Affirmation's Lost Angeles from USA, 1980 [+ Red 1983 UK reupload by request]

Another long-ago discovery of 'the mighty osurec' resurrected from utter oblivion for a short spell or spin until oblivion again swallows it up again like one of those stupid 'twitter feeds' that has 'gone viral'.  I realize I've been slack in the past summer months but of course, swimming and entertaining the children off from school have taken their expensive temporal toll.  Despite this I am pretty confident there are many more treasures out there for us to force oblivion to regurgitate for our brief listening enjoyment.  For those who are cursed with those wild animals popularly referred to as 'young children' will well understand the difficulties inherent in living with these unusually persistent entities who drain out one's energy like an energizer bunny with a cheap battery.  For those not familiar with this peculiar meta-zoo-like existence, consider listening all day to a five-year-old playing dog barks and ducks honks on a cheap casio digital keyboard given as a christmas gift, without respite, for a succession of three to four hours.  It may be that such a universal exposure would be all that were sufficient for stopping the world population growth still proceeding exponentially.

This music is as lovely as it is lost, with inventive violin-based melodies vibrating over a jazz group playing a variety of fusion-centred compositions.  I think maybe the reissue if there ever is one other than in one's dreams should be entitled 'Angeles - Lost Affirmation'...

For example, a gorgeous little composition called 'Mariposa':





This little masterpiece reuploaded in a new wonderful-sounding clean rip:

http://prognotfrog.blogspot.ca/2011/09/red-red-uk-1983.html

The Albert's 1970 album from US [not my rip, thanks to the ripper]

This album has been extensively documented in the past but was completely unknown to me, I heard it for the first time earlier this week and was pleasantly surprised by it.

It turns out it was first 'discovered' on the red telephone blog, here.  The album that I have here, though, is slightly different from the one written up below.  I'm not sure what the explanation would be, did the album get released twice with slightly different tracks, explaining why there are two ST albums?

First I will quote verbatim below (the first two paragraphs are from Tom on rateyourmusic, of course):

And the award for most confusing discography goes to…. The Albert! Two albums, both self-titled, same year [(no, that’s not true ashram, the first LP was released in 1970, the second in 1971) an editorial note], and on the same label. Yea, that makes it easy to research. The Albert definitely fall on the soul-jazz/pop side of the horn rock equation.

But there’s some really fine horn charts, hard guitar and organ that separate this one from the pack. Also check out the well done sax and trumpet solos. I think fans of the genre will definitely want to hear this. (ashram RYM)

Horns n horns, more horns n horns. are still a mystery to me redtelephone66 has taught me to stick with it and allow myself to go with the flow. After Track ONE to FOUR.. this is a stone cold jazz psyche classic. The Albert sound like a band that played for themselves and to hell with the audience thinking that the audience would be bound to get it.. however, the recordings on show here are very complex and classical. this is serious head music not for the type-cast dance floor?? I sure would have liked to see the cool cats grooving to this!

The depth and wealth of creativity on show here is astounding, a lot of which does not stir me or make emotional contact this is the music of streets I have not walked this is music to be appreciated by those living 8 Days a Week.

TRACK 5. “Pity the Child” kicks in with a most regal/stately opening we are at a funeral. this is OST land for an essential film that needs to be made. this is so cool as it fades into a gentle piano and world weary voice opens up around the two minute mark this is pure socially relevant poetry.. this is Panther Land down at Smokey Joe’s all night cafe, this is the land explored by Gil Scott Heron. this is the land of accusations after Hurricane Katrina this is an anthem for the dispossessed, oppressed, depressed and the moral of Pity and how it is absent within our collective responsibility.. is powerfully explored in this STAND-OUT TRACK. God was present during this recording..

“Cold N Hard” mercifully takes us into the safety of pure jazz funk.. “Candle Burns” opens menacingly and it builds up tension through the high hat the trumpets increase the volume. Sidney Poitier is about to step up to the mike? and more jazz poetry is on show The Albert’s musicality is complex there is tons going on, this is a very engaging album (I was expecting B,S&Ts sonic attack) .. these boys come from a very deep vibe.. listening to this takes me back to a flat listening to Elvin Jones and Richard Davis, Heavy Sounds..

“All Her Vows” whats this we have a Spanish Grenada guitar intro wow. groovy. and we get a song straight off the plantation.a cross between a Child Ballad and a freed slave.. this track hits me between the eyes. wow. we are in the land of Showboat. and our minstrel uses his freedom to float away like Huck Finn down the Mississippi.

“Tribute” takes us out and be prepared to strap yourself in as the boys give full range to their undoubted talents this is Sun Ra meets John Cage meets fuzz guitar king meets one and all at avant-garde corner down at the dark end of the street. this track is A MONSTER who are these guys how did they not make it just go ask Ars Nova or Rhinoceros for the answer.. (Cy at Pck)


It might be important to state that the above review overstates the case just a little bit, sounding more like an advertisement for a thousand dollar record from 'record collector's dream' than an honest review.  However it's true there is a kind of 'screw-you' quality to the progressive arrangements that we dearly love all of us.  I would add that the album is a little uneven too.

Notice that the tracks 'Candle Burns,' 'All her vows' and 'Tribute' are not on this post.  Instead we do have the 'Pity the Child' track:

Streetdancer's 10" EP "Steps" from 1980's the US of A [Plus mp3s of ST and Rising]

A wonderful lost artifact of US progressive fusion, rescued from oblivion.  Check out the marvelous ingenuity of the joker and the thief:




As bonus I include their other two LPs from previously for those who haven't heard this band yet.
Link from discogs.

Scott Goudeau's The Promise (Fusion from New Orleans, LA, 1988)

More fabulously unknown guitar fusion from the United States, quite progressive and interesting, along the lines of Bob Bath Band, more acoustic than the earlier posted Danny Toan, but similar.  This album is dedicated to Jesus Christ.

I'm particularly impressed with his gentle and highly intelligent and creative Dear John letter:






Please enjoy this wonderful gift and discovery from my anonymous friend, not myself.

Tim Eyermann's Unity from 1977, USA, by request

This album strongly reminds me of the Listen with Mel Martin, or Natural Life LPs posted earlier on prognotfrog.  There is some latin tinge and chamber instruments to add a great deal of interest.  Compositions are by Tim.  From the blurb on the back:

"When Anthony Braxton, noted avant-garde reedsman, visited Washington D.C. in July 1976 he took some lessons on his flute and clarinet.  His teacher?  Tim Eyermann.  That Tim is so well respected among his professional peers gives some endorsement to his talents.  A better indicator however is the album in your hands..."   I encourage you to read the remainder when you get ahold of the package.

Tim plays oboe, clarinet, flutes (alto, regular, and bass!), all the saxes, and of course was the arranger and composer with the exception of the string arrangements which were by Mike Crotty.

The title track:





A lighter song featuring the flute, A Time Past:

Orange Lake Drive's Transcend LP from USA, 1982 [+ reups of Didier Bonin by request]

Some very smooth US-style fusion from this band, typically eighties in sound but with some great passages well worth hearing for fans of the genre.  Information on this release here.  I recall so well Tom Hayes saying he hates drum machines-- I hate them too, but what I hate still more is the loud end of beat claps you hear in these eighties fusion records...  Probably after watching one too many old MTV videos in which artists clapped in unison in those old grainy colors...

I'll post the last track which possesses the advantage of being brief in addition to the quality of beauty.

Kjol's Take It On from 1979 {+ Sunny Day reupped}

The other album "Sunny Day" I posted on prognotfrog.  This album is really superb, furious fusion as mentioned earlier.  Discogs information here.  This is what I want to hear on a hot summer's day after swimming outside and then barbecuing some steaks for people...

For those who would like a proper review, I will copy and paste Apps' from rym:

"Multi-national Jazz-Rock group, which was found in late-70's by guitarist Heinz Affolter.Affolter was allso the main composer of the group, which featured also drummer Dave Doran, his sister Brigeen on saxes and bassist Walter Stricker.The debut ''Take it all'' was recorded in March 1979 at the Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart and released the same year in Switzerland through the Tonstudio's label.

This is very nice Jazz-Rock/Fusion, way better than the endless manipulations offered by many bands of the style, with a great atmosphere throughout and occasional psychedelic and spacey vibes here and there.The opening ''Do it again'' is a short piece of mediocre Funk/Jazz, not really representative of Kjol's sound but the two long tracks following are really great examples of inventive Jazz-Rock.Hypnotic guitars meet melodic saxes and a furious rhythm section, still the compositions maintain a grandiose attitude all the way, close to the approach of Jasper van't Hof's PORK PIE.The flipside offers the interesting frenetic guitar solos of Affolter on the opening ''Moving force'' along with Doran's heavy percussions, while in ''Eleonore`s Downfall'' Free Jazz is blended with Brass Rock, containing massive sax solos and good breaks.''Green Island'' is a whole another story.This is a smooth farewell with soft piano and mellow saxes to calm things down after the previous tsunami of instrumental attacks.

Nice and aggresive Psych/Jazz/Fusion of decent quality.Better than the bunch of uninteresting releases of the genre and strongly recommended even for fans of a more proggy sound."

I will post a proper rip of Take it On and also the mp3 rip of Sunny Day from before for anyone who needs it. Please replace your rips of the former album, a poor mono was circulating for some time and didn't do it justice at all-- now we can hear the crazy sax playing of Brigeen Doran the way it's meant to be heard.  I really love that photo of her on the cover too!  Looks like the Dorans in addition to being talented musically, were also a very attractive family.

Sandoz Pay Attention in Lossless At Last... + more information, + multiple reups

From earlier.

I am glad to get a good scan of the back cover as it reveals quite a bit of interesting information.  Here is the first part, I recommend you read the whole blurb:

"London 1971:

With the revolution bungled, the snow raging and the sky losing height, paranoia and nasty tales abound.  A new dark age has dawned and music from the underground takes on a cold and ominous flavour.  The band Sandoz, a subterranean sensory assault, capture the prevailing consciousness as eloquently as any, also managing to draw a wry smile and the wink of an eye from the day-glo patchouli-scented corpse of the sixties as it is finally whisked off on an icy cosmic breeze...

Named after the Swiss laboratories where LSD was first synthesized by Dr. Albert Hoffman, Sandoz barely surfaced for air, their only official appearance being a Sunday afternoon Greasy Truckers' bash at Group 64 in Putney.  They were essentially rehearsal hermits, experimenting with, and whisking up, all manner of esoteric psychedelic ingredients into a dark mind-bending electric miasma of their own.  Totally unhinged and eccentric, Sandoz acknowledge the influence of the good Captain and his mighty Magic Band (vocals through the Broughton filter!) the ultimate power trios of Hendrix and Cream, Amon Duul 1 1  (hallucinogens personified) and Miles Davis' trailblazing Bitches Brew.  The three remarkable recordings presented here for the very first time (each of which clocks in at over eight minutes) is evidence of the fact that Sandoz were at least one step beyond most of their contemporaries, their musical hedonism, jammed with all manned of complex time-changes, intricate ensemble passages, blistering instrumental workouts, and polytonal counter-rhythmic weirdness, suddenly zooming off onto spectacular tangential trips..."

And I beg you to continue reading, where you will find information on the subsequent careers of the band members: as mentioned by one commentator earlier, the guitarist and mastermind / composer went on to play fusion guitar for Brand X...  But we will all agree that this early work was far, far superior to any later Brand X material... I hope.  For this is progressive rock at its finest moment, absolutely 100 percent uncompromising, a complete F-- you to any kind of semblance of respect for any music industry or commercial popularity:  this is true art.

Jordi Sabates + Carmen Bustamante + François Rabbath = A Través Del Mirall (Una Proposta Musical De Jordi Sabatés) Live from Barcelona, 1986

Information on this album here.  Basically we have here Jordi on acoustic piano augmented by some acoustic bass and soprano singing (Carmen Bustamante), as depicted on the cover photograph.  It was important to me to try to complete his discography on the strength of the last submission on these pages, the chamber-progressive album El Secret de la Criolla (which see).

There is some very gorgeous and meditative bowed bass playing in here as in the second track, called Reitba:




Unfortunately the album is marred by a great deal of solo bass playing, which for me is a little hard to take in such large doses-- kind of like tylenol, but with less of an impact upon my liver.

For a vocal song, the gorgeous track B3 is incomparable, Subtil Memoria:





Side A features mostly the bass, B the soprano singing, side C is a mishmash of frantic orlando furioso acoustic piano soloing a la K. Jarrett... Notice at the end he plays Tot l'enyor (from his 1976 masterpiece of the same name) and Canço D´Hivern from the album formerly posted.

With regards to the Concerto that takes up most of the last side, I am wondering if perhaps by this time the exhausted and drained listener has sufficient energy to devote to assimilating the multiple musical ideas contained therein, or if, instead, he is driven to reach for a bottle of freshly opened wine-- perhaps a Zinfandel if you are American, or a Pinot Grigrio, if instead by an unfortunate circumstance you are European.  For the poor and long-suffering Russians, of course, there is no question, they drink vodka as if it were their water supply, which it for the most part is, and certainly more sterile if not palatably anaesthetic.  I don't really have a taste for it myself, being nonslavic, preferring the beer that is my (perhaps only) cherished Germanic heritage.  A bonus in this regards is the current popularity of craft beers, which are multiplying into the billions like human beings, making it difficult for me to keep pace, though, to the sad testimony of my wife, I am partly succeeding in this regard.

Note that this is a double-LP.