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I've read a few reviews bemoaning the breakup of the original Mahavishnu Orchestra line up. I think there is some consolation in the fact that the individual musicians went on to make some great music on their own. Like Children fine example. This is another one of Jan's great long lost albums. No disrespect to Jerry. He's an equal partner in this music. He seemed to have disappeared from the music scene after this one until he started making reasonably good new age music in the '80's. This album hasn't totally missing over the years. It did resurface in parts on the 1986 Jan Hammer compilation The Early Years.

I know there's a lot of early Maha fans who really need to check it out. If you've acquired the Lost Trident Sessions, you've already heard two songs here - Steppings Stones and I Wonder. The piano line on I Wonder reminds me a lot of Beethoven's Fur Elise. I think it's in the same key.

It's strictly a studio creation. Goodman and Hammer play all the instruments here. Hammer actually plays drums fairly decently. Goodman does some vocals. Also of note, Ken Scott provided engineering. He'd worked previously with the Orchestra and late with the Dixie Dregs.

As with Oh Yeah?, the vocal bits might put off hard core fans of the original MO, but this is really a must have item for your collection. I was fortunate to have found a used copy of the LP a few years back and have been enjoying this music for quite a while. Extra special thanks to Wounded Bird Records for releasing the CD and Mr. Hammer for remastering. No bonus tracks or remixing, unfortunately.

Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2006

4.5 stars. This was love at first listen. After MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA broke up Jan Hammer and Jerry Goodman got together and created this amazing album. I must admit I was shocked to find out it's just them two on this record. I had been listening all week and just assumed they brought in a drummer and guitarist to help out. Not ! Jerry can play guitar folks along with various strings and some vocals. Jan on the other hand is a very capable drummer, he really impressed me and of course he plays synths, piano and adds some vocals as well. I can't remember the album but I reviewed one a ways back that had Jan Hammer guesting on it but not on keyboards but percussion. Who knew ?! Anyway I love this album.

Those Jazz & Releated polls i've been doing are for fun but I also believed it would bring attention to some amazing albums. Well it has also (through people's recommendations on those polls) brought some new music into my life including this one, so thankyou everyone.

"Country And Eastern Music" kicks in hard quickly. How good is this ? Kicking ass and taking names that's how good. When the violin comes in the sound changes to more of a mellow vibe but then it kicks back in after 1 1/2 minutes. The vocals that come in are almost shouted. It settles again with violin 3 minutes in. It kicks in again ! Nice. A top three for me. Great song. "No Fear" is interesting with that somewhat haunting intro before the moog and sequencers go wild as they rip it up. "I Remember" sounds so good with the acoustic guitar and violin as it builds. Synths after a minute. This is melancholic and atmospheric. "Earth (Still Our Only Home)" is a funky little devil with the moog-bass and drums creating that groove. Distorted guitar and vocals join in. Nice guitar solo before 2 minutes that goes on and on. "Topeka" is a good upbeat tune as the guitar, violin and synths trade off lighting up the soundscape as the drums pound away.

"Stepping Tones" is another top three. Love this Laird composed track. Just a classic and this version is unbelievably good. Incredible ! "Night" is my final top three. This is dark as violin and moog-bass open the song. Synths replace the violin before 1 1/2 minutes but not for long. It kicks in just before 4 1/2 minutes and they are just killing it here. And check out the drum work. "Full Moon Boogie" has so much going on in this uptempo beginning. Vocals and guitar join in. The violin before 2 minutes starts to trade off with the synths. Cool. "Giving In Gently / I Wonder" has vocals from Jerry and a pleasant soundscape. A change 2 1/2 minutes in as the piano, drums then guitar create a powerful sound.

A must for not only MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA fans but J/R Fusion fans in general.