ALLAN HOLDSWORTH & GORDON BECK: THE THINGS YOU SEE

The background: This is a recording of an artist in transition, between being the band member in the 70's (Tempest, Gong, Soft Machine, New Tony Williams Lifetime, Jean Luc Ponty group, Ian Carr's Nucleus) and being the band leader from the beginning of the 80's.

Beck and Holdsworth had worked with John Stevens in free jazz workshops, prior to being broadcasting on BBC Radio 3, (subsequently issued on 3 CDs under Stevens' name, by the German label Spalax). The work with Stevens and then as part of a Gordon Beck lead quartet on 'Sunbird' (which sounds occasionally like the early Return To Forever), and here in equal partnership with Gordon Beck, indicated Holdsworth was trying to escape temporarily from jazz rock and trying out jazz mainstream, (although Gary Husband informs me 'IOU' was recorded in 1979, only to sit in the can for a couple of years before independent release). The search for new paths for his music and his first discovery of the big record companies' lack of sympathy for the musical artist, would also soon show with apathy which greeted the legendary 'Sherwood Forest Tapes '(approximately 30 minutes of still unreleased, demos by Holdsworth, Jack Bruce and Jon Hiseman). During this period Holdsworth nearly gave up the music business but eventually decided to leave Europe to become resident in San Diego. In meanwhile Holdsworth's reputation moved through the music industry, getting the call from the likes of Billy Cobham - look out for (still I'm afraid in bootleg form only) the 1981 Montreux Jazz Festival recording with Cobham, Jack Bruce, Didier Lockwood, David Sancious and Holdsworth.

The album: Following the release of the Holdsworth compilation 'Against The Clock' at the beginning of 2005, I seriously examined the extensive number of Holdsworth recordings not included on that double set. With both this album and 'Sunbird', I heard something that I don't remember hearing the first time of listening (in 1980 - as import LPs bought in the famed Dobbell's jazz record shop in London's Charing Cross Road) . This is unusual Holdsworth: relaxed, experimenting (but he never stops), working with his long term friend, playing the violin on one track (and it isn't the obvious one), tending to concentrate on the acoustic guitar and singing one tune. This is mature jazz (not really fusion, no strident rock rhythms) but not typical of later Holdsworth jazz, even though there is the instantly identifiable style. I love his vocal 'At The Edge' (typical of Holdsworth to appear soon as part of the IOU repertoise, with fresh title and lyrics, oddly as 'Things You See......... When You Haven't Got Your Gun). Hey like Chet Baker, on the basis of this I would kill to hear Holdsworth do a complete album of vocals and give them an English sound- fat chance. This is an album that has grown significantly on me over 20 years. Allan Holdsworth's chill out album.

While it doesn't quite make the 4 star because of its jazz content - which could frighten some away - it well worth a 3.8, and most strongly recommended to Holdsworth fans.

Second Holdsworth's studio album (after very controversial debut) is his duet with his old collaborator jazz pianist Gordon Beck. Rare album, released on French label JMS Disques, contains elegant and very unusual music for regular Holdsworth fans.

Mostly acoustic duet (guitar, piano, plus some Holdsworth violin) plays jazz. Not many listeners heard Holdsworth playing acoustic. Relaxed mid tempo compositions, mostly post- bop or contemporary jazz. Holdsworth acoustic guitar sounds slightly similar to some McLaughlin acoustic jazz works. And Allan sings on one track - very attractive voice.

This album later was re-released with Gordon Beck's LP "Sunbird" as bonus on one CD. Very well balanced, pleasant guitar / piano jazz album, showing to listener the other side of great electric fusion guitarist.

Very recommended to all real Holdsworth fans, and for good acoustic guitar jazz lovers as well.

Kindred souls who first met through Ian Carr's Nucleus project gatherings (Belladonna) finally get a chance to collaborate.

1. "Golden Lakes" (4:45) both gents show a marvelous ability to express in gorgeous melodies--in tandem and separately--and then to return to them occasionally thus keeping the listener tethered to the song. And this is from piano and electrified acoustic guitar! (The main melody does, however, sound familiar.) (9/10)

2. "Stop Fiddlin'" (2:53) a song of bluesy piano-sounding electric piano. (8.5/10)

3. "The Things You See" (4:29) beautiful Fender Rhodes and electric guitar interplay that remind me of BOZ SCAGGS' "Harbor Lights." 50-seconds in we are spliced into a completely different track on which Gordon is playing acoustic piano in a kind of Chick Corea/George Gershwin style while Allan scurries around on an acoustic-sounding electric guitar. At 2:45 the music then splices back to the opening instrumental sound palette with someone playing a "fretless"-sounding bass line (methinks it Gordon's Fender Rhodes). I love these acoustic duets the most--wish they would stay away from the electric stuff (and stay away from the bluesy, N'orleans sounds and stylings). (9.33333/10)

4. "Diminished Responsability" (8:14) fast Chick Corea-Al Di Meola-like acoustic piano and acoustic guitar playing off one another à la the song "Romantic Warrior" if sped up and/or juxtaposed with something more classical in origin-- not unlike something that John McLaughlin would do were he paired up with pianist wife Katia Labèque while on his steel-stringed acoustic guitar. Allan's guitar sounds so Stanley Jordan like in his solo voce section whereas Gordon's piano sound and styling sounds like a very serious, classically-oriented Chick Corea. (13.375/15)

5. "She's Lookin', I'm Cookin'" (11:54) despite the continous "wandering" feel of this one--where the piano and acoustic guitar continuously feel as if they are feeling each other out, trying to figure out whether to dance or run--the beauty of this "get to know me" conversation is reminiscent of some of John McLaughlin's most tender "conversations" with other musicians (and himself). At the end of the fifth minute Gordon switches to electric piano kind of freeing Allan to explore his own inner ruminations and inspirations. Gordon gets to do some of the same with his right hand on the piano in the second half of the song--over the course of both of the main motifs employed by the songwriters. I just don't like it when Allan goes to warp speed or when Gordon moves into his blues-based chord and phrasings. Otherwise, this is a great, beautiful, enjoyable song. (23/25)

6. "At The Edge" (3:15) I specifically looked this one up because I saw that Allan sings on it. (I LOVED his voice and vocal stylings on the 1969 'Igginbottom album.) This one-man song reminds me of both 'Igginbottom's lone album and the softer parts of "Nevermore" and "Mental Medication" from the debut UK album. (9.25/10)

7. "Up Country" (4:15) almost some stride New Orleans-style piano. Allan plays more reactively than in a planned, composed fashion--though two separate tracks mirroring each other illustrates some rehearsal and planning pretty well. (8.75/10)

Total time 39:45

I have to admit that Allan Holdsworth's unique and sometimes abrasive melody choices become much more tolerable and even enjoyable and, believe it or not, soothing when delivered from an acoustic guitar. The electric guitar sound that he discovered in 1977 that became his "iconic" signature sound (until he discovered the SynthAxe and other guitar synthesizers) is well and good but sometimes setting him so far apart from the other instruments (and musicians) in a song that you really do feel as if the man is just a visitor from another planet or another dimension. The acoustic guitar humanizes him.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of more traditional acoustic blues and jazz duet play between two amazing virtuosos.