Marco Salzano

The formation of phenomena recruited by the brilliant guitarist John McLaughlin with the blessing of Miles Davis and the Indian guru Sri Chinmoy: their first two albums represent for me the best of a genre (Jazz Rock/Fusion) that can sometimes lean too much towards sterile virtuosity.

Formation of phenomena recruited by the brilliant guitarist John McLaughlin with the blessing of Miles Davis and the Indian guru Sri Chinmoy: their first two albums represent for me the best of a genre (Jazz Rock/Fusion) that is sometimes too prone to sterile virtuosity. This debut, which opens with the spiritual possession of “Meeting of The Spirits,” is pure spectacle!

A good dose of Gabriellian chameleonism, a handful of Hammilian claustrophobia, and a few drops of Watersian misanthropy—this is the recipe for this LP, where the emotional intensity of the pains of young Fish reaches absolute levels in the intricate title track (between elegiac whispers over Kelly’s piano arpeggios and furious screams on Rothery’s electric guitar) and in the virulent Forgotten Sons, a heartfelt remembrance of the victims of the Northern Irish fratricidal conflict.

A typical "Saloon Song" like those sung by Sinatra (who is indeed referenced by the "teetotaler" Fish). And what can I say about the beauty of the arpeggio and the incredibly precise "Gilmour-esque" solo by Rothery?

A classic of '90s Californian psych-pop. Fade Into You is one of those tracks that I don't really want to "analyze" but rather let it loop and it’s sweet to be lost in this sea.

McDonald & Giles, the innocent souls of the early Crimson, recorded a sunny low-profile album in '70 with some naive ingenuities (e.g., the lyrics of Suite in C). Giles proves to be an exquisitely refined sculptor of the snare drum (fantastic in Tomorrow's People), and McDonald makes the most of his talent as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger (e.g., in the suite Birdman, the dream of a new Icarus, written with Sinfield). Flight of the Ibis is the original melody of Cadence... Winwood as a guest.

A dazzling debut at Blue Note for the eclectic and imaginative New York trio. The spectacular combustion ignites immediately with the funky groove of Sugar Craft (supported by the trance arpeggios of the organ and the subversive inserts of DJ Logic), continues with the Hancockian Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho and Coconut Boogaloo, and culminates in the blazing Latin Shuffle. More fragmented are the atmospheric Nocturne (featuring prepared piano and percussion) and Whatever… with the recital by Steve Cannon.

A pop album with a nostalgic tone towards late '70s American AOR and '80s British pop, not exactly the triumphant comeback I was hoping for, but at least it's a notch above EARTH MOVING. Mostly power ballads with monotonous arrangements (but with honest supporting musicians that were chosen...), here and there catchy (Sailing), but above all, Oldfield as a guitarist is still present and fighting alongside us with at least a couple of well-crafted solos in Dreaming in the Wind and the title track.

Perhaps Oldfield's most ambitious suite, inspired by the music of Native Americans with the rigor of minimalist Glass. The title comes from the magical formulas of spells, from which the repetition of the same motif is performed by various instruments in all possible keys, much like in nursery rhymes. With David Bedford leading the strings and choir, Maddy Prior singing a poem by Longfellow over the percussion of Jabula and the hypnotic vibraphone of Pierre Moerlen.

In the fertile seclusion of Hergest Ridge, with a remarkable cut-and-paste job, Oldfield creates a shimmering tapestry that continuously shifts between ethereal and oppressive moments, juxtaposing humble folk instruments (harps, bagpipes, pan flutes) with hordes of overdubbed guitars. The crescendo of the first part is memorable, driven by the force of African drums alongside the ritual singing of female voices and the ecstatic dance of the guitar. On Horseback is a final invitation to join him in his madness.

The title says it all.