Summit soul (Jean-Luc Ponty) (LP 2319 - 2321)

Jean-Luc Ponty  Electric Connection (CD, Gott Records, 1969) ***  

Jean-Luc Ponty  King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa (CD, Gott Records, 1970) ****  

Jean-Luc Ponty  Mystical Adventures (CD, Atlantic Records, 1982) ****  

Genre: Pop rock; jazz fusion; jazz 

Places I remember: Fopp; Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: King Kong

Gear costume: Mystical Adventures Part 1

Active compensatory factors: Jean-Luc Ponty's music is hard to categorise as he has a foot in both the pop world and the jazz world via his work with George Duke, Frank Zappa and John McLaughlin.

Hence my claiming him in the pop rock, jazz and jazz-fusion genres.

Clearly, my interest in his solo career was sparked via his association with Zappa and the second album listed above: King Kong.

First of his American albums though, was 1969's Electric Connection. George Duke and a big crew of sessioners sit in with Jean-Luc on what is pretty much a straight jazz album.

King Kong is a brilliant set of Frank Zappa compositions - FZ even sits in on the sole Ponty written track. Assorted Mothers and soon to be Mothers (George Duke) also appear.

It helps that the music is brilliant, but the playing is outstanding as well. Although I find Music For Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra tough to listen to, I appreciate the experimental philosophy.

Still, it's the more tuneful songs that I appreciate the most on this album.

Mystical Adventures features a side long suite which is downright beautiful! Ponty embraced synths in the eighties and they merge wonderfully with his violin.

Where do they all belong? Want more Ponty? You have a ways to go before I get to Zappa in the Zeds. Unless I find a copy of his Individual Choice from 1983, in the meantime that is.