FERMÁTA — Huascaran (review)

FERMÁTA — Huascaran album cover Album · 1977 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
FunkFreak75
The Slovakian band's third album release--the universally acclaimed one. Could the difference maker be the dynamic bass play of Ladislav Lučenič? or the expanded keyboard array of Tomas Berka?

Line-up / Musicians: - Frantisek Griglák / guitar, piano, synths (Roland, Arp, Elka Strings) - Tomás Berka / piano, Fender Rhodes, Hohner, synths (Roland, Arp, Elka Strings) - Ladislav Lučenič / bass - Karol Oláh / drums, percussion With: - Peter Oláh / vocals - Dezider Pito / cello

1. "Huascaran I" (13:41) beautiful four-part symphonic piece that at times has the feel of Todd Rundgren's Utopia, at times the beautiful melodic sensibilities of something by Return to Forever, THE ELOY, or some RPI band like PFM. (28.5/30)

2. "80 000" (7:30) opens with a 90-second keyboard chord play that is an obvious nod to the opening to RETURN TO FOREVER's song "The Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" from their 1976 release, Romantic Warrior. But then it moves into a motif that feels all Mahavishnu Orchestra before switching back to RtF at 2:40. Guitarist Frantisek Griglák has definitely expanded his guitar repertoire to include some pretty direct imitation of some well-studied Al DiMeola pyrotechnics. (13.5/15)

3. "Solidarity" (6:34) a song that shows how well the band, and especially keyboard speicalist Tomás Berka had studied and perfected the emulation of RtF leader Chick Corea's music and style. this one like "The Magician" or "Majestic Dance." (9/10)

4. "Huascaran II" (11:13) another Return to Forever imitation on which drummer Karol Oháh and bassist Ladislav Lučenič get to show quite prominently their own mastery of the styles and sounds of Lenny White and Stanley Clarke, respectively. On the front end, Frantisek and Tomás do their part in closing the amazing circle of imitation (of "The Medieval Overture"). The extended outro (1:50) of synth-generated birdsong and kick drum-generated heartbeat is a bit over the top. Great imitation. Wish it had more originality to it. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 38:58

Though too often a pretty obvious imitation of Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior, this is quite an exceptional album for its musicality and musicianship. Imitation is, after all, the highest form of praise, n'est-ce pas?

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Return To Forever Romantic Warrior worship and another one of my Top 20 Favorites from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."
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