BRUFORD: THE BRUFORD TAPES

I agree with some of the previous reviewers of this album: the recording is not very good (being recorded for a Radio Broadcast) and some of the songs are faded out and not included in their real duration, but this album shows how good was this band playing in concert, and it was the first time that I heard Bill Bruford talking to an audience as leader of a band.

All the members of the band are very good, of course, but Bruford, and more particularly bassist Jeff Berlin do amazing things with their instruments in this album. Dave Stewart also shows creativity playing those "old" synths from the late seventies. Guitarist John Clarke`s playing is so good that the listener doesn`t miss Allan Holdsworth`s playing very much.

The cover design of this album looks more like a cover design for a "bootleg" than for an official live album, IMO.

Despite being a very good band, this band was going to split after recording another studio album, called "Gradually Going Tornado". In his official website, Bill Bruford described this in the "Timeline" section, saying that his then management company (E.G.) was giving more support in 1980-81 for a reunion of Bill Bruford with KING CRIMSON, a thing that finally happened.