Tuesday 27 September 2016

Toto Blanke Compleat from 1975 to 1984











In a period of under a decade this astonishing guitarist annually made a series of masterpieces in the style of progressive fusion.  Some people out there might not have all of them, in particular, the last 1983 LP is worth hearing though it will inevitably disappoint in terms of its pandering to the latin and simplistic influences that affected all of fusion and jazz come the eighties.

In the beginning of course he was with the group Association P.C. (named for Dutch Pierre Courbois, the percussionist).  All those records are well worth hearing.  Following this he set out on his own with Spiders Dance which was quite reminiscent of the earlier band.  (Note the first track adorably called Lady's Bicycle Seat Sniffer.) The next album created the name Electric Circus and introduced the synthesizer for playing lyrical melodies to excellent effect.  Subsequently here the discography uses the EC term for another genius album, the one called Friends with Stu Goldberg (on keyboards).  The 1980 live album called Family was to me disappointing, with the sidelong jam Bolero being way too uninspired and what is worse, a crime for me in staying in the key of E throughout.  Note that 1978's Tales of Tomorrow was played almost entirely by Toto.  For me this is his masterpiece.  In the 1980s he switched back to acoustic guitar with a couple of guitar duet albums, the first with Rudolf Dasek, the second (Somewhere in Time) with himself.  That album I reviewed here:

When my wife saw it in the mail she actually said, "Is that another Toto Blanke?"
Alas-- when I looked at her, the grin on her face made it clear: a name she had heard me say many times before, had become a very dry kind of joke...  In 1969 legendary belgian percussionist and jazz bandleader Pierre Courbois founded the first European 'Rock-Jazz' group, Association P.C.. This famous ensemble, winner of the Down Beat Poll, existed until 1975 with Toto Blanke, Sigi Busch, different key-boarders, including Jasper van 't Hof, Joachim Kühn and Sigi Kessler.

Finally as mentioned above, the last 1983 album Belladonna inevitably disappointed.  Notwithstanding I prepared a new stereo rip as the previous one was in  mono.

So there you are, eight albums total.

20 comments:

  1. Thank you Julian, three of these I didn't have.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Muito obrigado, valeu.. som perfeito para ouvir na beira do mar!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Muito obrigado, boa música...

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is the long distance call
    Return from the land of the dead
    everything just outside of town is on sale
    some of those old-timers don't come out of the woods no more
    way down here in the Ghost Bowl
    there's not a lot of work down here
    the water is contaminated, the air is dirty, the kids at school are mean...
    ...but there's a few teachers that'll help you make it through!
    ...There's people looking out for you!
    There's some ugly lookin' creatures looking out for you!
    Scary characters looking out for you and your kin!
    way down here in the Ghost Bowl
    Now and Then,
    Some of us Make the time to feed a hungry child,
    Come In, have dinner with Us
    Once again the Tide has turned.
    The Great Storm is coming,
    but the Tide Has Turned!
    should I say something?
    I feel something should be said.
    should I say something?
    I feel something, is gonna give,
    Is gonna Give.
    We can be Heroes
    Forever And Ever

    ReplyDelete
  5. Many Thank´s Julian ..

    have a request if it´s possible :(i can´t find thus one ...)if you see ..it !

    -https://www.discogs.com/Timna-Brauer-Elias-Meiri-Ensemble-Orient-Live/release/3245106

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myZvzNylMjg , thank´s in advance !

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey Julian, was wondering if you could help with this:
    Daniel Humair - Jean Luc Ponty* - Phil Woods - Eddy Louiss‎– La Sorcellerie A Travers Les Ages / Gravenstein


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. wow now that looks interesting, I have to look into it, beautiful lineup

      Delete
  7. Thank you for such an exhaustive post! My favorite Toto release is 'Electric Circus' from 1976. I have noticed there is a live album released from this tour entitled 'Live At The Quartier Latin'. It was posted on the Mutant Sounds many moons ago. Do you have this or have you seen it? Endless thanks for gorgeous treasure of a blog you have here, thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh wow I forgot about that one! yes you're quite right that there's one more

      Delete
    2. Any chance of a re-up of this wonder jazz album?

      Delete
    3. you mean just this particular one, quartier latin, right?

      Delete
    4. https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/x57bxp

      Delete
    5. Yes! With Edward Vesala. Thank you do much! Btw the old links are all dead as I wanted to listen to a few other Toto albums(wish they where on cd!) Just an fyi!

      Delete
    6. no problem, I'll put them all up again

      Delete
    7. Thanks alot. This such good music and considering how he never captured the limelight on radio here in the US I am more than sure there will be others who would love to hear Mr. Blanke's contribution to the jazz world! Nice to keep this music alive for new listeners to appreciate.

      Delete
  8. You are incredible!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for pointing out to me that pretty dumb omission

      Delete
  9. new upload of all 9 albums in three packages:
    1-4
    https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/weq6kh
    5-8
    https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/820k4r
    Live Quartier
    https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/x57bxp

    ReplyDelete
  10. Part 3 Quartier restore?
    Bless...

    ReplyDelete