JAZZ ROCK/FUSION

With less woodwind instruments, and no vibraphone/marimba, there is far more space on this album which is used wisely so while Denis is often taking the lead role the others switch between providing melodic support or taking more of a backseat. During "Rebirth" Mathias plays the same note progression almost throughout, yet when he is given the opportunity he is an incredibly exciting and dynamic performer yet fully understood his role in this piece. This also allows Patrick to ensure that he and Juan-Sébastien are more to the fore, as there are far less layers to contend with while musically it feels much more like an album of its time as opposed to one from much earlier, unlike the debut. Undoubtedly the change in line-up had impacted what was taking place, but also Forgas had been able to record four albums in 10 years, and before that there was a break of 13 years when he had recorded very little, so he was able to experiment more with what he actually wanted to achieve. This often feels more upbeat and commercial, with much more of a jazz rock fusion feel than Canterbury, and one can certainly understand why after this was released they were soon signed to Cuneiform who they have been with ever since. Again, this album has until now been unavailable for the last 20 years, and it is a fine addition to any collection.

Even though I was highly active in the scene in the 90's I had not come across this release until now, but I did review their most recent album, 2018's 'L'Oreille Électrique' which I thoroughly enjoyed so was looking forward to this. In many ways this is like stepping back in time, not to the late Nineties though, but a decade earlier. Patrick (drums, electronics) is joined by bassist Philippe Talet to provide the bedrock of this release, always moving yet always keeping the structure tight while Mathias Desmier (guitar) and Stéphane Jaoui (Fender Rhodes, piano, synthesizers) provide the middle layers, wrapping on top of the rhythm section to provide depth and yet more support. However, it is Mireille Bauer (vibraphone, marimba) and Frédéric Schmidely (tenor & soprano saxophones, flute) who are often the lead players, often harmonising while Frédéric must have worked like a trojan in the studio, adding multiple instruments and threads to the same track. That is not to say that Desmier is not a wonderful shredder, just that he is rarely given the opportunity to shine, although his blast in "Sérum de Vérité" is both unexpected and a real delight.

There are only three songs here, with the short one being six minutes long, and then we get one at eighteen and another at twenty, but they never seem that lengthy as one is soon deep inside the music which somehow seems dated and timeless all at the same time. Given his early love of Soft Machine it is no surprise this has much to offer fans of the Canterbury scene, with the likes of National Health also having some influences while this will also appeal to those who enjoy Jean-Luc Ponty, Ian Carr's Nucleus, Frank Zappa's instrumental works and Billy Cobham's early bands. In many ways this is something of a forgotten album now due to its lack of availability and it is wonderful to be able to enjoy this again thanks to Cuneiform Records who signed the band to their label more than 20 years ago.

1. "Lollipop Mainliner" (4:22) sounds so Sixties-ish: like a mash up of "surf rock" and organ blues-rock. The construct definitely comes from the blues idiom. Interesting long slow down at the three-minute mark followed by the reprise- restart of the main theme to close. (8.75/10)

2. "Goose Pimples" (4:42) opens up sounding like a variation on Gerwshin's "Porgy and Bess," but then it goes full blues with some soprano saxophone soloing above the organ, bass, and drums. Organ takes over the lead soloing throughout the second minute before giving way to the sax again. (8.75/10)

3. "Chicks" (4:25) James Brown-like R&B--like "Mustang Sally" with a slight influx of surfer music. (8.5/10)

4. "Gargoyle" (4:46) the closest song to proto-prog Blues-Rock like something Brian Auger, Rod Argent, or even Keith Emerson might do. Gustl Mayr's wonderful soprano sax play is more akin to that of John Coltrane. This song really swings! My favorite song on the album. (9/10)

5. "Mood Blue" (4:10) a great movin' Jazz-Rock piece which really showcases Klaus Gobel's talents on the organ. The chorus bridge is a bit like the structure and chords of Steve Winwood's "I'm a Man." (8.875/10)

Side Two: "Fancy Suite" : 6. "Cat Quarter" (5:49) more organ and sax supporting jazzy R&B. (8.75/10)

7. "Dig It" (5:28) old-time blues construct that was probably very popular in the band's local beer halls. Sax gets the lead over the standard jazz drumming and fret-walking bass line but, of course, Klaus gets his time in the sun as well. (8.6666667/10)

8. "Fancy Soul" (5:15) opens with some adventurous bass play before sax, brushed drums, and sustained organ chords join in. This is jazz from the deep South: sad and emotive. Nice work from bassist Dieter Von Goetze and Gustl Mayr on the soprano sax--and I really like Klaus's restrained, respectful organ: giving full support and shine to Gustl. At the halfway point Gustl takes over the lead, mirroring Dieter's melody lines with great care and respect while still adding his virtuosic riffs and flourishes, and then Dieter is given the lead for the final minute and more. Nice! Another one of my top three songs. (8.875/10)

9. "Ruck-a-Sack" (4:10) another song that feels as if it would have been a great favorite in the local pubs and beer halls- -it feels like an "old standard": full of simple catchy melodies and playing patterns. Nice cymbal play from drummer Kurt Bong. (8.666667/10)

Total time: 44:46

On the positive side, these songs are all recorded extremely well: with all instruments being rendered clearly and cleanly defined, but the soundscapes are a bit too sparse and spacious for my tastes. From a distance, this really is less Jazz-Rock Fusion despite its used of electric bass and organ; it's more jazzy Blues Rock.

B/four stars; a beautifully-rendered collection of original music that all feels familiar in the way that popular jazz "standards" do. If you like melodic organ and sax play within a competent jazz combo, you might love this.

1. "Miles All Along The Watchtower" (6:05) everybody jumps out of the gate bouncing along with Miles-Herbie-like pace and focus, creating a groove that presents drums, bass, and Fender Rhodes as each demanding our attention in every which way. Electric guitars and horns are there in the background but it's not until the fourth minute that the horns and guitar (and clavinet) begin to make their presences known. Great whole-band jam. (9.125/10)

2. "High Life" (4:41) a song that goes dragging, plodding along with a semi-Native American melody line until some Hatfield and the North-like female vocals from Maria Archer brighten things up. A new synth acquisition solos after Ms. Archer breaks from her second verse and thereafter on the back of the rhythm section. Very, very nice sound engineering creating a very full and rich sonic field: It's so pretty! (9/10)

3. "Morning Sun" (6:45) slow, funky attempt at more Miles Davis-like music. But unlike the band's previous album, there are no tempo changes! Cool big-room reverb gives this an extra-large feel--over which a very cool sax is played with adept muting skills (and maybe an effect or two). Meanwhile, the electric guitar and machine gun-effected drumming do their best to vie for our attention. But then everything quiets down at the end of the third minute so that guitarist Roman Bunka can play around with his wah-wah pedal. Then Christian Burchard is given the nod to solo on his vibes--which comes off as a bit odd and feeling forced (he's just a guest, after all, not part of the tightly-bound inner corps). In the sixth minute everything really quiets down as dirging sax and electric piano take us out on a mellow note. (13.25/15)

4. "Gurus For Sale" (5:15) keyboard rich (Fender Rhodes), bass-thick (heavily-treated fretless bass) RTF-like music with alto sax barely in the lead (not exactly mixed front and center). Again I am surprised at the album's compositional homogeneity after the patterns established by their previous album. Maybe, as has been suggested, they really weren't into the recording of this album. Norbert Dömling is, as ever, eminently listenable as he ventures around the totality of his fretboard under the guise of his heavily-effected bass. (8.75/10)

5. "La Plage De Patcha Menga" (5:19) now here is some j-r fuse with some heart and soul: energetic and spirited from start to finish--with special citation to conga player Ömnes and Northette-like b voxer Maria Archer. Definitely a beach that I'd hang out at! (9/10)

6. "Nothing Again" (10:02) more energetic, tightly played and interestingly-constructed jazz-rock fusion. Though the opening motif promises great dynamic things, the acoustic guitar solo in the second minute is played over a slowed down motif. Around 2:30 the band switches back into fourth gear for a nice cruise beneath the sunlight and wind of the saxophone. Great play from drummer Butze Fischer and, of course, bass player Norbert Dömling. Chaotic end to this section in the sixth minute leads into a spacey synth bridge that is gradually filled by a heavily-effected electric bass guitar solo and skeleton crew of congas, hi-hat play, and BRAIN AUGER-like three-chord repetition of Burkard Schmidl's Fender Rhodes. When Norbert's bass returns to rhythm and funk leadership, Burkard's right hand begins a very stylish and groovy solo reminding me even more of Brian Auger, but then at 9:15 everybody breaks back into the fast lane of a recapitulation of the opening motif. (18.5/20)

7. "Patscha Menga Underground" (3:40) flute-led funk from Friedemann Josch over bass and simple drum and percussion play. Sax, synth and flute carry the nearly-Oriental melody in the second minute before two airy flutes take over to carry us through the final 90 seconds. Interesting! Nice. (8.875/10)

8. "For Eri" (2:58) Burkard Schmidl's jazzy lounge piano from another era--or from a film--is joined by Norbert Dömling's sexy bass--both exploring their own intertwined melody lines as if dancing or in flight. Quite lovely--and very mature sounding. Definitely a favorite. (9.75/10)

Total Time: 44:45

A-/five stars; another minor masterpiece of peak-level First Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion (bordering on Second Wave) and another European product that no J-RF lover should miss.

1. "Julia" (3:54) despite a rather chaotic opening, this song moves into a motif in the second half of the first minute in which great piano and flute play is mixed in with all the others as the band rollicks through some psychedelic funkiness. (8.875/10)

2. "20th Century Break" (5:02) great spirit and melodies built on a fun, funky (and familiar) sound and rhythmic pattern. Again, I love the way the piano drives this one but also how the horns assist the whole way along. The fourth minute features a refreshingly-unusual clavinet solo, but then we're back to the clever and melodically-mutually- supportive AREA-like multiple thematic expositions for the close. (9.33333/10)

3. "Geisha" (5:23) very solid rhythm base of piano, drums, and clavinet with electric bass seeming to go off on its own melodic journey while two flutes smooth it all out. Very Chick Corea-like though even stronger in places (that bass!) I love the fact that the pianos (2?) and clavinet are playing off one another throughout the entire song. And the groove is so infectious. Definitely a favorite of mine--a top three song, to be sure. Norbert Dömling is one interesting cat! (9.5/10)

4. "Vacuum Cleaners Dance" (5:17) another chaotic/psychedelic start that eventual irons out into another hard-driving heavy jazz-rock flute-led composition. The lead flute player performs like Thijs van Lier or Ian Anderson when they're at their craziest but, overall, I feel that this is a Mwandishi-era Herbie Hancock song played by Milanese band AREA (with Freideman Josch's flute supplanting Demetrio Stratos' vocal acrobatics). Solid and definitely entertaining. (9.125/10)

5. "Paranoidl" (4:20) a straightforward start, solid rhythm section with wild Hammond organ play throughout the somewhat-slower first half. Then the band switches into high gear with some crazy bass playing, Fender Rhodes, wah- wah rhythm guitar, and frenetic sax soloing. The song feels like something like Canterbury-infused NATIONAL HEALTH and Jazz-Rock-oriented AREA co-mingling on stage, taking turns imposing their leadership in the different motifs. The musicians are all so dialed into this one! (9.25/10)

6. "Fly Away" (7:46) after a long drawn out two-minute intro, this song congeals into, at first, a great horn-accented big- band jazz-rock but then turns to a more melodic "pop" jazz feeling sound for a few bars, but then it kind of returns/reverts to the slowly in-fading intro motif as if to restart or rebuild toward that whole-band, big-band motif. It's not until the five minute mark that any true solo gets underway--tenor saxophone--as a synth slowly fades in to counterpoint from just beneath before being faded out for Fender Rhodes and electric piano. An unusual (and pretty innovative) circle of constantly-rotating soloists ensues before they all mysteriously synch up together in the final 30 seconds! How cool! (13.75/15)

7. "Talle" (5:40) less jazzy, more proggy folk-rock, even with a saxophone occupying the lead position. The drumming in the first 90 seconds is the one thing keeping this from falling into pop-folk. Kind of a stylistic mix of something between Al Di Meola and Bob James. Also, a lot less adventurous compositionally though some of the individual performances are note-worthy: particularly the bass and multiple acoustic guitar tracks--the latter which turns electric rhythm in the slightly funkier TRAFFIC-like second half--and the flute in the third minute. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 33:22

This band is so tight! The precision synchronization of their play is quite remarkable--not to mention the proficiency of each and every band member (some on multiple instruments).

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of refined and sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion. A must-hear for you J-RF fans.

1. "Shifting Phases" (6:55) a great galloping horseback riding rhythm track over which John Abercrombie's jazz guitars and Clive Stevens' saxophone swoop and soar; great energy straight off the bat with the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar's funky groove. Great engineering in that every instrument is fully defined--though I don't like the dirty distortion effect used on Ralph Towner's Fender Rhodes electric piano. I like the fact that each of the instrumentalists remains actively engaged and creatively contributing while other band members are having their turns soloing. I'd give this full marks were it a little more memorable in the melody department. (14/15)

2. "Culture Release" (6:50) The song opens up with some impressive whole-group showmanship over the course of 30- seconds of complex chord and melody transitions but then the song settles into a high-speed R&B form within which clavinet, guitar, and soprano sax trade lightning fast bursts of soloing; it's constructed like a geometrical mathematical until the soloists (clavinet, electric guitar, sax, electric bass, and drums) start trading barbs at the end of the first minute, then it sounds like Todd Rundgren's first Utopia album. Drummer Michael Thabo Carvin gets the clear-out effect for an extended isolated solo in the third and fourth minute, and then everybody comes back together just like at the beginning as if they were calmly starting over: no problem! And the jam continues! Great performances--even Michael Thabo Carvin's extended drum solo--considering the lightning speed of the main rhythm track. Never quite heard the clavinet solo like Ralph Towner plays it here. Very impressive--though, again, I wish there were more attention to melody than riffing. (13.5/15)

3. "Inner Spaces and Outer Places" (5:15) slowing it down with some low-end chord play from Stu Woods and Ralph Towner while John Abercrombie's guitars and Clive Stevens' multiple horns loosely provide a lazy, unsynchronized melody over the top. In the second minute the sonic field thins as the low-end chords stop while two guitars solo, at the same time, as if in completely different universes! Saxes and Fender Rhodes give a kind of Steely Dan support while the rhythm section offers a solid foundation beneath. Weird that I find myself listening more to Ralph Towner's chord play, Stu Woods' bass lines, or David Earl Johnson's congas more than the rest; I guess I'm not much of a fan of either of the guitarists' sound choices or their soloing styles. (8.875/10)

4. "Un Jour Dans Le Monde" (4:43) aqueous and dreamy soundscape established by Ralph's Fender and Clive's saxophone. The gentle arpeggiating of the guitar tracks also helps. This is the kind of song that is challenging for percussionists to contribute to without disturbing the mood--bass, too--but Stu, David, and Michael do a fair job. Nice melody established from the beginning and perpetuated nicely by Clive and the John Abercrombie throughout the entire song. Nice song texturally but sometimes a little draggin' (9/10)

5. "Voyage To Uranus" (5:52) opens side two as if a continuation or variation on the previous song with sax leading the melody and guitar, Fender, and percussion helping to fill the field with gentle, dreamy stuff. Once the intro is moved passed, the rhythmatists establish an equally-gentle and -melodic foundation over which Clive solos. There's a little Bob James-like feel to this music despite a slightly-more-active bass and percussionist. Clive's solos are rather engaging, not off-putting as so many sax solos can be (for me), but Ralph's Fender Rhodes work (and John Abercrombie's rhythm guitar work) is a bit too saccharine like so much of Bob James' arrangements. (8.75/10)

6. "Electric Impulse From The Heart" (4:15) opening with a rather mysterious yet-melodic arpeggioed keyboard chord sequence similar to many of JEAN-LUC PONTY's songs over the next ten years but, at the same time having a little RETURN TO FOREVER/MAHAVISHNU edginess to it--all in rather gentle support of Clive's effected saxophone play. The hypnotic song slips by so quickly that I find myself surprised each time when it ends. (8.875/10)

7. "Water Rhythms" (8:44) a one minute long intro that seems to be built around a jazz-rock-infused R&B motif turns into a more forward-moving smooth jazz motif with some heavier drumming, more dynamic soul-R&B rhythm guitar strumming, slightly more brash sax and Fender Rhodes soloing--all of which takes it out of its smooth categorization and places it firmly into the realm of some kind of neighborhood-cruising R&B. In the last two minutes a rising-and- then-falling sequence of full chords of ominosity repeat themselves a few times before the band brings it all to a crashing end. Interesting. Not my favorite but a solid, decent song. (17.75/20)

8. "Return To The Earth" (5:15) Clive on flute is supported by 12-string guitar picking and delicate bass and drum play with rich electric piano arpeggiations and chord sequences. At the end of the third minute John Abercrombie's electric jazz guitar solos as Ralph Towner accompanies on one of the 12-strings. This is more like the kind of stuff I was hoping for! With all of the tracks of guitars plus Fender Rhodes it is obvious that Ralph and John are each using multiple tracks--and these are the tracks that my brain gravitates to. An interesting--and totally unexpected--way to end the album! (8.875/10)

A collection of very impressive performances, to be sure, coming through in interesting, unusual compositions. Though I like the sound engineering better on this album than it's predecessor, I like the dynamic diversity and whole- band entanglement of their debut better; this album feels more like a Clive Stevens album whereas the eponymously- titled debut felt more reliant on collaboration.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of melodic jazz rock fusion. While there are some songs not to be missed here, there are several that just miss the mark.

A1. "Earth Spirit" (5:30) opening with Rick Laird's bass right up front and center, then Billy Cobham's hi-hat, and Ralph Towner's dirty Fender Rhodes before Clive Stevens' soprano sax and the two guitarists join in, taking turns with Clive soloing over the top. Nice R&B-based groove, nice jam, nice melodies, not as nice sound engineering as on the band's next album. (9/10)

A2. "Nova '72" (5:52) the Mahavishnu rhythm section make themselves known right from the opening notes of this one, a fine piece of jazz-rock fusion that seems to suggest that the funk-rock direction might have been the direction half of the MO had wanted to travel when they were falling apart. Billy's drumming is rock solid while Rick Laird's bass play is fluid and attention-grabbing--as is the great Fender Rhodes play of Ralph Towner. Clive is the leader and his tenor sax is awesome though I am not much of a fan of the sax (except in big band horn section lineups); still, Clive's play is more enjoyable than 90% of the other sax players/solos I've heard. I find myself glad for guitarist Steve Khan and John Abercrombie's assignations to background positions. (9.25/10)

A3. "Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" (6:40) a cool, danceable, almost-Earth, Wind & Fire rhythm track is established with Billy Cobham once again performing in his most commanding, rock channel with Rick Laird holding down the funk while Ralph Towner and the two guitarists literally flail away at their instruments beneath Clive's soprano sax solo. This one is interesting! How Billy and Rick can hold it together while Fender Rhodes and two electric guitars are livin' their best lives above! But somehow the craziness works! It blends, it fuses, it flows! Weird! (9.33333/10)

B1. "Astral Dreams" (9:21) another R&B track is established straight out of the gate while odd percussion instruments are employed with more restrained and conformed rhythm play from Towner, Khan, and Abercrombie. Nice melodies instituted by Clive on a treated soprano sax--solid enough to allow him to wander off every switch in motif into some pretty cool solos before coming back to the main melody. At 3:00 the band moves into a kind of dreamy bridge that allows them to reset before picking right up where they left off. A very melodic, almost STEELY DAN-like jam that really works for me. At 4:55 Steve Khan gets his first turn at an isolated solo--and it's decent (with special thanks going out to Billy Cobham for his awesomely dynamic support)! Rick Laird is just killing it: holding his own melody-production seminar despite all that's going on around him. Ralph is next on his Fender Rhodes before giving it up to Clive again-- with Billy again flailing wildly in the bridges. (Wish his drums were recorded better--and mixed more integrally into the overall mix.) (18.5/20)

B2. "All Day Next Week" (6:50) opening as a sophisticated multi-themed jazz pop piece, the song shifts into smooth jazz-rock at 1:15 for a different motif before coming back to the more sophisticated jazz-pop at the end of the second minute. The laying back for soloing begins thereafter with Fender Rhodes, electric guitars (Steve and John each getting a turn) before Clive gets his say. Again, the play of Rick Laird over Billy's rock-solid drumming is so important! so necessary to the freedom offered to each of the other instrumentalists. The song never really presents us with anything extraordinary (other than Rick Laird's amazing and melodic bass play), but it's still great. (13.75/15)

B3. "The Parameters of Saturn" (5:47) an experimental foray into the crazy world of free-jazz with each and every instrumentalist going off in their own directions, some quite melodically (like the anchoring effect of Clive's calming sax), some more freely without regard for melody or matching rhythms with the others. Interesting and, because of Clive's calming presence in the eye of the hurricane, surprisingly listenable! (8.875/10)

I must say that, despite poor sound representation of Billy Cobham's drums, he and fellow Mahavishnu Orchestra alum Rick Laird put on a clinic on how important the rhythm section is to the confidence and comfort of a band's individuals and whole. It is told that this was Billy and Rick's only studio session outside of John McLaughlin's torrid and demanding schedule during the entire run of the MO. Also, it's too bad that percussionist Harry Wilkinson (Larry Coryell)'s work is mixed so deeply into the soundscapes cuz we all know he can be a force.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of peak Jazz-Rock Fusion This is an album (and group)--like its successor--that deserves more attention with regards to its place in the history of the formation and evolution of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

1. "Gypsy Queen" (11:50) melodic soprano sax leads the cohesive band through the jungle while sherpas Mervin Bronson, Larry Coryell, and machete-wielding drummer Roy Haynes and percussionists Larry Killian and Harry Wilkinson negotiate with any intruders or inhibitors to the band's progress on their self-pioneered pathway. In the fifth minute Larry Coryell uses his guitar to fight off a barrage of monkeys or giant mosquitos. Crazy experimental sounds and engineering techniques used throughout this section sounding at times like Godzilla on a rampage--or perhaps some of his radiation-mutated friends. In the ninth minute Larry returns to support while Steve Marcus returns with his sax and the tempo slows down a bit (or at least becomes variable). I am always pleasantly surprised to hear Larry Coryell play the supporting role to the solos of others cuz I'm never sure what he's going to do; here he strums loudly using his wah-wah-monster effect, never backing down on his volume, re-usurping his lead role in the tenth minute for a bit before giving some shine to his drummer and percussionists. There's nothing so shocking or innovative here but it is a damn fine, eminently-listenable song. (22.5/25)

2. "The Great Escape" (8:39) the bass, guitar, and even rhythm section here is mired in some blues-rock with Larry himself playing something akin to Louisiana swamp guitar. The percussionists keep it real, though--keep the music anchored in urban life--and then saxophone player Steve Marcus tries to solidify the jazz roots of the song with some nice Charlie Parker-like playing--with Larry standing on the sidelines in silence. Much better. When Larry returns near the seven-minute mark it is with some nice rock/R&B effects and some very-precisely-nuanced playing--almost like one of the genius virtuosi from the Motown stable. I like the second half of this very much, not so much the first. (17.75/20)

3. "Call to Higher Consciousness " (20:00) a very pacifying four-chord motif for minutes (with Michael Mandel on piano) over which Steve Marcus' tenor saxophone solos beautifully, emotionally, over the first five minutes. Then Larry takes his turn, throwing his darts rapid-fire for the next two and a half minutes before giving up the spotlight for the next two minutes to Mandel's ivory tickling. Mervin Bronson and the percussionists below remain quite committed to their sedating beat until 9:40 when everybody clears out for a Roy Haynes solo. I'm sorry but I've just got to say it: this solo is just incongruous--it just doesn't seem to fit the mellow, relaxing, meditative mood the title and previous ten minutes would suggest. At 13:30 it's over and the rest of the band charges onto the scene with a series of forceful blues-rock bursts that seem like they're signaling the end but no! Bassist Mervin Bronson and Michael Mandel's piano set up another motif to groove into--this one a little more jazz-rock like something by Brian Auger with a now-bass four chord progression and competing soloing going on by not only Marcus and Coryell but Roy Haynes as well. In the 18th minute Larry switches to full-on rock 'n' roll: heavily distorted power chords, but then he backs off and plays some extraordinary delicate lead machine gun riffs and runs as the rest of the band supports as gently as they did in the first nine minutes. Awesome slow, unravelling finish. As with all multi-part suites, this one is a tough one to assign a single number rating to. Aside from the disruption of the drum solo, this is really an excellent song with wonderful performances of a fairly simple yet-effective composition. (36.75/40)

Total Time 40:29

I really like Larry's exposition of distinctly different styles on this album but more I love (and greatly respect) his restraint--especially in second and third songs but also on the supporting role he plays for over half of the opening song. Several of his solos are more concise and controlled--less rambling than he can sometimes do--and yet there are those frenzied ramblers as well (especially when he's experimenting).

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of various and some experimental styles of early jazz-rock and fringe jazz-rock fusion. There is some really nice music here with some very enjoyable solos. Even Larry's experimentation with sound and style are interesting and often astonishing. I can see why this album is a favorite with many other listeners/reviewers.

This 2000 release sounds amazing and to hear each of these guys do their thing at such a high level is a real treat. I have a few of their records but "5" is my favourite, the most consistent and impressive, a keeper. They change things up nicely here with a variety of tunes including the pretty "Snow Tulip" with the impressive bass. That opener "Vacuum Bottle" is a powerful start with that heavy rhythm section and the guitar soloing over top. The closer "Cosmos" matches that but in more of a rock style. In fact it surpasses the opener in heaviness and it's my favourite. "Dagon Fish" is about the tempo changes and outbursts. More of that energy and power on "Latte" including a bass solo. "Belvedere" has some funky bass while they amp it up on "Daisy" before settling back on "Fuchsia" with synth guitar.

I don't love this style of Jazz/Fusion but I sure admire it. Apparently when they first started they were a five piece with sax and keyboards but those two left before that first '96 debut. For fans of complex jazzy music.

1. "Idee A" (4:30) engineered far more toward the accentuation of the electrified elements of the music than anything on Earwax (8.75/10)

2. "Suite": a) "Scorpion" (6:47) spacey experimental soundscapes of a 2001: A Space Odyssey-like cinematic disorder opens up this suite as everyone in the band busies themselves with some unrestricted free-form play--yet there is a flow and tempo and even the shadows of some structural elements including harmony and interplay. The second half goes (13.25/15) b) "Neuteboom" (5:42) buoyed by a very repetitive bass and circus-organ arpeggio line, guitar and electric piano are sent soloing while drummer and bandleader Pierre Courbois messes around with perfect timing beneath. Interesting--and a little annoying after five minutes of the same bass line--though not quite so much when Toto and Jasper begin to try to weave their way into the bass and organ's line. (8.75/10) c) "Scorcussion" (5:56) Pierre is left alone to express on his drum kit. At the end of the third minute of Pierre's soloing Toto starts to inject some noise burst from his fuzz guitar while Jasper adds a spray of chords, flourishes, and crazed hits from his electric piano. At the end of the fifth minute everybody backs off to zero before Toto is given space for some target practice for his alien space ray gun. Despite my understanding the band's effort to take Herbie Hancock's spacey experimentation further, this is just not my cup of tea. (8.5/10)

3. "Silence" (0:18)

4. "Don Paul" (3:09) more jagged, angular jazz musings and exercises in cohesion and cooperation, this one opens a little too aggressively and then just as suddenly and quickly moves into a solo of Siggi's double bass. Eventually, he's joined by brushed drums and dissonant chord play from Toto's un-effected guitar. These guys are obviously so comfortable and proficient at their instruments that they can easily and smoothly do just about anything, but this is not the type of musical listening that I choose to come back to: there's just too much of the crazy Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! avant garde experimentation going on here for my liking. (8.375/10)

5. "Totemism" (16:45) These guys are obviously so comfortable and proficient at their instruments that they can easily and smoothly do just about anything, but there's just a little too much of the crazy Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! avant garde experimentation going on here for my liking. (Didn't I already say that?) Luckily, about two minutes into it the quartet gels into a forward-moving, single-direction motif over-and within which all of the individual musicians still find the freedom to move about and pave their own way. Having heard enough of Toto Blanke's guitar playing now to appreciate his skills, I have to say that when he plays like this--like 1960s jazz guitar with an experimental edge-- I am not a fan: impressed, yes, but not a fan. Jasper van't Hof is experimenting with way too much distortion on his electric piano which gives it a very "dirty" sound than I also do not like. This would probably be a very fun song to experience in a live jazz club scene but it is really not my kind of jazz (or jazz-rock fusion)--and here they're forcing 17-minutes of it down my throat! (30.375/35)

6. "Frau Theunisse"n (1:10) a FOCUS-like jam that seems to be coming out of some other jam (it's faded in to get started) but then is over far too quickly. (4.5/5)

Total time 44:17

B-/3.5 stars; a very good display of experimental, loosely-performed avant garde electrified jazz that feels like a detour down the wrong (but, I get it: necessary) direction. Check it out for yourself but this is no album that I will return to soon--maybe ever.