Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS

Jazz Rock/Fusion • United Kingdom


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Bill Bruford's Earthworks picture
Bill Bruford's Earthworks biography
After the dissolution of KING CRIMSON (80's edition), Bill BRUFORD recruited sax player Iaian Ballamy, keyboardist, horn and trumpet player Django Bates and acoustic bass player Mick Hutton to form EARTHWORKS - a perfect platform to showcase his true passion: jazz. Apart from BRUFORD, EARTHWORKS's latest incarnation featured Tim Garland on sax, flute and bass clarinet, Steve Hamilton on piano and Mark Hodgson on bass. The band is credited with six studio albums, two live cd's and one compilation disk.

BRUFORD himself considers their first album (the eponymous 1987 "Earthworks") one of the highlights of his career and perhaps rightly so. Even though it is very much a product of the jazz genre, the eclecticism of influences including world music elements, the varied structures and moods of the compositions, and the dynamic musicianship make this as progressive an album as one can get. With "The Sound of Surprise" released in 2001, however, the band seems to have ditched electronic sound sculptures in favour of a more traditional jazz kit; as a result, the music reaches an almost cool, hard-bop and old-school fusion, not unlike what post-boppers were doing before BRUFORD joined YES in 1968. This album, along with the subsequent studio release "The Sound of Surprise" in 2001, isn't exactly cutting edge or innovative but still quite likeable.

If you don't like jazz, stay away from this band. If you do, their first studio album comes highly recommended. If you want to hear BRUFORD and the boys hit on all cylinders, you can't go wrong with their 1994 "Stamping Ground - Live" album.

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Videos (YouTube and more)


Showing only random 3 | Search and add more videos to BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS

Buy BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Music


BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.23 | 62 ratings
Earthworks
1987
2.76 | 38 ratings
Dig?
1989
2.99 | 29 ratings
All Heaven Broke Loose
1991
3.99 | 38 ratings
A Part, and Yet Apart
1999
4.10 | 50 ratings
The Sound of Surprise
2001

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.87 | 23 ratings
Stamping Ground - Live
1994
4.33 | 26 ratings
Footloose and Fancy Free
2002
3.67 | 25 ratings
Random Acts of Happiness
2004
3.73 | 11 ratings
Earthworks Underground Orchestra
2006
5.00 | 2 ratings
Live in Santiago
2019
4.00 | 1 ratings
Live at the Schauburg Bremen 1987
2022

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

3.14 | 3 ratings
Footloose in NYC
2008

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.93 | 13 ratings
Heavenly Bodies
1997

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Earthworks by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.23 | 62 ratings

BUY
Earthworks
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Band-leader Bill Bruford has taken a whole new musical direction with his Simmons drums' MIDI sound capabilities-- gathering young up-and-coming jazz musicians around him to create some of the freshest new "jazz" music the planet had heard.

1. "Thud (4:14) some Crimsonian "industrial" bass and drums laid down for the rhythm track while the horns and horn keys establish a syncopated, staccato melody above. The synth soloing that takes the first lead starting at 0:50 sounds very much like a joyful Chick Corea foray. The soprano sax takes the next turn, spewing notes out at an impressive speed in a very nice, fluid Kenny G solo. Mick Hutton's gorgeous double bass play beneath provides all the engine needed to keep this one on the road as Bill starts to play a little with the timing belt beneath. While the solos are all stellar, it's Mick's bass that keeps me happy (and I'm oh, so happy). (9.25/10)

2. "Making a Song and Dance (5:56) the opening motif of this song is one of the band's most signatory: sheer music magic with tinkling piano flourishes, fast-walking double bass, beautiful soprano sax melody-making all played over Bill's Simmons drum-delivered MIDI chord sequence--until 2:45 when two "Owner of a Lonely Heart"-like cymbal crashes signal a shift to a more gruff motif--which then, quite magically, becomes smooth and gorgeous as tenor sax takes over the melody delivery with some gorgeous play. The band then shifts back to the song's original motif for the final minute with some more beautiful soprano sax melody-making taking us to the end. Such a cool song! (9.75/10)

3. "Up North" (5:28) another song that got radio (and VH1) airplay. Simple and melodic. This is part Joe Jackson, part Jazz Crusaders, part pop-elevator schlock, but it works! (8.667/10)

4. "Pressure" (7:26) opens like some heavy techno-rock 80s song before the horns arrive. Then at 1:45 there's a radical stop-and-shift to a sensitive piano-based sensitive jazz piece that turns full-bop in the fourth minute. Nice jazz drumming, Bill. Nice jazz piano playing, Django! Nice jazz double bass play, Mick! Very nice. Reminds me a lot of Chick Corea's jazziest piano play. At 5:25 we then bridge to a more industrial Crimsonian pulse motif. Bill really goes off while the horns and bass support. At 6:40 we iump into a big band-like finish. Cool! (13.25/15)

5. "My Heart Declares a Holiday" (4:40) opening with a Crimsonian "Discipline" polyrhythmic weave. It's as if you were to combine the song "Discipline" with some Miles banking and soloing. A top three for me (cuz I love that minimalist sound and feeling of "Discipline"). A top three song. (9/10)

6. "Emotional Shirt (4:48) the foray into avant-garde music: part hypnotic minimalistic chromagnum part Thelonius Monk and/or Don Pullen free jazz. May be accomplished but it's not my favorite. (8.25/10)

7. "It Needn't End in Tears" (5:15) old-style love ballad given a William Henderson (Pharoah Sanders) keyboard treatment. (8.667/10)

8. "The Shepherd Is Eternal" (1:52) picking up on the cross-cultural appropriation that artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Peter Gabriel were doing ? 9. "Bridge of Inhibition" (4:17) and then moving more into the straight jazz territory that Miles still had his feet cemented in is what this pier of songs feels like they're doing (they're even using some Sketches of Spain melodies!)-- only add a bit of Broadway musical pit orchestra (coming from Bill's Simmons drums MIDIed sound programs) to it and then, Boom! You have it! (Nice trombone from Django Bates.) (8.667/10)

Total Time 43:56

Though I played this album to death when it first came out, when it came time to writing a review for it, it had been a long time. But it is amazing how familiar it is and how much I enjoy it. But now, with many years and many, many more albums to reference inside my assimilative brain, I can see how many old and new musical sounds and styles are reflected herein. Miles Davis, Chick Corea/Return to Forever, Pat Metheny Group, and of course, the industrial sounds of King Crimson, the angular chords and melodies of both Dave Stewart and Allan Holdsworth are all present and accounted for in these song expressions--all gathered and synthesized through Bill and company's conscious and unconscious minds. Mind-expanding and brilliant!

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any Jazz-Rock Fusion lover's music collection--and definitely an essential listening experience for any prog music historian.

 Footloose in NYC by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover DVD/Video, 2008
3.14 | 3 ratings

BUY
Footloose in NYC
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

3 stars There are in fact quite many DVD releases from Bill Bruford('s Eathworks) even though this is the only one added here, this far. I'm having, on loan from a library, a 2DVD release. The main disc has the May 2001 gig from The Bottom Line jazz club, New York, including also an interview section. The second disc contains retrospective material, ie. clips from other DVD's, tied together with Bruford's career-analyzing interview done by Jon Kirkman.

The gig features, besides Bruford on drums, pianist Steve Hamilton, saxophonist Patrick Clahar and bassist Mark Hodgson. "An intimate, up-close evening of state- of-the-art jazz. Effortless, elegant and economical, Bruford personifies the art of the drummer", to cite the back cover. Right, this is jazz through and through. The compositions are mostly taken from two Earthworks albums, A Part, And Yet Apart (1999) and The Sound of Surprise (2001). Michael Shore's liner notes succeed also to describe the music. "Earthworks does not play the usual head-solo-solo-solo-head game. Instead the sleek, brisk uptempo tunes are full of restless, written shifts in tone, tempo and dynamics."

For a proghead the second disc is probably more interesting because of the glimpses to various line-ups in Bill Bruford's leadership. Gracefully the live cuts are complete pieces. Although subtitles would help foreign viewers to absorb the interview better, it's a good one. The musical personality of this British gentleman known from classic prog acts Yes, King Crimson and UK is very 'progressive' in the literary sense of the word. "Once you know how to do Close to the Edge, move on, or Red by King Crimson, keep moving on."

"Too rock for jazz, too jazz for rock" is where he enjoys being, without a need to firmly categorize his music. When he used electric drums in the early Earthworks period, the reactions were very divided. Admittedly they sound rather toyish, and gladly it was a passing phace. The intelligent interview goes deep into Bill's history as a drummer, composer and group leader. The visual quality of the excerpts from earlier DVD's is not first rate, but I daresay this set is very recommendable to Bruford fans.

 Earthworks by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.23 | 62 ratings

BUY
Earthworks
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars This isn't as bad as I was led to believe by some reviews out there. Still I consider this nothing more than a 3 star album so there's that. Bruford shifts gears in his career here in 1987 to a more straight up Jazz direction with this acoustic quartet. Keyboards, horns, acoustic bass(of course) and drums. Bouncey is a good word for a lot of this, lightweight might be another. Just not my music scene at all but I did like the track "Emotional Shirt" a lot. My favourite by far. It's catchy at first with keyboards, horns and heavy beats before it all deconstructs after 2 minutes and a new soundscape arrives that's fast paced with bass out in front then piano followed by a horn. Good stuff! The track "The Shepherd Is Eternal" is pretty cool because we get this atmosphere that starts to pulse then it gets windy as a solo horn arrives offering up these mournful expressions. "It Needn't End In Tears" sounds like a Christmas carol and "My Heart Declares A Holiday" sounds like a dance song from one of the islands. The rest is okay but this isn't all bad that's for sure.
 Heavenly Bodies by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Boxset/Compilation, 1997
2.93 | 13 ratings

BUY
Heavenly Bodies
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by RelayerFr

4 stars I have been a fan of this gentleman since my early adolescence, but also since my first steps in progressive music, and by taking this column I wanted to pay tribute to him, thank him for all the emotions received and for the indelible traces that have remained anchored in my mind! What Prog freak has never tried to dissect YES's "Heart Of The Sunrise", isolating Bill BRUFORD's drums playing, and realize that this instrument can amazingly change and improve musical arrangements when a virtuoso is in charge!

Who can boast of having had a career like his, of having participated from near and far with groups as famous as YES, KING CRIMSON, UK, GENESIS, BRAND X ... to have collaborated with so many artists such as Al DI MEOLA, Rick WAKEMAN, Patrick MORAZ, Roy HARPER etc ... this non-exhaustive list is really impressive! His musical passion has never dried up, and has undoubtedly turned to jazz. Bill BRUFORD (among others) created the jazz group EARTHWORKS in the 1980s with the goal of focusing on a more acoustic approach to music. To do so, he has surrounded himself with the best musicians at different times, such as saxophonist Tim GARLAND, multi-instrumentalist and composer Django BATES, bassist Tim HARRIES, and so on and the best! There are many influences, and they tell us a bit about WEATHER REPORT, RETURN TO FOREVER, UZEB or even Jaco PASTORIUS.

"Heavenly Bodies - An Expanded Collection" is a sample of all the work done with this group over two decades, and presents us two tasty and distinct albums dotted here and there with recordings in public. The CD1 is oriented on jazz rock, jazz fusion in accordance with rhythmic and delicate Latin dance, with the obviousness of listening to well-compartmentalized music, where everyone plays their instrument without mixing in harmony, but which produces a overall sound wonderful. To illustrate my point, I have selected two titles which perfectly represent the proposed content: "Stromboli Kicks" with its KING CRIMSON-style sliced ​​synths accompanying salsa tunes under blows of clarinet and coupled trumpets, playing orchestral conjugations already heard in "New Orleans" in the 1930s, and the very French "Pigalle" with the undeniable intonations of "Un Américain à Paris" by George GERSHWIN reinterpreted in Brazilian sauce accompanied by instruments with local sounds such as the accordion or the clarinet. CD 2 invites us into a world of more classical jazz with more conventional instrumentation, but still projecting us bright and rhythmic jazz pulling at times on jazz rock of the best version! For this second cake my preferences will go to "No Truce With The Furies" and "White Knuckle Wedding". This compilation is perfect for real amateurs and newcomers who want to try their hand at jazz in all its forms!

 The Sound of Surprise by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 2001
4.10 | 50 ratings

BUY
The Sound of Surprise
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars An album of music that doesn't really fit into the "progressive rock music" category by any way, shape, or means, drummer extraordinaire Bill Bruford continues to gather young jazz musicians willing to push the boundaries of modern improvisational JAZZ--and here he's recruited a true power trio to help him realize his jazz-rock vision. You go, Bill!

1. "Revel Without A Pause" (7:33) pretty standard sax jazz. (13/15)

2. "Triplicity" (6:22) opening with one minute of wonderful solo Bill, the Latinized music that follows shifts into straight melodic jazz and back to Latin-rhythm base over an over, several times a minute, to great effect: it's really cool and different! Definitely a rhythmist's song. And filled with great, lush melodies from all instrumentalists. Modern jazz at its most sublime! (10/10)

3. "The Shadow Of A Doubt" (6:07) awesome melody start that moves into a beautiful, emotional soprano sax led ballad format. Gorgeous. Definitely a saxophone player's song--and a masterpiece of such--but maestro Steve Hamilton's piano gets its time in the spotlight as well. Songs like this remind me of how wonderful jazz can be. (10/10)

4. "Teaching Vera To Dance" (8:14) this one opens with a long bass solo before exploding into an almost-funky little ditty. If there's a weakness in this song, it is, unbelievably, in the drums: they seem a bit off time and "tired." (Intentionally so?) Not as melodic or engaging as the previous songs, this is more like the cold modern jazz that I've become accustomed to since the 1980s--mechanical and lacking heart. (12.5/15)

5. "Half Life" (5:18) straight time from the drums and yet syncopation from the others! How unlike Bill! It does create a tension that builds interest and intrigue. Stylist switch to a swing at the 2-minute mark makes it even more interesting as piano and sax continue on as if nothing has changed. Nice LYLE MAYS-like piano solo in the fourth minute (which turns CHICK COREA-like towards the end) as Bill and bassist Mark Hodgson do interesting things beneath. Cool song! (9/10)

6. "Come To Dust" (9:56) meandering piano play at the beginning has a gorgeous JOE SAMPLE Carmel kind of feel to it. When the rest of the band joins in at the end of the second minute it keeps the pace at a very slow, introductory, and exploratory place. In the piano solo central to the song's middle I hear the heart-felt daydreaming of VINCE GUARALDI. Another exemplary jazz masterpiece. (19/20)

7. "Cloud Cuckoo Land" (6:05) more fairly standard jazz. Nothing too special or innovative here. (8.5/10)

8. "Never The Same Way Once" (7:22) This one has a very CHICK COREA/RETURN TO FOREVER feel to it (despite not having guitar or anything electric involved). The RTF/Chick sound, style, and pacing is so distinctive; this is quite a remarkable replication. Even the bass solo is pure Stanley Clarke! In the end, all I can say is, "Wow!" (14/15)

9. "The Wooden Man Sings and The Stone Woman Dances" (7:42) Bill finally lets loose--forgets all time constraints--and goes wild--but in a subtle way! Just listening to the high-hat play is enough to cause me to smile and, often, drop my jaw. Then to listen how synced in Bill's kick drum and Mark's bass are. Remarkable! On another run through I could hear how Steve's piano and Patrick Clahar's soprano sax have the same amazing entrainment going on. This band must have had a lot of fun playing with one another. Then there is the final two minutes of the song where Patrick leads the band on a rampage the likes of which Chick & Return to Forever could only achieve in their very prime. Great work, Patrick! (14/15)

Total Time: 58:46

Some pretty standard saxophone-led jazz peppered with the odd syncopation or unusual time signature, but impeccably performed and recorded. I'm not sure how this one sneaks into the "progressive rock" genre--I suppose only on the coattails of Mr. Bruford's name and legacy.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of modern JAZZ--putting on display just the kind of subtle nuances that are needed to keep jazz fresh and "progressive" yet keeping the music accessible, memorable, and beautiful. Mega kudos to you, Bill Bruford, for your integrity and impeccable style.

P.S. Very cool album cover!

 Earthworks by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.23 | 62 ratings

BUY
Earthworks
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by SouthSideoftheSky
Special Collaborator Symphonic Team

1 stars Bridge of inhibition

After the folding of the Jazz-Rock/Fusion group Bruford in the early 80's Bill returned to King Crimson for a while before going deeper into Jazz territory with this new group called Bill Bruford's Earthworks. This is Jazz Fusion with little or no elements of Rock, and even though it can rightly be described as eclectic it is by no means Prog. Hence, anyone expecting a continuation of what Bill did with Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin, and Dave Stewart in Bruford will probably be sorely disappointed by this. (And anyone expecting anything even remotely related to Yes, King Crimson, or UK will of course be even more off the mark.)

The album opens with a cheerful, up-tempo Jazz number that sets the tone for the album. This cheesy little ditty makes me cringe and is one of the worst pieces of music ever coming from an ex-Yes member's solo album! The rest of this album is mostly a bit better than this dismal beginning and there are even a few moments when it gets almost acceptable, but even the better parts are nothing too special and the worst parts are, as mentioned, rather awful.

The drums are obviously in focus and the rest of the sound is dominated by acoustic bass, brass, and some cheesy sounding keyboards. Guitars and other typical Rock instruments are avoided.

It should be clear that I'm not the target audience for this project and anyone not sharing Bill's passion for Jazz is probably well advised to stay away, far away.

 Dig? by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1989
2.76 | 38 ratings

BUY
Dig?
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by fuxi
Prog Reviewer

3 stars DIG has been undeservedly maligned by the critics. Wherever you look, reviews rarely sound more than lukewarm, which is why I've postponed buying and listening to the album until now - almost a quarter century after it first appeared. It may not exactly be a first recommendation among Earthworks albums, but if you're already familiar with the band, it ought to interest you.

In my opinion there have been four distinct peaks in Bill Bruford's career: (1) The early years with Yes, which led to albums such as FRAGILE and CLOSE TO THE EDGE; (2) the early years with King Crimson, when John Wetton was in the band; (3) the two albums featuring Allan Holdsworth, Dave Stewart and Jeff Berlin; (4) the second incarnation of Earthworks, which resulted in A PART, AND YET APART and FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY-FREE. Of course these peaks aren't ALL that can be said about Bill's career. The first U.K. album and King Crimson's DISCIPLINE are brilliant as well, and the very first incarnation of Earthworks (whose second studio album DIG was) has its charms, if only because Django Bates is probably the most gifted and idiosyncratic keyboards player Bill ever worked with, Iain Ballamy is an utterly adorable saxophonist, and Bill's own experiments with electronic percussion are never less than interesting.

Two things struck me about DIG. First of all: the overall mood is very close to (and seems inspired by) mid- period Weather Report. Most of the music feels bright and carnavalesque, and Ballamy's sax is strongly reminiscent of Wayne Shorter's. Secondly, apart from 'Gentle Persuasion' it's hard to find strong or memorable tunes. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why people don't particularly like the album. (Please note 'Gentle Persuasion' itself is so delightfully poppy jazz snobs will be horrified - but also note its highly lyrical sax solo.) Take the closing number, 'Corroboree'. It sounds utterly weird, and if it had appeared on FEELS GOOD TO ME or ONE OF A KIND, it would have been the prelude to one of Bill's great "symphonic" climaxes, with Allan H's electric guitar blazing away. Only, in this case there's no climax, the prelude is all you get, and the piece stops suddenly, without warning. Album over. So what else have we got?

Well, there's still a lot to admire! 'Stromboli Kicks' is wonderfully mischievous jazz, with a delightful pocket trumpet solo from Django Bates. 'Pilgrim's Way' and 'Libreville' are based on joyful ostinato patterns provided by Bill's electronic percussion; both tunes feature wonderfully wayward electronic keyboard solos. 'Dancing on Frith Street' is a unique opportunity to hear B.B. play ska. "A Stone's Throw" is an unremarkable ballad, but it features a beautiful piano solo and a superb saxophone-led finale... In fact, the more you listen to this album, the more riches you discover. Believe me, this really is an album where you need to DIG.

 Stamping Ground - Live by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Live, 1994
3.87 | 23 ratings

BUY
Stamping Ground - Live
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Evolver
Special Collaborator Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams

4 stars It's fairly well established that in the drumming heirarchy there is Bill Bruford and Neil Peart at the top, with everyone else below. Both of these drummers are experts at electronic drumming, and both have shown an ear for jazz (both also appeared on Peart's Buddy Rich tributes). While I happen to love listening to both of these drummers, in my opinion, Bill Bruford wins for all the different bands he's played with, and all of the styles he has mastered.

With Earthworks, Bruford plays a more traditional jazz, with his fusion roots taking a back seat. But however much he wants this to be known as traditional, his fusion chops, the way he adds so many polyrhythms into even the most mundane groove, and his adepts work on the electronic drums, keep the music firmly footed in the fusion realm.

This is a great set from start to finish. His band was perfectly in synch with what Bruford was trying to accomplish, playing sophisticated jazz around some pretty incredible drumming and synth triggers. Iain Ballamy and Django Bates, both with Earthworks since the band's inception, provide perfect horns and keyboard accompaniment to all of the tunes. Bass player Tim Harries, while certainly competent on acoustic, is superb on the songs where he gets to play electric.

My favorite tracks are the more abstract ones, where Bruford writes melodies that evoke Five Percent For Nothing from "Fragile", although much more developed. Nerve, and especially Emotional Shirt fall into this category. But the best track is Bridge Of Inhibition, which features Bruford playing the melody on synth patches while also mastering the beat. The song segues into some wild soloing before ending back with Bruford triggering the synths again.

This may be the Earthworks album to get.

 Dig? by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1989
2.76 | 38 ratings

BUY
Dig?
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Kazuhiro
Prog Reviewer

2 stars "Three Of A Perfect Pair" that King Crimson had announced in 1984 was able ..one- achievement.. to face it really enough for the band the part of the purpose and the necessity of the activity. Directionality and the idea of the music that King Crimson in the 80's has might have progressed with order by the slogan hang exactly out by Robert Fripp. Order and the methodology that had been given to the band for the part of the performance existed and, of course, were reflected in the work.

Order and the idea of King Crimson in the 80's were reflected in the performance of the member of the band. It might have remarkably shown the result of having begun to think that the answer to order and the directionality of King Crimson was derived for Bill Bruford. However, the technology and the theory might have raised the quality of his name with the establishment of an exactly great leap and performance when considering it along with the situation for Bill Bruford compared with the activity after the fact and 1984 activities in bands other than King Crimson in the 70's.

The idea and the root of Bill Bruford were demonstrated enough in the order of King Crimson that had been done in the 80's. He is a boast as the drum player of King Crimson. And, the degree of freedom of Bill Bruford that knew the element of good Improvisation of King Crimson and carried it out and the side of flexibility were expressed enough by the performances such as "Neurotica" and "Indiscpline". Of course, the nucleus of those elements will have been a part of Jazz/Fusion of the base of Bill bruford.

As for the activity of Bill Bruford after 1984, the activity of music mainly composed of Jazz/Fusion was remarkable by contraries. The act and the necessity of nature might be had both of course for Bill Bruford and it be advanced. Well versed in electronic percussion. And, it flows to his improving the ability of the composition since the 70's. And, it recurs to Jazz. The listener can discover these elements for Bill bruford to be reflected enough in the activity in the latter half of the 80's.

Participation of album of David Torn name announced from ECM in 1986 in "Cloud About Mercury". And, it participates in "The Spice Of Life" about the album that Kazumi Watanabe of a Japanese guitar player announced in 1987. The performance of Jazz/Fusion that united Bass player's Jeff Berlin and rhythm section for Bill Bruford by the old friend in this "The Spice Of Life" and caught the age was developed as Trio. "The Spice Of Life 2" is announced like the organization of this Trio in 1988. Bill Bruford might gradually contribute to musicians and be admitted also in the field of the composition.

The root of Bill Bruford and the element of the base developed greatly originally at this time. This "Earthworks" might have existed as a start where he concretely showed those elements as an expression of music. It is a well-known fact that this band is one part of the life of music after Earthworks announces the debut album in 1987 for Bill Bruford. And, he was answering the interview at this time. 「I am not performing by thinking about the drum of Rock and the drum etc. of Jazz. My existence is exactly put on music and it expresses it. 」 His of this remark might be exactly proportional to the music character of Earthworks. And, they might have offered the meaning of this album as an element for Earthworks to demonstrate the expansion of the width of the power of expression of this album enough. And, the performance that Bill Bruford had done in "Bruford" of own band was voluntarily made remarks, "At that time, the idea was packed too much" recollecting it. The ability leaps as a composition of Bill Bruford in the band. And, the part where the subject was put on the harmony of the band while making the root of his music a base might appear remarkably. Iain Ballamy etc. of Django Bates and Sax player who was active by "Loose Tubes" might contribute and the performance by the musician with whom the talent overflows also contribute enough to the band.

"Stromboli Kicks" twines round the construction of the melody with the electronic percussion the melody that Sax is complex. The originality of Earthworks might go out of the tune. Solo of Tenor Horn twines round a steady rhythm and the dash feeling is kept. The tune expresses the idea of the tune well though it shifts to a quiet part on the way by the theme visited again.

The melody that there is a humour in twining of a gentle wind instrument exists together in "Gentle Persuasion". The element of a little Latin is added to the tune and the tune shows various respects.

"Downtown" is Jazz/Fusion with the melody of beautiful Sax. The melody of the keyboard that shines in Solo of Sax twines.

"Pilgrims' Way" is a tune with the element of the ballade. Might the sound of the keyboard feature. And, the impression of the tune is decided to the sound of Sax in close relation to everywhere.

In "Dancing On Frith Street", the rhythm that puts the theme and fast and slow with unique is a feature. Sax in close relation to a steady rhythm also expresses the tune well. The rhythm has a lot of developments. It corresponds as Sax and the keyboard to answer it have flexibility.

The feature in "A Stone's Throw" is to flow. shift from the part of Free to a beautiful melodyThe part of good Jazz has been introduced while multiusing a complex rhythm.

As for "Libreville", the melody to answer Afro's rhythm has acted on the tune well. It reacts with the sound of the keyboard where coming in succession of the wind instrument shines, too. The tune shifts to complete Jazz/Fusion attended with a suddenly intense rhythm. Solo of a heavy keyboard twines round the development of Chord with the tension.

"Corroboree" progresses with a heavy, quiet flow. The part of abstract has an experimental element. The tune progresses from the part of the intro attended with a mysterious melody. The tune contains originality.

Earthworks at this time had boldly introduced the sound with diversity Jazz/Fusion was exactly made a base. And, the band establishes one directionality by a further perfection of member's replacement and the music character.

 Earthworks by BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS, BILL album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.23 | 62 ratings

BUY
Earthworks
Bill Bruford's Earthworks Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by snobb
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Bill Bruford was well known as prog-rock drummer with prime league bands in his past. That time has gone many years ago. First we heard Bruford solo albums incl. quality jazz- rock/fusion music. Then he played some boring albums with Patrick Moraz.

There we have debut album of his new project - Bill Bruford's Earthworks. First of all, this music is far away from prog-rock, or any rock. It is far away even from his solo works in fusion field. Here we have mainly quite conservative jazz with some eclectic elements of rock.

First of all, album's music is very unfocused. From very beginning it sounds as second league jazz band with deep ancient acoustic bass, quite simplistic musical structures, soft sound and pale melodies.

Song after song, the impression become a bit better, at least there are some melodies and some trumpet solos, filling the space, in some songs. Common sound is well rounded and amorphic, with rare chaotic heavier ( rock?) fragments.Synth-keyboards doesn't input life signs in a music, some cheap "soundscapes" only improve eclectic sense.

Listening to that album, I few times had a feelind as being in restaurant and listening a jazz- band there. Even some flirt with Eastern folk ( "Bridge Of Inhibition") doesn't help: all in all it sounds as semi-professional jazz band, which was formed to realise Bruford ambitions to play jazz .

In fact, could be interesting for heavy Bruford fans as item for their collection. For all others - easy jazzy listening for dinner time.

P.S. The CD I own has 9 tracks ( not 8 as stated above): album's seven track is It Needn't End In Tears (5:14)

Thanks to ProgLucky for the artist addition. and to Easy Livin for the last updates

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.