2025 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 3

*Jukka Linkola Octet - Jazz Liisa 06. 2016 Svart (CD) (1977). I own this since it's attached to the Jupu Group - Jazz Liisa 05 album. However, I didn't consider it for the primary collection. I also didn't pen any notes from my initial listen in 2016. Time to hear again to see if my opinion has been altered. I've also heard Banana as part of my CDRWL project many years ago, but again, not too much recollection beyond my scribblings. As I immerse myself into the recording, it occurs to me this would fit perfectly into my current "jazz classics" project (see below). Not fusion or rock in the slightest, excepting maybe the last track, which has Maynard Ferguson overtones. Makes for fine, if unrelated, bonus tracks to the Jupu Group album (beyond Linkola's involvement on the former). I wouldn't pursue on its own though. (12/28)

*Hozan Yamamoto - Silver World. 1979 Philips (LP) (1971). Here's one I've been sitting on since late spring, having found it for 69 cents. After a quick scan, I knew it was something I wanted to hear. I just needed the right moment, since I knew it would be a peaceful and tranquil jazz. After a hectic day of digging, I needed to chill out. Ah finally, how about listening to Silver World and wind down that way? Yamamoto plays a shakuhachi (a type of bamboo flute), and he's backed by a trio on piano, bass, and drums. In this context, Yamamoto comes across as a Japanese Lloyd McNeill. A deep spiritual feeling permeates throughout. It's more serene than McNeill but the atmosphere is similar. The B side is a bit more energetic. Pianist Masabumi Kikuchi composed five of the six songs with the other from Charlie Mariano. I haven't kept too many Japanese not-fusion jazz albums in the past, but I think I'll hold onto this one. (12/7)

Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures. 1976 Warner Bros. (LP). Let's start off Jazz Journal Vol. 3 with yet another mixed bag effort from Zappa. Opener 'Wind Up Workin' In a Gas Station' is pretty much what you can expect from the silly side of the man. Has a nice hard rock riff though. Then of course he follows that up with an amped up bluesy fusion track that's great. A3 is the longest song. A dirgey blues number, mostly annoying with the moans and groans, but features some fine guitar soloing (of course). And so it goes. Other guitar fronted instrumental highlights include B2 and the atmospheric title track. (12/2)

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The following are jazz classics from the 50s, 60s, and 70s that I've been finding around town for $1 or less. Not necessarily in my interest wheelhouse, but they make for fine late evening listens. I'm not rating or reviewing these anywhere, since it doesn't seem the right thing to do. I'm keeping most of these for now, though probably not permanent. Any titles that capture my imagination will be rated and elevated to the primary collection. This is an ongoing project.

*Bill Evans - Interplay. 1987 OJC (CD)
*Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus. 1987 OJC (CD)

*The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out. 1997 Columbia Legacy (CD)

*Bobby Hutcherson - Happenings. 2006 Blue Note (CD)

*McCoy Tyner - Song For My Lady. OJC (CD) 90s pressing.

Ornette Coleman - Tomorrow is the Question (CD)

*Dexter Gordon - Go (CD) Blue Note

* - Keeping for the collection

2025 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 2

*Frank Zappa - Waka / Jawaka. 1995 Rykodisc (CD) (1972). I've debated putting up a page for Frank Zappa, but I don't think I can do the guy any justice. Everything I have to say about him, I've already documented in another journal entry for the Grand Wazoo album. As his albums roll in here, I think I'll just put them in the journals. Maybe if I compile enough of them, and have something unique to offer, I'll consolidate. In any case, Waka / Jawaka represents one of my favorite albums from Zappa. His first truly jazz rock album, 'Big Swifty' starts the opus off with a bang and never lets up. Though Zappa always had the chops of a jazz player, it's here that the music reflects this the most. It plays more like a Miles Davis album from the same era. My pick is the title track, as Zappa also had a knack for writing wonderful melodies. Of course, this being Zappa, he had to throw in a couple of goofball tracks to prove (endlessly it appears) that he was not a serious fellow all the time. Yea, we got that Frank. Would have been nice for him to show up like a professional jazz rock musician for 40 minutes just once. Oh well. I'll take the 29 and toss the 7. Strangely I have yet to find this on vinyl. When I do, I'll swap out this rather mundane CD reissue that I've owned for many years. (10/20)

*John Coltrane - A Love Supreme. 1996 Impulse (CD) (1965). About every ten years I pull this CD out of my collection for a revisit. I first picked it up at a used shop in Springfield, Illinois while there on business in early 2000. It was a transformational time for me from a career standpoint, and this album came at the perfect time in my life. From the opening notes you know it's a special album. The atmosphere is exhilarating. I'm not sure I'll be creating an artist page for Coltrane because I sense many of his works will be beyond my reach. And even this album goes beyond where I want to be, especially what would be side 2 on the LP. But A1 and A2 is just about perfect. Despite hours of digging, I have yet to luck out finding any Coltrane on LP beyond Ballads, which bizarrely I also found on reel to reel, and is the version I kept. Oh, and that collaboration with Don Cherry that I reported on a couple of years ago (and sold). If I do find A Love Supreme on vinyl, it will be my keeper forever copy, but this tri-fold digipak CD is lovely with a fine short history too. (10/6)

Lonnie Liston Smith - A Song for the Children. 1979 Columbia (LP). I know nothing about Lonnie Liston Smith's solo works, which appears to be my misfortune. Smith's background contains a brilliant resume of sitting in with many jazz A-listers throughout the 60s and early 70s before striking out on his own. And if RYM is accurate, this album seems to be the only one to avoid. Just my luck. But for 69 cents, I can't go wrong. After desecrating my stereo with TKO's Let It Roll, doesn't this sound sweet? I can guess why this album gets the cold shoulder. Disco. At least the first track (and last song as it turns out). Sounds fine to me. This is followed by a softer new age styled jazz. And then onto a jazz funk number. B3 features some beautiful electric guitar, almost Santana-ish. In reading about his more revered albums, A Song For the Children seems to be of a similar style throughout minus the opener and closer. Probably more ear friendly and less edgy. Great keys from Smith augmented by a fine cast. If this is his worst then I'm in for some good music going forward.) (9/4)

Mark Isham - Castalia. 1988 Virgin (LP). A former friend of mine was a huge fan of Mark Isham during this era, but I never derived much from his albums. Maybe now I'll have a different perspective. Nope. Isham exists in the slightly jazz, new age space. Very peaceful late night sounds, with Isham providing muted trumpet. The bass tones are warm and elongated, and the keyboards are plastic. David Torn is here on guitar but you would never know it. Fine album in the genre, but ultimately too sleepy for me. (6/20)

*Matrix - Harvest. 1981 Pablo (LP). As I stated on The 45 Revolution about their last recording from 1982, a very obscure SP: "From Appleton, Matrix had a relatively successful career, obtaining major label releases on both RCA and Warner Bros. I've heard a couple of them, but don't recall the contents and didn't keep either around." Harvest would prove to be their last LP, released under the radar on the jazz imprint Pablo. The music here is one that I've gravitated to of late, that of big band jazz rock. Similar to Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson. More towards the former as there aren't any one solo protagonist. The music displayed is complex yet easy on the ears. Anachronistic for 1981, though some of the tones were contemporary. Unique enough album to hold onto I think, and I'll put the 45 in there as well. (6/9)

Jan Garbarek Group - It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice. 1985 ECM Germany (LP). A few seconds in and I instantly recognized the shimmering tones of David Torn's guitar. While that was a pleasant surprise the album remains in Music Noir mode for its entire length. More ECM Style Jazz targeted to the adults in the room. It's all well and good, but way too sleepy for me. I'd rather hear the legends from the 50s and 60s doing this kind of smoky jazz. (5/20)

Mark Colby - Serpentine Fire. 1978 Tappan Zee / Columbia (LP). Mark Colby's debut comes from a time when it seems every jazz musician, balding or not, got their 40 minutes of fame. This is the Bob James / Jay Chattaway show, bringing together all the same guys you'd here on a Maynard Ferguson album and many others. And the music is similar. To be clear, the music is very pleasant to the ear. In fact this troupe seems to be competing against the CTI guys for who can be the smoothest. Yet this isn't smooth jazz as we know the term via the Kenny G lens. With a name like Serpentine Fire, one might expect an intense fusion. But it's nothing of the sort. I think some more edge would have secured its place in the collection. (5/16)

*David Diggs - Elusion. 1978 Blue Jay (LP). Found this at a thrift shop recently and it looked intriguing. Once I saw it had value on Discogs, I added it to the stack. In hearing it for the first time, the appeal is immediate. Heavy instrumental jazz funk is the music with emphasis on biting electric guitar, electric piano, Moog synthesizer, and creative rhythms. Trumpet, sax, and flute round out the sound. Excellent production too. So who is this guy? He has a lot of solo albums and he's also part of a group called Good News. Contemporary Christian Music that would be. And some of his other works are described as Smooth Jazz. Christian Smooth Jazz is not a magnet for the buyer. But you would never know any of this after seeing and hearing Elusion. It's not message based, and the music is just as good as Donald Byrd in a similar phase. One to look for when you see a Heyseus Creesto drop at the thrift shop. (5/1)

Fuse One - Silk. 1981 CTI (LP). As soon as I saw this at a record store in their buck bin, I knew it was something I'm taking home to check out. It features an all-star cast of jazz fusion luminaries, and there are only four long tracks. Complete with an old fashioned bullet-proof gatefold cover, which had long gone the way of the dodo by 1981. The music didn't disappoint, that of a very smooth funky fusion. Silky as the title suggests. Like an updated mid 70s typical CTI release. Unfortunately it wasn't very distinctive either. This kind of music had been played out already, and this almost seems like a cash-in job for a bunch of jazzers needing some extra revenue. I admire the effort, but it's one too many for my collection at least. (4/21)

*-Keeping for the collection

2024 Prog Journal Vol. 4 - Complete

Frank Zappa / The Mothers - The Grand Wazoo. 1995 Rykodisc (CD) (1972). Collection revisit (Dec). Zappa is the ultimate example of an artist who refused to be pigeonholed. As such, most folks have their favorites by him, or at least those albums they consider worthy of repeated listens. I know there exists fanatics out there who say Zappa could do no wrong, quite possibly because he was so eclectic. For me, Hot Rats is his grand achievement, and then I have a few I really enjoy, and the rest I can live without. The Grand Wazoo is the only one currently in my collection that I wasn't so sure about. And, of course, the album is about as consistent as his career. The lengthy title track is an odd kind of big band orchestra hybrid. Thinking Third Stream here, but more towards the rock side than jazz. This is followed (at least on CD) by a couple of Zappa's typical insouciant numbers, with much silliness interjected into the serious compositions. Honestly I think he just woke up every morning to be a contrarian and to shock people. And he was clear headed about that too (read his book). 'Eat That Question' is my kind of Zappa, and my kind of early 70s jazz rock. He wasn't a pioneer in this field, but it was unusual for a "pop" artist to take on this field of music at the time. Carlos Santana did similar, but with a different focus. Closer 'Blessed Relief" pulls out the gentle melodies of the Hot Rats era but with an almost smooth jazz approach. I think if The Grand Wazoo was an early high school or college discovery for me, I'd be pretty zombie-eyed about the contents. But I was in my late 30s by the time I got around to first hearing it, and already well established mentally, personally, and spiritually. So it's just another album to me. And not a very consistent one. I can let it go. No memories here.

*TEE - Total Edge Effect. 2022 Pretentious Dinosaur. For their prior album Tales of Eternal Entities. I said: "TEE return with their distinctly mid to late 70s warm European progressive rock sound. Flute, guitar, and analog sounding synth lines dominate the melodies, while the rhythm section mixes things up often to keep the music from becoming static. As in the past, you'll hear traces of Asia Minor, Solaris, Gotic, and perhaps more pointedly than ever, the godfather of such a sound: Camel." No changes here. If there's a sound that I instantly enjoy it's the kind TEE peddle. I probably need to stop buying more product, as I have more than enough, but these kind of albums never disappoint. Intriguing Japanese mini-LP type release, but done by French TV's own Pretentious Dinosaur label. (Dec)

Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses. 1978 Chrysalis (LP). Pulled out of a local store's dollar bin (Dec). The last of the 70s Tull albums for me to hear. Oh wait, I still need to hear War Child. In any case, Heavy Horses sounds every bit like the meeting place between Songs From the Wood and Stormwatch. More rocking than the former and less commercial than the latter. Not very exciting for me though.

* - Keeping for the collection