East Of Eden
Jig-a-Jig

The East Of Eden can be considered among the pioneers of Jazz-rock fusion in its most progressive form.
Led by the brilliant violinist Dave Arbus, the band was formed in 1968 in England's West Country, and their innovative streak is mainly due to their music inspired partly by the jazz legend Charles Mingus. What they offer is a good mix of progressive music with jazz-fusion nuances, with an oriental air; within each track, you can sense mystical themes that well correlate with the band's style, which also leaves room for a good dose of improvisation. This work Jig-A-Jig encompasses almost their entire second album "Snafu," released in 1970, and also represents their best effort.
The title track captivates with its compelling rhythm, a pleasant electric folk-rock where Arbus's violin reigns supreme; an entirely instrumental piece that reached the seventh position in the UK Charts and represents the absolute peak moment for the band.
Also noteworthy is "Nymphenburger," which owes something to the classic "Rondo a la Turque," previously played by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and The Nice, but our EOE also deliver a well-interpreted version; Arbus employs six violin tracks while Nicholson is content with four guitar tracks, the result is a fearsome piece, 6 minutes of rhythm changes and hallucinated digressions.
It is a well-structured album, leaving no doubts about the EOE's creative streak and their originality, especially within a genre that, in those years, was producing thousands of cookie-cutter bands, one a clone of another.
Perhaps it may appear the same for EOE, but believe me, after a few listens, you perceive that there is something different in their music.
After 1971, as often happened during that period, the group began its slow descent into disbandment; the only one remaining afloat is the same frontman Dave Arbus who will receive his due reward for his demonstrated class by playing the violin in Baba O'Riley by the Who, in "Who's Next," not bad, what do you think?
Another demonstration of how many bands at that time would have deserved much more.