Bill Connors

Bill Connors - Step It - 1984 - Pathfinder Records

Music critic Gene Santoro in the May, 1985 issue of Guitar Player magazine describing Bill Connors playing on “Step It” said “the aching blues phrases sing with the expressiveness of early-to middle-period Clapton; the sudden note blizzards strike with the stark power of a John Coltrane sax solo”. E. Minkovitch in a review on Amazon.com on December 10, 2008 described “Step It” as “Fusion chop-o-rama with intelligence” and gave this album 5 ***** saying, “The yardstick by which to judge other neo-fusion albums, in my opinion. By neo-fusion I mean the new-school fusion sound of 80's and 90's, featuring crisp, metallic, processed sound, heavily relying on virtuoso guitar soloing, hard drumming and driving bass lines (UZEB, Tribal Tech, Allan Holdworth, Frank Gambale etc.). Bill does it extremely well. His solos, although as technical as it gets, are melodic and well though-out, yet spontaneous rather than planned. He uses speed expressively, rather than excessively. The compositions are interesting with plenty of tension and drive. There are heavy rock-like riffs, breath-taking shred-meister soloing, crystalline picking and fluid melodic lead lines to satisfy any rock and fusion fan. His rich, metallic-sounding chords provide all the harmony that's needed, replacing the need for keyboards. Perfect fusion sound. The only thing I can add - I wish I could play like that!” The great Steve Khan said, "It's hard to overlook the early Return to Forever or the Stanley Clarke debut solo recording, but.. again sentiment has taken over...but here is truly the FIRST guitarist to play fusion with a KILLER 'rock' guitar sound". The often enigmatic Bill Connors is probably best known as the guitarist on Return To Forever’s classic 1973 jazz fusion album “Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy”. Bill left RTF after one album and tour, due to differences he had with Chick Corea’s certain Scientology beliefs which Bill felt were stifling his own freedom of musical expression. He has gone on to a have a reasonably successful solo career. He has spent long periods focussing on classical guitar. He has also worked on several albums and released a few underappreciated solo jazz fusion albums as well as playing with legends that include Stanley Clarke, Jan Garbarek and Paul Bley. In recent years, he has even played again with a revived Return To Forever band. However, he is still an obscure musician to many music lovers. “Step It” is a great and very underrated fusion album with the emphasis on the funk/R&B and rock elements of Bill Connors' playing style. The eight tracks are dominated both by drummer Dave Weckl's prominent backbeats and Connors' dashing licks and riffs, as well as catchy hooks, progressions, and patterns from bassist Tom Kennedy. Bill’s playing on this album has been compared to Allan Holdsworth, but what fusion guitarist isn’t? Tracks like "A Pedal," "Brody," and the title track may not be melodically complex, but Bill Connors’ guitar playing is sophisticated and in a league of it’s own throughout the album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Read some detailed and interesting info about Bill Connors @ http://www.angelfire.com/oh/scotters/connors.html Check out his “Assembler” and “Swimming With A Hole In My Body” albums on this blog and Buy Bill’s great “Of Mist And Melting” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 103 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Lydia 3:36
2 A Pedal 8:52
3 Step It 4:34
4 Cookies 4:51
5 Brody 4:15
6 Twinkle 5:59
7 Titan 6:36
8 Flickering Lights 5:11

All tracks composed by Bill Connors

MUSICIANS

Bill Connors - Guitar
Steve Khan - Second Guitar on Track 6
Tom Kennedy - Electric Bass
Dave Weckl - Drums

BIO (WIKI)

Bill Connors (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz musician notable for being a legato technique master, adept at both the acoustic and electric guitar, and successfully played jazz-rock, free and fusion material in the '70s and '80s. His best early solos were in the jazz-rock genre, where his use of distortion and electronics was balanced by fine phrasing and intelligent solos. His first great moment of fame occurred when he joined Chick Corea's Return to Forever in 1973, recording Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, though he quit in 1974 and was followed by Earl Klugh, who was then replaced by Al Di Meola. His decision to leave Return to Forever to concentrate more on acoustic guitar was satisfying artistically: he recorded three acoustic albums and then three electric albums as a leader/soloist, and recorded and performed with others. The quality, innovation and thoughtfulness of his work has always garnered strong praise. Connors was born in Los Angeles, California in 1949 and began to play the guitar at the age of fourteen. After three years of extensive self-study of the rock and blues influences that were his first inspiration, he began to play gigs around the Los Angeles area. He soon found his way to jazz, the music that would lead to a lifelong commitment. "I'd been playing for about four years", he explained at the time of his RTF tenure, "and suddenly had an overnight change. I didn't want to be a blues guitarist anymore. I began listening to people like Bill Evans, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, [bassist] Scott LaFaro, Miles Davis, [John] Coltrane—anyone who had a 'jazz' label. Django Reinhardt really got to me. The first time I heard one of his records, I thought that was just what I wanted to be. He had all the fire, creativity, and energy that rock players have today. And the amazing purity of his melodies—you just knew they came from a totally instinctive place." He and Django differed however over the matter of electronics with Bill preferring the sound of the electric instrument. "I always wanted to use the electric guitar in a sophisticated context, like with Chick [Corea]. I like to play jazz with that electric-rock sound. For me it's a lot closer to a horn than the traditional guitar, and that's what I love about it; I can sustain notes, get into different kinds of phrasing -- do things other instruments do naturally, only the guitar does it with the aid of technology." Connors moved to San Francisco in 1972 to join the Mike Nock Group (formerly known as "The Fourth Way") with drummer Eddie Marshall and bassist Dennis Parker. He met up with drummer and vibraphonist Glenn Cronkhite, who would introduce him to a new depth of jazz sounds and study. In those early years in the city by the bay, Connors played with numerous top-flight musicians, including Cronkhite, bassist Steve Swallow and pianist Art Lande. In 1973, after sitting in on a gig, Connors was signed on to Return to Forever, keyboardist and composer Chick Corea’s pioneering fusion group that featured bassist Stanley Clarke and (then) drummer Steve Gadd. "A miracle!" Bill claims. "Chick was my hero. I wanted to be Chick Corea on guitar. I didn't know him, but whenever I really wanted to get off on music I'd play some of his piano solos and Return To Forever songs. I heard that Chick was looking for a guitarist. Steve encouraged me to call Chick, and though I was very nervous, I did, and he invited me to come over to the club where he was working and sit in. I was so scared that I almost turned him down. But after running around and saying to everyone, 'Guess who I'm going to play with tonight,' and everyone telling everyone else, all this energy was formulating—and I took to my room and practiced my ass off." That night, the fright totally disappeared. "The minute I got up on stage I had this feeling like I'd been preparing for this all my life. I was so relaxed that I felt as though I was in my own living room. Chick and I played musical games -- he'd play these real simple lines and I'd be giving my interpretations of them, then go off into the Chick Corea 'outness.' I ended up in New York two weeks later." With keyboardist and composer Chick Corea’s pioneering fusion group that featured bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White, Connors established himself on the national and international music scenes, touring in Japan and Europe, and recording the now legendary Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Connors' playing with the group and on Hymn... spearheaded an unprecedented direction for guitar in jazz. "It's hard to overlook the early Return to Forever or the Stanley Clarke debut solo recording, but.. again sentiment has taken over...but here is truly the FIRST guitarist to play fusion with a KILLER 'rock' guitar sound". - Steve Kahn. But there is often a problem when wishes come true; in April 1974, after the band's tour of Europe and Japan, Bill quit the group. The musical direction seemed to him to be changing from what it was when Connors joined. He explains, "Everything started getting less aesthetic, more rock. Just too much like Mahavishnu (John McLaughlin (musician)). I was having trouble expressing myself the way I wanted to in that context." Connor's disenchantment with the group also stemmed from certain objections to Corea's Scientology-inspired leadership style. "Chick had a lot of ideas that were part of his involvement with Scientology. He got more demanding, and I wasn't allowed to control my own solos. I had no power in the music at all. Then, we'd receive written forms about what clothes we could wear, and graphic charts where we had to rate ourselves every night – not by our standards, but his. Finally, we had to connect dots on a chart every night. I took all of it seriously because I had a lot of respect for Chick, but eventually I just felt screwed around. In the end, my only power was to quit." In 1974, Connors left RTF, and began to explore the New York jazz and session scene, performing with guitarist John Abercrombie and keyboardist Jan Hammer, and recording with bassist Stanley Clarke. "It was great, "he states, "because it wasn't this contrived thing in order to communicate to the audience. We were *playing* again and *learning* again, and it felt real good." During this period, record dates with artists as diverse as vocalist Gene McDaniels and Stanley Clarke kept the guitarist's creative impulses occupied with a variety of challenges—but not for long. "Around 1975, I'd decided to become a classical guitar player", he muses. "I did my first solo album in 1974, and just decided on the spur of the moment to do it all on acoustic. That was just such a contrast from blowing people's ears off with my 200-watt Marshall that it really started to capture me." A further impetus came with Connors' discovery of classical artist Julian Bream. "I was sitting with his album 20th Century Guitar [RCA, LSC2964] -- a real classic -- and it has this piece by [German composer] Henze that I really loved. It was just getting to me, so I sat down for a couple of days and transcribed it -- on my steel-string guitar, with my funny pick-and-finger technique [laughs]. When I got it, it gave me so much pleasure that I said, 'Okay, I'm going to be a classical guitar player.' And that's what happened." "I bought a bunch of books and a classical guitar, and started with the C scale, playing 'i m i m' [index, middle, index, middle], etc. For about three years, I practiced eight hours a day: up early, play for five hours, take a break, and play for three more hours. I'd throw in some extra hours if I could. My reading sure improved after that. You've got to understand that I come from an unschooled background—all my schooling is self-inflicted [laughs]. I like scales, technique, and intelligence, but they weren't natural for me. Being a blues player was natural for me, but it wasn't enough." Connors recorded his first solo album in 1974, Theme to the Guardian (ECM), making the switch from electric to acoustic guitar. At the same time, he began the next phase of his self-driven studies, taking it on himself to delve into transcriptions and studies of the works of classical guitarists. Two more recordings on acoustic guitar followed, 1977's Of Mist and Melting (ECM), with Connors as leader and on guitar, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette and then, in 1979, another solo effort by the guitarist, Swimming with a Hole in My Body (ECM). During 1976 and 1977, Connors also recorded with Lee Konitz, Paul Bley and Jimmy Giuffre in New York. He toured Europe, performing with composers Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian. Connors then returned to electric guitar, performing and recording with Jan Garbarek on Places (1978) and Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof (1979), and with Tom Van Der Geld and Richard Jannotta in 1979 (Path, ECM). In 1985, Connors recorded Step It (Pathfinder/Evidence), featuring Connors and Steve Kahn on guitars, Tom Kennedy on bass and Dave Weckl on drums. Music critic Gene Santoro said of Connors’ playing on the album: “the aching blues phrases sing with the expressiveness of early-to middle-period Clapton; the sudden note blizzards strike with the stark power of a John Coltrane sax solo ” (Guitar Player, May 1985). Connors’ next album, 1986's Double Up, again featuring bassist Kennedy but now with drummer Kim Plainfield, brought more accolades: “Connors is back, stronger than ever with one of the most dynamic, burning sounds in electric jazz” and “Connors soars, smolders, and screams; don’t miss it” (Jim Ferguson, Guitar Player, April 1987). The same trio (Connors, Kennedy, Plainfield) recorded Assembler in 1987, and again reviewers praised the sounds: “Connors’ flowing, passionate lines in the context of slippery, interactive funk grooves laid down by drummer Plainfield, a master of slick time displacement, and the accomplished 6-string electric bassist Tom Kennedy...the three reach a special accord... Bill Connors is in rare and ripping form” (reviewer Bill Milkowski). For the past years, Connors has been giving private lessons while continuing his stylistic and technical studies of the works of jazz greats. He’s now playing plectrum style on a classical jazz guitar, an archtop electric. Connors is a mature professional with a highly polished level of musicianship, a sure sense of direction, and the same overriding love for the music that has always been his touchstone. Recent press continues to praise Connors' work, his contributions to the field of music, and his continued innovations: "Bill Connors was the 'cry of love' in jazz/fusion guitar. He may be the most misunderstood, overlooked, and maligned character on the scene at the time" (Vernon Reid, notes to Columbia/Legacy box set 100 Years of Jazz Guitar). The following selection speaks to Connors' 2005 release, Return: "Bill Connors has always lived and played ahead of the times...... masterful playing and infectious grooves... If Connors' past albums can be likened to swimming in a pool at an all-night pool party, then Return is like taking a dive into the open sea... The band is so tight that much of the record sounds like a duet, with bass, drums, and percussion forming a singular rhythmic landscape for the piano and guitar to dance through like light beaming into a raindrop... All in all, Return is a mature and playful album. The musicians are responsive and fluid, in complete control of the music, and are unafraid to lead the listener into uncharted territory" (Ari Messer, June 2005, Guitar Player). "Playing a mellow-toned Gibson L5 through his own hand-crafted amp, Connors is an emotional, sophisticated and subtle soloist to go with flawless technique..." (Los Angeles Daily Times, February 2005). "Connors' perfectionism is evident... throughout,his tone is round and penetrating, considerably weightier than the typical jazz guitar sound; his technique, meanwhile, is flawless, his lines totally logical" (Adam Perlmutter, Guitar One). "The first thing that hits you about this record is the songs. They are memorable and sound great... The next thing that hits you is Bill's playing... a take on Coltrane's "Brasilia" is pure heaven. The ballad lets Connors demonstrate some haunting, bluesy, soulful playing that is, in a word, gorgeous" (John Heidt, Vintage Guitar). "Connors’ line of attack on Return is centered upon his supple, fingerstyle picking and clean jazz licks, augmented by a resplendent, medium-toned electric sound. He uses space as an effective vehicle, whether alternating between buzzing single-note runs or when improvising through a primary melody with pianist Bill O’Connell" (Glenn Astarita, DownBeat). ".. bill connors is about the guitar... yes ... but this album is about much more than guitar... you have to listen to these tracks more than once to experience the depth. connors shines when soloing... and o'connell hangs right with him. just catch the piano solo on 'mind over matter' ... they are pushed by plainfield who can groove yes... and stop on a dime ... shifting gears so seamless... he is incredible... ... one fact about 'return' and connors... the effects and processors for guitar are not there.. only pure tone of the Gibson L5 played through an amp crafted by connors himself... pure smooth tone... best displayed on the track 'try tone today'... ... it is all good... and then there is coltrane's brasilia.. oh my! so sweet" (dr. mike, February 17, 2005, RadioJazz.com). "Connors soars effortlessly through Latin-tinged numbers, funk-tinged blues, and his personal forte, elegant ballads, all conjoined by the shimmering, glasslike tone of his Gibson L5 lines and melodies. Pretty close to exquisite" (Jim Miers, Buffalo News). "Connors takes back seat to no one as a killer jazz guitarist, having won his spurs for his pioneering work in the original Return to Forever line up. Coming back after sometime away from recording, Connors makes the kind of date that used to be routinely issued by the majors when they still cared about music. Having the admiration of his peers, Connors is free to pursue his vision and he never abuses the fan's trust along the way. Dazzling set sure to be a staple on all the year end best lists come December" (Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap, Vol. 28, number 7, February 14, 2005). Connors is "back with an album that finds him in fine form with a completely unaffected and warm, big-bodied sound. Return has enough energy and groove to appeal to fusion fans but, without the bombast that is so often pegged with that genre, a more direct and economical approach that will appeal to those of a more purist persuasion... [Connors] retains that same sense of thrift, capable of lightning runs when necessary but always constructing solos that make sense and are more than simply a series of notes strung together. Return is, indeed, a welcome comeback from a guitarist whose reputation has never been less than stellar, even though he's never achieved the same level of stardom as some of his contemporaries" (John Kelman, all-about-jazz, 2/18/2005). "Guitarist Bill Connors wouldn't blame you for thinking that he's dead. Thirty years after bursting onto the burgeoning jazz-rock fusion scene with Chick Corea's Return to Forever, Connors is relaunching his recording career with his first release - Return (Tone Center) - since 1987's Assembler... 'I got motivated to get away from the music scene in the early '90s', said the 55-year-old Connors... 'I went through a real Wes Montgomery period in my teens when I was first discovering jazz... In a way, working with my students helped me get back to that because I was doing jazz transcriptions for them and listening to Bill Evans and Trane, stuff that I've always admired'. As a self-taught teenaged guitarist in Los Angeles, Connors went from delving into Montgomery and Django Reinhardt into attempting to meld the power of his favorite saxophonists with Eric Clapton's sweet tone. 'I wanted to get that big sound that Trane and Sonny Rollins got through amplified volume but integrate those singing lines that Clapton played'. His search led him to work with Mike Nock and Steve Swallow in San Francisco and then to an audition with Corea, who was looking to launch an electric quarter. 'Chick was like a god to me, so this was an incredible opportunity'. Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy garnered rave reviews, and Connors quickly assumed his place alongside John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell as electric guitar hero. His decision to quit the band after only a year and eschew electricity on three subsequent recordings for ECM stunned his fans. Looking back over three decades he's at a loss to explain the move. 'Maybe I should've just taken a few days off. It was a little rash'. But Connors isn't a man to harbor regrets. Instead, he looks back on his decision to pursue classical guitar studies in the late '70s as an opportunity to learn more about guitar music, and his experiments with acoustic fingerpicking as necessary to convince him that plectrum playing is his natural métier. The only thing that rankles about his decision to leave fusion behind is that his seminal role was forgotten by the time he returned to electric music the '80s with Step It, Double Up and Assembler. 'I don't have a huge ego, but it still hurt when people would tell me that I must've listened to a lot of Al Di Meola (who replaced Connors in Return to Forever),' Connors said. 'I was robbed of my identity, that my guitar was like a credit card that had been stolen and I'd been left to play the bill'... Although Connors isn't sure Return will lead to more recordings, he's enthusiastic about performing again and thinks he's back on the scene to stay. 'Music is not so mysterious now. I had a lot of impulses to try different things when I was young, but I'm more aware now of what I like', he said. 'I'm more into content and feel than volume. I don't play loud any more. It's all about whether the music is swinging'. (James Hale, DownBeat, April 2005). A 2011 review of Connors' playing on Forever offers more praise: "Bill Connors’ playing on this recording sounds just as fresh as it did in the mid-‘70s" (Jon Liebman, review of Forever, For Bass Players Only, September 2011).

Kaseke

Kaseke - Poletus & Sonum - 2000 - Boheme Music

Nine years after the restoration of Estonia's independence, most of the best progressive rock and fusion works of its past saw the digital light of day with either their re-release on CD or availability in a compilation CD. However, the most notable omission is the country's progressive fusion masters, Kaseke. Finally, in 2000, this gap has been filled. During the early 1980s, when Soviet censors were on the prowl, Kaseke gained a strong and loyal audience for its aggressive yet understandable instrumental tracks. Several of its members were with the punk band Propeller (in fact, Kaseke is basically the last configuration of the punk band sans vocals), which Soviet authorities banned for causing youth to rise up against totalitarianism. However, music spoke loudest at the time, and the fusion supergroup — of which Kaseke certainly is, putting together members of topnotch progressive rock bands like In Spe, Ruja, Mess — became a classic. The two Kaseke releases have been long sought-after collectors’ items throughout the world (though often mistakenly labelled as 'Latvian' due to the vinyl being pressed in Riga, Latvia!). Kaseke began in 1980, though after changing some members and getting rid of vocal performers, the band immediately dominated the fusion scene. Led by the well-known jazz keyboardist Tont' Naissoo, pieces such as the title track on its 1981 debut EP “Sõnum”. (The News) took on the cool flavour of the world jazz/fusion scene at the time. The slick keyboard playing of Naissoo is certainly counterbalanced by the twin guitar attack of Riho Sibul (who also played at the time with the budding In Spe) and Ain Varts (from Propeller), which brought an extra dimension into the pieces. The guitars are well complemented by the delicate flute of Peeter Malkov (also from Propeller), bringing a touch of exoticness and left-field to the pieces. The rhythm section serves as a strong backbone, with bassist Priit Kuulberg (of Ruja fame) as steady as ever and drummer Andrus Vaht (of both Ruja and Mess fame) showing off his amazing dexterity and creativity behind the kit. The bluesy “Kala Jälg Vees”, (A Fish's Trail in the Water) is a highlight, showing off guitarist Sibul's emotional best, while “Laupäeval Koos Isaga” (Saturday Together with Dad) shows the melodic playing of Varts. However, it was the 1983 release of the only full length album by Kaseke, "Põletus" (Burning), that really put the band on top. Now with diverse influences and writers for the nine pieces on the LP, the music took on a more adventurous feel. Some pieces were still jazzy, but some pushed fully into the realm of progressive rock. The twin guitar attack of Sibul and Varts played a strong role in the music, which can be distinctly recognised and appreciated. The flute served as a wonderful balancing tool alongside the ever-strong rhythm section — with drummer Vaht showing some of his best stuff throughout the LP. One reason for the diverse feel in the LP is the use of several keyboard players, who in turn penned many of the different tracks on the album. This is a great example of the camaraderie among Estonian musicians, as they see each other more as colleagues than competitors. For this reason, the music community remains tight today. Former keyboardist Naissoo contributed the jazzy “Pikk Päevatee” (Long Way to Go), while In Spe frontman (and one of the best-known classical composers in the world today) Erkki-Sven Thar brought his progressive rock masterpiece “Põlenud Maa”, (Burnt Land). Another well- known pianist, Olav Ehala, contributes the quirky but fun “Elevantsi Hirmulaul” (Little Elephant's Song of Fear), while prog master Margus Kappel (instrumental in bringing Ruja into the progressive rock forefront) brought his keyboard skills in the opening “Elevant” (Elephant). The other keyboards is played by the fantastic Mart Metsala (also of In Spe), who brought a more progressive rock feel to the previously jazzy Kaseke. The most fantastic track on the LP is the aggressive “Näotused” (Unsightlinesses), written by guitarist Sibul. This piece shows off the amazing skills of the musicians — especially of the two guitarists. You can really hear how their two styles, although quite different, complement each other perfectly. Having heard live recordings of this and other pieces played to absolute perfection, it shows how truly talented these musicians are.Sadly, the band all but dissolved into different projects, as do many other supergroups, in 1984. However, the music lives on in its two vinyl releases, which with this re-release, finally takes its rightful place alongside other great progressive fusion CDs. Today, nearly 20 years later, several of the members of Kaseke are still breaking ground in music. Guitarist Riho Sibul remains the top guitarist in Estonia, and his progressive blues band Ultima Thule has merged some difficult elements — such as blues, prog rock, fusion — together into a fine product. Ain Varts is also continuing the exploration of guitar sounds, recently collaborating on a project with world- famous church organist Andres Uibo. Tiinu Naissoo is one of the most sought-after jazz pianists in Estonia. Overall, Kaseke is one of the best progressive fusion projects to ever come out of Northern Europe. It was truly a phenomenon of the early 1980s, to play as technically difficult but sonically fluid material that one can push themselves to doing. An absolute gem, a must for any fan of jazz, fusion, and/or progressive rock. – from “Kaseke — Estonia's Progressive Fusion Masters” © Mel Huang, Battles Editor, Central Europe Review (http://www.ce-review.org) Also, Owner, Estonian Progressive Rock Website (http://www.uninet.ee/—mel/estprog) June 2000 - From the album’s liner notes

KASEKE is considered Estonia's finest progressive-fusion band. They started playing around 1980, and released their only full-length album in 1983 (which quickly became a collector's item). Their style of fusion is clean, and influenced mostly by the late-seventies American-fusion scene. In fact, many tracks here have a radio-friendly sound. Yet the music has a subtle complexity to it that will appeal to prog fans more so than the casual jazz listener. The thing that struck me, while listening to Kaseke, was that the band sounded incredibly modern. I would have never guessed that most of the music came out in 1983. Even the keyboards sound like that came out of the factory around 1998. And the keyboardists (there are several that play on the album) remind me a bit of Jordan Rudess's work on the LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT albums. The keyboard playing is not as complex, of course, but the choice of notes are similar to Jordan's. The listener will also notice the nice dual-guitar work by Ain Varts, and Riho Sibul who are known in Europe for their skills. Overall, this CD will please most progressive-fusion/jazz fans. Don't expect Iceberg #2, but the music here is of high quality. Review by & © Steve Hegede PROG REVIEWER ****/5 Posted Sunday, March 21, 2004 © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=4944

Two albums on one CD from the great 1980’s Estonian fusion band, Kaseke. Adam Garrie in his article on music in the Soviet Union and the Soviet Estonia, @ http://estonianworld.com/culture/when-tallinn-first-rocked-the-world/ says that “In the 1970s, it is fair to say that after Britain, Holland and Italy, Estonia probably produced the most authentic progressive rock bands in the world.” The problem is that in the ‘70’s progressive rock music in these regions was not being heard globally. It is absolutely fantastic that albums like “Poletus” and “Sonum” are being re-issued on CD over the last 15 years or so, and prog. music fans are now noticing what they had been missing when bands like Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, ELP and many more were in the spotlight. You don’t have to be a jazz or progressive rock fan to enjoy this album. “Poletus & Sonum” is a top-notch instrumental progressive jazz rock/fusion album and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to more of this album @ http://www.melodig.com/release/13602818/ and read a good article about progressive rock music under the old Soviet regime @ http://estonianworld.com/culture/when-tallinn-first-rocked-the-world/ [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 133 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS / ORIGINAL ALBUM

1 Elevant/Elephant - Margus Kappel 4:17 [Põletus]
2 Valhalla/Valhalla - Ain Varts 4:14 [Põletus]
3 Elevantsi Hirmulaul/Little Elephant's Song Of Fear - Olav Ehala 3:43 [Põletus]
4 Salajane Rõõm/Secret Joy - Mart Metsala 3:46 [Põletus]
5 Põletaja/Con Fuoco - Ain Varts 3:36 [Põletus]
6 Tantsija/Dancer - Mart Metsala 5:48 [Põletus]
7 Näotused/Unsightliness - Riho Sibul 4:47 [Põletus]
8 Pikk Päevatee/Long Way To Go - Tõnu Naissoo 4:45 [Põletus]
9 Põlenud Maa/Burnt Land - Erkki-Sven Tüür 3:42 [Põletus]
10 Introduktsioon/Introduction - Tõnu Naissoo 2:05 [Sõnum]
11 Sõnum/The News - Tõnu Naissoo 4:35 [Sõnum]
12 Kala Jälg Vees/Fish's Trace In The Water - Riho Sibul 3:30 [Sõnum]
13 Laupäeval Koos Isaga/Together With Dad On Saturday - Ain Varts - 4:45 [Sõnum]

N.B: Tracks 10-13 originally appeared on Kaseke's 1981 "Sõnum" EP: Tracks 1-9 originally appeared on Kaseke's 1983 "Põletus" LP

MUSICIANS

Ain Varts, Riho Sibul - Guitar [Sõnum & Põletus]
Priit Kuulberg - Bass [Sõnum & Põletus]
Tõnu Naissoo - Electric Piano, Keyboards [Sõnum], [Keyboards on Track 8 on Põletus]
Mart Metsala - [Keyboards on Track 1 on Põletus]
Olav Ehala - [Keyboards on Track 3 on Põletus]
Erkki-Sven Tüür - [Keyboards on Track 9 on Põletus]
Andrus Vaht - Drums [Sõnum & Põletus]
Peeter Malkov - Flute [Sõnum & Põletus]

BIO

Kaseke is one of the best known Estonian progressive rock bands outside of its borders. For one thing, its two vinyl releases are valued collectors items around the world. However, the rare collector that had the vinyls also knew that Kaseke was among the best prog-fusion bands during the early 1980s anywhere in the world. The root of the band actually came out of the punk movement of the turn of the decade into the 1980s. The popular punk band Propeller, which featured some of the best prog musicians from bands like Ruja and others, became the voice of teenage angst in Estonia -- which obviously made Soviet authorities nervous. Propeller played a form of punk that was very national and quite interesting. However, authorities soon caught up to the band and banned it. In essence, Kaseke sprung from the ashes of Propeller, as members of its late formation formed Kaseke in the autumn of 1980. Bassist Priit Kuulberg (also of Ruja fame), guitarist Ain Varts, drummer Ivo Varts (also of Ruja fame), and flautist Peeter Malkov made up the early formation of Kaseke (which, essentially, was Propeller sans vocalist Peeter Volkonski). The line-up was very short-lived, as drummer Ivo Varts was drafted into the Soviet army. However, a new line-up, led by jazz keyboardist Tõnu Naissoo, soon emerged as one of the best fusion projects in the country. Naissoo brought a jazzy feel to the band's music, which was augmented with the fabulous drumming of ex-Ruja and ex-Mess drummer Andrus Vaht. Rounding out the first big line-up was former Propeller and In Spe guitarist, the fabulous Riho Sibul. The twin guitar attack of Sibul and Ain Varts soon became a Kaseke trademark. The band's popularity grew, resulting in the release of an EP Sõnum in 1981. The excellent four-song EP featured the excellent title track and "Laupäeval koos isaga" among others. The tracks are catchy in an early '80s fusion way, and featured some excellent playing by everyone involved. The line-up changed at the end of the year, as the driving force of the music, keyboardist Tõnu Naissoo, left the band. In came In Spe keyboard whiz Mart Metsala, and the direction of the band turned further towards prog and away from jazz. However, the sound remained that of a prog-fusion, led by the unique twin guitar attack of Sibul and Varts. The band became more and more popular with gigs, and this led to the release of the collectors item Põletus in 1983. This full-length LP features a wide assortment of tracks, some featuring guest keyboardists as well: In Spe's Erkki-Sven Tüür (for the fabulously proggy "Põlenud maa"), ex-keys player Tõnu Naissoo (for the jazzy "Pikk päevatee"), and Olav Ehala (for the catchy "Elevanti hirmulaul"). Two of the most interesting and aggressive songs -- "Põletaja" and "Näotused" -- feature the two guitarists at their very best, with driving lines and frantic duels. Absolutely fabulous playing by everyone. The band gigged frequently, including the large Tartu Rock Festival every summer in Estonia's second city. However, the band ran its course in 1984 and split up. Many of the band's members remained active in the music scene, taking part in bands like In Spe and VSP Projekt. However, to its legion of fans -- especially in south Estonia - Kaseke remains an institution. One bit of good news recently. In 2000 Czech/Russian record company Boheme Music released a compilation of all of the band's material, taken from both Sõnum and Põletus. Finally, the world can hear how truly talented these musicians are, and how powerful these pieces from some two decade ago are still today. © http://home.uninet.ee/~mel/estprog/proge/kaseke.html

Bill Connors

Bill Connors ‎- Assembler - 1987 - Pathfinder Records

Bill Connors' great moment of fame occurred when he was with Chick Corea's Return to Forever during 1973-1974, recording the influential Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. His decision to leave RTF to concentrate more on acoustic guitar may have been satisfying artistically, but it cut short any chance he had at commercial success. Previously, he had played electric guitar with Mike Nock and Steve Swallow in San Francisco; but his post-1974 work was primarily acoustic, particularly in the 1970s when he recorded a series of atmospheric albums for ECM (including with Jan Garbarek). In the mid-'80s, for Pathfinder, Connors' music became more rock-oriented, but those releases did not make much of an impact despite his talent. © Scott Yanow © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-connors-mn0000070942/biography

Jazz fusion guitar fans will recognize Connors as that blazingly explosive and technically precise legato guitarist in Return to Forever who left after one release to pursue a quieter acoustic guitar path. Connors has always been ranked in the upper echelons of fine fusion axe-men. Yet the guitar releases from Connors have come slowly and been severely underappreciated. After leaving Return to Forever, Connors released three excellent acoustic albums in the '70s, did some work with Stanley Clarke on Clarke's solo releases, and played with the Jan Garbarek Group. Connors then returned to releasing hard-hitting yet elegantly soulful electric fusion guitar albums in the '80s. They comprised a shorter, LP -length format, offering sonic snippets of Connors' electric visions. Comparisons can easily be made between this release's guitar stylings and those of Allan Holdsworth. This is not surprising, as Holdsworth has always sought that horn sound and flow of John Coltrane, and Connors, too, idolizes Coltrane. Convergent evolution perhaps? Connors has more of a rocking and visceral, edgy attack than Holdsworth. His legato phrasing is totally different, as well as his guitar voicings. Connors also has a lean funky, syncopated groove going on in his compositions; he demonstrates he is a guitarists' guitarist with evident passion for his instrument. Assembler marked the final electrified release of this fusion CD offering of the '80s. Assembler saw an initial 1987 release and then this 1994 re-release on the Evidence label. © John W. Patterson © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/assembler-mw0000198375

Originally released in 1987, "Assembler", by guitarist Bill Connors, is one of the most well-rounded and smoking fusion albums ever produced. The CD features a trio of musicians (Connors, drummer Kim Plainfield and bassist Tom Kennedy) who know what fusion is all about. Reviewer Bill Milkowski explains, ""Assembler" places Connors' flowing, passionate lines in the context of slippery, interactive funk grooves laid down by drummer Plainfield, a master of slick time displacement, and the accomplished 6-string electric bassist Tom Kennedy. The three reach a special accord on originals like the aptly-named "Crunchy", the slamming vamp "Get It To Go" and the soulful, slow moving funk vehicle, "Tell It To The Bass", delivering with hard-hitting rock intensity while navigating the challenging harmonic waters of Connors' compositions. Bill Connors is in rare and ripping form on "Assembler". © 1996-2013 Guitar Nine All Rights Reserved http://www.guitar9.com/assembler.html

The often enigmatic L.A born jazz guitarist Bill Connors was a big player in the fusion world nearly forty years ago when he played on Chick Corea’s Return To Forever’s groundbreaking and influential “Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy” album. Since then he has spent long periods focussing on classical guitar. He has also worked on several albums and released a few underappreciated solo jazz fusion albums. However, he is still an obscure musician to many music lovers. “Assembler” has been described as “a continuation of Connors's modified electric guitar style. He had become a cross between Allan Holdsworth and Pat Metheny with a little Jeff Beck thrown in for good measure, which was a far cry from his style during his short-lived stint in fusion supergroup Return to Forever. This recording is a collection of jazz-fusion-progressive-rock instrumentals perhaps designed for the hope of radio airplay”. Whatever the description, “Assembler” is a great all instrumental funk/jazz rock/fusion album full of original ideas, with wonderfully played complex chord progressions and innovative legato phrasing by arguably one of the greatest self-taught guitarists in the world today. Bill composed all of the album’s seven tracks. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Bill’s exceptional “Swimming with a Hole in My Body” album, and read an in-depth interview with Bill @ http://www.abstractlogix.com/interview_view.php?idno=74 [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 98.6 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Crunchy 3:24
2 Sea Coy 5:27
3 Get It To Go 5:27
4 Assembler 5:01
5 Add Eleven 6:03
6 Tell It To The Boss 6:57
7 It Be FM 5:35

All tracks composed by Bill Connors

MUSICIANS

Bill Connors - Guitar
Tom Kennedy - Bass
Kim Plainfield - Drums

BIO (WIKI)

Bill Connors (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz musician notable for being a legato technique master, adept at both the acoustic and electric guitar, and successfully played jazz-rock, free and fusion material in the '70s and '80s. His best early solos were in the jazz-rock genre, where his use of distortion and electronics was balanced by fine phrasing and intelligent solos. His first great moment of fame occurred when he joined Chick Corea's Return to Forever in 1973, recording Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, though he quit in 1974 and was followed by Earl Klugh, who was then replaced by Al Di Meola. His decision to leave Return to Forever to concentrate more on acoustic guitar was satisfying artistically: he recorded three acoustic albums and then three electric albums as a leader/soloist, and recorded and performed with others. The quality, innovation and thoughtfulness of his work has always garnered strong praise. Connors was born in Los Angeles, California in 1949 and began to play the guitar at the age of fourteen. After three years of extensive self-study of the rock and blues influences that were his first inspiration, he began to play gigs around the Los Angeles area. He soon found his way to jazz, the music that would lead to a lifelong commitment. "I'd been playing for about four years", he explained at the time of his RTF tenure, "and suddenly had an overnight change. I didn't want to be a blues guitarist anymore. I began listening to people like Bill Evans, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, [bassist] Scott LaFaro, Miles Davis, [John] Coltrane—anyone who had a 'jazz' label. Django Reinhardt really got to me. The first time I heard one of his records, I thought that was just what I wanted to be. He had all the fire, creativity, and energy that rock players have today. And the amazing purity of his melodies—you just knew they came from a totally instinctive place." He and Django differed however over the matter of electronics with Bill preferring the sound of the electric instrument. "I always wanted to use the electric guitar in a sophisticated context, like with Chick [Corea]. I like to play jazz with that electric-rock sound. For me it's a lot closer to a horn than the traditional guitar, and that's what I love about it; I can sustain notes, get into different kinds of phrasing -- do things other instruments do naturally, only the guitar does it with the aid of technology." Connors moved to San Francisco in 1972 to join the Mike Nock Group (formerly known as "The Fourth Way") with drummer Eddie Marshall and bassist Dennis Parker. He met up with drummer and vibraphonist Glenn Cronkhite, who would introduce him to a new depth of jazz sounds and study. In those early years in the city by the bay, Connors played with numerous top-flight musicians, including Cronkhite, bassist Steve Swallow and pianist Art Lande. In 1973, after sitting in on a gig, Connors was signed on to Return to Forever, keyboardist and composer Chick Corea’s pioneering fusion group that featured bassist Stanley Clarke and (then) drummer Steve Gadd. "A miracle!" Bill claims. "Chick was my hero. I wanted to be Chick Corea on guitar. I didn't know him, but whenever I really wanted to get off on music I'd play some of his piano solos and Return To Forever songs. I heard that Chick was looking for a guitarist. Steve encouraged me to call Chick, and though I was very nervous, I did, and he invited me to come over to the club where he was working and sit in. I was so scared that I almost turned him down. But after running around and saying to everyone, 'Guess who I'm going to play with tonight,' and everyone telling everyone else, all this energy was formulating—and I took to my room and practiced my ass off." That night, the fright totally disappeared. "The minute I got up on stage I had this feeling like I'd been preparing for this all my life. I was so relaxed that I felt as though I was in my own living room. Chick and I played musical games -- he'd play these real simple lines and I'd be giving my interpretations of them, then go off into the Chick Corea 'outness.' I ended up in New York two weeks later." With keyboardist and composer Chick Corea’s pioneering fusion group that featured bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White, Connors established himself on the national and international music scenes, touring in Japan and Europe, and recording the now legendary Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Connors' playing with the group and on Hymn... spearheaded an unprecedented direction for guitar in jazz. "It's hard to overlook the early Return to Forever or the Stanley Clarke debut solo recording, but.. again sentiment has taken over...but here is truly the FIRST guitarist to play fusion with a KILLER 'rock' guitar sound". - Steve Kahn. But there is often a problem when wishes come true; in April 1974, after the band's tour of Europe and Japan, Bill quit the group. The musical direction seemed to him to be changing from what it was when Connors joined. He explains, "Everything started getting less aesthetic, more rock. Just too much like Mahavishnu (John McLaughlin (musician)). I was having trouble expressing myself the way I wanted to in that context." Connor's disenchantment with the group also stemmed from certain objections to Corea's Scientology-inspired leadership style. "Chick had a lot of ideas that were part of his involvement with Scientology. He got more demanding, and I wasn't allowed to control my own solos. I had no power in the music at all. Then, we'd receive written forms about what clothes we could wear, and graphic charts where we had to rate ourselves every night – not by our standards, but his. Finally, we had to connect dots on a chart every night. I took all of it seriously because I had a lot of respect for Chick, but eventually I just felt screwed around. In the end, my only power was to quit." In 1974, Connors left RTF, and began to explore the New York jazz and session scene, performing with guitarist John Abercrombie and keyboardist Jan Hammer, and recording with bassist Stanley Clarke. "It was great,"he states, "because it wasn't this contrived thing in order to communicate to the audience. We were *playing* again and *learning* again, and it felt real good." During this period, record dates with artists as diverse as vocalist Gene McDaniels and Stanley Clarke kept the guitarist's creative impulses occupied with a variety of challenges—but not for long. "Around 1975, I'd decided to become a classical guitar player", he muses. "I did my first solo album in 1974, and just decided on the spur of the moment to do it all on acoustic. That was just such a contrast from blowing people's ears off with my 200-watt Marshall that it really started to capture me." A further impetus came with Connors' discovery of classical artist Julian Bream. "I was sitting with his album 20th Century Guitar [RCA, LSC2964] -- a real classic -- and it has this piece by [German composer] Henze that I really loved. It was just getting to me, so I sat down for a couple of days and transcribed it -- on my steel-string guitar, with my funny pick-and-finger technique [laughs]. When I got it, it gave me so much pleasure that I said, 'Okay, I'm going to be a classical guitar player.' And that's what happened." "I bought a bunch of books and a classical guitar, and started with the C scale, playing 'i m i m' [index, middle, index, middle], etc. For about three years, I practiced eight hours a day: up early, play for five hours, take a break, and play for three more hours. I'd throw in some extra hours if I could. My reading sure improved after that. You've got to understand that I come from an unschooled background—all my schooling is self-inflicted [laughs]. I like scales, technique, and intelligence, but they weren't natural for me. Being a blues player was natural for me, but it wasn't enough." Connors recorded his first solo album in 1974, Theme to the Guardian (ECM), making the switch from electric to acoustic guitar. At the same time, he began the next phase of his self-driven studies, taking it on himself to delve into transcriptions and studies of the works of classical guitarists. Two more recordings on acoustic guitar followed, 1977's Of Mist and Melting (ECM), with Connors as leader and on guitar, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette and then, in 1979, another solo effort by the guitarist, Swimming with a Hole in My Body (ECM). During 1976 and 1977, Connors also recorded with Lee Konitz, Paul Bley and Jimmy Giuffre in New York. He toured Europe, performing with composers Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian. Connors then returned to electric guitar, performing and recording with Jan Garbarek on Places (1978) and Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof (1979), and with Tom Van Der Geld and Richard Jannotta in 1979 (Path, ECM). In 1985, Connors recorded Step It (Pathfinder/Evidence), featuring Connors and Steve Kahn on guitars, Tom Kennedy on bass and Dave Weckl on drums. Music critic Gene Santoro said of Connors’ playing on the album: “the aching blues phrases sing with the expressiveness of early-to middle-period Clapton; the sudden note blizzards strike with the stark power of a John Coltrane sax solo ” (Guitar Player, May 1985). Connors’ next album, 1986's Double Up, again featuring bassist Kennedy but now with drummer Kim Plainfield, brought more accolades: “Connors is back, stronger than ever with one of the most dynamic, burning sounds in electric jazz” and “Connors soars, smolders, and screams; don’t miss it” (Jim Ferguson, Guitar Player, April 1987). The same trio (Connors, Kennedy, Plainfield) recorded Assembler in 1987, and again reviewers praised the sounds: “Connors’ flowing, passionate lines in the context of slippery, interactive funk grooves laid down by drummer Plainfield, a master of slick time displacement, and the accomplished 6-string electric bassist Tom Kennedy...the three reach a special accord... Bill Connors is in rare and ripping form” (reviewer Bill Milkowski). For the past years, Connors has been giving private lessons while continuing his stylistic and technical studies of the works of jazz greats. He’s now playing plectrum style on a classical jazz guitar, an archtop electric. Connors is a mature professional with a highly polished level of musicianship, a sure sense of direction, and the same overriding love for the music that has always been his touchstone. Recent press continues to praise Connors' work, his contributions to the field of music, and his continued innovations: "Bill Connors was the 'cry of love' in jazz/fusion guitar. He may be the most misunderstood, overlooked, and maligned character on the scene at the time" (Vernon Reid, notes to Columbia/Legacy box set 100 Years of Jazz Guitar). The following selection speaks to Connors' 2005 release, Return: "Bill Connors has always lived and played ahead of the times...... masterful playing and infectious grooves... If Connors' past albums can be likened to swimming in a pool at an all-night pool party, then Return is like taking a dive into the open sea... The band is so tight that much of the record sounds like a duet, with bass, drums, and percussion forming a singular rhythmic landscape for the piano and guitar to dance through like light beaming into a raindrop... All in all, Return is a mature and playful album. The musicians are responsive and fluid, in complete control of the music, and are unafraid to lead the listener into uncharted territory" (Ari Messer, June 2005, Guitar Player). "Playing a mellow-toned Gibson L5 through his own hand-crafted amp, Connors is an emotional, sophisticated and subtle soloist to go with flawless technique..." (Los Angeles Daily Times, February 2005). "Connors' perfectionism is evident... throughout,his tone is round and penetrating, considerably weightier than the typical jazz guitar sound; his technique, meanwhile, is flawless, his lines totally logical" (Adam Perlmutter, Guitar One). "The first thing that hits you about this record is the songs. They are memorable and sound great... The next thing that hits you is Bill's playing... a take on Coltrane's "Brasilia" is pure heaven. The ballad lets Connors demonstrate some haunting, bluesy, soulful playing that is, in a word, gorgeous" (John Heidt, Vintage Guitar). "Connors’ line of attack on Return is centered upon his supple, fingerstyle picking and clean jazz licks, augmented by a resplendent, medium-toned electric sound. He uses space as an effective vehicle, whether alternating between buzzing single-note runs or when improvising through a primary melody with pianist Bill O’Connell" (Glenn Astarita, DownBeat). ".. bill connors is about the guitar... yes ... but this album is about much more than guitar... you have to listen to these tracks more than once to experience the depth. connors shines when soloing... and o'connell hangs right with him. just catch the piano solo on 'mind over matter' ... they are pushed by plainfield who can groove yes... and stop on a dime ... shifting gears so seamless... he is incredible... ... one fact about 'return' and connors... the effects and processors for guitar are not there.. only pure tone of the Gibson L5 played through an amp crafted by connors himself... pure smooth tone... best displayed on the track 'try tone today'... ... it is all good... and then there is coltrane's brasilia.. oh my! so sweet" (dr. mike, February 17, 2005, RadioJazz.com). "Connors soars effortlessly through Latin-tinged numbers, funk-tinged blues, and his personal forte, elegant ballads, all conjoined by the shimmering, glasslike tone of his Gibson L5 lines and melodies. Pretty close to exquisite" (Jim Miers, Buffalo News). "Connors takes back seat to no one as a killer jazz guitarist, having won his spurs for his pioneering work in the original Return to Forever line up. Coming back after sometime away from recording, Connors makes the kind of date that used to be routinely issued by the majors when they still cared about music. Having the admiration of his peers, Connors is free to pursue his vision and he never abuses the fan's trust along the way. Dazzling set sure to be a staple on all the year end best lists come December" (Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap, Vol. 28, number 7, February 14, 2005). Connors is "back with an album that finds him in fine form with a completely unaffected and warm, big-bodied sound. Return has enough energy and groove to appeal to fusion fans but, without the bombast that is so often pegged with that genre, a more direct and economical approach that will appeal to those of a more purist persuasion... [Connors] retains that same sense of thrift, capable of lightning runs when necessary but always constructing solos that make sense and are more than simply a series of notes strung together. Return is, indeed, a welcome comeback from a guitarist whose reputation has never been less than stellar, even though he's never achieved the same level of stardom as some of his contemporaries" (John Kelman, all-about-jazz, 2/18/2005). "Guitarist Bill Connors wouldn't blame you for thinking that he's dead. Thirty years after bursting onto the burgeoning jazz-rock fusion scene with Chick Corea's Return to Forever, Connors is relaunching his recording career with his first release - Return (Tone Center) - since 1987's Assembler... 'I got motivated to get away from the music scene in the early '90s', said the 55-year-old Connors... 'I went through a real Wes Montgomery period in my teens when I was first discovering jazz... In a way, working with my students helped me get back to that because I was doing jazz transcriptions for them and listening to Bill Evans and Trane, stuff that I've always admired'. As a self-taught teenaged guitarist in Los Angeles, Connors went from delving into Montgomery and Django Reinhardt into attempting to meld the power of his favorite saxophonists with Eric Clapton's sweet tone. 'I wanted to get that big sound that Trane and Sonny Rollins got through amplified volume but integrate those singing lines that Clapton played'. His search led him to work with Mike Nock and Steve Swallow in San Francisco and then to an audition with Corea, who was looking to launch an electric quarter. 'Chick was like a god to me, so this was an incredible opportunity'. Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy garnered rave reviews, and Connors quickly assumed his place alongside John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell as electric guitar hero. His decision to quit the band after only a year and eschew electricity on three subsequent recordings for ECM stunned his fans. Looking back over three decades he's at a loss to explain the move. 'Maybe I should've just taken a few days off. It was a little rash'. But Connors isn't a man to harbor regrets. Instead, he looks back on his decision to pursue classical guitar studies in the late '70s as an opportunity to learn more about guitar music, and his experiments with acoustic fingerpicking as necessary to convince him that plectrum playing is his natural métier. The only thing that rankles about his decision to leave fusion behind is that his seminal role was forgotten by the time he returned to electric music the '80s with Step It, Double Up and Assembler. 'I don't have a huge ego, but it still hurt when people would tell me that I must've listened to a lot of Al Di Meola (who replaced Connors in Return to Forever),' Connors said. 'I was robbed of my identity, that my guitar was like a credit card that had been stolen and I'd been left to play the bill'... Although Connors isn't sure Return will lead to more recordings, he's enthusiastic about performing again and thinks he's back on the scene to stay. 'Music is not so mysterious now. I had a lot of impulses to try different things when I was young, but I'm more aware now of what I like', he said. 'I'm more into content and feel than volume. I don't play loud any more. It's all about whether the music is swinging'. (James Hale, DownBeat, April 2005). A 2011 review of Connors' playing on Forever offers more praise: "Bill Connors’ playing on this recording sounds just as fresh as it did in the mid-‘70s" (Jon Liebman, review of Forever, For Bass Players Only, September 2011).

Fire Merchants

Fire Merchants - Fire Merchants - 1989 - Medusa

Fire Merchants was formed by ex-Brand X guitarist John Goodsall, and drummer Chester Thompson (ex Frank Zappa, Weather Report, & Genesis). John and Chester hired in bassist/percussionist Doug Lunn for their first self-titled album, posted here. Paul Kohler of allmusic.com describes this album as "Uptempo rock fusion, it is a well-executed album". John Goodsall expertly displays his guitar pyrotechnics and improvisations. Bassist Doug Lunn and drummer Chester Thompson underpin John Goodsall's great playing with some brilliant, rock steady performances. This is a great album if you like heavy progressive electric jazz rock guitar with extreme riffs and powerful rhythms. Check out Fire Merchants' "Landlords of Atlantis" album, and Brand X's great "Livestock" album with John Goodsall playing sensational guitar [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 132 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Saladin - John Goodsall 5:28
2. Hamsterdam - Doug Lunn 3:10
3. Conflagration - Chester Thompson 3:34
4. Tunnel Vision - John Goodsall 4:10
5. Last Rhino - John Goodsall 5:17
6. Divisions - John Goodsall 5:01
7. Ignition - John Goodsall 5:22
8. Cancel the Album - Chester Thompson, John Goodsall, Doug Lunn 00:58
9. Nevele - Doug Lunn 5:43
10. Z104 - Doug Lunn 4:51
11. Black Forest - Doug Lunn 7:43

BAND

John Goodsall - Guitar, Guitar Synth.
Doug Lunn - Fretless & 5 String Bass: Extra Percussion on "Last Rhino"
Chester Thompson - Drums

ABOUT JOHN GOODSALL (WIKI)

John Goodsall is a progressive rock & jazz fusion guitarist most noted for his work with Brand X, Atomic Rooster and The Fire Merchants. Goodsall was born in Pennsylvania and has lived in Los Angeles, England, Milan and Minnesota. He began playing guitar at age 7. At 15, he became a professional musician and joined Carol Grimes' Babylon, with members of Joe Cocker's Grease Band, Juicy Lucy and Jon Hiseman's Colosseum. He then toured extensively, first with The Alan Bown Set, then with Atomic Rooster. After Brand X's 1979 world tour (the last with Phil Collins), Goodsall moved to Los Angeles and worked as a session musician and as a member of the band Zoo Drive(1980-1987) which included Doug Lunn, Paul Delph and Atomic Rooster drummer Ric Parnell (aka Mick Shrimpton of Spinal Tap). Goodsall also performed and/or recorded with Bill Bruford, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams, Toni Basil to name a few. The Fire Merchants released two albums, Fire Merchants and Landlords Of Atlantis before Goodsall and Percy Jones re-formed Brand X as a trio in 1992 with drummer Frank Katz. Katz was in Jones' band Tunnels with whom Goodsall also recorded on their album Progressivity. This Brand X line-up released X-Communication and Manifest Destiny, which also featured Tunnels' midi-vibes player Marc Wagnon and some keyboards & composition by Franz Pusch. Most of the keyboard/synthesiser sounds however in the Brand X & Fire Merchants trios were triggered by his midi-guitar. In 1997 Brand X embarked on a 3 month tour of Europe & Japan as a quartet with John Goodsall, Percy Jones, keyboardist Kris Sjobring from Goodsall's L.A. based group Trancendental Medication, & drummer Pierre Moerlen from Gong. Later versions of this group released The X-Files and Missing Period, they played the west coast again in 1999 including a headline show at Progfest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Goodsall has 2 daughters Germaine and Natasha. He played live with John Goodsall's Ghost Society in 2008, performing music of Brand X. Other members included Jim Reiske, Jim Steele & Dave Lemish. Recent albums featuring John Goodsall include Franz Pusch 'Only Visions' and Leon Alvarado 'Strangers In Strange Places'. John Goodsall continues to perform on sessions for international projects in Japan, Germany, England, France, USA etc.

ABOUT DOUG LUNN

Doug Lunn is a multi-instrumentalist performer/composer who specializes on 5 string fretless electric bass. He has appeared on over 100 recordings with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Mark Isham, David Torn, Andy Summers, and numerous film and TV soundtracks. He's been the bassist/percussionist and musical director with Peter Buffett's multi-media show "Spirit-The 7th Fire" on it's PBS special, CD, and 3 national tours. Doug was the co-leader and featured composer for the critically acclaimed band "Fire Merchants" with guitarist John Goodsall(Brand X) and drummers Chester Thompson, Chad Wackerman, and Toss Panos. He also toured Europe in 1997 with the trio "Subject/Object" which included drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and guitarist David Torn. Doug recently recorded music for the movie "Taladega Nights" with guitarists Wayne Kramer(MC5) and Tom Morello(Rage Against the Machine). He is a member of the group "Out Trio" with drummer Terry Bozzio and Austrian guitarist Alex Machacek. In the last year he's performed in the USA and Europe with the Chad Wakerman Trio along with guitarist Mike Miller. They have a new DVD coming out on the Drum Channel. Other artists/groups Doug has performed and/or recorded with include - L Shankar, John Abercrombie, Paul McCandles, Don Cherry, Sting, Chaka Kahn, Steven Stills, Martha Davis/The Motels, Wayne Kramer, Mike Keneally, Reeves Gabrels, Empire Brass, Richard Thompson, Dave Liebman, Nels Cline, Kevin Gilbert, Buddy Guy, Art Lande, Axiom of Choice, Eddie Henderson, Tony Basil, Mick Farren/The Deviants, Patrick Moraz, Mike Clark, Brand X, Bette Midler, Ed Mann, Jimmie Spheeris, Brian Adams, Eddie Jobson, Michael Des Barres, Joey Ramone, John Sinclair/Blues Scholars, Tanzi(the musical-1984), Vida Vierra, Sylvia St James, Zoo Drive, Robert Mirabal, Armen Chakmakian, Left-Right-Left, Lyle Workman, Warren Cuccurullo, Podunk Nowhere, Gilby Clarke, Umphrey's McGee, Lydia Lunch, Jerry Cantrell, Kofi Baker and numerous others. Doug was a member of the house band on the late night "Dennis Miller Show" on over 150 TV shows in 1992. He was also a performer and musical director for the award winning "Friends & Artists Theatre Ensemble"(F.A.T.E.). Doug spent many years as the percussionist and music director for "Swing Brazil Dance Company" and was involved with the organization and production of the 3rd and 4th versions of the "World Festival of Sacred Music" during September/October 2005 and 2008 in Los Angeles. Doug Lunn fronts his own band "Retrophobia". © 2002-2013 AbstractLogix http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=25321

ABOUT CHESTER THOMPSON (WIKI)

Chester Cortez Thompson (born December 11, 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American drummer and session musician. Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band (as part of the 1973–1974 lineups, which also featured percussionist Ruth Underwood and jazz keyboardist George Duke) and in Weather Report's album Black Market (1976).He played on such noted Zappa albums as Roxy & Elsewhere (Live recording 8-10.12.1973 & 8.5.1974), You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (Live in Helsinki, Finland 22–23.9.1974, released 1988) and One Size Fits All (1975). His longest-standing gig was with Genesis as the touring drummer (1977-2007). His relationship with the band began with the departure of frontman Peter Gabriel. Then-drummer, Phil Collins, assumed Gabriel's role in live shows, but remained behind the drum kit in the studio. Thompson became the touring drummer in 1977, playing on their tours in that year and in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983/4, 1986/7, 1992 and the 2007 reunion Turn It On Again Tour. Chester is featured on their live albums Seconds Out (1977), Three Sides Live (1982), The Way We Walk Volume 1 (1992) & Volume 2 (1993) and Live Over Europe 2007. He chose not to be involved in the band's Calling All Stations European 1998 tour, following the band's failure to invite him to join the studio band after Phil Collins's departure. Thompson has also worked with Phil Collins on his solo concert tours, drumming on the 1982/83 Hello, I Must Be Going! tour, 1985 No Jacket Required tour, 1990 ...But Seriously tour, The Tarzan Premiere tour of 1999 and The Final Farewell tour of 2004/05. Chester also appears on Phil Collins' Serious Hits... Live! (1990) live album and DVD, and has released his own solo album, A Joyful Noise (1999, Camino Records, CAMCD16). Chester also plays on the Steve Hackett albums, Please Don't Touch (1978) and Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited (1996). Later on, he played on Tony Banks' solo album A Curious Feeling (1979). He also appears on Steve Hackett's live album The Tokyo Tapes released in 1998 (recorded, which features also and John Wetton, Ian McDonald and Julian Colbeck. He was also a founding member of the band Fire Merchants with Brand X guitarist John Goodsall and bassist Doug Lunn and appeared on their first eponymous recording in 1989. Chester has also been credited with playing drums with Santana in 1984 and is credited in the Beyond Appearances album along with Chester D. Thompson on keyboards. Chester's playing style is widely acknowledged and respected, and can be seen on numerous live videos of Genesis, from 1977 up to early 1990s. His live playing with the band is a striking mixture of his own style and Collins' own, being equally comfortable with acoustic and electronic drums. In the past, Chester has endorsed Ludwig Drums (1970-March, 1977), Pearl Drums (April, 1977 - July, 1987), Sonor Drums (1990–1999) and Paiste cymbals (1970–90), but now he endorses DW Drums since 2000 and Sabian cymbals since 1990. He was also a member of Air Pocket, a band centered around the Fowler Brothers. Chester Thompson is Adjunct Instructor at Belmont Universitys School of Music in Nashville/USA.

Allan Holdsworth

Allan Holdsworth - Sand - 1987 - Relativity Records

Brit guitar hero Allan Holdsworth, ex of the Soft Machine, Gong, U.K., and Bill Bruford and Annette Peacock's solo projects, has been wildly inconsistent when it comes to his solo projects. Completely bonkers for technology, he's employed every gadget he can get his hands on own records, and has gotten results that range from the near sublime to the kind of dross one usually associates with prog excess. But Sand is a different animal, a respite from the relentless kitchen sink approach Holdsworthwas mired in through much of the late '70s and early '80s. Utilizing a new contraption, the "Synthaxe," a guitar that has the tonal and sonic possibilities of the synthesizer but can be played straight as well, it seems to satisfy the artist's technology jones, and allows him to compose sensitively for the instrument while not forgetting he's a guitarist first. Guitar fans might be a little put off by the sounds and textures of the synthaxe, which allows for a guitarist to subvert its limited range of tones and colors for rounded off keyboard sounds and warm textural aspects. In other words, the traditional sound of the electric guitar -- and, in particular, Holdsworth's trademark sound -- is nearly absent. In place is a near keyboard sound played in the same way he plays guitar. The six compositions here range from the knotty, mixed tempo, arpeggio-rich title track to the reflective, near pastoral grace of "Distance Vs. Desire" to the electronically astute, fast and furious jazz-rock fusion of "Mac Man." The only time a keyboard actually appears is Alan Pasqua's solo in "Pud Wud," where the guitarist wields his traditional instrument and rips free of the constraints of his own composition for some truly fiery pyrotechnics. The rhythm section of bassist Jimmy Johnson (a killer electric jazz bassist who has also played with Percy Jones and Brand X) and drummer Gary Husband are more than equal to the task of accompaniment, and, in fact, are creative foils for Holdsworth, who allows his sidemen plenty of room to shine -- also unlike many of his earlier projects. Is Sand the mark of a new contentment and refined aesthetic for Holdsworth? Only time will, but it is safe to say that this is one of his most innovative and texturally beautiful to date. © Thom Jurek © 2013 Rovi http://www.allmusic.com/album/sand-mw0000197286Corp | All Rights Reserved [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 87.4 Mb]

TRACKS

1.Sand 5:25
2.Distance vs. Desire 5:16
3.Pud Wud 6:45
4.Clown 5:14
5.The 4.15 Bradford Executive 8:28
6.Mac Man 4:01

All songs written and composed by Allan Holdsworth, except Track 5 by Allan Holdsworth & Chad Wackerman

MUSICIANS

Allan Holdsworth - Guitar, SynthAxe
Jimmy Johnson - Bass except Track 6
Biff Vincent - Roland Octapad Bass on Track 6
Alan Pasqua - Keyboards
Gary Husband - Drums on Tracks 1, 3
Chad Wackerman - Drums on Tracks 4, 5: Percussion on Track 6
John England - Sound Effects

BIO

Guitarist Allan Holdsworth is widely considered to be one of the finest instrumentalists in all of jazz fusion, yet has never truly received the recognition that he so rightfully deserves. Born on August 6, 1946, in Bradford, Yorkshire, Holdsworth was originally taught music by his father, who was a pianist. Holdsworth didn't pick up the guitar until he was 17 years old, but learned the instrument quickly. After playing in local outfits (and learning the violin), Holdsworth relocated to London, where he was taken under the wing of saxophonist Ray Warleigh. By 1972, Holdsworth had joined progressive rockersTempest, appearing on the group's self-titled debut a year later before joining Soft Machine in December 1973 -- and radically changing the latter outfit's sound to guitar-based fusion in the process. U.S. drummer Tony Williams discovered Holdsworth around this time, which led to an invite for the up-and-coming guitarist to replace John McLaughlin in Williams'Lifetime project -- Holdsworth abruptly left Soft Machine in March of 1975, subsequently appearing on the Williams recordings Believe It and Million Dollar Legs. But Holdsworth's union with Williams was a brief one, as the guitarist joined up with French-English prog rockers Gong for such albums as 1976'sGazeuse! (released as Expresso in the U.S.) and 1978's Expresso II, in addition to guesting on recordings by Jean-Luc Ponty, Bill Bruford, Gordon Beck, Jack Bruce, and UK. Also in the late '70s, Holdsworth launched a solo career, which over the years has seen the release of nearly 20 albums (a few standouts include 1983's Road Games, 1985's Metal Fatigue, 1994's Hard Hat Area, and 2000's The Sixteen Men of Tain), as the guitarist has been joined by such acclaimed musicians as Paul Williams (a former bandmate of Holdsworth's in Tempest), Gary Husband, Chad Wackerman, Gary Husband, Jimmy Johnson, Steve Hunt, and Alan Pasqua, among others. In the mid-'80s, Holdsworth was one of the first musicians to use a Synthaxe, a guitar that contained a breath controller that proved to be a cross between a synthesizer, guitar, and saxophone (Holdsworth was awarded Best Guitar Synthesist from 1989 through 1994 in the readers' poll of Guitar Player magazine). In the '90s, Holdsworth also created his own signature guitar model with the Carvin company. In the mid-'90s, Holdsworth briefly shifted away from his fusion originals and recorded an album with longtime musical partner Gordon Beck that dipped into jazz standards.The Sixteen Men of Tain (2000) marked another shift, in that it was the first Holdsworth release to feature an all-acoustic rhythm section. This was followed in 2002 by All Night Wrong, his first official live release. Then! Live in Tokyo was next, featuring Holdsworth's 1990 live band, which was followed by Against the Clock, a career retrospective, in 2005. © Greg Prato © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/holdsworth-mn0000002252

UZEB

UZEB - Uzeb Club - 1989 - B.C.C.L.

The jazz fusion band UZEB from Montreal, Quebec played from 1976 to 1992 releasing quite a few well received albums. They toured extensively in Europe and Asia but rarely played the US. Downbeat magazine considered UZEB one of the world'd best electric jazz groups. When the band broke up, it had earned 9 Felix awards (Jazz Album of the Year in 1983-84-86-87-90-91, Group of the Year 1984-1989, Most Famous Performer Outside Quebec 1990), a Gémeaux prize in 1989 (best original music), a SOCAN prize in 1990 (jazz category), a Musique Plus prize for the UZEB CLUB video, and the Oscar Peterson prize in 1991, awarded by the Montreal International Jazz Festival. In July 1992, UZEB played its last major concert at the Montreal Jazz Festival before 96,000 people. By 1989, international sales of UZEB's first eight recordings had exceeded 200,000 units, which the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada calls "an unprecedented figure for a Canadian jazz group." "Uzeb Club" is a greatl late '80's jazz fusion album by a band with a dazzling blend of instrumental technique and technology.
See if you can find the band's great "Live in Bracknell" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 105 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Uzeb Club - Michel Cusson, A. Caron 4:45
A2 Not Even The Shadow Of The Tail Of A Lizard - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 6:25
A3 Après Les Confidences - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 5:13
A4 Loose - Michel Cusson 7:16

B1 Mister Moe - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 4:13
B2 Perrier Citron - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 6:46
B3 Time To Go - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 5:02
B4 Bouncer - Michel Cusson, A. Caron, P. Brochu 7:04

MUSICIANS

Michel Cusson - Acoustic & Electric Guitar
Alain Caron - Bass, Piccolo Bass
Paul Brochu - Drums, Percussion, Cymbals, Stick
Alain 'Chepito' Labrosse, Mario Labrosse, Luc Boivin - Additional Percussion

SHORT BIO (WIKI)

UZEB was formed in 1976 in Drummondville, Quebec, by guitarist Michel Cusson. After the band's debut in St-Eusèbe, Qc, the name Eusèbe-Jazz was used; this name was later shortened to UZEB. The band soon moved to Montreal. Drummer Jean St-Jacques and bassist Alain Caron joined Cusson in 1978. The drummer's position was next filled by Sylvain Coutu, and then in 1980 by Paul Brochu. Until 1987, UZEB also used a keyboard/synthesizer player. In the 1980s, UZEB had what was then a very technologically advanced MIDI system for its synthesizers. After 1987, UZEB became a trio consisting of Cusson, Caron, and Brochu. UZEB won Quebec Félix awards as group of the year in 1984 and 1989 (in competition with Quebec pop and rock bands). As well, the band won awards for jazz album of the year in 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1987. UZEB did Quebec-wide and several Canadian tours. In 1991 UZEB received the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award which was presented at the 1991 Montreal International Jazz Festival. UZEB played its first European concert in 1981 at the Bracknell (England) Jazz Festival. In 1983, UZEB appeared at the Festival de Jazz de Paris and recorded at the Olympia in Paris. UZEB also played in other European countries and in Southeast Asia (in 1990). However, UZEB rarely played concerts in the US. UZEB's most popular songs include Junk Funk, Smiles and Chuckles, Mile 'O', 60 rue des Lombards, Spider, and Uzeb Club.