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Posts tagged Allan Holdsworth
U.K – Live In Boston (1978) (@256)
09 Oct 2009
(Review from progarchives.com)
Recorded live in Boston in 1978, this recording is finally available as a proper release after long been only found as a bootleg. The sound quality is good. It sounds as though no studio overdubs were punched in later. Each musician has his share of clams (mistakes) that are very apparent.
The tracks, a mix of those from the selftitled U.K. release and the follow up, Danger Money. Hearing Bruford and Holdsworth’s playing “Carrying No Cross”, “The Only Thing She Needs” and “Caesar’s Palace Blues” offers a slight variation from the studio project. There is some improvisation, obviously these takes offer a bit more air and spontaneity than on the future Bozzio propelled album. Wetton’s voice is good, cracking and a bit off here and there, but nothing to ruin the moment. Holdsworth’s jazzy underpinning in the softer lyrical opening to “Carrying No Cross” is enjoyable. He plays fills and lightning runs throughout. Wetton’s live bass action harkens back to King Crimsons glory days, even taking a solo 6 minutes in. Jobson sounds compelled to give Holdsworth a run at center stage as the piece moves forward, swelling and evolving with full band interplay. Holdsworth pulls off a stunning solo before breaking back into the vocal theme.
The “Thirty Years” intro is a beautiful clean picked guitar over synthesized sweet violin washes. Wetton attempts to be soft but struggles a bit with a few notes. The audio is very clear, narry any crowd noise, with Bruford’s cymbals filling space before the band leaps into a tight instrumental sections. Wetton fuzzes up his bass lines and Holdsy chords along before Jobson’s keys take control. Another smoking guitar solo before coming back down to another verse. Holdsworth solo out to Jobson’s “Presto Vivace” synth intro to “In the Dead of Night”. Holdsworth rips it up again, getting outside into a improvisation showcase. No shortage of fireworks here. Even little stumbles get you into the moment, rather than detracting.
The final track, “Caesar’s Palace Blues” is interestingly contrasted from the studio take with some fun trade-offs from Jobson and Holdsworth, sounding like they are totally digging the play. Jobson saws the hell out of his violin. This one appears to be fun and spontaneous.
Line-up:
- Allan Holdsworth / guitars
- Bill Bruford / drums
- Jon Wetton /bass guitar, vocals
- Eddie Jobson / keyboards, electric violin
Track List:
01. Alaska – 1:33
02. Time To Kill – 7:16
03. The Only Thing She Needs – 7:21
04. Carrying No Cross – 9:58
05. Thirty Years – 10:03
06. Presto Vivace / In the Dead of Night – 7:49
07. Caesar’s Palace Blues – 4:30
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U.K. – Shadows from the Sun (Live 1978) (@256)
06 Mar 2008
U.K. went on two lengthy American tours to support their debut album during June-October 1978.
This is a good soundboard recording of their concert at the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, on the 1st of September.
It’s a fair representation of the live performance of the first line-up of U.K.
Line-up:
* Eddie Jobson / Electric Violin, Keyboards
* John Wetton / Vocals, Bass
* Allan Holdsworth / Guitars
* Bill Bruford / Drums, Percussion
Track List:
01. Alaska
02. Time To Kill
03. The Only Things She Needs
04. Carrying No Cross
05. Forever Till Sunday
06. Thirty Years
07. By The Light Of Day (ending)
08. Presto Vivace
09. In The Dead Of Night
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Gong – Expresso II (1978) (@256)
08 Jul 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
Nothing like the psychedelic-era Gong with Daevid Allen, the album has a pretty original fusion tendency, without spacy textures, and with a rather “drums & percussion” preponderance. It is fully instrumental.
The elegant, magic and sophisticated mixes of xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel and tubular bells are absolutely delightful: they occupy a substantial place, since they are played by 3 musicians. Compared to Ruth Underwood’s or Ed Mann’s performance, the percussions here are more melodic and they less consist in the same note played many consecutive times at an infernal speed: so, many notes are more sustained and resonant. The drums are quite fast & refined. There are some excellent violin parts, especially on “Soli”, a courtesy of Darryl Way. On “Heavy tune”, the electric guitar solos rather have a Steve Hillage style. Holdsworth’s electric guitar solos on “Sleepy”, “Soli” and “Three blind mice” are excellent. On “Sleepy”, there is a wah-wah bass arrangement which sounds like the one Goblin use on the “Suspiria” album.
Line-up:
- Mireille Bauer / marimbas, vibraphone
- Francois Causse / congas
- Allan Holdsworth / rhythm guitar
- Bon Lozaga / acoustic guitar
- Benoit Moerlen / glockenspiel, vibes, xylophone, tubular bells, claves
- Pierre Moerlen / drums, glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells, timpani
- Hansford Rowe / bass, rhythm guitar
- Mick Taylor / electric guitar
- Darryl Way / violin
Track List:
01. Heavy Tune (6:22)
02. Golden Dilemma (4:51)
03. Sleepy (7:17)
04. Soli )7:37)
05. Boring (6:23)
06. Three Blind Mice (4:47)
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U.K. – U.K. (1978) (@256)
21 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
UK was a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup founded by singer/bassist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford (both King Crimson alumni) with keyboardist/electric violinist Eddie Jobson (late of Roxy Music and Frank Zappa’s band) and guitarist Allan Holdsworth.
This record did not impress me too much when I first bought it, but then it grew on me. It is still something I have to listen to carefully in order to fully appreciate it, which means I can’t put it in the background when I’m doing something else around the house – but the experience gets better and better with each listen. Here, Jobson takes the lion’s share, playing both keyboards and electric violin. The latter gives the album a distinctive quality it shares with Crimson’s 73-74 records – though Jobson’s playing is more atmospheric, evocative and somewhat romantic as well. Surprisingly, though, one of my favourite elements of “U.K.” is Wetton’s singing: his performance in the record’s highlight, the opening, three-part suite “In the Dead of Night/By the Light of Day/Presto Vivace- Reprise”, is nothing short of amazing. As many people on this website already know, I’ve never been a fan of Wetton’s singing with King Crimson (with the notable exception of “Red”), but here he’s at his most emotional. His bass playing is also quite superb and complements Bruford magnificent drumming perfectly – just listen to the closing track, “Mental Medication”, in order to fully appreciate his thick, powerful yet skillful bass lines. Then, Allan Holdsworth needs no introduction: he’s a musician’s musician rather than a shredder.
Line-up:
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
- Allan Holdsworth / guitars
- Eddie Jobson / keyboards, electric violin
- John Wetton / lead vocals, bass
Track List:
01. In the dead of night (5:38)
02. By the light of day (4:32)
03. Presto Vivace and reprise (2:58)
04. Thirty years (8:05)
05. Alaska (4:45)
06. Time to kill (4:55)
07. Nevermore (8:09)
08. Mental medication (6:12)
Link in comments.
