JEAN-LUC PONTY — Imaginary Voyage (review)

JEAN-LUC PONTY — Imaginary Voyage album cover Album · 1976 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
As with most of Ponty’s solo album (in the second part of the 70’s anyway), we are always dealing with a relatively soft jazz-rock , not far from ECM jazz but also not that far away from elevator music if the artiste is not careful with his musical intentions.

Apart from the highly problematic opener (meaning I hate it ;-) which is a disco-like jig, the album, this album is a typical Ponty album of the second half of the 70’s and has the same flaws as those: generally a directionless instrumental jam-like (although staying very concise) atmosphere but with some of the era’s synthesizers (which have aged much worse than their previous generations) and a sense of too little ideas stretched out too long creating a sense of déjà-vu. From the first side of the vinyl, I will single out Babylon and Milky Way as highlights, but none of the tracks (bar the opener) are anything else but good.

The second side is taken up by a frankly too-long 20-min title track with the better moments being the closing ones. The problem is that with this instrumental JR/F is that you are never really sure on which track you are unless you have played them albums countless times. Unfortunately for Jean-Luc, I get tired of the album quicker then I stop counting.

Certainly not his best album, but you could get into this one as well, as most of his albums from that period resemble each other. Nothing groundbreaking or essential, but pleasant if a little pointless; Désolé Jean-Luc, on en a un, on les a tous!
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