The Kursaal Flyers bridged the gap between pub rock and power pop, turning out a handful of fine albums and great singles in their brief two-year career. Comprised of Paul Shuttleworth (vocals), Graeme Douglas (guitar), Vic Collins (guitar, steel guitar, vocals), Riche Bull (bass, vocals), and Will Birch (drums), the band released their first album, Chocs Away, in 1975; it was followed soon afterward by The Great Artiste. Both records showed a grasp of country and roots rock, as well as pure pop. They would begin to emphasize their pop elements with 1976's Golden Mile, released by CBS Records. The union with the major label helped the single "Little Does She Know" reach the British Top 20. Douglas left to join Eddie & the Hot Rods before the recording of their final album, Five Live Kursaals (1977); he was replaced by Barry Martin. The band broke up after the release of punk- and power pop-injected Five Live Kursaals. Out of the members, only Will Birch and John Wicks stayed active — they formed the Records immediately after the Kursaal Flyers' disbandment. The Kursaal Flyers reunited in 1988, recording A Former Tour de Force Is Forced to Tour, which picks up right where they left off in 1977.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

"Pat Metheny's debut studio album is a good one, a trio date that finds him already laying down the distinctively cottony, slightly withdrawn tone and asymmetrical phrasing that would serve him well through most of the swerves in direction ahead. His original material, all of it lovely, bears the bracing air of his Midwestern upbringing, with titles like "Missouri Uncompromised," "Midwestern Nights Dream" and "Omaha Celebration." There is also a sole harbinger of radical matters way down the road with the inclusion of a loose-jointed treatment of Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip/Broadway Blues," proving that Song X did not come from totally out of the blue. Besides the debut of Metheny, this CD also features one of the earliest recordings of Jaco Pastorius, a fully formed, well-matched contrapuntal force on electric bass, though content to leave the spotlight mostly to Metheny. Bob Moses, who like Metheny played in the Gary Burton quintet at the time, is the drummer, and he can mix it up, too."

(Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide)

Dr. Aftershave and the mixed-pickles' (April 00001) was Missus Beastly's third album, which once more presented some solid jazz rock, mostly instrumental. It was at the same time the first album to be released on April, the new self-distributing label run by Missus Beastly, Ton Steine Scherben, Embryo, and Sparifankal. The LP was recorded in the well-known Stuttgart Zuckerfabrik studio (a former sugar refinery) at the beginning of 1976. The two CD bonus tracks were recorded at the Vlotho festivals ('Umsonst und draußen' [outside and for free]) 1976 and 1977. At that time, they were presented on the annual festival LPs. 'Dr. Aftershave' was actually planned to be released on CD years ago, but some unexpected obstacles caused a long delay. The fourth and last Missus Beastly LP, 'Space guerilla' from 1978, will soon be released on CD, again provided with bonus tracks.

'Dr. Aftershave and the mixed-pickles' (April 00001) war die dritte LP von Missus Beastly und brachte wieder gediegenen Jazzrock mit nur ganz spärlichem Gesang. Gleichzeitig war es die erste auf April erschienene Platte, dem neuen Label und Eigenvertrieb, dem auch Ton Steine Scherben, Embryo und Sparifankal angehörten. Aufgenommen wurde die LP Anfang 1976 in der bekannten Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart. Die beiden CD-Zusatzstücke stammen von den Vlotho-Festivals ('Umsonst und draußen') 1976 und 1977. Sie waren damals auf den jährlichen Festival-LPs untergebracht. Eigentlich sollte 'Dr. Aftershave' schon vor Jahren als CD erscheinen, doch gab es dabei unerwartete Hindernisse. Die vierte und letzte Missus-Beastly-LP, 'Space guerilla' von 1978, wird in absehbarer Zeit als CD folgen, wieder mit Zusatzstücken aufgefüllt.

(www.green-brain-krautrock.de)

A very well-produced solo album filled with lush sounds, but Pinder's narrow vocal range and the absence of any balancing love songs by Justin Hayward or rockers by John Lodge limits the appeal of this album. Unfulfilled promise and dated mystical trappings.

(by Bruce Eder, All Music Guide)

Renegade Picker, issued in 1976, is the first of a pair recorded for RCA -- to date, Young's last major-label deal. Renegade Picker and its compatriot, No Place to Fall, issued two years later, are stellar examples of outlaw country at its best. Equal parts country, rock, blues, and gospel, the album is stocked like a trout pond with awesome songs. Young is his own best coach when it comes to recording material other than his own, and here he grabs the best. The title track is a stomping, choogling, cut-time anthem with Buddy Emmons' pedal steel and the popping electrics of Jerry Chock and Dale Sellers. As if to answer the question as to where the new hard-driving sound came from, Young follows it up with a moving cover of Merle Haggard's "I Can't Be Myself," a slow and deliberate honky tonk number full of restless country-soul. Side one's highlight is a rollicking version of J.D. Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road" driven by bluesed-out acoustic guitars, stomping feet, and Terry McMillan's harmonica. If side one is a primer on Young's country heritage and outlaw lineage, side two is his statement of purpose. The first cut is a re-recording of "Lonesome, On'ry, and Mean," with a full-on band burning at the edges of his vocal. Buddy Emmons' steel drives the entire track just atop the drums. But it's Young's version of Guy Clark's "Broken Hearted People (Take Me to a Barroom)" with Tracy Nelson's backing vocals that brings the essence of the fissure between the tradition and new breed home. His reading of the song is more country than Clark's folky one, but Young can hear Hank Williams and Billy Joe Shaver in Clark's lyric; he holds the tension between the two inside the grain of his voice. Renegade Picker and No Place to Fall have been reissued as a double-CD package on BMG in Europe, completely remastered for a budget price. No matter how you get these records, just get them. They sound as relevant as they did 25 years ago.

(by Thom Jurek, AMG)

Dieses 1976er Unternehmen enthält einige von Cooders bezwingendsten Arbeiten. Er erforscht hier erneut einige der grundlegenden Einflüsse auf einen Musiker, der für seinen bemerkenswerten Eklektizismus bekannt ist. Höchst bemerkenswert sind "Always Lift Him Up", "Smack Dab In The Middle" und eine schöne Adaption von "Stand By Me" mit Flaco Jimenez am Akkordeon. Das Album beginnt und endet mit Leadbelly-Coverversionen: "The Bourgeois Blues" und (Sie haben es erraten) "Goodnight Irene". Ebenso bemerkenswert ist eine feine Überarbeitung des Traditionals "I Got Mine".

(Wayne Pernu, amazon)

---

Ry Cooders "Gänsehautmusik" von 1976 enthält die vermutlich originellsten Versionen zweier großer Pophits - Jim Reeves' "He'll Have To Go" und Ben E. Kings "Stand By Me". Flaco Jimenez' Akkordeon verleiht ein Cajun- beziehungsweise Tex-Mex-Aroma. Für zwei Titel bat Ry Cooder die hawaiianischen Gitarristen Gabby Pahinui und Atta Isaacs ins Studio und kreierte eine wunderbare authentische Aloha-Sentimentalität. Französisch-Louisiana läßt schön grüßen in den Leadbelly-Songs "The Bourgeois Blues" und "Goodnight Irene". Gospel und Rhythm & Blues ("I Got Min", "Always Lift Him Up", "Smack Dab In The Middle") runden das stilistische Spektrum die- ses auch klangtechnisch makellosen Albums ab.

(© Stereoplay)

After the expanded instrumental scale and sonic experimentation of Court and Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Joni Mitchell reverses that flow for the more intimate, interior music on Hejira, which retracts the arranging style to focus on Mitchell's distinctive acoustic guitar and piano, and the brilliant, lyrical bass fantasias of fretless bass innovator Jaco Pastorius. Known for his furious, sometimes rococo figures beneath the music of Weather Report, Pastorius is tamed by Mitchell's cooler, more deliberate ballads; these meditations coax a far gentler, subdued lyricism from Pastorius, whose intricate bass counterpoints Mitchell's coolly elegant singing, especially on the sublime "Amelia," which transforms the mystery of Amelia Earhart into a parable of both feminism and romantic self-discovery. This isn't Mitchell at her most obviously ambitious, yet the depth of feeling, poetic reach and musical confidence make this among the finest works in a very fine canon.

(Sam Sutherland)

After the success of Horses, Patti Smith had something to prove to reviewers and to the industry, and Radio Ethiopia aimed at both. Producer Jack Douglas gave "the Patti Smith Group," as it was now billed, a hard rock sound, notably on the side-opening "Ask the Angels" and "Pumping (My Heart)," songs that seemed aimed at album-oriented rock radio. But the title track was a ten-minute guitar extravaganza that pushed the group's deliberate primitivism closer to amateurish thrashing. Elsewhere, Smith repeated the reggae excursions and vocal overlaying that had paced Horses on "Ain't It Strange" and "Poppies," but these efforts were less effective than they had been the first time around, perhaps because they were less inspired, perhaps because they were more familiar. A schizophrenic album in which the many elements that had worked so well together on Horses now seemed jarringly incompatible, with Radio Ethiopia Smith and her band encountered the same development problem the punks would — as they learned their craft and competence set in, they lost some of the unself-consciousness that had made their music so appealing.

(by William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide)

Performing the intricate music of Carla Bley is no mean feat, but if anyone is up for the challenge, it would be vibraphonist Gary Burton. Signifying a high watermark in his career in the mid-'70s, Dreams So Real teams Burton with his fellow professor at the Berklee College of Music Mick Goodrick, along with recently graduated student Pat Metheny. Add the peerless electric bass guitarist Steve Swallow and always proficient drummer Bob Moses, and you have the makings of a short-lived supergroup capable of playing Bley's memorable, melancholy music. While generally regarded as one of many Burton/Metheny pairings, it is Goodrick's individualism (it was he who primarily tutored Metheny) that needs more recognition. With Goodrick on electric six-string and Metheny on electric 12-string guitar, the sonorities they establish allow Burton to freely discourse on Bley's prickly angular melodies. The brittle and fractured combo track "Ictus/Syndrome" — closer to a three-piece suite — goes from a frantic neo-bop meter to straight-ahead swing with a clearly inspired Burton rambling into the bright signature rondo sound that Metheny and Swallow have always owned. "Syndrome" might also be familiar to Bley's fans as "Wrong Key Donkey." "Doctor" merges the vibes and guitars into a guided prognosis of hypertension within slowly elevated blood pressure levels. "Intermission Music," inspired by golden age films, is a beautiful waltz vehicle for the guitars rhythmically, and for Swallow and Moses melodically. With the bandmembers at their most passionate, the title track is a lighthearted but cerebral ballad, "Vox Humana" a simplified tango, while "Jesus Maria" evokes the delicate epic strains of Bley's personalized sound with Burton playing it alone. While the singing sound of Metheny is in its infant stages, it is easily recognizable and clearly realized. Generally regarded as one of Burton's top three recorded dates, it has stood the test of time. Perhaps some day, a complete collection of the vibist playing Carla Bley's many other compositions can be compiled to complement this surface-scratching but very important album.

(by Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide)

On the Road to Kingdom Come sounded more like a rock album than anything Harry Chapin had done to date. In the hands of sympathetic producer/arranger Stephen Chapin, Harry's songs are infused with clever and often humorous bits of musical commentary — horns, electric guitars, keyboards, backing vocals, and various sound effects pop up at opportune times throughout — that makes much of the material instantly ingratiating. While the record failed to capture commercial interest (singer/songwriters were out, disco was in), song for song this is one of his strongest efforts. As a musical storyteller, Chapin has few peers; both the potent tale of a duplicitous potentate on "The Mayor of Candor Lied" and the heartwarming "Corey's Coming" are masterfully conceived. Harry's humorous side, which somehow got stifled in the studio, here comes out of the closet for the title track and "Laugh Man," though both have their barbs. The album also included two of his prettiest songs, "Caroline" (co-written with wife Sandy Chapin) and "If My Mary Were Here." A track dedicated to the recently fallen Phil Ochs, "The Parade's Still Passing By," is also featured. Compared to some of his earlier work, which was often dry and dour, these songs are vigorous and saturated in sound. Some might charge that the record's resemblance to Elton John's contemporary work renders it lightweight, but Chapin's wit was sharpening with age and his romantic visions remained keen. For the faithful, getting On the Road to Kingdom Come is a good idea.

(by Dave Connolly, All Music Guide)

As an original member of Chick Corea's group Return to Forever, Purim subsequently drew praise as a solo act. Recording for the jazz label Milestone since 1973, Purim's sensual and strong voice was singular enough to withstand the pitfalls that hampered the work of many Latin jazz fusion artists. Open Your Eyes You Can Fly represents a commercial breakthrough, and has the artist again supplemented by adventurous players and top-notch songwriting. The best of the three Chick Corea tracks is the title song. With it's emotive and stinging guitar solo from David Amaro, it features Purim at her most accessible and charming. The remake of "Sometime Ago" has one of Corea's more accessible melodies, as Purim turns in one of her more sweet and fulfilling vocals. The melodic and soothing "San Francisco River" has the artist writing solely with frequent Corea collaborator Neville Potter on the evocative track. Despite the great work here, Open Your Eyes You Can Fly, lacks consistency. But with the great talents assembled and great voice, it's easy to overlook that fact. Hermeto Pascoal's "Andei (I Walked)" has a great synthesizer solo from George Duke and a flute solo from Pascoal. "Ina's Song (Trip to Bahia)" features Purim singing in Portuguese, starting off slow but then enlivened by her passion filled vocalizations. Produced by jazz producer Orrin Keepnews, this features the artist more lucid and joyful than some of her other work. For the reason it is recommended.

(by Jason Elias, All Music Guide)

Although the Rowans — Peter (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Lorin (guitar/vocals), and Chris (guitar/flute) — hailed from Massachusetts, their rural leanings resurfaced on their third and arguably most accessible collection to date. The trio's strengths as musical chameleons are evident in both their writing and their eclectic performance styles. This is undoubtedly a double-edged sword, as it likewise made them difficult to adequately "market" to the typical mid-'70s pop music audience. Indeed, the term "progressive bluegrass" seems apt in capturing the modern directions that fuse the strict acoustic lineage and prowess of bluegrass with any number of disparate elements, such as jazz, pop, and country-rock. In addition to exploring those aural amalgamations, they venture into a rocksteady Rasta vibe on "Love Is" and even straight-ahead MOR during the slightly Philly soul-influenced "Ooh My Love." They don't stray far for very long, however, as "Tired Hands," "Mongolian Swamp/Kings Men," and the extended eight-plus minute "Joaquin Murrieta" venture closer to their conventional ancestry. The latter title is one of the more obvious examples of Peter Rowan's ability to augment a Spanish-flavored ballad with a sense of the decidedly American bluegrass tradition. The breezy vocals on "If I Only Could" scored the Rowans a little bit of chart action, conjuring up the laid-back slightly folkie sound of other West Coast acts such as the Eagles and America. The same can be said of the equally amiable "No Desanimes Amor (Don't Disappoint Love)," which also provides a suitable backdrop for their robust three-part harmonies. In 2004, Sibling Rivalry was issued on compact disc and paired with the follow-up, Jubilation (1977), onto a two-fer CD. As the LP had been out of print for over two decades, for many enthusiasts this release may well be their first opportunity to enjoy this classic recording. It is also recommended as the perfect starting point for the curious.

(by Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide)

This recording session was not released until five years after it was done. One can imagine the tapes practically smoldering in their cases, the music is so hot. Sorry, there is nothing "wrong" about this blues album at all. Otis Rush was a great blues expander, a man whose guitar playing was in every molecule pure blues. On his solos on this album he strips the idea of the blues down to very simple gestures (i.e., a bent string, but bent in such a subtle way that the seasoned blues listener will be surprised). As a performer he opens up the blues form with his chord progressions and use of horn sections, the latter instrumentation again added in a wonderfully spare manner, bringing to mind a master painter working certain parts of a canvas in order to bring in more light. Blues fans who get tired of the same old song structures, riff, and rhythms should be delighted with most of Rush's output, and this one is among his best. Sometimes all he does to make a song sound unlike any blues one has ever heard is just a small thing — a chord moving up when one expects it go down, for example. The production is particularly skilled, and the fact that Capitol Records turned this session down after originally producing it can only be reasonably accepted when combined with other decisions this label has made, such as turning down the Doors because singer Jim Morrison had "no charisma." This record doesn't mess around at all. The first track takes off like the man they fire out of a cannon at the end of a circus, a perceived climax swaggeringly representing just the beginning, after all. Some of the finest tracks are the ones that go longer than five minutes, allowing the players room to stretch. And that means more of Rush's great guitar playing, of course. For the final track he leaves the blues behind completely for a moving cover version of "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Tony Joe White.

(by Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide)

When Kenny Wheeler expatriated from his native Canada to England, it was not headline news. But upon the release of Gnu High, he became a contemporary jazz figure to be recognized, revered and admired. Playing the flugelhorn exclusively for this, his ECM label debut, Wheeler's mellifluous tones and wealth of ideas came to full fruition. Whether chosen in collaboration with label boss Manfred Eicher or by Wheeler alone, picking pianist Keith Jarrett, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette was a stroke of genius. They support the elongated and extended notions of Wheeler's in many real and important ways. What is also extant is a sense of self-indulgence, real for listeners with short attention spans. "Heyoke" is such a piece rife for this discussion at nearly 22 minutes. This lilting waltz is at once atmospheric and soulful, a fairly fresh and inventive style turned more dramatic near the finish of this magnum opus. It's all fueled by the reinvented swing of DeJohnette. Jarrett's vocal whining is kept in check, as his pretty pianistics buoy Wheeler's notions in Zen inspired time and eventually no time improvisations. "Gnu Suite" is similarly rendered in an unforced 4/4 rhythm, but Wheeler is more animated. There's a plus-plus solo from Holland before the group merges into a floating and flowing discourse again in free time. The special track is "Smatter" and at just under six minutes works better, not only for radio airplay, but also in its concise melodic construct by means of the regal and happy persona Wheeler portrays. Pure melody and a repeated anchoring seven-note phrase insert sets this tune apart from the rest. It also clearly identifies the warm and cool stance only Wheeler wields, making seemingly simple music deep and profound. Certainly this was an auspicious starting point, albeit long winded, for a magical performer whose sound and smarts captured the imagination of so many fellow musicians and listeners from this point onward.

(by Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide)