New Jazz Quintet ~ USA ~ New Orleans, Louisiana

High Energy Design (1981)

---12/28/18

New Jazz Quintet play an excellent late 70's / early 80's styled fusion, that is highly melodic, and features great guitar and synthesizer work. I'll put a feature post up eventually. 

---4/15/25

And six plus years later that promise has now been fulfilled. From New Orleans, New Jazz Quintet play a spirited instrumental fusion with guitar and synthesizers in the lead. In fact the band sports two lead electric guitarists giving them a distinctive edge. The synthesizers are from the 70s Moog school of soloing even if they are different brands. 'From the Depths' sounds like a Richard Pinhas interlude from Chronolyse. 'The Ozone Layer' recalls Mahavishnu Orchestra at their most fiery. There are seven tracks and every one of them is a winner, no duds here.

Ownership: 1985 ITI (LP). Second pressing with a different cover.

No reissues as of 4/15/25.

12/28/18 (first acquired); 4/15/25 (review / new entry)

The Third Estate - Years Before the Wine. 1976 USA-Louisiana

Here's an old review I dug out from 22+ years ago. In hearing this album again recently for the first time since then (see what I mean about having too much stuff?), there's little to alter here (note that the cost has gone significantly up though). Definitely one-of-a-kind and worth seeking out.

---

In the late 1980's a collector friend of mine was mining through a huge pile of records in an obscure New Orleans, Louisiana record store when he came across what was obviously a private press. He bought it on a whim and after one listen realized he was sitting on a BIG piece. Fortunately for me, I was able to hear this before most and I was impressed immediately. Not soon after, the going rate was around $400 and the progression to bootleg LP was inevitable. And now, finally, is the legitimate CD issue of this Baton Rouge album for all to hear. I mention this, because the liner notes penned by leader Robert Everett mention this episode in detail. And because of that find, we have this CD. So, what about the music? It's an even balance of progressive, psychedelic and folk. The lineup is a fairly basic trio with two guitarists, a drummer, and a female guest vocalist. Robert adds some bass, piano, and organ on some of the tracks. What makes this stand out from the pack is the loud fuzz tone guitar prominent throughout which explains why it is popular with psych heads. Prog fans have plenty to get excited about too. A concept album, Robert, who is a history buff, based the album loosely on the French Revolution. With this concept comes many changes in theme, tempo, and mood. For folk fans, there is the fine acoustic guitar work, top level compositions, and excellent delivery of vocals. Not really comparable to any album or band, this deserves a listen by all who want to hear something different within the realms of prog, psych, and folk.

Ownership: CD: 1996 Mellow (Italy). Excellent reissue containing a history of the band and full lyrics.

1/25/98; 7/98 (Expose)

Spickle. 2000 USA-Louisiana

Spickle were a quartet from New Orleans, who play a type of instrumental metal, as performed by a late 1960's era garage psych band. Sure, one would call this math rock as well, I suppose. Whatever the genre warriors want to label it, this is one entertaining progressively slanted instrumental (heavy) rock album. It appears this is a band that fell entirely through the cracks. That's too bad. 

Sold the CD (2021)

2004; 9/6/15 (new entry); 10/12/21

Afroskull ~ USA ~ New Orleans, Louisiana

To Obscurity and Beyond (2009)

To Obscurity and Beyond, nine years after their debut, continues with Afroskull's unique blend of: Hard rock - meets Jazz - meets Horn chart driven Funk - all similar to classic mid 1970s Mandrill. When I first heard this album back in 2010, I wrote: "This is the band that Jay Leno should have picked to replace Kevin Eubanks. How badass would have that been? And they're from New Orleans, so he could have scored Politically Correct points right there." A few years later (2015), it's hard for me to argue with that sentiment. Jay Leno and Eubank's replacement Rickey Minor are long gone, and now Jimmy Fallon has his pet band with him. While I like The Roots as much as the next guy, Afroskull - after one of their incendiary jams - leave them smoldering in the wood pile with no hope of recovery (and no annoying hip-hop to get in the way either). Afroskull has two brilliant albums with a niche sound that is rarely heard. As I indicated on their debut, take the Budos Band and mix them with a traditional hard rock outfit, and you have Afroskull. I want to hear more music like this. Really, I do.

Ownership: 2009 Skullsound (CD). Acquired in 2010.

2010; 8/7/15 (review)

Also own: Monster for the Masses

8/7/15 (new entry)

Woodenhead - Perseverance. 2003 USA-Louisiana

After 20 years, New Orleans based jazz rock group Woodenhead unleashed what would be their final album to date - the appropriately named Perseverance. At the border of fusion and progressive rock, this fine instrumental album features plenty of excellent electric guitar, piano, and a nimble rhythm section. The compositions are written as such to feature a multitude of ideas within each segment, and thus points it further into progressive rock territory. Perhaps the best feature are the Trombones From Hell, a trio who provide some tight horn charts amongst the usual progressive fusion fare. While it misses the spirit of a youthful naivete, it still possesses an optimism and professionalism one would expect from a mature band. Best track is the last ('Buzz Beat'). A very solid work.

Ownership: CD: 2003 Free Electric Sound / Laser's Edge

5/24/14 (new entry)

Survivor - All Your Pretty Moves. 1979 USA-Louisiana

Not the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ bunch, but a much better than average early heavy metal group from Shreveport, Louisiana, saved from complete obscurity by the good folks at Monster Records. The vocalist is a slightly less forceful Rob Halford sound-alike, and the songwriting is up to the Sad Wings of Destiny standard of sophisticated hard rock. Even has a killer long track called ‘Deceive Me’. Hmmm.. wonder where that idea came from? Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin are other groups the band list as references and certainly the former makes plenty of appearances throughout.

CD: 2003 Monster