Hakon Graf 1982 Hideaway, 1987 Grafitti

 

Well what could I say that's not obvious? After Moose Loose and Hawk on Flight,  Hakon Graf's1982's Hideaway is more of the same but much smoother, while Grafitti of course is basically complete commercialese / easy listening.

Nonetheless, consider the lovely, tender keys of Tender Stranger:

Btw Hakon released a couple of CDs in recent years (Sunrain, Licence to Chill) with some marvelous fusion on them, which are well worth checking out too.

Kiyoshi Hasegawa in Barbara (1983)

Info here. A very prolific SSW you can see albeit seemingly totally unknown past the shores of his island home to the point where it's hard to even find his music anywhere at all.  Only a couple of albums so far as I know are available digitized, the remainder presumably existing only as analog or digital discs.

The elaborate string arrangement intro of this third track (kage ni naku) betrays the generic ordinariness of what follows:

Back to Frode Thingnaes with Queen Python, 1981

Information on this one discogged here. Most tracks were written by guitarist / engineer, Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Same light fusion as the preceding installments marred slightly (for myself, apologies to others) by the fact it's a live recording and therefore not perfect in terms of sound, and intensity. At any rate, I had to purchase and rip it as it was missing from his online digital discography (so far as I know, as usual, which is not too far).

It's also a very long album at about 50 minutes but that's nothing to celebrate since it entails constant repetitive solos by every musician.

Afterglow by Bob James really can take you back to those days in 1981, he was the guy who although quite prolific (and mid, as the kids would say) in the light funk / fusion sphere throughout the 70s, struck it HUGE with the TV theme for Taxi, starring lovely Merilu Henner-- does anybody else here remember that classic show?  And this track also resembles that theme, with its nicely detailed and long melody:

CREDITS:

Bass – Jan Erik Kongshaug

Design [Cover] – Bruno Oldani

Drums – Thor Andreassen

Engineer [Mixing] – Jan Erik Kongshaug

Engineer [Recording] – Arne Akselberg

Guitar – Pete Knutsen

Keyboards – Henryk Lysiak

Lacquer Cut By – F*

Trombone, Euphonium – Frode Thingnæs

Recorded live at «Døla-jazz», Lillehammer and «Gjøvik-festivalen», Gjøvik in May 1981.

Four for Jazz in 3 LPs 1970 - 1972 (Land of Dolls, Power of Nature, Sunday Child)

Basic, what they call contemporary jazz, with some fusion traces and elements that make it worth hearing--although perhaps only for the one run through.  They do improve (get more fusionary) over the course of these three short years, information here.

Title track from Power of Nature:

Danish Ariel with Solens Barn, 1980

 

Info discogged here. 

In distinction to the other ST this one is laden with female vocals and is much much smoother and commercial in keeping with the year of release, 1980.  Shockingly the vocal duties are performed by a Hawaiian girl, called Lei (Aloha Moe).

Cf. the title track:

Danish Ariel from 1980

 

 

As usual, beautiful covers, there are two alternate ones.

Info on these guys here. Not to be confused with the super brilliant US one-off band that made Perspectives in 1978!
This is their first, the ST one. They play a fusion that is instrumental but leaning towards the jazzy side rather than electric. Nonetheless, quite original compositions and minimal wankery.

747 to Rio (sad indeed that jet airliner we grew up with was retired in favour of the silly and quite problematic 737, so sad):

Gabriel Jonas in 1978's Impresie

 

Discogged as:

Slovak pianist, bass guitarist, composer. Born November 23, 1948 in Kukučínovo (Želiezovice district, former Czechoslovakia, presently Slovakia).

Light jazz here, but quite interesting compositionally (all by him), thankfully no standards, original music only. A lot reminds me of the old Teo Macero I mentioned often here before too as one of my intrinsic points of reference.

First off note he played in the Keyboard Conclave, no. 10 specifically, which I once posted here. We are constantly orbiting in large circles here on this blog.  He also was in one of the Mini Jazz Klubs, back here, playing electric piano though that time.

Zivy Sen, or Living Dream:

I enjoy the gentle sound of Akela with its really odd dropping chord progression, and the really beautiful touch on the sax is by the hands and lungs of this guy (Peter Kral):

One more Jon Eberson: Between Two Worlds, 2021, FLAC limited time only

 

So that's a pretty crazy cover, and I think it's so awkward in comparison to Blow Out for, example, in particular the font on the side doesn't quite seem right to me. Love to hear other opinions though.

Moving on to the music, though, it's quite impressive for a later album. Clearly he is channeling the old progressive fusion zeitgeist here for the fans who will appreciate it, of which I can count myself and probably you too.  A nice surprise and always somewhat unusual to see such clearly derivative yet nonetheless creative and original work in a later release.

I suggest you pay attention to his Dream Worlds:

Back to Jon Eberson in Jive Talking 1981, Polarities 1982

Obviously everyone remembers he was the guitarist in superbrilliant Moose Loose and the equally brilliant one-off LP Blow Out.  Information on the group he thereafter formed, here. They were active from 1981 to 1987 and in that short period put out at least one album per year, with only the first two, or even first one, worth hearing in my opinion. Great example of how progressive fusion became commercialized by smooth sounds and simplicity right after the 1980 turn of the decade discontinuity.

Nonetheless, a lovely track called It Was (singer's voice is Sidsel Endreson):

From the second album, Untitled:

I couldn't bear to listen to the ones that came after, I'm sorry to any fans..

Prisma from 1980 Netherlands [flac limited time only]

 

One of my all time favourites from the country with its exuberant and warm vocals-driven songs, perhaps most similar to the later Fruupp period when they played so tightly and beautifully (as on Gormenghast) this band made only the one album then disappeared sadly. I guess you could also compare to Water eg Damburst, Kayak, etc. there were so many Dutch masters back in the period.

I love the track written for Nastassja Kinski, who I absolutely adored as a child, with her dark and mysterious and pouty look (cf. 1982's Cat People or Tess):

Morricone also wrote a really beautiful song for Nastassja. You can hear it here if you're curious. Of course, being Morricone, that one is really gorgeous. The OST cover for that sample gives you a glimpse of how incredibly beautiful she was back in the day.

Final track Masquerade oddly enough has the line 'the men who hold high places' which has to remind you of Rush (Closer to the Heart):

No Time for Tears is the composition that really reminded me of later Fruupp:

I guess the beauty of this album is that every track is wonderful to hear. What a homerun!

It surprised me to read some years back, though it shouldn't have, that Nastassja complained she was forced to appear fully nude in her early movies as a teenager -- as young as aged 14! There were also accusations she had a 'relationship' with well known serial escapee from the law or ex-con Polanski around the same age.  Things that were considered ok back then.  She repeatedly emphasized how abusive her father, the actor Klaus Kinski was.

Once again it brings to light how much times have changed since those days only 50 years ago. Except if you happen to be in the entourage of Sean Diddy Combs or puff daddy as he used to be known. Or the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Requested albums: Free Orbit [FLAC], Certain Lions and Tigers

As requested, both of these are relatively primitive jazz-rock in the easy listening manner of the times. The Certain Lions album is just cover versions of well known songs, eg. the hugely overplayed and boring Scarborough Fair.

Free Orbit is a little more interesting, World of Illusion is the best track without doubt:

Note that Herbolzheimer played on both these LPs.

Sundance (Sweden 1976) lossless limited time only

 

Swedish (one-off) jazz group.

From discogs:

Sundance was formed in the mid-1970s in Gothenburg after the American musician Stephen Franckevich moved to Sweden. He played trumpet, grand piano, French horn and percussion), while other members were Anita Nyman (vocals), Salomon Helperin (trumpet and grand piano), Carl-Axel Hall (piano, mog, mellotron and claviet), Harald Stenström (electric bass, tuba) , Nils Nordin (drums, percussion). The group released the album Sundance in 1976, on which Gilbert Holmström (flute and saxophone), Ahmadu Jarr (congas and percussion) and Ulf Wakenius (electric guitar) were also guest soloists. In addition, studio musicians Ingemar Brantelid (cello), Åke Edefors (trombone) and Per-Olof Eriksson and Thord Svedlund (both on violin) participated. Producer for the recording was Gunnar Lindqvist and the group, while Bo Starander was the sound engineer.

Pretty much exemplary fusion here in the typical Northern European style, eg, Egba, the old post Sunhouse, old stalwarts Crypto, (personal favourite) Napalis, Solis Lacus, Solar Plexus, etc.

All the tracks are well worth savouring here, but the one called Aspects really grew on me with its interesting patterns and creative ideas:

Pay attention, at the 3:20 mark where the string mellotron makes a wonderful albeit brief appearance for an introductory set of chords to the bridge.

Note the presence of Wadenius (you must remember his solo album) on guitars, and Frankevich playing the marvelous flugelhorn (?) solo on that number.

Requested Herbolzheimer albums (1979 ST and 1981 Bandfire), lossless temp link

Extensive discography here. Most of these albums have at most 1 or 2 tracks worth listening to, and are stuffed with cover versions of sometimes ridiculous tunes, sometimes decent ones.  The album called Bandfire is roughly half covers for ex., with some tracks written by Herbolzheimer. Sadly it was difficult for me to extract a sample worth hearing from that one, never a good experience.  On the other hand, the H. composition Feet Back Brother which appeared on other albums prior, from the 1979 ST live, is nice:

Some familiar names appear in these bands, eg Bo Stief and the miraculous guitarist Eef Albers.

Anyways, very smooth fusion by this large band. It's a hard slog, perhaps pointless, if you want to go through the whole discography to find some exceptional pieces, somewhat fruitless, or perhaps a bit: fruitbit-- as opposed to fruitful.

Deus Ex Machina, Cinque, temporary link only

 

This band is like the recent times' version of the classic Italian band Aera which it really feels like a perfect continuation of. There are very harsh dissonances, even harsher singing, all in latin of course, and really bizarre chords and melodies.  Sometimes it's successful but sometimes not.  It's hard to really enjoy the vocals.

Oddly enough the title doesn't represent the number of the albums, this is likely the 7th release. If you heard their previous ones, it's pretty much indistinguishable in my opinion.

Unusually for a prog band, they have their own wikipedia and allmusic pages.

Tie Break in 1991 with Gin Gi Lob

 Just as crazy as the original one with nutty songs and odd riffs. What a shock they continued in this oddball manner into the first year of Grunge when Nirvana and Pearl Jam completely changed popular music. Thank god for uncompromising artists.

The surprisingly jazzy Ostatni Joint:

Panga lop ka:

Tie Break follows up with the 1990 Cassette Duch

 

The music albeit experimental has gotten a bit more laidback and ambient in places. Crazy vocalizing still appears here and there. Some tracks feature / are spoiled by some insane (take away the s?) ethnic styled chanting. Nonetheless I reassure you this is worth hearing.

Title track:

Tie Break, 1989

 

The band achieves a remarkably complex progressive fusion sound on top of harder rock with all the electric instruments active and in the forefront. This is the first one from 1989. I appreciate that it's very much rock based, but combined with the oddest sounds, melodies, riffs, somewhat like what the early 80s Germanic progressive rockers were doing along the lines of say Kjol. Really a nice find, and again, out of the blue. And out of the ballpark too.

Zamulony (Dull) :

Walking in Space, Japan 1971

The band made one album back then in 1971, databased and documented here.

Sadly quite a few cover versions, even some Beatles songs (Lucy in the Sky, Day Tripper). 

Best track, Sophisticated Us:

Setting aside the Beatles-derived title, Wake up Sunshine demonstrates clearly the early Chicago/BST/horn rock influence:

Tomasz Stanko: Balladyna, Music 81, Lady Go

 

From discogs:

Tomasz Stańko (born July 11, 1942 in Rzeszów; died July 29, 2018 in Warsaw) was a Polish trumpeter, composer and improviser, associated with free jazz and avant-garde music.

In the early days (seventies) he did a lot of free jazz / improvised which of course holds no interest to me at all, apologies to those who do enjoy this. Later there is more composed music, very much jazz based, but occasionally with wonderful chamber compostion.

From Balladyna (1976), The First Song:

Title track of Lady Go:

The first Heavy Metal Sextet, 1983

Admittedly this one is better (less jazzy, more fusiony) than the previously posted one from 1984 which came out the next year. Consider the opening track alone:

There's a bunch of really odd and dissonant riffs in there, and unfortunately and oddly enough the atrociously overplayed standard My Funny Valentine by Rodgers and Hart makes an unexpected and altogether party-crashing appearance too.  But on the whole well worth the hearing and listening to.

Please enjoy this and many thanks to my contacts and friends who find these lost gems I would otherwise have never heard.

Information again here.