Merl Saunders was born in California and grew up playing the Hammond B3 in
various styles from Blues to Jazz to Rock. For a short period in the 60s
he even played with the Grateful Dead. On his self-titled album he
played mostly Soul-Jazz like on Evil Ways, When I Die and Bolinas Brown
that starts off with a drum break. The two best songs, and funkiest, are
the originals Aunt Monk and Righteousness. David Axelrod helped
Saunders produce the album and Billy Fender, Phil Upchurch, King Errison
were some of the musicians that recorded with him.
What might have been worth volumes of rock history, but turned out to be
nothing much more than a short story, was the supergroup comprising
members of both the Grateful Dead and Creedence Clearwater Revival, a
ship whose captain was the wonderful Merl Saunders. With both the chops
and musical background to lead the somewhat younger rock neophytes on a
vision quest, Saunders became something of a galvanizing force, bringing
out some of the tightest and strongest performances of the players
featured here. As this band evolved in later years, former Creedence
Clearwater Revival guitarist Tom Fogerty was pushed out of the picture
and Saunders began a program of diversity in which the hapless Garcia
would be thrust into the limelight on ballads such as "My Funny
Valentine," an ungrateful fish out of water to be sure. There is none of
that here, as the program wisely emphasizes the leader's clever
songwriting; fans of the good ol' boogaloo should enjoy both "Soul
Roach" and "Chock-Lite Puddin'." The range of material is narrowly
focused into the areas where these players really excel, rather than
attempting to be jaw-droppingly eclectic. Of the covers, the best is an
energetic reworking of "Expressway to Your Heart," in which Saunders
displays his feel for light, melodic soul material. He gets the others
to play in the pocket, yet these are hippie bell-bottoms with holes in
the pockets; the slightly unkempt nature of the Bay Area psychedelic
rockers adds a nice atmosphere.
This album has an avant-country flavor, with Burton,
Swallow, and Goodwin joined by guitarist Jerry Hahn and violinist
Richard Greene; Michael Gibbs and Swallow contributed most of the
obscurities. Burton was at his most explorative during this period,
which is why he can be considered one of the pioneers of fusion
(although his music never really fit into a tight category). This is
excellent music that mostly still sounds fresh.
In 1969, Gary Burton was blazing jazz trails that could not exactly
be described as traditional. He teams up with Le Hot Club of France
Stephane Grappelli, conservative stalwart in the European tradition, for
a little stroll around the block. The year 1935 was a long time ago.
Here we have an electric bass. Not only that, Steve Swallow is behind
it. Round this date out with Bill Goodwin and the uninitiated might
suspect that Monsieur Grappelli is out numbered by younger players. Non
matter, Grappelli plays even the Swallow original "Elderdown" as if he
wrote it himself.
Grappelli more than any other jazz violinist
identified that instrument with himself, much in the same way Toots
Theilmans did the harmonica. No matter who the violinist is, be it
Jean-Luc Ponty, Michel Urbaniak, or Regina Carter, the listener can
always hear Grappelli. For his own credit, Burton behaves and turns out
his most accessible playing of the period. Steve Swallow if fine even as
a young man. Apex of the disc may be Miles "Blue in Green." This
release is a super empathy between the old and the new. Recommended.
No Smoking's debut as a "world" band reintroduces filmmaker Emir
Kusturica -- who had a brief stint as the bass player of Zabranjeno
Pusenje (Yugoslavian for No Smoking) in the mid-'80s -- to the group.
Now one of the band's guitarists, he contributes sparingly toward
songwriting and arranging. This is still the band of lead singer Dr.
Nelle Karajlic, whose acerbic vocals and commanding presence dictate the
group's course. But colorful instruments like balalaika, tuba,
accordion, trumpet, and accordion contribute significantly as well. The
term "Unza Unza" describes the hybrid of music found on this record. The
Balkans are a centrally located region surrounded by Turkish, European
gypsy, Greek, Russian, Middle Eastern, and Italian music. German and
Spanish music is also welcome into this interwoven musical fabric that
cites the local music of Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Albania, Bosnia, and
Bulgaria as its foundation. The '70s punk sound that was No Smoking's
initial influence is all but abandoned here, although Karajlic still
retains some of his snarling and loathsome attitude. Combine that with
the eclecticism of groups like Reptile Palace Orchestra and Brave Combo
and the offbeat tendencies of mid-'80s Tom Waits, and perhaps a rough
portrait of this group can be painted. This is an incredibly unique
album that is essential listening for fans of alternative world music.
Daevid Allen
Eat Me Baby Booklet Notes: Daevid Allen
15th October, 1998
In 1955 I was sweet seventeen, living in Australia & profoundly into
bebop. My heroes were Thelonius Sphere Monk, Sonny Rollins, Charlie
Mingus & of course Bird, Diz & Miles. Maybe for a true black
culture purist it was politically incorrect but I also enjoyed Dave
Brubeck & Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan and Stan Kenton. And then
there were also the early vocal scat singers like Roy Kraal & Jackie
Cain and the outrageous Woody Herman Big Band.
One day in a Melbourne second hand records box I discovered a strange
album that was to be a future psychic signpost pointing to a luminous
green planet called Gong. It was a Sun Ra Cosmick Arkestra album.
Every night I drifted off to sleep to the sound of Kim Bonython's late
jazz program on ABC radio & it was on one of these shows that I
first heard of a singer named Bobby Troupe. His album sported
arrangements for four assorted saxophones- a gorgeous thick sound -quite
radical for mid fifties ears. It was not until much later that I
realised he had penned the famed hit: 'Route 66'.
Bobby had also rewritten the words of the songs to suit himself, a true
free spirit & worthy role model. I was particularly amused by his
version of I CAN'T GET STARTED & it stayed in my mind for years.
T'was only natural that, 42 years later, I should in turn rewrite his
version to suit myself & include it amongst my tributes to my
musical mentors.
In 1997 I was a nifty fifty nine passing thru a summery LA on my
way to a Gong tour of Europe, Japan, USA & UK. Our US agent Shawn
Ahearn had set up a gig for his Japanese jazz singer wife Sami Kaneda at
Steamer's jazz cafe and she and her band (which included ex Miles Davis
drummer: Ndugu Chancler & a spectacular russian classical pianist
turned jazzman: Eugene Maslov) were running hot!
Spontaneously invited by Sami to sit in for a couple of songs I found an
instant rapport with the band. I flashed that if ever I was to do an
album singing jazz standards as a tribute to the music that had put me
onto my life path, this had to be the band to do it with. So I called my
friend & designer Peter Hartl in Austria & asked if he would
lend me the loot to leap the first hurdle. He was sweetly cool. Go!
So two days later we met at the Stagg Street studios at Van Nuys and
with a second Austrian, the renown jazz producer: Franz Putsch at the
controls, magic immediately happened. By the end of the afternoon we had
the whole album down.
Several vocals were finished then but others would be rewritten &
thus resung. Space was allotted for Didier Malherbe's sax parts to be
added at the end of the US Gong tour. The results were my delight. As I
caught my plane for London I was over the bananaluna...
Two months later there was spare evening during the Gong tour for
Didier's sax parts but no money to pay the studio. To my profound
relief, Dr Wolf Thandoy the eminent motorologist lent us the lolly bless
his parts. Didier (whose musical roots were exactly parallel to mine)
was in his elemental. The final step was to add the altered lyrics &
mix as I returned thru LA towards Oz. After much passionate
negotiation, Jonny Greene of GAS furnished the final finance in the form
of japanese yen.
Oo scooby dooby & all of a suddenly I was a goldtop yen jellybean! Voila! Ze lounge wizard was born again!
Ian Carr describes this album for you."I wrote "Solar Plexus" last year with the help of
an "Arts Council" grant. It is based on two short themes which are stated at the beginning("Elements I &
II"). The first theme is angular and has a slow crab-like movement : the second theme is direct,simple
and diatonic "Changing Times" and "Spirit Level" explore the first theme,and "Bedrock Deadlock"
and "Torso" explore the second one."Snakeships' Dream" tries to fuse both themes".
Solar Plexus is Ian Carr with an expanded Nucleus line up to give that
extra dimension to the music. Everyone has a chance to blow too but
somehow no-one dominates and the whole piece hinges upon group interplay
rather than extended histrionics.
It is significant, and indicative
of the quality of the personnel involved that this record was completed
in just two days during December 1970. In fact this record is recorded using to quote Carr himself "maximum use
of minimum material".
Blue Camel is a real breakthrough album. The construction of Arab music
forms and American jazz, combined with a great blend of Mid-Eastern and
Western instrumentation, is simply ingenius in and of itself, aside from
the brilliant, virtuoso performances displayed on this album. This is
the perfect, early portrayal of a pioneer, multi-ethnic style of music,
and probably the best of the early albums of Rabih Abou-Khalil.
The
diversity of styles is amazing, ranging from the moody, deep soundscapes
of "Sahara" and "Beirut" to the jazzier, less involved songs like
"Rabou-Abou-Kabou." The instrumentation, particularly the flugelhorn and
trumpet, add a great texture to the sound.
In both mood and scope, it can almost be characterized as a new Kind of Blue.
On this album Charlie Mariano sets out for a journey through the musical
landscape of North Africa. Oud, percussion, and vocals from the Maghreb
meet Mariano’s saxophone and Dave King’s electric bass. Throughout the
record one feels mutual understanding — both sound-worlds are
self-confident, yet curious and interested in the nature of the other.
They talk, dance, question and embrace each other. A true dialogue of
civilizations.
As much, the music inspired this inter-cultural typeface-design.
Although both projects are from totally different fields, the
fundamental principles and assumptions behind them are similar: mutual
respect, understanding and generosity between the cultures.
On Ibn Battuta, Embryo’s focus has shifted towards music from the Middle East.
Quite an excellent album mixing jazz, fusion and above all various
styles of Arabic music. On the title track Edgar Hoffman plays some
lovely Turkish clarinet. “Simai Ka” features a Coltrane like soprano sax
solo by Chuck Henderson, and Edgar Hoffman plays a dreamy solo on the
ney (a type of flute often used in North African/Arabic music). Burchard
adds several virtuoso contributions on vibraphone/xylophone. “Kletta”
is an interesting piece trying to merge percussive elements and
structures of three continents. Dieter Serfas plays on the African
talking drum and Yusuf Esqah joins on Indian tablas, while Burchard
plays the hackbrett (hammer dulcimer).
