CRAZY COUNTDOWN

Weird J-R fuse that has more in common with artists like Frank Zappa and some of the other off-color German bands (like Embryo and Kraan). Also, I can't help but think that this album might have been composed and/or recorded some time earlier than this year becasue it just doesn't sound compatible with the instrumental sound palette or current stylistic choices of their contemporaries in 1978.

Side A 1. "Para Jofrey" (8:05) flute, piano and wind chimes opens this with guitar lurking behind until Jörgen Kanwischer's electric is revealed at the end of the first chord progression. After another round of this introductory chord progression, the band settles into a spacious two chord groove with Latin rhythmic foundations and instruments providing the background for acoustic guitar and electric guitar and saxophone weirdness to solo over the top. At 2:54, as if by Divine providence, the band suddenly switches into more serious Fender Rhodes-supported jazz-rock motif over the Latin percussion over which Jörgen solos with his acoustic guitar (with chorus-only electric accompanying in the background). The electric seems to step delicately forward in the fifth minute only to be relegated to support for an organ and electric piano solo from "Doctor" Bogarth. At the six-minute mark the Fender steps to full frontal confidently soloing while Jörgen's electric provides some nice rhythm support behind. All the while, the Latin-bound rhythm section behind all this is rock solid, even fully entertaining in and of themselves. It's almost as if they're really Latins! A bit odd-especially in the sound engineering choices--but overall a pretty cool song. (13.75/15)

2. "Crazy Countdown" (5:55) opens with 75 seconds of breakfast/kitchen coffee percolation, pouring, and conversation coupled with African vocal rhythm talking, kitchen table utensil noises, and even a vocalist mentioning his California trip in English! Then, as if out of the percolator, the band bursts into full jazz-rock fusion with some fuzz guitar in the lead (sounding a bit like a kazoo!). In the third minute the instrumentalists get pretty serious with some Percy Jones- like bass from Rainer Frank and some searing fuzz lead guitar over the tight, syncopated rhythm section and hand play on the congas. This is a lot like Al Di Meola's early solo stuff with a little more melody involved (and less clean/sterile sound engineering). Next, a different motif takes over as the band cruises down a funky autobahn in support of a keyboard solo from the Doctor before then returning to a cycle of the first two motifs (as well as the breakfast table vocal percussion). (9/10)

3. "Smile" (5:41) some very quiet keyboard work opens this song--playing for about a minute and a half in this very subdued, though-dynamic fashion. Then the sound of a sitar notifies the band that there is going to be a launch into some discordant chords are employed in equally discordant (yet not repelling) sequences so that electric guitar, flute, and keys can solo. The way the drums and bass jump in at a more dynamic level late is pretty awesome (and powerful), taking a little away from the flutist's limelight but making the song that much more interesting. Too bad there isn't a little more variety in the three-chord foundation of this (until the very end), cuz it's very powerful. I love the band members' laidback confidence throughout. (8.875/10)

Side B 4. "Mata Meme" (5:45) odd volume pedal-controlled electric guitar experimentation over loosely improvised hand percussion play. The guitar play seems to morph in and out of Robert Fripp-like sustained loops and Al Di Meola-like speed riffs with several very convincing flourishes. Interesting and impressive though not necessarily top notch jazz- rock fusion. (8.875/10)

5. "Gemini" (4:12) a fast-strumming flanged acoustic guitar start with stop-and-start Mahavishnu-like pacing and structure unleashes a torrent of blistering Larry Coryell-like playing. The band keeps up the rather frantic Mahavishnu/Return To Forever-like pace and complexity through to the end even accommodating for a couple breaks for some solo acoustic guitar riffs. (9/10)

6. "Always Later" (6:34) sounds like a cut in from some jamming the band might have been doing on some old blues- jazz motifs. Even the saxophone solo in the lead position is playing with this old-time jazz flair and flourish. The performances are pretty cool despite the old feeling to the music. Then surprise of all surprises! About three minutes into the song the band suddenly shifts into a kind of disco-jazz mode, picking up the pace considerably, with funky synth, sax, and electric guitar taking turns soloing over the top. The chordal construction is still pretty rudimentary rhythm & blues jazz but the instrumentalists sure make it zing! The synth sound used is so unusual it could be wah- wahed--like something Jan Hammer or Thijs van Lier would come up with--practically sounding like an electric violin. The song races along with the engineer hand-volume-fading the soloists in and out of the "front" of the mix while drums and bass speed along. (8.875/10)

7. "Spain Mandala" (5:01) coming straight out of the blocks sounding incredibly like something off of one of Al Di Meola's first two solo albums--the Latin-infused power electric pieces or suites. Great imitation--even down to the Mingo Lewis percussion play and Al Di (though sometimes more Larry Coryell)-like solo guitar runs and injection of Spanish acoustic guitar towards the middle. (9/10)

Total Time 41:13

Despite some questionable recording choices, I find the rawness of these songs, played by very capable musicians, acting as if with quite a little humor and fun, quite charming and enjoyable. It seems as if the band's one and only wah-wah pedal was traded around amongst the electrically-miked instruments for different songs, which is a clever and entertaining experimentation.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of clever, eclectic, and fairly innovative experimental jazz-rock fusion that I think every prog lover would enjoy hearing.