Deep Purple - 1976 [1995] "King Biscuit Flower Hour"

King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Deep Purple in Concert is a live album taken from a Deep Purple performance originally broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour, released in July 1995. It contains concert material featuring the Mark IV line-up with Tommy Bolin. The concert was recorded at the Long Beach Arena on 27 February 1976. The album contains four bonus tracks recorded at a Deep Purple concert in Springfield in January, 1976. This concert was originally intended to be used for the King Biscuit broadcast, but imperfections in the recording made the entire show unsuitable for airing and forced the second taping in Long Beach one month later.
The album was released in the U.K. under the title On the Wings of a Russian Foxbat. In 2000, a partial set consisting of ten songs was published by BMG under the name Extended Versions. The album was remastered and re-released with new cover art as Live at Long Beach 1976 on 24 February 2009 by Purple Records.
Note the CD1 track listing quotes "The Grind" as being performed; this is incorrect as it is the Bolin solo song "Homeward Strut".

This live album captures a complete show by Deep Purple Mach IV, featuring Tommy Bolin on guitar, recorded at Long Beach Arena, with two bonus tracks from a show in Springfield, MA. This lineup was not always good in concert -- Bolin, who had a drug problem, was erratic -- but they've got it together here, though David Coverdale isn't in great voice. Bolin has a different canvas of sounds and ideas than his predecessor Ritchie Blackmore, but he's a very fine player, and he does a good job fitting into Purple classics like "Smoke on the Water." There are several songs from this lineup's only studio album, Come Taste the Band, as well as one from Bolin's solo album, Teaser. Bassist Glenn Hughes' soul-influenced singing is more prominent than in the past, and Jon Lord plays clarinet and Keith Emerson-style synthesizers in addition to his trusty Hammond organ. Hughes and Bolin shine on "This Time Around," but Hughes' over-the-top "Georgia on My Mind" is just grating. All of this makes for an album unlike any other live Purple recording. [King Biscuit Flower Hour: In Concert was also released in Europe under the title Live in California 1976: On the Wings of a Russian Foxbat.] 

The King Biscuit Flower Hour in association with the DIR Network, is a one hour weekly radio broadcast of live concert performances. Deep Purple Mark IV - Tommy Bolin, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord and Ian Paice was recorded live on February 27, 1976, in Long Beach, California, for the KBFH. The live tracks are included on this two-CD set, which also includes four bonus cuts, taken from a show in Springfield, Mass., on January 26, 1976.
This is a noteworthy live collection, as it is the only authorized concert release featuring the Mark IV lineup. The recording is taken from tour dates in support of Purple's Come Taste the Band album.
The initial plan was to record the Springfield concert and air the tracks a few weeks later on the radio show. However, most of the material from the Springfield show had to be scrapped, due to a severe buzz from Bolin's guitar amp. The few songs that were salvaged from this date, are included as noted above as bonus material.
As a result of the recording problems, another Deep Purple show had to be recorded. Therefore plans were made to tape the Long Beach performance.  Fortunately there were no problems laying down the live tracks from the California show. The King Biscuit Flower Hour broadcast, featuring Deep Purple aired a few months later.
The highlights from the pair of live disc's include the searing opening action of "Burn", "Gettin' Tighter", "Love Child", the lenghty "Lazy", "This Time Around", "Stormbringer", and the rubber-burnin' "Highway Star".
At the end of Deep Purple's 1976 tour, the band called it a day. Tommy Bolin went on to pursue his solo career, but sadly Bolin passed away in December of '76. David Coverdale formed Whitesnake, along with Jon Lord and Ian Paice, while Glenn Hughes undertook a variety of projects. 

People most likely pass on this do to the inclusion of Coverdale on vox, and Tommy Bolin on guitar But I'm here to tell you this is a kicker, with every song being some hard rock brilliance. Coverdale and Hughes are both great singers, Bollin rips, and todays favorite Purple tunes are "Burn" and "Stormbringer". On top of all that, sound quality is excellent. Recorded Jan. 1976.

Crank up the volume, break out the platform shoes, and put on a black t-shirt reading either "The Ultimate" or "Wild West Clothing Company" for this fabulous 2-CD set recorded early in 1976 on Deep Purple Mark IV's tour of America! It just rips Last Concert In Japan to shreds. After a rough start in the East, the Bolin/Coverdale/Hughes/Lord/Paice lineup hit the States in early 1976 and played some decent shows; the Purple magic was back even if Blackmore was gone. Sadly, when the hit the UK in March, the problems began again and then it was all over...but on February 27, 1976 it was time for DP to rock the mutha------' house! CD 1: 1. Burn--everyone in the band is clearly glad to be off the bus tonight. Bolin's rhythm work is turned up in the mix, far different from the Japan album. His solo exhibits his fusion-y side. Coverdale and Hughes sound just okay here. 2. Lady Luck--a song about a lady who sells herself for money (own up, gentlemen, we love 'em, intones Coverdale). Very tight and punchy, great slide guitar solo. Oww! 3. Gettin' Tighter--here Glenn Hughes comes to fore in a version much longer than the album. Hughes and Bolin do some great guitar-and-bass duelling which gets funky at times, before they launch into that "You got to dance, to the rock-n-roll" riff/jam which we'll soon get to here in abundance on the June 1975 California rehearsals CDs. Perhaps funk was not what DP was about, but here it's just too fun to criticize. 4. Love Child-here Bolin gets to interact with Lord in a slower funk groove. Much better than the LCIJ version. 5. Smoke on the Water--not the highlight of the album, but a decent rocker nonetheless. Towards the end Coverdale improvises on Bad Company's Wild Fire Woman (I start to shiver an' shake, I just can't wait), and then everything quiets down so Glenn can sing an ear-piercing version of Georgia On My Mind (take that, Michael Bolton!) Again, not very Purple-like, this gospel ballad, but oh well... 6. Lazy/The Grind--perhaps Lord's solo which begins it is overly long, but he gets to do some neat sci-fi effects I've never really heard on any other '70s Purple live set. Then the rest of the band comes in, and Coverdale and Hughes trade the vocals off quickly, leading up to one of Paice's best drum solos (although I haven't mentioned little Ian til now, rest assured he plays as good if not better on this whole album than anywhere else). When the band comes in, they do some of Tommy's solo tune Homeward Strut (NOT The Grind, as the notes claim). It sounds pretty cool, especially since Lord gets to jam on it. CD 2: 1. This Time Around--I don't like it as much as the album version, but the soloing at the end is pretty intense. 2. Tommy Bolin guitar solo--Here Tommy gets to stomp on his echoplex and do a little delay/overdub work to the delight (or is it chagrin?) of the audience. The audience seems to be heckling him a bit. By the way, does anyone else here think some of his licks here sound kind of like Ace Frehley's? 3. Stormbringer--the most powerful version ever. YES, even better than live versions with Blackmore. Everyone is just slamming into this one. Then comes a breakdown where Coverdale starts improvising to the tune of Sly's "Thank You For Lettin' Me Be Mice Elf Agin." When the power chords come back in, it's as doomy as anything by Sabbath or Pantera, and Coverdale's final scream towards the end rivals the one he does in Whitesnake's "Still of the Night." 4. Highway Star/Not Fade Away--decent version, similar to the one on LCIJ. Bonus Tracks (recorded at a different show on the same tour): 1. I'm Going Down--Coverdale and Hughes display some rather racy language from here on out, so send the kids to bed. This version is just okay, not quite as good as the one on the Final Mk. III Concerts. 2. Highway Star--see above. 3. Smoke On The Water--not as good as the version on disc one, but still better than LCIJ. 4. Georgia On My Mind--Glenn once again tries to shatter glass with his Stevie Wonder meets Rob Halford vocal tones. Whew...what a live disc. Yes, Mk. IV could play some great shows when they laid off the sex and drugs and concentrated on rock and roll! 

For fans of Tommy Bolin in Deep Purple this release comes as a godsend. For fans of the the Blackmore Deep Purple this release comes as a chance to hear the man fill in what was claimed to be unfillable shoes. This concert isn't the band at it's finest nor was it going to win over hard-core Blackmore fans who saw the show. This concert is however showing Tommy Bolin in top-notch form and his playing is steller throughout the entire show. He plays the older Purple songs with the same charisma as the newer material off "Come Taste the Band",the album the band was touring behind. For the rest of the band Jon Lord and Ian Paice never let you down as they are the two mainstays in this rock n' roll machine. Glenn Hughes voice hits notes into the atmoshere and at sometimes it's almost annoying. Finally, frontman David Coverdale sounds tired and going up agains't Hughes doesn't make him sound like he's the lead vocalist anyway. But don't be discouraged by this, the band present themselves in rare jazz-funk-fusion form due in large part with the addition of Tommy Bolin. A rare opportunity to hear since no other incarnations of this band ever pulled this off. Highlights include Gettin' Tighter in all of it's jam packed funk glory. Tommy and Glenn are inseperable throughout this track, Glenn singing his heart out and Tommy playing his heart out. Smoke on the Water, just hearing someone other than Blackmore will give you shivers. Other highlights include the opener Burn, Lady Luck, Strombringer, and Highway Star. All-in-all a terrific show. The band is laid back and Tommy Bolin shines all over. A must own for Tommy Bolin fans, and other Purple finds will find out that Tommy was the man who could do the impossible...replace Mr. Blackmore.

Tracks Listing

Disc One: (62:28)
1. Burn (8:15)
2. Lady Luck (3:12)
3. Gettin' Tighter (13:41)
4. Love Child (5:49)
5. Smoke On The Water / Georgia On My Mind (8:58)
6. Lazy / The Grind (featuring Organ & Drum Solos) (22:31)

Disc Two: (58:03)
1. This Time Around (7:05)
2. Tommy Bolin (Guitar Solo) (10:31)
3. Stormbringer (10.27)
4. Highway Star / Not Fade Away (7:17)
Bonus tracks:
5. I'm Going Down (7:29)
6. Highway Star (5:35)
7. Smoke On The Water (6:44)
8. Georgia On My Mind (2:52)

Total Time: 120:31

Line-up / Musicians

- David Coverdale / vocals
- Tommy Bolin / guitars
- Glenn Hughes / bass & vocals
- Jon Lord / keyboards
- Ian Paice / drums 

Tommy Bolin - 1989 "The Ultimate"

Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin (August 1, 1951 – December 4, 1976) was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), The James Gang (from 1973 through 1974), and Deep Purple (from 1975 to 1976); in addition to maintaining a notable solo career.

Although guitarist Tommy Bolin died well before his time, he left a wide variety of scattered recordings behind (as both a session musician and permanent member of several rock bands). One of the more versatile guitarists of all-time, Bolin touched upon many different styles - blues rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion, and serene ballads, which are all on display on 1989's 2-CD boxset, The Ultimate. In addition to the music, the set comes with a large, gorgeous booklet chock full of pictures, plus a very detailed and informative biography. Disc 1 chronicles Bolin's early years, and while it contains several standouts (the amazing instrumental "Quadrant 4" with Billy Cobham, The James Gang's "Alexis" and "Standing In the Rain," etc.), the selections by his first band, Zephyr, and as a hired hand with a Zep-clone band called Moxy, have not aged well. Disc 2 proves to be more consistent, including tracks with jazz drummer Alphonse Mouzon ("Golden Rainbows," "Nitrogyclerin"), as part of Deep Purple's final '70s line-up ("Gettin' Tighter," "Owed to G"), and as a solo artist ("Dreamer," "Teaser," "Sweet Burgundy," "Shake the Devil," etc.). Although the set was out-of-print by the late-90's, 'The Ultimate' serves as a solid introduction to the talents of the great Tommy Bolin.

This is a grandly packaged retrospective of Tommy Bolin's work, and a must for collectors. It includes songs from Zephyr, The James Gang, Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, Moxy, Deep Purple, and Tommy's two Solo Ablums (Teaser and Private Eyes). There is also a previously unreleased accoustic version of "People, People" (called "Brother, Brother") that sets the stage for later releases of archived tapes. A wonderful biographical picture booklet accompanies this 2CD box set, which is heavily laden with trivia to bring back even the most ardent fan again and again to check over the facts and timelines.

1989 2-disc 12" x 12" Geffen Records CD box set with 24-page oversized booklet complete with photographs and history of Tommy Bolin's too-short music career, from Zephyr through jazz fusion and Deep Purple to two critically-acclaimed solo albums.

The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin (Geffen Records/1989) is a spectacular two-CD box set that highlights the recording career of the late Tommy Bolin. Unfortunately, substance abuse resulted in the tragic death of Bolin at a very young age. Tommy left the world prematurely, but before he passed-on, he left a his mark with inspired music that will live on forever. With a cosmic aura, and incredible fretboard prowess, many considered Bolin the successor to the legendary Jimi Hendrix.

Tommy's gifted work is well documented throughout this exceptional collection of diverse tracks that spans his short, but illustrious career. From his early efforts, to the very end, The Ultimate tells the story of Tommy Bolin's expressive song writing, and incredible guitar playing ability. Bolin's recordings with Zephyr, The James Gang, Deep Purple, plus sessions work and solo material, are included on the pair of discs from the Ultimate retrospective.  

The box set also includes a beautiful and detailed booklet, featuring Simon Robinson's liner notes, as well as numerous photographs that span Tommy Bolin's shortm but dynamic life. The cover shot of Tommy, performing in a haze of purple, while working the fretboard of his Fender Stratocaster is an incredible photograph that captures the Sioux City, Iowa native in full six-string-sting.

Tommy was comfortable playing hard rock, ballads, jazz, and funk. That fact is clearly evident throughout The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin. The legendary Tommy Bolin is missed in a major way, but one and all that heard his music were touched by magic.  

Tommy Bolin R.I.P.

TRACK LISTING:

Disc One:
1. ZEPHYR: Sail On
2. ZEPHYR: Cross the River
3. ZEPHYR: See My People Come Together
4. ZEPHYR: Showbizzy
5. JAMES GANG: Alexis
6. JAMES GANG: Standing in the Rain
7. JAMES GANG: Spanish Lover
8. JAMES GANG: Do It
9. BILLY COBHAM: Quadrant 4
10. MOXY: Train
11. MOXY: Time to Move On

Disc Two:
1. ALPHONSE MOUZON: Golden Rainbows
2. ALPHONSE MOUZON: Nitroglycerin
3. DEEP PURPLE: Gettin' Tighter
4. DEEP PURPLE: Owed to 'G'
5. DEEP PURPLE: You Keep On Moving
6. DEEP PURPLE: Wild Dogs
7. TOMMY BOLIN: Dreamer
8. TOMMY BOLIN: People, People
9. TOMMY BOLIN: Teaser
10. TOMMY BOLIN: Sweet Burgundy
11. TOMMY BOLIN: Shake the Devil
12. TOMMY BOLIN: Brother, Brother.

Personnel:

Glenn Hughes Bass Lee Sklar Bass Dale Peters Bass Reggie McBride Bass Terry Juric Bass WALLEZ Bass Henry E. Davis Bass VIOLONS DU ROY-QUEBEC Bass David Givens Bass Bill Wade Drums Jeff Pocaro Drums Ian Paice Drums Billy Cobham Drums Robbie Chamberlain Drums Bobby Berge Drums Alphonse Mouzon Drums Jim Fox Drums John Faris Flute Tommy Bolin Guitar Earl Johnson Guitar Buddy Caine Guitar Candy Givens Harmonica Mark Stein Keyboards Stanley Sheldon Keyboards Jan Hammer Keyboards John Faris Keyboards Tommy Bolin Keyboards David Foster Keyboards Jerry Peters Keyboards Jon Lord Keyboards Tommy Bolin Main Performer Bob Hall Percussion Rafael Cruz Percussion Norma Jean Bell Percussion Sammy Figueroa Percussion Norma Jean Bell Saxophone David Sanborn Saxophone Glenn Hughes Vocals Buzz Shearman Vocals Roy Kenner Vocals Candy Givens Vocals Tommy Bolin Vocals Dale Peters Vocals Reggie McBride Vocals David Givens Vocals David Coverdale Vocals Mark Stein Vocals WALLEZ Vocals Robbie Chamberlain Vocals

Deep Purple - 1970 "In Rock" [EMI]

Deep Purple in Rock, also known as In Rock, is the fourth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released on 3 June 1970. It was the first studio album recorded by the classic Mark II line-up. Rod Evans (vocals) and Nick Simper (bass) had been fired in June 1969 and were replaced by Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, respectively.
Deep Purple in Rock was their breakthrough album in Europe and would peak at No. 4 in the UK, remaining in the charts for months (the band's prior MK I albums had been much better received in North America than in their homeland). The album was supported by the hugely successful In Rock World Tour which lasted 15 months.
Although this was the first studio album to feature the MK II line-up of the band, it was this line-up that had earlier recorded the live Concerto for Group and Orchestra. The album was also preceded by the single "Hallelujah", the first studio recording that Gillan made with Deep Purple. "Hallelujah" was a Greenaway-Cook composition released in late 1969, but the song flopped. A second single, "Black Night", was developed around the same time as the In Rock album, but not included on the album. "Black Night" fared much better, as it rose all the way to No. 2 on the UK charts.
In 2005 the album won the Classic Rock and Roll of Honour Award (given by the British monthly magazine Classic Rock) in the category Classic Album. The award was presented to Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore.

While the original lineup of Deep Purple included experienced musicians, none of the five were accomplished songwriters. Thus, Deep Purple's earlier work ranged from psychedelic hard rock built around Blackmore riffs, to classical-influenced tracks developed and arranged by Lord, to cover songs that ranged from The Beatles to Neil Diamond, among others. Conversely, Gillan and Glover had a good amount of experience writing songs for Episode Six, their previous band, and all tracks on In Rock are credited to the five members of the group.
Jon Lord used both the Leslie speaker and a Marshall amplifier with his Hammond organ, therefore the organ sound varies a lot throughout the songs. (Example: "Living Wreck" – Leslie speaker, "Hard Lovin' Man" – Marshall amplifier).
The cover depicts the band in a rock sculpture inspired by Mount Rushmore.

Song information:

"Speed King"

Main article: Speed King

As the liner notes for the LP allude ("A few roots…replanted"), "Speed King" is an ode to early rock-and-roll, with frequent references to songs performed by Little Richard ("Good Golly Miss Molly", "Tutti-Frutti" and "Lucille"), as well as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. The original UK version of the album includes the full introductory instrumental, featuring a loud free-form Blackmore guitar passage blending into a quieter Lord organ piece; the US version did not include the intro. The hard-rocking song features a midsection "call-and-answer" solo exchange between Blackmore and Lord, which presaged their live performances for years to come; it was regularly played at concerts during the Mark II era, starting as an opener, but more frequently performed as an encore. It was also the b-side of the non-album single "Black Night".

"Bloodsucker"

Another hard rocker featuring a midsection exchange between Blackmore and Lord, with Gillan literally screaming out the final verse. The Mark VII version of Deep Purple (featuring Steve Morse on guitar) re-recorded this song for their 1998 release Abandon, with the revised title of "Bludsucker".

"Child in Time"

Main article: Child in Time

Considered one of the epic songs of the Mark II era, especially prior to the release of the iconic "Smoke on the Water" in 1972, "Child in Time" goes from quiet sadness to bombastic rocker and back again in a track running over 10 minutes. Lord's organ is most prominent in the quieter parts, as he plays a chord structure inspired by a song by It's a Beautiful Day titled "Bombay Calling." In return It's a Beautiful Day recorded "Wring that Neck" from Deep Purple and called it "Don and Dewey". Gillan's vocals start out softly, evolve into howling and lastly demonstrate his ability to "scream in tune". Blackmore then launches into a guitar solo running over two minutes, before the first verse repeats and the song comes to a crashing end. It would be a concert staple for every version of Deep Purple that included Gillan, up until the singer's voice could no longer support it.
Ian Gillan tells on his homepage: "It was 1969 and the band was rehearsing at a Community Centre in West London; it was either Southall or Hanwell. Jon Lord was dicking around (or 'extemporising on a theme' as it's known in the trade) with a tune from the new album by 'It's a Beautiful Day', it was 'Bombay Calling'. I started singing and the words came easily because we were all aware of the nuclear threat which hovered over us at this time which was probably when the 'cold war' was at its hottest."

"Flight of the Rat"

A hard rock song featuring a straight-ahead structure of three main power chords. Unlike the call-and-answer solo structure of "Speed King" and "Bloodsucker", Blackmore, Paice and Lord are each accorded their own extended solos on this song. This song was never performed live.
This song was used in the movie The Damned United.

"Into the Fire"

A staple of early Mark II concerts, the song starts with a hooky introductory riff (slightly similar to that in King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man"), and two main chords which are octaves of each other. Features a phased and unusually slow guitar solo by Ritchie Blackmore.

"Living Wreck"

A straight-ahead rocker that tells the story of a love affair that fails miserably to live up to expectations.

"Hard Lovin' Man"

Two power chords kick off the album's closer, before Glover's bass provides the rhythmic intro. Blackmore's guitar is folded in, then Paice and Lord join in before the vocals start. Gillan lets loose on this track and Blackmore performs a few "pre-Eddie Van Halen" guitar histrionics during the final minute-and-a-half.

In the long history of rock music, there were many pinnacle moments when everyone knew something was going on and a shift was unavoidable. It happened with Little Richard and Chuck Berry, Dylan and Presley, the Beatles and the Stones and moreover around.

The same thing was happening in the beginning of the seventies. Two bands (followed by some other ones) were starting something they've never thought it would became massive. Black Sabbath, with two brilliant LP's and Deep Purple, with this milestone album, which sets the foundation of what would later reached the world with the name "metal".

Though, there are some radical differences between doomy heavy Sabbath and speedy power Purple. Iommi's band was yet flirting with bluesy tunes, while Blackmore's (including new singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover) gave a different approach to the genre. It was the playing style as a whole, dynamic, full of virtuosity, shocking and powerful where blasting beats by Ian Paice and Glover danced alongside the filling atmosphere provided by Maestro Jon Lord with his Hammond and Ritchie's magnanimous lines, drawn in the middle of Gillan's metal-creator singing. Sabbath sounded heavy, but Purple was heavy, totally.

Won't enter in a long-song-per-song critique here. I'll go straight to the point, starting with the four fillers that can be found in this record: "Flight of the Rat", "Into the Fire", "Living Wreck" and "Hard Lovin Man". These pieces are totally enjoyable, niceties that makes an album a little bit lighter, but they are good enough to keep you in touch and with total atention. A great album needs great fillers, and these four songs are into that category. Hard rocking pieces to the core, classic metal songs. Period.

What makes this record a masterpiece are the following tracks, starting with the powerful opener "Speed King". Tremendous and breathtaking, is the finest example of rock evolution to metal. Speed and Power are recieving first lights with this song. Gillan singing slashes you to the bone, Glover and Paice beating keeps the frenzy up to the line while Lord and Blackmore soloing brings you a parallel virtuoso universe.

Tracks Listing:

 
1. Speed King (4:18)
2. Bloodsucker (4:12)
3. Child in Time (10:15)
4. Flight of the Rat (7:52)
5. Into the Fire (3:29)
6. Living Wreck (4:30)
7. Hard Lovin' Man (7:10)

Total time: 41:46

Personnel:

• Ritchie Blackmore – guitar
• Jon Lord – keyboards, organ
• Ian Paice – drums, percussion
• Ian Gillan – lead vocals
• Roger Glover – bass

Deep Purple - 1972 [1990] "Machine Head"

Machine Head is the sixth studio album released by the English rock band Deep Purple. It was recorded through December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland, and released in March 1972.

Machine Head is often cited as a major influence in the early development of the heavy metal music genre. Commercially, it is Deep Purple's most successful album, topping the charts in several countries following its release. The album reached number 1 in the United Kingdom and stayed in the top 40 for 20 weeks. It reached number 7 in the United States, remaining on the Billboard 200 for 118 weeks.

Deep Purple initially planned to record Machine Head in December 1971, at Montreux Casino in Switzerland. A mobile recording studio owned by the Rolling Stones had been booked and hotel reservations made, but lead singer Ian Gillan contracted hepatitis. Cancelling a forthcoming tour of America, the band placed all their plans on hold, and Gillan was advised by his doctor to spend the next few months recuperating. Nevertheless, enthused by the new project, the band travelled to Switzerland to begin recording. The Casino was a large arena built in a complex of casinos, restaurants and other entertainment facilities. The band had performed there in May 1971 and enjoyed both the location and Claude Nobs, founder and general manager of the famous Montreux Jazz Festival. Amongst others, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath had all performed there. The Casino closed for refurbishments each winter, and so the band arrived there on 3 December. One last concert date remained, following which they were to have the location to themselves.

Frank Zappa's concert of 4 December at the Casino was made infamous when a member of the audience fired a flare into the building's roof. Although there were no fatalities, the resultant fire ruined Deep Purple's plans. Nobs relocated the band to a nearby theatre called the Pavilion, where they recorded the basic tracks for a song provisionally named "Title No. 1". Bass player Roger Glover said he woke up one morning saying the title "Smoke on the Water" out loud. Later Gillan, based on the title, wrote the lyrics describing the band's experience in Montreux, recording the Machine Head album. A photograph of the burning Montreux Casino would ultimately be included in the gatefold of Machine Head's album cover.

Led Zeppelin's fourth album, Black Sabbath's Paranoid, and Deep Purple's Machine Head have stood the test of time as the Holy Trinity of English hard rock and heavy metal, serving as the fundamental blueprints followed by virtually every heavy rock & roll band since the early '70s. And, though it is probably the least celebrated of the three, Machine Head contains the "mother of all guitar riffs" -- and one of the first learned by every beginning guitarist -- in "Smoke on the Water." Inspired by real-life events in Montreux, Switzerland, where Deep Purple were recording the album when the Montreux Casino was burned to the ground during a Frank Zappa concert, neither the song, nor its timeless riff, should need any further description. However, Machine Head was anything but a one-trick pony, introducing the bona fide classic opener "Highway Star," which epitomized all of Deep Purple's intensity and versatility while featuring perhaps the greatest soloing duel ever between guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord. Also in top form was singer Ian Gillan, who crooned and exploded with amazing power and range throughout to establish himself once and for all as one of the finest voices of his generation, bar none. Yes, the plodding shuffle of "Maybe I'm a Leo" shows some signs of age, but punchy singles "Pictures of Home" and "Never Before" remain as vital as ever, displaying Purple at their melodic best. And finally, the spectacular "Space Truckin'" drove Machine Head home with yet another tremendous Blackmore riff, providing a fitting conclusion to one of the essential hard rock albums of all time.

Released in 1972, Machine Head become the benchmark against which everything that followed would be judged against. In the canon of heavy rock this is an album replete with classic tracks. Concise in nature, killer punches are only ever a minute away no matter which song you play. Vocalist Ian Gillan excels himself on “Highway Star,” and “Never Before”, the latter an excellent single, released ahead of the album covering both pop, rock and some righteously funky turn-arounds. Blackmore dominates the album turning in some of his most understated and reflective playing on “When A Blind Man Cries” (the b-side to the single and not included on the original album) and of course, “Smoke On The Water.”

Its devastating simplicity is the foundation stone of the whole record and one of rock’s most archetypal riffs. Not only heavy as hell, it was insanely catchy and the long-haired denim-wearing world grasped it to their bosom without a moment’s hesitation. Detailing the burning of the casino near Lake Geneva (which caused yer actual smoke on the water), the lyrical content perhaps presaged the internal fires that would consume the group.

Released in May it went straight to number one but by August Gillan had resigned. Though he would stay on to record the live Made In Japan and the lack-lustre, Who Do We Think We Are, the mark II line-up was all over bar the shouting – and there was going to be plenty of that. Machine Head however remains their finest hour.

Tracks Listing:

1. Highway Star (6:05)
2. Maybe I'm A Leo (4:51)
3. Pictures Of Home (5:03)
4. Never Before (3:56)
5. Smoke On The Water (5:40)
6. Lazy (7:19)
7. Space Truckin' (4:31)

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ian Gillan / lead vocals, harmonica
- Ritchie Blackmore / guitars
- Jon Lord / keyboards
- Roger Glover / bass
- Ian Paice / drums, percussion

Deep Purple - 1973 [1988] "Made In Japan"

Made in Japan is a double live album by English rock band Deep Purple, recorded during their first tour of Japan in August 1972. It was originally released in December 1972, with a US release in April 1973, and became a commercial and critical success.

The band were well known for their strong stage act, and had privately recorded several shows, or broadcast them on radio, but were unenthusiastic about recording a live album until their Japanese record company decided it would be good for publicity. They insisted on supervising the live production, including using Martin Birch, who had previously collaborated with the band, as engineer, and were not particularly interested in the album's release, even after recording. The tour was successful, with strong media interest and a positive response from fans.

The album was an immediate commercial success, particularly in the US, where it was accompanied by the top five hit "Smoke on the Water", and became a steady seller throughout the 1970s. A three-CD set of most of the tour's performances was released in 1993, while a remastered edition of the album with a CD of extra tracks was released in 1998. In 2014, a deluxe edition was announced with further bonus material. The album had a strong critical reception and continues to attract praise. A Rolling Stone readers' poll in 2012 ranked Made in Japan the sixth best live album of all time.

One of the most celebrated live rock albums in history was making its big entrance on 6 January 1973. Made In Japan, the double live album recorded in the summer of 1972 during the first tour of Japan by Deep Purple, debuted on the UK chart.

The album featured only seven tracks across the four sides of the original vinyl release, four of them taped at their show at the Festival Hall in Osaka on 16 August; one at the same venue the night before; and the other two at probably the best-known venue in those early days of Western bands exploring that market, the Budokan.

This was already Purple’s second live album, but a very different animal to their first, the 1969 recording of Jon Lord’s Concerto For Group and Orchestra. This time, chiefly at the request of their Japanese label, the idea was to create a record of the band’s powerful live show. It was also a chance to present an in concert version of the band’s anthem-in-the-making from the Machine Head album of only a few months earlier, ‘Smoke On The Water.’

Included on Made in Japan in live form are three more songs from Machine Head, which had been on the UK charts for 24 weeks after its April 1972 debut. The live set’s opening ‘Highway Star’ was another new Purple favourite, while ‘Lazy,’ a seven-minute track on Machine Head, extended to nearly 11 on the live record. The closer, taking up the whole of side four of the vinyl release, was ‘Space Truckin,’’ which expanded from a four-minute original to an epic of nearly 20 minutes on Made In Japan.

Purple were on a hot streak in which both Machine Head and its predecessor Fireball had topped the British chart, but as often with live albums, there was less chart glory to be had this time. The album debuted in the UK that first week of 1973 at No. 16, as a various artists compilation called Twenty All Time Hits of the ‘50s continued at No. 1. In fact, the top four on that chart were all compilations, with only Slade giving the top ten a rock flavour with Slayed?

“Made in Japan is Purple’s definitive metal monster, a spark-filled execution…Deep Purple can still cut the mustard in concert” – Rolling Stone magazine

No. 16 proved to be the peak position for the Purple album, which nevertheless topped the charts in Germany, Austria and Canada. Its more modest UK performance was also in great contrast to its American fortunes, where it entered the album survey in April and climbed to No. 6, going gold within two months and platinum in 1986. Purple had never been that high on the US album chart, and never have again.

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

Track listing:

1 Highway Star (Osaka - 16th August 1972)
2 Child In Time (Osaka - 16th August 1972)
3 Smoke On The Water (Osaka - 15th August 1972)
4 The Mule (Tokyo - 17th August 1972)
5 Strange Kind Of Woman (Osaka - 16th August 1972)
6 Lazy (Tokyo - 17th August 1972)
7 Space Truckin' (Osaka - 16th August 1972)

Personnel:

- Ritchie Blackmore / guitars
- Ian Paice / drums
- Ian Gillan / vocals
- Roger Glover / bass
- Jon Lord / organ, piano

Rory Gallagher - 1976 [1991] "Calling Card"

Calling Card is the sixth studio release by Irish singer/guitarist Rory Gallagher. A 1976 release, it was his second of four albums released on Chrysalis Records in the 1970s. Deep Purple/Rainbow bass guitarist Roger Glover co-produced with Gallagher: it was the first time that Gallagher worked with a "name" producer and the only successful such collaboration. It was also the last album Gallagher would do with Rod de'Ath (drums) and Lou Martin (keyboards). After Calling Card Gallagher retained only his long-time bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy and hired Ted McKenna on drums. This revised power trio was Gallagher's line up for the next five years, when Brendan O'Neil took the sticks.
The sessions for the album began at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, in the summer of 1976. Glover came on board as co-producer after having met Gallagher when the latter opened for Deep Purple on an American tour. The choice of Glover signified a conscious attempt by Gallagher to try new directions from the hard rock he was best known for. Calling Card is one of his most diverse albums. It also reflects the synergy that the band had developed after years of playing together. As producer Roger Glover commented “they all seemed very dedicated to Rory, there was an allegiance, born of years of smoky clubs and endless journeys”. This was the fifth and last release featuring this line-up.

Gallagher's second album for Chrysalis -- and last with his longstanding trio of Lou Martin (keyboards), Rod De'Ath (drums) and Gerry McAvoy (bass) -- was a milestone in his career. Although Calling Card was produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover and not surprisingly contained some of his most powerfully driving rockers, tracks like the acoustic "Barley & Grape Rag" and the jazzy, soulful, finger snapping title cut -- a perennial concert favorite -- found the Irish rocker not only exploring other musical paths, but also caught him on one of his most consistent songwriting streaks ever. Even "Do You Read Me," the muscular opening track, is a remarkably stripped-down affair that adds subtle synths to the rugged blues rock that was Gallagher's claim to fame. While "Moonchild," "Country Mile," and "Secret Agent" displayed catchy hooks, engaging riffs, and raging guitar work (the latter adds a touch of Deep Purple's Jon Lord-styled organ to the proceedings), it's the elegant ballad "I'll Admit You're Gone" that shifts the guitarist into calmer waters and proves his melodic talent was just as cutting on quieter tunes. And it's a crime that the gorgeous "Edged in Blue," certainly one of the artist's saddest and most beautiful pop melodies, was overlooked in his catalog. The 1999 reissue sports track-by-track and first person liner notes from Gallagher's brother Donal, crisp remastered sound, and two additional songs not included on previous versions, one of which, "Public Enemy (B-Girl Version)," later appeared on the Photo-Finish album in an inferior performance to this. Arguably Rory Gallagher's finest studio effort, it was among his best and most varied batch of songs, and it is a perfect place for the curious to start their collection as well as an essential disc showing Gallagher at the peak of his powers.

Rory Gallagher's "Calling Card" was never a huge commercial success and it will probably never make a top 100 albums list, but those who are lucky enough to know Rory's work are aware that this is perhaps the greatest album ever recorded.
First off, I can't overemphasize the incredible musicianship this album offers. Rory Gallagher was one of the most amazing guitar players who ever lived. Give him shred, blues, jazz, folk, rockabilly, he could play it and any given subgenre flawlessly. Also, he was a tasteful player. No "excess" noodling and repetitive A minor runs here. "Calling Card" also features the stunning Lou Martin on piano, Gerry McAvory on bass (great chemistry between he and Rory) and the enormously talented Rod de'Arth on drums.
There's no shortage of good rockin' tunes on "Calling Card". Most notably, "Country Mile", "Jackknife Beat", and the almost Deep Purple-esque "Moonchild".
But there's something for everybody, including the jazz/blues fusion title track, the melancholy acoustic number "I'll Admit You're Gone", the folk jam "Barley and Grape Rag", and arguably the best track, "Edged In Blue" (which might have been a hit for Rory had he decided to release singles).
I urge anybody to give "Calling Card" a listen. Without a doubt, you'll be hooked.

Track Listings

1. Do You Read Me
2. Country Mile
3. Moonchild
4. Calling Card
5. I'll Admit You're Gone
6. Secret Agent
7. Jack Knife Beat
8. Edged In Blue
9. Barley & Grape Rag

Personnel:

Rory Gallagher
    Guitar, Vocals, & Harmonica
Gerry McAvoy
    Bass
Lou Martin
    Keyboards
Rod De’Ath
    Drums & Percussion

Deep Purple - 1970 [1992] "Live and Rare" - Live In Stockolm

Scandinavian Nights is a double live album by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It was originally recorded by Swedish National Radio for a radio show called Tonkraft at the Stockholm Konserthuset on 12 November 1970, but not released until 1988. The tapes were re-mixed by Tom Leader at Angel Studios in London. It remains the prime example of the early Mk II set list and ferocious concert dynamics. The set list comprises songs from the album Deep Purple in Rock and long instrumentals from earlier albums. The two songs "Mandrake Root" and "Wring that Neck" took up half the concert in the early days, until the Fireball tour.
The US double CD, released in 1992, was titled Live and Rare, while the European double vinyl and double CD, released in 1988, were both titled Scandinavian Nights. The European vinyl release contained a limited edition picture booklet. The track timings printed (on both European vinyl and CD) refer to the length of the actual songs, in-between pauses are not included, but the timings on the US CDs do include the pauses.

 This early live set by Purple Mark II, complete on two discs, was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1970, and it showcases the band at its most extended. The jams on "Wring That Neck" and "Mandrake Root" clock in at around half an hour apiece. An instrumental version of the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" leads into the requisite drum solo, and also included is the longest-ever recording of "Child in Time." Some of this (especially "Mandrake Root") can be trying to the patience of someone who wasn't there. But this was the era when hundreds of bands were stretching out every night, and Purple, with the skills and imaginations of Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore to call on, did it better than many, at its climaxes reaching a fiery intensity matched by few others.

Track Listings
CD 1
1. Wring That Neck
2. Speed King
3. Into The Fire
3. Paint It Black

CD 2
1. Mandrake Root
2. Child In Time
3. Black Night

Personnel:
Ian Gillan (v, p)
Ritchie Blackmore (g)
Roger Glover (b)
Jon Lord (or, k)
Ian Paice (d, p)

Alex Skolnick - 2004 "Transformation"

Alex Skolnick made his name as a six-string guitar slinger in the Bay Area thrash legends Testament. Apparently fed up with metal, he quit the band, went to music school, and hooked up with a couple of jazzers (Nathan Peck on double bass and Matt Zebroski on drums), with the idea of doing exploratory fusion-jazz, using the heavy metal songbook for standards (and inspiration) and not the "regular" (or, it could be argued, "over-covered") classic jazz songbook. This, their second album, features radically reworked versions of Judas Priest, Pink Floyd, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, and Ronnie James Dio, evenly balanced with some original compositions. And while this album is very well played, with excellent performances from all involved (especially Zebroski's work on "IMV/The Trooper" and Skolnick's guitar on "Money"), the album as a whole comes off much like works by the Bad Plus, that is, a well-executed gimmick. That may turn some listeners off, but how many dyed-in-the-wool metal fans are going to tolerate even one minute of what Spinal Tap termed a "jazz odyssey"? And how many dyed-in-the-wool jazz fans are going to seek out the original version of Priest's "Electric Eye" to do a comparison with the version here? Probably not too many. If you're somehow either one of these two extremes, this album will probably work for you, both in the background and on the headphones.

Call me a jazz bigot. When I received Transformation by Alex Skolnick, apparently the ex-guitarist for thrash metal-heads Testament, my first thought was, "Great, another rocker trying to be a jazzer." Things didn't get better when I saw that Skolnick was interpreting material by Judas Priest, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Iron Maiden and—yes—Ronnie James Dio. Sure, plenty of serious jazz artists have approached contemporary singer/songwriters in recent years—Brad Mehldau, Charlie Hunter, even Herbie Hancock. But metal bands? I mean, really.
Well, imagine my surprise to discover Skolnick a fine jazz guitarist, completely capable of getting to the core of songs by a group of artists more associated with classic rock, and transforming them into almost unrecognizable new tunes. Unlike the Bad Plus, who are nothing less than shtick—a group whose supposed reinvention of songs by Nirvana and Black Sabbath do little to honour the originals, and even less to make them interesting and refreshing new mediums for improvisation—Skolnick and his trio of bassist Nathan Peck and drummer Matt Zebroski breathe new life into these tunes, transforming (there goes that word again) them into something fresh, while at the same time being reverential to their sources. Judas Priest could never have conceived "Electric Eye" as a lithe 7/4 romp, nor Scorpions their "Blackout" as a swinging jazz waltz, but there you go.
That Skolnick comes to jazz from rock as opposed to the other way around means that while he has a firm grasp on harmony and is capable of navigating odd meters and shifts in feel, there is a certain energy and, in particular, attitude that is missing from your typical fusion player. That's not to say guitarists like Scott Henderson and Frank Gambale lack attitude; it's just that there's something different about the way that Skolnick digs into a solo, even when it's on an abstract ballad like "Fear of Flying." And Skolnick does this, for the most part, with a clean and warm tone that is only affected with a touch of delay, completely eschewing the typical overdriven fusion tone with the exception of a brief spot on the title track and his surprisingly swinging version of Deep Purple's "Highway Star."
If Skolnick has any precedent in jazz, it would have to be Larry Coryell, who has blended a true rock and roll attitude with a far broader reach over the course of his career, demonstrated to great effect at this summer's Ottawa International Jazz Festival . Like Coryell, Skolnick demonstrates that translating the energy of rock to a jazz context can be a more subtle thing, showing that you can imbue more traditional trappings of swing, modal playing and richer harmony with an edge that doesn't spoil their essential purity. Transformation is a surprising record that succeeds on many levels and proves that it is indeed possible to shift gears mid-career and sound like you've been doing it all your life.

 Track listing:

1. "Transformation" – 5:53
2. "Electric Eye" – 5:20 (Judas Priest cover)
   • Originally released on the Screaming for Vengeance album.
3. "Fear Of Flying" – 5:10
4. "Money" – 5:13 (Pink Floyd cover)
   • Originally released on the The Dark Side of the Moon album.
5. "Both Feet In" – 5:28
6. "Scorch" (Featuring Charlie Hunter on 8-string guitar)^[1] – 7:17
7. "Blackout" – 5:03 (Scorpions cover)
   • Originally released on the Blackout album.
8. "IMV/The Trooper" – 5:18 (The Trooper is an Iron Maiden cover)
   • "The Trooper" was originally released on the Piece of Mind album.
9. "No Fly Zone" – 4:27
10. "Don't Talk To Strangers" – 6:00 (Dio cover)
    • Originally released on the Holy Diver album.
11. "Highway Star" – 6:30 (Deep Purple cover)
    • Originally released on the Machine Head album.

Personnel: 

Alex Skolnick (vocals, guitar)
Nathan Peck (vocals, acoustic bass, double bass)
Matt Zebroski (vocals, drums, percussion)
Dave Eggar (cello). 

Tommy Bolin - 1976 [1996] "Live At Northern Lights"

Recorded just two and a half months before Tommy Bolin's untimely drug-related death, the Tommy Bolin Band are heard playing in an intimate setting for an FM broadcast (after spending the summer of 1976 playing huge stadiums with the likes of Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, ZZ Top, and Rush). Surprisingly, the production is a lot more raw than the other live CDs issued through the Tommy Bolin Archives label, which is strange, since it was taped in a recording studio.

The playing is quite ragged, and although it does at times catch fire, the performance is not as inspired as past Tommy Bolin concert releases. Tommy's younger brother Johnny joined the band on drums a few months prior to the Live at Northern Lights taping, and he proves to be quite a solid drummer, especially during the improvisation of the sadly prophetic "Post Toastee," which warns about the dangers of drug burnout. Also of note are the sullen ballad "Wild Dogs," and the saxophone workout "You Told Me That You Loved Me" (which was rarely played live by the band). But like the version found on the From the Archives, Vol. 1 release, "Shake the Devil" is again off-key, which takes away from the powerful Zeppelin stomp of the studio take. Although it has its moments, Live at Northern Lights is not the best Tommy Bolin in-concert release of the bunch.

Tommy Bolin was truly a worldwide gift to rock music and guitar enthusiasts everywhere. There will never be another Tommy Bolin, a guitar genius who continues to enthrall generations of aspiring musicians and music lovers with the many fine recordings and concert performances he had made during his short time on Earth.
Tommy developed all types of rock, jazz, blues, folk, and progressive sounds from his guitar and in his writing with his all of his solo works as well as his hard driven artistry with his membership in bands like Deep Purple, James Gang, Zephyr and Energy.

As Tommy Bolin was really building himself and his new band The Tommy Bolin Band into new and exciting territory, Bolin was able to capture a lot of his live and studio workings into the rare collective known as The Tommy Bolin Archives, and this leads us to the long anticipated first time vinyl release of his amazing 1976 Boston concert Northern Lights.

Remastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso (Jeff Beck, Yes, Deep Purple) for the first time on audiophile vinyl, The Tommy Bolin Band s Northern Lights will truly become one of the most important and historical 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl titles in quite some time.

Noted for his stellar guitar work, pretty much introducing new ways of using technique, distortion and effects to a whole new generation of guitar players, Northern Lights is truly a primer for a ton of rock and blues artists.

Check out his dynamic prowess on hits Teaser , Post Toastee and the hard rockin You Told Me That You Loved Me.

Never forgetting progressive roots, Tommy and the band exell on the Bolin classic Wild Dogs. Plus his rock and reggae classic People People show a glimpse of what this superstar was capable of and the promise that he truly had before his untimely loss in 1976.

Friday Music is no stranger to the music of the legendary Tommy Bolin, with his arsenal of fine recordings already on our label. That is why we are so very proud to announce our first installment in The Tommy Bolin/Friday Music 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl Series with his legendary masterwork Northern Lights"

This CD was a pleasant suprize. Tommy is in good form, and I find it to be a great example of Tommy live.(I think it's better than the 2 Deep Purple recordings, and the live recordings on Vol.1 of From the Archives)It is essential for any Tommy Bolin fan. The band is on point too. I enjoyed every minute of this CD.

Tommy’s live concert recorded for WBCN Radio in September of 1976 at The Northern Lights Recording Studio in Maynard, Massachusetts. This performance is famous for it’s over the top, abandon filled rendition of “Post Toastee.” So now, enjoy the archives enhanced fidelity from this performance that is taken from the radio broadcast master that was given to the Archives by Carter Allan, Music Director of WBCN, and a huge Tommy fan.

Track listing:

1     Teaser     5:55
2     People People     7:55
3     You Told Me That You Loved Me     5:12
4     Wild Dogs     10:17
5     Shake The Devil     4:35
6     Post Toastee     13:30
7     Homeward Strut     10:06

    Recorded At – The Northern Lights Recording Studio

Personnel:

    Guitar, Vocals, Producer [Original Live Recording] – Tommy Bolin
    Bass – Jimmy Haslip
    Drums – Johnny Bolin*   
    Keyboards, Vocals – Mark Stein
    Saxophone, Vocals – Norma Jean Bell

Captain Beyond - 1972 [1997] "Captain Beyond" [Remastered]

Captain Beyond is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971.

Captain Beyond is the self-titled debut album by Captain Beyond, released in 1972, featuring former members of Iron Butterfly, Deep Purple, Johnny Winter, and Rick Derringer. The album cover for the U.S. release included 3-D artwork (using lenticular printing). The album was dedicated to the memory of Duane Allman, who Captain Beyond drummer Bobby Caldwell had played with in an informal capacity.

Captain Beyond is unique among guitar-driven hard rock albums in that it contains a wide range of influences, including Latin and jazz, often with various time signatures and a broad range of dynamics within the same song. Most of the album consists of three medleys of tightly arranged interconnected songs. The first starts with "Dancing Madly Backwards (on a Sea of Air)" and ends with "Myopic Void". The second starts with "Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Intro)" and ends with "Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Time Since Come and Gone)". The third starts with "I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part 1)" and finishes the album. Songs flow directly into each other without any lag time between selections, a feature that is shared with other more progressive bands of the era such as Moody Blues and Jethro Tull.

All of the songwriting was credited to lead vocalist Rod Evans and drummer Bobby Caldwell. However, the songs were in fact written by the group as a whole. Due to their still binding contracts with Iron Butterfly, guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt and bassist Lee Dorman could not be listed as songwriters on this record for legal reasons.

What is it about Rod Evans ? He gets slated left, right and centre for the Tom Jones limitations in his voice, yet two of my favourite albums involve him, "Shades of Deep Purple" and this one. Perhaps he was just one of those guys that knew how to start something but couldn't sustain it because he was involved in two of heavy rock's greatest debut albums in my view.
This is a sizzling album, also featuring the mighty Bobby Caldwell {who later went on to do sterling drum work on Armageddon's first and only LP} knocking out some of the funkiest, jerkiest, heaviest most dynamic drumming in heavy rock. The two guys from Iron Butterfly that made up the group on guitar and bass {Rhino Reinhardt and Lee Dorman} are two hugely under rated players in the heavy rock ouvre.
As a unit Captain Beyond were pretty dynamic and wrote a series of superb songs. The songs on this album are packed with melody, loud guitars, wild yet controlled drums and sympathetic booming bass.

Captain Beyond is a one-of-a-kind progressive album with rock, heavy metal, and jazz influences with a "space rock" lyrical bend. Formed by former members of Deep Purple (Rod Evans, vocals), Iron Butterfly (Rhino, lead guitar, and Lee Dorman, bass), and Johnny Winter (Bobby Caldwell, drums) Captain Beyond is an album that flows from riff to riff, drumbeat to drumbeat, often with various time signatures within the same song. Taking a tip from the Moody Blues, songs flow directly into each other without benefit of any lag time between selections. Taken as a whole, the album is kind of a rush, as quick, riff-laden guitar lines predominate for a few songs before slowing down temporarily into a lull until the next takeoff. Lyrically, the album differentiates itself by exploring themes of the outer world and meanings of existence, often with references to the moon, sea, sun, and so on. Listeners may get the feeling of taking a journey to space in a rocket ship headed for destination unknown. Musically, the album is superior in all aspects. Rod Evans has a strong rock voice, Rhino plays an enormous amount of hook-laden guitar lines, and Lee Dorman plays complex basslines (for example, at the end of "As the Moon Speaks-Return") that lead to typically rhythmic, nimble Bobby Caldwell drumming. The tightness between musicians is enormous, never lets up for long, and leaves the listener feeling like the ride should continue for the indefinite future.

Track listing:

01.    "Dancing Madly Backwards (on a Sea of Air)"    4:02
02.    "Armworth"    1:48
03.    "Myopic Void"    3:31
04.    "Mesmerization Eclipse"    3:48
05.    "Raging River of Fear"    3:47
06.    "Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Intro)"    1:16
07.    "Frozen Over"    3:46
08.    "Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Time Since Come and Gone)"    3:57
09.    "I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part 1)"    3:06
10.    "As the Moon Speaks (to the Waves of the Sea)"    1:27
11.    "Astral Lady"    0:58
12.    "As the Moon Speaks (Return)"    1:57
13.    "I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part 2)"    1:46

Personnel:

    Rod Evans – lead vocals
    Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt – guitars
    Lee Dorman – bass guitar, backing vocals, piano
    Bobby Caldwell – drums, all percussion instruments (including bells and vibraphone), backing vocals, piano

James Gang - 1973 [2009] "Bang"

Bang is the sixth studio album by James Gang, released in 1973. This is the first James Gang album featuring lead guitarist Tommy Bolin after Domenic Troiano left the band.

With guitarist Domenic Troiano out of the picture, the post-Joe Walsh James Gang was able to take their career off life support temporarily by adding guitarist Tommy Bolin beginning with this 1973 release. Having just dissolved his short-lived fusion band Energy, Bolin's creative playing injects a little Miles and Mahavishnu into the usually rocking Gang, most noticeably on "From Another Time." Staccato guitar lines and congas begin the song, an old-style James Gang boogie fills the middle, and then a sound effect explosion abruptly brings it all to a jarring, nonsensical close. It's all of the album's problems in a nutshell since the knotty and the normal are at odds throughout, although there are many moments to remember. Even if Bolin's wistful "Alexis" doesn't fit with the other tracks it's a highlight, as is the opening rocker "Standing in the Rain" where conmen ("Your note said you went to Charleston/But I know you went to New Mexico) and cretins ("You left behind a dead father/A sick mother and 4 younger kids") are forced to face up to love. Bang feels less like a band album and more like talented studio musicians on the loose, but die-hard fans of either the Gang or the late Bolin will enjoy it, if only in fits and starts. 

The title of the album gotta qualify as one of the lamest puns ever, what with the album cover and all - ugh, pretty disgusting. Not surprising, then, that it was pretty much ignored by critical attention, and even nowadays this stage in the band's career is casually dismissed as stagnant. Of course, it's not just because of the lame title: since Joe Walsh The Critical Darling left the band, nobody really cared much about it. Too bad. Bang actually shows the band in revitalized form, and the more I listen to it, the more these songs actually grow on me - in fact, on a song by song level, it's hardly any worse than Rides Again, and actually, it's much more consistent, come to think of it.
Of course, nobody can conceal the fact that it's simply a different band. This is where the guitar function passed to newcomer Tommy Bolin, ex-Zephyr and future Deep Purple Mark IV member, and the songwriting is pretty much completely dominated by him, with extra credit sometimes going to vocalist Roy Kenner and sometimes to Jeff Cook and John Tesar, probably some of Tommy's buddies that I don't know anything about. Not a single credit actually goes to Fox or Dale Peters, making the band's rhythm section exactly what it is - a rhythm section, and nothing more. But that's good! Those guys could never really write a good song. And Bolin proves himself a pretty solid master of melody. His lead guitar skills are strangely subdued on this album; he's nowhere near as prominent and flashy as he would be in Deep Purple, and those who love the guy for his impeccable chops can be disappointed, because these chops have to be seriously looked for - most often, they're to be found in subtle subdued licks played underneath the lead vocals, and Tommy really lets rip only in a couple of places. Still, his excellent tasteful style, coupled with melodies that are vaguely interesting and relatively hook-based, makes up for a really refreshing and exciting listen. Strange enough, despite the fact that James Gang came from funk and that Bolin would turn into funk's strongest propagator in his Purple days, there aren't that many pure funky rockers on the record - rootsy countryesque rock, straight-up boogie and moody balladry share an equal function with the funkier stuff, or maybe even more. But they're decent.

Track listing

All songs by Tommy Bolin and John Tesar except where noted.

    "Standing In The Rain" (Tommy Bolin) – 5:05
    "The Devil Is Singing Our Song" – 4:22
    "Must Be Love" (Bolin, Jeff Cook) – 3:48
    "Alexis" (Tommy Bolin, Cook) – 5:07
    "Ride The Wind" (Bolin, Roy Kenner) – 3:45
    "Got No Time For Trouble" – 3:47
    "Rather Be Alone With You (Song For Dale)" (Kenner) – 2:05
    "From Another Time" – 4:00
    "Mystery" – 6:10

Personnel

    Roy Kenner – lead vocals, percussion
    Tommy Bolin – guitars, backing vocals, Lead Vocal on "Alexis", synthesizer
    Dale Peters – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion
    Jim Fox – drums, backing vocals, percussion, keyboards

Billy Cobham - 1973 [2002] "Spectrum" (Atlantic Masters)

Spectrum is the debut album by jazz fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The album contains much influence of the music of Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra, with whom Cobham had previously collaborated extensively.
Ken Scott, producer and engineer of Spectrum, on recording Cobham's drums: "Bill Cobham's drums were treated in exactly the same way as I recorded every other drummer. I just used more mics: Neumann U67s on toms, D20s or RE20s (at Electric Lady) on the bass drums, Neumann KM54 or 56 on snare, and either STC 4038s or Beyer M160 ribbon mics for the overheads. One other thing: in order to dampen the snare, Bill just laid his wallet on the top head."
Leland Sklar, bassist on Spectrum: "Spectrum is such a benchmark for so many people. There was a sort of fire in it. It was new ground and it wasn't very analytical. It was more flying by the seat of your pants. That's where great accidents happen, which seems impossible these days. We never did more than a couple of takes on any of it. It was more or less a two-day record. It went by so fast."
Tommy Bolin, who would go on to join the hard rock band Deep Purple two years later, plays lead guitar.
The song "Stratus" appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV of the radio station "Fusion FM", as well as being the main sample in the Massive Attack hit "Safe from Harm".

When former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham released the extraordinary Spectrum album in 1973 it had the immediate and profound effect of moving the burgeoning jazz-rock fusion movement into the mainstream. Jazz had started to move away from its traditional foundations with recordings such as Miles Davis’ 1969 album Bitches Brew with John McLaughlin on guitar. McLaughlin then started making waves with Cobham on drums and Jan Hammer on keyboards in the Mahavishnu Orchestra. At the same time, rock music was maturing and becoming more sophisticated.

Spectrum was the album that presented jazz and funk in a form that young rock record buyers could immediately relate to. The door was thrown open for other fusion acts such as Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, as well as Alphonse Mouzon and Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House. On the rock side, after hearing Spectrum guitar superstar Jeff Beck almost immediately went into an intense fusion foray that lasted for many years. Today, as then, Spectrum looms over the rest with it’s incredible blend of chops, power and hooks.
A large part of why Spectrum works so well has to do with Cobham’s choice of Tommy Bolin for the guitar spot. John McLaughlin is rightfully considered to be one of the best guitarists in history, but Tommy’s electric tone was consistently superior, dripping with danger, sex and gut-level impact. Although not as much of a technically studied player as McLaughlin, Tommy still had immense and authoritative technical ability and hung tight to and charged ahead of everything that Cobham’s band of seasoned professionals could throw at him.
 Here's an album that I could easily recommend to any fan of jazz-rock and to anyone who doesn't like jazz-rock, actually. Many people bought a set of drums because of this album. Many drummers sold their drums after hearing this album.
This album is technical perfection, with emphasis on drums - but how many drum-oriented albums that deserve a masterpiece status do you know?
This is not only a masterpiece, this is a desert island album. It will continue to grow on you every time you are listening to it- it's one of those damn albums where you can discover something new every time you are listening to it, even if you are familiar with it for ten years or more.
I prefer to call this one rock-jazz rather than jazz-rock; my impression is that this is a full-blooded jazz album and it rocks. It's a perfect balance of freshness & youth and maturity & musicianship.
The drums are incredible, astonishing and that is all I'm going to say about it. I do not like drum solos - but William Cecil Cobham is undoubtedly a genius, capable to balance everything in a song perfectly.
Most of the songs are interplays between keyboards and guitar with incredibly complex drumming and incredibly simple bass in a background. This formula is applied to almost all songs in the album - plus, there's usually a drum solo as an intro to the song (note the (a) and (b) parts in the track listing).
So, if the album is following some rules so strictly, what is so good about it?
Everything else. Controlled monstrosity, rock mannerism on a jazz background, brief and effective solos. Excellent musicianship. This album is pleasant, furious, focused, groundbreaking. Anything you want.
This albums is highly recommended to anyone on this planet who have some credibility as a fan of serious and intelligent music. Especially recommended to people who are not the fans of jazz-rock/fusion.
This is one of the masterpieces for the centuries to come.

A rock album with jazz sensibilities?; Get in and be amazed at the skill of that drummer!!. Billy Cobham has brought some of the Mahavishnu spirit for this album, with some drum interludes. In fact two song are introduced by two drum spots: "Searching for the Right Door" serves as an introduction for the title track and Anxiety opens for "Taurian Matador". The sax and the flute, unfortunately, serve mainly as accompaniment instruments (with only few solo spots), so the instruments that stand out the most are electric piano/guitar and Moog synthetizer.
The album sets sail with an explosive guitar/drum duo (I believe the guitarist is Tommy Bolin, as it fits his approach to guitar technique and fireworks); a speedy rock n' roll/blues song. Then Spectrum with it's great reed/woodwind arrangements and exquisite electric piano improvisation and the one crazed sax bridge. How about the Moog/guitar duo on "Taurian Matador"?... simply fireworks; amazing interplay!!!. "Stratus" is the longest track on the album andit takes about 3 minutes between studio tricks and drum display, then it builds up as a slow rocking jam. The insightful "To The Women In My Life" (a piano prelude) serves as opening for the latin-injected "Le Lis" and we get to the finale with a wicked "studio trick" track called "Snoopy's Search" which is followed by the legendary "Red Baron", one of my favourites tracks of the album.
A real treat for rock and jazz fans alike, and one of the most memorable fusion albums of the 70's. A 5 star!!

I listened to this album in 1985. It is a very good album, with very good compositions by Cobham who also is a brillant drummer. It is an album in the very "Fusion" style, and maybe it is one of the best examples of this style of music. Cobham selected very good collaborators for the recording of this album. In particular, guitarist Tommy Bolin (who died in 1976) and keyboard player Jan Hammer shine on this album, with Bolin playing very good lead & rhythm guitars on most of the songs (John Tropea also played guitar in one or two songs). Bolin`s playing is particularly good in the song "Quadrant 4". In my opinion, his style was more adequate for the Jazz-Rock music, so I don`t know why he played with Deep Purple years later, as his style wasn`t very similar to Ritchie Blackmore`s and Deep Purple`s. Hammer also plays very good synth solos in his very own style, and also other keyboards. Hammer plays piano in the brief and beautiful song called "To the Women in my Life", which sounds more like an introduction for the next song called "Le Lys", which has the same melody from "To the Women of my Life", but played with drums,congas, electric piano, synth, bass, guitar and wind instruments. In conclusion, is a very recommendable album.

Released in 1973 by Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham, this sensational jazz/rock drumming album breaks boundaries. The album opens with the best drumming track on the album, the groundbreaking "Quadrant 4". With it's near impossible drum rhythm and sensational stamina, whether you're a drummer or nor you will be blown away by this performance. After a complex two minute drum solo called "Anxiety" is the jazzy "Spectrum", which opens suavely with some excellent flute and bass playing from Joe Farrel and Ron Carter. Another track that is really worth mentioning on this album is the funky latin "Taurian Matador", which also has a very proggy feel to it. and my personal favourite track from the album, "Stratus". The track opens with another blinding two minute drum solo from Cobham, then eventually breaks into a fantastic jazz riff, making this my personal favourite jazz song of all time. Even if you aren't a drummer, this album is a must have for any jazz collection. 5 stars.

Tracks Listing

All songs written and composed by Billy Cobham.

1. Quadrant 4 (4:20)
2. Searching For The Right Door / Spectrum (6:33)
- a. Searching For The Right Door (1:24)
- b. Spectrum (5:09)
3. Anxiety / Taurian Matador (4:44)
- a. Anxiety (1:41)
- b. Taurian Matador (3:03)
4. Stratus (9:50)
5. To The Women In My Life / Le Lis (5:11)
- a. To The Women In My Life (0:51)
- b. Le Lis (3:20)
6. Snoopy's Search / Red Baron (6:39)
- a. Snoopy's Search (1:02)
- b. Red Baron (6:37)

Total Time: 37:20

Personnel

    Billy Cobham - Drums (1-6) & Drums, Electronics (solos on '3.a')
    Tommy Bolin - Guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
    Jan Hammer - Electric piano, Moog synthesizer, Acoustic piano (not on 2.b) (1, 2.b, 3.b, 4, 5.b, 6.b)
    Lee Sklar - Bass guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
    Joe Farrell - Soprano sax (2.b) & Alto sax (5.b)
    Jimmy Owens - Flugelhorn (2.b, 5.b) & Trumpet (5.b)
    John Tropea - Guitar (5.b)
    Ron Carter - Acoustic bass (2.b, 5.b)
    Ray Barretto - Congas (2.b, 5.b)