TONTON MACOUTE — Tonton Macoute (review)

TONTON MACOUTE — Tonton Macoute album cover Album · 1971 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Miler72
When it comes for proggy British jazz rock, you can't get much more obscure than this! Tonton Macoute released their only album in 1971 on RCA's Neon subsidiary, a label no stranger to jazz as well as prog, like Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Mike Westbrook, Spring, Indian Summer, Raw Material, The Running Man, and others.

The music here includes vocals, sax, flute, electric piano, Hammond organ, bass and drums. "Just Like Stone" is a ballad, it didn't impress me on first listen but isn't bad. I really like how it improves with the next pieces "Don't Make Me Cry" and "Winter" with this nice jazzy psychedelic vibe going on. "Dream" is more of a psychedelic piece sounding strangely more 1968 than 1971. "You Make My Jelly Roll" pretty much straight on jazz, while the last one, "Natural High" is a great proggy two part piece, with some classical influences, as well as jazz. This type of British jazz rock is different from the Colosseum school of jazz rock or the Canterbury school, such as Soft Machine, and I have a difficult time comparing these guys with anyone else, which is fine with me. Too bad this was their only album, but a nice one to own, especially for those looking for off-the-beaten-track stuff.

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