RHESUS O

4.5 stars. RHESUS O were a Jazz/ Rock band from France and this is their sole release from 1971. I was reminded of SOFT MACHINE, MOVING GELATINE PLATES and NUCLEUS. They were a seven piece band with somewhat of a unique lineup as we have three bass players and often we hear two of them playing at the same time. One will be fuzzed out and the other normal although there is also double bass. And we get two keyboardists one playing electric piano and the other organ. Man this album has grown on me in a huge way as it has slowly revealed it's subtleties. Fancis Moze the former MAGMA member adds electric bass but also xylophone and guitar. Serge Lenoir plays electric bass as does Guy Pederson who also plays double bass. Another former MAGMA member Jean-Pol Asseline adds electric piano and harpsichord while Alain Hatot plays a variety of saxes plus flute. We have Alain Monier on organ and percussion and finally Thierry Blanchard playing drums.

"Cigue" opens with the organ floating along with bass, sax, cymbals and some filthy fuzzed out bass. Man this is so good! The sax over top and the drumming really impress here. I like how that organ floats almost non-stop throughout this track adding atmosphere. Some electric piano too and check out the harpsichord late. "Maldonne" might be my favourite as these guys drift into avant territory. Man this is experimental from the get-go with random drum patterns, discordant piano, dissonant sax and more, but it's all far out there man. This is dark and experimental but then the organ floats in before 1 1/2 minutes as it has become calm, but there's still strange goings on. I like the calm before 4 minutes as we get both male and female vocal melodies which seem to be Zeuhl influenced. Electric piano, sax, bass and floating organ eventually follow as it settles. It kicks back in around 5 1/2 minutes including some nasty bass lines. Great track!

"Crier Pour Donner" is led by sax, floating organ, bass and drums early on. I like when the electric piano comes in bringing NUCLEUS to mind as it speeds up briefly. These themes will be repeated. Some double bass too before 2 minutes then it settles right down 3 minutes in as electric piano, drums, double bass and bass lead the way. Love this stuff. Organ 4 minutes in then the sax returns. "Le Prophete Egare" is an uptempo track where the drums, xylophone, sax and bass standout. Guitar after a minute then a brief calm before it kicks in again with the guitar then sax leading.

"Preamble" is another favourite. Sax, bass and distorted bass lead as the drums support. Organ joins in replacing the sax briefly. Man the bass is nasty here. The sax lets it rip too and it's dissonant at times as the electric piano joins in. Some killer fuzzed out bass then a calm after 3 1/2 minutes with floating organ, bass and drums. Electric piano and sax before 5 minutes. Great section. It kicks in again around 5 1/2 minutes. "Eveil" opens with faint xylophone as the flute joins in then bass and cymbals. This is very pastoral. I'm reminded of NUCLEUS. A silent calm then fuzzed out bass and drums kick in along with xylophone and normal bass lines. The organ floats in then the tempo picks up as the sax starts to play over top. Nice. Love this stuff, so much going on.

"Outre-Tombe" opens with drums and the sax joins in. This is laid back as the organ floats in and electric piano helps out. This is so uplifting to me. Great sound 1 1/2 minutes in as it picks up more. The electric piano leads after 2 minutes then the sax returns late. "Parcours" opens with a throbbing bass line as some excellent electric piano joins in then organ and drums as it builds. Sax too as the pace picks up, oh and check out the distorted bass digging deep. They're grooving now. Killer stuff! Love that bass man. A calm 3 1/2 minutes in as the bass and electric piano continue like at the start of this amazing song. "Nos Baignoires Sont Enchantees" is the short closing number of less than a minute of xylophone, bass and percussion.

A must for fans of incredibly well played and innovative Jazz/Rock by some of the best players not only in France but in the World.