2024 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 2 - Complete

Michael Urbaniak - Body English. 1976 Arista promo (LP). Same garage sale (Jun). Side 1 seems stiff but I like the period sounds of Side 2. Almost a keeper but perhaps too slick and glossy.

Miroslav Vitous - Majesty Music. 1976 Arista promo (LP). Back to the garage sale (Jun). Solid fusion album from Czech bassist. Opening track has fuzz bass and that would have served the album better had he kept using it.

Jaco Pastorius - Invitation. 1983 Warner Bros. (LP). From a local antique mall for $1 (Jun). The opener I recognized from Maynard Ferguson's Primal Scream album. A wonderful 70s styled TV soundtrack composition. I'm not a huge "bass as a lead instrument" guy unless it's Zeuhl, and that's a different use altogether. Highly regarded album but doesn't sway me much.

*Larry Young's Fuel - Spaceball. 1976 Arista promo (LP). Same sale as below (Jun). A much stranger album than I had realized in the past. High creative and sounds like something that may have come from France during this era. There's elements of funk, jazz, disco, and prog throughout. Within the parameters Young boxed himself in with, it still sounds fresh and unique. Jazz and fusion fans aren't too keen on Young's departure from the norm, but I'm enjoying it immensely.

Airto - Free. 1979 CTI promo (1973) (LP). Same sale as below (Jun). Side 1 is an excellent variation of the early 70s jazz rock sound, deftly adding Brazilian touches. Side 2 starts with a free improvisation, hence the title. The last two tracks are on the happy side of jazz. Overall still very good, but only half an album for me.

*Isotope - Illusion. 1975 Gull promo (1974). (LP). Recently scored some minty jazz and funk albums (mostly promos) from a local garage sale all at very cheap prices (Jun). New member Hugh Hopper takes over with his fuzz bass and leads a very fine set of jazz fusion tunes. I've always liked this album but now appreciating even more. +1 listen.

Allen Youngblood - Selah. 1984 Griot (LP). From a local antique mall (Jun). Once I saw Julian Priester listed, I figured this might be a piece worth considering. And it was. Sort of a late era spiritual jazz release. A bit too traditional for me to keep, but glad I picked it up. Seems to be a price riser too.

*Stanley Clarke - Children of Forever. 1973 Polydor (LP). From a local antique mall (Jun). Much more personal than his later fusion works. Even a Magma vibe can be detected in the wordless voices. A solid release and the best I've heard from Clarke.

* - Keeping for the collection

Love Cry Want ~ USA ~ Washington D.C.

Love Cry Want (1972 / 1997)

For those who aren't familiar with this album - it is the singular most dirty and nasty early 70s jazz rock album ever released. Larry Young, who went on to record the magnificent Lawrence of Newark, was at the peak of his creative powers by this time, coming off a successful stint with Tony Williams' Emergency. The album is steeped in the jazz tradition, so no doubt there's plenty of loose improvisation parts, but when they catch a groove in the Miles Davis manner, there is nothing better than this. There's fuzz guitar, fuzz organ, fuzz bass, fuzz drums, fuzz percussion, fuzz in the sky, and fuzz in the earth. If you're familiar with the band The Fourth Way and their album Werwolf, take that as a base, and amp it up 100 times. I've read comparisons of Love Cry Want to Wolfgang Dauner's Et Cetera and Exmagma - and I think that's a very perceptive observation.

Liner notes from the CD: "June 1972. The times were filled with darkness and turmoil. This music, of loving, of crying, of wanting, makes a powerful statement. It is awash with the anguish of the times, yet it heralds the promise of better days to come.

Love Cry Want was a legendary jazz fusion group based in Washington D.C., and led by guitarist, Nicholas. This recording took place during a series of concerts in Washington, held across from the White House in Lafayette Park, and featured the late, great jazz organist Larry Young, who had just recorded the historic “Bitches Brew” LP with Miles Davis and had left the Tony Williams Lifetime and guitarist John McLaughlin to combine forces with Nicholas and drummer, Joe Gallivan.

This second incarnation of Love Cry Want featured the triumvirate of Nicholas, Gallivan, and Young performing some of the most important music in the history of jazz. No record company would release this music, which was ahead of it's time.

Nicholas, who pioneered the development of the first guitar synthesizer (in association with Electronic Music Laboratories) performs on the first prototype guitar 'synth' along with fellow musician, Joe Gallivan, who pioneered the development of the drum synthesizer with inventor, Robert Moog.

June 1972, Lafayette Park.

Richard Nixon was President. There was a nasty war going on in Vietnam, good people were rioting in the streets and cities were aflame. During this series of concerts outside the White House, President Nixon ordered aide, J.R. Haldeman, to pull the plug on the concert fearing that this strange music would “levitate the White House.” This is that music.

Personnel:
Nicholas: prototype guitar synthesizer, ring modulator, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, water, hi-tension wires and wailing dervish 
Joe Gallivan: drums, steel guitar, moog synthesizer, and percussion 
Jimmy Molneiri: drums and percussion 
Larry Young: Hammond organ."

I somehow doubt the above story myself (it's a bit of "Loch Ness Monster" sighting and plays on the popular local D.C. Watergate theme). But as I also say - never let facts get in the way of a good story!

Ownership: 1997 Newjazz.com (CD). Booklet with liner notes and recording details. Acquired in 1998. 

1998; 1/16/15 (review / new entry); 8/13/20; 10/2/26