SOLUTION

SOLUTION was amongst one of the first wave of jazz-fusion bands that sprang forth following in the footsteps of Frank Zappa's "Hot Rats" era. This band began as The Keys in 1966 when a bunch of school kids in Groningen, Netherlands wanted to start their own jazz band. Having gone through a series of lineup changes and a band name Soulution, by the time the band had settled down into the members of Willem Ennes (piano & electric piano, organ), Tom Barlage (alto & soprano saxophones, flute), Peter van der Sande (bass, vocals), Guus Willemse (bass, vocals),Hans Waterman (drums) and Steve Boston (congas, cowbells), the band had shed the extra U due to false assumptions that it was a soul band. SOLUTION was born and released its eponymously titled debut in 1971 on the Dutch label Catfish as well as simultaneously on the Decca label in the UK.

Although the band existed as SOLUTION from 1970 - 86, it went through many phases becoming more commercial sounding as the 80s approached. This debut represents a brief glimpse of the band and the only album that featured original vocalist and bassist Peter van der Sande who was replaced with Guus Willemse who joined in the middle of the recording sessions. Both appear on this album on different tracks. SOLUTION's first offering is much more instrumentally oriented than the album's that follow with only a few vocal tracks and the lion's share devoted to extended jazz-fusion jams that follows in the fusion footsteps of Zappa and adds a touch of Canterbury flavors along with some other surprises.

The album originally only had five tracks surpassing the 38 minute mark with two of them over the ten minute mark. The opening "Koan" is perhaps the most "Hot Rats" influenced with a heavy rock aspect that offers some jazz swing and a busy percussive section with not only the rock drumming techniques but congas and cowbells. The complex use of keyboards and synthesizers keeps it in prog rock territory while the saxophone parts are right out fo the 60s jazz playbook. The track alternates between heavy uptempo deliveries and softer downtime and is completely instrumental. The flute sounds bring to mind another Dutch prog band of the era, namely Focus but SOLUTION found its own sound from the start so this actually sounds pretty unique especially in 1971.

After a minute long dreamy atmospheric intro called "Preview" the 12 minute "Phases" offers a darker space rock slab of fusion with soft passages that offer atmospheric counterpoints while a simple percussive drive thumps like a heartbeat and the wind sections craft complex polyphonic expressions but completely changes course when the track shifts into a vocal led prog rock with heavy electronic piano and organ usage as well as some nice pastoral flute driven moments. The second major track "Trane Steps" obviously is paying homage to John Coltrane and features both slow burning build ups of jazz-rock splendor to the more frantic ensemble of instrumental interplay where all the instruments have a moment to shine. The mood completely changes on the closing "Circus Circumstances" which sounds like a klezmer party run amok and has been rightfully compared to the zany antics of Sweden's Samla Mamas Manna.

By far the strongest SOLUTION's albums that became slightly more watered down with each following album, this band has unfortunately been buried underneath the long list of excellent bands that played stellar jazz-fusion in the 70s but this debut is a very technically demanding album while crafting tight-knit melodies that are instantly attainable. Some newer CD versions have five extra bonus tracks. The album was also released as a twofer with the second album "Divergence" only under the same eponymous title. While i wouldn't call SOLUTION the very top of the heap when it comes to jazz-fusion bands, this introduction to the band surely is a satisfying one with five excellent tracks that offer a lot of creative touches. While not nearly as successful as Focus or Supersister, this is still a band that the Netherlands should be quite proud of.