barnaba.siegel

Since few years he is re-releasing some of his great albums from the 70s on own label UBX. Here is the list of things available: - Fusion III [CBS 1975] (CD 2011 without booklet, double LP on Asfalt Records, CD 2014 with booklet) - Body English [CBS 1976] (CD 2011, CD 2014 with some minor liner notes) - Smiles Ahead [MPS 1977] (CD 2012 with booklet) - Inactin* [spiegelei 1971] (CD 2013 with booklet, LP on Asfalt Records) - Atma [CBS 1974] (CD 2014 with booklet) I've got a great pleasure to co-work with Michael and I wrote liner notes to every CD release . Some words on the music, beginning from the earliest: Inactin* was the first album for German Spiegelei label, known for many freak-out things. Indeed the music is a bit freaky, a very nice early jazz-rock with some free-jazz and krautrock influences. Atma is my favorite one - and first for American Columbia. Hypnotising fusion with many Latin elements and dozens of violin and keys solos. You should check out also the vocalist Urszula Dudziak, who made some out-of-this-world things with here voice. Fusion III features American musicians Larry Coryell, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd and John Abercrombie. As for 1975 this is a mature, "thick" and raw fusion (and lasts for 52 minutes, quite unusuall for that time). The unison parts in "Roksana" always makes me shiver. Body English is the most electrified one with plenty of effects, electric violin, lyricon(!) and synthesizers. Smiles Ahead was recorded for German MPS and 1976-7 and contains also some freaky conceptions (many thanks to drummer Woody "Sonship" Theus and keyboardist Harold "Ivory" Williams), but I have to warn that CD sound had many issues, like vinyl pops and hum... what a pity. I think all of those releases are available online, on Bandcamp or Spotify: http://ubxmusic.bandcamp.com/

I didn't put that in good words. I meant that we will got another BB reissue INSTEAD of a new Bootleg Volume. I know of course that famous albums are reissued regulary, but c'mon - many previous editions are still available on market, and so is the latest 2CD+DVD with the Copenhagen 1969 concert, which was supposed (I guess) to be a "smaller" version of the giant box ith LP's. So what the "bigger but still smaller" is for? It doesn't bother me at all, they could make a 100 of versions of this album, but I'm just sad there're no news about "new" concerts. Yes, I also hope they will pick up on 1971. There is a lot of great stuff, including many videos. But honestly I'm most interested in the year 1972. There were some nice changes in the line-up. The Live at Philharmonics (which I find boring, not to mention its bad sound quality) have some potential, with all those Indian instruments. And I'm a bit tired of Jarrett's playing and more like things but Cedar Lawson or LL Smith. Actually I haven't heard a good quality bootleg from 1972, which makes the whole thing more interesting to me . Actually they've got so much stuff laying just around the corner (pun intended), I'm wondering why they didn't throw a 6CD boxes, like those with "Cellar Door" or "On The Corner" complete sessions. I'd love to have a wast collection of 1973 and 1975 gigs, with those famous Japanese videos... Oh Miles, this topic is bottomless... what about the unreleased 1975 studio sessions? And those from 1978 with Larry Coryell ....

Any news about vol. 4? I'm affraid this year Columbia Legacy is gonna re-release one more time "Bitches Brew", now in a 4CD book format with all classic material, few well known outtakes, Tanglewood 1970 concert on CD and.. Copenhagen 1969 on DVD Seems like somebody responsible for all glorious Official Bootleg sets lost his jobs. Puzzling, as the previous 4CD Fillmore concerts sets won a lot of award an media coverage.

Misleadingly I thought that two albums by trumpeter Shunzo Ohno - "Anteres" and "Quarter Moon" - where from East Wind label. In fact it was a Electric Bird label. They also have recently quite vast batch of reissues, but I checked some performers (like guitarist Katsutoshi Morizono or keyboardist Toshiyuki Honda) but its mostly average smooth jazz with some platitude themes. Although the 2 aformentioned Shunzo Ohno albums are really fine, reminding me a lot of lat 70s Lonnie Liston Smith. There re even Marcus Miller and TM Stevens. But I'm hugely disappointed by the lack of artworks. I always thought that any Japanese edition = best quality. I was surprised after finding that it has NO back cover or inner sleeve replicas at all.... and sad when I checked, that original albums has very nice photos of musicians from the sessions. In fact there are some vinyl-replica SHM-CD's and I believe those has every original graphic, but they're far too expensive as for just nice funky, smooth jazz.

Any recommendations for more spiritual-oriented Lake albums? There's a nice package from Black Saint/Soul Note, but this are mostly late recordings, not much from 70s http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oliver-Lake-Complete-Remastered-Recordings/dp/B00DQF1YSS/

Jaco and McCann are available on CD, Jaco also on vinyl. Yes, their eclectic. Maybe too eclectic - like you don't know what would be next. I guess everybody prefers label on which you'll find something fine each time you check what's new. Here is another interesting album from the field of jazz: http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/worlds-around-the-sun/ I'd ordered it from Amazon recently (by coincidence through Amazon's recommendations) and it's very credible spiritual-jazz set with electric touch.

I haven't heard about this label until last year when a news about Jaco's full Criteria Session poped out. http://omnivorerecordings.com/press-release-jaco-pastorius-modern-american-music-period-the-criteria-sessions/ I'v bought it and it's really fine treat for Jaco fans. Not a top quality studio recording, but sound like a good "A-" soundboard bootleg, and it really shows Jaco's creativity, his filled with freedom style. Those who have read and enjoyed biography by Bill Milkowski will surely dig it. But except "tha Jaco thing" it's also interesting discovery from the field of Rhodes-driven jazz-rock. And it comes with nice booklet, which is fine. Recently Omnivore released rare Les McCann's album "Invitation to Openess" which is the only one in his vast discography, that aims into style of Mileses "Bitches Brew". Well, it's no masterpiece, in fact sometimes it's rather dull, oneiric playing, but still a rather must-have gem for any fusion lover that is into the early jazz-rock period and with "never enough Rhodes" attitude. There is also a bonus, a live track "Compared To What", but it's nothing suprising, just a regular cut from Passport's Klaus Doldinger "Jubilee" '75 album. http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/invitation-to-openess/ There're more jazz stuff, maybe someone will be interested.

A knew I missed something

Veteran Groover - thanks for the full list Vista is a great news, as the previous editon gone quite expensive. I was quite shock after founding that Harold Budd was involved and that Marion was playing on Budd's ambient-bliss "The Pavilon of Dreams". Any other suggestions for the "non-obvious" albums (meaning other than Trane, Shepp, Szabo, Ayler)?

Hello guys. As a 70s fusion lover I'd done some "research" on East Wind re-releases . In general - albums with white background are acoustic and those with photos - electric (with some exceptions, like Terumasa Hino, who's mostly all acoustic). Second though - music from East Wind label is, on most cases, strongly inspired by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock or Lonnie Liston Smith... sometimes too strongly, but if you're into classic albums of those mentioned, mostly everthing from EW reissues will be fine for you. From many interesting album here're the list of those, I'd recommend: Shunzo Ohno - Antares, Quarter Moon, Somethin' Comin'. Those are absolutely best jazz-rock albums from this label. Jazz trumpeter was cathing realy good ideas of US fusion, with Milesian "Somethin Comin'" to more colorful, rich and funky "Quarter Moon" and "Antares". You may also consider "Bubbles", which is a smooth, laid-back album, though sometimes a bit boring (so dull melodica solo in first "Bubbles"). Sadao Watanebe - Pamoja, Recital Well, he didn't play jazz-rock per se, but he's absolutely top Japanese instrumentalist every his album is at least very, very fine. I love his sax style and the type of ethnical arrangements he often uses. I've taken "Pamoja" and "Recital", but resigned to tak "I'm Old Fashioned" There also fresh Sony Japan releases, "Sadao Watanabe" and "Open Road", which are also fantastic! Kohsuke Mine (or Kosuke Mine) - Sunshower, Solid First one is a very... solid jazz-rock album with 4 satisfying cuts. Solid is a live gig, with on 20-minutes composition reminding "Get Up WIth It" and some tracks from "Bitches Brew"-"Big Fun" era. Second and third are more calm, but still it's good music. There is also acoustin "Out of Chaos" and it's ok, but it's a bit of a big rip-off from Coltrane's early 60s albums. Isao Suzuki - Hip Dancin' More electric-jazz than jazz-rock album. Very clever and well played, have an interesting, unusuall vibe. Mikio Masuda - Mickey's Mouth Mikio was a good keyboard players, but I think he was trying to copy American keyboardist too much. "Mickey's Mouth" is the only LP one I'd really enjoyed. "Corazon" has only 2-3 good tracks, but the rest is embarassing. Kochi - Wishes A one-album collective with Masabumi Kikuchi and a pack of Milesian musicians - Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Reggie Lucas, Mtume. And Anthony Jackson. Though the line-up is outstanding, the music is rather a spontaneous session with a goal of cathing spirit of 1973-75 Davis music. Another interesting LP, not a great one, but it's good to have it Ryo Kawasaki - Prism, Eight Mile Road Fine guitarist. I don't find his playing style as a memorable, but he played a healthy, mature fusion. "Prism" is probably better (as always - the earlier fusion, the better), with some guitar freak-outs. "Eight Mile Road" hits more funky-smooth style, but it's ok. And from non-Japan musician: Reggie Lucas - Survival Themes Good cut from Miles Davis stable musician. Few good tracks plus 20-minutes experiments on guitar. Not a masterpiece, but interesting Air Pocket - Fly On This one is a BOMB! Short-living band consisting of big bunch of Fowler brothers (with Bruce & Tom, who played on Zappa's jazz-rock oriented albums). Many short composition, but each one is outstanding. Lot's of very fine horns, some guitar licks and crazy synth space sounds. This is a must have! Sam Morrison - Dune Morrison made a very brief career, so you may not recognise him. He played with last '75 line-up's of Miles Davis and probably because of this he get a chance to make some noise in Japan. This album is very solid, nice mix of jazz-rock and spiritual jazz (luckily without an obvious influences) What about the rest? Frankly speaking - I didn't like it. Hubert Eaves's "Esoteric Funk" was really disappointing, most acoustic album (like Terumasa Hino's) not as original as I thought. Although I hope I helped a bit thos fusion-heads who where wondering what to chose Cheers