GONG — Gazeuse! (aka Expresso) (review)

GONG — Gazeuse! (aka Expresso) album cover Album · 1976 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
seyo
"Gazeuse!" was my first GONG listening experience. Since I did not know the classic Daevid Allen-led Radio Gnome trilogy, I was pretty much impressed by the wonderful space/fusion sound of "Gazeuse!", because I had no previous model to compare to.

Now, when I know well most of the GONG 70s releases, I can even more appreciate this album. Pierre Moerlen took the lead and, backed by the enormous contribution of Malherbe's woodwinds, produced a jazz-rock masterpiece. Perhaps only on some of the MOTHERS OF INVENTION albums could I hear such a creative, playful and intelligent use of various percussion in the rock band format. Pierre and Benoit Moerlen, Mireille Bauer and Mino Cinelou act like a percussive symphonic orchestra, utilizing legions of instruments, some of which I never heard of before. Apart from Pierre's drum kit, you can hear vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, xylophone, congas, African bell-gong, cuica, maracas, talking drum, vibra, timpani... The best example of their capabilities is a two-part percussion suite "Percolations", which remind you that even the sole percussive rhythm instruments can create real music.

Another important contribution to this album is unbelievable lead guitar of Allan Holdsworth. The sound of his guitar is really unique and compositions where he gives his best like "Expresso" or "Shadows Of" are masterpieces of jazz-rock. Fans of LEB I SOL are strongly advised to listen to Holdsworth, because the undisputed ex-Yugoslav/Macedonian guitar genius Vlatko Stefanovski (ex leader of LEB I SOL) has repeatedly mentioned Holdsworth's influence on his own guitar technique.

Although the confirmed adherents to the earlier "Radio Gnome Invisible" space-rock mythology will probably dismiss "Gazeuse!" as ultimately a non-GonG record, other listeners (and specially jazz rock fans) are strongly advised to give it a try.

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

Server Farm Eclectic Fusion
JON IRABAGON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Silent Moods Post-Fusion Contemporary
HENRIK GUNDE
Buy this album from MMA partners
New Dawn Progressive Big Band
MARSHALL ALLEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Owls, Omens, and Oracles Pop/Art Song/Folk
VALERIE JUNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Be Cool Vocal Jazz
NANCY KELLY
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Marshall Allen - New Dawn (Full Album Stream)
MARSHALL ALLEN
js· 1 day ago
Valerie June - Joy, Joy (In Studio Video)
VALERIE JUNE
js· 1 day ago
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Live at the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 2, 1977)
CHARLES MINGUS
js· 1 day ago
Breaking Point (Live at the Blue Morocco in the Bronx, New York, April 10, 1967)
FREDDIE HUBBARD
js· 1 day ago
Blue Bossa (Live at the Blue Morocco in the Bronx, New York in 1967)
KENNY DORHAM
js· 1 day 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