Blue Aura (Passport) (LP 963 - 967)

Passport  Hand Made (CD, Atlantic Records, 1973) ***  

Passport  Doldinger Jubilee '75 (CD, Atlantic Records, 1975) ***  

Passport  Cross Collateral (CD, Atlantic Records, 1975) ***  

Passport  Infinity Machine (CD, Atlantic Records, 1976) **** 

Klaus Doldinger  Passport Live (CD, WEA Records, 2000) ***

Genre: Jazz fusion 

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi); Virgin Megastore (Dubai)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Abracadabra (on Hand Made and Jubilee '75 as a live version)

Gear costume: Cross Collateral (album of the same name); Morning Sun (Infinity Machine)

Active compensatory factors: As Klaus Doldinger continued to lead various versions of Passport lineups through these years and albums the consistency of music and style is remarkable, all linked by those iconic covers.

The music varies between Spirogyra pleasantries at one end of the continuum (Morning Sun), with some ferocious ensemble playing at the other (Infinity Machine) - sometimes, as in those two songs, on the same album. 

Indeed, if you want to pick one out of the bunch, I'd go with Infinity Machine as a good starting point. The band and Klaus are in good form.

Truth be told these are nice to have, but none are essential purchases. 

The live albums do add another dimension though. Buddy Guy even makes an appearance on Jubilee '75!

The live album released in 2000 is another fantastic recording by Klaus. I think this one includes his best tenor sax playing. He's in full mastery mode throughout these German concerts. It is a tad long though - one point deducted for that.

Where do they all belong? That concludes the Passport CDs that I racked up in the Middle East. No need for any more (but I do love those covers!)