JEAN-LUC PONTY: LIVE

This live album was my starter to JL Ponty his work. I was in a record shop, watched the cover picture (photos from Armando Gallo, known from his work for Genesis) and was mesmerized by that tiny figure playing the violin, surrounded by two guitarplayers and a keyboardist who was almost hidden behind his huge pile of keyboards! As a 'live-album- freak' I decided to buy this live LP without a listening session because in my opinion it couldn't go wrong with an instrumentation including an electric violin, duo-electric guitar and assorted keyboards. Well, it didn't go wrong, on the contrary, what an amazing and exciting music it turned out to be!

The recordings are from an USA tour in 1978. On the eight compositions Ponty is supported by a top notch band: an often swinging and powerful, very dynamic rhythm-section, two good guitarplayers (rhytm and soli) and a tasteful colouring keyboardist (electric piano, organ, Oberheim - and lots of ARP synthesizers). But the focus is on monsieur Jean-Luc Ponty, he delivers lots of exciting soli on his electric violin (inspired by his hero Stephane Grapelli), from warm and flowing to swirling and spectacular but always melodic and harmonic, the interplay between all the musicians is splendid! Highlights are "Aurora Part II" (swinging bass solo), "Mirage" (splendid build-up synthesizer solo), "No Strings Attached" (sensational electric violin sound with use of digital delays, sequencer and bass synthesizer by JL Ponty) and the final song "Egocentric Molecules" (swinging, powerful rhythm and great soli on bass, guitar and violin).

To me this outstanding live-album sounds as a captivating attempt to scout the borders between progressive rock and jazz. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!