MIROSLAV VITOUS — Infinite Search (aka Mountain In The Clouds aka The Bass) (review)

MIROSLAV VITOUS — Infinite Search (aka Mountain In The Clouds aka The Bass) album cover Album · 1970 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
Bassist and composer Miroslav Vitous (originally - Vitouš)is beside of keyboardist Jan Hammer most significant Czech jazz artist of last four decades. US-based from 1966,his first recording (as collaborator) was almost classic Chick Corea's "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs", from 1968 to 1970 he played as Herbie Mann's band bassist.

Recorded in New York in fall 1969 (and Herbie Mann's produced) his debut solo album is good example of progressive fusion atmosphere of that time and place.Musicians participated on these recordings all are future stars including (still "Mahavishnu") John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, sax player Joe Henderson and second drummer Joe Chambers. An year later Vitous will co-found unique guitar-less fusion band Weather Report, and what is recorded on "Infinite Search" could be counted as blueprint of his future fusion vision.

Five of six compositions are Vitous originals (probably here lays main album's problem for many listeners - from here for years his compositions are very often too bulky,open-ended and frame-less and as a result often sound unfinished). This album could be hardly evaluated out of time and place, and to say truth it sounds more interesting than great. Open ear listener can find here some ideas which later will be developed not only by Weather Report, but in Hancock's and McLaughlin fusion recordings as well.

Almost unnoticed at the time of release, this album was re-released on the wave of fusion popularity by major label just two years later (under the new title "Mountain In The Clouds", Atlantic,1972, with one additional song),but never received big success. Vitous himself being one major name in world fusion movement never was very successful with his solo releases as well. Often counted as Vitous most important solo release, "Infinite Search" is valuable evidence of fusion early years, it's significant Vitous will return to its spirit (partially with same collaborators) on his 2003 album "Universal Syncopations" after more than three decades.
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