Captain Beefheart - Safe As Milk

SAFE AS MILK

Captain Beefheart

RIO/Avant-Prog

Don Van Vliet or pseudonym "Captain Beefheart" has created the most original music I think I've ever heard.His signature sound includes a combination of Rhythm & blues,psychedelia,avant garde,free jazz & spoken word.Certainly not genres for easy listening.You'll either instantly become a fan of his or have a nervous breakdown.Fortunately I become a fan of his.

As a youth he was a good friend of Frank Zappa's who shared a common interested in Rhythm & blues.He also became a promising painter & sculpturer and was offered an art scholarship in Europe which he never perused ....eventually resulting in the creation of Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band.And Like most western bands in the mid sixties rock bands were influenced heavily by blues music & rockn'roll.Bands such as Deep Purple,The rolling Stones,Jimi Hendrix,Led Zeppelin,Cream even Jethro Tull had their débuts soaked in blues,soon to be moulded into something much more their own.
Vliet was much the same,he shared the same passion for blues but veered into a different direction

The album still maintains the blues influence dominantly throughout the record.Vliet's graspy vocals and blues harmonica is very reminiscent of Howlin Wolf of whom was a large influence to Vliet.Also helping to maintain the blues,blues specialist Ry Cooder really puts his signature slide style over the album and even feature's a guest appearance of Taj Mahal on tambourine on "Yellow Brick Road".The opening track "Sure 'nuff Yes I do" shares the same "blue"prints (pun intended)of popular delta standard "Rollin and Tumblin" but gains it's own characteristics with interesting rhythms & Cooder's psychedelic slide.
Songs such as "Zig Zag Wanderer" & "Drop Out Boogie"also resemble much of the same arrangements and grooves of classic Rnb bands of the time.But on these occasions Beefheart's obscure lyrics & interesting instrumental breaks,you'll soon notice they distance themselves from that scene all together.The experimental tendencies stand out far more on such songs as "Electricity"which features dissonant vocals and theremin and "Grown So Ugly" with irregular drum patterns & irregular blues licks,both only to be met by their catchy chorus's.

This album tends to be my most played Beefheart album and is certainly one of my favourites amongst a few others.but I wouldn't necessarily associate this sound with him as for future releases,he would soon venture to the more abstract.If there's such a thing as commercial Captain Beefheart this certainly would be it.Definitely an important album for prog & classic rock fans but don't be suprised if knowone believes you that's it's Captain Beefheart.

Studio Album, released in 1967

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do
2. Zig Zag Wanderer
3. Call On Me
4. Dropout Boogie
5. I'm Glad
6. Electricity
7. Yellow Brick Road
8. Abba Zaba
9. Plastic Factory
10. Where There's Woman
11. Grown So Ugly
12. Autumn's Child

Bonus tracks on the 1999 remastered edition:
13. Safe As Milk (Take 5)
14. On Tomorrow
15. Big Black Baby Shoes
16. Flower Pot
17. Dirty Blue Gene
18. Trust Us (Take 9)

Line-up / Musicians

- Don Van Vliet / vocals
- Ry Cooder / guitar, bass (Abba Zaba solo)
- Doug Moon / guitar
- Alex Snouffer & St. Clair / guitar
- Jerry Handley / bass
- John French / drums
- Milt Holland / percussion, marimbas
- Sam Hoffman / theremin
- Taj Mahal / percusion

Soft Machine - Third

THIRD

The Soft Machine

Canterbury Scene

With each release Soft Machine's sound showed signs of evolution.The first two Soft Machine release's were combinations of psychedelic rock & jazz,which was soon to become jazz fusion or more commonly acknowledged with Soft Machine,the Canterbury Scene.
Both of which Soft Machine were pioneers.

But Soft Machine's third is by far their most drastic change and perhaps their most defining album.The leap from their Second to Third saw huge change into their sound.Vocals appeared less frequently and instrumentals dominated their albums with complex arrangements,more experimental recording techniques,new instrumentation & a new member to the band (Elton Dean).Other notable differences were the amount of songs and their length in this case four tracks,all of with nearly 20 minutes in length.Which clearly shows Soft Machine weren't looking for mass acceptance or commercial success.Their is not doubt a huge free jazz influence which plays a prominent part through their long jams and improvisations most notably the addition Elton Dean and his Alto Saxophone & incredible solo's is crucial to their sound.Other musicians who recorded on this album but weren't full time members include Lyn Dobson on Soprano Sax & Flute,Jimmy Hastings also on Flute & Clairnet.With such amounts of instrumentation allows Soft Machine to take lengthy solos and create intriguing harmony's without the feeling of repetition.

The first track "facelift" is perhaps their most radical with Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt playing a long erratic discordant introduction with their organs soaked in effects before leading into a complex theme with horn harmony's reminiscent of Ornette Coleman then leaping into an upbeat main theme,which becomes the songs focal point for impressive solos by Ratledge & others.It's also features feedback & reverse tapes loops played at various speeds over an already complex arrangement and ends with the main theme slowed down to half the speed.The whole album is certainly one hell of trip with sections of songs recorded live and others within the studio really explains its unpredictability and chaos.This is perhaps why the album doesn't lack in energy and why the musicianship is excellent.Robert Wyatt only vocal performance on the album with third song "Moon In June" acts as the bridge between Soft Machine's second and Third.Which is something that could of been on albums before,though still upbeat it brings a little calmer edge to the album in comparison to the rest of the album allowing the listener time to recuperate and prepare for the next ride.

Another highlight performance is bassist Huge Hopper whom with such crazy sounds & arrangements Huge really holds each song together & provides a solid rhythm section and perhaps the only sound of sanity in the album.

Certainly one of Prog Rock's,Fusion's,Canterbury's most important albums and the beginning of Soft Machine's venture into deeper jazz territory.Check it out at all costs.

Studio Album, released in 1970

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Facelift* (18:54)
2. Slightly All The Time (18:14)
3. Moon In June (19:18)
4. Out-Bloody-Rageous (19:17)

Total time: 75:43
* 'Facelift' was recorded live at Fairfield Hall, Croydon, January 4, 1970 and at Mothers Club, Birmingham, January 11, 1970.

Line-up / Musicians

- Robert Wyatt / drums, vocals (track 3), piano (track 3), organ (track 3), bass guitar (track 3)
- Hugh Hopper / bass guitar
- Mike Ratledge / organ, piano (except track 3), electric piano (except track 3)
- Elton Dean / alto sax (except track 3), saxello (except track 3)
- Lyn Dobson / flute, soprano sax (track 1)
Guest musicians:
- Nick Evans / trombone (track 2)
- Jimmy Hastings / flute, bass clarinet (track 2)
- Rab Spall / electric violin (track 3)

Weather Report - Self Titled

WEATHER REPORT

Weather Report

Jazz Rock/Fusion

Miles Davis had pioneered jazz fusion and in his band at the time were Weather Report's own Joe Zawinul & Wayne Shorter who featured on such landmark albums as "In A Silent Way" & "Bitches Brew." Zawinul also contributed his own song on "In A Silent Way" seeing him share album credits with Miles himself.It's that specific sound that would feature again not more then two years later wit the relase of Weather Report's self titled.
Both albums had seen the use of electric instrumentation instead of the standard acoustic set up. which to some,this may of been deemed blasphemous with critics calling Miles' a sellout. But it also brought jazz to a whole new audience.Weather Report with other electric jazz bands such as Return To Forever & The Mahavishnu Ochestra (all of which featured members from Miles Davis' band) became the forefront of jazz fusion/jazz rock and are credited as the true pioneers of the genre.Unlike the previously mentioned bands Weather Report's début continued the experimental and psychedelic sounds from Bitches Brew.But rather keep the chaotic intensity of Bitches Brew's avant jazz sound.It shared the pace,flow and experimentation of "In A Silent Way" creating an exciting yet risky début.

As the band is a far smaller unit then Miles band this leaves alot for freedom for the five musicians to roam.Wayne Shorter's Soprano sax playing is a real highlight of the album.Over complex rythms and experimental sounds his tasteful playing adds more texture & makes this farout album more grounded,this is more notable on song "Tears."A good example of why Weather Report have always sounded so unique throughout their career was their ability to experiment & incorporate various music styles.Though prominently a jazz group,influences of rock & world music can be heard throughout this album and later in their career funk would also become a dominant sound for the band. Founding member & bassist Miroslav Vitous's has an impressive performance on track "Umbrellas" although technically a free jazz song,his chunky distorted bass similar to that of Jack Bruce's bass tone of the time and a solid groove provided by drummer Alphonse Mouzon shows their rock tendencies although this would never be fully explored.

I began listening to Weather Report after hearing their repatoir of musicians more specifically bass players such as Jaco Pastorius,Victor Bailey & Alphonso Johnson and although I was very impressed by the albums featuring them,this has become a favourite of mine.Fantastic musicianship,an excellent lineup & a historic album should persuade you to buy this.

Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Milky Way (2:33)
2. Umbrellas (3:27)
3. Seventh Arrow (5:22)
4. Orange Lady (8:43)
5. Morning Lake (4:25)
6. Waterfall (6:20)
7. Tears (3:25)
8. Eurydice (5:45)

Total Time: 37:39

Line-up / Musicians

- Airto Moreira / percussion.
- Alphonze Mouzon / drums, voice
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxophones
- Miroslav Vitous / acoustic & electric basses
- Joe Zawinul / acoustic & electric pianos

Additional musicians:
- Don Alias / percussion
- Barbara Burton / percussion

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (& Bitches Brew sessions)

BITCHES BREW

Miles Davis

Jazz Rock/Fusion

I don't understand how this has become the best selling jazz album of all time?How can something so inaccessible be so adored?These are questions you can't help but ask yourself when you listen to this.It's not due to poor content.But it's representation.Possibly an album only a minority may be attracted to.It takes great influence from psychedelic rock and avant garde cross breeded with Miles' already distinctive sound.This is what makes me find it difficult to see it be so successful.Posing the question"where did these avant jazz fans suddenly come from?"Free jazz musicians had already been accomplished way before this release such as Ornette Coleman & even Miles' own John Coltrane had showed free jazz tendencies.The difference between this and others before it is a whole perspective of musical ideology.The combination an unorthodox recording procedure,electric instruments and new & various musical influences begin to explain the nature of the album and Miles' persistence to explore and push boundaries.By now I hope you've guessed that this isn't going to be an easy album to listen to but you'll soon see why this album is held is such high regard.

As always Miles' & his band perform huge musical improvisations usually based on psychedelic repetitive grooves echoing Santana's early recordings but with much added intensity and experimentation.The overall tonality of the album really explores dark & haunting themes that on occasion can be explosive and quick paced such as my personal favourite track"Bitches Brew" which Miles' trumpet is coated in reverb.Which when played echoes that of a person screaming which can send shivers down your spine.Such additions of doubling instruments can explain it's complex and chaotic sounds such as using a double bass & electric bass,two drummers plus percussionists and two electric pianos (one piano player in each speaker).The lineup & standard of musicians is also fantastic with some of the my favourite musicians in jazz featuring on the album such as Weather Report's Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter contributed their own material.

Miles' really accomplished something fantastically new and timeless with this album but not all credit can be handed to Miles' it's also producer Teo Macero who shaped the album by splicing various sections of songs to one another and adding all sorts of instrument effects making him equally as crucial to the end result.

This won't be for everything but I insist you'll be missing something extremely special if you don't check it out.It's certainly one of my favourite albums and it truly deserves its high praise.

Studio Album, released in 1970

Songs / Tracks Listing

Side one
1.Pharaoh's Dance (20:06)
Side two
2.Bitches Brew (27:00)
Side three
3.Spanish Key (17:34)
4.John McLaughlin (4:26)
Side four
5.Miles Runs the Voodoo Down (14:04)
6.Sanctuary (11:01]
7.Feio [bonus track] (11:51)

Line-up / Musicians -Miles Davis/trumpet
-Wayne Shorter/soprano saxophone
-Bennie Maupin/bass clarinet
-Chick Corea/electric piano
-John McLaughlin/guitar
-Dave Holland/bass
-Harvey Brooks/electric bass
-Lenny White/drum set
-Jack DeJohnette/drum set
-Don Alias/congas, drum set
-Juma Santos(credited as "Jim Riley")/shaker, congas
-Larry Young/electric piano
-Joe Zawinul/electric piano
-Billy Cobham/drum set
-Airto Moreira/percussion

THE COMPLETE BITCHES BREW SESSIONS

Miles Davis

Jazz Rock/Fusion

If you've escaped with your life and sanity from hearing the original Bitches Brew and are looking for more,this is great value for money and a great way to extend your listening to see the whole picture of one of the greatest and more innovative albums ever recorded.It includes many more contributions from Joe Zawinul and plenty more of Miles Davis.The original album is a landmark in jazz history and two more discs are a great way to appreciate it.

However....If you haven't heard the original album I suggest you do before purchasing the set as it certainly may not be your cup of tea.But if you think you've got an open enough mind you may certainly enjoy this.It's certainly essential listening for jazz fans but more so a great addition to a collection for everyone else.

Boxset/Compilation, released in 1998

Songs / Tracks Listing

Disc one

1. Pharaoh's Dance (Joe Zawinul) - 20:06
2. Bitches Brew (Miles Davis) - 26:58
3. Spanish Key (Davis) - 17:34
4. John McLaughlin (Davis) - 4:22

Disc two

1. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down (Davis) - 14:01
2. Sanctuary (Wayne Shorter) - 10:56
3. Great Expectations (Davis - Zawinul) - 13:45
4. Orange Lady (Zawinul) - 13:50
5. Yaphet (Davis) - 9:39
6. Corrado (Davis) - 13:11

Disc three

1. Trevere (Davis) - 5:55
2. The Big Green Serpent (Davis) - 3:35
3. The Little Blue Frog (alternate take) (Davis) - 12:13
4. The Little Blue Frog (Davis) - 9:09
5. Lonely Fire (Davis) - 21:09
6. Guinnevere (David Crosby) - 21:07

Disc four

1. Feio (Shorter) - 11:49
2. Double Image (Zawinul) - 8:25
3. Recollections (Zawinul) - 18:54
4. Take It or Leave It (Zawinul) - 2:13

Total time: 264:40

Line-up / Musicians * Don Alias - Percussion, Conga, Drums
* Khalil Balakrishna - Sitar
* Harvey Brooks - Bass, Electric bass
* Ron Carter - Bass
* Billy Cobham - Drums, Triangle
* Chick Corea - Electric piano
* Miles Davis - Trumpet, Vocals
* Jack DeJohnette - Drums
* Steve Grossman - Soprano saxophone
* Herbie Hancock - Electric piano
* Dave Holland - Bass, Electric bass
* Bennie Maupin - Bass clarinet
* John McLaughlin - Guitar
* Airto Moreira - Berimbau, Cuíca, Percussion
* Bihari Sharma - Tabla, Tamboura
* Wayne Shorter - Soprano saxophone
* Juma Santos (Jim Riley) - Conga, Shaker
* Lenny White - Drums
* Larry Young - Organ, Celeste, Electric piano
* Joe Zawinul - Electric piano

Miles Davis - In A Silent Way

IN A SILENT WAY

Miles Davis

Jazz Rock/Fusion

1969-70's is always hailed as the most important years in the 20th century.Political and cultural change had come about in the world drastically.Such as events as the veitnam war,the assassinations of Martin Luther King & J.F.K evoked riots and protests and were crucial in the change of society's perceptions.Movements began in vein in which people preached peace & love and to take a stand against "the system" (many of these were met by police brutality).Drugs such as Lsd were also extremely popular amongst the younger generation of musicians & their fans which would be a huge influenced on their music.Miles took influence by this sound and decided to bring change to his music leaving behind the typical acoustic jazz set up and being in electric instruments and a new type of band as well.Within his band nearly all of which went all to be hugely successful in jazz,fusion and world music.Amongst some were Joe Zawinul,who wrote most of second album track In a silent Way.He with Sax player Wayne Shorter would soon leave Miles' band to become the prominent members of Weather Report.Other jazz fusion pioneers such as John McLaughlin,Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock also feature.This in itself is what drew me to hear the album.It features possibly one of my favourite line-ups ever.Critics became furious with Miles' electric change and classed him as a sellout and obviously this resulted in alot negative reviews.But to their surprise Miles' not only progressed from the bebop daysbut introduced a whole new generation of music fans who would use this album to find their opening into the jazz world.

The album It's self only includes two tracks Shhh/Peaceful & In a Silent Way/It's About That Time.Both tracks really reflect the cultural psychedelic sounds of the decade but also gives you the feeling this is something different and special.Neither really include any solos of extreme intensity you could expect from bebop or a spontaneous leap into a chaos fuelled jam that you might expect from of rock music.But has the feel of ambience.Especially Miles' trumpet which still has enough pace and character not to render you unconscious.Ultimately each song still features the improvisation and main theme structures which are always prominent in jazz but has the sound of an music experiment which worked creating some new.I particularly love this album,as it introduced me to a whole new world of jazz and musicians alike.

Definitely an essential album for any music fan.

Studio Album, released in 1969

Songs / Tracks Listing

side one
1.Shhh/Peaceful (18:16)
"Shhh" - 6:14
"Peaceful" - 5:42
"Shhh" - 6:20

side two
2.In a Silent Way/It's About That Time (19:52)
"In a Silent Way" - 4:11
"It's About That Time" - 11:27
"In a Silent Way" - 4:14

Line-up / Musicians

-Miles Davis/trumpet
-Wayne Shorter/soprano saxophone
-John McLaughlin/electric guitar
-Herbie Hancock/electric piano
-Chick Corea/electric piano
-Joe Zawinul/organ
-Dave Holland/double bass
-Tony Williams/drums

Releases information

LP Columbia CS-9875 (1969)

OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ & JEREMY MICHAEL WARD

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Heavy Prog

This is a collaboration between Omar Rodriguez Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward.Both of which very important to birth and evolution of The Mars Volta.Omar of course the primary song writer and group director for the Volta and Jeremy who provided the ambient and soundscape effects for De-loused In Comatorium and their EP Tremulant contributing to a more depthful and atmospherical Volta. Unfortunately Ward died from a heroin overdose at the age of 27 a month before the release of their debut De-loused and in tribute five years later Omar produced and released this album which originally was never going to be released was to be only to be shared around their circle of friends. Now It's important to say this is certainly not progressive rock in any shape or form and I think people can only be dissapointed by this record if they have no knowledge or awareness of Avant Garde,Music concrete and other such noise music.The only relevant comparison I can associate this album with would be avant composer Karlheinz Stockhausen.Without this knowledge you may be lost.This album consists of such effects and sounds which bare little resemblance to melody or structure but explorations of sounds and atmospherics providing themes and moods.As far as I can tell there is no feature of standard rock instruments such as guitar and drums and may just feature keyboards and modulators. Personally being interested in such music I find this album very intriguing and was ultimately impressed.Pretentious noise?possibly.But fantastic noise none the less.



Old Volta with Jeremy Ward

Please heat this eventually

OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ & DAMO SUZUKI - PLEASE HEAT THIS EVENTUALLY

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Heavy Prog

This is an epic collaboration between two important figure in the progressive rock scene,from two different decades.Damo Suzuki best known as the one of the vocalists from Can who appeared on perhaps their best known albums during the 1970's (Future Days,Ege Bamyasi & Tago Mago) & Omar Rodriguez Lopez best known as the guitarist and band leader of The Mars Volta.

First of all though it's titled as a collaboration album,it's pretty clear Damo had no control over the quality of music as the musicians are from previous Omar solo recordings.But that being said this particular line-up is my personal favourite Omar Rodriguez Lopez group and certainly the most jazz inspired.Now the scene has been set it's easier to begin to understand the album and it's direction.Please Heat Eventually is one long song which has been split into two separate tracks (Each one spanning a side of the record)and within each separate track three parts or divisions of the song.The result one twenty five minute song.It's clear Omar & Damo shares the same ambitions of the experimental and improvisational sides of music which is clearly heard on this recording..The song itself is wonderful combination and overall musical acid trip fans would expect from the two.Essentially it's one long jam with Damo improvising lyrics "sung in no one particular language" over psychedelic themes provided by Omars group featuring lengthy guitar solos,fusion rhythms and powerful performances from Adrián Terrazas-González on saxophone & bass Clarinet. But to confuse us Omar & Damo fans even more.The album was recorded into sections some live and some studio this can be quite noticeable as most of the musical themes are evolved and explored some can end abruptly,which is very possibly the merging of the two different recording settings.But to say that as a downfall of the album is really splitting hairs.

The true downfall and the unfortunate result of my low ratings is mainly me abiding by the prog archives rating guide.As this is only released as vinyl and only contains one song.I would have to put this amongst the collectors/fans which only has the rating of two stars.But to redeem myself and the album I would recommend the 2 disc Japanese edition of Omar Rodriguez Lopez's Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo which not only contains the fantastic original album with an instrumental version of this song.It also contains Please Heat Eventually in full on the bonus disc.

Great album,unfortunate format.

Some extremely short,rare and bad video quality footage of the two performing.

Robert Fripp - Exposure

EXPOSURE

Robert Fripp

Eclectic Prog

This is Robert Fripp's solo début released on June '79 and it includes a huge list of guests on the album making an incredible lineup including Peter Hamill,Phil Collins,Peter Gabriel,Tony Levin and Brian Eno.You'll notice that many of the musicians listed Fripp has worked with before either collaborating or appearing as a guest musician which helped form this unique sound.Making this his first album where you hear Fripps new wave influence creeping in and becoming a dominant part of this album and future Fripp releases throughout the eighties.Which If you only aware of King Crimson's seventies work,this could sound like a very strange occurrence.

Throughout the album the songs take many shapes and forms from hard rock songs to ballads and ambience which for a solo debut brings out the many sides of Fripp which we all know and love.And that is to be expected from Fripps versatility.But in this case,this can make the album feel unstable and have a lack of continuity about it.He also reuses many sounds and techniques you may recognise such as Frippertronics made famous by the help of Brian Eno which on many occasions gives you the feel of deja-vu.This isn't the only sound which you'll recognise there's also such songs as "Breathless" which could be an unofficial reprise of King Crimson's red and "Disengage" being a slightly altered Larks Tounge in Aspic II.Also a revisited version of Peter Gabriel's "Here comes the flood" For a solo debut such actions as these can't help but diminish its quality,making it feel this album is a King Crimson B side album.These are sounds which we already familiar with and for an album which remains inconsistent in genre,it never fails to bother me.So this why I rate it as an album for collectors/fans only and recommend you to hear Fripp & Eno's evening star for the experimental ambient pieces and KC'S larks tongue and Red.

There's some great ideas on the album and an amazing lineup of musicians but it doesn't hold up to his work with the mighty King Crimson or have the ground breaking ambient appeal of Fripp & Eno's No Pussyfooting.