ARC-EN-CIEL

Same lineup as Coses Nostres and Sentiments, last album from these awesome J-R Fusionists. The band here sliding a little more into the Latin-biased sounds and styles that Chick Corea was gravitating to in his solo work of the same period.

1. "El caminant nocturn" (8:21) Fender Rhodes chord play is soon joined by bubble-effected bass and militaristic jazz drumming before synthesizer and electric guitar step in to take the lead. Lots of stops and goes, lots of rock and prog-sounding riffs and passages give this an almost NOVA-like feel, though something about it also reminds me of The MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA's last album, Inner Worlds. We've definitely entered the gratuitous world of commercial J-R Fuse that Herbie Hancock's Thrust and Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior opened up to the world. (17.5/20)

2. "Càntics de la carn" (11:18) so like the music that Chick Corea was doing with Leprechaun, My Spanish Heart, and The Mad Hatter that I had to keep checking as I was listening to this to make sure it wasn't something from him, Al Di, or a hidden RTF album that I'd missed! Excellent performances top to bottom (despite Kitflus' rather schlocky and now-dated array of keyboard sounds). (18/20)

3. "Riu d'agost" (7:41) piano and acoustic guitar opening that sounds suspiciously like something from Al Di Meola and Chick Corea. Even the sound engineering seems perfectly imitative of some of those earlier RTF albums (not Romantic Warrior). At 1:45 the full band breaks the spell of the acoustic duo and launches into a long bridge before settling into another Latin-rhythmed dance tune. The lead instrumentalists retain their acoustic orientations while bouncing back and forth between 10-to-20 second bursts as soloists often bridged by patches in which they play together. Quite a nice, light and jolly, and impressive song of instrumental prowess--and such tight, whole-band feel coming from the quartet. (13.5/15)

4. "Embrujo" (6:14) yet another song in which the band lets their ethnic roots come shining through--though once again expressed with incredible virtuosity and intuitive interplay. These guys are really gelling! And Max has never been more effusive! (9.25/10)

5. "Crisàlide" (6:30) piano and acoustic guitar open this one until 1:20 when searing Al Di MEOLA-like electric guitar ushers in the rest of the band. This complex, never straightforward song offers some great bass playing as well as tight disco-ish drumming with Kitflus' DEODATO-like bouncy Fender Rhodes play when Max is shredding up front. (9.25/10)

Total Time: 40:04

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Second Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion approaching the Smooth Jazz era.