sounds almost metal, like the work Shawn Lane did with bass phenom Jonas Hellborg. However, also like Lane and Hellborg, Theriot never loses sight of the fusion-funk groove, so he never goes into full metal mode. If find this album a bit more satisfying than Highway 90, mostly because there are a few moments on Highway 90 where Theriot's fusion gets a bit too smooth for my taste, but The Grease Factor is, well, a bit greasier. That suits me just fine.

Track listing:

Little Hat (4:50)
Swish (5:12)
Zodiac (4:08)
Shrimp Boots (3:40)
Dublin (5:43)
Mr. Longhair (5:57)
The Apartment (5:45)
Slow (5:42)
Woody (5:17)
Zydefaux (3:52)
Dear Ellen (1:15)

Personnel:

Shane Theriot - composer, producer, electric/acoustic guitars, programming
Johnny Vidacovich - drums
Russell Batiste - drums
Victor Wooten - bass
Adam Nitti- bass
Doug Belote- drums
David Northrup- drums
Johnny Neel - Hammond B-3, keys
Kiyoshi Tamai - voice
Steve Conn - accordion

Mike Miller - 2001 "Save The Moon"

The playful cover art immediately draws your attention -- it's like wacky video game characters, including a Planet of the Ape guy -- but it might not give off the right impression of the nature of this disc, which is a hip fusion explosion led by one of L.A.'s most ubiquitous guitar heroes who is known mostly as a first-call sideman. Though there's rhythm and melody to spare, the best way to describe Miller's brand of eclecticism is experimental rock. Over a bouncy bed of blues organ laid by Mitch Forman, Miller lives up to the title of "The Sky Lights Up," modulating his electric strings at different pitches while tweaking out a melody line over the moody grooves. "Beatnik" is less involving melodically, but has an irresistibly creepy groove, featuring Jimmy Johnson's throbbing low-end bass and the trombone harmonies of Bruce Fowler. The title track works as a funky rock-flavored anthem without words, highlighted by a sizzling duet by Miller and Fowler at their most intense. After the intentionally abrasive distorted guitar piece "Rocket Dog," a moody cover of John Lennon's "Julia" is a relief, introducing not only Miller's romantic side but also his love for the Beatles, which puts him on the musical path. He then goes "Lennon extreme" on a booming twist of "I Am the Walrus," which is psychedelic guitarisma at its finest. "A Dark Waltz" cools the pace for another romantic interlude. Miller's a bit all over the map, but that seems to be the point and such characterizes his life as an L.A. musician. Guitar fans will love this best of all, but Beatles fans really need to hear two of the finest instrumental covers ever.

I saw Mike and his California quintet at the Baked Potato in LA about 3 years ago. I had never heard of him, I actually went to see Chad Wackerman and Jimmy Johnson from Holdsworth's trio who were playing with him. I was simply killed. Mike's got to be one of the most imaginative, original guitarists anywhere. His playing is unique and defies description. This CD is a pretty good representation of his sound. He actually wails a little bit harder live.

The first time I had heard Mike's guitar was on the Yellowjackets 2nd LP.. Loved the phrasing. Saw him live at the Mt.Fuji Jazz Festival with Chick Corea in 1984, along with Band Overboard. Mike Miller is truly a great guitarist as well as a composer. Wish more people knew about him.

Mike Miller is clearly one of the most underrated,gifted guitarists of our time. This album clearly shows this. A great combination of taste and texture, harmonic simplicity and complexity, and chemistry between the players. Simply a joy to listen to all the way through. My favorite track is "Save The Moon". It's like Flim and The BB's crossed with an old Jazz Crusaders vibe. The build-up at the end is damn near orgasmic!
Mike Miller will absolutely blow you away live as well. He really deserves his due. See for yourself.

Mike Miller is a guitarist whose playing and writing communicates a stunning musical universe. While much is made of individuality and originality among musicians, Miller seems beyond those qualities: he is unlikely in the way he defies description. Consider that Miller has worked with jazz pianist Chick Corea, diva/comedienne Bette Midler, pop craftsmen Gino Vanelli and Burton Cummings, the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, british jazz-rock band Brand X, Wall of Voodoo´s Stan Ridgeway, film composer and former Devo front man Mark Mothersbaugh, the Frank Zappa Banned from Utopia alumni band, and many others. This is a range of experience that challenges the imagination -- edgy spontaneity in Corea´s electric jazz, slapstick \"comedy guitar\" with Bette Midler, and complex orchestration in the writing of Marc Anthony Turnage and Frank Zappa.

Then listen to his first solo CD, Save the Moon, which features Jimmy Johnson, Tom Brechtlein, Mitchel Forman, Peter Erskine, and Ralph Humphrey. The music on this CD reflects Miller´s commitment to develop his own voice, which juggles a rich and wonderful contradiction of qualities: the raw excitement of the electric guitar with a technique that pushes the boundaries of the instrument, and a broad vocabulary with a mischievous sense of humor -- he might play a part a pianist would work out with two hands, or grace the end of a bebop phrase with a Chuck Berry lick and dip of the tremolo bar. Miller is a riveting improviser who can draw you to the edge of your seat as you follow one musical idea developing into another or bending through a series of unexpected twists and turns... and the results are complex, yet melodic and accessible. A simple path lies beneath the surface of all this activity, revealing a guitarist engaged in a playful search for constant musical growth.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-outsidemen-1996-band-overboard.html

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/2018/08/chick-corea-elektric-band-ii-1993-paint.html

Track listing:

1. The Sky Lights Up
2. Beatnik
3. Save The Moon
4. Gold
5. Rocket Dog
6. Julia
7. I Am The Walrus
8. Dark Waltz
9. A Hair Less Bass

Personnel:

Mike Miller: Guitar, Keyboards, Loops
Mitchel Forman: Keyboards 1,4,6,7,8,9
David Witham: Keyboards 3
Bruce Fowler: Trombone
Jimmy Johnson: Bass
Peter Erskine: Drums 2,4,8
Tom Brechtlein: Drums 1,3,6,7,9
Ralph Humphrey: Drums 5

Elements - 1990 "Spirit River"

Elements is an American jazz fusion ensemble founded by bass guitarist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb in 1982. Both Egan and Gottlieb were members of the Pat Metheny Group, and Elements's sound draws from their experience. Band members include Bill Evans, Gil Goldstein, Steve Khan and Clifford Carter

Quiet clearly, Mark Egan's years with Pat Metheny had a lasting impact on his composing and playing. When Spirit River was recorded in 1990, a decade had passed since the electric bassist's departure from the Metheny Group; but Metheny's influence remained. Nonetheless, the album makes it clear that Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb (Elements' other leader) have a collective vision of their own. This charming jazz/pop date isn't about intense or aggressive swinging, and tends to have an introspective, floating quality. Saxman Bill Evans (not to be confused with the late piano legend) is characteristically expressive and soulful on soprano, and Brazilian greats Flora Purim (vocals) and Airto Moreira (percussion) make some valuable, heartfelt contributions to the engaging CD.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/2015/11/elements-1988-illumination.html

Track listing:

01. Spirit River 5:48
02. Streets Of Rio 4:54
03. Amazon Beauty 5:57
04. Braza 2:24
05. Puerto Sagua 5:49
06. True Confessions 5:53
07. Let's Pretend 6:37
08. Calunga 1:46
09. Carnivaloco 2:42
10. Emerald Beach 7:34

Personnel:

Bass, Bass [Fretless], Bass [Fretted], Producer – Mark Egan
Drums, Producer – Danny Gottlieb
Keyboards – Clifford Carter
Saxophone [Soprano] – Bill Evans
Guitar - Jeff Mironov
Manzer Harp Guitar - Stan Samole
Vocals - Flora Pluim
Percussion - Airto Moreira, Manolo Badrena, Cafe

Various Artists - 1993 A Brief History of Ambient Vol. 1 - "152 Minutes 33 Seconds"

Ambient 1: A Brief History of Ambient is a 1993 compilation album released on the Virgin Records label, as part of their Ambient series. The album was issued as a double CD, and was compiled by Simon Hopkins.

A great sampling of ambient music, both chronologically and technologically diverse. Includes excerpts from the classic Eno-4 and some of the others like John Hassell from his old EG Records label. Tangerine Dream appears as well as some great Indian Trance. Hawkwind and Killing Joke (!) are on here for Christ's sake. Quite an impressively diverse selection of great quality, especially for the price. Never boring on either disc, and makes for great background or headphone listening.
A real surprise!

Although it seemed to arrive out of nowhere in the early '90s, ambient music actually has a long and varied history, leading back to Brian Eno and Kraftwerk's electronic experiments in the 1970s, right up to Aphex Twin's textural techno soundscapes. As an introduction and history lesson, the two-disc A Brief History of Ambient Music can't be beat; it shows that the ambient-techno trend has roots that most fans wouldn't even realize existed.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Ambient

Personnel / Track Listing:

CD 1:
01 Harold Budd Flowered Knife Shadows 7:05
02 Tangerine Dream Thru Metamorphic Rock (Edit) 9:46
03 Robert Fripp / Brian Eno Evening Star 7:30
04 Amorphous Androgynous Mountain Goat 4:28
05 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sea Of Vapours 3:49
06 Hawkwind The Forge Of Vulcan 3:01
07 Killing Joke Requiem (A Floating Leaf Always Reaches The Sea Dub Mix) 10:35
08 Brian Eno An Ending (Ascent) 4:11
09 Richard Horowitz Marnia's Tent 2:58
10 Irmin Schmidt / Bruno Spoerri Rapido De Noir 6:32
11 Ashra Kazoo 5:36
12 Harold Budd / Brian Eno Their Memories 2:38
13 The Grid Leave Your Body 4:46
14 Christopher Franke Electric Becomes Eclectic 3:39

CD 2:
01 Tangerine Dream Phaedra (Edit) 10:25
02 Brian Eno / Jon Hassell Delta Rain Dream 3:20
03 William Orbit The Monkey King 4:49
04 Gong Castle In The Clouds 1:02
05 Hawkwind Life Form 1:40
06 Laraaji The Dance #2 9:04
07 Sheila Chandra Sacred Stones 5:26
08 Michael Brook Earth Floor 4:44
09 Faust Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft 3:19
10 Jon Hassell Gift Of Fire 4:41
11 Material The End Of Words 3:46
12 Edgar Froese Panorphelia 9:35
13 Roger Eno Voices 2:15
14 Holger Czukay Träum Mal Wieder 7:21
15 David Sylvian Home 4:14

Various Artists - 1995 "In From The Storm" - Tribute To Jimi Hendrix

The premise of this all-star tribute to the self-described “West Coast Seattle boy” is admirable: to focus on Jimi Hendrix's still-undervalued composing skills, and to flesh out (using the London Metropolitan Orchestra) the orchestral contours of haunting titles like “Drifting” and “...And the Gods Made Love.” Unlike a few previous attempts, Storm (made with the help of folks like drummer Tony Williams, guitarists John McLaughlin and Steve Vai, and bassist-vocalist Bootsy Collins) captures both the unabashedly funky (“Rainy Day, Dream Away,” “Purple Haze”) and lyrical (“Drifting,” “The Wind Cries Mary”) sides of the vocalist-guitarist. In fact, the collection is only annoying when the orchestra overreaches in its attempts to add “serious” overtones to otherwise enjoyable readings of the title track and “Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland)”—the result being closer to Hendrix-lite than symphonic homage. Still, the deliciously raspy vocals of Taj Mahal and former Living Colour lead singer Corey Glover (“Drifting”), and McLaughlin's searing, sensitive axwork should not be overlooked because of the occasionally excessive frosting. By no means should Storm be considered an alternative to the real thing, but its best moments could serve as either a reminder or an introduction for anyone wondering what the enduring fuss over Hendrix is all about.

Beautiful tribute, including one by the late great Toots Thielemanns on harmonica. If you appreciate cover songs that don't try to imitate the originals, this is a great CD. I bought it at Wal Mart in the bargain bin back when it first came out, and paid 3.99 for it! Now it's a collectors item LOL.. "Hey Joe" by Body Count, with D-Roc on a tasteful, raw lead guitar is one of my favorite tracks on this CD. Seal sings "Manic Depression" and really does it justice. I think Jimi would have enjoyed this and been flattered. I love a great cover, so bear that in mind. These aren't pale imitations, they are mostly unique renditions with the artist's own spin. Music is subjective, hope this helps.

Some really super artists performing wonderful personal interpretations of Jimi Hendrix's most memorable tunes. Especially love the Joss Stone/Carlos Santana pairing on Spanish Castle Magic (which cannot be found online, otherwise), and the match-up between John McLaughlin and Sting in their version of Little Wing.

This CD has some amazing moments. It's a wonderful group of top flight players. It also sounds like they enjoyed being part of a great project.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Jimi+Hendrix

Track Listing:

01. Tony Williams* - ...And The Gods Made Love 1:37
02. Buddy Miles/Steve Lukather - Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) 5:07
03. Taj Mahal/Robben Ford - Rainy Day, Dream Away 5:23
04. Sting/John McLaughlin/Vinnie Colaiuta - The Wind Cries Mary 4:34
05. Sass Jordan/Carlos Santana - Spanish Castle Magic 4:11
06. Toots Thielemans/The London Metropolitan Orchestra - Little Wing 3:04
07. Corey Glover/Billy Cox - In From The Storm 3:50
08. Corey Glover/Steve Vai/Hiram Bullok - Drifting 4:04
09. Paul Rodgers/Steve Vai - Bold As Love 5:11
10. Doug Pinnick/Noel Redding - Burning Of The Midnight Lamp 4:43
11. Buddy Miles/Steve Lukather/Dennis Chambers - Purple Haze 5:09
12. Brian May/Cozy Powell - One Rainy Wish 4:12

Personnel:

- Steve Vai / guitars
- John McLaughlin / guitars
- Carlos Santana / guitars
- Brian May / vocals, guitars
- Steve Lukather / guitars
- Robben Ford / guitars
- Eric Schenkman / guitars
- Doug Pinnick / vocals
- Buddy Miles / vocals
- Taj Mahal / vocals
- Sass Jordan / vocals
- Sting / vocals, bass
- Corey Glover / vocals
- Paul Rodgers / vocals
- Stanley Clarke / bass
- Billy Cox / bass
- Noel Redding / bass
- Bob Daisley / bass
- Neil Murray / bass
- Vinnie Colaiuta / drums
- Tony Williams / drums
- Dave Abbruzzese / drums
- Tony Beard / drums
- Dennis Chambers / drums
- Cozy Powell / drums
- The London Metropolitan Orchestra / Orchestra

Various Artists - 1993 "Stone Free" - A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix

Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix is a 1993 album recorded by various artists in tribute to Jimi Hendrix. The artists were drawn from many genres of popular music. Contributors include his classic rock contemporaries Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, blues man Buddy Guy, classical violinist Nigel Kennedy, alternative pop/rock bands Belly and Spin Doctors, hip hop artists P. M. Dawn, among others. According to the liner notes, the "artists were encouraged to not only record one of their own personal favorites but to also place their stamp on Jimi's songs." Several artists recorded radically different interpretations, particularly, P. M. Dawn, The Cure, Nigel Kennedy and Pat Metheny. Some artists, on the other hand, recorded versions that were rather similar to the originals.

The band M.A.C.C. is made up of Mike McCready (guitarist from Pearl Jam), Jeff Ament (bassist from Pearl Jam), Matt Cameron (drummer for Soundgarden and later for Pearl Jam), and Chris Cornell (singer of Soundgarden and later Audioslave). The cover of "Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)" is their only known recording. All four members of this group had previously worked together on the Temple of the Dog project, and the song "Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)" was added to Temple of the Dog's live set in 2016.

Eric Clapton's backing group on the title track includes the three original core members of Chic (Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson) and is the last recording on which all three played together.

I had forgotten about this one and someone made reference to Jimi Hendrix and rockers of the 70's during a radio spot - and I found this gem on Amazon. I owned it on cassette way about the time it came out in 1993 - and what a trip down Memory Lane! The Cure singing "Purple Rain", Buddy Guy's cover of "Red House", The Spin Doctors doing "Spanish Castle Magic" - and of course - The Pretenders with "Bold As Love". What I loved most about this compliation is that you hear Jimi Hendrix's unique compositions and lyrics very clearly, with the added extra of what made these newer bands so special twenty years after Hendrix's passing. If you're a Hendrix fan, you're really going to love this CD.

Not wanting to go song by song, I'll just say that the Paul Rodgers/Slash collaboration on "I Don't Live Today" is worth the price alone. PM Dawn's take on You Got Me Floain' is a favorite, and Buddy Guy brought it with "Red House". Jeff Beck and Seal did the same on "Manic Depression". And Body Count doing "Hey Joe"... ok, I'm going song by song. If you like Jimi, you'll love this!

I had this way back when it first came out on cassett. There are some real gems on here including, Jeff Beck & Seals version of Manic Depression and M.A.C.C.s Hey Baby. There are a lot of other great renditions of Jimis work as well. Some are done very differently but still are interesting to listen to. This is probably my favorite tribute album so far. You can pick it up for next to nothing used so there is nothing to lose and a lot of cool music to gain.

On February 9, 2015, the album was released for the first time on vinyl by Music on Vinyl.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Jimi+Hendrix

Track listing / Artists:

All tracks written by Jimi Hendrix, except track five (by Billy Roberts).

01. "Purple Haze" (produced by Robert Smith and Bryan "Chuck" New) The Cure 5:19
02. "Stone Free" (produced by Nile Rodgers) Eric Clapton 4:25
03. "Spanish Castle Magic" (produced by Eddie Kramer) Spin Doctors 4:06
04. "Red House" (produced by Eddie Kramer) Buddy Guy 3:48
05. "Hey Joe" (produced by Ernie C) Billy Roberts Body Count 4:28
06. "Manic Depression" (produced by Jeff Beck, Eddie Kramer and Seal) Seal and Jeff Beck 5:11
07. "Fire" (produced by Nigel Kennedy) Nigel Kennedy 4:39
08. "Bold as Love" (produced by Stephen Street) Pretenders 3:23
09. "You Got Me Floatin'" (produced by P. M. Dawn) P.M. Dawn 4:49
10. "I Don't Live Today" (produced by Eddie Kramer) Slash, Paul Rodgers and Band of Gypsys 4:32
11. "Are You Experienced?" (produced by Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade) Belly 3:38
12. "Crosstown Traffic" (produced by Ron Saint Germain) Living Colour 3:10
13. "Third Stone from the Sun" (produced by Pat Metheny) Pat Metheny 6:00
14. "Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)" M.A.C.C. 5:26

John Mclaughlin - 1995 "The Promise"

The Promise is a jazz album released in 1995 by John McLaughlin on Verve Records. The album peaked number 4 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart 1996.

The Promise offers a summation of all the places John McLaughlin has been in his career, and points directly toward his future. Featuring a wide range of musicians including appearances by the Free Spirits, the Guitar Trio, and an electric version of Shakti, the Promise is easily the most wide-ranging and diverse offering of McLaughlin's long career. Its contents encompass everything from straight post-bop and swinging soul-jazz to fusion to modern takes on East Indian music as it meets the West.

As if this weren't enough, there are even moments with spoken word laced throughout, such as a verse of Dante read by Stefania Bombi toward the end of his scorching, funky, soul-jazz number "Thelonius Melodius" with B-3 organist Joey DeFrancesco and drummer Dennis Chambers.

The set kicks off with one of its finest moments, a guitar-to-guitar reading of John Lewis' "Django" with Jeff Beck (bassist Pino Palladino, drummer Mark Mondesir, and drummer Tony Hymas round it out). Beck's solo is first; it is expansive as it moves from a gorgeous restating of the melody through slinky harmonic extrapolations. McLaughlin's answer is ambitious and intuitive. They then move toward one another and the melody, complementing each other perfectly. "El Ciego" is a complex, flamenco-tinged jazz number with McLaughlin trading knotty lines and soulful solos with Al di Meola and Paco de Lucia. "Jazz Jungle" is late 20th century fusion at its blazing best with Michael Brecker, Chambers, Don Alias, James Genus, and Jim Beard beginning almost nebulously before ratcheting the tempo and idea palettes to dizzying heights (Brecker is particularly brilliant). "The Wish," with Zakir Hussein, Nishat Khan, and Trilok Gurtu, looks deeply into Indian classical music balanced by a European gaze.

McLaughlin's engagement with Khan's sitar creates nearly rapturous expression, all the while contained inside a texture that is as atmospheric as it is exotic. "Shin Jin Rui" employs the same band as "Jazz Jungle," with the exception of the saxophone, played by David Sanborn. His playing is riskier than on his own records, his alto juxtaposed with McLaughlin's guitar, a study in funky, electric jazz modernism.

The set closes with a lovely all-acoustic reading of Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks" with guitarist Phillipe Loi and bassist Yan Maresz, and a verse by Lorca read by Susana Beatrix as an end cap. Ultimately, The Promise stands as one of McLaughlin's towering achievements as a guitarist and leader.

Some highly respected music critics criticized this 1996 effort as a hodge-podge of musical ideas with no central theme. However, they are mistaken. Clearly the thematic nature of this outing was the diversity of the music itself. The original tunes are compositionally strong, and the playing throughout is purposeful and exquisite. McLaughlin has gathered several of his friends—who happen to occupy the higher echelons of music—for The Promise 's musical journey through genres ranging from the all-out bombastic fusion of "Jazz Jungle" to the Euro-Indian strains of "The Wish". A vast list of musicians join the festivities.

The Promise was the jazz guitar event of 1996. The Beck/McLaughlin reworking of John Lewis' tune "Django" is itself worth the price of admission. Beck's playing opens the piece and the album, making you wonder whether even the great McLaughlin can compare. He does, of course, and in such a way as to make any comparisons an exercise of nonsense. Their interplay is complimentary and utterly brilliant. They should record a whole album together.

"Jazz Jungle" is a true fusion number. Its energy is greater than that of a jumbo jet during take-off (which is also a good description of Dennis Chambers' drumming on this tune). John McLaughlin, at 54, can still wail with purpose better than any young pretender to the throne. Amazing. Guest musician Michael Brecker makes his mark on this piece as perhaps the finest fusion saxophonist on the scene.

"Shin Jin Rui" features a reunion of sorts with jazz-pop sax man David Sanborn. Sanborn doesn't seem to take chances like this on his own albums. He is sympatico with McLaughlin. (Check out Sanborn's appearances on two other McLaughlin albums, Electric Guitarist and Electric Dreams. )

The Promise also features the brief returns of The Free Spirits, The Guitar Trio, and an electric version of Shakti. It is a potpourri of musical styles and performers. Yet, despite its disparate compositions and styles, the record manages to be a cohesive work of art. Spoken passages lead the way, and even a short one and a half minute jam with Sting makes sense in context. Bravo!

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=John+Mclaughlin

Track listing:

All tracks composed by John McLaughlin; except where indicated

01 "Django" (John Lewis) – 7:24
02 "Thelonius Melodius" – 5:22
03 "Amy and Joseph" – 2:28
04 "No Return" – 7:20
05 "El Ciego" – 9:10
06 "Jazz Jungle" – 14:45
07 "The Wish" – 8:39
08 "English Jam" (Vinnie Colaiuta, John McLaughlin, Sting) – 1:12
09 "Tokyo Decadence" – 0:39
10 "Shin Jin Rui" – 10:47
11 "The Peacocks" (Jimmy Rowles) – 5:53

Personnel:

John McLaughlin – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, MIDI guitar
Don Alias – percussion
Jim Beard – keyboards
Dennis Chambers – drums
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
James Genus – bass guitar
Zakir Hussain – tabla
Nishat Khan – sitar, vocals
Yan Maresz – arranger, acoustic bass guitar, bass guitar
Mark Mondesir – drums
Pino Palladino – bass
Mariko Takahashi – vocals

Guest Artists:

Jeff Beck – electric guitar
Michael Brecker – tenor sax
Joey DeFrancesco – Hammond organ, trumpet
Al Di Meola – acoustic guitar
Trilok Gurtu – percussion
Tony Hymas – keyboards
Paco de Lucía – acoustic guitar
David Sanborn – alto sax
Sting – bass

David Hines - 1994 "Nebula"

Instrumental Jazz Fusion CD featuring Allan Holdsworth and Steve Kirby guitars, Steve Hunt keyboards, Steve Michaud drums, David Hines 4,5,6 string and fretless basses and composer.

Jazz Now Magazine July 2005 edition
David Hines, 5-string fretless, 4 & 6 string basses; Steve Hunt, keyboards and piano; Steve Kirby, electric & classical guitars; Steve Michaud, drums; Allan Holdsworth, guitar, guest soloist Virginia Beach-based fusion bassist David Hines has brought together a fine group of musicians in the making of his first solo CD, Nebula, namely Steve Hunt on keys, Steve Kirby on guitar, and Steve Michaud on drums. In addition, legendary guitarist Allan Holdsworth, a former bandmate of Steve Hunt, appears as a guest soloist on 2 of the tracks. The CD contains 8 original Hines compositions, inspired by the music of Weather Report, Return to Forever and Miles DavisÌ Bitches Brew. This is a fine debut for Hines, a solid fusion effort with great writing and musicianship throughout, and should be enjoyed by fans of the aforementioned bands.
by Linda Goshay

Jazz Times Aug. 2005 Review of Nebula
"Way back in the dark ages of the late '60s and early '70s, jazz-rock offered listeners the promise of an exciting hybrid that would combine the improvisational prowess and harmonic imagination of jazz with the energy and rhythmic might of rock. That dream has been largely unrealized in subsequent decades, but David Hines and a corps of of musical renegades and genre-benders recall those days with their playing on Nebula. Whether it's Hines delivering flashy and adventurous solos on various basses ranging from a five-string fretless to four- and six string instruments, or special guest Allan Holdsworth adding his own agile licks on "Skippy" and "Antillia", this is classic fare being updated. Other key elements are Steve Hunt's fierce keyboard and piano licks and Steve Kirby's contributions on electric and acoustic guitar. These songs don't just amble along, nor are they dominated by vocalists or diluted by string sections. They are strong musical evidence that there are still some players interested in expanding the concepts pioneered by Miles Davis' electric units and Charles Lloyd,s late '60s bands."

BASS INSIDE MAGAZINE JUNE 2005 issue #21
"With David Hines, the good old days of real fusion are back. Hines is a great player as well and he will make you once more seriously consider tangling with fretless bass. Where the original joy and fascination with intersting tunes and fine playing are evident everywhere, David Hines' Nebula is definitely for you."

"Dave's bass playing is phenomenal. "Nebula" is a truly remarkable debut CD í it showcases both his talent as a bassist, and composer. Every jazz-rock fan who yearns for that delicious fusion of creativity and virtuosity will love it. Nebula transcends imitation without compromise. 100% inspiration! Five stars on this one!*****"
-John Pritchard (jazz-rock.com) June 2005

"David Hines Nebula is an indulgence for fans of fusion. The music is jazz fusion at its best. It is no wonder he can lead this pack and command such proficient players. Itís proof positive that David Hines is in the upper echelon of bassists."
Reviewed by: Joshua Turner, April 2005 progressive world.net

"Bassist-composer makes an impressive debut with Nebula... a very auspicious debut from a talent truly deserving of wider recognition. Hines has crafted a true winner here... chockfull of things that hardcore jazz-fusion fans adore. Nebula couldn't come more recommended. A no-holds barred player's project, with harmonically challenging compositions, and virtuosic, over-the-top solos."
-Bill Milkowsky, Author, Contributor, Bassplayer Magazine, Senior Writer for abstractlogix.com 2005-06 08

"All of the compositions are brilliant..., that essential bridge between symphonic and jazz music, which will lead you to the wonderful (and highly progressive) world of classic Jazz-Fusion. this is one of the best and the most memorable works of the genre I've heard in recent years and is an undoubted candidate to take one of the highest positions in my Top-20-2005. Ultimately recommended."

Being Steve Hunt the producer for this recording it's obvious that the sound and style of the recording would be modern Jazz music. The project is very interesting and the achivements are various: The recording presents dinamic rhythm based Jazz Fusion that brings to my mind for few moments the music of Chick Corea's and his the Elektric friends, or the SECRETS album of his friend musician Allan Holdsworth, the piece "Q" reminds me a little the Larry Carlton's track "Frenchman's Flat" from his album SLEEPWALK... But really making all this a mixture of Fusion, New Edge, or even Prog in a very light and tasty way. As a matter of fact Steve Hunt could be "Rick Wakeman" of the Jazz fusionist. Great, just for the conosseur!...
The band is formed by Steve Hunt (Keyboards), Steve kirby (Guitar), Steve Michaud (Drums), and David Hines (Electric Bass). The highlights where Allan Holdsworth played the solos are "Skippy" and "Antillia".

Track Listing:

1. Skippy (5:01)
2. Q (4:58)
3. Toe Nail (5:16)
4. Nebula (6:57)
5. Lucia (8:01)
6. No Loops (5:07)
7. Neuro Man (6:29)
8. Antillia (8:13)

Total time: 50:00

Personnel:

David Hines / fretless & fretted bass
Steve Hunt / keyboards & piano
Steve Kirby / electric & classical guitars
Steve Michaud / drums
Allan Holdsworth / guitar (1, 8)

Steve Vai - 1995 "Alien Love Secrets"

Alien Love Secrets is an EP by guitarist Steve Vai, released on March 21, 1995 through Relativity Records. The EP reached No. 125 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for two weeks, as well as reaching No. 72 on the Dutch albums chart.

Alien Love Secrets was written and recorded in less than six weeks as a stripped-down guitar, bass and drums record with minimal keyboards. According to Vai, he had wished to maintain a steady output of material following his 1993 album Sex & Religion, but the recording process for the 70+ minutes of his subsequent 1996 album Fire Garden was taking too long. The EP was therefore purposely released in anticipation of Fire Garden. Stylistically Alien Love Secrets marks a return to the more familiar instrumental rock of Vai's 1990 album Passion and Warfare, following the highly mixed reception to Sex & Religion.

Notable tracks include "Bad Horsie", which was derived from a riff played by Vai during the final scenes of the 1986 film Crossroads; "Juice" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 PlayStation video game Formula 1; "Ya-Yo Gakk" is a call and response interplay with vocal recordings of Vai's young son Julian; "Tender Surrender", one of Vai's most popular songs, bases itself around a familiar sound, structure and tempo as Jimi Hendrix's "Villanova Junction Blues" from his 1999 live album Live at Woodstock, although written in a different key; and "The Boy from Seattle", which is a tribute to Hendrix written by Vai.

After the disastrous full-band heavy metal project of Sex & Religion, Steve Vai returned to recording solo with Alien Love Secrets. It's a moodier, more atmospheric collection than his masterpiece, Passion and Warfare, which makes it slightly revelatory. With the new sonic textures, the guitarist again demonstrates his fluid technique, which manages to never become completely mechanical.

You can always count on lil’ Stevie Vai to deliver something completely off the wall…except when he’s trying to play it straight.

Compared to Passion and Warfare and Sex & Religion, Steve plays it remarkably straight on the stripped back mini-album Alien Love Secrets. Remarkably straight for Steve Vai, that is. This is a guy who is known to make his guitar sound like anything except a guitar.  There’s plenty of that here (check out “Bad Horsie”, which sounds like some kind of bad horsie at times), but there are also actual grooves and riffs too.  Alien Love Secrets is an instrumental mini-album that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Alien Love Secrets will still be incomprehensible to some, but it’s probably Steve’s most accessible release overall.  Without the layers upon layers of tracks, you can get in there and just listen.  If you want more, there is a cool DVD release, with a video for each track on the album!

This specially priced, seven-track mini-album could have been titled the "Many Moods of Stevie Vai" given its stylistic sweep. "Bad Horsie" is a widescreen, effects-laden monster, "Juice" is a high-speed boogie, "The Boy from Seattle" verges on Metheny territory and "Tender Surrender" oozes with subtlety and taste. All this, plus a thrashing rocker that football coaches can motivate the troops with: "Kill the Guy with the Ball."

A really great disk that showcases Steve Vai's talent and his "not-afraid-to-try-anything" compositional skills.
"Juice" will make your head swim with the riffs and hooks and chops showcase! "The Boy from Seattle" will keep you humming all day. Great addition to your collection!

Tracks Listing

1. Bad Horsie (5:51)
2. Juice (3:44)
3. Die to Live (3:52)
4. The Boy from Seattle (5:04)
5. Ya-Yo Gakk (2:52)
6. Kill the Guy With the Ball/The God Eaters (7:02)
7. Tender Surrender (5:09)

Total Time 32:14

Line-up / Musicians

- Steve Vai / guitars,bass,programming
- Deen Castronovo / drums
- Tommy Mars / organ
- Julian Vai / vocals

Genesis - 1976 [1988] "A Trick Of The Tail"

A Trick of the Tail is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band Genesis. It was released in February 1976 on Charisma Records and was the first album to feature drummer Phil Collins as lead vocalist following the departure of Peter Gabriel. It was a critical and commercial success in the UK and U.S., reaching No. 3 and No. 31 respectively.

Following Gabriel's decision to leave the band, the remaining members wanted to carry on and show they could still write and record successful material. The group wrote and rehearsed new songs during mid-1975, and listened to around 400 audition tapes for a replacement frontman. They entered Trident Studios in October with producer David Hentschel to record the album without a definitive idea of who was going to perform lead vocals. Eventually, Collins was persuaded to sing "Squonk", and the performance was so strong, he sang lead on the rest of album.

Upon release, critics were impressed by the improved sound quality and the group's ability to survive the loss of Gabriel without sacrificing the quality of the music. The group went out on tour with Collins as frontman and Bill Bruford as an additional drummer, and the resulting performances in the US raised Genesis' profile there. The album has been reissued on CD several times, including a deluxe package with bonus tracks in 2007.

Founding member and lead singer Peter Gabriel decided to leave Genesis in late 1974, midway through the tour for the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The other members hoped he would reconsider, as they were still in debt and felt his departure could destroy the band's future, but ultimately accepted that he would leave. The remaining members felt they still wanted to collaborate musically, and show journalists and critics they were primarily a song writing team that could still produce good music. Keyboardist Tony Banks had been close to Gabriel personally, and did not want the band to split up on top of seeing less of one of his best friends. He had written a number of songs for a possible solo project before deciding they should be used on the new Genesis album.

Following the end of the tour, guitarist Steve Hackett recorded a solo album, Voyage of the Acolyte with guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford and drummer Phil Collins, feeling unsure that Genesis would survive. He reconvened with the remaining group members in July 1975. Banks and Rutherford were particularly keen to write and record new material so that critics and fans would accept Gabriel's departure. The group began rehearsals in a basement studio in Acton, and quickly wrote material they were happy with, but had not yet found a replacement lead singer. They placed an anonymous advertisement in the music paper Melody Maker for "a singer for a Genesis-type group", which received around 400 replies. Some applicants sent photographs of themselves in costume and wearing masks, as Gabriel had done on stage. A few weeks into rehearsals, Melody Maker managed to find out about Gabriel leaving the band, and their story made the front page of the 16 August issue, where journalist Chris Welch declared Genesis dead. The group spoke to the music papers to deny they were splitting up and explaining they had an album finished and waiting to be recorded.

Genesis  entered Trident Studios to record A Trick of the Tail, which was released in February 1976, without having promoted Collins to singer. That left producer David Hentschel without any real sense of direction for the project. It was only after Collins took a shot at singing "Squonk" that something clicked.

"That first few days writing, we coulda gone over and coulda gone under," Genesis co-founder Mike Rutherford once told Washington Life. "But the first day of writing with myself, Phil and [fellow co-founder] Tony [Banks] actually, it took off."
This new alchemy, borne in a moment of deep confusion, would ultimately take Genesis far afield of the band's original progressive-rock roots, something hinted on The Trick of the Tail with the soaring ballad "Ripples." They quickly left behind the more ominous narratives, if not yet all of the complexity, that had dominated The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1975's Gabriel finale.

"The Lamb was a hard album to make," Rutherford admitted in a talk with Innerviews. "The whole concept of The Lamb was darker, longer, and it was a real uphill battle to finish. That’s why A Trick of the Tail was easier to make. It was lighter, Phil was singing, and we had a whole new scenario with a breath of fresh air."
Listen to Genesis Perform 'Dance on a Volcano'

Genesis opens with the band-written "Dance on a Volcano," a moment of collaborative euphoria that speaks volumes about their new-found confidence. From there, Banks' "Robbery, Assault and Battery" and the title track hinted at the humor that surrounded some of Genesis' earliest work together. "Squonk" builds off a thunderous Led Zeppelin-esque cadence, while "Mad Mad Moon" brings in classical themes. The loosely swinging "Los Endos" closes things out, recalling elements of both "Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk."

Collins, however, wasn't the only emerging new voice. Guitarist Steve Hackett took a more central role with the delicately conveyed epic "Entangled," having just released 1975's Voyage of the Acolyte, his solo debut. "I was really edging away from the group at that point," Hackett told Dave Negrin. "I was getting tired of bringing ideas into the group, which I felt they weren't going to do. If the ideas were more radical, they weren't necessarily going to do them. I felt that the band was heading towards an area that was becoming very safe." Indeed, they were – and Hackett would leave the band after one more album. But for now, Genesis had not only weathered Gabriel's departure, they had also achieved a new momentum. A Trick of the Tail matched their best-ever U.K. chart finish at No. 3, and found Genesis in the U.S. Top 40 for the very first time – a place in which they would soon become very comfortable.

https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Genesis

Track Listing:

1. Dance on a Volcano (5:53)
2. Entangled (6:28)
3. Squonk (6:27)
4. Mad Man Moon (7:35)
5. Robbery, Assault & Battery (6:15)
6. Ripples (8:03)
7. A Trick of the Tail (4:34)
8. Los Endos (5:46)

Total Time: 51:06

Personnel:

- Phil Collins / lead & backing vocals, drums, percussion
- Steve Hackett / electric & 12-string guitars
- Tony Banks / pianos, synthesizers, organ, Mellotron, 12-string guitar, backing vocals
- Mike Rutherford / bass, bass pedals, 12-string guitar

Santana - 1972 [1990] "Caravanserai"

Caravanserai is the fourth studio album by Santana, released on October 11, 1972. It marked a major turning point in Carlos Santana's career as it was a sharp departure from his critically acclaimed first three albums. Original bass guitarist David Brown left the group in 1971 and was replaced by Doug Rauch and Tom Rutley, while Armando Peraza replaced original percussionist Michael Carabello after his departure. During this period, Santana's relationship with longtime keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie rapidly deteriorated; consequently, keyboardist Tom Coster performed on one song before replacing Rolie shortly after the album's release. Caravanserai reached number eight in the Billboard 200 chart and number six in the R&B Albums chart in 1972.

Then there are Arabian flourishes that may conjure images of a lone desert scape with a camel making its way across arid sandy mirages.
We hear the desert scape with nature’s sounds in Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation, and then the low hum of the sun’s rays with fluttering flute, until the chimes glisten over cooling down the heat, with swells of keyboard echoes. All the Love in the Universe is a spiritual journey that moves inexorably to a climax, along a bass pulse, finally breaking into a song and then an insane instrumental break with Carlos lead and Gregg Rolie’s Hammond battling for supremacy.

The music flows along organically in the first half with not too many breaks from one track to the next and encapsulates the power of desert ambience. It is a soulful, at times moving journey, and always completely challenging musically. Santana never returned to this style again so it remains a solitude wilderness album, a desert island album literally pulsating with energy. When the guitar is to be heard it comes in a flurry of power at the hands of mighty Carlos such as on Stone Flower, with Rolie’s Hammond shimmers and vocals that echo in the distance.

La Fuente Del Ritmo continues the quest to find the oasis, the water of life, with chaotic piano and cymbal splashes, and the congas and bongos are never far around the corner. The groove locks into frenetic tempo as the lightning fast hands on the congas attack. Carlos’ lead work is exceptional, enigmatic over the arousing African beats. The improvisatory piano runs are competing against the manic tom toms, and then the Hammond blasts return like rain falling into the oasis.

It all leads ultimately to a 9 minute extravaganza ‘Every Step Of The Way’, opening with gentle percussion, with Hammond answers, and the threat of a cascading guitar phrase. As far as jazz fusion goes this really hits the target. Santana take their time getting to the meat, and taking great pains to build up to a crescendo.

This is a tense experience at times, and at three minutes it finally breaks into a downpour of grooving bass and drums as lead guitar swoops like a hungry vulture. Once the vulture is airborn everything melts into the sunshine of the soundscape. The sound of a bird twittering floats overhead and then flutters down into swathes of keyboards and a wonderful brass sound that builds to a climax.

“Caravanserai” is sheer musical poetry and one of Santana’s triumphs; certainly one of their most famous albums and will continue to challenge and move listeners for decades to come; a timeless treasure.

The sound contrasted greatly with Santana's trademark fusion of salsa, rock, and jazz, and concentrated mostly on jazz-like instrumental passages. All but three tracks were instrumentals, and consequently the album yielded no hit singles. The album is the first among a series of Santana albums that were known for their increasing musical complexity, marking a move away from the popular rock format of the early Santana albums toward a more contemplative and experimental jazz sound. While Caravanserai is regarded as an artistic success, the musical changes that began on its release in 1972 marked the start of a slide in Santana's commercial popularity. This album was mixed and released in both stereo and quadraphonic.

The largely instrumental Caravanserai, from 1972, is the first album from the guitarist after he dissolved his band from the popular albums Santana, Abraxas and Santana III, and he wasn’t looking back. Joining up with keyboardist Tom Coster, Santana was seeking the outer reaches of the soul with songs like “Just in Time to See the Sun” and “All the Love of the Universe.” The album mixes rock, jazz and salsa with tracks such as “Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation,” “Stone Flower” and “La Fuente del Ritmo,” but you can tell that Santana is itching to stretch out and stay there for a while.

Caravanserai was released in 1972 and is a brilliant album. You probably have to like jazz-rock to fully appreciate its charms. It contains many beautiful instrumental tracks that are melodic and accessible. The band had been listening to the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Santana's drummer, Mike Shrieve, claimed that he and Carlos Santana had grown tired of "rock and roll" and wanted to experiment with jazz. Unlike some jazz-rock groups, the band is tight and the solos fit the music perfectly. There is no self-indulgent jazz noodling on this album.

The guitar playing from both Carlos Santana and Neal Schon is lyrical and beautiful. This is a great guitar album. All but three of the ten tracks are instrumentals. There are three keyboardists: Rolie, Tom Coster, and Wendy Haas (formerly of Fanny). Two bass players: Tom Rutley and Doug Rauch. The Latin rhythm section is amazing: Jose Chepito Areas; James Mingo Lewis, and Mike Shrieve on drums. This really was a band of master musicians. This was probably one of the most musically accomplished bands in rock history.

It was the last Santana album to feature Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon, who went on to co-found Journey the following year.

Tracks Listing:

01. Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation (4:28)
02. Waves Within (3:53)
03. Look Up (To See What's Coming Down) (2:59)
04. Just In Time To See The Sun (2:19)
05. Song of the Wind (6:02)
06. All the Love of the Universe (7:36)
07. Future Primitive (4:12)
08. Stone Flower (6:14)
09. La Fuente del Ritmo (4:33)
10. Every Step of the Way (9:04)

Total Time: 51:20

Personnel:

- Carlos Santana / lead guitar, percussion, vocals (6), co-producer
- Neal Schon / guitar (1,3-6,8-10)
- Doug Rauch / guitar (2,3), bass (2-6)
- Gregg Rolie / organ, piano (6)
- Tom Rutley / acoustic bass (1,6,8-10)
- Michael Shrieve / drums, co-producer
- Jose 'Chepito' Areas / timbales, congas (7), bongos (8)
- James Mingo Lewis / percussion, congas (2,4-10), bongos (7), piano (9), vocals (6)
- Armando Peraza / percussion, bongos (9)

With:
- Rico Reyes / vocals (6)
- Douglas Rodrigues / guitar (2)
- Wendy Haas / piano (1,8)
- Tom Coster / electric piano (9)
- Lenny White / castanets (6)
- Tom Harrel / orchestral arrangements (10)

CAB - 2003 "4"

CAB is a jazz fusion supergroup founded by Bunny Brunel, Dennis Chambers, and Tony MacAlpine. Since their formation in 2000, they have released four studio albums and two live albums. Their second album, CAB 2, received a nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards. Other members who have been a part of CAB include Patrice Rushen, Virgil Donati, David Hirschfelder, and Brian Auger.

When asked about the band's name, Brunel said:

“ ...Center Tone Records wanted me to record an album with Dennis Chambers and Tony MacAlpine. [I thought I’d create an acronym of our last names] Chambers, Alpine, and Brunel. I didn’t know that MacAlpine was an ‘M’ and not separate from the ‘A.’ But we thought it was a good way to carry the music... CAB, so we left it like that. ”
— Bunny Brunel

CAB 4 is the third studio album by the instrumental rock/jazz fusion band CAB, released on September 23, 2003 through Favored Nations.

"If you like old school rock/jazz fusion, this album is for you.Dennis Chambers is one of the world's best drummers (Funkadelic; John McClaughlin; Santana); he has played with all the best and is a phenominal player. Bunny Brunel played with Chick Corea and if you like killer, fast, funky bass playing, he is your man.Tony Mac is new to me and he writes swell tunes and plays exciting guitar and keyboards. Throw in Ms Patrice Rushen on piano on a few tracks and you have a heady musical stew.Well recorded, great playing, some long jams-a fusion lovers delight. Their previous 2 albums are equally excellent ( there is no CAB 3-some kind of inside joke). Happy listening."

"I recently saw Cab play at the Baked Potato in Los Angeles and they were amazing. They played tunes from all the Cab records, and all I have to say is that I bought Cab 3 from Bunny Brunel, its a live double CD of them playing at the Baked Potato. I forgot who the key board player was for the CD but the drummer was Virgil Donati, who is an amazing player."

For CAB consists of guitar monster Tony MacAlpine, bass wizard and Return To Forever alumnus Bunny Brunel, elegant and ingenious keyboard innovator Patrice Rushen, and the force-of-nature, unstoppable rhythm dynamo Dennis Chambers on drums -- each a giant on his or her own terms. Together, they are unlike anything heard since the glory days of jazz-rock fusion. As Steve Vai said it "This is the best fusion album since Return To Forever."

Though individual and guest projects clogged their calendars, the foursome decided in 2003 to challenge themselves again. Once more they opened the door, this time to Rushen, whose advanced harmonies added yet another dimension. Inspired now by their intensifying musical communion, they took the fusion pledge -- defy convention, keep standards high, and take every risk you can -- and plunged into CAB 4.

Their method was, of course, anything but predictable: Having already established themselves as a versatile live combination in the studio and in gigs, CAB tried something different on 4. This time, each track began with the writer, either MacAlpine or Brunel, creating a demo of the tune. This was then passed along to Auger and Rushen, who added their parts. Later they all went into the studio with Chambers to complete the project. Dennis unleashed rhythms that uncannily supported, interacted with, bounced through, and otherwise led to a final version as alive as any concert performance.

Track listing:

1. "Hold On" Bunny Brunel 4:35
2. "One for the Road" Tony MacAlpine 7:01
3. "Shizuka" MacAlpine 5:24
4. "Tony Mac" Brunel 8:33
5. "Raymond" Brunel 6:31
6. "BB's Rhumba" Brunel 4:53
7. "Bass Ackward" Brunel 4:51
8. "Cloud 10" MacAlpine 6:17
9. "Alphonse" Brunel 6:25
10. "Jam & Toast" Brunel 6:09
11. "Dede" Brunel 6:13

Total length: 66:52

Personnel:

Tony MacAlpine – guitar, keyboard, production
Patrice Rushen – clavinet, Rhodes piano, piano
Brian Auger – keyboard, Hammond organ
Bunny Brunel – keyboard, percussion programming, bass, engineering, mixing, production
Dennis Chambers – drums