Horizon beyond (Passport) (LP 884 - 886)

Passport  Passport (CD, Atlantic Records, 1971) *** 

Passport  Second Passport (CD, Atlantic Records, 1972) ***

Passport  Looking Thru (CD, Atlantic Records, 1973) ***    

Genre: Jazz fusion

Places I remember: Variety of music stores in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Schirokko (Passport)

Gear costume: Nexus (Second Passport) 

Active compensatory factors: These are the first three albums from the German jazz fusion group led by saxophonist Klaus Doldinger. He's  the only constant through their career, so remember the name.

I was first drawn to the group by seeing a layout of their covers in Roger Dean and Hipgnosis' Album Cover Album book (all of these early Passport covers were by the same Hamburg studio).

So I snapped up copies when I came across them and was delighted to find them occupying space in the jazz fusion genre. That blurring of jazz and rock sensibilities suits me (sir).

At times the band sounds like King Crimson lite - as in - the intensity that Robert Fripp whips up isn't present in Passport, but the questing evolving music sure can be there.

The first album sets out their stall - Zappa-like sinewy horn driven instrumentals with a funky bottom end. There are two tenor-men on this first one - Klaus plus Olaf Kubler, and three others. Only Klaus would continue onto the Second Passport album but the sound is similar to the blueprint drawn up for the debut. 

Given the use of synths and electric piano the sound does flirt (at the best of times) with the prog rock genre, and really jazz fusion and prog rock and close siblings. At other times, it has to be said, that combo of instruments can drift into easy listening territory as well.

Second Passport features Klaus with three more members playing drum/bass/electric guitar/electric piano. Although, only Wolfgang Schmidt would be retained for third album Looking Thru.

No difficult second album syndrome for Passport - they sound even more assured on this set. Just check out Nexus above, as exhibit A.

Difficult third album, Looking Thru, continues the sound. By this stage the sound is pretty set into a format but, for the band, it's a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. Tarantula, with some Zappa-esque moves is my favourite track on this one.

Where do they all belong? A lot more to come from Passport on the countdown - I got a tad carried away while overseas. If proggy jazz fusion is your thing - give Passport a go.