Record Reviews

MEDUSA ~ RISING FROM THE ASHES SVART 028 (Barcode: 6430050668051) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1975 Released: 1977 This is the second album by American Prog band MedusaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of keyboardist / composer Donna BrownFind albums by this artist, guitarist Gary BrownFind albums by this artist, vocalist / guitarist Randy BobzienFind albums by this artist, bassist Phoenix JohnsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Dean McCallFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original songs all composed by Donna Brown and with lyrics written or co-written by her. The band was originally formed in 1973 and recorded their debut album a couple of years later, which remained unreleased, except for a single. Forty years later the music was re-discovered and released as the band´s debut album "First Step BeyondFind albums with this title". Another couple of years later the band recorded this, their second album, which was released by the Finnish SvartFind albums on this label Records label. The music is kept faithfully within the retro 1970s style and sound boundaries, based on the myriad of early Prog / Hard Rock bands active at the time, mostly those in the UK. Dominated by guitar riffs and heavy Hammond parts, supported by dynamic rhythm section, the band sounds as if it was teleported four decades into the future. The songs are very solid and appropriate for the style, the melodies and the lyrics mimic the conventions; in short the music keeps the past alive, faithfully and respectfully, with no attempt to be original or innovative, which is perfectly acceptable as longs as there are no false pretentions. It is pretty sure that in a "blindfold test" situation anybody would guess this is a contemporary recording, which is an achievement in itself. For the many fans of early Prog / Hard Rock this album is exactly what they expect, with excellent songs and stylish performances, regardless of when this music was recorded. I had a lot of fun listening to this!

Updated: 17/10/2020Posted: 17/10/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

AIRTO MOREIRA & FLORA PURIM ~ LIVE IN BERKELEY AIRFLOW 801097003840 (Barcode: 801097003840) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1990 Released: 2012 This is an archival live recording by the Brazilian Jazz “Royal Couple” of percussionist / drummer / vocalist / bandleader Airto MoreiraFind albums by this artist and his wife singer / songwriter Flora PurimFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded in a tight quintet format with bassist Gary BrownFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Helio AlvesFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Widor SantiagoFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven lengthy tracks, two of which are well known pieces associated with the couple’s stint in the Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist group led by Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist. The album offers exceptional sound quality, especially for a live recording. With four Brazilian musicians on board, the music offers a brilliant Jazz-World Fusion tribute to Brazilian sources. Two of the tracks are trio performances, four others are full quintet performances with Purim on vocals and one is a solo piece by Airto. Alves proves to be a brilliant pianist, truly shining in the over twenty minutes long rendition of “La Fiesta”, but his performances on all the tracks is nothing short of phenomenal. Another RTF piece “Light As A Feather” also gets a fourteen minutes’ treatment, which causes goosebumps to appear on every listener’s skin, probably even in case of deaf persons. Although Airto and Flora recorded several live albums together, this is undoubtedly their absolute best, in every respect – the exceptional material, brilliant performances and sublime sound just all fall together perfectly. Overall, this is a surprising reminder of how great Airto / Flora and their cohorts sounded live, which of course I have experienced in person many times, but never heard on records in such glorious manifestation. For the couple’s many fans, this is an absolute must have, a sublime mixture of Jazz and Brazilian music, which sound still absolutely gorgeous, now thirty-three years later.

Updated: 17/05/2023Posted: 17/05/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FLORA PURIM ~ SINGS MILTON NASCIMENTO EFA 718750636126 (Barcode: 718750636126) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2000 Released: 2002 This is a wonderful album by Brazilian vocalist Flora PurimFind albums by this artist, dedicated to her friend the legendary Brazilian singer / songwriter Milton NascimentoFind albums by this artist, one of the most important representatives both of the original Brazilian music and the Jazz-World Fusion idiom. As Purim puts it in the album´s liner notes, which tell the story of their musical encounters over the years: "This record is not a tribute to Milton, but a declaration of unconditional love". The album collects ten songs, eight of which are composed by Nascimento and two are associated with him. Purim is accompanied by a superb cast of musicians, many of which originate from Brazil, which includes keyboardist Luiz AvellarFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Widor SantiagoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jose NetoFind albums by this artist, bassist Gary BrownFind albums by this artist, drummer (and husband) Airto MoreiraFind albums by this artist and many others. The great (and much lamented) keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist guests on one track and a brass section is featured on another track. Purim sings in Portuguese (except for one song), which is greatly refreshing, as most of her albums feature her English lyrics, and her voice is absolutely unblemished by age; on the contrary she sounds invigorated and rejuvenated. The vocal and instrumental arrangements are absolutely delightful and the album is one great joy ride from start to finish. After being yanked out of the Brazilian music into the Jazz and Fusion worlds following her and her husband´s arrival in the US, Purim seems to be enjoying coming back to her roots on this album, which is felt immediately. Of course the music is also about Nascimento, who is unquestionably one of the greatest songwriters in all times. His ability to amalgamate Brazilian moods and folkloristic themes with Jazz, Rock and contemporary music in general is unparalleled. He remains a pillar of fire among his contemporaries, which many have followed suit. Purim delivers some of her most dramatic, heartfelt vocals on this album ever, including vocalese and other vocal tricks, which are beautifully captured by the recording and production of this album, turning it instantly into one of my favorite Purim albums. The overall quality and collected talents concentrated on this album are simply staggering. Side Note: Many thanks to my friend Odd GjelsnesFind albums by this artist who has allowed me to rummage his enormous CD warehouse for hidden treasures, of which this was just one of many. The thought that this album never landed in my lap earlier makes me very sad, as it makes me realize that there must be thousands of similar albums I have missed…

Updated: 09/08/2016Posted: 09/08/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend