JAN HAMMER — Black Sheep (review)

JAN HAMMER — Black Sheep album cover Album · 1979 · Pop/Art Song/Folk Buy this album from MMA partners
1.5/5 ·
snobb
Prague-born keyboardist Jan Hammer left his home country after the Russian tanks invaded in 1968. In the States he made a successful career as a pianist for Sara Vaughn and others, then as a member of Mahavishnu Orchestra and later - as the author of soundtracks for the "Miami Vice" series.

His solo projects/recordings are barely known and not very popular (only the "Miami Vice" soundtrack is a different story). "Black Ship" is the first Hammer solo album where he plays not only keyboards, but also drums and percussion as well. Although the album has a sticker that claims, "No Guitars Used", there are also no guest vocalists, the only supporting musicians are Fernando Saunders on bass and drummer Tony Smith on some songs.

"Black Sheep" is a truly bombastic keyboards album - full of digital synthesizers, electronic drums, mostly terrible vocals and simplified music in the fashion of the 80s. Almost no fusion moments could be found here, the music is loud and a straight-ahead mix of AOR aesthetics and electro-pop with some pretentious and tasteless keys soloing (heavily imitating solo guitar passages). Obviously another former member of Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin's solo success was a strong motivation for Jan Hammer when he recorded this album. Unfortunately, Hammer's version is far from successful. Even among Hammer's very inconsistent discography, this album is a real low point.

Should be avoided at any price.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Symphonic Blues No. 6 Third Stream
CORKY SIEGEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recut Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
SKALPEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Yuval Cohen Quartet : Winter Poems Post-Fusion Contemporary
YUVAL COHEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Just Nu Jazz
JIM HART
Buy this album from MMA partners
Skrifum Post-Fusion Contemporary
JON BALKE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

SOLSTICE album release • Duo Russo - Holst
PAOLO RUSSO
js· 67 minutes ago
Akiko Yano & Hiromi - Kawarushi (Official Audio)
HIROMI
js· 1 day ago
All I Want For Christmas Is You
DAVID HAZELTINE
js· 1 day ago
Chicken
QUATUOR EBÈNE
js· 2 days ago
Det er en egen lomme
THE LEIF
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed