GURU GURU - LIVE

Well if Guru had released a double live album back in 71 or 72, I think that many fans would probably regard it as the ultimate guru statement. But Mani Neumeier waited until the late 70's to release one of them (when those became a safe bet), and therefore representing most of Guru's albums prior to break up and post break up phases. The overall feel is one of jazz-rock of the post break-up, rather than the disoriented psych rock prior to the break- up, but the track selection

By this time Roland Schaeffer is now fully integrated in the group, ready to become the "nummer zwei" Guru" and all four members play percussion instruments at one time or another during the concert. Guru is now a danceable eastern-tinged, funky jazz-rock act, which manages to do extremely fun shows, often with the now-inescapable Elektrolurch (heard much better versions that the one on this album, though) as the crowd favourite and cornerstone of their concerts. Fun is mostly the name of the game in great What's The Matter With The Kids or the Conga Jam. One of the concert's centrepiece is the Ooga Booga Special which is orchestrated around the old Kanguru album track, but has been adapted to fit newer pieces, but also (a bit to my disappointment) a lengthy drum solo (Mani is excellent, but repeated listening in your living room.). Another highlight is Medecineman's Overdose with its delightful spacey athmospheres

Yes, there are a few inevitable lengths in some tracks as in Herzflimmen (even if Schaeffer blows a mean sax), the Latino-African Formantera or Transylvania Express and its twin As Long As The Music's Flowing, but obviously this is a flaw that one notices in his living room, not in the fun of a concert. Guru was one of those German groups that took another dimension in concert as did Grobschnitt and Kraan.

Although not really the double live album I'd be hoping for as a Guru adept, I'll still take it very gladly as it is still essential to the group today, which still sounds and acts this much fun on stage some soon to be 40 years, now. An easy four star.