ATMOSPHERES (FEATURING CLIVE STEVENS AND FRIENDS)

4.5 stars. Clive Stevens is from Bristol, England, and it was while in America at Berklee College Of Music that he would meet Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. These three were in the same class! And this project called ATMOSPHERES was Clive's idea. He composed all the music here, while his brother Martin produced it. And of course this band features Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. These three musicians are the common denominator when it comes to the two ATMOSPHERES releases.

So basically a trio with the rhythm section and second guitarist being different on both albums. Ralph by the way plays keyboards and often processed through the ring modulator which sounds insane at times. So they did this one off session at Times Square in New York on February 5th, 1972. And guess who showed up? Well, the second guitarist is Steve Khan, and the rhythm section is Billy Cobham and Rick Laird. Yes those two! This is the only recording of the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA rhythm section playing together outside of that band. Crazy eh?

Oh, Harry Wilkinson adds percussion but it was added to the recording later on. Harry was on that "Barefoot Boy" masterpiece by Larry Coryell and some of those Eleventh House records. Some of the compositions here came from Clive's original band from London called CAPARIUS. Clive had this to say about the session for this album. "The raw power of the session was electric, beyond belief." Calling it a super session of the highest level. I should mention too that Clive uses pedals when playing sax much of the time. This album is just so adventerous.

We get six tracks worth 40 minutes starting with "Earth Spirit". This one gets pretty wild 2 minutes in, and how about the sax after 3 1/2 minutes. "Nova '72" is the car right? I hope. An amazing looking vehicle. Or is this some space thing? Anyway this one is a little more restrained when compared to the opener, but not when that dissonant sax kicks in at around 3 1/2 minutes. Cobham is in fine form here, I mean always. "Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" starts off with Laird strutting his stuff. And he has plenty of stuff. Electric piano and sax kick in quickly. Then some Elton Dean-like soprano sax soloing adventerously. This is bordering on avant jazz after 4 minute.

"Astral Dreams" is the longest piece at 9 1/2 minutes and that guitar from Abercrombie after 5 minutes is impressive. Electric piano will then lead followed by sax. "All Day Next Week" is different sounding more traditional and we also get some flute later on. "The Parameters Of Saturn" is the closer and the most experimental track on here. Come on! I'm just surprised at this being the closer. Like free jazz but actually good. A free for all!

I'm bumping this one up. This is just too good, in all areas as well. And what a lineup! MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA by the way formed the year before this album was recorded, releasing their debut then as well. Cobham and Laird are on fire here.

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