Ivan Jullien Big Band's Secret Service (recorded 1971, released 1972) by request

 

Again, wow.  Gorgeous cover art there, evidently a perfectly apt photo of an existing building wall.

The discogs page for the big band is here, with the compendium all its plentiful members, note the presence of Bernard Lubat. Leader is trumpeter Jullien of whom of course I know nothing.  This particular release info here.  This time our beloved Andre Ceccerelli does appear as drummer.

Typical big band sounds, opening with a Gershwin composition from Porgy and Bess, continuing on with compositions from Ivan Jullien. The following 2 in particular are from him, Running with Ruthi:

And the tenderness of Meet Mickey:

Jukka Tolonen Band albums [JTB 1979, Just those boys 1980, Dum's have more fun 1981, Pop Liisa 09, 1975] by request, plus more

 

I suppose everyone knows this artist already.  Tolonen who became well known with Tasavallan Presidentti, has been popping up here regularly on this blog, for ex. with the Nordic Jazz Quintet here. His Pop Liisa was (probably) posted before on this blog too with the others from this series.  His best work at least in my opinion is the earliest seventies material.  Anyways after a series of solo LPs he put out a handful of albums with the Jukka Tolonen Band.  Note that Coste Apetrea also appears, and on JTB 1979, Joachim Kuhn on keys.   Music is very typical late smooth fusion, with the last one from 1981 being mostly vocal songs, virtually commercial in its entirety.

And the duet album with Coste Apetrea called Blue Rain from 1985 is acoustic guitarwork, not quite as interesting for the fusion fan.

From Just Those Boys, Roskilde Rosie:

From the 1981 vocal albums Dums etc., Ghost Rider has a nice groove, a throwback to earlier days when furious fusion reigned supreme to close out the album:

And High Flyin' from 1980 has the gorgeously ethereal Clouds track to commend it:

Saturnus 2, from Hungary: ST 1980, Csigahazak 1982

 

With information here.  Kind of like the old classic fusion band Fermata in terms of smoothness, synth-driven instrumentals, or similar to Dimenzio from this blog.  However, there are some really outstanding moments in here, I'll draw your attention to the heartbreaking tenderness of In Memoriam:

I guess it reminds me of some of the really gentle, thoughtful Mahavishnu John McLaughlin tracks (eg, A Lotus on Irish Streams, from Inner Mounting.)  Probably it's him who came up with that idea of combining acoustic instruments (guitar and piano) plus flute or violin in a very tender trio type arrangement.  I should go back and relisten to all the seminal Mahavishnu releases, it's been years since I did that.

For a more fusioneering moment, Titan:

The second album is pretty much the same style with more ingenious musical thoughts, the Elektronikus track, brilliantly brings the synth into the fusion fold:

Really surprisingly enjoyable, given the level of under-the-radar neglect here.

String Connection, from Poland: Workaholic 1982; New Romantic Expectation 1983, Live 1984, Der Walzer vom Weltende 1986

 

String Connection:

Polish jazz combo led by violinist Krzesimir Dębski, founded at the beginning of the 80's and delivering first a jazz-rock music interspersed with folk intonations, later releases becoming closer to an elegant smooth jazz, lesser chops but still emphasis on fine melodic playing.

The Quasi String Waltz from their first release Workaholic really blew me away, as an advanced classical-influenced chamber jazz composition:

The combination of violins and electric piano throughout the music is quite enjoyable of course for us old fusion fans.

From the 1983 New Romantic album, Progresje Jesieni:

From the Live 1984, Para Martha:

Some of the albums have not been digitized yet, I note.  In any case the first LP was the best in my opinion, with the last one being not of the greatest interest, despite the wonderful title.

Gideon's Eight Reasons Why, Canada 1981

 

An unbelievable cover painting indeed, from the days when such things were common.  And a gatefold on top of that.  Whenever I spot one of those huge 'great vinyl covers' books at the local bookstore I have to shake my head in sadness, thinking of all the lost art these compilers have no idea exists out there.  But of course you never see 'great ultrarare, lost vinyl covers' published, just the usual crap like Sargeant Peppers and Disraeli Gears.

You can see here the band hailed from Oshawa, Ontario, and this is their only LP, self-released. As is so often the case however the discogs description as prog rock is mildly inappropriate, since the majority of the contents are regular hard rock at best.  There are perhaps 2 proggy tracks in there I believe which you can hear below.  For me this band is most similar to neglected and maligned Canadians Max Webster headed by guitarist Kim Mitchell, who did do quite a bit of prog back in their heyday.  And they really are underrated (as progsters) I feel.  Others report that Gideon is like Kansas with perhaps a bit of Rush influence, which would be expected given they're Canucks and Rush was and still is massive up North.  I don't feel it's quite as bombastic as Kansas, but the singer sounds a bit like Geddy Lee suggesting he was an influence.

The Mechanic, with its perhaps appropriate for today story of the robot friend:

The closer Awaken to You is worth hearing a million times a day just for the bizarre opening riff, very reminiscent of some of the crazy-riffed tracks from Max Webster, like In context of the moon: