Iceberg - Coses Nostres. 1976 Spain

Iceberg switched gears on their second album to create a pure play fusion album with indigenous Spanish touches, especially flamenco. Though the band is Catalan, they favor the southern sounds of Andalusia. Highlight is focused on Max Sunyer's guitar and Joseph Kitflus' keyboards. As such comparisons to Return to Forever and Al Di Meola are well placed. In hearing this album for 31 years now, it still sounds fresh.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Bocaccio. Single sleeve. Acquired via mail order (1992). Though the vinyl looks near mint, it's a noisy pressing. Given that the CDs are all messed up, it doesn't appear there to be a great sound source for this album. However I have read the Japanese papersleeve sounds excellent (ironic that). I'll stick with this. The music is loud enough to overcome most of the background noise.

A couple of Discogs quirks. The one they have as "primary" is a later press from 1977 (see back cover). This original version has what looks like a tiny sticker applied on the rim text of the label (7.770), but I don't think that's factory. My copy doesn't have it anyway.

1992; 5/24/98; 3/10/16; 6/11/23 (new entry)

Spheroe. 1977 France

Spheroe's debut album opens with sustain guitar and heavy percussion, which should tell you the direction this fine album is headed. 12 minute 'Black Hill Samba' is one of the best Latin influenced fusion tracks there is, as it never sits still in one place, constantly moving about in a progressive rock manner. And it never lets up from there. Some of the shorter tracks provide mellow interludes, but overall this is a spirited affair that avoids most of the genre's negative trappings. If the fusion phase of Santana interests you, then be sure to pick up Spheroe.

Ownership: LP: 1977 Cobra. Recent online acquisition. Though the album was released on Inner City here in the States, I never bothered to pick it up. It was a fairly common album to find in the used stores back in the late 80s and 90s. At the time, though, fusion wasn't really my thing - so it was probably wise that I laid off. Once I saw the French original, I knew the time was right.

To Be ~ Germany

To Be (1977)

To Be - now there's a name / title that's easy to find on the internet. When I first heard this album, I hated it. Of course, I fully expected it to be a full-on Krautrock album filled with heavy organ and acid guitar solos. It's on Brain right? And that cover looks great to me. And long tracks too! Yea, well, that goes back to 1988 when I found it at a local record show. So YouTube boy, don't get all high and mighty on me that I should have known better.

Many years later, I caught the "Kraut Fusion" bug. And To Be is a bullseye for that style. Latin tinged fusion, in particular, was all the rage in late 70s Northern Europe. So what we have here is an instrumental mid 70s Santana mixed with Return to Forever. Some fine guitar solos, extra percussion, and complex unison runs are what you'll hear. All packaged nicely to go with your Pina Colada. It's a bit slick, sure, but I like it.

No reissues as of 3/25/25.

Former ownership: 1977 Brain (LP). Acquired in 1988.

1988; 7/3/10 (review); 2/3/20 (update / new entry)