King Crimson - 2016 "Collectors' Club - Mainichi Hall, Osaka Japan 12.13.1981"

 Limited live release from the art/prog rock icons' Collectors Club series. This set was recorded on December 13, 1981 in Osaka, Japan. King Crimson formed in London in 1968. The band has undergone numerous formations throughout it's history of which 21 musicians have been members. Robert Fripp is the only consistent member of the group, and is considered the band's leader and driving force. The band has earned a large cult following. Developed from the unsuccessful trio Giles, Giles and Fripp, the band were seminal in the progressive rock genre in it's first five years with it's standard of instrumentation and complex song structures. King Crimson's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), remains it's most successful and influential, with it's elements of jazz, classical, and experimental music. Their success increased following an opening act performance for The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park, London, in 1969. The group reached a new creative peak with Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), and Red (1974). Fripp has dismantled and reformed the band throughout the years. Their early '80s recordings introduced them to an entirely new audience.

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Track listing:

01     Discipline    
02     Thela Hun Ginjeet    
03     Red    
04     Matte Kudasai    
05     The Sheltering Sky    
06     Frame By Frame    
07     Neal And Jack And Me    
08     Manhattan    
09     Elephant Talk    
10     Indiscipline    
11     Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part II

Personnel:

Robert Fripp - Guitar
Adrian Belew - Guitar, Vocal
Tony Levin - Bass, Chapman Stick
Bill Bruford - Drums

Bill Bruford with Ralph Towner & Eddie Gomez - 1997 "If Summer Had Its Ghosts"

On If Summer Had Its Ghosts, a primarily acoustic trio recording, drummer Bill Bruford, bassist Eddie Gómez, and pianist/guitarist Ralph Towner create some lush, wondrous, spontaneous and melodic music. It has jazz roots, improvisational branches, and elfin extensions. There's no gimmickry or pretension, although Bruford does add some sampled colors, and Towner overdubs his instruments as well as throwing in a pinch of electronic keyboards. What you basically hear is Bruford's newest and freshest music, interpreted and extrapolated upon by three virtuosos in mellifluous interactive conversation. At their most swinging, as on the lively, four/four, tick-tock, light rimshot, mid-tempo swing of the title track, they are telepathic, with Towner effortlessly switching from acoustic 12-string to piano and Gómez laying down soulful, full, deep bass punctuations. In a more ethnocentric bag, Bruford samples mbira for the folk-ish "Thistledown," Indonesian bells for the minimalistic, dancing "Splendor Among Shadows," and clay pots for "Silent Pool"; Towner emulates Peruvian wooden pan flutes on his synth for "The Ballad of Vilcabamba," replete with ostinato bass and quiet electronic handclaps. The drummer pays homage to Joe Morello's classic five/four "Take Five" drum solo on "Some Other Time" (not the standard) with an accent on the fourth beat, while slowly grooving in six/eight on the ballad "Forgiveness." "Never the Same Way Once" (an old Shelly Manne adage) is the showstopper, a time-shifting, bluesy, swing to bop and back again rhythm with the spritely Chick Corea-like piano-guitar melody that is completely unpredictable and delightful. It reflects an easygoing, loose, carefree attitude that defines this entire session. If summer really does have its ghosts, they would evoke echoes of spring, full of renewal, hope, and joyful anticipation. It is that spirit with which this music is made, and it is some of greatest music, collectively or otherwise, that these three have conjured in their lengthy, storied careers.

Here's yet another excellent album among many Bill Bruford has been associated with. He's the only ex-member of Yes to have produced consistently high-quality work for the past 30 years. Bruford may not have the super-chops of a Colaiuta, Weckl or Gadd but he's more clever than all of them. Far from being "out-of-his-league" as another reviewer suggests, he creates his own league and unique field of play for his formidable accomplices. He could easily try to show off with flash or worse yet try to play like a typical jazz drummer and have this record sound like so many hundreds of others and put all the pressure on Towner to make it work. Instead he penetrates these tunes like a Swiss watch that can melt and bend as in a Dali painting. Bruford sticks firmly to his calculated and finely-tuned un-loose style but this is the restraint he needs to slowly unwind his drumming art besides providing a unique strict-timed background for Towner and Gomez, especially Towner to feed off. This makes the record sound 'one-of-a-kind,' a perfect fusion and blend of styles rather than tied to any one discipline. All that wouldn't matter if the compositions weren't excellent and here you have them. Every track is a great piece played with consummate skill by all three players with just the right amount of looseness and improvisation to maximize its potential, if not quite maximizing it to the transcendent masterpiece level you might hear on Towner's "Solstice." The last track is kind of out-of-place with the rest of the material and a bit more rock-oriented and closer to the late-70s Bruford-Band material but still a fun listen and nice way to close the album with a bit of a bang. The sound quality on the album is way above the average and on par with ECM recordings although without the often suffocating sameness of high quality recording you hear on some of the ECM albums.

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Track listing:

01     If Summer Had Its Ghosts     6:20
02     Never The Same Way Once     5:04
03     Forgiveness     5:15
04     Somersaults     3:27
05     Thistledown     4:11
06     The Ballad Of Vilcabamba     5:00
07     Amethyst (For Carmen)     4:18
08     Splendour Among Shadows     4:52
09     Some Other Time     3:01
10     Silent Pool     3:35
11     Now Is The Next Time     4:03

Personnel:

    Bill Bruford - Drums, Percussion
    Eddie Gomez - Bass
    Ralph Towner - Twelve-String Guitar, Classical Guitar, Piano, Keyboards [Electronic Keyboards]

Brian Bromberg - 2004 "Choices"

In his career, Brian Bromberg has recorded bop, fusion, and smooth with equal fluency and creativity on acoustic and electric basses. Choices is somewhat commercial, with funky rhythms, R&B-ish solos, and fade-outs. In general, the solos are more memorable than Bromberg's originals and grooves. While the material is mostly routine, the improvisations of Bromberg and altoist Eric Marienthal are excellent and the musicianship is impressive. But no real surprises occur, making this a lesser and generally easy listening effort by the hugely talented Brian Bromberg.

If you are a fan of bassist jazz then this CD is a superb example of contemporary jazz at its bassiest... Simply put this CD is a rare gem. I was unfamilar with Brian Bromberg, but now I'm an instant fan.. There also are some excellent contributions from some perhaps more popular jazz artists, but Brian stands on his own. This CD should be a part of every Comtemporary jazz fan's collection. How does such good music go underplayed or overlooked... I'd love to see Brain in concert Defintely will check out the rest of his catalog.. I'm hooked.

One of my favorite CDs. A real surprise, this one. Heard a song from it on the radio and took a shot-wow am I glad I did! This guy is now my favorite bass player. You know what you hear is a guitar but don't be too sure what kind, it's just incredible. Everyone I've played it for can't believe their ears. Modern jazz/fusion at its best.

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

Track listing:

01 Never Give Up
02 Choices
03 Bobblehead
04 Snuggle Up
05 Relentless
06 B Squared
07 Why?
08 Bass Face
09 When I Look In Your Eyes
10 Lazy Afternoon
11 Audubon Park
12 Hear Our Cry

Personnel:

Brian Bromberg - Acoustic Piccolo Bass, Acoustic Bass, Tenor Bass
Jeff Lorber - Keyboards
Eric Marienthal - Alto Sax
Joel Taylor - Drums
Alex Acuna - Percussion
Tom Zink - Keyboards
Dave Kochanski - Keyboards
Gary Meek - Tenor Sax
Billy Armstrong - Trumpet (9)
Dave Ryan - Trombone
Dave Benoit - Piano (10)
Brian Culbertson - Piano (6)
Kelly Moneymaker, Roger Treece, Lisa Fischer - Vocals
David Bromberg - Drums (2)

Strings – Alwyn Wright (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14), Benedikt Fischer (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14), Erika Walczak (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14), Eugene Mechtovich (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14), J' Anna Jacoby* (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14), Sarah O'Brien (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14).

Michael Brecker - 1987 "Michael Brecker"

Michael Brecker is the debut album by American saxophonist Michael Brecker. It was released on the Impulse! record label in 1987.

Although he had been a major tenor saxophonist in the studios for nearly 20 years and was quite popular for his work with the Brecker Brothers, this MCA/Impulse set was Michael Brecker's first as a leader. Playing in a quintet with guitarist Pat Metheny, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Brecker performs three of his originals, two by producer Don Grolnick, and Mike Stern's "Choices." The music in general is straight-ahead but far from predictable; the tricky material really challenges the musicians and Michael Brecker is in consistently brilliant form, constantly stretching himself. Highly recommended.

I had this record on vinyl when it came out in 1986. Just added it to my collection on disc and it has me wondering where I've been all this time. This was the first solo release by Brecker, and he can only be termed a GIANT of the tenor sax. I saw him live four or five times, and all his genius is on display here. So sorry to say that Brecker succumbed to cancer last year, and that brilliant pianist Kenny Kirkland, who is all over this record, succumbed to a heroin overdose in 1998. The musicians, also including guitarist Pat Metheny and drummer Jack DeJohnette, are uniformly stupendous on this record, but more than that, the compositions are simply inventive jazz genius. Curious about jazz? Want to check out a great saxophone record? BUY IT. Robert Orme.

A truly unbelievable album - wow! And what a band - Methemy, Haden, Dejohnette, Kirkland.. every piece is exceptional. And Cost of Living - my favorite - powerful! MJJ.

I hadn't heard this recording in a long while and lost sight of how awesome a player Michael Brecker was. This is one of the best examples of a recording that is simultaneously contemporary and tradition-rooted. It still sounds as special as it did when I walked in a record store and stopped in my tracks to listen to the entire recording. Alan R.

Michael Brecker's Tenor playing is so rich and warm. His speed and clarity are extraordinary.

The line up on this album top notch. It is really a "best of the best" with Jack de Johnette on Drums, Charlie Haden on Bass, Kenny Kirland on Piano and Pat Metheny on Guitar. I always enjoy Jack de Johnette's fast and sweet drumming; a particular feature on the album for me. The entire group is really "tight" and it is really impossible to say anyone is better than the other. It works!

I enjoyed a very interesting rendition of "My One and Only Love" which is on Track 7. On this track there is a solo by Pat Metheny that is sublime. Track 5 The Cost Of Living is a slower number, but is a nice change of pace that is well performed and allows Charlie Haden to shine.

This is a terrific album. It showcases Michael Brecker's virtuoso sound. Frizzante.

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Track listing:

1.    "Sea Glass" (Michael Brecker)    5:49
2.    "Syzygy" (Brecker)    9:44
3.    "Choices" (Mike Stern)    8:06
4.    "Nothing Personal" (Don Grolnick)    5:29
5.    "The Cost of Living" (Grolnick)    9:04
6.    "Original Rays" (Brecker, Grolnick, Stern)    9:04
7.    "My One and Only Love" (Robert Mellin, Guy Wood)    8:16
Total length:    53:02

Personnel:

    Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, EWI
    Pat Metheny – guitar
    Kenny Kirkland – keyboards
    Charlie Haden – double bass
    Jack DeJohnette – drums

Steps Ahead - 1984 "Modern Times"

Steps Ahead is a jazz fusion group formed by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri in the 1970s. The lineup consisted of Mainieri, Michael Brecker, Don Grolnick, Eddie Gómez, and Steve Gadd and would change often over the years. Steps Ahead fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, and rhythm and blues.

By 1984, Steps Ahead's personnel had stabilized with original keyboardist Warren Bernhardt rejoining the group and teaming up with tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gomez, drummer Peter Erskine, and vibraphonist Mike Mainieri; guitarist Chuck Loeb guests on one selection, as does Tony Levin, who is heard on the Chapman stick. This outing is very electronic and does not quite reach the heights of Steps Ahead's earlier Elektra album, but it certainly has plenty of spirit and power.

Michael Brecker formed Steps Ahead (originally Steps) with fellow New York masters vibraphonist Mike Mainieri and bassist Eddie Gomez, put together initially for the Japanese market. Steve Gadd was their original drummer, replaced in the early ’80s by Weather Report man Peter Erskine.

Steps Ahead’s self-titled debut album showcased a mostly-acoustic fusion sound, but the follow-up Modern Times embraced all sorts of ’80s technology to intriguing effect. Of course such tinkering opens it up to sounding somewhat dated these days, but at least the album has ambition, quality compositions and the kind of attention to detail that makes it an interesting companion piece to key mid-’80s works like The Flat Earth, Hounds Of Love, Boys And Girls and So.

Opener ‘Safari’ kicks off with a vaguely Caribbean/reggae groove featuring a multitude of synths and sequencers and a tribal, almost Zawinulesque melody. With repeated listens there are many pleasures to be found; Brecker’s typically incisive tenor solo, Erskine’s subtly-building groove work, the slinky bass line which rumbles on throughout.

Equally arresting is pianist Warren Bernhardt’s title track, a modal piece built over another serpentine, sequenced line, developing into a series of lovely vignettes featuring Brecker’s solos and some very Steely Dan-ish chord progressions. Mainieri’s composition ‘Old Town’ features King Crimson/Peter Gabriel sideman Tony Levin playing some menacing Stick over the sort of exotic, ambient groove Bryan Ferry would utilise on Boys And Girls a year later. And ‘Radio-Active’ taps into some of the World vibes Peter Gabriel investigated throughout the ’80s.

Unfortunately a few tunes let the side down, drifting uncomfortably into smooth jazz territory. Mainieri’s composition ‘Self Portrait’ is almost saved by a lyrical Brecker solo but far too saccharine for my tastes, while Erskine’s ‘Now You Know’ features a melody line (Brecker on soprano) which, though memorable, veers scarily towards Kenny G.

And it has to be said that Eddie Gomez’s role in the band was diminishing very fast, so anonymous is his contribution. He would be gone by the next album Magnetic, replaced by ex-Weather Report man Victor Bailey.

In Modern Times‘ liner notes, Peter Erskine thanks someone for their help with click tracks, and that concept in itself would probably turn off a big section of the ‘jazz’ audience. But some arresting compositions, tribal grooves and typically tasty Brecker solos ensure that one’s attention never strays for long. Modern Times is a key jazz album of the ’80s, albeit one that would probably have given most of the Young Lions nightmares…

Released in 1984, Modern Times, the group's second album as Steps Ahead, was a radical departure from their self-titled debut. Unlike the first album's mostly acoustic textures, Modern Times is a high-tech, futuristic, jazz-of-tomorrow fusion masterpiece. While many have used sequencers, throbbing synth-bass, and programmed percussion in a jazz context, to this day no one has done it better than this group on this album. Strong compositions, impassioned performances, and early DDD production are married to otherworldly yet urban atmospheres to create one of the best albums any of these distinguished players has ever appeared on.

Steps Ahead were always Mike Mainieri's group, and he is the only player to appear on every album. "Oops" and "Self Portrait" are classic Mainieri compositions: long-lined unforgettable melodies, loud/soft contrasts, quirky bridges, outstanding solos over synth splashes, and sudden endings. His two other songs on this album are a bit more eclectic. "Radio Active" is mostly programmed (special guest: Craig Peyton) and showcases Michael Brecker's multi-tracked licks and best soloing on the album. "Old Town" includes drumbox, gurgling synth loops, Tony Levin on the Chapman Stick, and Mainieri's marimba solo. Ubiquitous drummer Peter Erskine contributes the smooth "Now You Know" with guest (and future band member) Chuck Loeb on guitar, an exquisite Warren Bernhardt piano solo, and Brecker making a rare appearance on soprano sax. Brecker's only composition, "Safari", also features his soprano work before moving to the tenor and a brilliant Mainieri vibraphone solo. Bernhardt's "Modern Times" opens with intricate synth patterns and includes an Eddie Gomez bass solo that's almost drowned in the mix. In the interest of full disclosure, it should be mentioned here that while credited as a full band member, Gomez can only be heard on "Oops", "Modern Times", and "Now You Know". Not surprisingly, he has not appeared on another Steps Ahead album since.

While the shock of high-technology no doubt alienated some listeners, the gamble has paid off in that this album still sounds very, well, MODERN and contemporary over 30 years after its original release. Future Steps Ahead albums would never recapture the innovative, imaginative quality of Modern Times, and would add vocals and a revolving-door line-up that could never hold a candle to this original jazz "supergroup". If you're at all familiar with the players, Modern Times will provide a lifetime's worth of listening pleasure.

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Track listing:

1     Safari     6:58
2     Oops     6:20
3     Self Portrait     6:02
4     Modern Times     6:17
5     Radio-Active     8:49
6     Now You Know     6:25
7     Old Town     6:19

Personnel:

    Bass – Eddie Gomez
    Chapman Stick – Tony Levin (tracks: 7)
    Drums, Percussion, Electronic Drums [DMX] – Peter Erskine
    Guitar – Chuck Loeb (tracks: 6)
    Keyboards – Warren Bernhardt
    Synthesizer [Additional] – Michael Brecker (tracks: 1), Michael Mainieri* (tracks: 2, 3, 7)
    Synthesizer, Electronic Drums [DMX], Bass [Pro 1] – Craig Peyton (tracks: 5)
    Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Michael Brecker
    Vibraphone [Vibes], Marimba, Synthesizer [Synthi-vibe] – Mike Mainieri

Randy Brecker with Michael Brecker - 2005 "Some Skunk Funk" (Live)

Some Skunk Funk is an album, recorded live in 2003, by Randy Brecker and Michael Brecker. In 2006 it won Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (Michael Brecker) and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

The 2003 performance documented on Some Skunk Funk may be credited to trumpeter Randy Brecker, but his brother, saxophonist Michael, joins in for a Brecker Brothers reunion with the added oomph of Germany's WDR Big Band. And if ever a band's repertoire was custom-made to be retrofitted with a larger horn section, it's that of the Brecker Brothers. Some of the material comes from Randy Brecker's solo career: "Shanghigh" and "Let It Go" from 34th N Lex (ESC, 2003), "Wayne Out" from Hanging in the City (ESC, 2001), and a new tune, "Let It Go." But what's remarkable is how comfortably these tunes fit in with Brecker Brothers material on Brecker Bros. (Arista, 1975) through Out of the Loop (GRP, 1994).

The Brecker Brothers emerged as a distinct alternative to the muscular athletics of other fusion bands during the 1970s. As virtuosic as any such group, they played a swaggering downtown New York funk that differentiated them from the higher-octane Mahavishnu Orchestra, the progressive rock leanings of Return to Forever, and the increasingly world music-driven Weather Report. Even the band closest to the Breckers' brand of groove-driven music—Herbie Hancock's Headhunters—occupied a different space.

Maybe it's because the brothers didn't feel it necessary to desert the more jazz-centric harmonies they'd learned playing with artists like Horace Silver. As electric and funky as the Brecker Brothers have always been, their jazz aesthetic has also distinguished them from peer fusion bands, making their best material truly timeless. Three of the ten tunes on this album—the fiery title track, the greasier "Sponge" and the balladic "Levitate"—are taken from their 1975 debut, and they sound as relevant today as they did then.

Credit, of course, goes to Vince Mendoza—who arranged and conducted the tracks for this expanded Brecker Brothers Big Band. The Breckers' writing has always been characterized by rich orchestration—sometimes feeling much bigger than their small ensemble size would suggest. Mendoza's unique voice takes Michael's viscerally funky "Strap-hangin,'" for example, and layers more colors where appropriate, still twisting the arrangement into a new shape that feels like a logical extension, rather than an extensive rewrite.

But with a crack core group featuring keyboardist Jim Beard, bassist Will Lee and drummer Peter Erskine, Mendoza also lets the ensemble collapse into smaller, more interactive units where appropriate during the solo sections. Solos from both brothers build on their own. Mendoza reintroduces the horn section at just the right time, pushing them to even greater extremes. And when the two brothers trade off during the song's outro, they remind us of just how powerful shared genetics can be.

The Brecker Brothers join forces for a set of mostly high-powered originals at a concert in 2003. Their post-bop music is generally funky (although "Freefall" is an uptempo cooker) and sometimes a bit bombastic yet is never predictable. Trumpeter Randy Brecker and tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker take many fiery solos while also sounding warm on ballads. They are supported by a particularly strong rhythm section. In addition, the WDR Big Band contributes 14 horns and a guitar to accompany the core group. The individual songs may not be overly memorable (although "Some Skunk Funk" has been getting covered by other musicians) but the Breckers' solos are full of exciting moments.

The rare blood disorder that has kept Michael Brecker on the sidelines for nearly two years makes Some Skunk Funk a bittersweet experience.

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

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Track listing:

All tracks written by Randy Brecker except where noted.

01.    "Some Skunk Funk"    5.51
02.    "Sponge"    4.05
03.    "Shanghigh"    6.40
04.    "Wayne Out"    4:56
05.    "And Then She Wept"    6:07
06.    "Strap Hangin'" (Michael Brecker)    8:18
07.    "Let It Go"    8:02
08.    "Freefall"    6:17
09.    "Levitate"    4:58
10.    "Song for Barry" (Michael Brecker)    10:32

Personnel:

    Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
    Randy Brecker – trumpet
    Vince Mendoza – conductor, arranger
    Will Lee – bass guitar
    Jim Beard – piano, synthesizer
    Peter Erskine – drums
    Marcio Doctor – percussion
    Koji Paul Shigihara – guitar

    WDR Big Band:
    Rob Bruynen – trumpet
    Andy Haderer – trumpet
    Rick Kiefer – trumpet
    John Marshall – trumpet
    Klaus Osterloh – trumpet
    David Horler – trombone
    Bernt Laukamp – trombone
    Ludwig Nuss – trombone
    Mattis Cederberg – bass trombone
    Harold Rosenstein – alto saxophone
    Heiner Wiberny – alto saxophone
    Olivier Peters – tenor saxophone
    Rolf Römer – tenor saxophone
    Jens Neufang – baritone saxophone

Brand X - 2017 "But Wait...There's More!" / LIVE 2017

 Brand X's first release in 20 years finds original members Percy Jones and John Goodsall joined by former drummer Kenwood Dennard (Livestock), plus Chris Clark (Keyboards) and Scott Weinberger

Containing an explosive set recorded at the historic Sellersville Theatre in Pennsylvania in 2017, "But Wait....There's More!" features remarkable new versions of Brand X classics taken mostly from the band's first three albums, including Nightmare Patrol, Nuclear Burn, Malaga Virgen, And So To F and more.  Jones and Goodsall are at their blistering best and the performance has been beautifully mixed by Stephen W. Tayler (Peter Gabriel, U.K., Kate Bush, Bruford, Brand X, Underworld).

But Wait... There's More!, the new live album by Brand X captures a complete performance of the classic Anglo- American prog-jazz-fusion band (can we fit a few more hyphens in here?) from their recent, eagerly anticipated, recent tour. Recorded in January at the Sellersville Theater, it is a blistering, high energy set, reexploring material from their first two studio albums, 1976's Unorthodox Behaviour and 1977's Moroccan Roll, as well material from their 1977 live album, Livestock.

Recorded at a single show, the recording has an authentic, energized feel. It's a solid "warts and all" document of a band really gelling after a hiatus of over two decades. Founding members, guitarist John Goodsall and bassist Percy Jones, along with veteran Livestock era drummer, Kenwood Dennard, are joined by new members Chris Clark on keyboards and Scott Weinberger on percussion. The new line-up brings new ideas and vigor to the material, with the old members exploring new sounds and the new members bringing their own musical identities into the mix.

Goodsall's guitar often has a nastier, snarling tone only hinted at on the band's old albums, unleashing solos that are cutting and angular. Jones in fine form, with his deep, swirling magma bass showcased on "Born Ugly" and "Hate Zone," while his solo "Magic Mist" highlights a more lyrical, cosmically mysterious sound.

The sheer power of Kenwood Dennard's drumming is very much at the forefront here, injecting the material with an unrelenting funkiness. Scott Weinberger does a fine job finding spaces within the groove for color and emphasis. The rhythmic approach of the two constantly shifts in its relationship and dynamics, vacillating between complimentary, rhythmic discussions and full-out unison freight train assaults.

Clark's keyboard work is more staid, his approach more cerebral. He executes his parts expertly and constructs his solos for maximum chromatic effect. His solos often seem to deliberately eschew any notes that could possibly be expected in a given moment. The results are often dizzyingly satisfying. In addition, his solo piano version of ..."Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All" is masterful. His spare and lovely, but crisp and sharply attacked playing (evoking Chick Corea, to no small extent) makes the piece worth the price of admission alone.

But Wait... There's More! is a fine document of a band reemerging and reasserting itself, but more, it's a powerful and engaging album in its own right. In spite of the fact that nearly all of the music was composed decades ago, the album features some incredibly strong performances and a level of intensity that makes this recording stand out based on its own merits, making it worthy addition to the Brand X catalog.

“As you can see, Brand X does continue on,” bellows a gregarious John Goodsall during an incendiary set recorded in Pennsylvania. Their first release in 20 years finds Goodsall with bassist Percy Jones and former drummer Kenwood Dennard, alongside keyboardist Chris Clark and Scott Weinberger’s agile percussion. They’re clearly happy to be up there playing for a wildly enthusiastic crowd, and Stephen W Tayler’s stunningly detailed production puts the listener right up there in the sweet spot with them.

Some of the hottest instrumental music you’ll hear this year.

Aside from big names such as Soft Machine and Nucleus, the UK jazz rock scene was a bustling place in the 70s with less well-known bands such as Turning Point, John Stevens’ Away, Back Door, Zzebra, Pacific Eardrum, Paz and others. As good as they all were, toiling on the college circuit and occasionally nabbing support slots with big name rock acts, Brand X grabbed a higher profile thanks to their association with Phil Collins, moonlighting from Genesis.

Ending with more of a whimper than a bang in 1980, aside from an unsatisfactory reunion sortie in the 90s, they’ve been in danger of being as forgotten and overlooked as all those groups mentioned earlier. Yet albums such as 1976’s Unorthodox Behaviour and 1977’s Moroccan Roll and Livestock showcased a turbocharged outfit whose thunder was every bit the equal of the heavy weather the American jazz rock aristocracy generated. Forty years on, this Anglo-American incarnation breathes new life into classics like Nuclear Burn, Isis Mourning, Euthanasia Waltz and Malaga Virgen.

Percy Jones’ pugnacious bass work continues to dazzle as rumbling figures trip from his fingers, to push and prod the tunes into some unfamiliar tangles. Goodsall’s echo‑enhanced rushes across the fretboard show he’s lost none of the melodic sense of direction that historically informed the bulk of his guitar soloing. And let’s hear it for Chris Clark’s reading of …Maybe I’ll Lend You Mine After All, which leans heavily on Debussy channelling Keith Jarrett, offering up a moment of calm in the surging electricity of the night.

Between them, they still possess a killer synergy that enables them to journey into nebulous, free‑form clusters and terse, jazzy phrasing, only to flick the switch on abrupt accelerations into tight, twisting themes. That they achieve this so flawlessly provides abundant proof that this incarnation of Brand X is anything but a shadow of its former self. The last 18 minutes of this two-disc set features some of the hottest instrumental music you’ll hear this year. It’s good to have them back.

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Track listing:

CD 1
1     Intro     1:42
2     Nightmare Patrol     8:28
3     Euthanasia Waltz     4:42
4     Born Ugly     9:58
5     Isis Mourning     6:29
6     Nuclear Burn     9:20

CD 2
1     Magic Mist     2:32
2     Why Should I Lend You Mine...     9:10
3     ...Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All     3:37
4     Hate Zone     6:03
5     And So To F     8:32
6     Malaga Virgen     10:00

Personnel:

John Goodsall: guitars;
Percy Jones: bass;
Kenwood Dennard: drums;
Chris Clark: keyboards;
Scott Weinberger: percussion

Victor Biglione - 1989 "Baleia Azul"

 A great album of a great player. Victor Biglione is a great musician with a unmistakable style. I sure recommend it!

 I meet Vito Biglione on Brazil, I did play his guitar on VIP section at BARRIL-2000 in Rio de janeiro. Great person execelent player and the whole band they are one the best players in my opinion. By the way I do have in Brazil this particular album with all the members autograph which the time was a LP, and is his first album ...

Track listing:

1. Marrakech (Victor Biglione)
2. Rumo Certo- (The Right Track) (Victor Biglione)
3. Za Tum (Victor Biglione)
4. Baleia Azul (Blue Whale) (Victor Biglione)
5. Invitation (Bronislaw Kaper/Paul Webster)
6. 193 Acacias (Victor Biglione)
7. Fim de Estacao (End of the Season) (Victor Biglione)

Personnel:

Victor Biglione - guitarra (1,2,3,4,5,6,7), violão (4)
André Tendetta - bateria (1,2,3,5,6,7)
João Baptista - baixo elétrico (1,2,3,6,7)
José Lourenço -clados te (1,2,3,4,5,6,7), sitentizador (4,5)
Zé Nogueira - sax soprano (1,2,3,4), teclados (2,3,4,5,7), sintetizador (2,3,4,5,6,7)
Armando Marçal - percussão (2,3,6)
Chico Batera - percussão (2,3,6)
Nico Assumpção - baixo elétrico (5)

George Benson Quartet - 1967 [2001] "George Benson Cookbook"

The Hard Bop Homepage says of the album, "This is basically the George Benson quartet, with Smith and Cuber, but trombonist Bennie Green and percussionist Pucho were added on some tracks, giving them a bop flavor that delighted dedicated jazz fans and critics. Benson's quartet was modeled after Jack McDuff's--with baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber, organist Lonnie Smith, a powerhouse player who deserved more attention than he ever received, and Jimmy Lovelace or Marion Booker on drums. The sonorous tone of Cuber's baritone gives the quartet a richer, more dense texture than that obtained by McDuff, who used a tenor, but the overall sound is the same. At twenty-five, Ronnie Cuber was an alumnus of Marshall Brown's celebrated Newport Youth Band; he had spent the previous two years with Maynard Ferguson's very loud and brassy orchestra, which may account for his aggressive style, but Cuber's approach also emphasized rhythm, and that was precisely the ingredient called for by a "soul jazz" group of this kind."

The second of Benson's John Hammond-produced albums is far and away the superior of the pair, mixing down-to-basics, straight-ahead jazz with soul-drenched grooving. Suddenly Benson's backup group - same as that of Uptown, with Benny Green added on trombone now and then - has found its bearings and apropos to the title, they can cook, even sizzle. The effect upon Benson's own playing is striking; with something to react against, his sheer ability to swing advances into the realm of awesome. The rapid-fire work on "The Cooker" and "Ready And Able" will make you gasp. Only one vocal here, an exuberant "All Of Me." [In mid-2001 Columbia/Legacy reissued this 1966 classic, along with It's Uptown, recorded only several months earlier. Four bonus tracks include a (previously unreleased) doo wop vocal rendition of Little Willie John's "Let Them Talk" and two Benson originals that are pure rock-n-roll: "The Man from Toledo" and "Goodnight." Two of the bonus cuts are preceded by control-booth comments from the session's legendary producer, John Hammond.]

For those fans, listening to George Benson after 1966 is like the obligatory New Years Drink from your employer. Damn, is guessing who’s been under the sheets with whom the only game around here?. Ok, one might answer the demure jazz buff, next time bring your turntable, light things up a bit, you crank. And the fifty-something who grew up on a diet of Average White Band and Santana might add, hey pal, George Benson did record some awesome stuff after ’66.

Sure he did. Except most of it is drowned in an overstuffed sound soup of strings, harp, flute, synth and, yuk, strings from the synth. A&M and CTI albums like The Other Side Of Abbey Road (1970) and White Rabbit (1972) are, notwithstanding the heavyweight line-ups of, among others, Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter, technically exceptional elevator muzak affairs, no less. If it wasn’t for the greasy, steamroller beat of drummer Idris Muhammad, 1968’s The Shape Of Things To Come would’ve been nothing more than schlock for the building constructors working on the streets where you live. Then again, few are prepared for My Latin Brother from Bad Benson (1974), a smoking, exotic and sizzling Latin tune with a quintet line up from the matured guitar player. And the highlights of Benson’s big break as a smooth jazz star in 1976, collected on Breezin’, are, despite their schmaltzy coating of synth, pretty darn good courtesy of the experienced, first-class session players – take So This Is Love. The only thing it needs is the voice of Barry White. Next thing you know one of sixteen vestal virgins appears from out of the blue, ready to sign up for Procol Harum’s harem.

As early as early 1968, when Benson was still a soul jazz guitarist, there were hints of radio-friendly formatting. His album Giblet Gravy has both the low-down dirty blues, injected with typical lightning-bolt fingering, of Groovin’ as the saccharine take of the ultimate crowd pleaser, Bobby Hebb’s Sunny. In fact, he’s singing an r&b-type version of All Of Me on Cookbook that could’ve done well on the jukebox market. George Benson has always been the kind of performer that succeeds in recording bubblegum ditties in the afternoon and play steamin’ r&b at night. Organist Greg Lewis told Flophouse that he regularly tried to sit in as a woodshedding Hammond B3 player in the early nineties in a Manhattan club, sometimes succeeding to replace one of the accomplished organists for a tune or so. Occasionally, Benson, at the height of his fame, would drive his limousine up the sidewalk, park, get in and join the band on stage. Nobody cut George.

Cocksure at heart. Benson was like that when he first hit the scene as a sideman with organist Brother Jack McDuff in late 1963. By no means arrogant, instead playing with a joy of discovery that is contagious. In McDuff’s band, the youngster, who sang professionally as a kid, still played the kind of r&b guitar style from his teenage years, although the influence of his heroes Charlie Christian and Grant Green (interpreted in fast forward motion) were readily discernible. Displaying quicksilver runs, a biting attack, torrents of foul-mouthed but impeccably placed blues phrases, Benson heated up both studio and stage to temperatures uncommon even in New Jersey or New York City summer season.

After a string of albums with McDuff and his debut album on Prestige, The New Boss Guitar Of George Benson, the guitarist had signed to Columbia, releasing It’s Uptown in 1966, with one of those grandiose subtitles I’m sure musicians weren’t too fond of, The Most Exciting New Jazz Guitarist On The Scene Today. It was a thoroughly exciting group that Benson had assembled and baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber, organist Lonnie Smith and drummer Jimmy Lovelace (alternating with Marion Booker) also gathered for the Cookbook session, still more tight-knit as a unit, delivering a hot barbecue of spicy ribs and saucy side dishes. There’s the opening tune, The Cooker, a strike of stop-time thunder, evidence of the group’s effortless breakneck speed swing and Benson’s fast-fingered blues wizardry. Perhaps already the highlight of the album, which yet doesn’t take anything away from the remainder of the repertory, including other Benson originals like the gentle Bossa Rocka and Big Fat Lady, a perky r&b tune that could easily pass for the background to Jimmy Hughes on Fame or Hank Ballard on King.

Benson gets his kicks with licks on Benson’s Rider, a boogaloo-ish rhythm perfectly suitable for the deeply groovy Lonnie Smith. Benson wrote the The Borgia Stick for a mafia television series, a lush greenery for the mutually responsive soul jazz cultivators, who are effectively aroused by sections of tension and release. The nifty Jimmy Smith tune Ready And Able presents the burgeoning talent of baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber to full effect. He’s like the cookie monster that’s gotten a shot of rhythm&blues, soulfully eating up the breaks off the I Got Rhythm changes.

The other horn player on the date, Benny Green, happened to walk into his friend George Benson on the street prior to Benson’s session. Benson invited Green over to the studio to join the proceedings. Such is the unique nature of jazz and its practitioners, that sheer coincidence may be turned into a musical advantage. Green’s uplifting, swinging style is an asset on Benny’s Back (which was written on the spot by Benson and refers to the fact that Green was also present on Benson’s first Columbia LP) and the swing-styled jam Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid, the longest track on an album that keeps warming the hearts of ‘early-Benson-fans’ around the globe.

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

Track listing:

All tracks composed by George Benson; except where indicated

01.    "The Cooker"         4:18
02.    "Benny's Back"         4:10
03.    "Bossa Rocka"         4:20
04.    "All of Me"    Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons    2:08
05.    "Big Fat Lady"         4:40
06.    "Benson's Rider"         5:30
07.    "Ready and Able"    Jimmy Smith    3:32
08.    "The Borgia Stick"         3:05
09.    "Return of the Prodigal Son"    Harold Ousley    2:34
10.    "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid"    Lester Young    6:33

CD bonus tracks

11.    "The Man from Toledo"    2:08
12.    "Slow Scene"    3:11
13.    "Let Them Talk"    2:51
14.    "Goodnight"    2:21
Total length:    50:31

Personnel

    George Benson – guitar, vocals
    Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone
    Bennie Green – trombone
    Lonnie Smith – organ
    Albert Winston – bass
    Jimmy Lovelace – drums
    Marion Booker, Jr. – drums

Beck, Bogert & Appice - 1973 "Beck, Bogert & Appice"

Beck, Bogert & Appice were a rock supergroup and power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck and evolving from The Jeff Beck Group. The line up included bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice who were both previously in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus. Beck, Bogert & Appice is the 1973 debut album by the band Beck, Bogert & Appice. The group was a power trio featuring guitarist Jeff Beck (who had already been a member of The Yardbirds).

The album contains Beck's version of the song "Superstition" which was written by Stevie Wonder. Beck had appeared on Wonder's original recording of the song in 1972. Beck, Bogert & Appice was released in both conventional 2-channel stereo and 4-channel quadraphonic versions. This was the band's only studio album, as Beck's departure forced a sudden dissolution in 1974.

One of the great things about Jeff Beck is his utter unpredictability. It's also one of the most maddening things about him, too, since it's as likely to lead to flights of genius as it is to weird detours like Beck, Bogert & Appice. It's hard to tell what exactly attracted Beck to the rhythm section of Vanilla Fudge and Cactus -- perhaps he just wanted to rock really loud and really hard, beating Led Zeppelin at their own game. Whatever the motivation, the end result was the same -- a leaden album, with occasional interesting guitar work smothered by heavy riffs and rhythms that don't succeed on a visceral level. It's a loud, lumbering record that may be of interest for Beck archivists, provided they want to hear absolutely everything he did.

In an era rife with hastily assembled supergroups, the union of guitarist Jeff Beck, vocalist/bassist Tim Bogert and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice into a power trio – named simply Beck Bogert and Appice – was unusually long in the making.

Although the power trio’s eponymous debut album was released in March of 1973, the three men had first discussed working together as far back as 1967, when Bogert and Appice still constituted the rhythm section of New York psych-rockers Vanilla Fudge, and Beck was constructing his first solo group following an angry departure from the Yardbirds.

But on that occasion, Beck wound up staffing the Jeff Beck Group with fellow Brits instead, recruiting Ronnie Wood on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, Micky Waller on drums and Rod Stewart on vocals, while Bogert and Appice carried on a while longer with Vanilla Fudge.

It would take two years before the three musicians' planets aligned themselves once again and, by all accounts, the superstar Beck Bogert and Appice was primed and ready for action in the fall of ’69 – until Beck suffered a serious car accident that laid him out for the better part of a year.

Rather than sit around twiddling their thumbs, Bogert and Appice once again sought to find creative satisfaction elsewhere, forming Cactus with singer Rusty Day and guitarist Jim McCarty (formerly of Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels), and quickly churning out four studio albums within the next two years.

At last, once Cactus was laid to rest in late 1972, Bogert and Appice finally joined a now-fully recovered Jeff Beck on the road in order to hone their musical chemistry, before heading into the studio to record their debut LP that December.

But while it was received by great fan anticipation and major press coverage a few months later, Beck Bogert and Appice ultimately climbed no higher than No. 28 in the U.K. chart and No. 12 in the U.S., where it scored only a modest hit single via a cover of Stevie Wonder’s "Superstition."

Perhaps the slight disconnect resulted from the broad range of musical styles covered here, which included everything from heavy blues to funk to vintage rock and borderline MOR moments. There was also the trio’s reliance on externally penned material – or even the simple fact that mainstream awareness of their names was no longer what it had been when the first flirted with collaborating, nearly six years prior.

Whatever the reasons, Beck Bogert and Appice still delivered more than enough instrumental virtuosity and sheer star power for musos and other serious devotees, who flocked to their concerts throughout 1973. What’s more, they generally testified to the incremental power they displayed on stage versus on record.

Alas, after touring extensively across the U.K., Europe, America and the Far East (where recordings were captured for Live (In Japan), which was rush-released that October), Beck Bogert and Appice disintegrated abruptly in January of 1974, having barely begun working on sessions for its proposed sophomore album.

Despite the lengthy lead-up and numerous false-starts, that was the end of this supergroup.

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

 Track listing:

1. Black Cat Moan     3:47
2. Lady     5:33
3. Oh To Love You     4:05
4. Superstition     4:19
5. Sweet Sweet Surrender     3:58
6. Why Should I Care     3:33
7. Lose Myself With You     3:18
8. Livin' Alone     4:13
9. I'm So Proud     4:11

Personnel:

Jeff Beck - Guitar
Tim Bogert - Bass
Carmen Appice - Drums

Ray Barretto - 1999 "Portraits In Jazz And Clave"

In this program of mainly Afro-Cubanized jazz standards, conga man Barretto assembled an all-star group of friends to complement his regular working New World Spirit band. The icons include longtime friend Kenny Burrell, whose guitar playing is a key component in the makeup of every selection. Bassist Eddie Gomez, tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano and trombonist Steve Turre join such up-and-coming younger musicians as trumpeter John Bailey, saxophonist Adam Kolker and pianist John DiMartino. Second percussionist Bobby Sanabria is alongside, as is the oustanding trap drummer and longtime Barretto bandmate Vince Cherico.

The recording is bookended by Duke Ellington's music. It's front-loaded with "The Mooche," ignited by a simmering bass and left-hand piano ostinato plucked from Horace Silver's "Senor Blues." Conch-shell moans from Turre and punchy congas intro this classic, with Burrell's second melody lead and horns on the first and third. "Cotton Tail" is a good swinger with Latin underpinnings and loads of Burrell (refer to Burrell and Barretto on Burrell's classic Blue Note date Midnight Blue). At the end of the CD is the lesser-known "Oclupaca," taken as a steamy cha-cha. Also included is Billy Strayhorn's Johnny Come Lately," which has clave/mambo rhythms buoying echoed trumpet and tenor lines talking back and forth. The interplay of this counterpoint is stunning, again kicked off by the fuse of Burrell's guitar.

There's the fluttery horn intro and dueling tenors on John Coltrane's "Like Sonny," the slight tango-ish "Lamento Borincano" and its heavy dose of Latin Burrell, and the laid-back horns setting up demure-to-forceful piano by DiMartino on Wayne Shorter's "Go." Then there's Thelonious Monk's brisk and brusque "I Mean You," cooked by the unison horns to golden brown perfection with claves, montuno piano and a patented deft bass solo from the brilliant Gomez. A most Afro-Cuban "Cancion del Fuego Fatuo" is quite subtle, Burrell again the focal point with much to say beneath and above the surface. Of the many fine recordings Barretto has produced in the past 30 years as a leader, this ranks right up in the top three, due to the undeniable musicianship of his select guests, the innate ability of his own band, and the meticulous selection of jazz pieces whipped into tangy salsa. It's a winning, highly recommended combination.

Back in the day when Mario Bauz, Chico O’Farrill and Dizzy were striving to link up Afro Cuban son ‘n’ clave with Afro American swing and bop, they built their bridges on the backs of ex-Havana conguero masters like Chano Pozo and Mongo Santamaria. As the ’50s waned, the Latin jazz vanguard was led by Nuyorican timbalero Tito Puente and his conguero homeboy Ray Barretto. Well-schooled in Cuban guaguanco, Puerto Rican bomba/plena, veteran of bop jam sessions at Mintons, Barretto was the right cat at the right time.

First kicking off the Latin boogaloo craze with the 1963 R&B crossover smash “El Watusi,” by the end of the ’80s Barretto’s groundbreaking solo (Acid), Fania All-Stars and pop (Rolling Stones) recordings made him the most ubiquitous conguero of all. Since the early ’90s, the various editions of his New World Spirit ensemble have consistently dropped some of the deepest Latin jazz music on the planet.

 At a time when Latin jazz legends and newer jacks alike are content to place-and-show (see Tito and Arturo Sandoval), Mr. Hard Hands’ latest New World Spirit + 4 recording, Portraits in Jazz and Clave, finds him still in the lead, maxing mph. Cold chilling behind the wheel of a low-riding machine tweaked, torqued and souped by Steve Turre, Joe Lovano, Kenny Burrell, Eddie Gomez, John Bailey, Adam Kolker, John Di Martino and Bobby Sanabria (trombone/shells, tenor sax, guitar, bass, trumpet, tenor/soprano, piano, percussion, respectively), Barretto deftly up/downshifts his way through Turre’s sneaky/snaky jazz ‘n’ clave variations on Duke (“The Mooche”), Monk (“I Mean You”), Shorter (“Go”) and Hernandez (“Lamento Borincano”).

After some 50-odd years of fervid cross-cultural exchange, Portraits in Jazz and Clave is as much testimony to the continuing relevance of Latin jazz as it is to the artistic resilience of Ray Barretto.

This recording is dedicated to the memory of Ben Joubert, <>... He touched many with his love for life...

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

Track listing:

1     The Mooche     6:55
2     Cotton Tail     5:31
3     Johnny Come Lately     5:27
4     Cancion Del Fuego Fatuo (From El Amor Brujo)     7:16
5     I Mean You     6:41
6     Go     7:58
7     Like Sonny     4:35
8     Lamento Borincano     7:17
9     Oclupaca (From Latin American Suite)     6:07

Personnel:

    Congas, Mixed By, Mastered By, Edited By, Producer, Liner Notes – Ray Barretto
    Drums – Vince Cherico
    Featuring [Bass] – Eddie Gomez
    Featuring [Guitar] – Kenny Burrell
    Featuring [Tenor Saxophone] – Joe Lovano
    Featuring [Trombone, Shells] – Steve Turre
    Piano – John Di Martino
    Producer – Jean-Jacques Pussiau
    Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Adam Kolker
    Trumpet – John Bailey (2)

Amboy Dukes - 1968 [1992] "Journey To The Center Of The Mind"

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Long before Ted Nugent made his name as a mighty crossbow hunter, there was this heavy Detroit band in which he was content to play lead guitar, something he does very well and with much less threat to the Midwest's deer population. The Nuge shouldn't try to take all the credit for this band, because the other members such as vocalist John Drake and rhythm guitarist Steve Farmer contributed with great aplomb, the latter writing much of the material on the second side's ambitious suite as well as co-writing the title hit with Nugent. This is some hard-hitting, well-done psychedelic music, recorded with taste by a producer known much more for his work with mainstream jazz artists, Bob Shad. One thing that made the Amboy Dukes special was the amount of power and drive in their playing, something lacking in other psychedelic outfits that take a more airy-fairy approach. The Nuge's guitar sound is recorded as if this was a mainstream jazz album by Harold Land, and it helps.  -- Eugene Chadbourne

AMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW
As great as I remember!, May 7, 2004
Reviewer: pfsguy (Snellville, Ga United States)
I had not heard this collection of music in over 25 years and wondered if it just wasn't my youthful listening habits that made me think it was good music back then. But, no, these guys were just good, ahead of their time. The vocals and guitar are great, and the "journey" of blended songs on the second part of the CD is very well done. The lyrics are strange and sometimes meaningless, but that is what the 60's psychedelic music was all about, and the quality of the recording technique of instrument separation in the channels really makes it work. Shop around for a good price (under $20) and get this CD.

AMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW
Journey To The Center Of The Mind : The Amboy Dukes, March 25, 2003
Reviewer: JCB,HIFIGUY (Upstate N.Y. USA)
This Lp. shows the kind of regional-local talents around the USA that were pioneering hard rock music before the post Woodstock ultra-commercialization of the genre.While some of the songs may be a little sixties silly, the music, that is the playing, singing and arragements are quite good.It is great early hard rock without the "canned" sound formulated into so many bands since.(hey it's what most people want though)If you like heavy guitar/organ rock,this is an absolute must, and John Drakes powerful vocals are truly a huge part of the bands great sound.He left after the first 2 lps., and the band was never again as good, in my opinion.Ted Nugents guitar is perfect for the format they used as well.

AMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW
centering your mind, November 26, 2005
Reviewer: D. Schmittdiel (Clinton Twp., MI)
On July 11 of 1968 I was turning 14 years old, and the single 'Journey to the Center of the Mind' was number one on my favorite AM radio station, WKNR ('Keener13') in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Of course 'The Motor City Madman', Ted Nugent, and his Dukes had a decided edge in their own backyard, but the single did rise to number 16 on the national charts also. I clearly remember that summer being deeply impressed by the quality guitar work on several hit songs. At the same time 'Journey...' was claiming the top slot in Detroit, the Stones' 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' was resting at number 11, and Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love' had retreated to number 27. But it was Nugent's guitar heroics that dazzled the most. Fortunate for myself, my older brother was working at McDonalds, and had brought home a vinyl copy of this, the Amboy Dukes (annotated as 'The American Amboy Dukes' via a carrot insert on the cover) second album, for my perusal.

Ted Nugent named his band after an R & B outfit that had recently disbanded, saying "I thought it was a cool name". He was unaware that 'The Amboy Dukes' was also the title of a book about a 1950's street gang from Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Ted has also claimed to be unaware that the lyrics to 'Journey...' had stong allusions to psychedelic drug use, as does the collection of vintage pipes on the album's cover. I tend to believe Ted when he claims to have never inhaled. I also regard Nugent as being especially astute, and as a young man probably realized that using acid-tinged imagery would further the chances of success for a psychedelic rock band. For most of his associates however, being in a psychedelic rock band must have implied psychedelic drug use, and this resulted in significant conflicts between the anti-drug Nugent and the remaining Dukes.

If you're still reading, you're probably wondering about the album itself. There aren't a whole lot of highlights, save the title track, which features one of the finest electric guitar performances of the psychedelic era, matched by some of the finest psychedelic lyrics ever penned, matched by one of the heaviest bridge segments ever committed to vinyl, tape, or digital stock. Only three other songs really deserve mention, track number 5 (which closed out side one of the original vinyl release), 'Dr. Slingshot', which features overlapping vocal lines from lead singer John Drake and rhythm guitarist Steve Farmer (who, together with Nugent, penned all the songs on the disc), and a great lead guitar riff from Nugent. Unfortunately, Nugent's talent on the six-string are only occasionally put on display, such as on track 12, 'I'll Prove I'm Right', where his fine picking underlies another strong vocal performance from Drake. The band relies much more on the psychedelic imagery of its lyrics rather than Nugent's axe, a highly questionable choice given the quality of the lyrics (on 'Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange', for instance, we are offered other deep questions such as, "Why are you greener than green?"; go figure). If it's of interest, the tracks on the second side of the disc segue into one another, and while the liner notes claim they collectively tell "a story", the plot is hard to discern. The final track, 'Conclusion', does reintroduce the 'Journey...' melody, and for a few moments brings back Nugent's sterling guitar lines, but it's a case of too little too late. There is a bonus track offered on the Repertoire versions of the disc, the 7" follow up to 'Journey...', a shameless ripoff of its predecessor titled 'You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire'. Despite its obvious origins, it stands as perhaps the fourth best track offered here.

AMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW
Worse Than I Remembered - Which Is Not Much, September 7, 2001
Reviewer: A music fan
I grew up when the 'Dukes were around. I always loved 'Journey' but I never bought any of the Duke album - yes they were actually albums in those days. Now I know why. Ouch! Ted could smoke on the guitar but the group as a whole pretty much comprehensively [stunk]. Compares to Hendrix? Hey give me some of that stuff. Anyway this CD is an interesting historical document in that it shows that my musical tastes were not as warped as the rest of my mind back in those days. Now that I've ripped 'Journey' who wants a great deal on a very slightly used CD?
Now how many of you - please raise your hands - really believe that Ted did not know that 'Journey' was a drug song? Sure Ted - there really is an Easter bunny, at least if you haven't blown off its head yet.

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

Track listing:

01    "Mississippi Murderer" (Nugent, Farmer) – 5:12
02    "Surrender to Your Kings" (Nugent) – 2:52
03    "Flight of the Byrd" (Nugent) – 2:50
04    "Scottish Tea" (Nugent) – 4:01
05    "Dr. Slingshot" (Nugent, Farmer) – 3:09
06    "Journey to the Center of the Mind" (Nugent, Farmer) – 3:33
07    "Ivory Castles" (Farmer) – 3:21
08    "Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange" (Farmer) – 2:26
09    "Missionary Mary" (Farmer) – 2:35
10    "Death Is Life" (Farmer) – 2:08
11    "Saint Philips Friend" (Farmer) – 3:33
12    "I'll Prove I'm Right" (Farmer) – 1:38
13    "Conclusion" (Nugent, Farmer) – 1:57

CD bonus track

14    "You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire" (Nugent, Farmer) – 2:44

Personnel:

    John (J.B.) Drake – vocals
    Ted Nugent – lead guitar
    Steve Farmer – rhythm guitar, vocals
    Greg Arama – bass
    Dave Palmer – drums
    Andy Solomon – organ, piano, vocals

Duane Allman - 1972 [2008] "An Anthology Vol. I"

An Anthology is a compilation of recordings featuring guitarist Duane Allman. The double album consists of a selection of songs by various artists that Allman contributed to as a session musician, along with early recordings by his band the Hourglass and his partial-namesake group, the Allman Brothers Band. The album also features rare solo work by the guitarist.

Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the compilation four and a half stars out of five in his review for the AllMusic website, calling it "an excellent introduction and retrospective." He also noted that "by including session cuts, as well as his brief sojourn in Eric Clapton's Derek and the Dominos and a few rare solo tracks, along with a number of representative Allman Brothers songs, the double-album Anthology winds up drawing a complete portrait of Allman."

Duane Allman's greatness was apparent on his recordings with the Allman Brothers, yet there was another side to the superb guitarist. For many years, he was a highly respected session musician, playing on cuts by Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, Boz Scaggs, Delaney & Bonnie, and Clarence Carter, among others. By including those session cuts, as well as a sampling of his brief sojourn in Eric Clapton's Derek and the Dominoes and a few rare solo tracks, along with a number of representative Allman Brothers songs, the double-album Anthology winds up drawing a complete portrait of Allman. He may have recorded plenty of other material worth hearing, but this has the bare essentials for an excellent introduction and retrospective.

The Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 1 is a combination of Duane performing session work as well as a glimpse of his work with the Allman Brothers Band. The material begins with an early band he formed with his brother Gregg, The Hourglass, and concludes with five Allman Brothers Band songs. In between those periods, Duane played sessions for a variety of excellent musicians playing blues, soul, R&B, acoustic material, and rock.

With the session work selections, the material varies in that the band and singers differ from track-to-track. Some songs feature wailing guitars, while other tracks Duane plays a supplemental role. In an attempt to categorize, there are four main types of tracks: extended jams, supplemental roles, acoustic material, and the Allman Brothers Band.

From the first disc, Duane sings "Goin' Down Slow." It features some dazzling guitar clocking in at 8:44. The highlight from disc one? This is one of those songs where the notes that aren't played as good as the ones that are. Other tracks that open up are the "B. B. King Medley" where in addition to strong guitar phrases, Gregg Allman does a good B. B. King vocal impersonation.  Boz Scagg's "Loan Me a Dime" offers an extended R&B workout. The familiar long time classic "Layla" showcases the electric guitar duo of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman.

Many of the tracks Duane's role is low-key offering tasty slide guitar fills and short solos. Among my favorites is Wilson Pickett's rendition of the Beatles classic "Hey Jude," which showcases not only Duane, but great horns and vocals. There are several other good songs where Duane backs up the likes of Aretha Franklin, Delaney and Bonnie as well as a Bob Dylan cover "Down Along The Cove" with Johnny Jenkins just to name a few.

There are several acoustic songs. The album closer "Little Martha" from Eat a Peach is a gorgeous duet with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. A good acoustic number, "Please Be With Me" by the band Cowboy that features Duane playing slide Dobro. Eric Clapton did a cover of the song on his album 461 Ocean Blvd. Speaking of Clapton, he and Duane perform a version of "Mean Old World" that subsequently was released on The Layla Sessions: 20 Anniversary Edition. The final acoustic track is "Rollin' Stone" with Johnny Jenkins, an urban blues gem indeed.

There are five Allman Brothers Band songs that close the disc. Two live, and three studio. Most people that buy the Duane Allman Anthology already have the Allman Brothers CD's. If you don't fall into that camp, these songs will likely convince you that you should.

Duane Allman is one of the truly special guitar players. His Anthology compiles material that is rare and spread among over a dozen albums, several that are out of print. For those that appreciate his genius will treasure this release.

 Credits - Track listing:

CD 1
01    –B.B. King Medley  The Hourglass*     7:02
 a     –     Sweet Little Angel    
 b     –     It's My Own Fault    
 c     –     How Blue Can You Get    
02     –Wilson Pickett     Hey Jude     4:05
03     –Clarence Carter     The Road Of Love     2:51
04     –Duane Allman     Goin' Down Slow     8:45
05     –Aretha Franklin     The Weight     2:57
06     –King Curtis     Games People Play     2:45
07     –John Hammond*     Shake For Me     2:40
08     –Boz Scaggs     Loan Me A Dime     12:58
09     –Johnny Jenkins     Rollin' Stone     4:58

CD 2
01     –Delaney & Bonnie & Friends     Livin' On The Open Road     5:12
02     –Johnny Jenkins     Down Along The Cove     3:03
03     –Cowboy (6)     Please Be With Me     3:49
04     –Eric Clapton and Duane Allman     Mean Old World     3:50
05     –Derek & The Dominos     Layla     7:10
06     –The Allman Brothers Band     Statesboro Blues     4:08
07     –The Allman Brothers Band     Don't Keep Me Wondering     3:59
08     –The Allman Brothers Band     Standback     3:25
09     –The Allman Brothers Band     Dreams     7:18
10     –The Allman Brothers Band     Little Martha     2:08