Record Reviews

ESPOO BIG BAND / HUSBAND ~ LAUMA GALILEO 071 (Barcode: 4250095800719) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is an excellent album by the veteran Finnish Espoo Big BandFind albums by this artist, established in 1980 and considered as one of top Big Bands in the country. Since 1987 the Big Band hosts the annual April Jazz Festival in Espoo, near Helsinki. On this album the Big Band plays arrangements of the music by the Finnish Rock / Fusion quartet HusbandFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Varre VartiainenFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten compositions, eight of which were composed by Vartiainen and two were composed by the Big Band´s guitarist Jarmo SaariFind albums by this artist. The music was arranged for the Big Band by its conductor Marzi NymanFind albums by this artist and by Saari. The music is a wonderful amalgam of Fusion and Big Band orchestral music, completely unique and wonderfully thought up. The arrangements are quite complex and multilayered, bringing forward the typical European stylistic and aesthetic values of Orchestral Jazz. The compositions, although based on straight-forward melody lines, are excellently structured and within the framework of the intricate arrangements are a true pleasure to listen to. In spite of the rich orchestral arrangements, the music manages to retain its Rocky kick and Fusion character, even without the presence of up front electric guitar in most cases. There are many wonderful solos of course, which emphasize the level of musicianship among the Big Band members. Overall this is a brilliant piece of European Jazz, which shows again that Jazz knows no limits and undertaking ambitious projects pays off. It also reveals the superb level of Finnish Jazz, which sadly is way too little known outside of the country´s borders, but has a glorious history and superb recorded legacy, which I had the pleasure to follow closely in the last five decades. This album is a little gem, which all Fusion and Big Band connoisseurs should not overlook by any means. A must!

Updated: 06/07/2018Posted: 06/07/2018

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GARY HUSBAND ~ DIRTY & BEAUTIFUL VOLUME 1 ABSTRACT LOGIX 027 (Barcode: 700261307053) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is the first of two albums by British drummer / keyboardist / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist recorded with a host of friends, all of which are superstars of British and international Jazz, Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, like guitarists Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, Steve HackettFind albums by this artist and Steve ToppingFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, violinist Jerry GoodmanFind albums by this artist and bassists Jimmy JohnsonFind albums by this artist, Steve PriceFind albums by this artist, Mark KingFind albums by this artist, Laurence CotileFind albums by this artist and Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. The various lineups perform twelve pieces, seven of which are original compositions by Husband and one is co-composed by him. The music, as expected after reading the lineup, ranges from Rock via Fusion to Jazz, presenting a coherent picture of musical virtuosity and compositional elegance. In contrast to many other similar projects based on the same idea of recording an album with many superstars, which usually fail miserably to achieve any substantial musical value, this attempt works wonderfully from start to finish with no dull moments to spare. The stylistic variety and the different atmospheric vistas present a superb collage of intelligent and fascinating music, which is a pleasure to listen to. As expected, the album is full of exceptional soloing. Husband keeps it all together with his dynamic and powerful rhythm drive, contributing a few keyboard solos on the way. The main point here is the mutual respect these stellar musicians have for each other, putting any competition and ego trips out of the way and concentrating on the final result. Husband turns out to be a wonderful catalyst here, able to create ad hoc lineups that sound as if they were playing together for ages. In short this is not only Fusion heaven, but a comprehensive overview of the genre in the most open minded approach possible, which encompasses everything between Rock and Free Jazz. Husband´s openness towards similarly remote sub genres was always one of his most remarkable qualities. This is definitely a must for all Fusion lovers, but every connoisseur of good music should be able to enjoy this immensely!

Updated: 06/07/2016Posted: 06/07/2016

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GARY HUSBAND ~ DIRTY & BEAUTIFUL VOLUME 2 ABSTRACT LOGIX 033 (Barcode: 700261344836) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the second of two albums by British drummer / keyboardist / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist recorded with a host of friends, all of which are superstars of British and international Jazz, Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, like guitarists Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, Ray RussellFind albums by this artist, Wayne KrantzFind albums by this artist, Neil TaylorFind albums by this artist, Alex MachacekFind albums by this artist, Jimmy HerringFind albums by this artist and Mike SternFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Sean FreemanFind albums by this artist and bassists Jimmy JohnsonFind albums by this artist, Teymur PhellFind albums by this artist, Mark KingFind albums by this artist, Laurence CotileFind albums by this artist and Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. The various lineups perform eleven pieces, five of which are original compositions by Husband and one is co-composed by him. The music on this set is less diverse stylistically and explores mainly the various possibilities of the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom, with accents and variations influenced mainly by the presence of the different guitar players on these tracks. Each and every guitarist contributes his very personal stylistic nuances, presenting overall a wonderful kaleidoscope of guitar Fusion pieces. The melodic themes of all these pieces fit very well together, which turns this seemingly unconnected collection of pieces into a coherent album, which is a thrilling listening experience. As on its predecessor, Husband plays drums and keyboards on the various pieces, always with great taste and his usual virtuosity. His drumming approach is another solidifying element of this entire collection, which again manages to sound like a complete pre-planned album as opposed to a random collection of tunes, in spite of such diverse lineups taking part in the proceedings. As usual this is Fusion Heaven, not only because of the incredibly high level of individual performances, but mainly because it is all about music and not individual ego trips which often haunt Fusion to its death. Therefore I can only wholeheartedly recommend this album to all Fusion lovers, especially since really good Fusion albums are so incredibly scarce these days. Hats off, Maestro!

Updated: 09/07/2016Posted: 09/07/2016

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GARY HUSBAND ~ THE THINGS I SEE ANGEL AIR 182 (Barcode: 5055011701823) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2000 Released: 2004 This is a re-release of a wonderful solo piano album by British keyboardist / drummer / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist. The album was originally released on the small American label Art Of LifeFind albums on this label Records and this re-release brings the album to the British / European market. On the album Husband performs ten of his interpretations of music originally composed by British guitarist / composer Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist. Husband admits that the music of Holdsworth influenced his entire musical life even before he became his partner in various endeavors they both participated in. Therefore this album is not just a loving tribute to Holdsworth the composer but also a reflection of many years of their friendship. Selecting the acoustic piano as the medium to explore the music associated with Holdsworth, which immediately screams electric guitar and Fusion, might seem somewhat bizarre at first, but just a few moments into this album reveal that it was perhaps the imperative choice. Husband transforms the music totally, even when he stays loyal to the original melodies or chord structures, but does so with great respect towards the original creations. Even if some de-composing and re-composing is involved, the spirit of the music is beautifully preserved. The nakedness of a solo piano performance is of course the definitive challenge and Husband emerges from it victorious on every imaginable platform. His command of the instrument is complete, his sensibility is awe-inspiring and his ability to weave intricate and multilayered threads is astounding. Most of the people who associate the figure of Husband with Fusion and who were never exposed to this album are in for a surprise of their lives. I have listened to this album many times since it was released, and each and every time it took me completely by surprise, since the depth of emotion and elegance seems to simply grow within this music as the time moves on. This is a very rare quality which only the best of albums are blessed with and in retrospect I am glad that this is one of them, as it truly deserves to be a part of every music connoisseur´s permanent collection. Now, over fifteen years since this music was first conceived and recorded, it is still growing, as are its two protagonists: Husband and Holdsworth. In a word where artistic values are slowly (or perhaps rapidly) dying, these two proud British artists continue to serve as islands of sanity and hope. Not to be missed!

Updated: 10/07/2016Posted: 10/07/2016

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GARY HUSBAND / DRIVE ~ HOTWIRED ABSTRACT LOGIX 015 (Barcode: 827912084474) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This is a great album by British drummer / keyboardist / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist and his quartet called DriveFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Richard TurnerFind albums by this artist (who sadly died at the ridiculous young age of 27 from a heart attack three years after this album was recorded), saxophonist Julian SiegelFind albums by this artist and American (resident in London) bassist Michael JanischFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tunes, six of which are original compositions by Husband, one is by Siegel and two are standards. Although Husband´s work is usually associated with Jazz-Rock Fusion, and even though this album is even labeled as such on its cover, this music is way more real Jazz than Fusion oriented and often ventures into freely improvised passages, not to mention collective improvisations, all of which have little to do with the usual Fusion drudgery. As a result this album might catch some of Husband´s fans by surprise, but this is modern Jazz at its best folks. All four musicians are of course incredible instrumentalists, and therefore the level of performances herein comes as no surprise. Although melody based, the music is mostly about individual improvisations and teamwork. Husband sets the pace of course with his polyrhythmic beat and dominant drive, but he leaves a lot of space for everybody to contribute and plays a few nasty piano parts on top if it. The trumpet / saxophone unisono parts and dialogues are full of fire and grace, not to mention the explosive solos. The bass pulsations keep the music on a firm ground and the bass solos curdle your blood. In short this album kicks your bottom from start to finish. Overall this is a great modern Jazz album, which continues the proud British Jazz tradition of individuality and excellence. I can´t think of a true Jazz fan that would not be impressed by this album and I hope to hear more of similar music in the future. It´s been a while since this album was recorded so another drive would be most welcome. It´s about time for Gary Husband to get the respect and recognition he truly deserves. He is way to modest and good natured to put his elbows to work, so at least those who appreciate his talents should state their opinions out loud. The fact that Husband plays drums and keyboards and does so with the same deadly proficiency is part of the problem, as people often get confused as to his "true" devotion. Well, get used to this folks, he might be instrumentally schizophrenic, but both parts of his musical personality live perfectly in peace with each other. Keep up the great work Sir!

Updated: 02/07/2016Posted: 02/07/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend