LIVE IN ZAANDAM

I am sure this could be a useful debate in our forum for those handful of us who really care. I have given this question a lot of thought and have concluded........ they are not. This despite of all musicians here has served Soft Machine well during the years. But what I am really missing with Soft Machine Legacy is the tangents. Mainly Mike Ratledge's tangents. I am also missing the avant-garde edge Soft Machine really had. Soft Machine was never a jazz/fusion group. Soft Machine Legacy is. If my memory serves me right, Soft Machine never had a guitarist and a woodwind player in the lineup at the same time. Soft Machine Legacy has.

Live In Zaandam is an excellent run through some great jazz/fusion tunes. I have the two other Soft Machine Legacy live albums too and Live In Zaandam is the most true to the Soft Machine sound of this trio. Hence, the band plays with an edge on this live album. This is mainly due to the presence of Elton Dean, his solos and his musical interaction with John Marshall, Hugh Hopper and John Etheridge. Listen to 1212 and you will get my point. Just pure brilliance. The same can be said about Big Creese too. The rest of the album is great too.

In short, this is a jazz live album by four of the best ever jazz musicians our scene has ever heard and seen. The tracks are great. They are not Soft Machine though. But this album is great and gives me goosebumps at times. In short; it is an excellent addition to a Soft Machine or jazz lover's record collection.

4 stars

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