JAZZ ROCK/FUSION

This is an excellent but overlooked album that will appeal to those who like Quiet Sun or Mahavishnu Orchestra. How anyone interested in heavy fusion, who has listened to this particular album more than ten times, can not but consider it one of the greatest albums of what is a relatively small genre, is beyond me. It deserves 5 stars, the only Isotope album that does so. Like all truly great albums, it yields it's greatness slowly. Fully appreciating it is a learning curve. The more you play it, the better it becomes, though for many prog fans, especial those who like their music relatively pretty, it's a difficult album at first as it has a dark, cold edge that is consistent from track to track. In that sense, it is comparable to Starless and Bible Black. Don't worry, it will get warmer and brighter. Boyle and company have something to prove, notwithstanding the frustration they must have felt having comparably little commercial success, and prove it they do. To suggest that Boyle's guitar imitates John McLaughlin suggests a lack of intimacy with both artists. Much more rock than jazz, Isotope's Illusion is a unique gem that sparkles darkly on it's own merits.

I am travelling through the world of music. Every day there are new pieces that I achieve and try to understand. Quite recently did I begin to investigate new produced record and still active artist, when I before just listened to old bands.

Hiromi Uehara is a japanese jazz musician who has made a lot of praised music since a young age and now 2014 she and bassist Anthony Jackson and the drummer Simon Philips made "Alive" which is Hiromi's ninth studio record. Before me five others have rated the record and given it as many stars as posible.

The record contains nine tracks and everyone is long lasting so the listening time is 75 minutes of music. The music is varied and uses a lot of thoughts that evolves into interesting pieces. The best song in my opinion, in "Warrior" which is both very jazzy and very rocky and gives of glimpses of other progressive rock(9/10). Also "Alive" and "Wanderer" do I like with a lot of craziness and love for melodic streams(8/10). The other songs have parts that I like but I have hard to realy understand them.

Well, I am quite new to jazz rock I don't think I am a good judge to say this record är related to other records in the same genre. I can just judge from my own experience and then I most say taht I liked a lot here,a nd I liked the spirit and craziness here and there. Though are my experiences still too vague and the music perhaps too jazzy. I credit the record and suppose that others will like it even more. Three stars!

One man, one guitar, one voice and his ethereal Blues universe!

I must forewarn you! This could hardly be considered PROG!

This my friend, is called ¨The Blues" and in its purest form. So, maybe even "Blodders" , will feel kind of surprised! Yep! " Birthright", 2005, is master bluesman James "Blood" Ulmer's retribution to the MUSIC roots, that so encouraged him to be what he became.

Sitting down by himself, the skillful guitarist / flutist, composer James "Blood" Ulmer, takes on sigle handedly an intense and personal trip into the nakedness of the primal blues composition's style. Delivering an intimate repertoire of 10 new own pen-written songs (+ 2 covers), which masterful simplicity, could only be compared to the LEGENDS that brought on this musical style.

To name some references I will think of Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins and the beloved Willie Dixon (there is a cover of his trend-setting "I Ain't Superstitious".), just to suggest where this album heads on.

So I will address mainly BLUES and Rock followers, maybe some Jazz/Fusioners, and then any other curious Prog cat who may enjoy this kind of musical style.

I myself, grew up with the music of those legends. And James "Blood" Ulmer can stand alongside any of those masters, is his own earned " Birthright " to do so!

Easy ****4.5 PA stars!

The AdC music I hear on AdC has finally achieved what their previous albums failed to do: engaged and pleased me. Melodies I actually remember after songs are over, songs I actually know by name and chose specifically, willingly, longingly to put on my iPod playlists. They have always felt accomplished as musicians--technical wizards, each--but something was missing. As it turns out, it was the fresh, original and memorable constructs that I hear on this album. I've heard that AdC's concert appearances are quite impressive--other reviewers seem to always write with a bit of a stunned awe at what they observed and heard live. Perhaps with this album they have finally captured that jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring sound that they've been reported to convey on stage. Perhaps the roles and contributions of each of the seemingly-committed band members have been clearly established so that they can write and record cohesive, joy- expressing music. If I have any complaints it is that the recording sometimes feels a bit sterile, lacking human frailty.

Favorite songs: the SANTANA/STEELY DAN-like jam, 1. "Nadir" (9/10), the Hendrix-plays-with- The-Softs-sounding, 2. "Dandelion" (9/10), the slow-building DIAGONAL-like 5. "Tiglath" (8:28) (9/10), and the lovely Windham Hill-sounding pastoral acoustic ensemble of 6. Piu Limpida e Chiara di Ogni Impressione Vissuta (Pt.2) (3:21) (8/10).

Nice work, Contrarians!

4 stars.

Continuing the huge success generated by their debut album and their instant stardom generated by the Woodstock Festival in August 69, SANTANA released their 2nd album ABRAXAS the following year pretty much following the same formula of mixing rock, blues and latin jazz. The album was an even bigger hit than the debut hitting number 1 on the Billboard album charts and selling more than twice as many albums as well as hitting big with the huge hits "Oye Como Va" and the cover of Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman." SANTANA was a worldwide phenomenon by now and their unique Latin big band sound was one of the hottest things going on at the time. As with the previous album there is an army of percussionists accompanying Carlos Santana's bluesy lead guitar and Gregg Rollie's keyboards.

Although this is a great album I have always liked it a tad less than the debut. It is lacking that incessant raw and fervent drive throughout its entirety that made the first album so amazing. The songs are more varied in their approach and the music is generally the same in its sound, yet something about this album just seems like a tamed down version of the debut as a whole. Whereas the debut was a energetic display of adrenaline from beginning to end, I find this one is dragged down a tad with slower numbers like the instrumental "Samba Pa Ti." Nothing on here is bad by any means and it's only a relativity issue for me. It also hasn't helped that I have heard the hit singles on this album to death! Even after giving classic rock radio a break for many years, I still find "Black Magic Woman" a song I no longer like to hear. Make no doubt about it, it is a classic of classics but some music can become toxic after too many listens and this i'm afraid is one of those tracks that I haven't been able to recover from. Despite that an outstanding album that just doesn't reach perfection in my world.

Considered one of the first and most important Yugoslavian rock albums, Korni Grupa's debut LP, this self-titled affair from 1972, saw a band, formed by ex-Indexi keyboard player Kornelije Kovac, that had previously had to focus on shorter pop songs bravely step up into more adventurous and explorative ambitious rock. Strong melodic compositions with loose improvised jams in the style of hard rock, blues, jazz fusion and fuzzy psychedelia with confident vocals and a heavy use of electric piano were the results, and it may be one of the strongest Yugo prog related albums of that time.

Opener `Glas Sa Obale Boje' jumps back and forth between a slightly downbeat acoustic ballad that comes alive with togetherness in the chorus with fiery and brooding electric guitar riffs in the middle and end. The fourteen minute four-part `Put Na Istok' shares a similar unpredictable and all-or-nothing eclectic approach to Italian band Banco del Muruo Soccorsso and well as the jazzy vibes of Samurai/The Web. Full of lengthy instrumental displays, Josip Bocek's electric guitar is all thick muscular grinding one second, dirty grooving Santana-like sweltering strutting the next, Kornelije's red-hot electric piano a dazzling swirl of movement. Drummer Vladimir Furduj is all wild yet controlled fury, and Bojan Hreljac's bass weaves throughout the background and constantly leaps forward. Plenty of tempo changes, some sedate and thoughtful rests, psychedelic dreaminess and lots of call-and-response dueling interplay between Zlatko Pjakovic's commanding vocals and the rest of the musicians makes for a thrilling extended piece that is truly infectious and addictive.

Side B's `Moj Bol' is a sultry upbeat strolling jazz workout, comprised of spiraling piano, hand percussion and slow-burn electric guitar ripples around Zlatko's voice, a mix of lustful croons and spitting deranged rants. Bojan's bass is a real highlight here, effortlessly adapting to the changing directions of the piece with ease. Right from it's opening seconds, `Bezglave Ja-Ja Horde' is a frantic jazz/fusion race, delirious electric piano runs, slithering bass and nimble drum-work running rings around each-other, the scorching electric guitar taking on a wicked snarl around Zlatko's theatrical bellowing. Closer `Tata Ko, I Mama Spo' is a warm acoustic ballad with a strong vocal melody and pleasing electric guitar fills throughout, displaying how well the band had perfected more compact pieces over the years prior to this, and the electric piano break in the middle is sublime and restrained.

The recent CD reissue by label Eastern Time in 2013 includes eight bonus tracks of singles and their b-sides, a nice way to hear the way the band evolved into what is offered on the main album here. Within two years they would rename themselves Kornelyans and release an English language album recorded in Italy called `Not An Ordinary Life', further heading in progressive rock directions. But for this first `Korni Grupa' album, it's a personal Yugoslavian favourite of mine alongside the self-titled Izvir album, and the lengthy soloing/instrumental improvisation and superior vocals makes it a winner to me.

Four stars.

— First review of this album —

Xavi is recognized as being one of Spain's top jazz drummers, and over the last fifteen years has built his reputation by working with artists such Steve Hogarth (Marillion), Gary Willis (Tribal Tech), Monica Green (The Supremes), Caco Senante, O 'Funk'illo and Pep Sala Joaquin Calderon. But he has also been working on his own bands, releasing 'Two Sides' with DX Project, two albums with the Xavi Reija Electric Quintet as well as trimming that down to the Xavi Reija Electric Trio who prior to this had released a DVD. Now he is back, again in a trio environment, with Bernat Hernández on bass, and Dusan Jevtović on guitars. Bernat also played with Dusan on the latter's album 'Am I Walking Wrong' which was released last year.

When I first started listening to jazz as a child, it was bands led by drummers that I became most interested in, and the very first jazz album I ever bought with my own money was by Gene Krupa. There is something about music being geared towards the complexity and freedom that comes from a powerhouse at the back that really lifts the overall, and if you normally listen to metal then you would have to agree that Testament's recent stunning live opus just wouldn't be half as dynamic if Gene Hoglan wasn't behind the kit. Only four of these compositions are group numbers, with the other seven all scored by Xavi, but the common theme throughout is the sheer amount of space that these guys have given themselves to work with. That they are all stunning musicians are never in doubt, but they know the importance of simplicity as well as complexity, and know the right time to deliver what is required, with fuzzed distortion adding to the overall sound.

The three musicians work off each other, and the result is an avant garde album that combines improvisation with funk and melody, distortion and feedback with clean struck notes, polyrhythmic sounds with simple timekeeping, so much so that the listener never really knows what is coming next. A very strong production tops off yet another incredibly strong release from the Moonjune label. www.moonjune.com

Pharoah Sanders, Bill Laswell, Tony Williams, Buckethead, Nicky Skopelitis and Graham Haynes add up USA's Jazz/Fusion band , ARCANA. (There are other bands that go by the same name.)

But not any band can claim such an all-star cast under their name-title. Let me start with long time sax legend Pharoah Sanders. To think that this guy more than once played alongside the great John Coltrane, well, talks a bit about his level of performance. (He also played alongside composer and piano player Alice Coltrane, John's wife). Pharoah Sanders brought the "esoteric" performance element, to both Coltrane's music, as he does in his appearances in this 1997, ARCANA "Arc of Testimony" album.

Bill Laswell, well as I mentioned somewhere, is a freaking musical genius. But what I didn't emphasize then, but do now, is that he is also a hell of a bass player, as the skilled composer, multi-instrumentalist he is. Tony Williams (who died during this recording), well, anyone aquainted with this sub-genre knows his fondness for "grandeure". Also familiar to proggers guitarist Buckethead, which spiraling and haunting licks enhance the greatest peaks this record ascends. And everybody relying on Nicky Skopelitis guitar riffs. Graham Haynes contributes with his cornet on 2 tracks. Well! This is ARCANA.

How they sound? Like blending "old school" modern Jazz with Bill Laswell's intricate music figures and ever expansive "ambiental" structures. Moving towards stilistic perfection, but within a "chaotic" environment. The "esoteric" Pharoah Sanders leaving his heart in each of his interventions, as always! But each musician takes turns in the development of each track, so creativity runs wild, but never out of place, in the hands of these musicians' extraordinary and masterful performance skills!

****4.5 "Jazz/Fusion taken on a wild ride" PA stars.

For the brave at heart Prog/Jazz fans!

An early-70's French entry with strong Magma links.It all started in late-60's, when keyboardist Jean-Pol Asseline and drummer Thierry Blanchard played with bassist Gerard Prévost, future member of Zao, and participated in several Jazz-linked concerts, before deciding to form a regular band.Asseline and Blanchard were joined by organist Alain Monier, bassist Serge Lenoir and sax player Alain Hatot, forming Guige.They were rehearsing at Monier's family basement and were discovered by CBS, signing a long-term deal, folloed by a change of name.With Lenoir out for his military service Magma's bassist Francis Moze was recruited, but by the time of the first recordings Lenoir was back and the band had now two bassists plus Guy Pedersen, a Funk bassist, who joined them on double bass.The recordings took place at Chateau d'Herouville and the debut album came out in September 1971 on Epic.

An organic amalgam of loose Jazz, smooth Psychedelic Rock and intense Fusion was what this septet was offering at the time and the combination worked pretty great at moments, switching from dreamy interplays, powerful solos, ethereal sax lines and sinister Hammond organ waves.They do sound a bit like compatriots AME SON and, of course, MAGMA, although the Jazz component is more pronounced in ''Rhesus O''.The line-up of seven musicians allowed the band to create a vast palette of jazzy rhythms and solos, either performed with some furious electric piano and deep double bass or featuring the darker sound of organ, but always including the work of Hatot on sax.The music gets very dense and closer to Progressive Rock quite often with full keyboard/piano battles, electroacoustic changes and sax interventions in pieces which also include a more active role for the bass players.And there are even a couple of parts with some sort of Classical edge, executed on organ and harsichord.Best highlights of the album appear to be the fantastic changes between emphatic, dreamy, loose Jazz Rock and a more structured and Fusion-oriented Psych/Prog.At last a couple of folky, depressive flute parts add the album yet another dimension towards the end.

When Moze left to rejoin Magma he was replaced by Bernard Paganotti (who went on to become also a member of the French pioneers) and Richard Raux, a session sax player, who also played with Magma, Laurent Thibault and Popol Ace among others.The band was moving towards a more brass-oriented sound, but soon Paganotti and Raux quit along with original drummer Thierry Blanchard to be replaced by Chad-born Manfred Long on bass, Jean-Michel Herve on sax and Christian Ducamps on drums.1972 additions included also bassist Marc Bertreaux and trumpetist Michel Boss, but just when Rhesus O started recording new pieces Monier joined the army for his service and the contract with CBS came to an end, resulting the band's dissolution.Keyboardist Jean-Pol Asseline would also meet his destiny with Magma circa 1975, meeting again with Paganotti, and was a regular musician on Jean-Pierre Alarcen's solo albums.

Good, early-70's Jazz/Fusion with progressive overtones and slight, psychedelic explorations.Musea's reissue is a good chance to meet Rhesus O's rich and jazzy sound.Recommended stuff.

— First review of this album —

The botanical title is a little clumsy, but luckily this music is not something one might associate with the term "root music"! The latest album by the old fox JUKKA GUSTAVSON doesn't offer anything radically new, but it's always interesting to see how the various familiar ingredients are emphasized. For starters, all lyrics are in English this time, and - also unlike in the album I wrote about last week - the vocals are oriented to singing instead of speaking. These are surely good news especially for non- Finnish listeners.

The mood is mostly happy and relaxed. A good example is the long instrumental 'Message from the Coral Reef', or a shorter one 'In Rainy Weather'. This would be perfect music for a summer evening's outdoor concert. The track with the only Finnish title is a passionate, slow instrumental with delicious parts for flute and organ, and a very vibrating electric piano. Some of the vocal songs reveal a strong influence of Afro-American music (soul, funk, etc), but equally important is the European music tradition rooted in art music. Perhaps the album's greatest delight is 'Classical Stairs and Garden', 17 and ½ minutes of wonderful, effortlessly flowing instrumental Fusion, up there with the best of PEKKA POHJOLA or JUKKA TOLONEN.

In the very tender 'In the Long Wait of the Wedding' Jukka sings the brief lyrics in French! Beautiful arrangement featuring e.g. flute and strings. The groovy but rather peaceful song 'This Elegy Will Always Be' is a decication to a pet cat. It has nice electric piano, and presumably an ud solo by guitarist Pekka Nylund. I notice that I enjoy this album much more than in the first listening. The bluesiest things may not be so much up to my taste, but for once there's not a single irritating track around. This is an extremely solid album with 66 minutes of pure, breathing music that is never left in the shadow of more litarary approach.