Jazz Rock

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Fretless
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Jazz Rock

Unread post by Fretless »

A performer who's career I have followed closely - because everything he does is always of the highest quality - is drummer Bill Bruford. Who has bashed the skins for: Savoy Brown, Yes, King Crimson (several incarnations), Genesis, National Health, UK, Annette Peacock and several of his own line-up's.

I have just got a couple of his CD's that were absent from the collection and with one came a bonus disc 'An Introduction to Winterfold', a taster for his more-rock-orientated output, with short excerpts from a radio interview in between the tracks. Here BB tells about the appearance of Jazz-rock in the late 70's and how his band Bruford played a role in the creation of a genre. Along with names like Brand X, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra.

His first solo venture was 'Feels Good to Me' where he combined the talents of Canterbury scene keyboard-maestro Dave Stewart (Hatfield & the North, Egg, National Health), genius guitarist Allan Holdsworth and virtuoso bassist Jeff Berlin. Along with occasional vocal assistance from beat-poet Annette Peacock, the group turned out an album full of precision playing, energy and top-class musicianship.

Image

Bruford - 'Beelzebub'

After a short sideways move to UK, where BB and Holdsworth briefly joined John Wetton and Eddie Jobson for one album - a precursor to the group Asia. Bruford reformed for the album 'One of a Kind' which is regarded as one of the pinnacles of the Jazz-rock catalogue. A stunning display of synths, pumping bass, arpeggiated guitars and BB's clockwork polyrhythms. Has to be experienced to be believed.

Image

Bruford - 'One of a Kind'

After this Holdsworth left to pursue a solo career, making the phenomenal album 'Metal Fatigue' amongst many others. And was replaced by a student of his, 'The Unknown' John Clarke. This line-up recorded the third and final Bruford album 'Gradually Going Tornado' where the energy levels go a notch higher and Jeff Berlin takes the vocal mike for a couple of tracks.

There are 2 other Bruford albums available for the connaisseur, both live: 'Rock goes to College' recorded for the BBC TV series, apparently the group's very first live appearance - worthwhile checking out on CD or DVD.

Youtube Bruford - 'Rock goes to College'

There is also an excellent album 'The Bruford Tapes', recorded as a radio broadcast in a small club in New York, with John Clarke on guitar. Raw and white-hot playing.

Thats enough of an overdose of brilliant music for now. More Jazz-rock and Bruford to come ... :dance:

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by terrybooth »

When I saw the title of the post, BB is the name that jumped straight into my head. Good stuff indeed.
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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Fretless »

Image

Youtube album: Allan Holdsworth 'Metal Fatigue'

Is it Rock? Is it Jazz? All I can say is - give it a listen and make your own mind up.

Allan Holdsworth, born and raised in Bradford, may not be the most familiar name to most rock fans but when you count his admirers - Eddie van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, amongst others - he has left his mark on the face of modern guitar-playing. After stints in several bands on the British scene in the 70's he departed for America, set up his own studio and commenced a very individual solo career and one of the first albums he made is the stunning. 'Metal Fatigue'.

Pulling in some top names: Chad Wackerman, Gary Husband, Jimmy Johnson, etc. to back him, Holdsworth comes up with a set of intelligent, thoughtful and occasionally seriously rocking material. His searing, piercing guitar flourishes make this music a timeless display of flawless technique. Opening the album with a distorted guitar riff worthy of an aggressive heavy-metal band the scene is set and anything can happen.

It's not just an instrumental affair either, the impassioned vocals of Paul Williams put some soul into the works and make this an album to enjoy as a whole. But it is Holdsworth's own incredible technical mastery of his instrument that plays the biggest role here - I was lucky enough to see him play in a tiny Jazz club a few years ago and, despite the fact that he self-admittedly had had a couple of beers too many, he remains one of the great instrumentalists of our time.

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Fretless »

After a couple of examples of talented Rock musicians moving towards Jazz-related sounds, now we have a Jazz master who knows how to rock!! Bow your heads and clap your hands for Mr. Stanley Clarke.

Stanley played on all of Return To Forever's groundbreaking fusion albums in the 70's and had a solo career, releasing some excellent albums showcasing Jazz, Funk, Rock, Soul and Classical (!) styles. Along with Jaco Pastorius he basically created modern bass-playing and his slapping funk technique has been widely copied. But nobody plays the Bass quite like Stanley Clarke.

On his 1980 album 'Rocks, Pebbles and Sand' he decided to show all the rock guys just how it should be done and Side 1 of this LP will have most Rock afficionados drooling in delight. It's easy to see where later bands like Living Colour and The Red Hot Chili Peppers picked up some of their inspiration.

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Stanley Clarke - 'All Hell Broke Loose'

One of the secrets to his playing style is that Stanley uses a short-scale Alembic bass. This is actually about the same size as a normal electric guitar and means that extremely fast runs are easier, with the neck being smaller than a standard bass. He is also a master on the acoustic contrabass, the instrument he began his musical career on.

He has worked in many musical areas, and much of his time has been spent doing film music but he is at his best, like all jazzmen, when he's playing to a live audience - a stunning showcase of his talent and technique is this 21 minute workout with powerhouse drummer Billy Cobham from the 1994 'Live at The Greek' album.

Stanley Clarke - 'School Days live'

Sit back and enjoy ! :guiness;

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Username »

Fretless wrote:his slapping funk technique has been widely copied
Yes, and Stanley borrowed that technique from the master:

"A lot of guys think that I started it, or that Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson) popped first on the bass. But it was Larry Graham ( Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station). He didn´t do it the way I do. But I saw him do it first and I took it from there."

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Fretless »

Thanks for putting me straight there, didn't know that :grin:

Have to dig my Sly & the Family Stone albums out now. Funky!

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Username »

No problem, enjoying your recommendations.

Got a Bruford Earthworks album and Holdsworths Hard Hat Area

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by slinger »

The perfect Alan Holdsworth album. It combines wonderfully fluid guitar with that other wonderful fluid, my favourite malt Whisky, Glenmorangie
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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by BillyBones »

When I saw the thread title my first thought was the British band from the early 70's, If.

I find jazz rock hard going most of the time but If's first two albums (imaginatively titled If 1 and If 2) easy on the ear.

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Re: Jazz Rock

Unread post by Fretless »

BillyBones wrote:When I saw the thread title my first thought was the British band from the early 70's, If.

I find jazz rock hard going most of the time but If's first two albums (imaginatively titled If 1 and If 2) easy on the ear.
Not familiar with If - but I see from Wikipedia that the well-known Dick Morrisey was a founder member. It seems that If was formed as a UK answer to Blood, Sweat and Tears and (early, before they went MOR) Chicago.
See if I can listen to some online. :dance:

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