KLAUS DOLDINGER/PASSPORT — Passport (review)

KLAUS DOLDINGER/PASSPORT — Passport album cover

Album · 1971 · Fusion

4/5 · 2025-01-14
FunkFreak75

Klaus Doldinger's first release using the "Passport" moniker. Unfortunately, he would have to come up with a whole new lineup of musicians in order to produce his next album.

1. "Uranus" (6:35) with the use of weird synthesizer sounds and multiple "chorus" saxophones in the lead, this one sounds futuristic--like something that would influence the next/new generation of German prog rockers (ELOY and ANYONE'S DAUGHTER are what immediately come to mind). Though I like the flutes as a complement to the rest of the sounds in the second motif, it's Udo Lindenberg's drumming that really holds my attention the most--that and the intriguing sound choices coming from Jimmy Jackson and Klaus Doldinger's keyboards. (8.75/10)

2. "Shirokko" (5:44) opening with Klaus's solo saxophone being fed through some delay, echo, and panning effects for a 55-second intro before the drummer and bass player breaks into a groovy 1960s jazzed (or funked)-up surfer music motif. Clavinet-like keyboard provides the R&B guitar-like rhythm play while multiple saxophones provide horn-section-like background fill. Some of Klaus and Olaf Kübler's saxes solo over the top as well as Jimmy Jackson's organ in the third and fourth. Excellent! The really superstar (besides Udo's smooth/relaxed drumming) is Lothar Meid's chill bass play. A top three song for me--probably my favorite. (9.125/10)

3. "Hexensabbat" (4:27) using the heavy organ and "clavinet" sound from The Court of the Crimson King and driving Hammond and saxophone makes this song a very welcome proggy-side of the "new" jazz-rock fusion medium. Klaus's saxophone play leans far more to the sounds we've been hearing for a few months from Britain's VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. Another top three song. (9/10)

4. "Nostalgia" (5:13) taking his cues from the great WAYNE SHORTER, Klaus has got to be one of the other first/early users of sound engineering effects on his saxophones. Nice, evenly-paced low key song.(8.75/10)

5. "Lemuria's dance" (4:37) and Klaus's pioneering way of using multiple saxophones to create his DON ELLIS-like wall of strings- and/or horn section-like back texture has also got to be pretty innovative (as well as perhaps nodding back to his big band days). Drummer Udo Lindenberg again impresses: big time! (8.875/10)

6. "Continuation" (9:53) a song that starts out with a spacey bucolic motif that develops very slowly and deliberately within its atmospheric spaciousness before the band winds up in the second half ramping things up to another VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR level of power: even going so far as to use similar sound palette and odd chord progressions. (17.5/20)

7. "Madhouse jam" (5:47) early MIROSLAV VITOUS/HERBIE HANCOCK/LARRY CORYELL-like funk using a rather simple bass and chord progression to define the rhythm track while adding some rock-like instruments like rhythm guitar and breathy flute; the whole foundation is just too blues-rock simplistic. Even WAR or BRIAN AUGER are more sophisticated and multi-directional than this. (8.5/10)

Total Time: 42:16

B/four stars; an excellent representative of the directions of possibilities in early Jazz-Rock Fusion.