Genre: Jazz/rock fusion
Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records (Caterham on the hill)
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Early In The Morning
Gear costume: Do What You Like
Active compensatory factors: Okay. Been thinking about this album for seven long months - ever since I discovered Chaldon's Books and Records which has turned into a treasure trove of great vinyl, albeit at sometimes top end prices.
To whit, this album.
The lovely old guy who owns the shop (a big band fan who won't listen to anything released after 1956) had it priced at £42!!
I normally hate to haggle but I made an exception in this case after seven months and a lot of other purchases, and a lot of due diligence. A lot of due diligence! Here's one example.
In the end we settled on £25 (I offered 20, he said 30, I shook my head and the rest is history) and I wasn't disappointed at all when I got it home and finally figured out how to get into the record (released unconventionally - the gatefold cover was designed left-handed; i.e. the front cover artwork was on what traditionally would be considered the back and vice versa).
The personnel is interesting:
Ginger Baker – drums, percussion, timpani, vocals Denny Laine – guitars, vocals Rick Grech – bass guitar, violin Steve Winwood – Hammond organ, bass guitar, vocals Chris Wood – tenor saxophone, flute Graham Bond – Hammond organ, alto saxophone, vocals Harold McNair – tenor and alto saxophones, alto flute Jeanette Jacobs – vocals Remi Kabaka – drums, percussion Phil Seamen – drums, percussion
Luckily no one gets in the way and the jazz/rock fusion is unique (at least to my ears).
It's actually a radical soundscape - not Blind Faith, not Traffic, and certainly not Cream (although there is a version of Toad on side 2 but it's not too long thankfully).
The Afro-beat influence (Aiko Biaye) is present but it's not too Womad infused (I'm not a huge Womad fan) and instead blends well with the heavy duty amplification on offer.
All up I'm well chuffed!
Where do they all belong? Apparently the second iteration of GBA is a pale imitation of this first album so this's rather a stand alone LP.
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