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VOLKER KRIEGEL

Jazz Rock/Fusion • Germany


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Volker Kriegel biography
VOLKER KRIEGEL is one of Europe's pioneering Fusion guitarists. During the sixties, he left his study of sociology and started his music career instead. In 1968 Kriegel started playing with American vibraphonist Dave Pike and started his first jazz fusion group, THE MILD MANIAC ORCHESTRA.

In 1971 he released his debut, "Spectrum", which is considered his finest effort and was a milestone in European fusion. Later he played guitar on two studio albums by the electric violinist Don "Sugar Cane" Harris, "Keep On Driving" in 1970 and "Sugar Cane's Got The Blues" in 1971. In 1972 he released hid second solo album "Inside: Missing Link".

Two years later he founded United Jazz and Rock Ensemble, as well as releasing several quality solo albums, including "Lift" and "Journal". The United Jazz & Rock Ensemble united many of Europe's excellent musicians, including Kriegel on guitar, providing most of the rock sound. He played with the band throughout their 2002 farewell tour and died of cancer in 2003.

Aside from his music career, Kriegel was a writer/illustrator. Some of his best known works include "Der Rock 'n' Roll König" ("The Rock 'n' Roll King") and "Olaf der Elch" ("Olaf the Moose").

Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com :
Volker Kriegel is one of the finest jazz rock guitarists to come out of Europe and fairly labeled "father of jazz-rock" by some. Recommended to all Fusion enthusiasts.

Discography:
Solo:
SPECTRUM (1971)
INSIDE: MISSING LINK (1972)
LIFT! (1973)
MILD MANIAC (1974)
TOPICAL HARVEST (1975)
JOURNAL (1981)
ZOOM (compilation) (1999)

Volker Kriegel and Mild Maniac Orchestra:
VOLKER KRIEGEL & MILD MANIAC ORCHESTRA: ELASTIC MENU (1977)
VOLKER KRIEGEL & MILD MANIAC ORCHESTRA: LIVE IN BAYERN (1980)

With Don "Sugar Cane" Harris:
KEEP ON DRIVING (1970)
SUGAR CANE'S GOT THE BLUES (1971)

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VOLKER KRIEGEL discography


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VOLKER KRIEGEL top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 4 ratings
Keep on Driving (with Don "Sugar Cane" Harris)
1970
4.39 | 13 ratings
Spectrum
1971
4.46 | 18 ratings
Inside: Missing Link
1972
4.29 | 16 ratings
Lift!
1973
3.17 | 5 ratings
Mild Maniac
1974
4.00 | 7 ratings
Topical Harvest
1976
4.00 | 5 ratings
Octember Variations
1976
3.00 | 3 ratings
Volker Kriegel And Mild Maniac Orchestra: Elastic Menu
1978
4.00 | 2 ratings
Long Distance
1979
3.00 | 2 ratings
Journal
1981
3.09 | 4 ratings
Zoom
1999

VOLKER KRIEGEL Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.06 | 6 ratings
Sugar Cane´s Got The Blues (with Don "Sugar Cane" Harris)
1971
3.00 | 1 ratings
Volker Kriegel And Mild Maniac Orchestra: Live In Bayern
1981

VOLKER KRIEGEL Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

VOLKER KRIEGEL Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

VOLKER KRIEGEL Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

VOLKER KRIEGEL Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Lift! by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1973
4.29 | 16 ratings

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Lift!
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars Recorded in March of 1973 (5th through 10th) and then released in June by MPS (advertised as "Most Perfect Sound" but actually an acronym for "Musik Produktion Schwarzwald" [due to its location in Villingen], Germany's premier producer of jazz music--comparable to the USA's Blue Note label). Despite band leader and chief composer Volker Kriegel's name atop the marquee, the album turns out to be a collaborative effort between an international lineup of superstars, with representatives from the UK, Poland, and Germany.

1. "Lift!" (6:54) a mellow song to open the album leaves me curious about Volker's intentions here in 1973. There are some elements of this countrified song that feel inspired by some of the other softer Jazz-Rock Fusion masterpieces already floating around in the Jazz-Rock Fusion world--most specifically those of Chris Hinze and Michal Urbaniak. Nice melody expressed by Zbigniew Seifert at the end of the second minute before giving way to Volker's acoustic guitar solo. There is also a spirit of American jam band in this song--like something from the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers, even the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, but mostly Michal Urbaniak (minus Ula's vocalese). The band speeds up the tempo for the closing as the song is faded out as if through a building's air ventilation pipe system. (13.25/15)

2. "Three Or Two In One" (6:07) bearing some melodic similarities to some of the smoother songs of the early J-R F masterpieces: like Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Michal Urbaniak, Caravan, and Hatfield and The North, the stripped down and laid back conga foundation and Eberhard Weber bass play give this a quite accessible feel despite its harmonic and chordal intricacies and jazzy electric guitar and electric piano performances. John Taylor's electric piano performance is akin to something Herbie or Chick might accomplish at this stage of their development (and sound palette explorations) and Zbigniew and Stan Seifert's play also definitely put them into the jazz department despite the easy listening friendliness of this music. (8.875/10)

3. "Forty Colours" (3:26) the first of three compositions attributed to Eberhard Weber (who plays a beautiful bowed cello as well as the electric bass on this), it opens with Volker's acoustic guitar and Zbigniew Siefert performing a plaintive melody together over John Taylor's soothing electric piano and John Marshall's delicate cymbal work. Volker is quite impressive with his speed runs on the acoustic as I hear a lot of similarities to songs by Michal Urbaniak and Jean-Luc Ponty. (9/10)

4. "A Piece With A Chord From A Yorkshire Terrier" (6:05) a cookin' if slightly mellow instrumental palette definitely qualifies as ramped up post bop with Eberhard's jazz virtuosic double bass play, John Marshall's solid drumming and John Taylor's space-filling electric piano work. Volker is really bringing it with those speedy blues runs in the first half with Stan Sulzman's sax and Zbigniew's violin providing main melody check ins every so often, and then Eberhard's amazing bass solo in the second half. What a great Jazz-Rock Fusion piece! (9/10)

5. "Electric Blue" (8:55) Eberhard's second song contribution makes me wonder, Which came first: this album and song or Italian band AREA's Arbeit Macht Frei? (The latter didn't come out until September--which means the Volker & Company's influences had to come from another funky source--perhaps Michal Urbaniak.) The best, funkiest, hardest rocking, most Power Jazz-Rock Fusion song on the album. Everybody is giving their absolute all to this one--especially Eberhard, John, and Stan. Great jazz musicianship! (19/20)

6. "The Lame Donkey" (2:40) the final composition credited to Volker's bassist, this is pretty much a little comfort piece involving bass guitar, gentle piano chords, and acoustic guitar playing beneath a repeating melody coming from what sounds like a synthesizer (which is uncredited but probably coming from John Taylor's right hand). (It turns out it's Eberhard playing an ocarina through some kind of reverb effect.) Volker's acoustic guitar lead work is rather sublime: so smooth and fluid. (9.125/10)

7. "Between The Seasons" (4:38) back to the gentle side of song construction with a palette of instrumental sounds that could easily spawn a BOB JAMES or Smooth Jazz album. Nice, enjoyable, if surprisingly easy and rather simplistic. (8.875/10)

8. "Blue Titmouse" (3:55) exploiting a couple of very 1960s pop rhythm tracks (think The Mamas & The Papas and The Carpenters), here everybody gets to lay it out like an instrumental practice for a Motown or soft R&B hit, especially Stan, Zbigniew, Eberhard, and Volker. Volker's Motown-like rhythm guitar is impressive for fitting this type of song in a "Shaft" and Junior Walker & The All-Stars kind of way. Eberhard can play some great Soul/R&B bass, Volker some cool, melodic and unobtrusive lead guitar. If John Marshall's drums were recorded better I might also enjoy his input. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 42:40

It turns out that this collection of songs is far more collaborative than some of Volker's more dynamic guitar-centric albums (thus the addition of the "and Friends" in the title--as noted on the album's own liner notes) which makes for some interesting, more spread out and "full" music palettes and outcomes.

A-/five stars; an excellent if slightly mellow minor masterpiece of gorgeous Jazz-Rock Fusion collaborative work. I love the way the spotlight is shared and how the quality and accessibility of the overall song is the top priority of each song outcome.

 Spectrum by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1971
4.39 | 13 ratings

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Spectrum
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars 27-year old guitarist Volker Kriegel had proved himself in the crossover band, The Dave Pike Set, and had even experimented with the creation of an album with his name on the headline (with jazz veteran and virtuoso violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris), now it was time to take his considerable ideas, composition and guitar skills to the next level: as a band leader of his own band. Two of the members of this album's lineup of musicians would stay with Volker for the next few albums, keyboardist John Taylor having helped launched the guitarist's solo career on the Sugarcane Harris collaboration.

1. "Zoom" (7:00) congas, sitar, bass, drum kit, bluesy flourishes from an electric piano, and multiple guitar tracks all enter, one at a time, merging into a Herbie Hancock-like synthesis with some great lead guitar, sitar, and electric piano soloing along with some very fine sound recording (with great definition given to each and every instrument in the mix). A very enjoyable J-R Fusion jam song. (13.75/15)

2. "So Long, For Now" (3:55) definitely an offering that sounds like (and may have inspired) Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Blue Collar": great jazz guitar with perfect accompaniment from Peter Trunk's double bass play, John Taylor's electric piano. Peter Baumeister's drumming sounds a little stiff, like rudimentary jazz drumming 101 run through for the first time. (And it's mixed a little too loudly in the right side of center, sometimes distracting me from hearing/enjoying the other instruments--all of whom are much better, much more interesting than his.) Volker's play, crossing several stylistic lines within the course of the song with ease, even exuding confidence, is wonderful. (8.875/10)

3. "More About D" (9:14) a song that opens full of latencies and potentialities--much like a Joni Mitchell or Eberhard Weber song! Once the full band links up and launches into the meat of the song, there is some Return to Forever-like chords and Larry Coryell-like wildness as Peter Trunk, Cees See, and Peter Baumeister hold down a fairly-constantly moving rhythm track over which Volker solos in his jazz guitar with some of the freedom and reckless abandon that Larry, Sonny Sharrock, or Chris Spedding were doing about the same time. In the fifth minute everybody lets loose-- lets go of time and structure for a bit of joyful chaos--but then they come back to support John Taylor's electric piano solo much in the same syncopated herky-jerky forward-moving way they did Volker in the first verse. This is a fairly good keyboard solo as far as keyboard solos go, but it is highlighted by the percussion--and-psychedelic guitar supported bass solo that follows. Peter Trunk impresses! The closing is satisfying for its psychedelic folk extension beyond the standard jazz close. Great tune! Very creative and adventurous. (18.75/20)

4. "Suspicious Child, Growing Up" (4:00) this one sounds like something straight out of The Haight, 1966 or 1967. Multiple tracks used by Volker for his acoustic and electric guitars while minimal electric piano, percussion, bass, and drums support him. I love how well Volker plays off of his own alternate tracks: making it seem and feel as if he's dueting/duelling with someone else sitting next to him in the same studio in Austin, Texas. A very cool, enjoyable song--and I'm not even a fan of this type of music! (9/10)

5. "Instant Judgement" (3:45) Volker's distorted guitars are played over this Rockabilly-like tune with considerable aggression and psychedelic effect. Not necessarily a great or memorable song but certainly representative of the day-- where sound experimentation was all part of the game and almost de rigueur. How is that drummer Peter Baumeister can impress on this and feel so weak on "So Long, For Now"? (8.75/10)

6. "Ach Kina" (5:14) gently performed solo jazz electric guitar opens this before Volker launches into the real melody-- one that is quite emotional and melancholy (but played very effectively to convey these "sad" emotions). Support comes from a jazz trio of bass, brushed drums, and second guitar playing rhythm chords. Very nice! And at times achingly heart-wrenching (especially in the fourth minute when Cees See's congas join in and Volker starts to take turns soloing between both of his two guitars). (9.25/10)

7. "Strings Revisited" (7:20) this one sounds like a thinned out, scaled down song from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew: dreamy, floating Fender Rhodes, percussion front and center, independent and adventurous double bass play, and, of course, electric guitar. As a matter of fact, also like Miles' revolutionary record, John Taylor's Fender Rhodes play takes on quite the same sound and mystique as those of Chick, Joe, and Herbie (though, of the three, perhaps more the latter). Volker's jazz guitar stylings, however, sound far more akin to those of Geroge Benson than Johnny Mac. Drummer Peter Baumeister is, unfortunately, nowhere in the same league as the Bitches Brew drummers. (13.375/15)

Total Time: 40:28

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early and experimental Jazz-Rock Fusion--perhaps even beyond the early ventures of Bitches Brew participants Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea! (But not John McLaughlin.)

 Inside: Missing Link by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1972
4.46 | 18 ratings

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Inside: Missing Link
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars The sophomore album release by the German guitar genius. All tracks are Volker Kriegel compositions except where noted.

1. "Slums on Wheels" (13:24) John Marshall is a beast on the drums from the get go on this J-RF rocker. Guitarist and band leader Volker Kriegel uses a DANNY KORTCHMAR "It's Too Late, Baby" style acoustic guitar solo in the Alan Skidmore's soprano sax play in the second movement is so dynamic and exciting! And let's not forget the extraordinary drum playing of Nucleus' own John Marshall! Eberhard Weber's bass play is fairly standard until the seventh minute when the band clears out and he's given solo time--then you know this is the one and only Eberhard Weber--two minutes he's given before the band slowly re- matriculates. The section that follows the bass solo is a bit odd--feeling meandering and out of place, and then Heinz Sauer's saxophone solo feels like it goes nowhere and never gels with the rest of the band, but at 12:15 there's a bit of a restart that helps the band to get back on track for the final minute. A truly remarkable multi-part song (or suite)! (28/30)

2. "The "E" Again" (6:36) tediously repetitious rhythm track over which everybody seems to get a turn to solo (except the bass and drummer). The loose, laid-back feeling coming from all of the song's performers is kind of cool, but then, after six minutes it proves to be overdone. (8.70/10)

3. "Zanzibar" (10:22) penned by Edu Lobo, this is a very catchy, melodic song that feels as if it's led by the big band-like horns. Great jazz funk bass play (in a style that I've never heard before from Eberhard) leads in over John Marshall's solid drumming over which Volker, then, takes the first extended solo on his jazz guitar. It's very GEROGE BENSON and Wes MONTGOMERY-like. From the 3:00 mark two tenor saxophones trade off the next solos. Again, these guys are very engaging and compelling (which is exceedingly rare for me: I am not nor have I ever been a fan of the saxophone). The grooving JAMES BROWN-like high-energy R&B jazz-rock fusion is so infectious! Amazing performances top to bottom! (19/20)

4. "Missing Link" (12:03) some wild and crazy sounds being emitted here from all the band members but I ultimately reject this song for its overly-repeated foundation and 1960s-sounding guitar solo. Great, creative performances on top, but way too simplistic and repetitive--even in the suite's different motifs. (21.75/25)

5. "Für Hector" (5:45) another hard-drivin' song based on a fairly rudimentary JAME BROWN-like rhythm track (and "Shaft"-like introductory hi-hat play) that somehow inspires stellar performances from all soloists as well as the rhythm-makers. It's like they're pretending to be the JBs only at 45rpm speed instead of 33! Has there ever been a rhythm section as tight as these guys? Eberhard Weber and John Marshall are extraordinary! (9.25/10)

6. "Remis" (4:26) a more Latin-based song that feels as if it came out of the Latin/Caribbean-crazed 1960s: 1960s hippie game show music! But so tightly performed! Very smooth, fluid jazz guitar play over acoustic rhythm section (and electric piano). (9/10)

7. "Tarang" (10:00) a composition credited to Eberhard Weber, it opens up sounding like something from the Far East (not quite Indian, perhaps SouthEast Asian). The sound palette is very cool; not what one would expect on an album that presented those first six very Western songs. It's not until the second half of the third minute that we begin to hear any instruments familiar to the Western ear: double bass, drums, acoustic guitar, and electric piano. The sixth and seventh minutes present a long nearly-alone Eberhard Weber solo with clay hand drums before Fender Rhodes and drums start to reinforce both the pace and the harmonic structure. Interesting and definitely engaging despite a kind of lack of melody and harmony. I like it! (17.75/20)

8. "Lastic Plemon" (5:21) another rampant-flowing R&B-based song in the James Brown tradition that flies along with everyone playing their 1960s parts. Well-orchestrated impeccably-performed song that never really grabs me. (8.875/10)

9. "Janellas Abertas" (4:09) a short little four-part Caetano Veloso composition with double bass and symphonic percussion beneath Volker's extraordinary Spanish-style nylon-string acoustic guitar play. John Taylor also gets some time in the spotlight with his electric piano in the third movement, but everything returns to Volker's lap for the final beautiful section. (8.875/10)

10. "Plonk Whenever" (4:06) another song that sends the musicians off to the races from the very start, arranged in some very complex "old jazz" forms and streams, sounding a lot like pre- or proto-Fusion Herbie, Wayne, Miles, Johnny Mac, and Tony. (8.875/10)

11. "Definitely Suspicious" (5:55) acoustic guitar and gang come up with a rock/pop like construct with a bit of Latin and psych flavor over which Volker's simple rock/psychedelic electric and acoustic guitars take turns soloing for the first three minutes. The styles seem to move fairly cleanly between rock, psych-rock, and blues-rock. Fender Rhodes solo from John Taylor in the fourth minute before we return to Eberhard excels in a Danny Thompson kind of way while this song makes it clear that John Marshall is really meant to be a Jazz-Rock Fusion guitarist (not pop or jazz). Catchy enough melodies that I could see this getting some radio air time (back in the day). (9/10)

12. "Finale" (0:10) Volker's cartoonish finish.

Total Time: 81:77

A much more jazz- and jazz-rock representative. The question is: How much of this album's superlatives are due to the guitarist, composer, and band leader and how much to the amazing all-star lineup he's enlisted in support? I mean, these collaborators keep performing at such a high level throughout the album (despite some weaker song foundations) that it's hard not to credit them, but could it also be the band leader's brilliant instruction and inspiring example motivating these amazing performances? Also, I must mention and commend the great sound the engineers and producers got out of this album. Also, I'm very much appreciative for this opportunity of seeing/hearing bass virtuoso Eberhard Weber in a far different light than anything I'd ever heard from him.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of eclectic jazz, R&B, and Jazz-Rock Fusion pieces from a band of multiple virtuosi.

 Lift! by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1973
4.29 | 16 ratings

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Lift!
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Intorikata

4 stars An intersection of two luminous lines! This is the album where I truly discovered Eberhard Weber, through his composition "Forty Colours," one of the high points of this album.

Eberhard and Volker played together for a bit under the aegis of Volker's Spectrum, but it was not to last - Eberhard needed the freedom to showcase his bass as a front line instrument and left after the following album. To my (admittedly unsophisticated) ears, however, no tension or awkwardness shows.

To put it as simply as possible, this is a joyful jazz-funk excursion. Highly polished production, some jazz fiddle action, some inspired compositions...put this on your turntable if you're lucky or at least your bluetooth speakers and you WILL be hipper than your respective "thou." Full of energy and fun, even at its saddest ("The Lame Donkey"), I feel like it's almost too good for its era. And it limbos under the "prog" line for its rock touches and experimental nature. But even at its most experimental ("Electric Blue") it remains accessible and, at its most dated ("Electric Blue" again!) it still manages to reach past its "time" and not FEEL dated, just listenable. For me, "Between the Seasons", "Forty Colours," and "Blue Titmouse" are the standouts, but there's no track on this one that makes my thumb head for the "skip" button.

Fusion is a dirty word sometimes, but this album is a good kind of dirty.

Worth a listen, and another and another and....

 Sugar Cane´s Got The Blues (with Don Live, 1971
4.06 | 6 ratings

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Sugar Cane´s Got The Blues (with Don "Sugar Cane" Harris)
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Roxanne

4 stars I like Volker Kriegel a lot but this is not one of his albums - he plays on 3 tracks and his contributions are essential while Terje Rypdal plays on track 3 - but he is not the leader here.

The album must be credited to Don Sugarcane Harris one of the musicians to introduce the violin (amplified) as a rock and blues instrument as a sideman to Johnny Otis (he gave him his nickname), Frank Zappa (Hot Rats) and John Mayall (USA Union) .

The recordings were made during the 1971 Violin Summit at Berlin, Germany - the same event also spawned a second LP named "New Violin Summit" released in 1972, where Harris meets Jean-Luc Ponty, Wolfgang Dauner, Terje Rypdal (again), Robert Wyatt (again) and some others.

Harris was primarily a blues artist who broke down all barriers (like many others at the time) and ventured into jazz fusion, progressive rock and even soul on later albums. On the 1972 album "Fiddler on the Rock" he was accompanied by Harvey Mandel, Larry Taylor and Paul Lagos (Canned Heat, John Mayall). Most of his albums were recorded for MPS in Germany and produced by Joachim-Ernst Berendt. His career was a short outburst (yes, those drugs) between 1969 and 1974 but whatever he recorded in that period is worth searching for.

 Lift! by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1973
4.29 | 16 ratings

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Lift!
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars 4.5 stars. This is my favourite Volker Kriegel album and it was released in 1973. In a nutshell what we get is prominant bass along with John Marshall doing his thing on the drums while sax, violin, guitar and electric piano take turns leading and also filling out the sound.This is a fantastic album !

"Lift !" is such a beautiful track with the soprano sax leading early then it picks up before the violin leads before 2 minutes.The guitar with prominant bass comes in as it settles.The violin is back 3 minutes in then the sax leads again.Violin leads one more time as the tempo speeds up at the 6 minute mark.

"Three Or Two In One" features electric piano, sax, drums and more leading the way. I love this stuff. It's laid back and we get some guitar before 2 minutes leading then the violin with bass, electric piano and cymbals stand out.The sax then replaces the violin. Incredible track !

"Forty Colours" is a slow moving track with the violin leading followed by intricate guitar.

"A Piece With A Chord From A Yorkshire Terrier" is my favourite. I like the electric piano early but it's the electric guitar that starts to solo as the bass and intricate drumming help out that blows me away. Sax replaces the guitar 3 minutes in and the electric piano is prominant too. It settles back before 4 1/2 minutes with the bass leading. Cool !

"Electric Blue" is uptempo and violin led to start.The violin is shredding 2 1/2 minutes in. Sax leads 6 1/2 minutes in as the bass, drums and electric piano also standout. Nice. Big finish on this one.

"The Lame Donkey" is a laid back and intricate guitar led track with flute. "Between The Seasons" has a relaxed sound early then the electric piano leads after a minute and the bass stands out too.Violin 2 1/2 minutes in then the guitar returns.Violin again leads 4 minutes in.

"Blue Titmouse" is uptempo and intricate and perhaps a little known fact is that the blue titmouse actually has blue tits. I kid you not. Okay I lied.

A great album with some killer German and British musicians that will please Jazz / Fusion fans in a big way.

 Inside: Missing Link by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1972
4.46 | 18 ratings

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Inside: Missing Link
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Volker Kriegel's follow-up to "Spectrum" is a double album and a much more dynamic affair and more to my liking. He has some of the best German and British musicians around helping him out. It's interesting that the first LP has a different lineup than the second LP. The first LP has an eight piece lineup and was recorded on the 20th & 21st of March, while the second LP featured a five piece band and was recorded on the 22nd & 23rd of March. The most well known name for me is John Marshall on drums on the first LP. Lots of pictures in the liner notes and John is as usual very serious looking.

"Slums On Wheels" has such a great sound to start as the sax joins in. Intricate guitar then takes the lead as it settles some.The sax is back then the tempo picks up before 4 1/2 minutes. A calm 6 minutes in as intricate sounds come and go. It's building before 9 minutes and electric piano joins in. Nice. Bass and percussion continue. Sax before 10 1/2 minutes. Drums only from Marshall before 12 1/2 minutes then a full sound. What a way to start !

"The "E" Again" has a good rhythm as sax and guitar do their thing. Dissonant sax before 2 1/2 minutes. Electric piano leads a minute later. Sax is back before 6 1/2 minutes to end it.

"Zanzibar" is led by the bass and drums early then the horns come in just before a minute. The guitar then leads before the horns return before 3 1/2 minutes as it picks up. Some dissonance too. A calm before 5 minutes as bass and a beat with horns lead. It kicks back in before 6 1/2 minutes. Piano leads before 8 minutes and we get some nice bass a minute later. Sax is back 10 minutes in.

"Missing Link" opens with experimental sounds that come and go including vocal expressions. The music comes in after 2 minutes and starts to build. I like the drumming here. The horns start to blast then it settles back. A calm 5 minutes in then it starts to pick up with guitar leading the way. Nice. Horns take a turn before 7 1/2 minutes with lots of dissonance too. A drum show from Marshall 9 minutes in. Great sound before 11 minutes with sax leading then guitar. Killer tune.

The second LP is a little more stripped down but excellent none the less. "Fur Hector" is uptempo and guitar led. Piano takes the lead after 3 1/2 minutes.The guitar is back leading late.

"Remis" is percussion and keyboard led early and the bass is prominant too. The guitar then joins the fray. "Tarang" has a Middle Eastern vibe to it with lots of percussion. Strummed and intricate guitar comes in at 2 1/2 minutes before the opening ethnic soundscape returns to end it.

"Lastic Plemon" is led by the drums and keys and is quite energetic. Guitar before 3 minutes. "Janellias Abertas" is an intricate and laid back track.

"Plonk Whenever" is uptempo with the bass and drums pounding while the guitar and keys play over top. Great track.

"Definitely Suspicious" is one of my favourites. It has such an uplifting mood to it and the electric piano has a lot to do with that. "Finale" is 15 seconds of mainly intricate guitar to end it.

A solid 4 stars. Very enjoyable and a treat for the ears.

 Sugar Cane´s Got The Blues (with Don Live, 1971
4.06 | 6 ratings

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Sugar Cane´s Got The Blues (with Don "Sugar Cane" Harris)
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars This was a real find for me. Recorded live in Berlin in 1971 at the "Violin Summit" where producer Joachim Berendt put this supergroup together to celebrate the violin in Jazz and Blues. The lineup is killer ! These are some of the most well known players in Free-Jazz and Avant-Garde Rock.Yes Sugar Cane Harris is on violin, he had played with John Mayall as well as on a number of Frank Zappa albums including "Hot Rats", "Apostrophe" and many more. He's been called the Jimi Hendrix of violin. Add former SOFT MACHINE drummer Robert Wyatt who had just left that band. Neville Whitehead on bass who had recorded with many greats including Wyatt and Tippett and was part of the ELTON DEAN QUARTET, live SOFT MACHINE and ISOTOPE. On keyboards we get Wolfgang Dauner from the great German band ET CETERA. Volker Kriegel plays most of the guitar (3 tracks) while the amazing Terje Rypdal plays on one song. It still blows me away to think of Wyatt and Rypdal on stage together in the same band. Cool stuff right here folks.The surprising thing to me was that the violin doesn't dominate the proceedings like I thought it would. Sugar Cane comes across as a humble person who realized that he was surrounded with a very talented band and therefore he didn't try to steal the show. He does add vocals and does it well.This is very much a Blues / Jazz album,or should I say Jazz / Blues (haha).

"Liz Pineapple Wonderful" opens with someone speaking in German introducing the band.The music then comes in and it's uptempo with vocals.The violin replaces the vocals after 2 1/2 minutes. Great sound. The guitar leads before 4 1/2 minutes and the drumming is very active. Nice bass too I might add. The vocals are back after 7 1/2 minutes. Big finish after 9 minutes. Sugar Cane then announces the band quickly by their last names then says "out-a-sight". He compliments the audience too.

"Sugar Cane's Got The Blues" opens with violin then piano a minute in and other sparse sounds.Vocals cry out briefly 5 1/2 minutes in. Bass to the fore then the guitar joins in as it builds with drums.Piano joins in after 8 1/2 minutes then goes solo before 10 minutes. Cool section.Violin before 11 minutes and it becomes dissonant late as he cries out one more time. Huge applause after this song and every song.

"Song For My Father" is a Horace Silver cover. This is the song Terje Rypdal plays on.You can hear all the guys playing early on in a fairly laid back manner but that will change. So much going on here. Guitar to the fore 4 1/2 minutes and Terje continues to lead until 7 1/2 minutes when the violin returns. Such an incredible track !

"Where's My Sunshine" is a Bluesy number with vocals. Catchy too. Violin or vocals mainly lead although Kriegel leads on guitar 5 1/2 minutes in then piano. When the song ends Sugar Cane says "I'd like to introduce the fellas". He seemed to be in his glory at this concert and he deserves a lot of praise. Such a talented man.

Without question 4 stars and this is one album I will boast about owning. A pleasure.

 Spectrum by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1971
4.39 | 13 ratings

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Spectrum
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Volker was somewhat of a pioneer in Germany when it came to Fusion. An extraordinary guitarist who on this his debut has surrounded himself with some incredible musicians.Volker also plays sitar on here although there's very little of it on this 1971 release. This isn't the most dynamic album i've ever heard, in fact it's pretty straight forward a lot of the time. We get a percussionist besides the drummer adding lots of intricate sounds.

"Zoom" opens with percussion as the sitar comes in breifly. Drums, bass and electric piano follow.The guitar starts to solo tastefully over the top. Electric piano replaces the guitar 3 1/2 minutes in then the sitar returns.

"So Long, For Now" is laid back and very jazzy. "More About D" opens with some atmosphere. I like the electric piano. It does pick up before 1 1/2 minutes. Nice. Some craziness follows then the bass, drums and guitar lead.The electric piano is back. It settles before 7 minutes and the bass leads.

"Suspicious Child, Growing Up" is a cool song with intricate guitar, electric piano, bass and drums. I like this laid back tune a lot. "Instant Judgement" has some intensity to it and is more uptempo.The guitar leads early then the electric piano leads 2 minutes in.The guitar returns late to lead.

"Ach Kina" is mellow and slow paced. It does pick up some late. "Strings Revisited" has these intricate sounds that come and go. Electric piano leads 2 1/2 minutes in then it's the guitars' turn after 4 minutes. Drums and percussion take their turn after 6 minutes.

A low 4 stars for this early German Fusion album.

 Mild Maniac by KRIEGEL, VOLKER album cover Studio Album, 1974
3.17 | 5 ratings

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Mild Maniac
Volker Kriegel Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by seventhsojourn
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars German jazz guitarist Volker Kriegel has been hailed in certain quarters as the father of European jazz-rock. This is in part due to his work with the US avant-garde vibraphonist Dave Pike in his influential fusion combo The Dave Pike Set, as well as the subsequent series of erudite albums he himself produced for the MPS label during the early '70s. Mild Maniac (1974) was the fourth recording in that series. Kriegel was responsible for the cover illustration and design of this album; in addition to being a talented musician and producer, he also wrote and illustrated children's books. Another of his claims to fame was that he co- founded the United Rock and Jazz Ensemble with, among others, Jon Hiseman.

Another founder of this ensemble, bass player Eberhardt Weber, joins Kriegel on Mild Maniac. The other musicians are Rainer Bruninghaus (keys), Joe Nay (drums) and Swiss percussionist Peter Giger. The album consists of 6 instrumental pieces all of which were composed by Kriegel apart from the lengthy closer D-Dodel, which was a group composition. This is a 12-minute experimental piece built around an extended Weber bass solo. Kriegel's clean-toned guitar chats cosily with Bruninghaus's vibrant electric piano for the first few minutes (for me, Bruninghaus really steals the show on this album) before Weber's interruption. Speaking with my symphonic head on, the best way I can describe this is to imagine Moonchild with a lengthy bass improvisation. Not the most accessible of pieces, for sure.

The remainder of the album is more approachable. Mindwill has a nice laidback groove with synthesizer and electric piano weaving their way around Kriegel's electric and acoustic solos. I'm a bit of a jazz novice but I get the impression that the next piece, Prinz Eisenherz, might be the sort of track that is disparagingly called 'elevator music', pleasant though it is with more acoustic guitar and electric piano. The lively Schnellhorspiel moves along at a good pace although I find the temple blocks a little intrusive during Bruninghaus's solo. Still, this is one of the album's highlights. The title track is another one that's easy on the ear, featuring some wonderful rippling acoustic piano. Krieger's guitar is treated with different effects on penultimate track, The Visit, and this is another that bounces along nicely. By all accounts Spectrum is his best album, but this one is certainly good and therefore worthy of 3 stars.

Thanks to Zac M for the artist addition. and to NotAProghead for the last updates

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