Allan Holdsworth - 1986 "Atavachron"

Atavachron is the fourth studio album by guitarist Allan Holdsworth, released in 1986 through Enigma Records (United States) and JMS–Cream Records (Europe). The album's title and seventh track, as well as the cover art, are references to the "Atavachron" alien time travel device from the Star Trek episode "All Our Yesterdays". This marks Holdsworth's first recorded use of the SynthAxe, an instrument which would be featured prominently on many of his future albums.

John W. Patterson of AllMusic gave Atavachron four stars out of five, describing it as "semi-progressive" with a "symphonic element" and praising it as "clear evidence of the genius Holdsworth was demonstrating release after release". He also highlighted the use of the SynthAxe, as well as praising the "beautiful female vocals" of Rowanne Mark, who makes her first of two appearances on a Holdsworth album.

For a little background, back in the '80s the SynthAxe was invented. It looked like something that fell out of a UFO. It was guitar-like with sets of strings and other onboard controls that allowed the triggering (playing) of synthesizers. What was unique was that guitarists could therefore play a synthesizer without needing a great amount of keyboard expertise. The SynthAxe was the interface that very uniquely interpreted a guitarist's skill into synth sounds. For guitarist Allan Holdsworth, it was yet a whole new way to achieve the sounds unvoiced in his soul in ways he just couldn't do with a standard guitar. Holdsworth has always sought a horn-like voicing with the ability to manipulate a note in a myriad of ways. He is known for being one of the most unique stylists on guitar, but it is the SynthAxe that allows him to go places a guitar can't reach. This release was special in that it marks Holdsworth's first use of the SynthAxe alongside electric guitar. The SynthAxe sounds more like a keyboard than a guitar. It has a wider sound spectrum than keyboards and in this release you will hear a myriad of synthscapes and effects. This release offered a semi-progressive symphonic element and served to ever stretch the boundaries of jazz fusion. Beautiful female vocals in one song framed by surrealistic visual musicks of the SynthAxe and keyboardy leads by Holdsworth may have turned guitar fans off, but this effort is clear evidence of the genius Holdsworth was demonstrating release after release. And as expected, Holdsworth continued to strive for that reed voicing and phrasing on his guitar solos, which merely pushed him to his best.

Atavachron is the most enlightening, coherent piece of musical thought ever committed to record. Compositionally outstanding, instrumentally unsurpassable, theoretically impossible (!), technically outrageous, expressively devastating, and technologically cutting edge even by 2007 standards, Holdsworth and his assembled gents take us on a visionquest, a catharsis of epic proportions. The moody, yet cheery opening track, Non-Brewed Condiment, is the weeder track: if the Synthaxe puts you off you'll pull the needle right here. Unfortunate if you do, though, when you realize what he's doing harmonically. After having listened to this track for at least 20 years, I find it's a part of my life now. When I'm in my imaginary world where life is perfect, this song is the soundtrack of my expanding mindscape. Then the major-chordy Funnels, originally written for saxophone, show what technique can coax out of a mere electric guitar. Wonderful keyboards, amazing accompaniment. Bass is killer throughout, as is percussion. His old boss Tony Williams steps in on the ridiculously interesting Looking Glass, elevating the experience. I love the funky Dominant Plague, and Chad Wackerman moves me to foul language every time...what a guy. Atavachron really feels like some sort of science fiction journey; you can hear the time when you're in the time machine if you use your imagination, that sort of pedal-tone part. Mr. Berwell is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written post-Home, and the backward echo effect always makes the resolved tone almost heard, but not stated directly until the end. Must be heard to be appreciated. Finally, All Our Yesterdays is the place where even his staunchest fans might wish to part company, until they realize the operatic/song-like bit is just an introduction to the band free-improvisation cycle that characterized many of Holdsworth's recordings of this period. I personally like this part, but it's sort of a mood-breaker as well. If you like moody albums with some cheer, like that REM Automatic for the People, check this out. If you are interested in the future of composition, harmony, and physical technique on instruments stringed or otherwise, you need this record. Hold out for the CD if you can, but I was happy with my cassette for 15 years. Thank you Allan Holdsworth.

I listen to music because I love the elements and the moods of it...although my initial interest usually sparks from technical ability and musical intellectuality, (as was the case with holdsworth) sometimes musicians break things down to more then it needs to be. You can talk about how his voicings are unheard of, his interesting use of octave displacement in chord voicings, or his unbelievable technical ability...but it all comes down to the way the music feels for me. Holdsworth is like no other; he can really take you to places you'll take years to fully comprehend, and be moved in different ways for a long time. You can close your eyes and see the notes bouncing and flowing and enter complete musical bliss, encompass sadness, confusion, happiness, anger...it is all on this record.

He also loves a good beer...and that's the final reason that one of my favorites! 

Track listing:

All tracks written by Allan Holdsworth, except where noted.

1. "Non Brewed Condiment" 3:41
2. "Funnels" 6:15
3. "The Dominant Plague" 5:45
4. "Atavachron" 4:45
5. "Looking Glass" 4:36
6. "Mr. Berwell" 6:24
7. "All Our Yesterdays" (lyrics: Rowanne Mark) 5:26

Total length: 36:52

Personnel:

Allan Holdsworth – guitar, SynthAxe, engineering, mixing, production
Rowanne Mark – vocals (track 7)
William Edward Childs – keyboard (tracks 2, 5)
Alan Pasqua – keyboard (tracks 3, 4, 6)
Gary Husband – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6)
Chad Wackerman – drums (tracks 3, 7)
Tony Williams – drums (track 5)
Jimmy Johnson – bass

Pink Floyd - 1967 [1994] "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, and the only one made under founder member Syd Barrett's leadership. The album, named after the title of chapter seven of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows^[1] and featuring a kaleidoscopic cover photo taken by Vic Singh, was recorded from February to May 1967. It was produced by Beatles engineer Norman Smith and released in 1967 by EMI Columbia in the United Kingdom and Tower in the United States, in August and October respectively.
The release of the album in the US was timed with the band's tour of the US. In the UK, no singles were released from the album, but in the US "Flaming" was offered as a single. The US version of the album has a rearranged tracklist, and contains the UK non-album single, "See Emily Play". Two of the album's songs, "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive", became central to the band's setlist around this period, while other songs were performed only a handful of times.
Since its release, the album has been hailed as one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time. In 1973, it was packaged with the band's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, and released as A Nice Pair to introduce new fans to the band's early work after the success of The Dark Side of the Moon. Special limited editions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn were issued to mark its thirtieth and fortieth anniversaries in 1997 and 2007, respectively, with the latter release containing bonus tracks. In 2012, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was voted 347th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

1967's "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" is the one that started it all for Pink Floyd, back in the early days when bassist Roger Waters, keyboardist Richard Wright & drummer Nick Mason were led by the genius, but doomed singer/guitarist Syd Barrett. Psychedelic rock doesn't get much more trippier than "Piper," a totally far-out collection of avant-garde space rock, songs about gnomes and scarecrows, off-the-wall production and sound effects, and superb performances by a tight British art-rock band that were destined to become rock legends. Although he made one last "cameo" appearance with the Floyd on their second album, "A Saucerful Of Secrets" with that album's closing number, "Jugband Blues," the lion's share of Syd Barrett's legacy with the band is all contained right here on "Piper," barring a few early singles. Writing all but one song, and, with a charismatic singing voice and incredible guitar-playing skills, Barrett was truly a musical genius, and his equally-talented bandmates match him song for song. Every track on the album is a highlight in it's own right, but certainly worth mentioning are such tracks as the opening space rock of "Astronomy Domine," the before-there-was-alternative alternative rock of "Lucifer Sam," the far-out instrumentals "Pow R Toc H" and "Interstellar Overdrive," the frenetic rock of "Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk" (written & sung by Waters, in his debut composition for the band), the charming tale of "The Gnome," and the classic, half children's song/half freak-out finale, "Bike," which starts out cheerily enough before giving way to some deliciously wacko noises and sound effects.Sadly, and tragically, shortly after the release of "Piper," Syd Barrett's experimentations with psychedelic drugs ultimately destroyed him, and he was finally ousted from the band. Roger Waters more-or-less took over as the group's leader, and Barrett's vacated slot was filled by guitarist David Gilmour. Barrett, despite his drug-addicted state, would record a pair of solo albums before dropping out of the music business altogether. Not well enough to look after himself, he quietly lived in the care of family members until his death in 2006. Pink Floyd, meanwhile, would go on to major superstardom and sell millions of albums, with such classics as "Dark Side Of The Moon," "Wish You Were Here," "Animals" and "The Wall." But "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" was the band's very first chapter, and one that would not have been possible without the great Syd Barrett. "Piper" is outstanding psychedelic rock, and a Pink Floyd classic. And thank you, Syd, wherever you are.

At the time The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was originally released in 1967, it was one among many aurally ripped, acid-tripped albums including Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced, Cream's Disraeli Gears, Jefferson Airplane's After Bathing at Baxter's, and, of course, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which the Beatles were recording down the hall from Pink Floyd at Abbey Road. But as those albums have gracefully slipped into the mainstream of our music consciousness, Piper, along with The Velvet Underground and Nico, still sounds like it broke through from another dimension. Pink Floyd were employing musique concrete techniques, inventing glissando guitar, and exploring areas of trance with tunes like "Interstellar Overdrive," actually two takes of an extended rave-up laid on top of each other. Mixing sci-fi imagery with swinging London metaphors and pastoral fantasies (the title is lifted from The Wind in the Willows), Pink Floyd's music was even more dappled, swirled, and surreal than the light shows that accompanied their performances. Piper represented Syd Barrett's vision as the sole composer of all but three songs. He was yet to have his acid-induced meltdowns, and all things were possible and beautiful. Barrett mixed whimsy on "Bike" with cynicism on the wordless but ominous "Pow R. Toc H."; goofy innocence on "The Gnome" and mysticism on "Chapter 24." But there's no doubting the contributions of Richard Wright with his swirling, reverb-drenched organ fugues and jazz ellipses and Roger Waters's earth-rooted bass. Nick Mason's underrated drumming, time-shifting polyrhythms, and colorful flourishes pushed Barrett's elliptical pop even further over the edge, especially on the space-music opus "Astronomy Domine." The original album was recorded on only four tracks, making stereo effects and panning somewhat rudimentary and often annoying. But this expanded release includes a full mono mix of the album which provides a more coherent sound and, surprisingly, a bit more depth. Some of the songs are just wacky, some of the technology and tape edits rough-hewn, but The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one of those albums that actually appears more radical in retrospect.

Tracks Listing

1. Astronomy Domine (4:12)
2. Lucifer Sam (3:07)
3. Matilda Mother (3:08)
4. Flaming (2:46)
5. Pow R. Toc H. (4:26)
6. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk (3:05)
7. Interstellar Overdrive (9:41)
8. The Gnome (2:13)
9. Chapter 24 (3:42)
10. Scarecrow (2:11)
11. Bike (3:21)

Total Time: 41:52

Musicians

- Syd Barrett / guitar, vocals
- Nick Mason / drums
- Roger Waters / bass, vocals
- Richard Wright / organ, piano

Jimi Hendrix - 1969 "The Last Experience"

On February 24th, 1969, Jimi Hendrix performed at Royal Albert Hall. The concert was recorded and filmed for a planned documentary/concert movie entitled Experience. The movie was never formally released; however, it does exist and the audio masters were packaged and repackaged into many different products, including the 1987 title The Last Experience Concert: His Final Performance. This particular title is extremely misleading, as Hendrix went on to perform many times after this concert. There are several titles that feature the identical Royal Albert Hall performance, so collectors of Hendrix concert discs should be careful to check song lists and running times so as not to duplicate a prior purchase of this performance. Fans convinced they do not yet own a recording of this concert are encouraged to pick one up. The sound quality is decent, if a little inconsistent, and the performances are powerful. Highlights include Hendrix's version of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" and the guitarist's own masterpieces like "Voodoo Chile." There are some extended versions on this particular release that appear in edited form on other offerings, which could make this a more attractive purchase to some.

THE LAST EXPERIENCE, Hendrix's final recorded live concert before his fatal drug overdose at the age of 27, is so impeccable in its sonic quality that it was picked as the soundtrack to the feature length motion picture Experience. This vital document features many of the standard Hendrix chestnuts augmented with extended guitar solos and live jams, as well as more obscure treasures like "Smashing of the Amps." This number is an apocalyptic medley of Jimi favorites, including his typically perverse reading of "The Star Spangled Banner," an extensive and drama-building tuning-up session and onstage dialogue in which the guitar hero thanks his fans in his signature mixture of humility and rock star cool: "Y'all are really out of sight."

The whole recording finds Hendrix in particularly fine voice. While some songs are tastefully edited in length, extended versions of "Bleeding Heart" and "Room Full of Mirrors" are included for the six-string connoisseur along with the standard arrangements. High points include a chaotic, blistering rendition of "Wild Thing." This exceptional album conveys both the immediacy and complexity of a groundbreaking artist.

Jimi is in Rare form at the Royal Albert Hall. His performance of "Little Ivey" (aka "Little Wing of Desire") contains bits of jazz, blues & folk all rapped into one! Bassist Noel Reddings establishes first rate rhythms-which drummer Mitch Mitchells-constantly feeds off of. They inter-weave intricate patterns-taking guitar master Jimi ever higher.
The track-"Smashing of Amps" is probably the embryonic form of jazz-rock fusion-which Hendrix later diplayed on his postumously released LP "Nine to the Universal". Later, on this incredible LP, Dave Masons and Chris Wood (from Traffic Jam) join Jimi for an imprompt version of "Room Full of Mirrors". Rocki (formerly of Carlos Santana) helps out w/Afro-centrific tinged congas. Probably the most unique song is "Foxy Lady"-which twists & turns before Jimi brings it to a creshendoe of pure guitar magic and screeching power. The sound quality of this gem is superb-ranking perhaps even w/Jimi's "Isle of Wright" concert. 

Track listing: 

1     Little Wing (Little Ivey) 3:19    
2     Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 7:16    
3     Room Full of Mirrors 2:54    
4     Fire 3:43    
5     Purple Haze 3:03    
6     Wild Thing 1:20    
7     Bleeding Heart 5:28    
8     The Sunshine of Your Love 6:47    
9     Room Full of Mirrors 8:14    
10     Bleeding Heart 8:36    
11     Smashing of the Amps 6:24    
12     C# Blues (People, People, People) 8:32

Personnel

    Jimi Hendrix – guitar, vocals
    Mitch Mitchell – drums
    Noel Redding – bass guitar

On "Room Full of Mirrors" they are joined by Chris Wood (flute) and Dave Mason (guitar). Note the support band that evening was Mason, Capaldi, Wood & Frog.  

Pat Metheny - 1978 "Pat Metheny Group"

Pat Metheny Group is the first album by Pat Metheny Group, released in 1978. It features Pat Metheny on guitars, Lyle Mays on piano and synthesizer, Mark Egan on electric bass, and Dan Gottlieb on drums.

“When the Pat Metheny Group released this debut album on ECM in 1978, the musicianship of Pat was already beginning to turn some heads. His previous trio album for ECM in 1976, featuring Jaco Pastoris (bass) and Bob Moses (drums), had forced the world of traditional jazz to take notice of this contemporary sound. There is not a drab track on this album, and Metheny is joined by an entirely new lineup of musicians: Lyle Mays (piano, autoharp, Oberheim synthesizer), Mark Egan (bass), and Dan Gottlieb (drums). The group really brought new life into the genre. The album starts off with “San Lorenzo,” featuring some wonderful piano solos by Mays that will knock your socks off. “Phase Dance” is the most widely recognizable Metheny piece on here, with some great riffs by Pat threading throughout the piece. The track “Jaco” is not really very funky as one might expect, since it was a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius, but does show off Egan as a great bassist that knows how to groove to an upbeat. “Aprilwind” is a brief quiet piece that is fairly straightforward in the delivery department. “April Joy” features Pat gracing the guitar in a style we have all grown to love. And finally, “Lone Jack,” a track that has a bop feel to it. Most of the tracks on this release have gone on to become standards in their own right. This album solidified Metheny’s place as a gifted composer with an outstanding mastery of his guitar-craft. This is certainly one of the most important contemporary jazz albums ever released.”

The first recording by the Pat Metheny Group features the innovative guitarist along with keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Mark Egan, and drummer Dan Gottlieb. The music is quite distinctive, floating rather than swinging, electric but not rockish, and full of folkish melodies. The best known of these six Metheny-Mays originals are "Phase Dance" and "Jaco." This music grows in interest with each listen. All Music.

It was 1977 and I was a student at a technical school in Boston, an ardent fan of Jean-Luc Ponty. There was a concert at the Berkley Performance Center where JLP was going to feature pieces from his Enigmatic Ocean release, one of my favorite albums of all time. I was completely oblivious to the warm-up act because I was there to experience Jean-Luc Ponty but at the opening of the show there was a guitar at center stage positioned on a stand where a guitarist need only walk up behind the instrument and begin playing. There it was, its neck jutting at a 45 degree angle, waiting to be brought to life by an appropriate musician. Soon, a floppy-haired guy, accompanied by the other members of his group, bounced onto the stage amongst tentative applause. The floppy-haired guy waved appreciatively at the smattering of recognition from the audience while the other musicians took their places at their respecive instruments. Slung over the back of the floppy-haired guy was another guitar, presumably his principle instrument. To my surprise, the guy bent over the guitar positioned at center stage and began to wail out the opening notes to "Phase Dance," a piece that has to be one of the best works of jazz-fusion of all time. He played several bars of the opening theme then stepped back from the guitar on its stand, reached back over his shoulder, grabbed the guitar slung over his back whipped it around front and proceeded to crank out a solo that could bring tears to one's eyes. I didn't know who the artist was at the time but I knew that he was talented and I made a mental note to remember this artist for future reference. After his group completed his set, Jean-Luc Ponty took the stage and I instantly forgot about the warm-up band.

Several weeks later, a friend approached me and said that Pat Metheny was appearing at a club called the Paradise and would I like to go see him? I replied, "Who's Pat Metheny?" His response was, "Don't worry about it, I know you'll like him." I thought, what the hey.

After we were seated at our table and a round or two of drinks were served, the stage lights came up and there was, at center stage, a guitar on a stand positioned at a 45 degree angle, waiting for a guitarist to approach it from behind, grasp its neck and begin playing it for all it was worth, which is just what happened when some floppy-haired performer bounced onto the stage, wearing another guitar over his back, accompanied by the other menbers of his band. The guitarist bent over the guitar on the stand and seconds later the first bars of Phase Dance were blasted from the speakers onstage.

My eyes widened. I said "That's the guy!!!" That was the night when I began to fully appreciate the artistry of Pat Metheny, his uncanny ability to wrest every ounce of emotion from a guitar, his ability to express every emotion from despair to elation using nothing but his fingers, strings and a geyser of talent.

That night, I went to a music store and bought all of the Pat Metheny Group albums I could find (there were no such things as CDs at that time) and began a journey of exploration into an area of jazz that widened my horizons to an entirely new level. Pat Metheny remains, to this day, the guitarist for whom I hold the utmost respect and in whose talent I stand in awe. By CatManDEW.

I had heard of Pat Metheny back in middle school, when I first really started exploring jazz. It wasn't until one of the jazz ensembles at my high school played Phase Dance during my junior year that I actually got to hear something by Metheny.
I wasn't in that particular band, but I remember the bassline sounding cool, and I thought I would seek out the record. I finally bought it on used vinyl in August 1995 -- and I couldn't wait to get home and play it.
It was one of the best decisions of my musical life.
Phase Dance is a great song, very positive and uplifting, but San Lorenzo is the album's centerpiece to me. Lyle Mays' solo just blows me away everytime I listen to it. This is definitely not a spontaneous album (and his solo may have even been rehearsed) but it works so well.
As much as I don't like winter, this album has a very wintry feel to me (even though I bought it in the summer heat). Maybe it has to do with the picture on the back of the record, and the fact that it was recorded in Norway during winter.
Listen to San Lorenzo and Phase Dance and imagine snow falling outside, then sparkling in the sun after the storm's gone. The rest of the album enthralling as well, but it's the first two pieces that really shine.  By Disc.

Tracks Listing

1. San Lorenzo (10:16)
2. Phase Dance (8:25)
3. Jaco (5:40)
4. Aprilwind (2:09)
5. April Joy (8:15)
6. Lone Jack (6:43)

Personnel

    Pat Metheny - 6 and 12-string electric and acoustic guitars
    Lyle Mays - piano, Oberheim synthesizer, autoharp
    Mark Egan - fretless electric bass
    Danny Gottlieb - drums 

Various Artist - 1992 "Rock Legends" [4CD Box]

VA - Rock Legends

Track listing Disc 1

 

1. Girlschool - Hit and Run [03:11]

2. Juicy Lucy - Who Do You Love [03:02]

3. Angel Witch - Free Man [04:44]

4. Atomic Rooster - Space Cowboy [03:20]

5. Hawkwind - Master of the Universe (live) [03:27]

6. Motörhead - Dead Men Tell No Tales (live) [02:44]

7. Status Quo - Pictures of Matchstick Men [03:10]

8. Tempest - Living in Fear [04:17]

9. Uriah Heep - July Morning [10:22]

10. Robin George - Shoot on Sight [03:30]

11. Man - My Name Is Jesus Smith [04:04]

12. Colosseum - Those About to Die [04:53]

13. Magnum - The Spirit [04:19]

14. Gary Moore - Dirty Fingers [01:07]

Playing Time.........: 56:17

Total Size...........: 326.96 MB

Track listing Disc 2

1. Blue Öyster Cult - Born to Be Wild (live) [06:39]

2. The Spectres - Hurdy Gurdy Man [03:17]

3. The Ventures - Walk Don't Run [02:10]

4. Tempest - Stargazer [03:38]

5. Motörhead - Killed by Death [04:37]

6. Robin George - Hit List [03:30]

7. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Gang Bang [04:44]

8. Colosseum - The Time Machine [08:08]

9. Hells Belles - If It Don't Make Your Ears Bleed (It Ain't Rock' n' Roll)[03:47]

10. Gary Moore - Run to Your Mama [04:43]

11. Girlschool - Tonight [02:35]

12. Juicy Lucy - Pretty Woman [03:13]

13. The Damned - Born to Kill (live) [03:18]

14. Atomic Rooster - People You Can't Trust [03:52]

15. Angel Witch - Devil's Tower [02:23]

Playing Time.........: 01:00:41

Total Size...........: 348.09 MB

Track listing Disc 3

1. Motörhead - Bomber [03:16]

2. Man - Spunk Rock [05:50]

3. Black Widow - Wait Until Tomorrow [03:26]

4. Girlschool - (I'm Your) Victim [02:43]

5. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Boston Tea Party [04:36]

6. Tempest - Up and On [04:21]

7. The Ventures - Diamond Head [02:07]

8. Hawkwind - Motorhead [03:05]

9. Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper (live) [05:40]

10. Colosseum - The Kettle [04:30]

11. Atomic Rooster - All in Satan's Name [04:46]

12. Juicy Lucy - Midnight Rider [03:17]

13. Girlschool - Race With the Devil [02:52]

14. Robin George - Heartline [03:15]

15. Magnum - The Prize [03:40]

Playing Time.........: 57:32

Total Size...........: 349.48 MB

Track listing Disc 4

1. Girlschool - Flesh and Blood [02:19]
2. Juicy Lucy - Mr Skin [03:47]
3. Atomic Rooster - Close Your Eyes [03:48]
4. Hawkwind - Space Chase [03:11]
5. Black Widow - The Gypsy [04:31]
6. Status Quo - Down the Dust Pipe [02:04]
7. Hawkwind - Brainstrom (live) [08:42]
8. Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself [05:06]
9. The Damned - Smash It Up (live) [05:01]
10. Magnum - Invasion [03:24]
11. Colosseum - Tanglewood '63 [10:13]
12. Hells Belles - Long Legs [03:44]
13. Gary Moore - Parisienne Walkways [07:23]
14. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Sergeant Fury [03:29]
15. Magnum - The Battle [02:09]

Playing Time.........: 01:08:57
Total Size...........: 395.09 MB

Frank Gambale - 2006 "Best Of Jazz and Rock Fusion"

Frank Gambale (born 22 December 1958) is an Australian jazz fusion guitarist. He has released twenty albums over a period of three decades, and is renowned for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking techniques.

This collection spans almost 25 years of Gambale's rockin' fusion work. This is a thrilling album from start to finish. This album is full of Gambale's classics and clearly demonstrates why he is considered one of the top guitar players in the world. A perfect introductory album to the fiery guitar playing of Gambale. 5 stars
 
Part of a three-album retrospective, The Best of Frank Gambale: Jazz and Rock Fusion collects a nice cross-section of guitarist Gambale's instrumental jazz and rock tracks over a 15-year period starting in the late '80s. Gambale has always been a master technician on the fret-board, easily crossing between smooth jazz, instrumental pop, contemporary folk and metal-tinged rock. Here we find him delving into the harder-edged, rock and jazz fusion side of his playing with the confidence that comes from being a virtuoso. This is practically a primer for how to play heavy metal guitar with an ear toward incorporating more complex jazz harmonies and improvisational techniques. For fans of highly technical, superbly crafted instrumental music that mixes pop and jazz sounds, Jazz and Rock Fusion will have much to offer and is a solid introduction to Gambale's work.

Best Of: Jazz and Rock Fusion contains technically demanding tracks from The Great Explorers, Note Worker, Passages, Thinking Out Loud, and Raison d'Etre. Such outstanding sidemen as keyboardists Tom Coster, Kei Akagi and Brian Auger, bassist Alphonso Johnson,Ttim Landers and Stu Hamm and drummers Jonathan Mover, Steve Smith, Dave Wecki and Billy Cobham are represented on this fusion compilation.

I already had many of Gambale's albums before ordering this one and was surprised and pleased that this "best of" compilation contains mostly tracks that I didn't already have. However, be forewarned - this collection leans more heavily toward instrumental rock than jazz fusion.  By R. Crush.

One listen to this and you will be convinced...Frank is the greatest guitar player on the planet!!! He can do it all, jazz, blues, metal, flamenco.........nobody cuts loose like Gambale,,,,.............electric guitar that burns!!!!!! By G. Newton.

Tracklist:

01.Little Charmer
02.Thunder Current
03.Leave Ozone Alone
04.The Jaguar
05.6.8 Shaker
06.The Final Frontier
07.High 5
08.Frankly Speaking
09.Bittersweet
10.Passages
11.My Little Viper
12.Complex Emotions

John Scofield - 1990 "Time On My Hands"

John Scofield has turned the corner from journeyman jazz guitarist to become one of the most inventive and witty players on the contemporary scene. This date, his first for the Blue Note label, builds on a discography following several recordings for the Gramavision label, and also progresses this contemporary jazz music into an individualism that can only bode well for his future efforts. Teamed with the rising-star saxophonist Joe Lovano and the bulletproof rhythm team of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Scofield is emerging as a player of distinction on the electric guitar, and a composer whose mirthful ideas add spark and vigor to his newfound musical setting. In this co-production with Peter Erskine, Sco has found his melodic stride in making music that is bright and clever without being overly intellectual, retaining a soulful quality enriched by the deep-rooted, bluesy tenor sax of Lovano. What is most refreshing is that this music has broken free of clichés from the earlier original fusion movement, and what Scofield might have accomplished prior. "Farmacology" is an excellent example of this, more in the hard bop vein and echoing both ringing country twang and the unique voicings of Ornette Coleman. There's rambling neo-bop and good-time fun in the unison of guitar and tenor sax during "Wabash III," a lighter, elegant, but free and melodic tone in 6/8 time for "Flower Power," and squeaky clean, sweet, easygoing swing demonstrated on "Since You Asked." Haden and DeJohnette are so well matched as a rhythm team that it's easy to take them for granted, while hard to ignore their brilliance. They load up on New Orleans-style blues while Scofield doles out amusing and fractured lines for "So Sue Me," collectively move to a sleek and sneaky stance on "Let's Say We Did," and rip up a driven, forceful neo-bop for the linear melody of the witty "Stranger to the Light." Even though it's a first-time issue on CD, there are three bonus tracks, including the soul song shuffle "Time and Tide," a free, loose association that identifies "Be Hear Now," and the big-time, rock & roll-flavored, squawky "Fat Lip." It's hard to fathom this being anything other than a sustainable new direction for Scofield's music, one that he can enhance as bandmembers come and go in the not too distant future.

From the opening be-bop tune "Wabash III" to the acoustic(!) fushion-ish "Fat Lip", Scofield's amazing depth in both composition and technique are all on display on this 1989 outing. Lovano's passionate solos (check out "Let's Say We Did") shows why he is quite possibly the best tenor man of the last ten years. DeJohnette puts in his usual excellent work on the drum kit, but it is Charlie Haden who manages to outdo himself here. His dead-on bass lines nicely fills the void left by the lack of keyboards and stretches out without going too far on "So Sue Me".
Overall, a record that hits the mark in every aspect; a must purchase if you like the straight-ahead jazz side of John Scofield. Or if you like straight-ahead jazz at all, for that matter.  By A Customer.

I bought this album because it just... well... it was in a bargain bin. There. I've said it.
It just about took my head off, though. I've always loved Jack
DeJohnette, and Charlie Haden just seems to magically appear on so much that interests me. Joe Lovano is marvelous... but this mix confused me in concept - Scofield's electric style, the nature of the tunes, and acoustic bass (the no-brainer on this stuff would have been electric bass).
I've listened to it several hundred times now, and the fluidity, grit and warmth that Scofield puts behind a horn line is just amazing. Understated, but really powerful. And the DeJohnette and Haden work with it is prime.
I'd say get this, because it's WONDERFUL. But also, if you want to hear something a little different that a guitar can do while backing up a tenor - and playing off a tenor - check it out. I can't imagine being let down. By K. D. Jones.

IMHO, this fully deserves the praise heaped upon it. I've only heard one other Scofield/Lovano quartet session and, to my ears, it paled by comparison. Compositions penned by guitarists are often criticized for being too "guitaristic" in flavor and I'd agree that's a common enough syndrome, but not in this case. There's a wide range of moods and plenty of listening going on-- it never devolves into mere chopsmanship. All-star sessions that bring together "hot-shots" while great for product marketing, don't necessarily pan out in terms of musicality. No such problem here; no-one is coasting on their reputation. If your appetite is whetted merely by the line-up; go ahead and order this; odds are, you won't be disappointed.  By madaboutmusic.

Tracks Listing

1 Wabash II 6:20
2 Since You Asked Me 6:10
3 So Sue Me 5:58
4 Let's Say We Did 4:22
5 Flower Power 4:57
6 Stranger to the Light 7:27
7 Nocturnal Mission 4:13
8 Farmacology 6:40
9 Time and Tide [bonus track] 5:48
10 Be Hear Now [bonus track] 6:50
11 Fat Lip [bonus track] 3:45

Personnel

    John Scofield - guitar
    Joe Lovano - saxophone
    Charlie Haden - bass
    Jack DeJohnette - drums 

John Patitucci - 1988 "John Patitucci"

John Patitucci is the debut solo album of jazz bassist John Patitucci. The album charted #1 at the Billboard Top Jazz Albums 1987.

This early offshoot of the Chick Corea Elektric Band turned out to be one of 1988’s most pleasant surprises. Patches was still supposed to be cutting his teeth, not chewing through the jazz charts to number one. And while GRP was busy establishing itself as the jazz label of the new digital age, their acumen in letting John Patitucci run free so soon paid off. The bass guitar, historically, is not a rich avenue of musical exploration; low tones get lost and the tricks (funk slap, fuzz tone) are often dull double axels. The first John Patitucci disc is different by design, and you can thank the folks at Smith/Jackson for it. The Smith/Jackson 6-string featured on the front cover is played on all but a handful of tracks as a lead guitar. The fluid, sputtering, tripping, richly rendered sounds that emanate from this six-stringed appendage are a source of wonder throughout. Patitucci also plays an acoustic upright and literally “bows” to his current employer, Chick Corea, on “Zaragoza.” With Dave Weckl on drums, this is an Akoustic/Elektric session at its core half of the time. Double synthesizers (John Beasley, Dave Witham) give the music a modern edge not unlike the first Elektric album, though JP the Composer isn’t nearly as restless or chatty as Chick. The music is also very much in line with GRP’s brand at this point: smooth jazz with some edges, balladeering and barnstorming. Highlights include the opening “Growing,” “Baja Bajo” and a pair of tracks featuring Michael Brecker on tenor sax (“Peace & Quiet Time,” “Then & Now”). I wasn’t expecting a coming-out party this early, but Patches is clearly too large a talent to be contained. Based on this disc alone, his is a unique and interesting voice in the modern melodic/rhythmic fusion movement. 

Stepping out from the shadows of Chick Corea's Elektric and Akoustic bands, Patitucci made a pleasing solo debut here largely on the strength of his brilliant up-front soloing on electric and acoustic basses. Adept at the popular funk slapping manner on electric bass, darting fluidly and jaggedly up high on the Smith/Jackson five-string bass, Patitucci always executes with the moves and body English of a bass player even when his instrument is up in the guitar range. Patitucci's compositions are pretty good, too, thoughtful and not too reliant upon jazz-rock cliches. He gets a lot of expert help from a variety of hot sidemen, including the astonishing Chick himself (who also produced the package), Chick's drummer Dave Weckl, other drummers like Peter Erskine and Vinnie Colaiuta, and the heated tenor sax of Michael Brecker. Without a doubt, this first opus enhanced Patitucci's developing reputation at the time. 

Track listing

    All songs composed by John Patitucci unless otherwise noted.

01  "Growing" – 4:38
02  "Wind Sprint" – 6:10
03  "Searching, Finding" – 5:09
04  "Baja Bajo" (Chick Corea, John Patitucci) – 5:49
05  "Change of Season" – 3:57
06  "Our Family" – 3:05
07  "Peace and Quiet Time" – 5:02
08  "Crestline" – 5:17
09  "Zaragoza" (Chick Corea) – 4:00
10  "Then & Now" – 5:44
11  "Killeen" – 5:21
12  "The View" – 5:37

Personnel

    John Patitucci – bass
    John Beasley – synthesizer
    Dave Whitham – synthesizer
    Chick Corea – piano
    Michael Brecker – saxophone
    Dave Weckl – drums
    Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
    Peter Erskine – drums 

Bruford Levin - 1998 "Upper Extremities"

Bruford Levin Upper Extremities (B.L.U.E.) was a musical group composed of drummer Bill Bruford, bassist Tony Levin, guitarist David Torn, and trumpeter Chris Botti.
The group's origins can be traced to David Torn's album Cloud About Mercury (1987) which featured the above-listed musicians, except with Mark Isham playing trumpet. Enjoying their musical chemistry, the performers kept in touch, and formed B.L.U.E. in the mid-1990s.
The band had very unusual sound with elements of blues, rock and ambient music. Bruford and Levin were both longtime members of King Crimson.

Bill Bruford and Tony Levin were the mainstays of the 1980s and 1990s King Crimson, one of rock's most consistently creative groups, and together are among the best rhythm sections in rock music. They played with David Torn on Torn's 1987 release Clouds About Mercury, and in 1998 they got together with him again. As on Clouds, they formed a quartet with a trumpeter, but instead of Mark Isham they enlisted Chris Botti, since Levin had worked on Botti's 1997 Midnight Without You release. On about half the tracks, Bruford, Levin and Torn display a high-energy rock music, like the opening "Cerulean Sea," with Torn and Bruford playing in polyrhythms, and "Cracking the Midnight Glass," a powerful piece with echoes of Led Zeppelin that Bruford calls "the power trio incarnate." The three also play some quiet, atmospheric music on "Thick With Thin Air," which is also one of the showpieces here for Bruford's electronic drums. Chris Botti plays on the other half, and provides them with a cool jazz feeling. His melodic work is highlighted on the jazzy Bruford composition "Original Sin" and in a lovely duet with Levin on "Fin de Siècle," but his trumpet adds coloring in the fanfares of "Presidents Day," the haunting lead of "Deeper Blue," and the reprise of an etude from Levin's solo album World Diary. There are also a number of short interludes of Bruford playing a derelict piano in Levin's garage, and both Bruford and Levin simultaneously playing a drum and bass contraption.

I saw these guys live and must say that this may be the finest moment to date of Bruford and Tony Levin. Bill Bruford's drumming was absolutely SICK and Levin was just so professional and soulful that it just wasn't real. The show prompted me to get the disc they were selling at the show and it was just as good as the live experience. Chris Botti was ultracool, with some Miles davis-like trumpet, and guitarist David Torn has some interesting textures and loops. What they played at the show is all here on the disc, and if you're into avante-jazz or King Crimson, you simply cannot pass this one up. These guys are incredible musicians, and since Bruford & Levin are no longer in Crimso, perhaps they should be doing more of this stuff. This isn't mindless noodling, but solid avante-jazz. Smart musicianship which doesn't bore. I won't go into the individual titles, it's all well executed. If you did dig this album, go to Tony Levin's website and order the double live disc of the shows too. That's another killer.

Track listing

 1. Cerulean Sea (Bruford/Levin/Torn) 7:03
    Interlude (Bruford) 0:23
 2. Original Sin (Bruford) 4:55
 3. Etude Revisited (Botti/Bruford/Levin/Torn) 4:57
 4. A Palace of Pearls [on a blade of grass] (Botti/Bruford/Levin/Torn) 5:33
    Interlude (Bruford) 0:19
 5. Fin de Siecle (Botti/Bruford/Levin) 5:22
 6. DrumBass (Bruford/Levin) 0:54
 7. Cracking the Midnight Glass (Bruford/Levin/Torn) 6:06
 8. Torn DrumBass (Bruford/Levin/Torn) 0:54
 9. Thick with Thin Air (Bruford/Levin/Torn) 3:28
10. Cobalt Canyons (Bruford/Levin/Torn) 3:53
    Interlude (Bruford) 0:27
11. Deeper Blue (Botti/Bruford/Levin) 4:12
12. Presidents Day (Botti/Bruford/Levin/Torn) 6:22

Personnel:

Bill Bruford (drums, percussion),
Tony Levin (bass, chapman stick),
David Torn (guitar, loops),
Chris Botti (trumpet).

The Doors - 1970 "Morrison Hotel"

Morrison Hotel (sometimes referred to as Hard Rock Café from the title of the first side of the LP, with the second side titled Morrison Hotel) is the fifth studio album by American psychedelic rock band The Doors, recorded from between August 1966 and November 1969 and released by Elektra in February 1970.

The Doors returned to crunching, straightforward hard rock on Morrison Hotel, an album that, despite yielding no major hit singles, returned them to critical favor with hip listeners. An increasingly bluesy flavor began to color the songwriting and arrangements, especially on the party'n'booze anthem "Roadhouse Blues." Airy mysticism was still present on "Waiting for the Sun," "Queen of the Highway," and "Indian Summer"; "Ship of Fools" and "Land Ho!" struck effective balances between the hard rock arrangements and the narrative reach of the lyrics. "Peace Frog" was the most political and controversial track, documenting the domestic unrest of late-'60s America before unexpectedly segueing into the restful ballad "Blue Sunday." "The Spy," by contrast, was a slow blues that pointed to the direction that would fully blossom on L.A. Woman. 

Although the Doors fourth album "The Soft Parade" (1969) had sold well and produced the smash hit "Touch Me," both fans and critics alike felt as though the band sold out. Compared to "The Doors" and "Strange Days" (both 1967) the band's more recent work had been viewed as overtly commercial. In the eyes of the Doors faithful, both "Waiting for the Sun" (1968) and "The Soft Parade" seemed to pale in comparison to the Doors first two albums. "The Soft Parade" in particular, with its strings and pop compositions, seemed to rub Doors fans and critics the wrong way. The negative feedback, however, ultimately worked to the Doors advantage. In response to the negative buzz, the Doors released what would ultimately be hailed as one of their finest albums "Morrison Hotel" (1970).

"Morrison Hotel" is neither a return to the sound of the Doors early albums nor is it a follow-up to the styling of its immediate predecessor "The Soft Parade." Rather, "Morrison Hotel" opens a new chapter in the Doors history all together. Gone were the psychedelic trimmings of the first two albums. Gone was the commercialism of the last two. "Morrison Hotel" is distinctly stripped down, and edgier. It was akin to what Credence Clearwater Revival were doing at the time. All in all, "Morrison Hotel" is an album of unadulterated, meat-and-potatoes, no-nonsense, blues-tinged, rock n' roll.

Although "Morrison Hotel" embraces a new sound, all the elements of the Doors are firmly in place; Jim Morrison's soulful baritone, John Densmore's jazzy percussion, Robbie Krieger's bluesy guitar, all the while peppered with Ray Manzarek's wholly unique signature organ and piano. So while "Morrison Hotel" sees the Doors exploring new ground, they do so in a way that doesn't forget what made the Doors, the Doors.

Some of Morrison's best poetry is on "Morrison Hotel." While all his work is good, with "Morrison Hotel," he was just starting to blossom as a writer and was becoming more refined.

In some respects, "Morrison Hotel" is a precursor or sister album to its more renowned follow-up, "LA Woman" (1971). Both albums are cut from the same cloth in the sense that they are both blues-tinged hard-rock, but "Morrison Hotel," while hardly cheerful, is distinctly less dark, perhaps because the listener knows that Morrison's death is not imminent.

The straight-forward "Roadhouse Blues" was the most rocking song the Doors recorded since "Break on though (to the other Side) from the Doors debut. John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful (though not credited by name) adds the perfect touch of harmonica to give the song a gritty edge. "Waiting for the Sun," which was originally penned for the album by that name, begins slowly and serene, with an underlining pressure slowly building up beneath the surface, as forceful keyboards pierce their way though from time to time. Then, as the chorus sets in, the song yields to Morrison, demanding to know "what went wrong." The upbeat "You Make Me Real," while not bad, lacks the grit of the rest of "Morrison Hotel," and is not one of the albums better songs. The highly underrated melodic "Peace Fog" gets the album back on track and features one of Krieger's best solos. The serene "Blue Sunday" is simply enchanting, and Morrison had never given a more soulful delivery (although by now his voice was not what it had been). Cut from the same cloth, the jazzy "Ship of Fools" and the bluesier "Land Ho!" acts effectively as a semi-medley. On the low-key, serene, "The Spy," one really believes that Morrison is omni-present, as he states he is. The easygoing "Queen of the Highway" follows nicely, keeping up the momentum. "Indian Summer" is simply one of the most beautiful Doors compositions ever. More than just another balled, Morrison never sounded so vulnerable or sincere. Though Morrison's voice is nearly shot for the closing "Maggie Mc'Gill," this bluesy rocker makes for a good finale.

Unfortunately for Morrison and the band as a whole, by the recording of "Morrison Hotel," Morrison's heavy drinking and drugs were beginning to take a toll on his voice. While his voice isn't a ghost of its former glory as it is in the follow-up "LA Woman," Morrison does sound strained.

Upon its release, "Morrison Hotel" was greeted with a warm reception among fans and critics alike, and the album was praised as the groups' best work since "Strange Days." While "Morrison Hotel" is held in high regard today, it is unfortunately sometimes overlooked due to the fact that fans and critics alike tend to cite the Doors first two albums, and Morrison's swan song, "LA Woman" as the bands best work. And while "Morrison Hotel" boasts such classics as "Roadhouse Blues" and "Waiting for the Sun," many other songs like "Indian Summer" and "The Spy" are overlooked and remain lost treasures.

The cover photo was taken at the actual Morrison Hotel located at 1246 South Hope Street in Los Angeles. The band asked the owners if they could photograph the hotel and they declined, so the band went inside when nobody was looking and took the photograph. The rear cover features a photograph of the Hard Rock Café on 300 East 5th Street, Los Angeles. The founders of the later and otherwise unrelated Hard Rock Cafe chain used the name, having seen it on the Doors' album. The original cafe is no longer open for business.

The next-to-last Doors album, recorded prior to Jim Morrison's still mystery-shrouded death in a Parisian bathtub, eschewed much of the band's previous penchant for baroque musical, poetic, and philosophical pretensions (this was, after all, the back-to-roots era of the Beatles' Let It Be, the Stones' Let It Bleed, and Dylan's Nashville Skyline). Instead, the Doors circa 1970 wisely seeped themselves in a bluesy, no-frills approach that might have hinted at creative exhaustion in a lesser band. Instead, the Doors of "Roadhouse Blues" and "Peace Frog" reinvented themselves into arguably one of the greatest bar bands ever, with Morrison's well-documented demons frolicking in a welcome new ambience. "Waiting for the Sun" and "Ship of Fools" may hearken back to the band's cabalistic and Kurt Weill leanings, respectively, but framed in an edgier, more effective way.

Tracks Listing

1. Roadhouse Blues (4:04)
2. Waiting For The Sun (4:00)
3. You Make Me Real (2:53)
4. Peace Frog (2:50)
5. Blue Sunday (2:12)
6. Ship Of Fools (3:08)
7. Land Ho! (4:10)
8. Spy (4:17)
9. Queen Of The Highway (2:47)
10. Indian Summer (2:35)
11. Maggie McGill (4:24)

Line-up / Musicians

- Jim Morrison / vocals
- Ray Manzarek / organ, keyboards, piano and vocals
- John Densmore / drums
- Robby Krieger / guitar
guests:
- Lonnie Mack / bass
- Ray Neapolitan / bass
- G. Puglese / harmonica, harp 

Yes - 1973 [1994] "Yessongs"

Opening with a few bars of Stravinsky to set the adoring crowd on its feet, this once-three-LP set is Yes at their finest. This was, after all, probably the most mainstream act that had even provisional "prog rock" status, and their tunes show it. While "Heart of the Sunrise" may be one of the more modestly titled Yes songs (compare it with "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" or "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" or even "Total Mass Retain"), it also bears marks of the band playing at its most frenetic pace around Jon Anderson's soaring near-falsetto. Rick Wakeman's grand synthesizer flashes are more than textural, finding visual meshes aplenty with Roger Dean's cryptic cover art--most of which is shrunken or absent on this two-CD reissue. When Yessongs was cut, Marshall stacks were in their heyday, and Yes happily engaged in harmonic and melodic excessiveness as well as carefully planned layers of complexity. "Roundabout" was the band's biggest hit to this point. It appears here faithfully reproduced. As for the rest, it's entertaining in a 1970s way--full of light shows, staged visuals, and more. It took a few years for prog rock to dwindle and for punk-colored art rock to swerve toward songs about buildings and food. On Yessongs, the band was peaking, singing songs with far grander purpose (Siberia, the Apocalypse, etc.). By any account, this is one of the classic live albums of its generation, and as the soundtrack to the hip 1998 film Buffalo 66 hinted, at least one manic Yes song ("Heart of the Sunrise") passed muster for drama in the 1990s.

Yessongs is the first live album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released as a triple album in May 1973 on Atlantic Records. The album is a compilation of recordings from their Fragile and Close to the Edge tours between February and December 1972. The two Fragile tour tracks feature Bill Bruford on drums; the remaining songs feature his replacement, Alan White.
Yessongs was a commercial success for the band, reaching number 7 in the UK and number 12 in the U.S. It received a mostly positive reception from critics; much of the album's criticism was directed towards its audio quality. The album was certified platinum in 1998 by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over one million copies.
In October 1975, Yessongs, a concert film of the same name was released, documenting Yes's show at the Rainbow Theatre, London on 15 December 1972.

 As far as I am concerned, this live album from the Fragile and Close to the Edge tours is by far the most incredible display of virtuosity displayed on a live prog album. Period. In fact, the virtuosity and the sheer ferocity with which they all play is both overwhelming and yet completely and utterly exhilarating. As a huge prog fan I have listened to a lot of live prog albums, but none seem to top the raw beauty of Yessongs.

Another property of this album that makes it a personal favorite is that the guys do not simply reproduce the studio works note for note or throw in gratuitous solos. New sections are added to the original pieces and the solos are incredible works unto themselves. In fact, listen to Chris Squire's awe-inspiring bass tour de force on The Fish - this piece alone inspired me to take up the bass guitar in the first place. Rick Wakeman also presents a nice 6'35" synopsis of his then recently released solo album The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Bill Bruford had left Yes to join King Crimson and was replaced by Alan White on the Close to the Edge tour who had come from a strictly rock background. Based on what I have read, Alan had a rough time with the material straight off (who wouldn't), but gradually got better with subsequent concerts. I feel that his performances on Yessongs are quite solid - he plays on every track except for Perpetual Change and Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Bill plays on these tracks).

I should note that the sound quality of this album is not great (it is thin, trebly, and harsh), although it does not bother me in the least. This is Yes after all and I would probably listen to the most poorly recorded bootleg over and over again without flinching.

Like other folks I have great memories of this album and as I recall, rode my bike five miles to pick the album up from a local store. In that it was 1979 or 1980, the triple album was still being issued on vinyl and was a very heavy thing. One aspect of the Yessongs experience that I do miss is the incredible inner gatefold art of the original vinyl release along with the awesome color booklet. With the huge triple gatefold, it was truly something to check Roger Dean's incredible artwork out while I listened to the music. Although the artwork presented in the CD format does not quite have the same magic, the music still blows me away. My hope is that Rhino will remaster this incredible gem because this version from Atlantic, although remastered, is not the best that it can be. By Jeffrey J.Park.

In many ways, the extravagance of this package equates the profligacy of the prog rock combo themselves. After all, how else but on a triple-LP collection could one hope to re-create (and/or contain) an adequate sampling of Yes' live presentation? Especially since their tunes typically clocked in in excess of ten minutes. Although they had turned in five studio long-players, the vast majority of Yessongs (1973) is drawn from their three most recent endeavors The Yes Album (1970), Fragile (1971), and Close to the Edge (1972). There are two exceptions, the first being the "Opening (Excerpt from "Firebird Suite")" -- which comes from the 1969 Boston Symphony Orchestra's recording, conducted by Seiji Ozawa. The other is Rick Wakeman's keyboard solo "Excerpts from 'The Six Wives Of Henry VIII'." Yes had just undergone a personnel change shortly after concluding work on Close to the Edge as Bill Bruford (percussion) left to join King Crimson in July of 1972. Bruford can be heard on "Perpetual Change," as well as the medley of "Long Distance Runaround" and "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)." Enthusiasts keen on various and arguably irrelevant minutia should note the spelling of "praimaturus" as credited on Yessongs. It is slightly different from Fragile, which is denoted as "praematurus." That bit of trivia aside, the new lineup finds Alan White (drums), quite ably filling Bruford's shoes, alongside Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitars), Chris Squire (bass/vocals), and Rick Wakeman (keyboards).
One of their trademarks has always been an ability to re-create their often densely layered sound in concert. They effortlessly pull off the tricky chord progressions and changes in time signatures of "Siberian Khatru" and a sublime "Heart of the Sunrise," which unquestionably bests the dexterity of its carefully crafted studio counterpart. Both Howe and Squire's respective solos during "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" are highlights as they give the entire unit an opportunity to show off their capacity for dramatic dynamics. The remainder of Yessongs is similarly strong, particularly the note-perfect "Close to the Edge," and the inspired concluding instrumental jam during "Starship Trooper." However, one criticism that can be leveled at the entire Yessongs release is the less than optimal audio quality throughout. The sound is generally muddy with no real fidelity to speak of and an even less precise stereoscape. But until someone goes back to the multi-tracks and remixes them for 21st century ears, this is as good as it gets when documenting Yes during this seminal transition period.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/2017/09/yes-2015-progeny-highlights-from.html

Tracks Listing

Disc 1: (66:04)

1. Opening (Excerpt from "Firebird Suite") (3:45)
2. Siberian Khatru (8:50)
3. Heart of the Sunrise (11:26)
4. Perpetual Change (14:08)
5. And You and I (9:55)
a) Cord of Life
b) Eclipse
c) The Preacher the Teacher
d) The Apocalypse
6. Mood For a Day (2:52)
7. Excerpts from "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" (6:35)
8. Roundabout (8:33)

Disc 2: (63:12)

1. I've Seen All Good People (7:00)
a) Your Move
b) All Good People
2. Long Distance Runaround / The Fish (13:45)
3. Close to the Edge (18:41)
a) The Solid Time of Change
b) Total Mass Retain
c) I Get Up I Get Down
d) Seasons of Man
4. Yours is No Disgrace (14:21)
5. Starship Trooper (9:25)
a) Life Seeker
b) Disillusion
c) Wurm

Total Time: 129:16

Line-up / Musicians

- Jon Anderson / vocals
- Chris Squire / bass and vocals
- Rick Wakeman / keyboards
- Bill Bruford / drums on "Perpetual Change", "Long Distance Runaround", and "The Fish"
- Alan White / drums on everything else
- Steve Howe / guitars and vocals

Carl Filipiak - 2000 "Peripheral Vision"

Carl Filipiak is an American jazz-rock guitarist and recording artist for Art of Life Records. USA. Best known for his jazz-fusion CD's and partnership with world-renowned drummer, Dennis Chambers. His critically acclaimed CD's feature Miles Davis' alumni Bob Berg and Gary Thomas on sax, Will Calhoun on drums (Living Color), Gary Grainger on bass (John Scofield) and many others. (See http://www.carlfilipiak.com/biography.html) He was included among a list of renowned guitar players and nominated for "New Fusion Blood" in Jazziz Magazine. He is an author of instructional books for Mel Bay Publications and Balafon Books. His 2013 release "Live at the Cat's Eye" has reached #1 on both jazz fusion and bebop jazz categories on Amazon MP3 album downloads.

Baltimore guitarist Carl Filipiak records for his own small label, Geometric Records, which is probably the reason he’s not better known outside the Baltimore-D.C metroplex. Too bad, because the dude can really play.

Filipiak’s music is probably too brawny for the smooth jazz crowd, but hardcore fusion fans should warm up to it instantly. The guitarist displays a Methenyesque sense of melody and improvisation while infusing his jazz with elements of rock, funk, Latin and blues. His latest release Peripheral Vision offers material from all four of his previous albums, plus one new track ("Forest Flower").

The presence of Bob Berg and Dennis Chambers helps lift the recording. Chambers pounds the skins on all 11 tracks, while Berg adds his slithering sax to three cuts. On some tunes, Filipiak shifts dexterously between electric guitar, acoustic guitar and guitar synth. Besides displaying a keen sense of melody and improvisation, he occasionally cranks up the distortion and rocks out in a jazzy style reminiscent of Jeff Beck. In fact, his cover of "Cause We Ended As Lovers" is nearly as uplifting as Beck’s. Another highlight is the original composition "Nuji," a funky fusion-bop piece.

If you’re a fan of lyrical fusion guitar, you should definitely check out Carl Filipiak.

Whether firing off dazzlingly rapid hard-fusion or waxing rhapsodic through ringing, sweet-toned chords and harmonic touches, guitarist Carl Filipiak constantly challenges the senses on Peripheral Vision (Geometric Records GEO-246; 72:38). The key to Filipiak's vision is counterpoint-Caribbean tones meet driving fusion on "Hotel Real," which packs a big, beautiful percussive wallop; and the guitarist's detailed, sharp-cornered licks on "Song for Irene" contrast the piece's quiet, jazz-walk setting for a touching emotional feel. Other highlights include a tight take on Jimi Hendrix's oft-covered "Little Wing," with Dennis Chambers providing a hesitant, distant-feeling drum punch which opens unique spaces for Filipiak to experiment with harmonies; and "Forest Flower," with its unexpectedly rocking, high-stepping setting, which lends the tune a feeling of resilience.

Peripheral Vision is a compilation of three previously released discs by jazz guitarist Carl Filipiak on the Geometric label. Latin, funk, and fusion are mixed with jazz on these 11 tracks including drummer Dennis Chambers and saxophonist Bob Berg. Along with several original compositions, Filipiak also pays tribute to his major influences Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck. An eight-minute "Little Wing" and Beck's version of Stevie Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" are covered.

I have all of Carl Filipiak's work, and this CD is a great starting point for fans of rock, jazz, or fusion. The musicianship on this album is unsurpassed with drumming by Dennis Chambers on every track, and more importantly Carl's guitar playing which is phenomenal. I highly reccomend this album to anyone interested in jazz with a great rock edge as well. Its a must have!  By Dav Mattucci  

Not only is Carl Filipiak an absolutely amazing guitarist, his songwriting skills are top notch. add to that the fact that he has personally taught just about every good guitarist who has come out of Baltimore in recent years. he is a must see live as well - shows are always spontaneous and engaging... By platypus

This release from Geometric Records combines some cuts from Baltimore-based guitarist Carl Filipiak's excellent Hotel Reál (reviewed favorably in the Sensible Sound upon its release several years ago) with some older cuts, making this something of a Carl Filipiak retrospective release. Filipiak's name may never be a household word, but his reputation is spreading, based both on his CDs and his live performances. He is a tasteful performer who does not try to overwhelm the music he is playing by engaging in virtuosic overkill; still, his technique is formidable, as a listen to his version of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" readily reveals. He can also be quite lyrical, as he shows on his cover of Stevie Wonder's "'Cause We've Ended as Lovers." Peripheral Vision offers a good overview of the work of this talented and versatile guitarist; I urge jazz guitar fans to check it out. By Karl W. Nehring 

Filipiak's musical style can easily be described in just one word- killin'. His unique tones and creative runs make his style of playing seem above the label "fusion." Soroka's performance on sax is outstanding and appropraite, and the use of lyricon adds a layer that dives into exciting new grounds. Dennis Chambers is on fire as he lays down beats that are relaxing as a sunset on Malibu, and other times thrilling as a triple-crown winning horse. Perhaps if Carl's music becomes more and more recognized in years to come, fusion jazz may become more recognized, while at the same time unspoiled as it melts into the mainstream. As one of Carl's students, I definetely feel Carl's music should be heard at more than an underground level. And with music becoming ever so easier to obtain, it almost seems inevitable.    

Track listing:

01    Hotel Real          
02    Mariko          
03    Little Wing          
04    Song for Irene          
05    Right on Time          
06    Blue Entrance          
07    Cause We've Ended as Lovers          
08    Two PM          
09    Say You Were          
10    Nuji          
11    Forest Flower

Personnel:

Carl Filipiak (guitar); 
Dave Fairall, Bob Berg (saxophone); 
Paul Soroka (keyboards); 
Dennis Chambers (drums); 
Greg Grainger, Victor Williams (percussion). 

Cozy Powell - 1997 "The Best Of Cozy Powell"

The Best of Cozy Powell is a collection of songs from Cozy Powell's solo works.

Polydor's The Very Best of Cozy Powell is culled from his early-'80s AOR and hard rock records. This wasn't the best period of Powell's career, suffering from a singular lack of imagination, but it had its moments, all of which are collected here. Even when distilled to this concise collection, these recordings are a bit thin and monotonous, but this remains the place to become acquainted with these records. 

Cozy Powell is a name that definitely gets recognized in the musicians circle, especially the drummers crowd. 'The Coz' was
and still is one of the hottest Rock drummers around. If your drummer can't get the job done...Then call Cozy!
Poydor-Chronicles has just issued a 'tour de force' CD The Best Of Cozy Powell which captures Cozy & friends at 16 of
their finest moments from Cozy's 3 Polydor albums- Over The Top '79, Tilt '81 & Octopuss '83. On this CD you'll find great
killer Rock mixed with fusions of Jazz & Blues and playing along side 'The Coz' you'll fine some of the leading musicians who
are top of the rank. Jack Bruce, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, amongst others burn the tunes up with sky rockets flare! "The Blister,"
"Hot Rock," "Theme One" & "Killer" are untouchable. If you been missing Cozy's music (his original albums fetch a high $$$ in
collectors hands these days) it's time to pick up this CD. Boy! He burns on them 'skins'! All the material has been digitally
remastered and will blow your system out! For more Cozy checkout Rainbow's The Very Best Of
Rainbow/Polydor-Chronicles.

This is the best of his solo work, not the entire career. That'd be a 10 cd-box-set since he played with dozens of bands and projects. The songs here are from his three different solo albums, Over the top(1979)(#1-#5), Tilt(1981)(#6-#9) and Octopuss(1983)(#10-#16). I highly recommend this, rather than buying all three(unless you're a die-hard fan) since the song selections are great. The highlight is "Over the top"(#5), with a drum solo in the middle, completed with his world famous Tchaikovsky's "1812 overture" drum solo.

The recording members are:
-Guitar: Gary Moore, Jeff Beck(#6,8), Dave Clempson, Mel Galley, Bernie Marsden.
-Bass: Jack Bruce, Colin Hodgkinson.
-Keyboards, piano, moog bass, synth: Don Airey, Max Middleton, John Cook, David Sancious, John Lord. 

Cozy Powell is one of my favorite drummers of all time. I loved listening to his drumming on the old Rainbow albums, the later Black Sabbath albums with Tony Martin, the second album by The Micheal Schenker Group, and Robert Plant's first solo album Pictures at Eleven, but I never new he had solo albums. So I decided to buy one but, all the albums were either out of stock or way to expensive. Then I came across this compilation. I thought it was perfect and it was.
It has tracks from his first three solo albums: Over the Top(1979), Tilt(1981), and Octupuss(1983).
It has five tracks from Over the Top.
It has four tracks from Tilt.
It has six tracks from Octupuss.
Any drummer or fan of Cozy Powell's legendary drumming will adore this Cd.
Also there are many famous musicians on this Cd like Jon Lord, Jack Bruce, Don Airey, and Gary Moore.
This is great music. 

Tracks Listing

1 Theme One 3:36
2 Killer 7:16
3 Sweet Poison 6:26
4 The Loner 4:52
5 Over the Top 8:38
6 Cat Moves 5:12
7 Sunset 4:32
8 Hot Rock 4:38
9 The Blister 4:24
10 Up on the Downs 3:55
11 Formula One 3:21
12 Dartmoore 5:41
13 633 Squadron 4:13
14 Octopuss 5:53
15 The Big Country 2:56
16 The Rattler 2:57

Line-up / Musicians

Cozy Powell Percussion, Drums, Gong, Producer, Tympani [Timpani], Drums (Snare), Tubular Bells, Mixing, Handbells
Don Airey Bass, Flute, Piano, Trombone, Trumpet, Arranger, French Horn, Keyboards, Oboe, Moog Synthesizer, Moog Bass
Jeff Beck Guitar
Jack Bruce Bass
John Cook Keyboards, Moog Bass
Mel Galley Guitar
Colin Hodgkinson Bass
Jon Lord Keyboards
Bernie Marsden Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
Max Middleton Piano, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes
Gary Moore Guitar
David Sancious Synthesizer, Keyboards