JAZZ ROCK/FUSION

In 2001 drumnbass rhythms had already been around for about seven years, still the time was ripe for one of the big names in progressive fusion to step forward and weld those rhythms to jazz and make the ultimate 'futuristic' groove album. Having mixed cutting edge electronics with jazz to great success three previous times in his career, Herbie Hancock seemed like a natural for the job. Add to that a call to his former producer Bill Laswell, who helped Herbie's electro-boogie/hip/hop jazz single Rockit become a smash hit and we have the recipe for sure success, ..right? Wrong! ...something went amiss here, this project started out with the best intentions; marrying Africa's rich musical traditions with the latest beats and technology with the help of a star-studded cast from the worlds of jazz, techno and RnB, unfortunately everyone forgot one very key ingredient, really good songs.

This album is just one big disappointment from start to finish. All the cool beats and special guests in the world can't hide the fact that there are no songs, melodies, hooks or choruses of any kind to be found anywhere on here. Throughout this album pretentious spoken word segments promise great things, but like the emprorer's fabled clothing nothing ever materializes. Most of the songs consist of prominent programmed beats that seem to exist by themselves in complete ignorance of the music joined to said beats, said music usually consists of rather vague sampled jazz orchestrations that seem superfluous to the provided beat.

It's not that this music is too new and modern for these old jazz ears, I love new music and have followed DJ music and culture since Kurtis told us about the breaks. Newness and unfamiliarity are not the problems here, a genuine lack of 'music' is.

Not all is lost here, Chaka Khan's The Essence holds up well as Chaka makes her stake in the world of neo-soul, a genre that is perfect for her raspy voice and nasal delivery. Rob Swift's skills on a pair of turntables is a pure delight on This is Rob Swift. Techno wiz Carl Craig and Herbie create a thick Afro-futuristic landscape on Herbero Part I, and Ionosphere mixes a Herbie neo-classical orchestrated melody with some nice electric piano and some mad drumnbass beats, but once again the music seems to be added after the fact and does not really blend with the beat at all.

So much potential was wasted here, certainly Herbie and Laswell and their incredible list of friends could have created the ultimate futuristic blend of electronics, Africa and jazz, but instead they moved too quickly and did not take the time to write something that would last beyond the trendiness of the moment.

This is a pretty good Jazz/Fusion album from Italy released in 1974.For me it's really lacking on dynamics,which is okay if they used a lot of atmosphere instead,but they don't.So the music sort of plods along changing slightly at times as it goes.I enjoy the vocals on the side long track but that's the only time we get to hear them. "Il Ribelle Ubriaco" picks up before a minute with piano playing over top.It turns jazzier after 2 1/2 minutes.The guitar takes the lead 3 minutes in but it's brief.A calm with piano before 5 1/2 minutes.it kicks back in before 8 minutes. "Tramonto D'ottobre" is a short,mellow track with acoustic guitar and piano leading. "Esperanto" opens with piano as drums and bass join in.The song sort of meanders along aimlessly. "L'ebete" is the side long suite.I really like the vocals here and the melancholic mood.It picks up 3 1/2 minutes in.A calm after 5 minutes with synths.Guitar before 6 1/2 minutes.It settles a minute later.A change before 11 minutes as piano and drums lead.Guitar before 12 1/2 minutes.Good sound here.Guitar stops after 14 minutes as bass,drums and piano play in a relaxed way.Guitar is back after 15 minutes.It picks up 16 1/2 minutes in with piano out front.A catchy way to end it. Good album but not great.

Unusual acoustic live show by great bass guitarist Jonas Hellborg. With his regular collaborator electric guitarist Shawn Lane (he plays acoustic only guitar there as well) and drummer/percussionist Jeff Sipe (aka Apt. Q-258), Jonas plays almost meditative raga- influenced acoustic compositions there.

Two first compositions under common name The House Stands Still are 30 + minutes long.They both are bass supported acoustic guitar solos with few percussion touches. Very Shakti-like feeling.

Two second (and last) compositions have common name as well (Traces End Here, 23+ minutes).There guitr dronning support soloing acoustic bass."Conclusion", the very last piece, is faster and more energetic interplay between bass and guitar, with very Indian atmosphere.

Excellent acoustic fusion work showing the unusual side of renowned electric bass artist.

Ambitious album without precise accomplishment

It's the second studio album by uzbekistani jazz rock fusion band Fromuz - Seventh Story. With Seventh Story begins a new period for the band and I would call it transition. In my opinion it's a negative transition. The album contains vocals (made by guitarist Vitaly Popeloff) and much more jazz moments, than Overlook. It contains a lot of ambitious, dynamic and intensive parts, but despite vocals, I think it's a step backward for the band, because of the presence of monotonous moments and themes as awell as unpleasing vocals (they looks like the vocals by other slav - Mariusz Duda from Riverside), I would rate this album less than Overlook. Moreover, the album is not as catchy and balanced as the debut! Seventh Story is a transition for the band not only in terms of sound, but in terms of line-up changes. There are a few line-up changes, which are crucial for the album. Probably the musicians haven't good teamwork together, yet! And yet nice attempt for the band, deserving attention! 3+ stars!

Blues for Tony is a collection of live cuts from a Tony Williams New Lifetime tribute band made up of ex-Lifetimers Allan Holdsworth and Alan Pasqua, with Jimmy Haslip on bass and Chad Wackerman filling in for the deceased legendary Tony on drums. This is an extremely talented band and their take on modern jazz fusion is both intellectual and virtuoustic, unfortunately though, like a lot of modern fusion the music on here seems directed at a 'musicians only' audience. None the less, musicians will find a lot to like here. Holdsworth's guitar work is flawless and a little more aggressive than usual and Pasqua returns to a more 70s pseudo analog sound with fierce distorted faux Fender Rhodes solos that recall a youthful Herbie Hancock.

Some album highlights on disc one include Pasqua's hard bop swingin piano solo on It must be Jazz and his extended aggressive distorted electric piano ride on the remake of Holdsworth's New Lifetime fusion classic, Fred. This disc closes with a beautiful ethereal guitar intro from Holdsworth on his ironically titled Pud Wud.

Disc two opens with Looking Glass, which epitomizes what is so wrong with so much of modern fusion; a listless beat that lacks a defined pulse but allows for endless fills from the drums and bass, ethereal chord progressions that seem to modulate upwards but really go nowhere, and lengthy solos that give the effect of 'building', but also go nowhere. Unfortunately Pasqua's San Michele which follows, continues this more morose style of modern fusion at first, but fortunately this track is resurrected by Alan's bizarre psychedelic keyboard solo, nice stuff which leads to the more dissonant Mahavishnu styled outro and follow up tune, the energetic Protocosmos. Red Alert closes out disc two with some great high energy funk-rock with burning solos from both Al(l)ans and clears out the cobwebs from the disc opener.

Overall this double disc is best when Holdsworth, Pasqua and gang avoid the pitfalls of modern limp-wrested fusion for music school grad students and go for the more hard funky/rockin 70s sound when this genre had some grit and genuine life force. This double disc live set is recommended for fans of Alan Holdsworth, and also Alan Pasqua who delivers some of the finest keyboard playing of his recorded career.

— First review of this album —

After Squarepusher's some very interesting experimental jazz fusion based works, this EP could disappoint you. There is not too much of jazz fusion, almost nothing to be true.

It's just different music. If opener "Iambic 5 Poetry " still have some dreamy warm mid tempo melody and interesting bass sounds, other songs are mostly all just experimental electronics. Not a bad music, bad not focused enough to be attractive, too often remind a lose mix of relaxed experimental electronic sounds. Happily drumming is always there, so there are some dynamics in it."Two Bass"is just another composition rich in bass line and some fusion pulsation.

This short work is not for fusion lover. Some experimental electronics fans can find some interesting moments in strange sounds and rhythms there, but generally release for collectors mostly .

Around 2,5.

This is definitely a solo album where Pat Metheny plays everything on it from keyboards to percussion and guitar.. Basically, references point to Chicago's Tortoise(without the dub...think TnT), Mike Oldfield's Orchestral period(Incantations), Pierre Moerlin's Gong and Wes Montgomery. Jazzy and orchestral in scope. Fans of Pierre Moerlin's Gong during the period of _Time Is The Key_ and _ Leave It Open_ would find this very appealing. No stellar tracks, really, Everything is solid. A little Zappaesque in parts. This could be Pat Metheny's AMAROK, but don't expect any toothbrushes. It harkens back to his period of '78 to '82 on ECM. (Pat Metheny Group, As Falls Wichita, Offramp). No synth-guitar(as far as I can tell). Recommended.

— First review of this album —

First Squarepusher release on Warp label is real strong one. Just three songs, but all are competent and fill the possible space till the end.

"Port Rhombus" is energetic but soft composition with drumming jungles, electric piano and acoustic guitar touches. You will remember the beauty of this song!

"Problem Child" is more d'n'b composition, with complex drumming . Tom Jenkinson is sampling his own both drums and bass!

"Significant Others" , shortest final composition, is full of spacey echoes and drumming cascades.

Just three-song release became Squarepusher's first serious signal for few interesting works coming after.Not less than 3,5.

Herbie Hancock - Mwandishi (1971)

Progressive fusion/free jazz

I really liked most of the Crossing album (followup of this first Mwandishi period album) and I wanted to try more music of the progressive Hancock on Warner Bros period.

On this first record of this new phase of Herbie Hancock there's some heavy music. The first track, Ostinato (Suite for Angela), has one repetitive main bass line in a very awkward time signature. The continuation of this theme gives an hypnotic atmosphere. Right in the beginning we hear a very heavy low brass solo with some frantic tones. After a while the band settles the sound and the solo's begin. All solo's are played very well with a lot of dynamics. The solo's are part of the progressive sound, they are daring in both harmonics and intelligent rhythms. Though this track is my favourite of the album, 13 minutes are a bit too much of exploration of one single theme.

You'll Know When You Get There is less structured and has some freejazz moments of wild soloing. The atmosphere is highly abstract and the composition is chaotic. I think the atmosphere is the main point of concern of this track. On side two Wandering Spirit Song continues the style of the second track of the album with freejazz/progressive jazz and some fusion parts, this times seemingly without any clear directions. Like it was completely improvised around a few ideas.

Conclusion. Though the first track is highly rewarding, the other parts of the album slip like sand through my fingers. Where to listen to? Where is this music going? What does this band try to show? Maybe my listening attitude is not developed enough to enjoy this free interpretation of the after be-bob genre with lot's of experimentation, but this should not influence my rating of this album. This is in a way really good music, but this isn't an excellent addition to most of our prog rock music collection. This is for true jazz fanatics, who don't care about the loss of structure in music. This might also appeal to people who like avant-garde, because of it's abstract atmospheres. So.. three stars. This might be very worthwhile if you invest enough time to get into the atmosphere of the music.

Squarepusher's debut on Warp label is possibly his jazziest and strongest work till now. The music combines complex drum-programming with added relaxed fretless bass and quite melodic compositions. Even if common sound is influenced by acid-jazz, inside compositions' structure has many layers and is of improvisational nature.

With still existing drum'n'bass shadows, music is filled with exotic rhythms (with ultra- speed Tom Jenkinson's bass) and some gentle ambient and electronics touches. Differently from many pure-electronics projects, all album there is more listenable and not boring because of some live-improv nature.

This work is interesting as some experimental music on the border of jazz-fusion and progressive electronics, searching new horizons for jazz fusion development. Hardly acceptable for jazz purists, this album could be interesting for jazz-fusion experimentalists and progressive electronics open ears lovers as well.

P.S. Start your listening from "Papalon"