Record Reviews

MICHAEL GIBBS ~ THE ONLY CHROME WATERFALL ORCHESTRA AH UM 009 ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1975 Released: 1991 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by British Jazz composer / arranger / bandleader Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1975 on the BronzeFind albums on this label label. It is one of the earliest “reissues”, before the concept became widespread, undertaken simply to correct the blunder of releasing the album on a strictly Rock label, which made it to disappear almost instantly from circulation. The idea of reissuing it on the tiny, but legendary Ah UmFind albums on this label label meant to bring the overlooked gem to the Jazz audiences, where it really belonged. The move was only partially successful, since Ah Um had a very limited marketing abilities and soon disappeared from the market, taking one of the most important British Orchestral / Big Band Jazz albums into the abyss again. The album was reissued again a few years later by the proper archival BGOFind albums on this label label, where it is hopefully still available. Gibbs recorded the album with an incredible Orchestra / Big Band, which comprised of a fourteen-piece brass section, which included the crème-de-la-crème of the British Jazz scene at the time, including Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, Henry LowtherFind albums by this artist, Ray WarleighFind albums by this artist, Stan SultzmannFind albums by this artist, Tony CoeFind albums by this artist and Alan SkidmoreFind albums by this artist, to mention just the most prominent Masters, a string section, the Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and a bunch of Americans, which included saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist – a true “dream come true” setting. The music presents a seven-part suite like continuum, with five parts composed by Gibbs, one co-composed by him with Moses and Swallow and finally one composed by Catherine. The music, which was light-years ahead of its time, presents a dreamy multi-layered musical journey, full of exquisite melodies, complex harmonies, World Music influences, in short a plethora of musical worlds meshed together, with brilliant orchestral performances and breathtaking soli, mostly by Catharine, Coe and Mariano. I have cherished this album since the day I had it on the day of its release, and tried to herald its qualities repeatedly over time, sadly due to its obscurity few people shared my enthusiasm over the years. As much as I admire everything Gibbs created over the years, and he certainly managed to produce a substantial body of work over the years, this album was always my favorite piece of his work. Overall, this is one of the most important and significant Orchestral / Big Band recordings of British Jazz, which lost absolutely nothing of its grandeur, class and depth over time, and which manages to elate my state of being every time I listen to it. Thank you so much my Friend, for your lasting contribution to my sanity ;) Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 22/05/2025Posted: 22/05/2025

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN ~ ZIM ZAM ZIM BRONZE RAT 40 (Barcode: 8888480014616) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is an album by veteran British singer / songwriter / bandleader Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist and his reinstated (some five decades after its initial formation) ensemble The Crazy World Of Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist. Brown´s partners in this new incarnation of the ensemble are bassist Jim MortimoreFind albums by this artist and drummer Samuel WalkerFind albums by this artist, both of which play a plethora of additional instruments. Twelve guest musicians also take part in the recording. The album presents ten original songs, all co-credited to the three members of the ensemble. The music is an eclectic collection of many influences including a strong Jazz-Rock presence and some Progressive Rock vistas, but overall all kept within the theatrical Rock, which has been Brown´s modus operandi for decades. For listeners who have followed Brown´s activities over the years, like yours truly, there are few musical surprises herein. What is surprising however is the great form of Brown´s voice and his vocal abilities, which lost nothing of their charm and attraction over time. His power of expression is completely intact and remains one of the most unique and idiosyncratic on the scene. Combined with the strong melodic drive of the songs and the interesting instrumentation, the album is a fascinating listening experience, albeit not for everybody. Overall this album proves that Brown is still a formidable performer and music maker, as always operating on the fringe of popular music. With his stamina and creative juices intact, he is contributing valuable music where generation of much younger people remain brain dead. Well done!

Updated: 28/07/2019Posted: 28/07/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend