Merry Christmas

 

Deodato - 1977 [1989] "In Concert"

Eumir Deodato de Almeida (Brazilian Portuguese: [ẽwˈmiʁ deoˈdatu]; born 22 June 1942) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues, classical, Latin and bossa nova.

Deodato has arranged and produced more than 500 records for acts such as Frank Sinatra, Roberta Flack, Björk and Christophe, as well as produced Kool & the Gang's hits "Celebration", "Ladies' Night" and "Too Hot".

Deodato was nominated for three Grammy Awards and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1974 for "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)." The song peaked at number 2 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 in March 1973. It reached number 3 in Canada and number 7 on the British charts.

The complete title is "Deodato In Concert - Live At Felt Forum".

Recorded Live at the Felt Forum of Madison Square Garden Center (New York, NY, USA) on April 20, 1973. Live Remote recording provided by Record Plant, and engineered by Frank Hubach.

An excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing!

Recorded live in the Felt Forum of New York City's Madison Square Garden in the wake of Deodato's massive 2001: A Space Odyssey hit, this album has a fairly confusing history. Only three selections, "Do It Again," "Spirit of Summer," and "Tropea" were released on the original slapped-together LP In Concert, and these were combined with Airto Moreira's "Parana" and "Branches," which were recorded at the same concert. In the CD-era, the LP was split up; Deodato's tracks were combined with four unreleased tunes from the concert, giving the CD-buyer 35 more minutes of music, while the two Airto tracks were placed on The Best of Airto. The concert wasn't too eventful from the Deodato fan's point of view; his combo competently grooves on, John Tropea provides a tough rock edge, the brass section sounds overloaded and unintegrated in a concert setting, and Bob James adds unnecessary string charts later. The additional CD tracks are reprises of "2001," "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," and "September 13" from Prelude and "Skyscrapers" from Deodato 2 -- which were probably considered too redundant for release in 1974. LP fans will enjoy the Airto tracks, for they are, frankly, more exotically original and invigorating than those of his fellow Brazilians. 

All tracks are performed exclusively by Deodato's band.

Tracks Listing:

Do It Again 6:36

September 13 7:27

Baubles, Bangles And Beads 4:44

Whirlwinds 8:40

Spirit Of Summer 5:32

Skyscraper 12:31

Also Sprach Zarathustra 11:03

Personnel:

Eumir Deodato – Keyboards

John Giulino – Electric Bass

John Tropea – Guitar

Rick Marrota – Drums

Rubens Bassini – Congas

Gilmore Degap – Percussion

Joe Temperley – Baritone

Burt Collins, Joe Shepley – Trumpets

Garnett Brown – Trombone

Weather Report - 1977 [1997] "Heavy Weather"

Heavy Weather is the seventh album by Weather Report, released in 1977 through Columbia Records. The release sold about 500,000 copies; it would prove to be the band's most commercially successful album and one of the best sellers in the Columbia jazz catalog. DownBeat magazine gave Heavy Weather a 5-star review, and later its readers voted it jazz album of the year.

The lineup for the album consisted of Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul (keyboards, synthesizers) and Wayne Shorter (saxophone), alongside Jaco Pastorius (bass), Alex Acuña (drums), and Manolo Badrena (percussion). It was produced and orchestrated by Zawinul, with additional production by Shorter and Pastorius, and engineered by Ron Malo.

The album opens with "Birdland", which on its own became a significant commercial success, unusual for an instrumental composition, and would go on to become a jazz standard. The melody had been performed live by the band as part of "Dr Honoris Causa", which was from Joe Zawinul's eponymous solo album. "Teen Town", a Pastorius composition where his bass takes the lead instrument role, is often considered a highlight of the album and of Pastorius's career. "Rumba Mamá", a percussion and vocals feature for Manolo Badrena and Alex Acuña, was recorded live at a summer 1976 concert in Montreux, Switzerland, which was also the subject of a DVD released in 2007.

Dan Oppenheimer said in a June 1977 review for Rolling Stone that he felt the band had moved away from their earlier music, losing a lot of the space, melodies and airy feel that set them apart from other jazz-rock bands, but gaining a new bassist who "has been instrumental in developing their busier, talkative style", and that while their music previously "went up and up only, becoming more ethereal as it went, the new bottom makes all the difference in the world".

This is simply one of the best jazz albums ever. The line up collaboration is perfect.Joe Zawinul on keys, Wayne Shorter on sax, Alex Acuna drums, Manolo Badrena percussion and Jaco Pastorius whose brilliance on a fretless bass in the '70s is again captured timelessly. Each track has a journey of its own with these guys. Birdland (a jazz standard) and TeenTown are classics. The latter featuring a blistering fretless bass line as the lead instrument. The whole album is absolutely outstandingly executed and timeless. Unbeatable driving music.

Weather Report's biggest-selling album is that ideal thing, a popular and artistic success -- and for the same reasons. For one thing, Joe Zawinul revealed an unexpectedly potent commercial streak for the first time since his Cannonball Adderley days, contributing what has become a perennial hit, "Birdland." Indeed, "Birdland" is a remarkable bit of record-making, a unified, ever-developing piece of music that evokes, without in any way imitating, a joyous evening on 52nd St. with a big band. The other factor is the full emergence of Jaco Pastorius as a co-leader; his dancing, staccato bass lifting itself out of the bass range as a third melodic voice, completely dominating his own ingenious "Teen Town" (where he also plays drums!). By now, Zawinul has become WR's de facto commander in the studio; his colorful synthesizers dictate the textures, his conceptions are carefully planned, with little of the freewheeling improvisation of only five years before. Wayne Shorter's saxophones are now reticent, if always eloquent, beams of light in Zawinul's general scheme while Alex Acuña shifts ably over to the drums and Manolo Badrena handles the percussion. Released just as the jazz-rock movement began to run out of steam, this landmark album proved that there was plenty of creative life left in the idiom.

Tracks Listing:

1. Birdland (5:57)

2. A Remark You Made (6:51)

3. Teen Town (2:51)

4. Harlequin (3:59)

5. Rumba Mama (2:11)

6. Palladium (4:46)

7. The Juggler (5:03)

8. Havona (6:01)

Personnel:

Joe Zawinul – ARP 2600 on all tracks except "Rumba Mamá", Rhodes electric piano on all tracks except "Birdland", "Rumba Mamá", and "Havona", Yamaha grand piano on "Birdland", "Harlequin", "The Juggler", and "Havona", Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer on all tracks except "Rumba Mamá", "Palladíum", and "The Juggler", vocals on "Birdland", melodica on "Birdland" and "Teen Town", guitar and tabla on "The Juggler".

Wayne Shorter – Soprano saxophone on all tracks except "A Remark You Made" and "Rumba Mamá", tenor saxophone on "Birdland", "A Remark You Made", and "Palladíum"

Jaco Pastorius – Fretless bass on all tracks except "Rumba Mamá", mandocello on "Birdland" and "The Juggler", vocals on "Birdland", drums on "Teen Town", steel drums on "Palladíum"

Alex Acuña – Drums on all tracks except "Teen Town" and "Rumba Mamá", congas and tom-toms on "Rumba Mamá", handclaps on "The Juggler"

Manolo Badrena – Tambourine on "Birdland", congas on "Teen Town", "Rumba Mamá", and "Palladíum", vocals on "Harlequin" and "Rumba Mamá", timbales on "Rumba Mamá", percussion on "Palladíum" and "The Juggler"

Santana - 1974 "Borboletta"

Borboletta is the sixth studio album by the American Latin rock band Santana. It is one of their jazz-funk-fusion oriented albums, along with Caravanserai (1972), and Welcome (1973). Non-band albums by Carlos Santana in this style also include Love Devotion Surrender (1973) with John McLaughlin and Illuminations (1974) with Alice Coltrane, Jack DeJohnette and Jules Broussard. The guitarist leaves much room to percussion, saxophone and keyboards to set moods ("Spring Manifestations"), as well as lengthy solos by himself ("Promise of a Fisherman") and vocals ("Give and Take", a funky guitar-led song). The record was released in a metallic blue sleeve displaying a butterfly, an allusion to the album Butterfly Dreams (1973) by Brazilian musician Flora Purim and her husband Airto Moreira, whose contributions deeply influenced the sound of Borboletta. In Portuguese, borboleta means "butterfly".

This album is unfortunately too often over looked, but represents yet another highlight in the group's discography and a shot at equalling (but not really close) Caravanserai's perfection. Named (I think) on a rare blue Central American butterfly (the background shot is a close-up of its wing's structure), this album is all too discreet for its own good.

Starting on the same birdsong and sheep herd landscapes than its inspiration (but written by jazz-rock great Airto Moreira), you just know you will be in for another superb Santana ride as right after the intro, the first few mid-eastern scales of Canto De Flores directly lead you to heaven. As usual with Santana albums, happiness radiates from every pore of the vinyl record groove and Life Is Anew and Give And Take (both sung and hyper positive) are some of the better sung jazz-rock (I am usually not really a fan of that "thing"), and the vocals do help setting its own feel as opposed to its inspiration. On a lesser level, One With The Sun, while still lovely, is maybe one sung-track too many in a row, but I might be just a bit over-nitpicky. 

Aspirations quickly repairs this slight flaw with its splendidly cosmic calmness. After the great Practice What You Preach instrumental, one more sung tracks (I must say that Leon Patillo's voice is quite pleasing) the excellent Mirage, the impressive Here and Now is quite a departure from what Santana had us used to and segues into the highly fusional Flor De Canela, before the album climaxes in the lengthy Promise Of A Fisherman, which is not lying in its promise to the listener: although nothing never heard before, we are dealing with one of the last truly great lengthy Santana instrumental here. The closing Airto Moreira-penned track is rather anecdotical, but does close the album in the same intriguing manner it openned.

One of the thngs that differentiates this album from the ultimacy (if you'll allow the creation of a new word for that album) of Caravanserai is Greg Rollie's absence >> both his organs and his voice are aptly replaced and almost equalled. But really, this album has very few to envy to it either, so I will round up its rating to the upper unit, making it also a five star.

Original bassist David Brown returned to replace Doug Rauch and vocalist/keyboardist Leon Patillo joined. After the album's completion, drummer Michael Shrieve left, to be replaced by Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, who had guested on parts of the album.

Track listing:

01 Spring Manifestas (Sound Effects) 1:05

02 Canto De Las Flores 3:45

03 Life Is Anew 4:30

04 Give And Take 3:46

05 One With The Sun 4:20

06 Aspirations 5:12

07 Practice What You Preach 4:39

08 Mirage 4:43

09 Here And Now 3:01

10 Flora De Canelo 2:20

11 Promise Of A Fisherman 6:05

12 Borboletta 2:50

Total Time: 49:53

Personnel:

Carlos Santana – guitar (3-5, 7–11) percussion (2, 9), congas (7), gong (8), vocals (11), producer

Leon Patillo – vocals (3–5, 7, 8), piano (8), electric piano (3, 5), organ (4)

Flora Purim – vocals (1, 11)

Jules Broussard – soprano and tenor saxophones (4, 6, 9, 11)

Tom Coster – piano (4, 9), Hammond organ (7, 10, 11), electric piano, Fender Rhodes (2, 9–11), organ (3, 5, 6, 8), Moog synthesizer (4, 8), producer

Stanley Clarke – bass guitar (6, 9–11)

David Brown – bass guitar (2, 4, 5, 7, 8)

Michael Shrieve – drums (2–5, 7, 8), producer

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (6, 9)

Airto Moreira – drums (10, 11), percussion (12), sound effects (1), triangle (11), vocals (12)

Armando Peraza – percussion, congas (2, 4–6, 8, 11), bongos (3, 6, 11), soprano saxophone (10)

José Areas – timbales (4), congas (2, 3)

Michael Carpenter – echoplex (2)

Danny Gatton - 1994 "88 Elmira St."

The Story

"88 Elmira St." showcases the ferocious technical ability of guitarist Danny Gatton, who has absorbed every significant American guitar style into his beautifully eclectic, inimitable and soulful guitar voice. "88 Elmira St.", Danny's major label debut, presents an eleven piece cross section of this man's musical versatility. Highlights include the infectious opener "Funky Mama", and the Beach Boys cover, "In My Room", done in true Gatton instrumental fashion.

88 Elmira St. is a 1991 album by guitarist Danny Gatton. The album was Gatton's fifth, but his first on a major record label—Elektra. The instrumental album covers a number of genres, including jazz, country, rockabilly, and blues.

When Gatton signed to Elektra, their only stipulation for his first album on the label was that it should be solely instrumental. On presenting his ideas for the album to the label, they suggested he cut his version of the Simpsons theme tune. The manualist flatulence at the end of the recording may have been Gatton's response to the label's suggestion.

The album's title, 88 Elmira St., is a reference to Gatton's home as a child. Gatton stated that at the time of producing the album, he "was playing Scotty Moore's original guitar [...] It's a Gibson ES-295, and I bought it trashed out twelve years ago. It sounded incredibly good; it had some magic in it, but I didn't know it was Scotty's. Then Billy Hancock kept offering me all kinds of money for it, way more than it should have been worth, so I said, 'What's the deal?' He said, 'I think you've got Scotty Moore's guitar there.'" Similarities to Moore, Al Casey and James Burton can be heard on the album.

After years of knocking around the Washington, D.C.-area circuit, local guitar legend Danny Gatton finally got to cut his first album for a major label. It was indeed worth the wait, spot-welding blinding speed and immaculate chops that went in a million different directions (jazz, country, rockabilly, blues, you name it) to a musical sensibility that made this all-instrumental album a whole lot more than just yer average fretboard wanking jam-fest. Gatton's Telecaster really shines on diverse material ranging from Martin Denny's "Quiet Village" to the roadhouse shuffle "Funky Mama" to the off-the-wall rendition of the theme to The Simpsons. Kudos to Elektra for having the corporate balls to put this out; short, chunky, and middle-aged, Danny Gatton was a bona fide guitar hero for the '90s, putting the lie to the hard canard that only speedburner metal mega-hair dudes can make the front covers of the guitar mags.

Track listing:

01. "Funky Mama" Big John Patton 5:41

02. "Elmira St. Boogie" Danny Gatton 4:03

03. "Blues Newburg" Danny Gatton 4:10

04. "Quiet Village" Les Baxter 4:49

05. "Red Label" Chris Battistone, Danny Gatton 5:05

06. "In My Room" Gary Usher, Brian Wilson 4:53

07. "The Simpsons" Danny Elfman 3:17

08. "Muthaship" Danny Gatton, Billy Windsor, Stephen Windsor 4:39

09. "Pretty Blue" Danny Gatton 6:07

10. "Fandangus" Danny Gatton 3:06

11. "Slidin' Home" Danny Gatton 4:54

Total length: 50:44

Personnel:

Danny Gatton Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, 5-String Banjo, Lap Steel, 5-String Bass on "Quiet Village", Handclaps on "Pretty Blue", Second Guitar on "The Simpsons", Production, Arrangement

Bill Holloman Arrangement, Saxophones (Tenor, Alto, Baritone), Trumpet, Clarinet, Trombone, Hammond B-3 Organ, Vibes, Piano, Handclaps on "Pretty Blue", Yamaha DX7, Roland D50

Shannon Ford Drums, Percussion, Hand-D-Gas on "The Simpsons"

John Previti Upright Bass, 5-String Bass, Ripper Bass

Tommy Lepson Hammond B3 Organ on "Quiet Village"

Chick Corea Elektric Band - 2023 "The Future Is Now"

Founded in 1986, The Chick Corea Elektric Band has long held a high standard, with Eric Marienthal on saxophones, Frank Gambale on guitar, John Patitucci on electric bass, and Dave Weckl on drums. It’s the ensemble with whom brilliant keyboardist, Chick Corea, (pioneer of the genre since the creation of the band Return to Forever in 1972) has been able to experiment with writing jazz fusion the most – both in its grooves, and its sonic textures. After changing the group’s makeup several times and reforming the initial group around the 2000s (see To the Stars released in 2004), Corea led this all-star lineup for his last major “electric” tours, between 2016 and 2018 (before his death in February 2021 from cancer). This album The Future Is Now gives us the opportunity to hear unreleased excerpts from his final tour.

Featuring long and epic performances of some of Corea’s biggest hits, while leaving plenty of room for individual improvisation, the Chick Corea Elektric Band appears here at its best and most seductive. Their organic cohesion, resulting from their collective arrangements that are as sophisticated as they are effective, is balanced with luxurious instrumental virtuosity constantly going beyond the framework of the original songs. The group offers two long hours of consistently lyrical and accessible music, released here for the first time ever.

Led by the legendary pianist and composer Chick Corea - 27-time Grammy® winner and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master - The Elektric Band stormed onto the jazz scene in the mid-1980s, making an immediate and lasting impact on the genre. With their electrifying performances and innovative blend of jazz fusion, the group produced a series of albums that set the bar for excellence in contemporary jazz.

Featuring a core lineup of virtuosic musicians - John Patitucci on bass, Dave Weckl on drums, Eric Marienthal on saxophone and Frank Gambale on guitar - the group created a dynamic and electrifying sound that came to define the jazz fusion style. Their collective musicianship was on full display on each album, as they seamlessly blended complex compositions with captivating improvisations.

After releasing five legendary albums in the span of six years, Corea, always interested in expanding the scope of his work, devoted himself to a myriad of other musical projects.

Compiled by Corea before his passing in February of 2021, this incredible and previously unreleased album of live recordings with the reunited original Elektric Band, was captured during tour stops in 2016 and 2017.

Produced by Corea with original Elektric Band recording engineer Bernie Kirsh, and mastered by Bernie Grundman, this album features in-depth liner notes from Corea, and all of the Elektric Band members. It is a fitting closing chapter, a must-have for any fan of this dynamic and game-changing group.

Featuring liner notes from each individual band member, and descriptions of each track from Chick himself.

This is the definitive live Elektric Band record Chick put together for the world to hear -- featuring tracks spanning their decades-long discography and serving as a celebration, and a fitting closing chapter, to the band's incredible legacy.

Tracks Listing:

CD 1

1. Charged Particles (7:48)

2. Trance Dance (15:41)

3. Cta (16:02)

4. Jocelyn - The Commander (7:59)

5. Beneath the Mask (6:15)

CD 2

1. Ished (11:34)

2. Alan Corday (16:06)

3. Johnny's Landing (18:37)

4. Got a Match (18:47)

Total Time 118:49

Line-up / Musicians

- Chick Corea / keyboards

- John Patitucci / bass

- Frank Gambale / guitar

- Eric Marienthal / saxophone

- Dave Weckl / drums

Collin Walcott - 1976 [2008] "Cloud Dance"

Cloud Dance is the debut album by American sitarist and composer Collin Walcott, released in 1975 on the ECM label. For this record Walcott was joined by the group Gateway consisting of John Abercrombie, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. It was recorded in March 1975, as was the group's debut Gateway. Abercrombie had worked with Walcott the previous year on David Liebman's Drum Ode (ECM 1046), and they collaborated again on Walcott's 1977 album Grazing Dreams.

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings awarded the album 4 stars, praising its "freshness and originality," and stating: "'Prancing', for just tablas and double bass, is one of the most exciting performances in the ECM catalogue and convincing evidence of Walcott's desire to extend the idiom of the Garrison/Jones rhythm section... the album as a whole can quite reasonably be heard as a suite of related pieces that dance towards their thematic source in the closing title-piece."[7]

Writing for Vinyl Vault, Geoff Anderson commented: "The musicians were all top-flight and leaders in their own right. They came together and mixed the eastern and western sounds to create something like acoustic jazz-fusion with an Indian twist. Abercrombie's ethereal electric guitar, floating above and around Walcott's sitar is particularly effective in creating a dreamy, cloud-like ambience on several tunes. On the cut 'Prancing,' Walcott on tabla and Holland on bass put the 'dance' in 'Cloud Dance' with a particularly energetic and, yes, danceable performance."[8]

In an article at Between Sound and Space, Tyran Grillo called the recording "one of [Walcott's] most powerful albums ever to grace ECM's vinyl... grooves", and wrote: "The telephone wires on the cover are like the strings of some large instrument, with the sky as its sound box. Its clouds don't so much dance as perform, caressing endless waves of voices careening through the ether. The joy of Cloud Dance is that it makes those voices intelligible. Fans of Oregon, of which Walcott was of course an integral part, need look no further for likeminded contemplation."

Collin Walcott defined a corner of improvisation all his own with his unique approach to the sitar and tabla. When the newly-formed Gateway trio of John Abercrombie, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette joined him for “Cloud Dance” the results were magical.

The late, great Collin Walcott made his proper ECM debut on Cloud Dance (after an appearance three years earlier on Trios/Solos), where he was joined by the Gateway trinity—John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette—for one of his most powerful albums ever to grace ECM’s vinyl (and later, digital, thanks to a vital Touchstone series reissue) grooves. The marrow-warming twang of Walcott’s sitar sets up the opening “Margueritte” to be a long raga, when suddenly Abercrombie’s electric appears in kind, beckoning a chill entourage of bass and drums and touching off a pair of graceful solos from Abercrombie and Holland. The album’s remainder is fleshed out by a variety of intimate configurations. “Night Glider” and “Vadana” both feature guitar, bass, and sitar, the latter two instruments feeding beautifully off one another, the guitar weaving in and out where it may. The two duets between Walcott and Holland, however, are really where this album gilds its worth. Our frontman lays out plush carpets of tabla and sitar on “Prancing” and “Eastern Song,” respectively, over which Holland takes stock of every variation of pattern and thread count. The second of these pieces, while the briefest of the album, is also one of its most mesmerizing. Contrary to what the titles might have us believe, these are all genuinely realized pieces where the word “exotic” is but another puff of smoke in the breeze. And so, the heavy tabla and shawm-like guitar of “Scimitar” describes not the weapon wielded in the hands of countless white actors in uninformed filmic productions, but rather an exploration of the object on its own terms, tracing forms and histories, battles and silences alike, with due abandon. So, too, with the final and title cut that brings DeJohnette back into the mix for an animated closer.

The telephone wires on the cover are like the strings of some large instrument, with the sky as its sound box. Its clouds don’t so much dance as perform, caressing endless waves of voices careening through the ether. The joy of Cloud Dance is that it makes those voices intelligible. Fans of Oregon, of which Walcott was of course an integral part, need look no further for likeminded contemplation.

Track listing:

All compositions by Collin Walcott except as indicated.

"Margueritte" - 8:32

"Prancing" - 3:24

"Night Glider" - 6:40

"Scimitar" (John Abercrombie, Walcott) - 2:46

"Vadana" - 7:00

"Eastern Song" - 2:34

"Padma" (Abercrombie, Walcott) - 2:47

"Cloud Dance" - 5:47

Personnel:

Collin Walcott — sitar, tabla

John Abercrombie — guitar

Dave Holland — bass

Jack DeJohnette — drums

Larry Coryell - 1976 [2019] "Basics"

This album of leftovers from Vanguard sessions is better than it appears but far from essential. The personnel listing is confusing (and inexcusably leaves off the name of tenor-saxophonist Jim Pepper). The music, which ranges from basic blues to early fusion and only clocks in at around 31 minutes, also features organist Mike Mandel and several rhythm sections. Fans of guitarist Larry Coryell (a fusion pioneer) may find some moments of interest here.

This album was released in 1975 but is some leftover tracks from Coryell's 1968-1969 Vanguard recording sessions. It is only 32 minutes and the sound quality is pretty good.

The music here is typical of Coryell during this time period, mixing blues, jazz and rock with even a little Southern Rock flavor thrown in. I think it is Coryell at his best.

I think his best period is his early period until 1974 when he moved on to more jazz fusion typical of the mid 1970s (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, etc.). At the end of the 1970s he started experimenting in all kinds of music. 

I guess that the title imposed to this album means its keeping within the most basic alternation between opening main riff and subsequent improvisation. At least, that seems to be the dynamics underpinning this record, and to be honest, it's fine for me, from the moment that it's all good: the group sounds as tight as you have the right to expect from the tremendous musical talents involved, and the improvisation itself, even going through many ups and downs in melodic richness and instrumental dexterity, never indulges in a dull passage.

As for the customary account of influences, I must say that in "Half A Heart", besides the obvious latin flavour, there's some undeniable hints of Peter Green in the electric guitar phrasing and the vocals coming in with a timing very resemblant of "Black Magic Woman".

Originally the tracks on this album were recorded in 68 & 69, and intended for release, but didn't see the light of day until 71 or even 76 (depending on the country of release), but several tracks were released in different versions in LC's late-60's/early 70's albums. They were repackaged in a wild psychedelic package at the aforementioned dates, but by that time LC's music was vastly different so some of these songs might seem quite dated, even then.

There are some straight (Slow) blues tracks, some late 60's Yarbirds-style rockers (Consciousness, Friday Night), other more Cream-like psych-rock (Half A Heart, Sex, Jam With Albert) and slightly jazzy rock (Tyrone & Organ Blues)

Difficult to call this "album" essential for progheads, but while vastly influenced by his then-heroes, Basics might just give you a clue how a jazz giant navigated from his rock roots to jazz rock, then pure jazz., but it won't give the full blown impact of LC's best rocking albums. 

Not a prog monument, but, even so, a very enjoyable record.

Track listing:

1 Call to the Higher Consciousness 5:17

2 Slow Blues 4:22

3 Friday Night 2:22

4 Half a Heart 3:30

5 Sex 4:32

6 Tyrone 3:00

7 The Jam With Albert 2:55

8 Organ Blues 5:19

Personnel:

Larry Coryell — vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer

Mike Mandel — organ, keyboards

Chuck Rainey — electric bass

Ron Carter — electric bass

Steve Haas — drums

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie — drums

Ray Mantilla — percussion

Jack DeJohnette - 1980 [2008] "Special Edition"

Special Edition is an album by drummer and pianist Jack DeJohnette featuring tenor saxophonist David Murray, alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe and bassist and cellist Slip Warren recorded in 1979 released on the ECM label in 1980. The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states, "The first (and mightiest) of Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition ensembles offered a sound that in many ways was revolutionary in modern contemporary and creative improvised music circa 1980... This CD deserves a definitive five-star rating for the lofty place it commands in the evolution of jazz headed toward new heights and horizons". A JazzTimes reviewer selected it in 2012 as one of DeJohnette's key albums.

The first (and mightiest) of Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition ensembles offered a sound that in many ways was revolutionary in modern contemporary and creative improvised music circa 1980. With firebrand alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe and enfant terrible tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist David Murray bobbing, weaving, and counterpunching, DeJohnette and bassist Peter Warren could have easily stood back in deference to these heavyweight pugilists. The result was a vehicle by which DeJohnette could power the two with his two-fisted drumming and play piano or melodica when the mood suited him, while Warren could simply establish a foundation for all to launch their witty, extroverted, oftentimes boisterous ideas into the stratosphere. 

The recording starts off very strong with two definitive tracks. "One for Eric," perfectly rendered in the spirit of Eric Dolphy, has Blythe and Murray's bass clarinet taking off, flying, and then soaring. Their contrasting tart and sweet sounds merge beautifully, and not without a smidgen of humor. "Zoot Suite" sports a great 4/4 bass groove with quirky accents, while Blythe's alto and Murray's tenor repeat a head-nodding line, then Murray's sax chortles like a cow, then they float over DeJohnette's melodica, and on the repeat line the drummer powers the band to the finish line. Both of these tracks are as complete, fully realized, and utterly unique as any in modern jazz, and deserve standards status. But John Coltrane's visage is not far behind on the peaceful "Central Park West," with DeJohnette again on the underlying melodica, while "India" has DeJohnette leading out on a playful Native and Eastern Indian motif via his piano playing. 

Blythe and Murray literally weep on the alto and bass clarinet. The finale, "Journey to the Twin Planet," is a free-based improvisation, with Blythe's squawky alto and Murray's long-toned tenor with overblown harmonics held in mezzo piano range, and DeJohnette's melodica evincing an electronic stance. A craggy, wild, and free bop idea provides a bridge (or maybe wormhole) to a calmer, supposed other planet. While there are no extra tracks on this recording -- and they would be welcome -- this first version of Special Edition stands alone as one of the most important and greatest assemblages of jazz musicians. This LP deserves a definitive five-star rating for the lofty place it commands in the evolution of jazz toward new heights and horizons.

Track listing:

All compositions by Jack DeJohnette except as indicated

"One for Eric" - 9:52

"Zoot Suite" - 11:29

"Central Park West" (John Coltrane) - 3:16

"India" (Coltrane) - 6:02

"Journey to the Twin Planet" - 8:42

Recorded at Generation Sound Studios, New York in March, 1979

Personnel:

Jack DeJohnette – drums, piano, melodica

David Murray – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet

Arthur Blythe – alto saxophone

Peter "Slip" Warren – bass, cello

John Mclaughlin - 2000 Live in Paris - "The Heart Of Things"

The Heart of Things: Live in Paris is a live album by John McLaughlin, released in 2000 through the record label PolyGram. The album reached number 25 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.

John McLaughlin's 1997 The Heart of Things studio album and subsequent tour saw him returning to the sort of electric band format that most listeners associated with his days in the Mahavishnu Orchestra of the 1970s. This live album features the same group, with the exception of the keyboard player, as Otmaro Ruiz replaces Jim Beard, and three of the selections are drawn from the studio release. "Seven Sisters," which is actually shorter than the studio version, makes for a fairly mellow opening, while the new "Mother Tongue" is full of extremely rapid solos by McLaughlin, Ruiz, bass player Matthew Garrison, and Gary Thomas, who switches saxophones during the course of the nearly 13-minute tune. "Fallen Angels," another song from the studio release, is a slow, contemplative work, while "Divide" makes use of funk rhythms to support some noisy guitar work from McLaughlin and a solo full of electronic burps from Ruiz. 

The album's showpiece song is "Tony," a stately tribute to the late drummer Tony Williams that, appropriately enough gives drummer Dennis Chambers his chance to shine. One might complain that "Acid Jazz," the fiery closer, has nothing to do with the musical style that goes by that name, but McLaughlin obviously means to suggest an evolution of 1960s acid rock by the title, and he deliberately evokes Jimi Hendrix in playing that brings him as close to the Mahavishnu Orchestra sound as he has been in many years. It makes a powerful ending to an album that should be welcomed by long-time fans. (As if to emphasize that this was only one of his interests, however, McLaughlin simultaneously released both this disc and The Believer, an album with his Indian unit Remember Shakti, on October 3, 2000.)

On the self-titled 1997 studio record from his electric fusion bandThe Heart of Things, John McLaughlin's songwriting ranged from pensive ebb to wild clamor, played with melody and passion by the five piece band, while McLaughlin assumed the background role of a mentor. Some McLaughlin fans maligned the music as sterile and dry, lacking the spark found in his classic electric work like Mahavishnu Orchestra. However, The Heart of Things - Live in Paris shows this band with considerable creativity and interaction as they reinterpret some of the studio record songs and other material on stage. The live lineup includes McLaughlin on guitar, Gary Thomas on sax, Dennis Chambers on drums, Matthew Garrison on bass, Otmaro Ruiz replacing Jim Beard on keyboards, and Victor Williams on percussion.

McLaughlin's songwriting shifts through smooth odd meter grooves with angular melodic lines, not unlike the basic framework of early Mahavishnu, but the smoother instrumentation and execution of The Heart of Things band gives the music a wider dynamic range and a seasoned maturity. Guitar and sax play most of the melody lines in unison, further reinforcing the group approach. In "Tony," a moving and musically ideal tribute to Tony Williams, Chambers perfectly and appropriately executes the drum solo. Dynamics range skillfully in "Seven Sisters," despite a truncated feel at under 9 minutes. "Acid Jazz" triumphantly closes the live set and the album, surging from a quiet opening to a raucous guitar and drum duet.

Matthew Garrison's snappy yet supportive bass work impresses, perhaps highlighted by the strong low sound of the mix. Chambers as always is a master on the drums, from barely audible cymbal work to pounding double bass, and William's percussion thankfully does not drown out Chambers' subtleties. Ruiz's minimalist solo in "The Divide" grows tiresome quickly, but McLaughlin's playing shows supreme maturity and restraint as he cedes center stage to the younger players. But when he does take the spotlight, like the frantic guitar and drum duet in "Acid Jazz," he shows that the fire of his previous electric days remains.

Track listing:

All tracks composed by John McLaughlin; except where indicated

"Seven Sisters" – 8:30

"Mother Tongues" – 12:57

"Fallen Angels" – 10:33

"Divide" (Gary Thomas) – 16:41

"Tony" – 13:56

"Acid Jazz" – 14:53

Personnel:

Dennis Chambers – drums

Matthew Garrison – bass guitar

John McLaughlin – electric guitar

Otmaro Ruíz – keyboards

Gary Thomas – soprano sax, tenor sax

Victor Williams – percussion

Various Artists - 1996 "Funky Guitar Beats"

Funky Guitar Beats contains 10 funky soul-jazz tracks culled from the Prestige vaults. All of the tracks date from the late '60s and early '70s -- not exactly a time that's held in great regard by jazz purists, but acid jazz fans and younger listeners find the elastic, funky grooves quite enticing. And that's the key to enjoying Funky Guitar Beats -- if you like the critically panned "pop" efforts from the late '60s or the way they're sampled on dance records, this is certainly worth your time.

This crummy-looking compilation has some rare, killer soul-jazz from the late 1960's to early 1970's from legends like Melvin Sparks, George Benson, Funk Inc., Rusty Bryant and Jimmy Ponder. Two tracks have never been on CD or digital.

Track Listing:

01. Rusty Bryant - Fire Eater [1971] (9:30)

02. Charles Kynard - Odds On [1970] (7:13)

03. Johnny Hammond - Dirty Apple [1967] (5:00)

04. Melvin Sparks - Thank You [1970] (8:08)

05. Billy Butler - Sweet Georgia Brown [1970] (4:45)

06. Ivan 'Boogaloo' Joe Jones - Someday We'll Be Together [1970] (6:45)

07. George Benson - Shadow Dancers [1964] (4:45)

08. Willis 'Gator' Jackson - Swivel Hips [1968] (6:55)*

09. Funk Inc. - The Thrill Is Gone [1971] (6:24)

10, Jimmy Ponder - Billie Jean [1983] (8:48)*

Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - 1958 [1987] "Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane"

Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane is a studio album of music performed by jazz musicians Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane. It was released on the New Jazz label in April 1963. The recording was made on March 7, 1958. It was reissued in 1967 on New Jazz's parent label Prestige, with a different cover and retitled The Kenny Burrell Quintet With John Coltrane.

For his final Prestige-related session as a sideman, John Coltrane (tenor sax) and Kenny Burrell (guitar) are supported by an all-star cast of Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Tommy Flanagan (piano). This short but sweet gathering cut their teeth on two Flanagan compositions, another two lifted from the Great American Songbook, and a Kenny Burrell original.

 Flanagan's tunes open and close the album, with the spirited "Freight Trane" getting the platter underway. While not one of Coltrane's most assured performances, he chases the groove right into the hands of Burrell. The guitarist spins sonic gold and seems to inspire similar contributions from Chambers' bowed bass and Coltrane alike. Especially as the participants pass fours (read: four bars) between them at the song's conclusion. The Gus Kahn/Ted Fio Rito standard "I Never Knew" frolics beneath Burrell's nimble fretwork. Once he passes the reins to Coltrane, the differences in their styles are more readily apparent, with Burrell organically emerging while Coltrane sounds comparatively farther out structurally.

 Much of the same can likewise be associated to Burrell's own "Lyresto," with the two co-leads gracefully trading and incorporating spontaneous ideas. While not as pronounced, the disparity in the way the performance is approached is a study in unifying and complementary contrasts. The delicate "Why Was I Born" is one for the ages as Burrell and Coltrane are captured in a once-in-a-lifetime duet. Together they weave an uncanny and revealing sonic tapestry that captures a pure and focused intimacy. This, thanks in part to the complete restraint of the ensemble, who take the proverbial "pause for the cause" and sit out.

 What remains is the best argument for the meeting of these two jazz giants. The performance can likewise be located on the various-artists Original Jazz Classics: The Prestige Sampler (1988) and Playboy Jazz After Dark (2002) and is worth checking out, regardless of where one might find it. In many ways the showpiece of the project is Flanagan's nearly quarter-hour "Big Paul." The pianist's lengthy intro establishes a laid-back bop-centric melody with his trademark stylish keyboards perfectly balancing Chambers and Cobb's rock-solid timekeeping. Coltrane's restraint is palpable as he traverses and examines his options with insightful double-time flurries that assert themselves then retreat into the larger extent of his solo. Those interested in charting the saxophonist's progression should make specific note of his work here.

Track listing:

"Freight Trane" (Tommy Flanagan) – 7:18

"I Never Knew" (Ted Fio Rito, Gus Kahn) – 7:04

"Lyresto" (Kenny Burrell) – 5:41

"Why Was I Born?" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) – 3:12

"Big Paul" (Tommy Flanagan) – 14:05

Personnel:

Kenny Burrell – guitar

John Coltrane – tenor saxophone

Tommy Flanagan – piano

Paul Chambers – bass

Jimmy Cobb – drums

Jeff Berlin - 1986 "Pump It"

Like Stuart Hamm, Jeff Berlin finds himself to be neither a fusion player or a rock player, but rather somewhere uncomfortably in between. His chops are unmatched; however, like Al Di Meola, this has always presented the issue of musical integrity. His importance to aspiring bass players cannot be overstated; however, to the casual listener this session will sound too uneven. The opening track, "Pump It!," featuring Buddy Miles on lead vocals, sounds stiff and contrived. He does redeem himself though on "Joe Frasier (Round 2)," an expansion of a song he wrote while with Bill Bruford. His tribute to Rush "All The Greats" and to J.S. Bach "Bach" contain impressive playing, but are far too repetitive to sustain any interest beyond his solos. Buddy Miles does a better job of leading the band on "Crossroads," although it sounds silly compared to Mr. Clapton's version. The disappointment here is that guitar shredder Paul Gilbert is not given any significant space. Frank Gambale, on the other hand, does get a fair amount of space to showcase his sweep picking technique in one of his first recorded appearances. The highlight of this inconsistent recording is "Manos De Piedra" on which Berlin plays a blistering solo that surely padded his already established legend in the bass playing community.

Track listing:

1  Pump It! (Jeff Berlin ) 05:57

2  Joe Frazier (Jeff Berlin ) 06:12

3  All The Greats (Jeff Berlin ) 06:43

4  Bach (Jeff Berlin ) 04:47

5  Crossroads (Robert Johnson ) 05:46

6  Freight Train Shuffle (Jeff Berlin ) 04:52

7  Manos De Piedra (Jeff Berlin; Ron Reinhardt ) 04:43

Personnel:

Bass - Jeff Berlin

Drums - Tris Imboden

Guitar - Frank Gambale

Keyboards - Ron Reinhardt, Claire Fischer

Percussion - Brad Dutz

Vocals - Buddy Miles

Tom Tom - Jeffrey Porcaro

Return To Forever - 1973 [1991] "Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy"

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy is the third studio album by American jazz fusion band Return to Forever. It was released in October 1973 by Polydor. Flora Purim, Joe Farrell, and Airto Moreira were replaced by drummer Lenny White and guitarist Bill Connors. It would be the only album with Bill Connors as guitarist; he left after its release and was replaced by Al Di Meola.

The second incarnation of Chick Corea's influential fusion group released only a single record, the magnificent Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Featuring a more rock-oriented approach than the Flora Purim-Joe Farrell band that was responsible for both Return to Forever and Light as a Feather, Corea and old standby Stanley Clarke join forces here with propulsive drummer Lenny White and electric guitarist Bill Connors. Although Connors lacks the sophistication of Al Di Meola, the young guitarist who replaced him, he possesses a deliciously raw sound that keeps Corea's heady compositions firmly grounded. White introduces a funk aspect to the music, replacing Airto's Latin grooves from the first two records. Clarke is as good, wrenching some truly frightening sounds out of his electric basses. This increased emphasis on electric instrumentation, also displayed in Corea's heavy use of synthesizers, is another thing that separates this record from the previous Return to Forever releases. And as good as the band performances are, it is the quality of the compositions that marks Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy as an indispensable disc of '70s fusion. "Captain Senor Mouse," one of Corea's finest fusion compositions, receives an excellent treatment here. Likewise, the two-part "Space Circus" is a fantastic mix of haunting and grooving elements, with some simply incredible solos thrown into the mix. With Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Corea continues his streak of simply timeless fusion albums. The best of the electric RTF albums.

For the third release of this seminal band, Chick Corea abandons the earlier Brazilian influences and puts together a new outfit for unapologetic fusion. Indeed, maestro Corea had found his sound with this one and lifted the band to legendary status, one that was to be reinforced with ensuing releases. The previous two albums were good, but are nothing compared to this. Stanley Clarke had already graced Return to Forever (listed as a Chick Corea album) and Light as a Feather. Now, Lenny White is brought into the fold as well as guitarist Bill Connors. After a brief and quiet intro, the band kicks into high gear with the title track and does not let go of the pace for the next forty minutes. No relaxing smooth jazz here. High energy, good melodies, intricate interplay of all the instruments, and great musicianship are what makes this album what it is. Many compare Connors to Al di Meola unfavorably, but although I prefer Big Al, Connors has some mighty impressive chops that augments the music quite well. In fact, his distorted tone adds much of the rock to the fusion here. Captain Senor Mouse may be the best known track, but all the others are great as well. I particularly like the opener and the closing track, The Game Maker. Return to Forever is a band that stands proudly alongside the great Mahavishnu Orchestra but has a much less cacophonous sound. Even when all four members are wailing at top speed, there remains a sense of unity and melodiousness not often found in other bands of the same genre. The various members of the band never forget they are playing alongside others. This is what makes Return to Forever a great band. Absolutely necessary for fans of Jazz/Rock Fusion, and for those who have not tasted the fiery nectar of this genre and want to know what the hubbub is all about, they could not do any better than start with this one. A masterpiece through and through.

Track listing:

1. Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy 3:25

2. After The Cosmic Rain 8:33

3. Captain Senor Mouse 8:56

4. Theme To The Mothership 8:22

5. Space Circus

   Part I 1:28

   Part II 4:08

6. The Game Maker 6:49

Personnel:

Chick Corea – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, harpsichord, Yamaha electric organ, gongs

Bill Connors – electric guitar, acoustic guitar

Stanley Clarke – electric bass, bell tree

Lenny White – drums, percussion, congas, bongos

Elvin Jones - 1975 [2019] "On the Mountain"

On the Mountain is a jazz album by drummer Elvin Jones with keyboardist Jan Hammer and bassist Gene Perla recorded in 1975 and originally released on Perla's PM label.

This 1975 date for the brilliant drummer, with Jan Hammer on keyboards and bassist Gene Perla, is a minor, if somewhat overlooked, classic from the tail-end of the early '70s to the mid-70s' run of great jazz fusion releases. Both Perla and Hammer worked with Elvin Jones between 1971 and 1973, in bands featuring saxophonists Frank Foster, Joe Farrell, Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman. Here, the smaller format allows for a tight group sound with openings for strong solos and fluid interplay throughout. Jones is well up in the mix, giving fans a front-row opportunity to enjoy the drummer, both in all-over-the-kit, rolling-thunder mode and in the subtler moments of his peerless brushwork. The trio perform a half-dozen originals by Perla and Hammer. The impressive writing has a definite jazz sensibility, but Hammer's Moog and electric piano work, Perla's alternating between electric and acoustic basses, and Jones' own fierce eruptions provide a satisfying, rock wallop in several spots.

A great Fusion Cd with the special Elvin Jones touch, for sure. Great power by the man himself and excellent playing by Jan Hammer too. The tunes are high energy and feature great laid back Fusion. A must have for all Elvin Jones and Jan Hammer fans!

First of all, let me caution any Elvin fans--this is not REALLY an Elvin Jones album. Half of the tunes are written by Hammer and half of them are written by Gene Perla, the bassist. And pretty much all the solos are taken by Hammer. The style is not jazz, but rather jazz fusion. Not the ridiculous variety that consists of everybody playing as fast and as loud as possible, but rather thoughtful, understated and sophisticated. That said, the tunes are gorgeous, the solos are lovely, and the rhythm section rocks. The sound of the recording is beautiful too. Basically, the album is flawless. If you care at all about Jan Hammer's playing in the jazz style, you MUST own this album.

Track listing:

1. "Thorn of a White Rose" (Jan Hammer) - 5:07

2. "Namuh" (Gene Perla) - 7:47

3. "On the Mountain" (Perla) - 4:37

4. "Smoke in the Sun" (Hammer) - 4:00

5. "London Air" (Hammer) - 5:29

6. "Destiny" (Perla) - 7:28

Personnel:

Elvin Jones - drums

Jan Hammer - piano, electric piano, synthesizer

Gene Perla - bass, electric bass

Pink Floyd - 2011 "Discovery" (Mini LP Replica) [16 CD Box]

 Post # 1000

The third massive Pink Floyd box, following the first, Shine On, by nearly two decades but the second, Oh by the Way, by a mere four years, Discovery is almost identical to the latter. Like that 2007 set, it contains all of the group’s studio albums -- beginning with 1967’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and ending with 1994’s The Division Bell -- adding no musical bonus material (which means that the Early Singles disc tacked onto Shine On is missing) but presenting all the albums in pristine new remasters and nice packaging. Whether this is an improvement on Oh by the Way -- which had its albums housed in paper sleeve mini-LP replicas, not digipacks as they are here -- is up to the consumer, but anybody looking to acquire all the Floyd albums at once will be satisfied.

Pink Floyd: Discovery is a compilation CD box set by Pink Floyd released on 26 September 2011 to launch the Why Pink Floyd...? re-release campaign. The box set includes all of their standard studio albums released by this point. All albums were newly remastered by James Guthrie and Joel Plante. In addition to the albums the set comes with a 60-page artwork booklet designed by Storm Thorgerson.

All albums and their corresponding original release dates are given below. Refer to original albums for track listings, personnel and production credits.

    "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" (August 1967)

Track listing:

Astronomy Domine    4:11
Lucifer Sam    3:07
Matilda Mother    3:08
Flaming    2:46
Pow R. Toc H    4:26
Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk    3:06
Interstellar Overdrive    9:40
The Gnome    2:13
Chapter 24    3:42
The Scarecrow    2:11
Bike    3:21

Personnel:

Numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on original UK album tracklist and CD track numbering.

    Syd Barrett – electric guitar (1–7, 9–11), acoustic guitar (4, 5, 8, 10), percussion (4), vocals
    Roger Waters – bass guitar (all tracks); slide whistle (4), percussion (4), gong (9) (uncredited), vocals
    Richard Wright – Farfisa Combo Compact organ (1–7, 9–10), piano (2, 5, 11), tack piano (4, 11), Hammond organ (3, 4), harmonium (9, 11), celesta (8, 11), cello (9, 10), Lowrey organ (4), vibraphone (8), Hohner Pianet (9), violin (11), percussion (4) (uncredited), vocals
    Nick Mason – drums (1–7, 11), percussion (2, 4, 5, 8–11)


    "A Saucerful of Secrets" (June 1968)

Track listing:

1. Let There Be More Light    5:38
2. Remember A Day    4:32
3. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun  5:27    
4. Corporal Clegg    4:12
5. A Saucerful Of Secrets    11:56
6. See-Saw     4:36
7. Jugband Blues  3:00

Personnel:

Track numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on CD track numbering.

Pink Floyd

    David Gilmour – guitars (all except 2 and 7), kazoo (4), vocals[41]
    Roger Waters – bass guitar (all tracks), percussion (3, 5), vocals[41]
    Richard Wright – Farfisa organ (all tracks), piano (1, 2, 5, 6), Hammond organ (1, 4, 5), Mellotron (5, 6), vibraphone (3, 5), celesta (3), xylophone (6), tin whistle (7), vocals
    Nick Mason – drums (all except 2), percussion (1, 5, 6, 7), lead vocals (4),[29] kazoo (7)[80]
    Syd Barrett – vocals (7), slide guitar (2), acoustic guitar (2, 7), electric guitar (3, 7)

Additional personnel:

    Norman Smith – producer,[81] drums (2), backing vocals (2, 6),[17] voice (5)
    The Stanley Myers Orchestra (4)
    The Salvation Army (The International Staff Band) – brass section (7)


    "More" (June 1969)

Track listing:

Cirrus Minor  5:18    
The Nile Song  3:26    
Crying Song  3:33    
Up The Khyber  2:12    
Green Is The Colour  2:58    
Cymbaline  4:49    
Party Sequence    1:08
Main Theme  5:26    
Ibiza Bar  3:19    
More Blues  2:12    
Quicksilver  7:13    
A Spanish Piece  1:05    
Dramatic Theme  2:18

Personnel:

    David Gilmour - guitar, vocals
    Roger Waters – bass guitar
    Richard Wright – keyboards, vocals
    Nick Mason – drums

Additional personnel:

    Lindy Mason – tin whistle (5-7)


    "Ummagumma" (October 1969)

Track listing:
    
                Live Album
Pink Floyd–    Astronomy Domine  8:32    
Pink Floyd–    Careful With That Axe Eugene  8:49    
Pink Floyd–    Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun  9:27    
Pink Floyd–    A Saucerful Of Secrets  12:51    
        Studio Album    
Richard Wright–    Sysyphus    
Part 1  1:09    
Part 2  3:30    
Part 3  1:49    
Part 4  6:59    
Roger Waters–    Grantchester Meadows  7:27    
Roger Waters–    Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict  4:58    
David Gilmour–    The Narrow Way    
Part 1  3:28    
Part 2  2:53    
Part 3  5:57    
Nick Mason–    The Grand Vizier's Garden Party    
Part 1 - Entrance  :59    
Part 2 - Entertainment  7:05    
Part 3 - Exit  :41

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – lead guitar, vocals (live album); acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, drums and vocals on "The Narrow Way"
    Nick Mason – drums (live album); percussion, effects on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" parts 1 & 2
    Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals (live album); acoustic guitars and vocals on "Grantchester Meadows", all vocals on "Several Species of Small Furry Animals..."
    Richard Wright – keyboards, vocals (live album); organ, piano, Mellotron and percussion on "Sysyphus"

Additional personnel:

    Lindy Mason – flutes on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" Parts 1 & 3 (uncredited)


    "Atom Heart Mother" (October 1970)

Track Listing:

1     Atom Heart Mother: Father's Shout/Breast Milky/Mother Fore/Funky Dung/Mind Your Throats Please/Remergence
2     If
3     Summer '68
4     Fat Old Sun
5     Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast: Rise And Shine/Sunny Side Up/Morning Glory

Personnel:

Taken from sleeve notes. Track numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on CD track numbering.

    David Gilmour - guitar, vocals
    Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals
    Richard Wright – keyboards, vocals
    Nick Mason – drums

Additional musicians

    EMI Pops Orchestra – brass and orchestral sections (uncredited)[6]
    Hafliði Hallgrímsson – cello (1) (uncredited)[69]
    John Alldis Choir – vocals (1)
    Alan Styles – voice and sound effects (5) (uncredited)


    "Meddle" (gate fold) (October 1971)

Track Listing:

1     One Of These Days
2     A Pillow Of Winds
3     Fearless
4     San Tropez
5     Seamus
6     Echoes

Personnel:

Credits adapted from sleeve notes. Track numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on CD track numbering.

    Richard Wright – Hammond organ (1, 2, 6), piano (3–6), Farfisa organ (6), co-lead vocals (6)
    David Gilmour – electric guitars (1–4, 6), acoustic guitars (2–3, 5), bass (in unison with Waters) (1), harmonica (5), lead vocals (2, 3, 5, 6)
    Roger Waters – bass (all tracks), acoustic guitar and lead vocals (4)
    Nick Mason – drums (1, 3, 4, 6), percussion (2–4, 6), vocal phrase (1)


    "Obscured by Clouds" (June 1972)

Track Listing:

01     Obscured By Clouds
02     When You're In
03     Burning Bridges
04     The Gold It's In The...
05     Wots...Uh The Deal
06     Mudmen
07     Childhood's End
08     Free Four
09     Stay
10     Absolutely Curtains

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – acoustic, electric and pedal steel guitars, VCS 3 synthesizer, vocals
    Nick Mason – drums, percussion
    Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals
    Richard Wright – Hammond organ (2, 3, 5-7, 10), piano (5, 6, 9, 10), Farfisa organ (10), VCS 3 synthesizer, electric piano, vocals


    "The Dark Side of the Moon" (March 1973)

Track Listing:

1     Speak To Me/Breathe
2     On The Run
3     Time
4     The Great Gig In The Sky
5     Money
6     Us And Them
7     Any Colour You Like
8     Brain Damage
9     Eclipse

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – vocals, guitars, Synthi AKS
    Nick Mason – drums, percussion, tape effects
    Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals, VCS 3, tape effects
    Richard Wright – organ (Hammond and Farfisa), piano, electric piano (Wurlitzer, Rhodes), EMS VCS 3, Synthi AKS, vocals

Additional musicians

    Dick Parry – saxophone on "Us and Them" and "Money"
    Clare Torry – vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
    Doris Troy – backing vocals
    Lesley Duncan – backing vocals
    Liza Strike – backing vocals
    Barry St. John – backing vocals


    "Wish You Were Here" (September 1975)

Track Listing:

1     Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part One)
2     Welcome To The Machine
3     Have A Cigar
4     Wish You Were Here
5     Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part Two)

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – vocals, guitars, pedal steel guitar, EMS Synthi AKS, additional bass, glass harmonica, tape effects
    Roger Waters – vocals, bass guitar, EMS VCS 3, additional guitar, glass harmonica, tape effects
    Richard Wright – Hammond organ, ARP String Ensemble, Minimoog, Steinway piano, EMS VCS 3, Hohner Clavinet D6, Wurlitzer EP-200 electric piano, Rhodes piano, glass harmonica, backing vocals
    Nick Mason – drums, percussion, timpani, cymbals, tape effects

Additional musicians

    Dick Parry – tenor and baritone saxophone on “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”[82]
    Roy Harper – lead vocals on “Have a Cigar”[83]
    Venetta Fields – backing vocals
    Carlena Williams – backing vocals


    "Animals" (January 1977)

Track Listing:

1     Pigs On The Wing 1
2     Dogs
3     Pigs (Three Different Ones)
4     Sheep
5     Pigs On The Wing 2

Personnel:

Track numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on CD track numbering.

    Roger Waters – lead vocals (all tracks), harmony vocals (2, 3), acoustic guitar (1, 5), rhythm guitar (3, 4), bass guitar (2), tape effects (3, 4), vocoder (2–4), sleeve concept
    David Gilmour – lead vocals (2), lead guitar (2–4), bass guitar (3, 4), acoustic guitar (2), talk box (3)
    Richard Wright – Hammond organ (2–4), ARP string synthesizer (2–4), Fender Rhodes (2, 4), Minimoog (2, 4), Farfisa organ (2), piano (3), clavinet (3), EMS VCS 3 (4), harmony vocals (2)
    Nick Mason – drums, percussion (2–4), tape effects (4), graphics

Additional musicians

    Snowy White – guitar solo (on 8-track version of "Pigs on the Wing")


    "The Wall" (November 1979)

Track Listing:

Disc: 1
01     In The Flesh? (2011 - Remaster)
02     The Thin Ice (2011 - Remaster)
03     Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 1 (2011 - Remaster)
04     The Happiest Days Of Our Lives (2011 - Remaster)
05     Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2 (2011 - Remaster)
06     Mother (2011 - Remaster)
07     Goodbye Blue Sky (2011 - Remaster)
08     Empty Spaces (2011 - Remaster)
09     Young Lust (2011 - Remaster)
10     One Of My Turns (2011 - Remaster)
11     Don't Leave Me Now (2011 - Remaster)
12     Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 3 (2011 - Remaster)
13     Goodbye Cruel World (2011 - Remaster)

Disc: 2
01     Hey You (2011 - Remaster)
02     Is There Anybody Out There? (2011 - Remaster)
03     Nobody Home (2011 - Remaster)
04     Vera (2011 - Remaster)
05     Bring The Boys Back Home (2011 - Remaster)
06     Comfortably Numb (2011 - Remaster)
07     The Show Must Go On (2011 - Remaster)
08     In The Flesh (2011 - Remaster)
09     Run Like Hell (2011 - Remaster)
10     Waiting For The Worms (2011 - Remaster)
11     Stop (2011 - Remaster)
12     The Trial (2011 - Remaster)
13     Outside The Wall (2011 - Remaster)

Personnel:

    Roger Waters – vocals, bass guitar (1-5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 19, 21), EMS VCS 3 synthesizer (1, 7, 8, 11, 16, 21, 23), acoustic guitar (6, 17), electric guitar (12),[128] sleeve design, co-production
    David Gilmour – vocals, electric (1-6, 8-12, 14, 15, 19, 21-23, 25) and acoustic guitars (6, 7, 14, 17, 19, 20), bass guitar (6, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25), Prophet-5 (2, 7, 8, 19, 23) and ARP Quadra synthesizers (8, 21), co-production
    Nick Mason – drums and percussion (except 3, 6–8, 13, 16, 17, 24, 26)
    Richard Wright – piano (2, 8, 11, 25), Hammond organ (2, 4, 5, 9-11, 13, 14, 19, 22, 23), Prophet-5 (1, 3-5, 7, 10-13, 15-17, 20, 22), ARP Quadra (14) and Minimoog synthesizers (3), Fender Rhodes (14) and Wurlitzer electric pianos (9), clavinet (4)

Additional musicians

    Bruce Johnston – backing vocals[129] (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Toni Tennille – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Joe Chemay – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Jon Joyce – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Stan Farber – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Jim Haas – backing vocals (1, 20, 21, 23)
    Bob Ezrin – production, piano (6, 10, 16, 20, 23, 24), Hammond organ and harmonium (6), Prophet-5 synthesizer (15, 20, 21), orchestral arrangement and music on "The Trial", backing vocals on "Waiting for the Worms"
    James Guthrie – percussion on "The Happiest Days of our Lives", ARP Quadra synthesizer on "Empty Spaces" and "In The Flesh", sound effects on "Hey You" and "Run Like Hell", co-producer, engineer
    Jeff Porcaro – drums on "Mother"
    Children of Islington Green School – vocals on "Another Brick in the Wall Part II"
    Joe Porcaro[130] – snare drums on "Bring the Boys Back Home"
    Lee Ritenour – rhythm guitar on "One of My Turns", additional acoustic guitar on "Comfortably Numb"
    Joe (Ron) di Blasi – classical guitar on "Is There Anybody Out There?"
    Fred Mandel – Hammond organ on "In The Flesh?" and "In the Flesh"
    Bobbye Hall – congas and bongos on "Run Like Hell"
    Frank Marocco – concertina on "Outside the Wall"
    Larry Williams – clarinet on "Outside the Wall"
    Trevor Veitch – mandolin on "Outside the Wall"
    New York Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 16, 17, 18, 25)
    New York Opera – choral vocals on "Bring the Boys Back Home"
    Vicki Brown and Clare Torry (credited simply as "Vicki & Clare") – backing vocals on "The Trial"
    Harry Waters – child's voice on "Goodbye Blue Sky"
    Chris Fitzmorris – male telephone voice
    Trudy Young – voice of the groupie


    "The Final Cut" (March 1983)

Track Listing: 

01. The Post War Dream
02. Your Possible Pasts
03. One Of The Few
04. When The Tigers Broke Free
05. The Hero's Return
06. The Gunner's Dream
07. Paranoid Eyes
08. Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert
09. The Fletcher Memorial Home
10. Southampton Dock
11. The Final Cut
12. Not Now John
13. Two Suns In The Sunsetv

Personnel:

Numbers noted in parenthesis below are based on the original tracklist and CD track numbering.

    Roger Waters – lead vocals (all tracks), bass guitar (all tracks except 7), acoustic guitar (2-4, 6, 7, 9-12), synthesizers (3, 4, 11), twelve-string guitar (11), tape effects, production, sleeve design
    David Gilmour – lead (all tracks) and rhythm guitars (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10-12), co-lead vocals (12), additional backing vocals
    Nick Mason – drums (1, 2, 4-5, 8, 10-11), tape effects

Additional musicians

    Michael Kamen – piano (5, 6, 8-10, 12), electric piano (2, 5), harmonium (1, 10), production
    Andy Bown – Hammond organ (2, 6, 11, 12), piano (5), electric piano (4)
    Ray Cooper – percussion (6)
    Andy Newmark – drums (12)
    Raphael Ravenscroft – tenor saxophone (5, 12)
    Doreen Chanter – backing vocals (11)
    Irene Chanter – backing vocals (11)
    National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen (1, 5-10)


    "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (September 1987)

Track Listing:

01     Signs Of Life
02     Learning To Fly
03     The Dogs Of War
04     One Slip
05     On The Turning Away
06     Yet Another Movie/Round And Round
07     Round And Around
08     A New Machine Part 1
09     Terminal Frost
10     A New Machine Part 2
11     Sorrow

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – vocals, guitars, keyboards, sequencers, production
    Nick Mason – electronic and acoustic drums, spoken vocals, sound effects

Additional personnel

    Richard Wright – backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ, Kurzweil synthesiser (credited as full group member on 2011 reissue)
    Bob Ezrin – keyboards, percussion, sequencers, production
    Jon Carin – keyboards
    Patrick Leonard – synthesizers
    Bill Payne – Hammond organ
    Michael Landau – guitar
    Tony Levin – bass guitar, Chapman Stick
    Jim Keltner – drums
    Carmine Appice – drums
    Steve Forman – percussion
    Tom Scott – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
    John Helliwell – saxophone (credited as John Halliwell)
    Scott Page – tenor saxophone
    Darlene Koldenhoven (credited as Darlene Koldenhaven) – backing vocals
    Carmen Twillie – backing vocals
    Phyllis St. James – backing vocals
    Donny Gerrard – backing vocals


    "The Division Bell" (March 1994)

Track Listing:

01     Cluster One
02     What Do You Want From Me
03     Poles Apart
04     Marooned
05     A Great Day For Freedom
06     Wearing The Inside Out
07     Take It Back
08     Coming Back To Life
09     Keep Talking
10     Lost For Words
11     High Hopes

Personnel:

    David Gilmour – lead vocals (2, 3, 5, 7-11), acoustic, electric, classical & steel guitars, bass guitar (3, 5, 10, 11), keyboards, programming, backing vocals, talkbox, production, mixing
    Nick Mason – drums, percussion, church bell (11)
    Richard Wright – piano, organ and synthesizers, lead vocals (6), backing vocals (2)

Additional musicians

    Jon Carin – piano, keyboards, programming, arrangements (10)
    Guy Pratt – bass guitar (2, 4, 6-9)
    Gary Wallis – percussion (8), programming (9)
    Tim Renwick – additional guitars (3, 7)
    Dick Parry – tenor saxophone (6)
    Bob Ezrin – percussion, keyboards (3, 7), production
    Sam Brown – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
    Durga McBroom – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
    Carol Kenyon – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
    Jackie Sheridan – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
    Rebecca Leigh-White – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
    Stephen Hawking – vocal samples (9)