V.A. — The Music of Eric von Essen, Vol. I (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

West Coast bassist/composer Von Essen died prematurely in his sleep of a heart attack at age 43 but left behind some 100 compositions, and many bandmates are dedicated to making sure his music gets heard. This is one of three proposed volumes that will assure Von Essen's sounds are known to a jazz public that probably never heard of him. That will change, for this is a wonderful initial outing, played by five different groups. Pianists Alan Pasqua and Alan Broadbent lead trios on two tracks apiece. Pasqua, with Dave Carpenter on bass and Peter Erskine on drums, uses an urgent ticktock to a light beat under a languid, beauteous piano melody on "Silvana," while "Blues For Carin'" is an easily swung, ultra-melodic number with Pasqua using Chick Corea or Thelonious Monk-like techniques. Broadbent swings "Blues Puzzle" with Putter Smith's bass way up in the mix, while the lament "Nowhere" starts with solo 88s, then Smith and drummer Kendall Kay join on this most pristine ballad. Electric guitarist Nels Cline and pianist David Witham lead a quartet for the urgent, modal to swinging "Peacemaker," as familiar a theme as the public might recognize, and the easy flowing waltz "For Me" sports some lustrous unison lines. Violinist Jeff Gauthier and acoustic guitarist Cline in finger-style mode use a chamber-style approach à la Oregon for "Incomplete Circle" in phrases of seven and four beats, while the slow waltz "Departure" has Gauthier in mournful yet optimistic spirits. Stacy Rowles plays poignant trumpet or flugelhorn with Larry Koonse's tender electric guitar in separate lines on the contemporary ballad "Love Song For Kirsi" and works in tandem on the easy, straight-ahead swinger "Benny" for Benny Golson, using phraseology from Golson's "Whisper Not." Tom Warrington, in Von Essen's spirit, evokes the composer's persona with a deftly plucked bass solo. If this is only a portent of future volumes to come, it's quite an auspicious starting point. One can only look at future issuance of Von Essen's musical brilliance with hope and grand expectation. Highly recommended. Michael G. Nastos   Tracklist & Credits :

V.A. — The Music of Eric von Essen, Vol. II (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second of three projected volumes of music by the late bassist/composer Eric von Essen, who passed away at the age of 43, is -- like its predecessor -- a purposely mixed bag. A composer of straight modern jazz tunes to gypsy blues-jazz to pop to pieces that border on theater and classical music, von Essen was nothing if not a lover of diverse musics, and well-versed in their compositional vocabularies. All of his work was equally possessed of movement, however; there was no stasis in his compositional language. Five different ensembles ranging from quintet to trio perform two pieces each, and add more to the mystery of von Essen the virtuoso musician. The first two pieces, "Blues for John" and "K," are post-bop tunes that soar with the aegis of modern electric post-bop jazz. Larry Koonse's electric guitar and Stacy Rowles' trumpet and flügelhorn are perfect foils for one another. As Koonse takes the edges and makes them sharper, Rowles rounds them into tight pockets of harmony. On "Petit Rayon" and "9/8/29," brothers Nels and Alex Cline, on acoustic guitar and drums respectively, team with Jeff Gauthier and Michael Elizondo on violin and bass to reveal the impressionistic side of von Essen's personality. Both pieces feel like sketches for orchestral pieces; they hold within their melodic lines large harmonic sonances. The primary strings, guitar and violin, are bridged by the counterpoint melody of the bass. Both works -- though their movement is fluid and medium tempoed -- are restrained until each of them cuts loose into a kind of modern gypsy swing with Django Reinhardt on one side and Pat Metheny on the other. The trio with Peter Erskine is the least successful here, but the material is not the problem. This group took exactly the same hushed approach to this type of material on the first volume, and it's a bit wispy to come completely to life on a recording. To take the record out, the Cline brothers electrically team with David Witham and Joel Hamilton, on piano and bass respectively, for a straight-up jazz romp with hot solos all around ("BC/Jezebel") and a ballad ("Marry Me") of such lyrical tenderness that it almost floats through the air without the music attached. It's gorgeous, hypnotic, and based on open tunings, so that a drone plays a large part in the body of its architecture. If it wasn't for the line coming back over and over again, you would swear you heard this tune inside your heart instead of through your stereo speakers. Not as overwhelming as the first volume, this disk -- aside from the two trio pieces -- is solid nonetheless. It also begs the question of just how deep von Essen's abilities ran because, so far, they seem boundless.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

V.A. — The Music of Eric von Essen, Vol. III (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Eric von Essen never recorded as a leader during his lifetime, though he played bass and cello as a sideman on a number of memorable releases between 1980 and 1994. This third (and evidently, final) volume of his original compositions features a number of different artists, including a few who collaborated with him on earlier releases. Guitarist Nels Cline, with whom the composer made his recording debut, plays 12-string acoustic guitar with Ken Filiano's arco bass in the moving "Blues for Me," which isn't really a blues at all. Violinist Jeff Gauthier and drummer Alex Cline, both of whom appeared on von Essen's first date as well, join the guitarist and bassist Michael Elizondo for the tense, very complex "Unresolved." The brisk, Latin-flavored "It's Just One Big Party" showcases tenor saxophonist Chuck Manning and pianist Theo Saunders. The delightful trio arrangement of "Norton's Last Words" is not a slow, mournful elegy as its title might imply, but a catchy post-bop vehicle with superb solos by pianist Jeff Colella and bassist Putter Smith. "Finska Flues" is a roller coaster ride centered around Stacy Rowles' tasty flügelhorn. Kate McGarry contributed the vocals and the lyrics to the reflective "One Eye Laughs, One Eye Weeps," which she also performed at Eric von Essen's funeral. Jazz fans should regret the premature death of this talented composer before he had a chance to record many of his compositions, though at least his friends and admirers seem dedicated to making his rewarding music more widely known. Ken Dryden    Tracklist & Credits :

SHEILA JORDAN - Confirmation (1975-2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After a long layoff from recording following her debut album in 1962, Sheila Jordan was very active in the 1970s, and is in top form on these 1975 sessions made for the Japanese label East Wind. Accompanied by pianist Alan Pasqua, bassist Cameron Brown, drummer Beaver Harris, and tenor saxophonist Norman Marnell, she devotes the first half of the release to a medley of songs dedicated to children. Her intriguing approach to such standards as "God Bless the Child," "My Favorite Things," and "Inch Worm" provides plenty of solo space for the musicians between numbers, while they also dazzle the listener throughout each track. This medley wraps with the playful but charming "Because We're Kids" (penned by Dr. Seuss). The remainder of the disc is primarily devoted to standards. Jordan's adroit duet with Brown in "Confirmation" gives her a chance to show off her scatting. "By Myself" is a miniature duet, first with Harris (on brushes) and then Pasqua as the piece segues into a moving performance of "Why Was I Born." Her performance of Steve Kuhn's challenging "Pearlie's Swine" adds a nice twist to a marvelous date, which was finally reissued by Test of Time in 2005.  by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1 Introduction 0:26
2 God Bless the Child 5:01
Billie Holiday
3 My Favorite Things 6:43
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
4 Inch Worm 6:05  
Frank Loesser
5 Because We're Kids 4:52
Sheila Jordan
6 Confirmation 8:59
Charlie Parker
7 By Myself 1:50  
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
8 Why Was I Born 3:17
Jerome Kern
9 Pearlie's Swine 5:43
Steve Kuhn
Personnel :
Sheila Jordan (vocals);
Norman Marnell (tenor saxophone);
Alan Pasqua (piano);
Cameron Brown (double bass);
Beaver Harris (drums).

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH — Velvet Darkness (1976-2000) RM | Serie CTI Best Selection | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This debut solo release by Allan Holdsworth has an "in the raw," coarsely presented, jam-session quality complete with warts and all, as well as real gems of jazz fusion shining through. A first hearing of this release in its vinyl version might provoke laughter at how really bad it sounds compared to Holdsworth's other releases as well as his playing with other groups. As it turns out, Holdsworth himself abhors this release (considering it "a real terrible disaster"), and has taken legal action and had it removed from production for several reasons. The original label used rehearsal tapes to compile it, deeming it unnecessary to finance real sessions. During the recording session, Holdsworth had to hurry through each song and apparently never obtained the masters to go over before release. In essence, the original release was nothing more than a taped rehearsal, packaged by CTI as an album without Holdsworth's permission. This recording has been bootlegged by label after label, none of the musicians involved ever saw any royalties, and no legal paperwork exists. (The recording's known labels and release/re-release dates include CTI Records [1976], King Records [1976], Epic Associated Records [CD, 1990], King Records [Japanese-only CD, 1994], and CTI Records [Japanese-only CD, 1997]. Velvet Darkness was also released in 1997 on an unknown label in Japan as a bootleg CD; an original copy of the vinyl LP album had been transferred to the CD.) This 1990 release with alternate takes (just more pieces dredged up from the jam-session practice tapes) is indeed an interesting snapshot of young stellar musicians doing their thing in a laid-back but energetic fusion-funk-rock groove. It is for all the above reasons that this is indeed a completist/collectors item nowadays. Included are the now very rare recordings of Holdsworth playing acoustic guitar and violin, which he does very well. The alternate take of "Gattox" is a special treat, featuring Holdsworth soloing with an intensity and emotive power that echoes all the best dynamics jazz fusion could offer in the '70s. Obtaining this release second-hand is probably the only and most proper way to find it now. John W. Patterson  

Tracklist :

1 Good Clean Filth 5:23

2 Floppy Hat 2:46

3 Wish 4:21

4 Kinder 3:06

5 Velvet Darkness 4:43

6 Karzie Key 3:10

7 Last May 1:38

8 Gattox 4:54

 Credits:

Bass – Alphonse Johnson

Drums – Narada Michael Walden

Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Written-By – Allan Holdsworth

Engineer [Recording] – Rudy Van Gelder

Piano – Alan Pasqua

Producer – Creed Taylor

ALAN PASQUA - My New Old Friend (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Alan Pasqua's My New Old Friend is mostly a set of sensitive and relaxed trio improvisations. Pasqua, bassist Darek Oles and drummer Peter Erskine, three of the top jazz musicians based in Los Angeles, perform subtle reshapings of five standards which alternate with six of Pasqua's generally introspective originals. One is reminded of Bill Evans (particularly on the standards) in Pasqua's sophisticated chord voicings and the close interplay of the musicians, but that is only a point of reference rather than a direct copy. However fans of Evans' treatments of ballads will certainly enjoy this accessible and thoughtful effort. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     You Must Believe in Spring 4'55
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Jacques Demy / Michel Legrand
2     Barcelona 4'33
Alan Pasqua
3     Highway 5'59
Alan Pasqua
4     All the Things You Are 4'38
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
5     My New Old Friend 829
Alan Pasqua
6     Body and Soul 7'18
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
7     One More Once 4'20
Alan Pasqua
8     Vienna 7'03
Alan Pasqua
9     Wichita Lineman 5'58
Jimmy Webb
10     Stick Slap 4'37
Alan Pasqua
11     Smile 5'31
Charlie Chaplin / Geoffrey Parsons / James Phillips
Credits :
Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleschiezwki
Drums – Peter Erskine
Piano – Alan Pasqua

 

THE TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME - The Collection (1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This CD has all of the music from drummer Tony Williams' Believe It and Million Dollar Legs LPs. The best-known version of Williams' Lifetime is the trio he led during 1969-1970 with guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young. There are times (particularly on the first half of this reissue) that this later edition of Lifetime approaches the power and creativity of the original group. Key among the sidemen is guitarist Allan Holdsworth, a very underrated and creative musician whose style falls between rock and jazz and who often improvises more like a keyboardist than a guitarist. Alan Pasqua on electric piano and bassist Tony Newton (who also takes a few forgettable vocals) complete the group; background brass and strings are added to some of the songs in the later date. Although not flawless (some of the music has dated), these long-overlooked performances are worth exploring by fusion collectors, especially for Holdsworth's fiery yet thoughtful solos. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Snake Oil 6:30
Tony Newton
2 Fred 6:48
Allan Holdsworth
3 Proto-Cosmos 4:03
Alan Pasqua
4 Red Alert 4:39
Tony Newton
5 Wildlife 5:22
Tony Williams
6 Mr. Spock 6:17
Allan Holdsworth
7 Sweet Revenge 6:05
Tony Williams
8 You Did It to Me Baby 3:52
Antonio Newton / Tony Williams
9 Million Dollar Legs 6:39
Tony Williams
10 Joy Filled Summer 5:53
Tony Newton
11 Lady Jane 4:01
Alan Pasqua
12 What You Do to Me 7:08
Tony Williams
13 Inspirations of Love 9:47
Tony Newton
Credits :
Arranged By [String & Horn] – Jack Nitzsche (tracks: 7 to 13)
Bass, Vocals – Tony Newton
Drums – Tony Williams
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth

JUDY WEXLER - Under a Painted Sky [2011]

Few singers would dare dive into music associated with Johnny Mathis, Carmen McRae, Abbey Lincoln and the 1962 film, The Music Man, on the same album; even fewer would be able to pull it off as vocalist Judy Wexler does on Under A Painted Sky. Wexler possesses a voice for the ages, and puts it to good use on a dozen delicious numbers that cover myriad moods and spotlight the stellar instrumentalists in her band.

Wexler's prior releases—Easy On The Heart (Rhombus, 2005) and Dreams And Shadows (Jazzed Media, 2008)— were elevated by classy arrangements and pianistic underpinnings from pianist Alan Pasqua, and this partnership continues to bear fruit on this project. Pasqua paints pictures of a sunny nature ("Wonderful Wonderful"), crafts spine-tingling settings ("Avec Le Temps") and directs swinging scenes that delight in every way ("The Great City" and "Whisper Not"), leaving Wexler free to fully explore the possibilities that reside within each one of these gems.

Wexler's vocals are ebullient and enthusiastic on "Wonderful Wonderful," as the album gets underway, but she isn't all sunshine and splendor. She deals in flirty and sensual singing on "An Occasional Man," delivers enthralling vocals of a haunting nature with Avec Le Temps," touches on the ups-and-downs in the game of love during "And How I Hoped For Your Love,," and utters a wise warning about getting sucked into the quicksand of New York's social scene with "The Great City."

While Wexler needs no help selling any of these songs, the instrumentalists add volumes to each piece, as they mirror the moods that are established through the arrangements and vocals. Tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer adds some grit to "The Great City," Bob Sheppard's soprano saxophone swoops and soars with a fine balance between grace and gusto on "Till There Was You," and Walt Fowler's flugelhorn emphasizes the dream-like state of "Café." Pasqua and guitarist Larry Koonse blend well, whether dealing with Brazilian-laced music ("And How I Hoped For Your Love") or songs of peace and hope ("Sack Full Of Dreams"), and the bass and drums team of Darek Oles and Steve Hass has a terrific hookup in virtually every stylistic setting.
While both of Wexler's previous albums were outstanding displays of her vocal talent, Under A Painted Sky is her best yet—the third time truly is the charm.
Tracklist
1 Wonderful Wonderful  4:34
Sherman Edwards / Ben Raleigh
2 And How I Hoped for Your Love  4:38
Abbey Lincoln / Richard Lynch
3 An Occasional Man  4:19
Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin
4 Don't Wait Too Long   3:59
Sunny Skylar
5 The great City  5:40
Curtis Lewis
6 Avec Le Temps  7:48
Léo Ferré / Alan Wexler
7 A Little Tear  3:59
Eumir Deodato / Ray Gilbert / Paolo Valle
8 Last Time for Love  4:58
Carmen McRae
9 Café  4:45
Egberto Gismonti / Norma Winstone
10 Whisper Not  3:43
Leonard Feather / Benny Golson
11 Till There Was You  5:04
Meredith Willson
12 Sack Full of Dreams  5:30
Gary McFarland / Louis Savary
Personnel: 
Judy Wexler: vocals;
Alan Pasqua: piano;
Darek Oles: bass;
Steve Hass: drums;
Larry Koonse: guitar;
Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone;
Bob Sheppard: soprano saxophone;
Walt Fowler: trumper, flugelhorn;
Alex Acuna: percussion.

JUDY WEXLER - Under a Painted Sky 

[2011] JAZZED MEDIA / CBR320 / scans

O Púbis da Rosa

THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME - Believe It (1975-2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Believe It is the first album by The New Tony Williams Lifetime, released in 1975 on Columbia Records. The New Lifetime was a jazz fusion band formed by the drummer Tony Williams with Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Alan Pasqua on keyboards and Tony Newton on bass.

The compositions Fred, Proto Cosmos and Red Alert are also featured on the Allan Holdsworth DVD Live at Yoshi's, released in 2007. Holdsworth has often stated that his time with the drummer was the most influential formative stage of his career.

By the time drummer Tony Williams left Miles Davis in '69, he had moved even farther away from the acoustic tradition than his former employer. His first recordings with his new band, Lifetime, were characterized by the sleeve instructions: "Play it Loud!" While the energy level was high and the music was infused with a rock and roll philosophy, it was nevertheless uncompromising and continued to push the boundaries; intense, daring and sometimes a little terrifying, the early incarnation of Lifetime was a literal barrage on the senses.

By '75, Williams had signed with a new label, pieced together a New Tony Williams Lifetime, and moved in a little more conventional jazz-rock direction. But unlike so many fusion records of the time, Believe It managed to be powerful without the bombastic pyrotechnics of bands like Return to Forever. Originally available on a CD that combined it with the far less successful follow-up, Million Dollar Legs , this long out-of-print title has finally been reissued by Columbia, remastered and with two bonus tracks.
Believe It features former Motown bassist Tony Newton, keyboard player Alan Pasqua and, most notably, British guitarist Allan Holdsworth, who, while already somewhat of an underground legend in his own country, had yet to make an impression in North America. Believe It changed all that, demonstrating that not only was Holdsworth a fresh new voice on his instrument, but a fine writer as well. "Fred," later re-titled "Kinder" by Holdsworth, and a staple in his repertoire for some years to come, introduces Holdsworth's unique harmonic language, with a lyrical bent that manages to be completely distinctive. And his playing style is quite simply like no other; influenced heavily by Coltrane, Holdsworth, even at this early stage in his career, is capable of sheets of sound that, punctuated by held notes and legato runs, are visceral in their impact.
No less visceral, of course, is Williams himself. While peers including Billy Cobham and Lenny White gravitated towards more overblown displays of virtuosity, Williams overpowers both with his stronger sense of groove and sheer muscularity. And while he is every bit as capable of extravagant displays of technique, he always sounds more musical. Even on intense burners like the Holdsworth-penned bonus track "Letsby," he is less concerned with how many beats he can throw into a fill; and his solo over Holdsworth's power chord ostinato is the epitome of construction.
For someone who moved the concept of rhythmic freedom so far forward as part of Miles' second quintet, Williams may have been the most overtly rock and roll-informed drummer of the mid-'70s fusion era. With an inherent sense of groove and honest energy that comes from compositions that are less contrived and more direct vehicles for improvisational flight, Believe It is one of the most compelling arguments for the validity of jazz-rock fusion, before the term became such a dirty word.
They just don't make 'em like this anymore! 28 years after its original release, this album STILL sounds as invigorating as the day it was released. Tony Williams, much like his mentor Miles Davis had a knack for picking great talent for his bands, especialy young upstart British guitar virtuosos.
As if John McLaughlin wasn't enough, he went and found the soft-spoken and ridiculoulsy innovative Allan Holdsworth, who spun melodic and fluid solos with the ease of a saxophonist. Already having stints with Tempest and Soft Machine under his belt, Holdsworth's style was jumping to the next level already, and Tony Williams did nothing to stand in the way, in fact, Allan was heavily encouraged and cheered on in his explorations by his bandmates here. Allan did things that just sounded absolutely impossible on a guitar at the time, and I remember so vivdly hearing this album at age 16 and having my jaw scraping the ground in amazement!

Armed with nothing more than a Gibson SG and a Marshall amp, Allan H just roared in an destroyed the place with his emotionally charged soloing and exploratory compositions, and a finely tuned musical sense to make te compostions of his bandmates come alive! Marrying this to William's inventive powerhouse drumming, Tony Newton's funky slithering bass and Alan Pasqua's glassy keyboards, this version of the Tony Williams Lifetime was a force to be reckoned with.

The other thing that still grabs me about this album is the open. raw live sound with minimal overdubbing, as honest and accurate in capturing this band's power in the studio as you could hope for. There's not one weak cut on here, ranging from the stomping funk of "Snake Oil" to the ghostly chord melody of "Fred" and the rip snorting brilliance of "Mr. Spock" (especially with the section where Williams and Holdsworth switch roles, Tony putting forth the solo of his life and Holdsworth bashing out angry Black Sabbath-like power chords underneath before roaring to a great close). The bonus tracks are a VERY worthwhile addition as well, "Letsby" is a slightly different take on "Mr. Spock" and "Celebration" get's more funky while still snarling like a panther (thanks again to Allan Holdsworth's raging guitar).
A serious fusion classic if ever there was and definitely worth adding to your library. Turn it up to 11 and let your jaw drop again! web
Tracklist :
1. Snake Oil 6:30
Tony Newton
2. Fred 6:48
Allan Holdsworth
3. Proto-Cosmos 4:02
Alan Pasqua
4. Red Alert 4:39
Newton
5. Wildlife 5:22
Tony Williams
6. Mr Spock 6:15
Holdsworth
- Bonus Tracks -
7. Celebration 4:01
Tony Williams
8. Letsby 6?34
Allan Holdsworth
Credita :
Allan Holdsworth – guitar
Alan Pasqua – keyboards
Tony Newton – bass
Tony Williams – drums

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH – Atavachron (1986-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For a little background, back in the '80s the SynthAxe was invented. It looked like something that fell out of a UFO. It was guitar-like with sets of strings and other onboard controls that allowed the triggering (playing) of synthesizers. What was unique was that guitarists could therefore play a synthesizer without needing a great amount of keyboard expertise. The SynthAxe was the interface that very uniquely interpreted a guitarist's skill into synth sounds. For guitarist Allan Holdsworth, it was yet a whole new way to achieve the sounds unvoiced in his soul in ways he just couldn't do with a standard guitar. Holdsworth has always sought a horn-like voicing with the ability to manipulate a note in a myriad of ways. He is known for being one of the most unique stylists on guitar, but it is the SynthAxe that allows him to go places a guitar can't reach. This release was special in that it marks Holdsworth's first use of the SynthAxe alongside electric guitar. The SynthAxe sounds more like a keyboard than a guitar. It has a wider sound spectrum than keyboards and in this release you will hear a myriad of synthscapes and effects. This release offered a semi-progressive symphonic element and served to ever stretch the boundaries of jazz fusion. Beautiful female vocals in one song framed by surrealistic visual musicks of the SynthAxe and keyboardy leads by Holdsworth may have turned guitar fans off, but this effort is clear evidence of the genius Holdsworth was demonstrating release after release. And as expected, Holdsworth continued to strive for that reed voicing and phrasing on his guitar solos, which merely pushed him to his best. John W. Patterson

Tracklist :

1. Non Brewed Condiment 3:39

2. Funnels 6:10

3. The Dominant Plague 5:41

4. Atavachron 4:45

5. Looking Glass 4:31

6. Mr. Berwell 6:21

7. All Our Yesterdays Sea 5:25 

Musicians :

Allan Holdsworth - Guitar, Ssynthaxe

Jimmy Johnson - Bass

Gary Husband - Drums

Special Guests :

Alan Pasqua - Keyboards

Tony Williams, Chad Wackerman - Drums

Billy Childs - Keyboards, Soloist

Rowanne Mark - Vocals

 

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH – Metal Fatigue (1985) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Criminally unknown and underappreciated, Allan Holdsworth is one of the greatest musicians ever to pick up the electric guitar. Here, on 1985's Metal Fatigue, everything finally comes together for him. For the majority of this record, Holdsworth is joined by bassist Jimmy Johnson and drummer Chad Wackerman, and these two musicians, virtuosos in their own right, complement Holdsworth beautifully (check out Johnson's wonderful part in "Home" and lovely solo on "Panic Station"). The leader is known for his extremely legato phrasing and rich harmonic vocabulary, both of which are on display in the solo and frantic fills of "Metal Fatigue." Anchored by Paul Williams' vocals, the song is marvelously constructed, with a strong verse melody supported by Holdsworth's upper-register guitar chords. The guitarist's much-vaunted whammy bar work is also on full display here. Certain fills in "Metal Fatigue" are almost queasy sounding, as Holdsworth bends and slurs in impossible ways. His use of the tremolo bar comes out not only during his melodic playing, but also during his rhythm playing, where he allows his chords just a trace of shimmer, enough to lend body to his playing but not enough to blur the harmonies. The influence of Holdsworth's unique style is evident in the work of such rock guitarists as Eddie Van Halen and Alex Lifeson (listen to VH's "Drop Dead Legs" or Rush's "YYZ" for a taste of this connection), but the watered-down and otherwise assimilated adaptations of his style pale compared to the unadulterated stuff. One of the most important fusion records of the '80s is also Holdsworth's best work. Absolutely essential for those who like their rock with a healthy dose of jazz. Daniel Gioffre
Tracklist :
1    Metal Fatigue 4:54
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth, Williams
2    Home 5:29
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth
3    Devil Take The Hindmost 5:33
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth
4    Panic Station 3:31
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth, Williams
5    The Un-Merry-Go-Round 14:06
Bass Guitar – Gary Willis
Drums – Gary Husband
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Keyboards – Alan Pasqua
Written-By – Holdsworth
6    In The Mystery 3:49
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Mac Hine
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Korda
Written-By – Holdsworth, Korda