03 Aug
The Infinite Steve Vai - An Anthology by Steve Vai
Sunday, 03 August 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Steve Vai is well established in that loved/hated (depends who you talk to) Pantheon of Guitar Heroes. Vai is indeed a talented string-bender, one who cut his proverbial te…
Like Pete Cosey’s Agharta band, Children On The Corner are dedicated to perpetuating the still-controversial "electric period" of that Prince of Darkness, the late Miles Da…
Joni Mitchell leads an incredible band on this date recorded live in Santa Barbara during her 1979 tour. There have been better rock bands and better jazz bands, but never …
22 Jul
A History Of Madness by Thinking Plague
Tuesday, 22 July 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
With this effort, guitarist Mike Johnson leads his ensemble through a potpourri of unearthly soundscapes coupled with an abstract aesthetic amid offbeat time signatures and…
Wicked was the first thing that came to mind when I first heard the title song to Greg Howe’s new CD, Extraction.Not in an evil way, but wicked in the sense that …
This band will likely inject a bit of good-natured pandemonium into your mind’s eye. At times, they fuse an element of silliness with Zappa-like twists and turns, and pert …
As the title of the CD suggests Mood Swings explores various emotional states, from the outrageously manic to the serenely introspective. During the wild pursuit of …
If you have read any of my reviews of Steve Howe’s solo work or his many years of work with Yes then you probably expect a glowing review. His band Remedy has a new release…
02 Jul
The Iridium Controversy by Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
Wednesday, 02 July 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
If the cover of this CD looks familiar to many of you old-time prog-rockers out there, then you may recall Roger Dean’s somewhat infamous artwork for the band, "YES." W…
With the use of Fender Rhodes and analogue synthesizers, Matthew Bourne’s début recording, the electric dr m owes much to Sextant-era Herbie Hancock. But with…
25 Jun
Extraction by G. Howe V. Wooten D. Chambers
Wednesday, 25 June 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Guitarist Greg Howe delivers Fusion with a capital F on Extraction, with a style that will appeal to fans of Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale and Allan Holdsworth. Wit…
23 Jun
Word Of Mouth Revisited by Jaco Pastorious Big Band
Monday, 23 June 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
It goes without saying how important bassist Jaco Pastorious has been to the cultivation of the progressive jazz fusion movement. His contributions have influenced many oth…
With a background firmly rooted in progressive rock and progressive jazz, bassist Richard Addison delivers Mood Swings, a broad program of fusion which ought to garn…
13 Jun
The Walk of the Giant Turtle by Erik Truffaz
Friday, 13 June 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Four young French guys get together to re-make/re-model the sounds of electric-period Miles Davis...and the results are really pretty spiffy. Call them stylists, call them …
09 Jun
Vertical Vision by Christian McBride Band
Monday, 09 June 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
At the start of Christian McBride’s new CD, "Vertical Vision," there is a very short introduction called ‘Circa 1990’ that reveals what the rest of the pieces aren’t suppos…
This is a reissue of the original 1981 "Ralph Records," release by the former "Henry Cow" guitarist. Yet, since his epoch, early ‘70s "Guitar Solos" LPs - Fred Frith has ev…
Jazz trumpeter Natsuki Tamura leads his space age, jazz-fusion quartet into an affair marked by echoing EFX, brash soloing, and numerous cosmic meltdowns. This Japanese bas…
In retrospect, the early 70s were quite the time for mainstream music. The Philly Soul sound was happening, arena rock hadn’t gotten bloated yet, one could be an artist tha…
10 May
Prints: snapshots, postcards and miniatures 1987-2001 by Fred Frith
Saturday, 10 May 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Guitar pioneer Fred Frith wears his multi-instrumentalist hat on these works culled from compilations he’s participated in and other niceties. The first number titled "Trai…
09 May
Love Devotion Surrender by Carlos Santana / John McLaughlin
Friday, 09 May 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
A bit of background: back in the early 70s, there was Carlos Santana, one of the most successful rock guitarists of the era got bit by the jazz bug via John Handy, John Col…
Brooklyn-ites Krakatoa are of the "new wave" of prog-rock (short for the sub-genre formerly known as progressive rock), where the wretched excesses of the past (interminabl…
This Brooklyn, NY based quartet tosses quite a few curves and diversions into the grand scheme of things. They implement wacko EFX, psychedelic keys, and roaring guitar lin…
Hey, old-timers - anybody recall the Hampton Grease Band? They were a proto-avant-jazz/punk/jam band who had, as their debut circa 1970, a two-record set that was among one…
The Birth of the Fuse, XIV: popular history tells us that Fusion began with Miles Davis’ seminal Bitches Brew album, but it’s easy to overlook the fact that other mu…
Figuring out the styles of music that Chicago has ventured into over their 36-year history is easy; the difficult thing would be to find a musical road they have not taken.…
Garaj Mahal is part of the continuum of neo-fusion outfits, sometimes referred to as the "jam band" phenomenon, that loose conflagration of ensembles who draw inspiration f…
24 Mar
Be Smart Don't Think by Active Ingredient
Monday, 24 March 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Colorado-based Active Ingredient is not just a typical band. In fact, reading the group's biographical information on its Web site address http://www.activegroove.com will …
22 Mar
Temporal Analogues of Paradise by Jonas Hellborg
Saturday, 22 March 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
I have to admit that when I read the promotional sheet on this recording, "crucial in raising the Jam Band bar in the 90s", I was concerned. For me the whole jam band thing…
It’s always a joy to follow the divergent paths of musicians who, as far back as thirty years ago, shared a common purpose. It’s even more gratifying to see that, after all…
Booker T. & The MG’s were The Ventures of soul and rhythm and blues, cutting a majority of each cover track in less than three minutes. In the attention-grabbing liner note…
Following their first major label release, Canadian fusion group Metalwood returns with a new record that, while retaining some of the strong groove style that marked Th…
09 Mar
Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish: A Tribute to Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band by Various Artists
Sunday, 09 March 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Before he retired to become a sculptor, Don Van Vliet - better known as Captain Beefheart - was a musical alchemist who conjured some of the most extreme sounds to rock the…
07 Mar
Skin Alley (180-Gram Vinyl LP) by Skin Alley
Friday, 07 March 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Upon first listen of Skin Alley, the self-titled album recorded in 1969, I knew that I would have to listen a few more times before it all sunk in. I find it amazing…
26 Feb
The Walk of the Giant Turtle by Erik Truffaz
Wednesday, 26 February 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Just a year after Erik Truffaz released Mantis on Blue Note, he has returned with yet another step in his climb in musical exploration, using his instrument certainl…
The program notes accurately that "Survey" is a collection of original compositions mostly by Matthias Ockert that consist of scraps of electronica, rock and new music unit…
Tak Matsumoto’s (short for Takashi ) album Hana reminded me at times of some of the Japanese import releases the Ventures put out in the ‘90’s (they have sold…
Another one for the "but weren’t they.... " file: yes, Spirit was nominally a "rock" band, but if it were that simple we wouldn’t have this review. Spirit was a Los Angeles…
15 Feb
The Hapless Child by Michael Mantler / Edward Gorey
Saturday, 15 February 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
In 1976, trumpeter/composer Michael Mantler’s WATT label issued The Hapless Child, where the he set the grim poetry of Edward Gorey set to some appropriately siniste…
One of the most appealing things about Robben Ford, Jimmy Haslip and Vinnie Colaiuta’s first album as Jing Chi (Jing Chi, Tone Centre, TC40212, 2001), was how incred…
Much to my surprise Woodenhead has been making music since 1975. It is literally impossible to keep up with all the bands that are coming out with music, so the fact…
This Acoustic Syndicate hails from somewhere south o’ the McMason/McDixon line (hoot mon!), although it’s clear from even a cursory listen these cats have no truck with div…
DW Project is chiefly Dan Walzer and Chuck Wiggins with help from their outstanding collaborators Ric Hordinski, Dave Larocca and Kerry Jordan. Their new CD g…
28 Jan
Bone Structure by Bendian / Gauthier / Liebig / Stinson
Tuesday, 28 January 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
As the late great Ralph Kramden would say, "some people got it, some people don’t." In this case, the "it" refers to the ability to craft engaging group (free) improvisatio…
26 Jan
Vertical Vision by Christian McBride
Sunday, 26 January 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
For several years now, bassist Christian McBride has been dead set on proving true the old axiom that not only does jazz have the ability to broaden the scope and depth of …
The name of the group and the CD's cover art suggested European Progressive Rock to me, so I was not surprised by the intricate bass introduction by George Hoar to "The Fun…
The present wave of neo-progressive/fusion bands and/or instrumental rock bands refuses to peak! As proof, please refer to the New Orleans-based Woodenhead: they "fit" into…
15 Jan
Never Trust A Hippy by Adrian Sherwood
Wednesday, 15 January 2003
Published in
Fusion - CD Reviews
Adrian Sherwood is a British music producer whose resume includes work with the Dub Syndicate, African Head Charge, Asian Dub Foundation and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Less of a …
In this present day world of diminishing returns in finding good quality music to listen to, it is quite refreshing to know that jazz continues to thrive and exist in some …
The third and current offering of musical multiplicity and seasoned adeptness by Conga Jazz entitled "Almost There", is fire!Conga Jazz is primarily known for their Afro…
Knowing how difficult it is to write, arrange, produce, and perform even ONE style of music to make a great album release, I have the utmost respect for a band that can suc…