GROUP 87

Group 87

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.27 | 15 ratings

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Evolver
Special Collaborator
Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams

This album, released in 1980, shows, in a nutshell, what went wrong with the major label record companies starting in the late seventies, and continuing to this day.

Here we have a band of high pedigree. Peter Maunu had played with Billy Cobham and Jean-Luc Ponty, anong others. Mark Isham was a well-known San Francisco musician by this time. Patrick O'Hearn may be the best bassist ever to play in Frank Zappa's band (listen to The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution or The Purple Lagoon to hear why I say that). Add in two more Zappa alumni, Terry Bozzio and Peter Wolf. You should have a spectacular fusion album, right?

Wrong!

The result, probably guided by some record company executives, is a bland, boring set of placid, almost new age, background pap.

At no time do any of the musicians here take control, and play anything to capture the listener's attention. At best, these are unobtrusive background tracks for a polyester yuppie bar. It doesn't surprise me that all three of the main players on this album went on to become new age darlings. It also is no surprise that Bozzio declined full membership in this band, choosing instead to flaunt wife Dale's, uhhhh, talents, in The Missing Persons.

Evolver | 2/5 | 2011-6-10

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