Category Archives: Reviews

Oliver Lake-life dance of is LP:

almost missed this one, which only graced the vial very recently. a series of surprise disappointments with poor & immensely boring records from Lake at the prolusion of the 80s (The Prophet & Clevont Fitzhubert) – with shifting instrumentation & the heavy loss of Michael Gregory Jackson – has so far deterred further exploration into his eighties output (which hopefully improved?).

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Lenny White, Venusian Summer, Big City, the Adventures of the Astral Pirates, Rerurn to Forever, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy:

Lenny White was a Jazz Fusion drummer who emerged chiefly with the group Return To Forever in the 70s. he became associated with the “power drummers” of the era such as Billy Cobham, Narada Michael Walden, Aphonso Mouzon & Tony Williams. although it is generally observed that he did not quite have the chops of the aforementioned A-listers, he did, however, as a leader, produce two of the most emblematic & exemplary 70s Fusion albums of the era, Venusian Summer & Big City. the “conceptual” Fusion albums, where each track would often possess it’s own personnel, varying instrumentations & specific themes or ideation, was a strong feature of the genre in its prime. imagination & sonic costume was required, & Lenny White’s first two albums as a leader personify that precedent as some of the strongest examples of the genre.

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Maurice McIntyre-humility in the light of the creator CD:

A rare stray from AACM member Muarice McIntyre from 69. Maurice is a weltering saxophonist who crops up on a few sessions (I forget which ones exactly) here & there, but scorched the steeple black on Richard Abrams superb ‘Levels and Degrees of Light’ debut. This is his first LP as a band leader, & he has conjured a considerable entourage that extols the likes of Malachi Favors, Claudine Myers, Thurman Barker & more from the AACM quorum. Continue reading Maurice McIntyre-humility in the light of the creator CD: