Steve Wyzard HOPE

It's hard to believe that John Patitucci will be 66 this year and has been in "the business" for over 40 years. It seems like only yesterday (the mid-1980s to be precise) that he was being introduced as the new, unstoppable "jazz bassist of the future". Now that the future is here, so is Patitucci with his first solo album in 6 years, Spirit Fall, on Edition Records. Recorded in one day in August 2024, this album features Chris Potter on saxes/bass clarinet, Brian Blade on drums/percussion, and is a rarity in the Patitucci catalog for being an unaccompanied trio.

Previous Patitucci albums have been known to include a "cast of thousands", so to hear his playing in a stripped-down, non-chordal trio like this is a major selling point. Having performed with both Potter and Blade on many occasions in the past, he tells us in the liner notes that the session for Spirit Fall was "natural and effortless". He performs on acoustic bass on 6 of the 10 tracks, while on tracks 4-7 he brings out his 6-string electric bass.

Throughout the album, the emphasis is on group interplay first, with solos not as extended as one might have expected. If I could recommend just one track to sample, it would be the dynamic "Lipim" (which means "hope" in the Yemba language), Spirit Fall's fastest composition. With Potter multi-tracking his tenor and an amazing Blade performance, the listener is left wishing this could have gone on much longer than 7:39. Other highlights include the impressionistic "Thoughts and Dreams", the title track's soprano sax and cadential close, Potter's bass clarinet intro to "Light in the Darkness", and Patitucci's solo spotlight on their cover of Wayne Shorter's "House of Jade".

Don't let the mysterious album cover fool you: Spirit Fall is light and breezy, and already a contender for Jazz Album of the Year. The final track, "Sonrisa" seems to sum everything up with a Latin/Caribbean swing and a miraculous duet between Patitucci and Blade. While previous Patitucci albums were known for running long, Spirit Fall's 59:01 runtime is just right. If you are familiar with these players, this album is self-recommending.

Carmel Great jazz is always a conversation between players, instruments, traditions, and between past and future styles. "Safe Travels" is drummer and composer Jerry Kalaf's project that orchestrates a meeting of musical minds and instruments. At the heart of this record is an inspired interplay between Kalaf's jazz trio, featuring pianist Tom Ranier and bassist Trey Henry, and the ATLYS string quartet, comprised of violinists Sabrina Tabby and Jinty McTavish, violist Erin Rafferty, and cellist Genevieve Tabby. With the skilled hand of Doug Walter guiding the orchestrations, the result is an album that traverses lush harmonic landscapes, flowing rhythmic contours, and a seamless blending of jazz tradition with chamber music sophistication.

The album opens with "263 Beacon," a flowing jazz waltz that immediately displays the textural depth of a jazz trio and string quartet. Ranier's piano leads the way, supported by Henry's warm bass foundation and Kalaf's sensitive, propulsive drumming. The strings add colors and textures before stepping into the spotlight in the second section, where they take the lead with a rich, singing quality. Ranier's piano solo, elegantly styled in a swing waltz, is accompanied by the ATLYS strings, whose background textures lend a cinematic touch. A string interlude leads to an exchange of phrases between Kalaf and the quartet, showcasing his melodic approach to drumming. The composition keeps our interest in its textural development, with each section unfolding naturally to reveal new shades of color.

"Another Summer" has an abstract introduction, with the strings and drums painting broad strokes of color and dissonance before easing into a light, lyrical bossa nova-based melody. The blend of piano and strings creates a sweeping emotional arc, as Kalaf subtly shifts his drumming into the warm hues of Latin percussion sounds on the set. Ranier's solo builds with lyrical intensity, leading into an unaccompanied string interlude that highlights the quartet's beautiful voicings and counterpoint. Henry's bass solo, emerging at the end of this section, is performed with elegance, his round pizzicato tones blending warmly with the string ensemble before the return of the melody. The result is a feel-good composition, performed with remarkable musicianship.

The swing ballad "At the End of the Day" introduces itself with a gorgeous string quartet and acoustic bass introduction, setting the stage for a piece rich in sonorities. Kalaf's brushwork is a study in restraint and motion as he matches delicately with insistent, always propelling the feel forward. The midpoint features exquisite string writing, reinforcing the dialogue between the jazz trio and the quartet. Kalaf's drumming functions as the glue, ensuring the ensemble's momentum remains fluid and dynamic. The balance of space and movement in this piece makes for an immersive listening experience.

"Bailing" shifts gears with a rubato trio introduction, seamlessly flowing from the preceding track. This piece is a study in contrast with sections of rubato that give way to tempo changes, creating a structure that breathes and evolves. Kalaf's drum solo is particularly enjoyable, maintaining a strong melodic contour while dynamically shifting textures and rhythmic melodies. As the track builds, an up-tempo swing feel emerges, giving the piece a sense of forward momentum and development.

The tender ballad "Epilogue" takes a more introspective turn, with each member of the jazz trio taking the lead in different sections. The string quartet provides a flowing, soft-hued backdrop, enhancing the ballad's emotive depth. The interplay between the musicians is exemplary, with each phrase carefully placed within the larger arc of the composition. The writing and performance here are particularly striking in their clarity and warmth.

"Perspectives" introduces a medium jazz waltz feel, diving into the string quartet's full-color palette. Lush harmonies and expressive phrasing shape the composition, which unfolds logically through its form. A free improvisation in the middle section allows the ensemble members to engage in an organic, evolving conversation, gradually building in intensity. Freedom within structure is one of the album's defining qualities, and this track exemplifies that balance beautifully.

With "Safe Travels," the album's title track, Kalaf and his ensemble embrace a broader sonic expanse. Opening with evocative 20th-century classical sonorities in the string quartet, the piece gradually develops into a deeply moving jazz ballad. Ranier's piano work is particularly poignant, his touch imbued with emotion and a deep understanding of the jazz language. This track encapsulates the album's essence, a seamless integration of jazz tradition and contemporary classical elements.

The album closes on a bright note with "Shearing," a happy medium swing piece where the trio and quartet intertwine effortlessly. The strings oscillate between percussive patterns and long, flowing harmonies, adding rhythmic vitality and depth. Henry's bass solo carries shades of the blues, grounding the piece in an earthy, soulful space. It's a fitting conclusion to an album that consistently finds common ground between seemingly disparate musical worlds.

"Safe Travels" is an album that rewards close listening, revealing its intricacies with each spin. Kalaf, a drummer of remarkable sensitivity and compositional depth, has delivered an album that speaks across genres and generations. Whether you're drawn to the harmonic richness of chamber music or the rhythmic interplay of jazz, this album offers a journey worth taking in.

js Although not particularly well known worldwide, guitarist Brent Laidler has been an active member of the jazz scene in Indiana for many years and in many capacities including; performer, arranger, composer, educator and also instrument repairman. “Hidden Gems” is Brent’s fifth album as leader and finds him working with the same group of musicians who recorded his previous outings. The band’s familiarity with each other pays off as this is a very tight ensemble, smooth in execution and always in the pocket and in the groove. Almost half the tunes are in a relaxed bossa/samba rhythm and the coolness of this music permeates the entire album, this is not a group given to much extravagant excesses. The concise Brazilian sound is furthered by Jamie Newman’s organ sound which does not often use vibrato, chorus or leslie, and instead presents that dry sound favored by the bossa crowd. The tick .. tick .. tick tick sound of wood claves also flavors many of these tracks.

Outside of the Latin influences, “Hidden Gems” also pulls from the world of soul jazz and funky hard bop with saxophonist Ned Boyd often featuring a raspy tone favored by the RnB crowd. The album’s title comes from the fact that Laidler poured through countless old fake books in search of ’gems’ to re-harmonize and contemporize. “Gemini” is based on an old Cannonball Adderly solo transcription, “Riffy Business” was a TV soundtrack in the early 1960s and “Petite Parasol” was updated with a modern hip-hop beat. The main appeal of this album though is found in it’s sound and production, appealing conciseness was something that Brasil 66 understood, likewise Erik Satie as well as Brian Eno’s ambient pop of the late 70s.

Carmel Rodney Whitaker is a sought-after bassist extraordinaire and a pre-eminent jazz educator. On his latest project, “Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill” (Origin Records, 2025), Whitaker and his vibrant working band breathe life into Hill’s idiosyncratic compositions, crafting an album brimming with fiery interplay, deep swing, and a forward-thinking sense of adventure.

From the outset, the title track, “Mosaic,” draws listeners in with its lush voicings shaped by juxtaposing silence with shimmering patterns of harmonic movement. This grand opening sets the stage for the ensemble’s fluid creativity. Whitaker’s bass signals the next section with his robust basslines setting up the swing time feel. Terell Stafford’s soaring trumpet lines and Tim Warfield’s soprano saxophone perform the compelling melody. Stafford, Warfield, and pianist Rick Roe express solos over the deep swing pocket of Whitaker and drummer Dana Hall. Throughout, Whitaker anchors the band with a steady yet dynamic pulse and his deep connection to Hill’s compositions.

“Unknown Ballade” features Rockelle Whitaker’s soulful vocals that imbue the sensual groove with warmth and power. Her gripping performance of the melody that crescendos into a climactic resolution is impressive. Hill’s writing mixes post-bop structures for the ensemble to explore. This harmonic framework is especially effective in providing interesting pathways of expression during the solo sections. Equally striking is “Claxilever,” where Stafford and Warfield channel the exuberance of hard-bop captured in Hill’s catchy writing and the ensemble’s buoyant swing camaraderie. Stafford’s, Warfield’s, Roe’s, and Whitaker’s improvisations are emotive and musical, with the rhythm section’s earthy swing feel grounding the adventurous explorations. The trading between the ensemble and Hall is outstanding.

Other highlights include “Katie’s Tune,” which blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with a waltz-like feel, showcasing Hill’s skillful integration of cross-cultural influences. Whitaker and his ensemble bring these elements to life, delivering a cohesive modern jazz voice that amplifies the music’s expressive truths. On “Sloe Gin Fizz,” the ensemble reaches its hard-swinging zenith, with Hill’s composition delivering a poetic melody and setting for exploration. Whitaker’s jazz blues solo seamlessly transitions into Stafford’s. Warfield’s improvisation builds to Rick Roe’s inventive piano improvisation. The trading section’s interplay here epitomizes the art of interactive jazz performance.

“Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill” reflects how jazz remains a living, breathing art form, deeply rooted in historical contexts that can be expressed upon. Hill’s compositions draw from the genre’s storied past, reflecting the subtle influences of specific era’s harmonic and rhythmic textures. Tracks like “Sloe Gin Fizz” evoke a 1950s jazz vibe with intricate, eighth-note-based melodies reminiscent of the bebop era, while “Katie’s Tune” radiates the rhythmic energy of Latin jazz fused with modern jazz vitality. By incorporating these historical and stylistic markers, Hill creates a distinctive space for Whitaker and his ensemble to explore, amplifying the authenticity and depth of each piece. Whitaker’s grounding in jazz’s tradition adds his vision for expression as he brings his arranging voice to create a dynamic interplay.

This blend of historical reverence and forward-thinking artistry is at the heart of “Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill.” Hill’s ability to balance intricate, note-specific melodies with expansive, chordal frameworks creates a platform for passionate exploration, inspiring Whitaker and his ensemble to deliver performances imbued with precision and emotional resonance. “Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill” is a celebration of jazz’s enduring vitality, inviting listeners to journey through its layered artistry and musical sense of place.

js Although “A Brand New State” is bassist Alex McLaughlin’s first album as a leader, he is hardly new to the jazz scene. Some artists he has worked with include Arturo Sandoval, Kurt Elling, Matt Wilson and even comedian Sandra Bernhard. Alex’s reputation has to be strong because he was able to pull in some A-listers for help, including Tina Raymond on drums and Jeremy Siskind on piano, but probably the most well known name on here is Jeremy Pelt on trumpet. The influence of Miles’ mid 60s quintet is heavy on this outing, which could be said about many modern post bop albums, but Alex and his crew do a better job than most when it comes to matching the open-ended approach of the Davis band. Much like Miles, Alex and his band mates don’t necessarily mark steady time, instead, the drums are part of the ongoing musical conversation and the rhythm tends to ebb and flow with the soloists. Likewise, chord changes are not always adhered to strictly, as the players pick and choose notes with a certain understood freedom. This is a very conversational band that listens intently to each other.

The music is today’s post bop with fusion influences and an overall abstract approach. On “Trailhead”, the band gets into a sort of jazz-rock heavy rhythm with Jeremy Pelt channeling Freddie Hubbard style aggressive trumpet attacks. Siskind can recall Herbie Hancock at times and this is evident on “Signals” where his laid back soloing is reminiscent of Herbie’s “Speak Like a Child” opus. This number also features Pelt using a mute for more Miles type sounds. On “The Solar Punks”, Siskind gets into some large block descending chords that may remind some of Craig Taborn.

Towards the end of the album, the band gets a little more bluesy and straight ahead with “El Polvo” carrying some Thelonious Monk abrasions as well as some of Siskind’s best piano work on the album. “Trial” continues the hard bop orientation and album closer, “Elevation”, was inspired by Joe Henderson’s “Isotope”.

FunkFreak75 Released in September of 1974--the first of three rather gentle, Popol Vuh-like free jazz albums on which Carlos used the term "Devadip" (reputedly meaning in Sanskrit, "the light and lantern of the supreme" or "the eye, the lamp and the light of god") that spiritual guru Sri Chimnoy had given him.

A1. "Guru Sri Chinmoy Aphorism" (1:10) nothing like a professional "om" to open an album!

A2. "Angel Of Air / Angel Of Water" (9:55) had Carlos ever played such clear, sustained, crystalline notes on his electric guitar as he did in the second minute of this song? Bass, harp, orchestra-like cymbal play, and Fender Rhodes piano chords support this for the first four minutes until sax enters to help bring the "Angel of Air" section to a close. The second half has Alice's harp playing more prominently alongside Dave Holland's pacifying bass lines and opposite Carlos' at-first subdued, almost-muted guitar note play. Orchestral strings and Fender Rhodes swirl at both ends of the aural spectrum before Jules Broussard's sax (which sounds more like an alto than the credited soprano) returns. The song's final three minutes, then, unfold as a sparse duet between Carlos and Alice before the bass and strings re-join for the final two. Beautiful and, I'd say, yes, successful in its devotional aspirations. (18/20)

A3. "Bliss: The Eternal Now" (5:32) full orchestra is here central and to this music with Carlos' r/humble and even deferential guitar and Alice's pensive piano feeling almost supportive of, if not reactive to, the strings, etc. I like this very much. (9.25/10)

B1. "Angel Of Sunlight" (14:43) with the presence of the tamboura, cymbals, non-Western scales being played by Carlos and, later, tabla, this one seems to be trying to present itself as a kind of East-West fusion piece--and this was before any of the Shakti or CoDoNa releases, though a couple of years after Collin Walcott's OREGON trio had been trying to make its mark on the East Coast. At the three minute mark the entry of a domineering Dave Holland bass and full-blown drum kit from Jack DeJohnette seems to be trying to steer this song into the clutches of the West but . The entry of a note-bending organ in the ninth minute adds an odd sound that I suppose is trying to emulate the note-bending capacities of the sitar and other Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean instruments. Wild free-form saxophone and Carlos' note-bending banshee-screaming guitar notes join in during the successive minutes sounding more like one of ROBERT FRIPP's free-form KING CRIMSON sessions (think Discipline's "Indiscipline"). With the arrival of the 12-minute mark comes a calming "after the storm" wind down effect. An incredible song of cross-cultural (28.5/30)

B2. "Illuminations" (4:20) Tom Coster's single piano chord opens this one, held and sustained while the orchestra strings, vibrapone, and harp slowly and, eventually, rather-dramatically work their way into the song (between successive piano chord hits). Again, it really feels as if the orchestra is the lead instrument here, even when Carlos' delicate and unassuming guitar lends its very minimal notes. (9/10)

Total time:

Though I would never categorize this album as one of Jazz-Rock Fusion, it is a collection of song performances drawing on both jazz and cinema soundtrack history to express the devotional aspect of its composers and performers.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of some kind of jazz-informed devotional music.

FunkFreak75 Live concert material recorded on May 3 & 4, 1973 while the band was touring in Japan, the "album" was only released on vinyl--as a triple album--in Japan--in May of 1974, in Europe in November of 1975, and the US in June of 1991--this latter version being the one I had access to for my listening experience--which came in the form of two-disc CD format.

CD 1 (58:53) (119.2083333/130 = 91.70) 1. "Going Home" (3:23) warm up, tuning, sound level adjustments,

2. "A-1 Funk" (3:13) continued warmup--especially for the synth player (Tom Coster?) (8/10)

3. "Every Step of the Way" (11:30) the first four minutes are just an extended intro/warmup for this song, it's not until 4:10 that the song becomes recognizable as the great tune from the band's 1972 album, Caravanserai. Then it's magical: a very spirited performance all around. (18.5/20)

4. "Black Magic Woman" (3:38) great bleed from "Every Step of the Way" to this. Weird to hear Leon Thomas' voice in the vocal position: he's so uniquely Leon Thomas! Also weird to hear Doug Rauch's bass playing to sound and feel so mechanical and laid back. I like it better when he feels like he's flying around the stage--as he does a little more with . . . (9.25/10)

5. "Gypsy Queen" (3:57) I can't remember if the album version of this song (from the band's album Abraxas--as are the songs preceding and following it) had the Jimi Hendrix homage riffs from Carlos (from "Third Stone from the Sun"), but I love it. The percussion interplay is awesome--and awesomely recorded and imaged. (9.5/10)

6. "Oye Como Va" (5:47) great with some fun group vocal and percussion performances beneath and between Carlos' screaming guitar leads. (Carlos letting the spirit of his dad's mariachi band flowing through him). Perhaps Doug's subdued bass play was due to his wanting to uphold the sacrosanctity of the originals, but you'd think with these percussionists and Carlos getting so fired up and expressive that it would light a little infectious fire in Doug's playing. Perhaps we just have to wait for the material from Caravanserai and Welcome that he helped to create. Anyway, this is an engaging and spirited song.(9.5/10)

7. "Yours Is the Light" (5:30) a song from Welcome attributed to keyboardist Richard Kermode, it's very melodic and smooth--perfect for every one to just groove to--especially the percussionists. Finally we get to hear the loose, engaged, and fully-expressive bass playing of Doug Rauch. (This alone may end up making this song a favorite from this concert album.) Also due to the excellent electric piano play. So smooth and hypnotic! (9.75/10) 8. "Batuka" (0:55) a percusssion jam interlude/bridge (that probably went on longer than what we've been given to hear here). (4.5/5)

9. "Xibaba" (4:13) another cover of the Airto Moreira composition that was first presented to the world on Donald Byrd's 1970 album, Electric Byrd (on which Airto was a contributing studio musician). (I've always thought that the main melody of this song sounded like it was borrowed from a television or radio advertizing jingle of the day--or vice versa.) (9/10)

10. "Stone Flower (introduction)" (1:14) (4.375/5)

11. "Waiting" (4:14) I've always adored this song ever since I first heard it as the opening song on Santana's debut album: great whole band "introduction" jam. I wish Carlos' guitar tone was a little more aligned with those of more traditional rhythm guitarists of the time: his is a little loud--plus, I don't really think he's very good as a rhythm guitarist: he's a melody-maker not an accent provider or rhythm sectionist, but, this awkwardness is resolved with A) some great organ play and B) the transition into the next song. (9/10)

12. "Castillos de Arena, Part 1 (Sand Castle)" (2:51) on which he returns to his natural place and role as the front man: making his melodies and making women's nipples erect. The song's second half sounds as if everybody has suddenly shifted into MAHAVISHNU mode! It's wild, crazy, cacophonous, and chaotic but AWESOME! (9.5/10)

13. "Free Angela" (4:26) a song credited to "Bayeté" (keyboard player Todd Cochran). It starts out rather dynamically but then quiets down into something befitting a Herbie Hancock Mwandishi-lineup song. (I wonder if the song is politically-motivated--perhaps expressing some dismay at the treatment and arrest of Black Panther members like Angela Davis.) (9/10)

14. "Samba de Sausalito" (4:02) another great whole band Latin jam with some serious jazz-rock fusion roots. It was composed by percussionist Chepito Areas and recorded for the Welcome album. (9.333/10)

CD 2 (59:47) (113/125 = 90.40) 15. "Mantra" (7:17) opening with heavily-treated/effected/distorted percussion and keyboard sounds played as if in a Gamelan percussion orchestra, Doug and Michael join in after a bout 90-seconds, pushing the "oriental" percussionists back into rock mode as the two organists join in, weaving together an interesting and enjoyable tapestry between the rhythm section and the impending lead instrument. I know both Richard and Tom are soloing, they're just doing it so smoothly, so subtly, that it all falls into place among the rhythm section's hypnotic groove. At the very end of the fifth minute Carlos finally enters, using a minor key scale to explore a tension-filled melody. Here you can really tell how much John McLaughlin's pyrotechnical guitar playing style has affected Carlos. It's good! It's all good (no matter how improvisational it may be.) Surprising that this song appeared as a polished version on Welcome. (13.25/15)

16. "Kyoto" (9:58) Michael Shrieve's drum solo! Having the engineering imaging panning the sonic field is helpful in making it entertaining in the same way it would have been if I had been standing in front of the drums during the concert. Percussionists add subtle accents from a variety of odd instruments during Michael's trance-like performance. It's actually really good! Like sitting in on a very listenable drum exhibition. (I normally don't like drum solos very much.) Tom Coster joins Michael in the second half of the allotted time on an "alien" synthesized electric piano. (18.25/20)

17. "Castillos de Arena, Part 2 (Sand Castle)" (1:13) bleeding over from Micheal's drum solo to start another part of Carlos & company's Mahavishnu-ed jazz-rock fusion. (4.5/5)

18. "Incident at Neshabur" (15:57) using a two-chord blues-rock vamp to build over, this one sounds like something from BLIND FAITH or BRIAN AUGER, only more Latinized from Santana's percussion-rich ensemble. Again we get to hear some of Doug Rauch, Richard Kermode, and Tom Coster's adventurous spirits spilling over into the rhythm section's support of Carlos--who, in the meantime, is soloing dynamically while pleasantly sneaking a few well-known melodies and riffs into his lead performance, including "My Favorite Things," a little Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, and many others that were probably lost on me. Expanded in the version I get to hear to triple the original 4:53 length on Abraxas, the original six-sided three-disc Japanese release from 1974 is over 17-minutes in length. By the time the eighth minute has rolled around it has become a sleepy, spacious place over which Carlos has even more unrestricted freedom to replicate some of his more favorite melodies--many of which are familiar to the lovers of his more iconic lead guitar songs--especially those from Caravanserai, but also some more from other artists. I must admit that this must have been a very fun--and entertaining--song to listen to as one of the concert attendees: listening, waiting, to see if you can guess the source of the artists' melody lines or riffs. By the end of the eleventh minute the song has re-ramped up to full speed, full participation of all band members--most of them flying at full speed with virtuous near-reckless abandon. Carlos's re-entry at 12:25 commands a "stop and make space" response from the other musicians. He then proceeds to fill the speakers with some long, slowly held and progressed notes while the rest of the band provides one of those "end of rock song" finishes--only this one prolonged over two and a half minutes. Still, I like this song very much: great entertainment for a live audience--especially a musically-aware audience. (27/30)

19. "Se a Cabo" (5:39) back to Abraxas, which was, at the time, the band's biggest selling album worldwide. Though it's a two-chord Latin vamp, Doug and the rest of the rhythm section feel very engaged and locked in. (8.875/10)

20. "Samba Pa Ti" (8:56) It seems as if everyone gets a chance to solo on this one. Too bad the mix and imaging of the instrumental stage isn't rendered more distinctly so that each and every instrument is clearly and cleanly distinguished from the others. The fans seem to love Carlos' "teasing" extended delay-pauses that he uses during the middle over the smooth dance grooves provided by the locked in band. (17.75/20)

21. "Mr. Udo" (3:07) a variation (or pre-version) of "Savor" that the band delivers with a very Japanese-sounding start (but then find it quickly devolve into another Latin-dominated tune) over which the real Leon Thomas sings using his full complement of vocal idiosyncracies (wordless vocal "noises"). (8.875/10)

22. "Toussaint L'Overture" (7:40) The only song representing the Santana III album! (Perhaps because the band was disintegrating at the time Santana III was being made.) Lots of great percussion play from the Latin ensemble and some very loud JIMI HENDRIX-like guitar shredding from over this four-chord "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"-like song. Awesome! Perhaps it was even intended as a tribute to the late great guitar god. (14.5/15)

Total Time 118:40 (113 + 119.2083333 /255 = 91.06)

The first 18 minutes of Side One sounds totally like warmup and a space-jam of the sort that Stomu Yamash'ta would exploit in his upcoming (1976) Go Live in Paris album. Also, I don't know if other listeners had this experience, but I found the sound quality and imagery on the entire second CD disc to be thinner and flatter than that of the first disc--with all of the instruments (except Carlos' guitars) mixed further into a flat background than the wonderfully three-dimensional feel of the first disc.

This album opportunity seemed like it could have been the perfect vehicle to hear the genius of bass phenom Doug Rauch at play but I have to say that his performances mostly felt subdued, reigned in, and less than enthusiastic--very tight and professional but totally lacking any of the flash and flare that I thought (and hoped) I'd hear.

A-/five stars; a very nice recording of a fan-pleasing concert that represents fairly well the free-wheeling jazz-tinged period of Santana's career. Though I'm not a fan of live albums, this one does a pretty good job of capturing some of the energy and entertainment value of the Jazz-Rock Fusion period of Santana.

FunkFreak75 When you really think about it, this was an absolutely amazing debut album: to have such power, force, consistency, progressivity, while still producing multiple hits--for both FM and AM radio! Simply unheard of (in the prog/Jazz-rock fusion world). Albeit, Carlos and crew don't really fully enter the fold of true prog until their third and fourth albums and his collaborations with Buddy Miles, John McLaughlin, and Alice Coltrane, there are definitely songs and features of both the debut and Abraxas that bear awe from even the most proggy of critics. Compare this album to the debuts of Jazz-Rockers like CHICAGO or NUCLEUS, THE SOFT MACHINE or COLOSSEUM, BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS or THE FREE SPIRITS and you have to give Carlos and company their due. From the opening cymbal, percussion and organ lines of the album's opening song, "Waiting" you know you're in for something special. And then you go into the classic 60s hit, "Evil Ways" which, despite it's SLY & THE FAMILY STONE start, really cooks as it gets deeper into the album. "Shades of Time" is as strong as anything on the Chicago debut and stronger than anything on The Doors albums. "Savor" and "Jin-go-lo-ba" jam, the latter a Latin rock masterpiece. "Pursuasion" shows off the band and singer's Blood, Sweat & Tears side. "Treat" gives a nod to older jazz and Latin forms and artists. "You Just Don't Care" gives more of a nod to the white side of the blues-rock scene (think Yardbirds & John Mayall) and the album's finale, "Soul Sacrifice," with its earworm melodies and call-and-response play between the guitar and organ--as well as between the percussionists--remains one of the most iconic Jazz-rock songs of all-time--largely in part to its presence in the Woodstock movie and reputation as a highlight at the 1969 "Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music" otherwise known as the Woodstock Music Festival. There you have it: the complete set list for one awesome debut album. Is it perfect? No--not nearly. Is it mind-blowing and breath-taking? Some would argue, Yes. In terms of a prog rock, I'd call it a bridge, a harbinger of things to come.

Moshkiae Gong Continental Circus 1972

This album is a soundtrack that belongs to a film by Jerome Laperrousaz, and it seems to be about motorcycle racing ... but even if we do not know the film, and there isn't a whole lot about it anywhere, the album, is, for all intents and purposes, a superb show of what Gong was to become. With the addition of Pip Pyle on drums, the trie of Gilli, Didier and Daevid, not had a much stronger touch, which was augmented by bassist Christian Tritsch, and made the long cuts listed in the LP valuable and you got to hear, for the first time, the thing that Daevid became very well known for ... his glissando style of playing the guitar, and here, he shows as a very strong lead guitar player, something that he did not exactly worked on the rest of his time with the Gong, preferring to stick with the story and augmenting its required touches and moments.

There are lyrics, loud and clear in the opening piece and it is likely that it is mostly ad lib as it seems to not exactly have any continuation that resembles what would be expected lyrically in a song. But, the glorious side of it, is Daevid's glissando, that is used so well and creates a wonderful touch and feel about the music, that is special and makes this album even more important.

After the first 4 pieces, which is what the LP has, a later release on a CD showed up with a lot of stuff that ... I'm not sure it was in the film, or belongs here, but, seems to have come from the same recording sessions.

The listing on the CD is as follows and a lot of it was used later in the story of Zero The Hero, which might suggest this stuff was already being worked on and was likely known that it would become some new material in the next albums. The CD also has Continental Circus as the 4th piece and What Do You Want? as the 2nd piece, with a replay of the first piece as an instrumental in the 3rd slot.

I can not tell you how it all fits or not, but the CD seems to sound fine, though I'm a bit wondering about the extra material, which likely was material to be worked on further and used later. It is possible that the material listed here is a part of the Flying Teapot album, which was released separately later, although it seems like most of it was now ready for prime time, and got cleaned up even more for the album later.

Est-Ce Que Je Suis Hip Hypnotize You Dreamin'it Never Fight Another War Excerpts from Camembert Electrique Est-Ce Que Je Suis Foghat Digs Holes in Space Dynamite I Never Glid Before I Am Your Pussy

An outstanding album, specially in the first 4 pieces all of which are very long and special, with extended glissando parts, all of which make this really special to have and enjoy. I'll reserve the comments on the rest of the album for the Flying Teapot release.

Moshkiae Gong Magick Brother 1969

While this is not, in any way, a good sample of what GONG went on to become, there are a lot of things in this album that show case some of the things that they ended up doing, as if this is how Daevid Allen and friends figured out what they wanted to do soon enough.

Only Gilly Smyth and Didier Malherbe from the normal line up later are in this album, And it isn't exactly a great album with outstanding musicianship, but it has some interesting things in it. It's close to the Syd Barrett and Kevin Ayers style in a weird, sort of way, as if the lyrical content was driving things a bit, though there are things that don't seem to fit, and the opening of the album is one of the things that came very clear and out front later, as done with and by Gilly Smyth. The vocal style, added something to the whole thing that Daevid Allen was able to work with, while also defining the one things that GONG featured in its life until Daevid Allen passed away .. it had a strong presence of women in the work, which the later version of Gong after Daevid Allen, does not have, and it becomes just simplistic rock music that supposedly is the aftermath of the GONG world ... in reality it isn't, though it tries to do so lyrically, and its music is more male oriented bs than it is something with strong women making it stronger and the very Zen touch that Daevid brought with even though some folks don't think it is really that.

The album seems to stick to a few songs, that do not exactly relate, and in many ways, it has been said that it is a very hippie album, and I'm not sure that is right or a good description of the whole thing. It is an album that I think is searching for an identity, and it ends up creating some nice things along the way, and the opening three songs on the album, are a really good example, of the attempt to create some meaningful work instead of some hippie bullshit.

But, don't be surprised to hear so much of the stuff that was cleaned up and used later to create the story of Zero The Hero and the 3 gigantic albums of that story and world, that made Gong valuable during the life of Daevid Allen. I think it died with Daevid, even if folks state that Daevid wanted it to keep going, but, the obvious thought and idea is that the folks that "continued it" did not get what the original thing was all about, and they did not have, or wanted to, have any connection with women, which is one of the things that ... Gong would not likely be well known without it ... and in many ways, it was like Gilly and Miquette and the other ladies involved, did not do much except just sit around and look pretty and make the band look like just another hippie commune ... in many ways, truth or not, a rather disgusting thing to think of, as the history of a lot of communes in Europe were more about sex and drugs, than they were anything else, even if some in Germany were, supposedly, about politics and ... yeah, that too!

All in all, a nice album, that is good to listen to, if you are not familiar with the rest of the work, although for many of us listeners that are well familiarized with this band's work, that is another story ... oohhh, there is that that was used later, and that, too ... and many moments, that kinda give us all an idea that most things in a rock band are not exactly just a song, and left there ... but a continuation of some major works, which you can say was the case with a lot of the stuff in this album.

As much as I like how Daevid made use of the women in his work, it is hard to not think that Gilly Smyth was not an strong influence in the whole thing, and her presence in this album, even in the background, seems to be much better than we give her credit for. AND, very visible in her own albums later, a very with person, and not exactly just another member of the "commune" to cook for the boys. And I think that Daevis knew that and decided right from the start that she has to be a strong part of it, and was ...and very special at that.

But, do give this a listen, and realize that this is the beginning of the history of Zero The Hero and the story that Gong made famous ... that defined their shows.

One of the things that is seen here, probably accidentally, is the touch, that comes off as "jazzy" in how the lyrics and some of the music are put together ... it is not like a rock song, where you have to make sure the guitar is there and the lousy/cheap drumming keeps time ... the wording, and that is very Daevid defined, is not quite in tune with the music itself, but it is sung with a type of alternative touch that was how he defined himself, and in a way, it could be said that his singing style was very "jazzy" and there were some folks playing with him that got it ... and made sure that it was all there, and working well together.

A nice album ... and sometimes, I couldn't help thinking ... is this a Syd Barrett album? But that is another story altogether ... nope ... it isn't ... it's totally Daevid, hippie or not!