Tonton Macoute
Tonton Macoute

For this album, I would like to start with the cover, signed by the great photographer Marcus McMillan, known as Keef. A dead tree trunk immersed in a pond or swamp still manages to produce liquid sap that is collected in a container under the gaze of a stork: beautiful! Keef's signature graces numerous famous covers; among them, I mention "Valentine Suite," with that ethereal woman we also find on the cover of "Nirvana - Local Anaesthetic." Then there are the solarization effects—or perhaps, better said, infrared film photos—of "Indian Summer" or the self-titled "Black Sabbath"? Vertigo owes much to his work, which, in the early '70s, filled entire shelves of record stores.

The Tonton Macoute are British and this is their only work published by Neon in 1971, reissued for those interested by Repertoire in '94.

The origins of the group date back to 1968: under the name Windmill, they worked in Germany as a cover band and even recorded a couple of singles. In mid-'70, they returned to their homeland and began their progressive adventure after adopting a new name, now inspired by the militia of Haiti's dictator. The group is firmly in the hands of drummer Nigel Reveler and keyboardist-singer Paul French; with them on winds is Dave Knowles and on guitar and bass is Chris Gavin. Unfortunately, after this album, they disbanded due to the failure of Neon Records. We will find Reveler years later as the producer of the early Cure records.

From the grooves of the record emerges a prog style very much linked to Jazz Rock, with long flute excursions, sometimes reminiscent of Traffic, and then an alto sax with a solo voice at times too raw, but still inspired. At this point, an audacious comparison with Van The Man in his later years comes to mind, unable to be incisive with his alto, often strangled on the high notes and uncertain in the return on the chords at the end of the phrase.

In any case, our Knowles redeems himself with his flute playing and with the decidedly appreciable wind arrangements of track 2.

The entire work convinces me for being well-blended and rounded, even when in track 5 it descends into blues and jazz territories, forgetting the progressive line.

To those who boast of being connoisseurs of the genre, the onus is on discovering the value of this other prog gem!

Ad Maiora, Brothers!