Jazz Archives

Isotope's second album is a fairly different beast than its predecessor, since half the group is gone, including the main songwriter, keyboardist Brian Miller. In to replace Jeff Clyne is Hugh Hopper fresh from Soft Machine (Boyle and Hopper had met on Yamashta's East Wind group), while the keys are taken by the relative unknown Lawrence Scott, while Boyle and Morris remain pat. Released still in 74 and again on Gull Record, with a stunning headphones artwork, hitting a bit pretentiously at how much of an earful the album is.
Needless to say that the line-up change totally changes the group's sound, definitely tilting the balance in Boyle's favour, newcoming Scott simply not able to fill Miller's shoes right from the bat. Songwriting-wise, Boyle and Hopper take the lion's share, while Scott gets two tracks in, and not exactly the weakest - there are none in this album.
What strikes with Illusion is the way the album is much more Mahavishnu-esque, most noticeable in Spanish Sun, but in the title track, or in short Boyle's songs. Boyle is obviously enamoured with McL's playing and tries to emulate it, and somehow manages it to his own credit and no ridicule, far from it.
Hopper's tracks don't necessarily have the Soft machine edge you'd expect, but they do have that little rockier edge (as do Scott's two tracks) over Boyle's.
Generally the album has its own red-hot sound, despite Boyle's MO influence, and Hopper's Sliding Dogs and Golden section are absolute corkers that deserves the album highlight. And just past Boyle's acoustic Marin Country Girl, Hopper's Lily Kong offers a last hurrah for Hugh, while Scott closes the album with the MO-influenced Temper Tantrum.
Family's Poli Palmer's is not exactly top notch though, thus stopping this album to get an even higher rating, but make no mistake, this is Isotope's best album with some margin. After Illusion's recording, the group would tour Western Europe, just as it had before it. Then an Ameruican tour came, some reinforcements (De Souza on percussion) brought in, Scott leaving just before financial problems forced Hopper to leave as well, leaving Morris and Boyle to rebuild once more.

:::Review by Sean Trane:::

Isotope – Illusion (1974)

1. Illusion (3:54)
2. Rangoon Creeper (6:01)
3. Spanish Sun (7:50)
4. Edorian (2:01)
5. Frog (2:31)
6. Sliding Dogs / Lion Sandwich (5:58)
7. Golden Section (5:15)
8. Marin Country Girl (2:10)
9. Lily Kong (2:32)
10. Temper Tantrum (3:46)

Credits
- Gary Boyle / guitars
- Nigel Morris / drums
- Laurence Scott / keyboards
- Hugh Hopper / bass

UZ's fourth studio album (fifth release after the short compilation Crawling Winds) is the cornerstone of UZ's career. Up to now, UZ's music had been mostly acoustic RIO, developing sinister moods and searching for human's darker instincts. But with this fourth album, Denis was to change considerably UZ's direction and this was due in no small part to the friendly competition he maintained with ex-UZ Roger Trigaux, who had formed Present (with Denis holding the drum stool), and pushing each other to explore new musical territories. By now, Daniel Denis was the last remaining original member, Berckmans devoting his effort to Von Zamla. In comes future long time collab Dirk Descheemaeker on winds, Genet on bass and assorted string instruments, Plouvier (another future central figure) on keyboards and Mergen on cello and sax. This album, as I said above, is the start of a new direction and can be easily seen as a blueprint for all their future album until Implosion. The music had now shifted from the sinister and macabre to the sombre and mysterious ambiances, the eastern influences being much more present (pardon the pun ;-), than previously. One of the most striking results is that the album is generally more melodious than the previous three, which often flirted with dissonance and atonal music. Here, the music has mystic and grandiose aspects not previously developed. The opener Présage is probably my favourite track as the mystery of the mid-eastern dawns (with the cello strongly inducing Arab ambiances) in a yet-asleep harem (see why I think this is their best track? ;-) and the first smell ogf Green tea as you are heading for the hamam with three beautiful creatures, and the clarinet providing the drama: this almost 10-min track is flawless. The manic Doctor Schwartz is a 100 mph nightmare with Plouvier's piano providing the base for a haunting cello and clarinet. Wrapping up the first side of this wax slice, is Celeste (with two guest-musicians), a slow-developing almost 7-min track where the piano has the dominant role until the monstrous entrance of the "beast and Delory's electric guitar (sometimes reminding you of Pinhas or Fripp) is clearly its angry scream. The only flaw I can think of is that the track ends in a fade-out.
Parade is probably where Miriodor took a good deal of their inspiration and the mad breaking noise are extremely disturbing, but the insane beat is not letting you off the hook. Centrepiece Emmanations is one stunning and most convincing track, where Univers Zero is simply taking on the role of a progressive giant group, but if it is not known widely among the progheads, it is mostly because this album was recorded in 84. Had it been recorded a decade earlier, no doubt that this album would be standing with Magma's 1001° Centigrade or Henry Cow's Legend. Denis's composing powers are simply impressive and his percussions are awesomely inventive, and the oppressive but enthralling ambiances make the almost 16-min track seem too short. In the closing section, the track diverges into electronic delirium, which some twenty years later, Denis will come back to and base his Implosion album around similar themes.
Clearly the album separating the two phases of UZ, this album will serve as a template for UZ albums for two decades to come (including Denis's two solo albums). Absolutely essential music, one if not the best album in its genre.

:::Review by Sean Trane:::

Univers Zero – Uzed (1984)

1. Présage (9:48)
2. L'Etrange Mixture du Docteur Schwartz (3:52)
3. Célesta (for Chantal) (6:55)
4. Parade (6:37)
5. Emmanations (15:43)

Credits
- Daniel Denis / drums, percussion, synthesizer
- Dirk Descheemaeker / soprano sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Christian Genet / bass, balafon, bowed guitar, tapes, whistle
- Andre Mergen / cello, alto sax, voice
- Jean-Luc Plouvier / electric & acoustic pianos, synthesizer, piano strings, percussion

The unique and fresh voice of John Zorn's Masada reigns triumphant once again on this third installment, Gimel. Zorn has challenged and reinvented the face of modern jazz with this quartet. Expanding on traditional Jewish music of various types and adapting it to a jazz environment seems a daunting task, but one that Zorn and company (Joey Baron, Greg Cohen and Dave Douglas) have done well. Zorn's choice of personnel is impeccable, and this is evidenced by the intricate yet powerful sound. The album spans the barrage of songs like "Ziphim," "Katzatz" and "Hekhal" to the sweet moments of "Abidan" and "Sheloshim." At times sounding like an Eastern Ornette Coleman, and sometimes playing with the rampant fury that is characteristic solely of Zorn himself, the band has incorporated and evolved the form of jazz. This album is certainly a highlight of the Masada collection as a whole, and provides a great introduction to the band. Some of the songs can be found reworked on Bar Kokhba as well. There is little more to be said of this album, as the music speaks for itself.

:::Review by Marc Gilman:::

Masada - Vol. 3 Gimel (1995)

1. Ziphim 9:17
2. Abidan 6:48
3. Katzatz 2:24
4. Hazor 6:04
5. Netivot 3:38
6. Karaim 5:58
7. Hekhal 3:02
8. Sheloshim 8:15
9. Lebaoth 5:12
10. Tannaim 8:54

Credits
Bass - Greg Cohen
Drums - Joey Baron
Saxophone [Alto] - John Zorn
Trumpet - Dave Douglas

East meets west, Canterbury meets Tokyo and Soft Machine meets Daimonji to create 60 minutes worth of improvised jazz, rock and prog fusion on this excellent release from Hux. As the bio says, this was recorded when Hopper and Dean had a day off while touring Japan with Soft Works in 2003. Hopper contacted Japanese underground legend Hoppy Kamiyama, who roped in fellow legend (and fellow member of Daimonji and Jun Togawa) Yoshida Tatsuya, and the whole thing was recorded in two 45 minute sessions with a short break in between.
The improvisational set up is an unusual one. Although the British musicians had played with each other for many years, as had the Japanese, the bassist and drummer had never met before, and neither had the keyboard player and the saxophonist, which created an interesting tension in both the rhythm section and between the melodic lead instruments. All four musicians play superbly, but most of the time it is Elton Dean's fast and furious blowing that takes the lead. Kamiyama plays a lot of piano and electric piano for most of the album, and especially on the first piece lays down some jazzy chords for Dean to work over.
When he switches to synths, as he does about 12 minutes into the first piece, it's highly effective and gives Dean a chance to catch his breath. Hopper and Yoshida gel into an efficient rhythm section, although Yoshida's drumming is a little heavy handed at times - as he's proved in his work with the Sakoto Fuji quartet, he's capable of adapting his style to the subtleties of acoustic jazz, but here he seems to be more in Ruins mode. This works to good effect in the second part, which opens with a sax/bass/drums trio that recalls the Zorn trio Painkiller (who Yoshida also plays with occasionally) but there are also times when a more delicate touch would have worked better. Towards the end of the second part there is a superb duet between Dean and Kamiyama on acoustic piano which is possibly the highlight of the album, although the standard is high throughout. The editing seems to have left the music intact, each piece only fading out when, presumably, the musicians lost the thread or things broke down, although it sounds like the opening of part 2 may have been cut as well. To come up with 60 minutes worth of music this good in 90 minutes is a testimony to the abilities of the musicians involved.
Although it's improvised, the music on Soft Mountain rarely degenerates into atonal squawking. The best comparison is perhaps Daimonji, who have a similar talent for spinning remarkably coherent music apparently out of thin air. Fans of the wilder side of Soft Machine and the Canterbury scene will enjoy this, as will afficianados of the Japanese underground. A fine album, and a fitting memorial to the brilliant Elton Dean.

:::Review by Syzygy:::

Soft Mountain - Soft Mountain (2007)

1. Soft Mountain Suite Pt. 1 (30:40)
2. Soft Mountain Suite Pt. 2 (27:55)

Credits
- Elton Dean / saxophone
- Hugh Hopper / bass
- Yoshida Tatsuya / drums
- Hoppy Kamiyama / keyboards

The first of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's three Atlantic albums (reissued on a Koch CD in 2000), this excellent set falls between hard bop and the avant-garde, often hinting at both. Hubbard's regular group of the time (with James Spaulding on alto and flute, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist Bob Cunningham, and drummer Otis Ray Appleton, plus guest conga player Ray Barretto) performs the debut version of his famous "Little Sunflower," an excellent remake of "Up Jumped Spring," and four lesser-known pieces. Hubbard and Spaulding made for an excellent team and there are plenty of exciting moments on this brief but potent set.

:::Review by Scott Yanow:::

Freddie Hubbard – Backlash (1966)

1. Backlash 4:10
2. The Return Of The Prodigal Son 5:37
3. Little Sunflower 7:50
4. On The Que-Tee 5:43
5. Up Jumped Spring 6:39
6. Echos Of Blue 9:44

Credits
Bass - Bob Cunningham
Drums - Otis Ray Appleton
Flute, Saxophone [Alto] - James Spaulding
Percussion - Ray Barretto (tracks: 1 to 3)
Piano - Albert Dailey
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Freddie Hubbard

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble are a gloriously creepy crawly mutant jazz combo, equal parts DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing, seventies horror movie soundtracks, late night jazz and super sluggish blown out trip hop.
To this day KDJE only released one full album wich is selftitled. They represent as a full on group, not one dude and his laptop, unfurling haunting imaginary soundtracks, dark and dense, smoky and noir, everything in rich lustrous shades of black and grey, shuffling jazzy skitter underpins melancholy moaning horns bathed in reverb, pizzicato strings and minor key guitars hover and dart furtively, a drizzly rainy day jazz dirge, so creepy and mysterious and lovely, and that’s just the first song. The rest of the record wanders similarly rainslicked streets, hat pulled down low, collar pulled way up, face obscured by shadows, the wet streets reflecting the orange grey glow of the streetlights, the buildings like totem poles of shadowy ghosts, the sky a blackish grey, turning the vibrant city into a lonely monochrome.

:::Review by othersidedmusic:::

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble (2006)

1. The Nothing Changes 4:54
2. Pearls For Swine 5:50
3. Adaptation Of The Koto Song 3:58
4. Lobby 6:56
5. Parallel Corners 3:34
6 . Rivers Of Congo 5:28
7. Solomon's Curse 3:20
8. Amygdhala 3:58
9. Guernican Perspectives 4:48
10. Vegas 6:09
11. March Of The Swine 19:59

Credits
Cello - Nina Hitz
Programming - Gideon Kiers
Programming, Bass, Guitar - Jason Kohnen
Trombone - Hilary Jeffries

Now try to imagine a combination of KING CRIMSON ("Beat-era") with Middle Eastern, Arabic and Indian music and you will not be far off describing the music of AZIGZA. This is total cerebral music complete with unique and killer ethnic percussion and ethereal strings . Musically this band combine a diverse set of world instruments with guitar, bass and electric violin. The end result is something you have definitely not heard before but am sure will simply love from start to finish. "Kriya" is essentially 6 ragas of instrumental beauty, each contrasting with an explosion of progressive rock and world genres and manage to explore unique ground in both texture and theme. For those looking for something very original, very professional and very tasty please pick this album up... amazing music.

:::Review by loserboy :::

Azigza – Kriya (2003)

1. Bembe - Ogun — 6:04
2. Bembe - Medicine — 3:02
3. Bembe - Wheel of Bembe — 4:57
4. Yaman — 9:32
5. Agadir - Orphans of Agadir — 3:28
6. Agadir - The Wall — 3:02
7. Agadir - The Reminder — 2:52
8. Amalgam — 5:31
9. A Bulgarian Suite — 7:40
10. Shiva Calling — 8:42
11. X — 12:46

Credits
Stephan Junca - djembe, djun-djun, ganza, gankoqui, drums, gong, chimes, udu, rainstick, def, tom, shakers, zils, spring drum, tar, Tibetan bells, congas, bongos, block, questionable antics, spontaneous tirade

Aryeh Frankfurter - 12-string electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric and acoustic violins, harp, flute, cello, viola, cittern

Kevin Evans - electric and acoustic guitars, soundscapes, slide guitar synth

Pierce McDowell - fretted and fretless bass, sitar, tamboura

with
Rasaki Aladokoun - talking drums, vocals

MC Rai - vocals

Sonja Draculich - vocals

Cyoakha Grace - vocals

Paulo Baldi - tablas, congas

Linton Hale - bansuri

How would like an hour to fool around, forget yourself and be guided by a myriad of humoristic sounds? You are bound to get entertained with this release. Its eclectic nature and funny parts, sounds and some noises will guarantee ~32 minutes of comic relief from your everyday life troubles. All in all, this is a wacky release which explores the amusing side of music and is also an experimental composition that goes for a stroll all around the block for musical ideas and structures while bringing in their own luggage.
Goofiness. They like to play around, be funny and humorous and at the same time carry on a serious message (look at their bio for background). Their way is maybe a different approach to seriousness?
"Bal pour rat Mort" is a very dynamic, and ever changing album that develops, changes main themes, explores and goes on and on in its search for new sounds, new avenues in which the music can develop. And all, it seems, with good sense of humour.
As we start off, already within one minute you get several styles of music - March, Tango, 60's movie soundtrack and plain oddities. If this is what you get in less than one minute, you can imagine what the whole track of more than 16 minutes delivers. The main instruments here are the sax, trumpets and accordion. They lead this "strange" interplay between styles and moods and lead from a cheerful music to a more wild one (you can imagine how a sax might do this) to a more relaxed tune and even to a formal sounding one as is heard right at the beginning with the march like part. Around the 4th minute we get a jazz-rock interlude with occasional violins and nice bass background and rhythms provided by the organ. Towards 6 minutes we get a more smooth sensation as we gear a more rock lead part with the guitar making its wah- wah appearance. But it is not long before we "deteriorate" back into the demented abyss in which the oddity takes over again and guides us through what appears at first listens as a maze, but once you listen to this enough times, you learn to appreciate the intricacies of composing such a piece and the how subtle are the changes from each style to the other between the different parts. I will not drag you with me in describing the various parts and changes portrayed here and will only conclude that the term boring does not apply here.
Most of the album is instrumental, and the instruments do the talking (mainly the sax and trumpets but the others get a fair representation as well). There are however songs, one of which with lyrics fitting the Komintern name and which are also funny.
While you might argue that it's not original, as they borrow from other sounds and simply put them in one song, I can say there's more to it than that. First of all, the merging is done very well in a way that does not only not sound forced, it actually sounds as if it is supposed to be that way. Second, there is more than just bringing several styles together. Yes, they borrow from several other genres, but they take what they feel needed and create a new sound using those ingredients and make up a special odd sound, since they add their own quirky style to it.
You might argue that this band wanted to include too much and did not focus enough on a particular style and path. But then you are ignoring that it is what they set out to do from the beginning, fuse several styles, merge between what you might not normally associate with one another. Create a new sound that is made up from the merging of sounds. If this notion sounds bad to you, then you should avoid this. If you like eclectic (both in general in an album and within one track), then you should try this one. Sadly finding this will prove to be a daunting task as it is only available in used vinyl record shops and sadly it has not been reissued.
This album should appeal to people who like what I refer to as the Samla Mammas Manna School (humouristic style with a general cheerful mood in the music.
There are more attributes, but those are the ones who appear in this album); fusion fans; people who like quirkiness and oddities fitting the avant-garde tag; and people who like a mélange of styles (that is done in a good way). 4 stars for a too short but with great content album.

:::Review by avestin:::

Komintern - Le Bal Du Rat Mort (1971)

1. Bal Pour Un Rat Vivant (16:28)
2. Le Bal du Rat Mort (16:57)

Credits
- Francis Lemonnier / saxophone, vocals
- Serge Catalano / drums, percussions
- Michel Musac / guitar
- Olivier Zdrzalik / bass, vocals, organ, piano
- Pascal Chassin / guitar

Guest musicians
- Raymond Katarzynski / trombone
- Pierre Thibaud / trumpet
- Fred Gérard / trumpet
- Joss Baselli / accordion
- Jeanne de Valène / vocals

Love it or hate it, trumpeter Eddie Gale's second Blue Note outing as a leader is one of the most adventurous recordings to come out of the 1960s. Black Rhythm Happening picks up where Ghetto Music left off, in that it takes the soul and free jazz elements of his debut and adds to them the sound of the church in all its guises -- from joyous call and response celebration on the title track (and album opener), to the mournful funeral sounds of "Song of Will," to the determined Afro-Latin-style chanting on "Mexico Thing" that brings the pre-Tommy Dorsey gospel to the revolutionary song style prevalent in Zapata's Mexico -- all thanks to the Eddie Gale Singers. Elsewhere, wild smatterings of hard and post-bop ("Ghetto Love Night") and angular modal music ("Ghetto Summertime," featuring Elvin Jones on drums and Joann Stevens-Gale on guitar), turn the jazz paradigm of the era inside out, simultaneously admitting everything in a coherent, wonderfully ambitious whole. There is no doubt that Archie Shepp listened to both Ghetto Music and Black Rhythm Happening before setting out to assemble his Attica Blues project. The album closes with "Look at Teyonda," a sprawling exercise in the deep melding of African and Latin folk musics with the folk-blues, flamenco, and jazz rhythms. Funky horns (courtesy of Gale, Russell Lyle, and Roland Alexander) moan toward Fulumi Prince's startlingly beautiful vocal. Stevens-Gale's guitar whispers the tune into the field before the saxophones and brass come to get it, and when they do, long open lines are offered slowly and deliberately, as Jones' shimmering ride cymbals triple-time the beat into something wholly Other. Black Rhythm Happening is a timeless, breathtaking recording, one that sounds as forward-thinking and militant in the 21st century as it did in 1969.

:::Review by Thom Jurek:::

Eddie Gale - Black Rhythm Happening (1969)

1. Black Rhythm Happening 2:57
2. The Gleeker 2:16
Written-by [Co-written], Guitar, Lead Vocals - Joann Gale Stevens
3. Song Of Will 3:08
4. Ghetto Love Night 5:30
5. Mexico Thing 5:08
6. Ghetto Summertime 3:13
7. It Must Be You 5:44
8. Look At Teyonda 9:31

Credits
Arranged By, Composed By, Conductor, Trumpet - Eddie Gale
Bass - Henry Pearson , Judah Samuel
Drums - Elvin Jones
Drums [African] - John Robinson (2)
Flute - Roland Alexander , Russell Lyle
Lead Vocals, Chorus Master - Fulumi Prince
Saxophone [Alto] - Jamie Lyons
Saxophone [Soprano] - Roland Alexander
Saxophone [Tenor] - Russell Lyle
Vocals - Carol Ann Robinson , Charles Davis  , Joann Gale Stevens , Paula Nadine Larkin , Sondra Walston , Sylvia Bibbs , William Norwood

"Shamal" is a GREAT Gong's album. The instruments are perfectly balanced to produce impressive jazzy progressive rock pieces. The omnipresent percussion (xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel and tubular bells) form magic, pleasant and charming melodies. The music is embellished by many flute, saxophone, violin and lead vocals parts. Steve Hillage provides some electric guitars on a few tracks. There are some good keyboards: piano, organ and moog.
The overall music sounds a bit like the complex and instrumental work of Frank Zappa with Ruth Underwood in the 70's. There is an impressive Canterburian wah-wah organ a la Caravan on "Chandra". "Bambooji" is very exotic, with its special flute, traditional string instrument and delicate percussions: with the desert wind at the end, it evokes the culture around the Sahara desert. "Cat in Clark's Shoes" has some Van Der Graaf Generator, Happy The Man and Darryl Way's Wolf influences. "Mandrake" is a beautiful instrumental piece made of charming and celestial percussions & flutes. The last track "Shamal" is more fusion oriented, sounding like a simplified Brand X of the 70's plus some urban & sustained sax notes: it contains quite less percussions. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

:::Review by greenback:::

Gong – Shamal (1976)

1. Wingful of Eyes (6:20)
2. Chandra (7:18)
3. Bambooji (5:13)
4. Cat in Clark's Shoes (7:43)
5. Mandrake (5:04)
6. Shamal (9:00)

Credits
- Mike Howlett / bass, vocals
- Didier 'Bloom' Malherbe / Tenor & Soprano saxophones, flutes, Bamboo flutes, Gongs
- Mireille Bauer / marimba, Glockenspiel, xylophone, assorted percussions & Gongs
- Pierre Moerlen / drums, vibraphone, Tubular Bells
- Patrice Lemoine / pianos, organ, Mini-Moog synth
- Steve Hillage / guitars ("Bambooji" & "Wingful of Eyes")
- Miquette Giraudy / vocals ("Bambooji")
- Sandy Colley / vocals ("Shamal")
- Jorge Pinchevesky / violin ("Cat in Clark's Shoes", "Bambooji", "Shamal", "Chandra")

This is a true classic. Composer/pianist George Russell gathered together a very versatile group of talents (trumpeter Don Ellis, trombonist Dave Baker, Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, bassist Steve Swallow, and drummer Joe Hunt) to explore three of his originals, "'Round Midnight" (which is given an extraordinary treatment by Dolphy), Miles Davis' "Nardis," and David Baker's "Honesty." The music is post-bop and although using ideas from avant-garde jazz, it does not fall into any simple category. The improvising is at a very high level and the frameworks (which include free and stop-time sections) really inspire the players. Highly recommended.

:::Review by Scott Yanow:::

George Russell Sextet - Ezz-thetics (1961)

1. Ezz-Thetic 8:57
2. Nardis 4:34
3. Lydiot 8:06
4. Thoughts 5:32
5. Honesty 9:00
6. 'Round Midnight 6:33

Credits
Arranged By - George Russell
Bass - Stephen Swallow
Clarinet [Bass] - Eric Dolphy (tracks: 2, 5)
Drums - Joe Hunt
Piano - George Russell
Saxophone [Alto] - Eric Dolphy
Trombone - Dave Baker
Trumpet - Don Ellis

Bossa 70 was the brainchild of Nilo Espinoza, a Peruvian musician with a Brazilian heart. Nilo, a classically trained musician, was the top flute player in Peru in 1960. In 1961 he was honored with a scholarship to Austria to study advance classes of his instrument as well as other kinds of wind instruments. He lived in Europe for five years. It was during that time that he developed a profound attraction for all forms of the jazz language.
When he returned to Peru, in 1966, Nilo approached the best musicians he could find to form a group to play jazz and Bossa-nova, the new music craze from Brazil.
Very soon they found out there were not too many followers for their preferred musical styles. The group decided to play popular dance music on a part time basis so everyone in the band could make a living. The band had Nilo Espinoza, on the tenor sax and flute, Alfredo Ginoccio, playing trumpet and slide trombone, Otto de Rojas, at the piano and organ, Enrique Suescum, on electric and acoustic bass and Tito Cruz on drums. They named the group Los Hilton's, because they got a gig as the house band on the best International Hotel in Lima, Peru, called "Hilton".
They had several singers during the time they played at the Hilton. This was their mayor weakness, since it was hard to find a singer that could feel comfortable singing jazz and Bossa-nova as well as popular music.
In 1967 they recorded an long-play under the name Los Hilton's, which became extremely rare, since the Peruvian record label printed only 200 copies. The tracks on the album are a compilation of original compositions with some popular songs, played in The Hilton' s style.
In 1968 the group got busy giving concerts of jazz and Bossa nova. They decided to changed their name to Bossa 70, to reflect the musical style they were going to offer, specially after their main singer was replaced by Carmen Rosa Basurco. Carmen Rosa was a beautiful black woman that could sing in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and, also, had an electrifying personality with good control of audiences.
As a mean to promote their new name the group recorded a mini-lp with four fantastic songs. 100 copies were pressed and giving as a prize during the concerts and to personal friends and family.
In 1970, to commemorate the anniversary of the band, they recorded a long-play for Phillips, represented by El Virrey in Peru. The label pressed 300 copies that were sold quickly. It contains the songs Berimbao, Me quedo con el Shing-a-ling, Get out of my way, etc... True Bossa-nova, Latin jazz and funk. It is worth to mention that Enrique "Pico" Ego Aguirre, leader of Los Shain' s and Pax, was the lead guitar player during this session.
In 1972 the members followed their own musical paths. Nilo Espinoza formed a new version of Bossa 70 and called it : Nil' s Jazz Ensemble. This band went to record the only jazz funk lp from Peru (MAG-LPN 2535).

:::Review by George Bonilla:::

Bossa 70 - Bossa 70 (1970)

1. Nubes
2. Get Out of My Way
3. Te quiero bien
4. Think
5. Nunca de olvidare
6. No sabes nada de mi
7. Me quedo con el shingaling
8. Otra vez
9. Birimbao
10. Cuelgalo bien alto

Credits
Nilo Espinosa (saxophone, flute, vocals),
Enrique Sescun (trumpet, trombone, vocals),
Carmen Rosa Basurco (vocals),
Otto De Rojas (keyboard),
Roberto Rafaeli (bass),
Tito Cruz (drums, percussion),
Enrique "Pico" Ego Aguirre (guitar),
Manuel Marañon (percussion),
Adolfo Bonariva (timbales, cowbell)

This stunning group from mid-Northern Quebec (the Chicoutimi region if I am not mistaken and therefore more likely to hang around Quebec than Montreal) is yet another one of relatively unknown groups that help Quebec's progressive rock revolution in the 70's. Mainly an instrumental jazz-rock group, but when actually using their vocal powers (both in scatting and in actual singing) , they actually reached peaks of beauty that makes you regret this quintet did not sing more. To describe Sloche's sound accurately, you would have to imagine a cross of Maneige's middle period with Opus-5's Contre-Courant album, but if you are not familiar with Quebec's scene, this will be tougher to describe, but this fusion of jazz rock, and classical influence is relatively unique and grabs you by your soft side no matter how thick your shell might be. These guys were incredibly tight-playing and were obviously well collaborating with each other as the songwriting is fairly well-shared (a track each except for drummer Chiasson giving space to bassist Hebert a second track) and the sound is still quite up to date some 30 years later.
From the first spacey ringings of the 9-min Pas Fin Du Monde to the last drop of Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses ("Shady" Herbal Soup ;-), every single second is pure heaven with opening track setting an incredible standard with its great scat-vocals (reminding a bit Wishbone Ash during the Argus album) and its middle section almost stopping as if the End Of The World had reached us without a proper warning, but it is a false alert and the tracks picks up in a funkier manner. Closing up the first side is the 11-min Kareme D'Eros and its lengthy piano intro (there are two KB players in the group), where the group shows us that they can be quite impressive in singing (not just scatting) with its text and harmonies being incredibly close to Ripaille's sole album, some Martin Circus or a much better Ange. If you can imagine a cross-over of jazz-rock with Yes, you might just be able to have an idea of how the track is closing.
The second side starts on the superb (but much shorter) title track, which is also sung, while the much funkier Algebrique (Gentle Giant meeting Mahavishnu Orchestra-sounding and penned by guitarist Bérard) is almost reaching discordance, but this track is almost too technical for its own good. Closing track Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses renews with the scatting harmonies as if to bring you back in full circle to the lead-off track. Another strong pleaser, one wishes this second side of the vinyl to be slightly longer to have developed some ideas a bit further.
While Sloche only recorded two albums, these guys excelled in their craft and were a typical example of what La Belle Province had to offer in the second part of the 70's. As equally superb (but vastly different at will also) as Maneige, Conventum or Opus-5, Sloche is one of those groups that must be investigate by every proghead, dead ort alive. Astounding and outstanding ;-)

:::Review by Sean Trane:::

Sloche - J'un Oeil (1975)

1. C'pas la fin du Monde (8:45)
2. Le Karême D'Eros (10:40)
3. J'un Oeil (4:41)
4. Algébrique (6:23)
5. Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses (7:05)

Credits
- Réjean Yacola / piano, vocals
- Martin Murray / organ, synthesizer, saxophone, vocals
- Caroll Bérard / guitar, vocals
- Pierre Hébert / bass, vocals
- Gilles Chiasson / drums, vocals

Led by guitarist Conny Veit, Gila is an ensemble that generated a great contribution to the krautrock scene back in the early 80s, before Veit shifted toward the ranks of Popol Vuh and Guru Guru. "Free Electric Sound" is Gila's debut release, and it certainly indicates quite clearly the reasons why this band is so important to krautrock lovers. The band's line of work is based on the confluence of psychedelic, mesmerizing jams (a-la Amon Düül II) and jazz-friendly nuances bearer of distinction (a-la Agitation Free). Indeed, there is room for expanded guitar soloing in exhibitions of robustness, but there is also a careful treatment of these visceral explorations within the confines of well-defined scheme. With sounds of wild wind and rain 'Aggression' gets started on a funky-jazz mode, displaying a psychedelic jam with heavily Hendrix-esque guitar and lysergic organ flows delivered by Scheyhing. With its 12+ minute timespan, 'Kommunciation' is the longest piece in the album. This track is stated on a slow tempo and a very noticeable jazzy vibe, which makes the band lean quite close to Agitation Free and early Embryo. The bass guitar flourishes incorporate a very interesting variety beyond the rhythmic function, while the drummer and keyboardist's labors cry out the "Ummagumma" influence. The last 90 seconds are filled with beautiful flute mellotron and slide guitar, which make a captivating epilogue. 'Kollaps' starts the album's second half, with a very languid mood that helps to state a mysterious, even creepy atmosphere. The sound of a baby crying suggests the notion of man's soul drowned in desolation and confusion among a dark environment. This piece sort of makes Gila close to post-"Phallus Dei" Amon Düül II. 'Kontakt' takes things to a very different dimension, one of candidness and serenity: the prevalent acoustic guitar sets a mixture of Eastern flavors and country airs, aimed at the exploration of our potential of mental piece. The weird noises at the beginning seem not to be a source of restlessness but a special preparation for contemplating attitudes. When the aforesaid jam shifts to an electric mode, it is the time for 'Kollektivität', which emphasizes the Eastern exoticism in both the guitar deliveries and the organ layers. The album's climax is brought up by the powerfully ethnic 'Individualität', a multi-percussive extravaganza focused on tribal frameworks in a very celebratory tone. The synthesizer adornments augment the exciting atmosphere quite effectively, creating a very interesting mixture of Osibisa, Ibliss and early Popol Vuh. Overall balance: "Free Electric Sound" is an excellent exposure of krautrock, a must in any good prog collection with spirations to become very good.

:::Review by Cesar Inca:::

Gila - Gila - Free Electric Sound (1971)

1. Aggression (4:33)
2. Kommunikation (12:47)
3. Kollaps (5:30)
4. Kontakt (4:30)
5. Kollektivitat (6:40)
6. Individualitat (3:36)

Credits
- Daniel Alluno / drums, bongos, tabla
- Fritz Scheyhing / organ, Mellotron, percussion, electronics
- Conny Veit / guitars, voice, tabla, electronics
- Walter Wiederkehr / bass

1978’s Lanquidity (now re-issued by Evidence) features a silver and purple cover image of Ra that begs the question: Has Sun Ra made a fusion album? This thought at first seems merely ridiculous, then after further consideration becomes a bit surreal, and then upon hearing becomes downright disturbing. As with any Ra project, a simple description such as “Ra does fusion” serves no justice in truly describing the actual music. Ra was a master at twisting known musical idioms into his idiosyncratic vision, and Lanquidity proves to be a stirring, mesmerizing example of this vision.
All of the tunes generally follow the same basic structure: the Arkestra riffs on dark, bluesy motifs; the bass and percussion create an interlocking, unchanging groove; and behind it all Ra, on piano and synthesizers, and the two guitarists (a rarely used instrument in Ra’s music), fill in the space with ethereal chords and disembodied riffs.
On the title track the Arkestra pieces together a creeping, mournful melody with shifting combinations of the two-trumpet and five-reed horn section. Against this, Ra plays wistful fragments on his Rhodes, while Richard Williams provides the glue with a sparse electric bass line. This funk-stuck-in-slow-motion points to an uncomfortable dread waiting below the surface.
The rhythm section opens “Twin Stars of Thence”, setting up a hypnotic, dragging pulse. Acoustic bass, guitar, traps and tympani lock in while Ra muses methodically on organ. The horns materialize out of nothingness and Gilmore weaves abstract blues lines into the mixture. A guitar solo, then the baritone saxophone takes a spare turn that lags behind the beat, while behind Ra incorporates lines from the guitarist’s solo into the background. Combined, these elements disorient and displace the listener. You feel as if this music should go down easy, but the candy coating turns out to be a sticky, unescapable molasses.
The Arkestra finally drags you where they want you on “There Are Other Worlds (they have not told you of)” A sleepy, barely noticeable hi-hat beats perpetually, soon joined by a low-register chorus of humming. Ra’s synthesizer and piano textures threaten to overtake the other instruments, pushing the piece toward disintegration. Towards the end the atmosphere ge s downright spooky, with breathy, whispering voices materializing, chanting the title over and over again. All the while flutes, then synthesizer, then dissonant piano chords, then saxophone swirl about, until they all dissipate like some phantom, leaving you wondering if what you just heard was really there at all.
On Lanquidity Ra turns the idea of disco and funk on its head: the repetitive beats, which usually make one feel like they know where the next step will land, instead leave one warily hanging on every moment. The music leads us in an unsettling direction, to a secret world where the lumbering grooves at first seduce with their simplicity, then intoxicate with their richness, until finally the darker sound textures overtake you and drop you in a place you had not imagined before.

:::Review by Matthew Wuethrich:::

Sun Ra - Lanquidity (1978)

1. Lanquidity 8:19
2. Where Pathways Meet 6:30
3. That's How I Feel 8:09
4. Twin Stars Of Thence 9:30
5. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of) 10:58

Credits
Bass - Richard Williams (4)
Bassoon, Flute, Oboe - James Jacson
Clarinet [Bass], Flute - Ego Omoe
Congas, Timpani - Artaukatune
Guitar - Dale Williams , Disco Kid
Percussion - Luqman Ali , Michael Anderson
Producer, Keyboards - Sun Ra
Saxophone [Alto], Oboe, Flute - Marshall Allen
Saxophone [Baritone] - Julian Pressley
Saxophone [Baritone], Flute - Danny Ray Thompson
Saxophone [Tenor] - John Gilmore
Trumpet - Eddie Gale
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Michael Ray
Voice [Ethnic Voices] - Edde Tahmahs , James Jacson , June Tyson , Sun Ra

Jannick Top, being the champion of discerning prog bass guitar, is a musician who suffers from applied superlatives - terms like "bulldozing", "tectonic" and infamously, "dinosaur-skinning" are often related to his trademark zeuhl low-end. However, listening to this collection of his own work it might be that, on the famous Magma classics he may have been a little restrained.
"Soleil d'Ork", despite being studded with guest musicians (and if you follow the french scene, you'll know their names) is All About Jannick(TM) and is naturally written with the Kobaian rhythm section in mind. Consequentially, the record is almost totally saturated with funky bass and matches pulse with the ever-beating wardrums of planet Ork. If you're familiar with Magma's "Udu Wudu" then you should be able to recognise this shared song form - those alien disco synth melodies twinned with those trolled vocals while those doomy bass patterns churn and coil across that military drumdropping and the slither of hissing hi-hat, together defining battle anthems that endlessly loop. I do hope you like this formula, because the Wahrgenuhr certainly does.
Luckily, the songs diverge a little; "Epicanthropus Erectus" is a dark cave-groove with curious fiddlings; "Utopia Viva" is a glorious celebration which tests funk positive; "La Musique des Spheres" (a title you might recognise) is a spooky field of spacy-gothic echodrum ambience that feels like the evil-ternative Jean-Michel Jarre as reprogrammed by the Borg. All these songs are very long and don't really deign to conclude in any meaningful way, suggesting, of course, that the people of Ork live a toroid lifespan where they can see through time in both directions - what need is there for an ending when the temptation is there to scry it directly and ruin the surprise? Much more sensible to live the groove eternal.
"Mekanik Machine" is really special and a total treat for Zeuhl-lovers, because THE CORE is present - by the forces of Vander, Top and Blasquiz combined, this becomes the album's true centrepiece, as well as a possible "lost" Magma song. However, although there's even a little electric piano during the pensive moments, thanks to Jannick's direction everything else is light on the jazz and choral fronts, so the tasteful light and shade is foregone, leaving the song to culminate in one big rumbling, shrieking, pounding explosion of classic zeuhl ridiculousness. Again, it doesn't really end so much as become gradually more haywire and frenetic, but that's practically the album's concept (even if I have to attribute it as such myself) and if you've ever wanted to hear Magma being as heavy as a ton of doom metal CDs, come hither.
The title track should be vaguely familiar, and I suspect it's the same piece of music filtered slightly differently. This is a slightly disappointing moment - I wanted to hear it trolled more, or at least distorted beyond recognisability. If anything, it serves as a reprieve between two titanic epics, because you've read the tracklist and you know what comes next...
The man may be more famous for guiding such musical luminaries as Johnny Halliday and Celine Dion slowly around the studio by the hand, but "De Futura" is his true calling card, right? Here it is in a much more peculiar form, bookended by gibbering demonic voices (or possibly cows on motorbikes) and a despondent kobaian monologue, and once we've entered zeuhlspace some of you might be disappointed, as the Orkish funeral march is propped up this time by that most accursed of man's creation - the drum machine. Still, I really think this punishing heartbeat of the future fits the tune well and adds an even more robotic element, and the lack of more subtle drum textures pronounces this version of the epic as "pure" as can be. You may disagree and crave the variety that Mr. Vander always brings; just think of Top's "De Futura" as the original recording reflected on an oil slick.
The final piece, "Glas", is a trek across the dunes of Ork towards a temple of the bells, complete with sand-laden wind bearing down your respirator and distorted, distant everythingness. I'll mention "Hyuponia" here in the hope that someone will understand the reference.
Frankly, you may have noticed by now that this album is perhaps not aimed at your classic moog-rocker, being mostly ambient or doomy for its entirety, and for this reason, I can't recommend it unreservedly. However, I'm giving it a full five stars because it is an essential element of any prog collection also featuring "Kohntarkosz" - if you like doom metal, funk, industrial or power electronics, then doubly so. I'd just like to say that this is my favourite record from another planet.

:::Review by laplace :::

Jannick Top - Soleil D'Ork (2001)

01. Epithecantropus Erectus (6:52)
02. Utopia Viva (6:53)
03. La Musique Des Spheres (8:29)
04. Mekanik Machine (9:24)
05. Soleil D'ork (6:19)
06. De Futura (22:47)
07. Glas (7:30)

Credits
- Jannick Top / Bass, Guitar, Drums
- Jean Schultes / Drums
- Doudou N'Diaye Rose / Percussions
- Dakar / Percussions
- Christian Vander / Drums
- Klaus Blasquiz / Vocals
- Brian Godding / Guitar
- Michel Graillier / Keyboards

"Based upon the diversity of music, quality of product and their extraordinary rate of progress, Pure Pleasure Records is our re-issue record company of the year."
- hi-fi+

Remastered, re-evaluated, this landmark 1976 recording by a who's-who of British jazz - including Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr (Nucleus), Tony Coe, Geoff Castle and Dave Macrae - reaffirms Neil Ardley as one of the most important innovators of British modern jazz.
This album became famous for its supremely original music but also for it's impeccable engineering by Martin Levan. On the original single LP, the sound quality had to be compromised to enable the inclusion of 27 minutes of music per side. Much of the bass and stereo effect was removed. Now as a double LP mastered from the original analog tapes, all of the "missing" bass and stereo effect is here for all to savor and enjoy. At the time of its original release in 1976, Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows received critical acclaim from a wide spectrum of the day's music critics. Here's a sampling of some reviews:

"This work is possibly the most significant piece of composition since - what? Sgt Pepper? Pet Sounds? Gil Evans' Miles Ahead? Tubular Bells? Its beauty and superb sense of structure will mark it out, in no uncertain terms as one of the great musical achievements of our age." - Karl Dallas, Melody Maker "The brisk alternation of moods and textures keeps the listener on the edge of his seat...stunning variety." - Dave Gelly, The Observer "It's made to be savoured, enjoyed and, maybe, thought about a bit: for within it lies a part of the musical future. Musically, it's superb." - Derek Jewell, The Sunday Times

:::Reviews from acousticsounds.com:::

Neil Ardley - Kaleidoscope of Rainbows (1976)

A1. Prologue
A2. Rainbow 1 (Saxophones, Flute - Stan Sulzmann)
A3. Rainbow 2
A4. Rainbow 3 (Soloist Paul Buckmaster)
A5. Rainbow 4
B1. Rainbow 5 (Soloist Tony Coe)
B2. Rainbow 6 (Electric Piano & Synthesizer - John Taylor)
B3. Rainbow 7 (Soloist Ken Shaw and Bob Bertles, Electric Piano & Synthesizer - John Taylor)
B4. Epilogue

Credits
Bass - Roger Sutton
Cello [Acoustic, Electric] - Paul Buckmaster
Conductor, Synthesizer - Neil Ardley
Drums - Roger Sellers
Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Dave MacRae (tracks: A1 to B1, B4) , Geoff Castle
Guitar - Ken Shaw
Percussion, Vibraphone - Trevor Tomkins
Saxophone [Alto, Soprano], Flute - Barbara Thompson (tracks: A1, A3 to B4) , Bob Bertles
Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano], Flute, Flute [Alto] - Brian Smith
Saxophone [Tenor], Clarinet, Clarinet [Bass] - Tony Coe
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Ian Carr

This is the tribute to dead of Polish President and others, who have been killed in a plane crash in Russia.

Germany's Bohren & der Club of Gore are a black metal fan's lounge jazz act. Or, for those driven by the more extreme side of noir-ish ambient material, these cats lay it out with musical instruments (and a Mellotron), painfully slow and muted tempos, and a relentlessly gloomy atmosphere worthy of the first Black Sabbath album.
Originally issued in 2002 on Wonder and now re-released by the great Ipecac label, Black Earth is, by the very nature of what it is, a classic. Black Earth is a wrenching, turtle-like crawl through the vast darkness of jazz balladry and unreservedly bleak nihilism. The song titles say it all: "Midnight Black Earth," "Crimson Ways," "Maximum Black," "Vigilante Crusade," "Grave Wisdom," "The Art of Coffins" -- you get the idea. All of that said, however, this music is infectiously delicious, darkly sensual, and the only tonic for a lonely brooding night. The quartet of drummer Thorsten Benning, saxophonist and pianist Christoph Closer, Mellotron operator, pianist, and Rhodes piano king Morten Gass, and double bassist Robin Rodenberg began life as a death metal hardcore act in the 1980s. Seeking a more original sound, they gradually gravitated to this incarnation of musical brilliance and mysterium organum. On most tracks, a shimmering Rhodes piano plays repetitive lines and chords and receives a deathly kiss from snares, cymbals, and the occasional bass drum before being adorned with the sparsest of Mellotron lines, paced with an excruciatingly tense groove by a low-tuned plucked or bowed double bass, and finally sung over with mournfully sensual tenor saxophone à la Ben Webster. The tunes are all long, drawn-out affairs, with aural images of abandoned streets and buildings on foggy nights, or steamy sewer grates inviting only the most desperate lovers and recreational killers and thieves out to roam through the blackness together. It's so delicious, so overwhelmingly intoxicating and sickly sweet that it suffocates the listener with the twin scents of sex and death. Indispensable macabre listening.

:::Review by Thom Jurek:::

Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - Black Earth (2002)

1. Midnight Black Earth 8:45
2. Crimson Ways 6:39
3. Maximum Black 7:38
4. Vigilante Crusade 7:30
5. Destroying Angels 7:10
6. Grave Wisdom 6:32
7. Constant Fear 6:27
8. Skeletal Remains 7:58
9. The Art of Coffins 12:04

Credits
Double Bass - Robin Rodenberg
Drums - Thorsten Benning
Mellotron, Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Engineer, Producer - Morten Gass
Mixed By - Bohren
Saxophone, Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes] - Christoph Clöser

By the time of this album's release Blue Effect was old history and just why this album mentioned Hladic above the rest of the group is a bit of a mystery to me, but the group's history is loaded with band's name changes, so one more or less. Anyway the previous two albums that had meddled free jazz and beat music (the Nova Synteza albums) were also history, and the group now developed a solid jazz-rock mixed with some symphonic moments ala Yes or Crucis, and everyone agrees is ME's best period, even if this was not their most adventurous works. Over the course of the next four albums (including this one), ME will simply astound by the quality of their music only approached by their Slovak friends, Fermatá. Recorded in 73 but only released in 75, the industrial artwork gracing the album is rather Stalinian, but is a good companion to the music.
The album starts wildly enough on a strong 10-min Boty track (which seems to be a rework of one of their Nova Synteza works) that seems to take on both Yes and Finch with a strong duel between Stivin's flute and Hladik's shinning guitar lines. Cajovna is a short mellower track where Hladik takes his guitar on melodic grounds ala Peter Green or Carlos Santana (but not being as singular as either), but ends just as we wished it would before becoming too clichéd. The following Skladanka is more axed towards Semelka's keyboards, Stivin's flute, but the explorative and sometimes funky bass of Kutska make this track his moment of glory on this album.
The flipside is much in the line of the its counterface, with Ztrary A Nalezy starting on acoustic guitar (as well as electric later on) taking us for a short ride before getting back to the acoustic theme as way of an outro. The aptly-titled 12-min+ Hypertenze, partly because of an affect that is to be heard on ELP's BSS track KE9, which this writer's blood to rise above reasonable levels. Otherwise the track is a killer with an excellent electric piano and godd sax solos trading wild licks with Hladic's guitars parts, the middle quiet passage being particularly fertile in erectility, which is not good for the listener's hypertension (didn't you know I wasn't leaving this review without making one of these ;o). Radimwas seen as bit as Clapton was in the late 60's' London scene, and this kind of album would do nothing to dispel the myth.
Two bonus tracks grace this excellent album, and they date from 73 (as the album did), and both are sung, which of course sticks out quite a bit with the instrumental album they are included with. While they don't hurt the album, the two tracks (the second being recorded live) have a harder edge and the very Italian-delivery of the very present vocals; making quite a contrast with the album original tracks. To those needing comparison, these two songs would fit better on Flamengo's sole album than on this one. Nevertheless the quality of these bonuses is good enough to keep the CD reissue album on an essential level.

:::Review by Sean Trane:::

Blue Effect - Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík (1974)

1. Boty (10:05)
2. Čajovna (4:05)
3. Skládanka (5:55)
4. Ztráty a nálezy (5:55)
5. Hypertenze (12:35)

Bonus tracks on 2000 CD re-issue:
6. Armageddon (6:22)
7. Clara (4:13)

Credits
- Radim Hladík / guitars
- Vlado Čech / drums
- Josef Kůstka / bass, vocals
- Lesek Semelka / piano, organ, vocals

Guest musicians
- Martin Kratochvil / piano
- Jiří Stivín / flute

Dance Of The Flames marked the end of an era for Guru Guru with the departure of highly experimental guitarist Ax Grenich. He was replaced by ex- Eiliff guitarist Persian born Houshang Nejadepour who injected eastern sensibilities into Guru Guru just as he did with Eiliff with whom he also played the sitar.
This Guru Guru LP was much more fluid and expressive than previous drugged out musical concoctions. At times this album can sound like a Mahavishnu Orchestra recording from 72-73 but without the violin and keyboards. On At The Juncture Between Light and Dark/God's Endless Love For Men this is very much in evidence but Nejadepours assimulations of eastern techniques are much softer than Mclaughlin's harder and raunchier interpretations. Day Of Timestop is an eye watering demonstration of Nejadepour's light speed electric guitar riffing which is nothing short of dazzling. Drummer Mani Neumaier who would study with master Indian drummer Paramashivam Pillai in the 1980's plays wonderful slashing drums throughout as well as other percussion instruments supported by solid bass work by Hans Hartman who's playing here is reminicient of John Wetton with the 73-74 incarnation of King Crimson. The only "trippy" track on the album is the deranged "Dagobert Duck's 100th Birthday" which also features quirky vocals by Neumaier. The Girl From Hirschorn is perhaps the least complex track but Nejadepour's emotive and dynamic soloing make this the closest Guru Guru ever came to playing a love song. The other tracks, Dance Of The Flames, Rallulli and Samba Das Rosas have latino tinges and are placed appropriately in the center of this well balanced album.
Although the Guru Guru line-up on this album didn't last more than one year, Dance Of The Flames is by far the most intricate and complex album of them all.

:::Review by Vibrationbaby :::

Guru Guru - Dance Of The Flames (1974)

1. Dagobert Duck's 100Th Birthday (7:39)
2. The Girl From Hirschhorn (8:33)
3. The Day of Timestop (5:22)
4. Dance of the Flames (3:28)
5. Samba das Rosas (4:05)
6. Rallulli (4:35)
7. At the Junkture of light and Dark (3:12)
8. God's Endless Love foe Men (7:24)

Credits
- Hans Hartmann / bass
- Houschang Nejadepour / guitar
- Mani Neumeier / drums, keyboards

Arguments abound as to when John Coltrane reached his creative zenith. There are listeners who look upon his Giant Steps period, documented through a string of recordings on the Altantic label as his most fertile period. Others with freer leanings point to his so-called Late Period as the source of the most musical promise and joy. There are even those who contend that his life ended before his artistic apogee was attained. Preferences run the gamut of his career but such factionary distinctions are ultimately immaterial in the larger scheme of his life's work. What is widely agreed upon is the accelerated pace of his musical search in later years; a quest that found him delving deep into the religious and the emanicipatory and unveiling a recorded legacy that stands as one of the finest in the history of Jazz. There were a host of precursors and influences that shaped Coltrane's sound, but his method and vision remained wholly his own.
As one of Coltrane's final recordings this duet session with Ali is one of his most essential and unique. Not only is it the grandfather of all extended saxophone/drums duets in jazz, but it also set the standard for all that came after. Coltrane had engaged in earlier duets with Elvin Jones (see "Vigil" on Kulu Se Mama ), but in Ali he found a drummer even more willing to abandon terrestrial rhythmic boundaries and set course for uncharted space. Across these duets the saxophonist is at his most visceral exuding an overpowering confidence tempered at times with sacrosanct tenderness. Ali's interlocking pan-rhythmic patterns envelop and embrace while fervently pushing the music forward.
The synergistic rapport between the two men is in gorgeous evidence from the onset of "Mars." A brief invocation of delicate bells and the two take off like a pair of comets trailing forth incandescently twined tails. "Venus," like the deity that is it's namesake, is a creature of absolute beauty built on a melodic phrase that mollifies the ears at the same time it galvanizes them. "Jupiter" turns the tables, bursting forth in a torrential sheet of densely packed phrases. Ali's traps carve out a brawny swathe of rhythmic energy and his muscular solo that initiates "Saturn" is similarly packed with barely contained ecstatic force. Rounding out the session are two bonus tracks, both of which were included on an earlier compact disc reissue, but not on the original LP. Setting this edition apart from earlier incarnations is the superb 24-bit remastering work and several false starts that preface "Mars" (presumably aimed at Trane aficionados who must have every scrap the master committed to tape).
Much free jazz today is accorded the additional appellation "energy music"—music so suffused with strength and vigor that it rejuvenates the listener through the transfer of aural victuals. If ever there were an archetypal example of "energy music" these duets between Trane and Ali are it. As if in unanimous testament to the power of these two players together piano and bass are never even remotely missed.

:::Review by Derek Taylor:::

John Coltrane - Interstellar Space (1967)

1. Mars 10:42
2. Leo 10:55
3. Venus 8:27
4. Jupiter Variation 6:45
5. Jupiter 5:22
6. Saturn 11:36

Credits
Drums - Rashied Ali
Saxophone [Tenor], Bells, Producer [Original Recordings], Written-by - John Coltrane

Hello Jazzlovers!

How are you been doing recently?

As for the next couple of months I have come up with an idea to post music in cycles.
I have borrowed their names from some of my favourite movies.
So you will be getting:

=|Forbidden Zone Monday|= - Hard-Bop / Modern Jazz / Mainstream Jazz

=|Tuesday Altered States |= - Zeuhl / Canterbury Scene

=|Taxidermia Wednesday|= -  Avant-Garde / Experimental / Free-Jazz

=|Holy Mountain Thursday|= - RIO / Krautrock

=|Friday eXistenZ|= - Jazz Rock / Fusion

=|Saturday Liquid Sky|= - World / Brasil / Latin Jazz / Afro-Beat / Acid Jazz / NuJazz

On Sunday I am chilling out. 

I will see U on jazzside!