THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOU

Those Who Are About To Die Salute You is the debut studio album from UK based jazz/ rock/ blues act Colosseum. Colosseum consisted among others of Dave Greenslade on organ and keyboards and Tony Reeves on bass who would later found Greenslade. The album was released in 1969 and has lots of sixties elements without being stuck in that age.

The music has elements from both blues, jazz and rock. Songs like Walking In the Park, The Road She Walked Before and especially Backwater Blues are in the blues vein. James Litherland´s soul/ blues way of singing also points in that direction. But there are songs like Debut, Beware The Ideas of March and Those About to Die which are filled with rock jazzy brass and clever arrangements and those songs really makes this album special. The bluesy songs also have brass arrangements though.

The musicianship is fantastic and one of the biggest treats on this album. They simply seem to be on fire on most of the songs. What a passionate performance. Dick Heckstall-Smith is a very skilled sax player while drummer Jon Hiseman is certainly also an accomplished musician. Powerful intricate drumming from him. Dave Greenslade´s organ playing is clever and the bass from Tony Reeves is precise and rythmic. Singer/ guitarist James Litherland also contributes greatly to the band.

The production from Tony Reeves is excellent. It´s definitely one of the best productions from the sixties.

Ordinarely I wouldn´t enjoy bluesy jazz/ rock much but when it´s played with conviction like this and when the compositions works this well I´m sold and I have to give Those Who Are About To Die Salute You 4 stars. What a great and powerful album.