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.
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

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 7 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 22 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
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