Rahmann
Rahmann
Musea
1977 (Reissued 1998)
Promo from Musea

     Wow! First of all, let me thank the generous folks at Musea for sending me the best promo CD I have ever received. I was thrilled with this CD as soon as I put it in the player. Unlike many of the promo CDs I have been sent, I would have quite happily paid money for this one. This is good stuff!
     It is exciting for me to be able to review this album because I believe it is pretty safe to say that almost none of my readers have ever heard of this band, despite the fact that this album is over 20 years old. This album is like buried treasure. I can't believe this was not out on CD until now. When reading in the liner notes that members of Rahmann have rubbed elbows with members of such disparate and well-known bands as Magma, Santana, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Zao and even INXS, their obscurity is even more amazing. Hopefully that will end with this CD reissue.
     A dizzying array of French fusion and Zeuhl musicians including Gérrard Prevost of Zao, and Didier Lockwood, (known for his stint with Magma) appear on this album. They're all led by Mahamad Hadi, the group's founder. Like Magma's Christian Vander, this Algerian (who moved to France on his first birthday) managed a revolving door of international musicians who offered their services to this unique band for a time, then left to pursue other projects. The fact that such an obscure band as Rahmann could attract some relatively well-known musicians seems to indicate that they played with Rahmann out of respect for the band's unique musical vision, rather than for financial gain.
     On Rahmann's one and only album, they mix energetic jazz fusion a la Mahavishnu Orchestra with a few Zeuhl touches and most interestingly, Middle Eastern music. The instrumentation includes the standard jazz-rock instruments of electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, but it is augmented by Middle Eastern instruments like oud, and bouzouki. Other unusual instruments like fretless guitar and quarter-tone guitar help make things even more interesting. Not only Middle Eastern instruments appear on this album, but lively Middle Eastern melodies and polyrhythms also bubble up through the jazz fusion bedrock. A good dose of Latin-styled percussion adds even more spice to this already eclectic musical stew. This is not just jazz fusion with international influences though. That has been done before. What prog fans might like best about this is the fact that this album does have some rather "out-there" moments. Many of the tracks have a somewhat dark mood to them. The electric guitar solo on "Leila" is pretty searing and distorted and underneath there are some somewhat dissonant piano chords hammering about. When the guitar and keyboards unite in a quick, intricate melodic pattern of Mediterranean origin, I cannot help but be reminded of the Italian group Area.
     If a comparison to just one band had to be drawn with Rahmann, it would have to be with Mahavishnu Orchestra. The main difference would be that Rahmann substituted Middle Eastern influences where Mahavishnu used Indian ones. Another contrast can be found in Rahmann's more cohesive group interplay. While Mahavishnu always found time for everyone to play solos at lightening speed, Rahmann placed less emphasis on speed and flash. Instead, the group preferred to create intricate, powerful compositions, which allowed the musicians to share the spotlight more evenly. One of the best tracks, "Ab," reminds me very much of music by the Belgian band Present. The similarity between this piece's intricately woven guitar and piano melodies coupled with odd time signatures and Present's overall style is remarkable. It's fairly safe to say, however, that this is a coincidence, and that Rahmann was coming from a completely different musical direction than Present was.
     This CD reissue includes the original album, comprised of six instrumental tracks ranging in length from five to over nine minutes. Four bonus tracks have been added as well. Unfortunately, these are all alternate versions of pieces from the original album. They are, however, significantly different from the originals. They also suffer from a little bit of tape hiss, as they were recorded on a mobile studio. Considering that this is probably the only Rahmann music we are ever likely to hear however, the more the better.
      Rahmann's music seems to lend even more credence to the concept that some of the best and most interesting music is that which takes from the best of a myriad of styles and cultures and blends them to form a new whole which is more than the sum of its parts. Whether Rahmann is prog rock, jazz, or world music, it is extremely successful. Truly, this is fusion in more ways than one.

Jac La Greca
Ipsis Quest
Musea
1997
Promo from Musea

     Another obscurity brought to light thanks to Musea Records is the guitar talent of Mr. Jac La Greca. This talented young French guitarist's debut album, Ipsis Quest, begins on an extremely positive note with the album opener, "Dao Dermo," an energetic romp through some of the best modern jazz fusion you're likely to hear. La Greca puts his guitar through a serious workout without sounding like so many string shredding wankers have before him. Fast yet tasteful soloing is punctuated by some surprisingly wide interval jumps and mellower, jazzier passages are interspersed throughout the track. The composition quickly reverts back to the more powerful sections after these jazzy interludes, however, making this the most exciting and accessible track on the album. Other standout tracks include "Peine Perdue" and "Blue Ipsis" (which features some more really cool guitar soloing by La Greca).
     The energy level droops a bit in a few places on the album, but it never stoops as low as "smooth jazz." Most of the time there is a definite inclination toward a progressive mentality, but this is more jazz than rock most of the time, so it's not all hard-hitting stuff, but it's usually quite enjoyable.
     The biggest negative aspect of Ipsis Quest is the fact that the entire album sounds just like an Allan Holdsworth album. Listening to Ipsis Quest, I am willing to bet good money that Holdsworth's 1992 album, Wardenclyffe Tower (which is a great album) is Jac La Greca's favorite album and Ipsis Quest's primary influence. Everything from La Greca's "liquid legato" technique to his guitar tone to the synthesizer patches used on this album sound exactly like those on Wardenclyffe Tower. In a world where Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix clones are a dime a dozen, there is not much shame in emulating Holdsworth's under-appreciated and unique style, but La Greca takes it a little far on his debut album. Of course, hero worship is not unusual on debut albums, so it is understandable. Hopefully, future albums by La Greca will continue in the same style, but will highlight his own musical personality a bit more.
     Ipsis Quest is a good album for relaxing a bit before bed or after dinner. It is highly recommended to fans of Allan Holdsworth and other good modern jazz fusion artists.

FM
Black Noise
Visa Records
1978
apparently unnamed used book/record/junk store, Jacksonville, FL

     The name of this band may sound familiar to anyone who is such a rabid Rush fan that they have spent countless hours reading all the liner notes to every album over and over again. If you know by heart the alternate lyrics to "La Villa Strangiato" as they appear on the sleeve for Exit … Stage Left, you might also know that FM opened for Rush on a few tours in the late '70s and early '80s. You might also know that FM's violinist Ben Mink played on "Losing It," from Rush's Signals album. Now that I have thoroughly destroyed any credibility I may have ever had as being a well-rounded prog listener, let's get to the point.
      While it's true that FM is also a Canadian trio, they are not Rush wannabes (Triumph). Rush fans need not look to them for another Moving Pictures. FM were a highly original and very ahead-of-their-time band who melded early synth-pop with progressive rock touches to create at least one very remarkable album in their debut, Black Noise.
      What makes the music on this album so unique is that it is dominated by some unusual instruments. What sounds like very high-pitched electric guitar is actually electric mandolin, played by Nash the Slash. There is apparently no guitar on this album at all. Mr. Slash also plays violin and glockenspiel. (He was replaced by the aforementioned Ben Mink on FM's second album Surveilance.) The rest of the music is fleshed out by a lot of analog synthesizers and bass guitar played by vocalist Cameron Hawkins. Drums and more synths are provided by Martin Deller. All three are quite competent musicians, but there is not too much musical flashiness in their relatively short pop-oriented songs.
      There are, however, three really good instrumentals which allow the band to show off a bit. One of these is called "Dialing for Dharma" and is remarkably similar to what Ozric Tentacles would be doing a few years later. Even the title sounds like an Ozric creation. It begins with a rapid sequenced synth riff, which sets up the mechanistic rhythm of the piece and allows room for some soaring electric violin solos. The album's title track is the one long piece at ten minutes in length. It's the most overtly progressive rock-styled piece. It includes a heavy bass guitar riff which sounds like it came straight off UK's second album, followed by a very cool, slightly spacey section with a beautiful, slow violin solo. The overall tone of this song is rather ominous and continues in the album's science fiction theme with somewhat nebulous lyrics about a battle of the future. About half of the album contains shorter (three to six minutes), poppier tracks, but they are all very good and quite unique in ways that will appeal to prog fans. Don't let the word "pop" dissuade you from checking this album out. It is without a doubt one of the best albums I have bought in months.
      Black Noise is a great album from start to finish and is highly recommended to everyone who reads Reels of Dreams Unrolled.

Area
Are(a)zione
Cramps
1975
Wayside Music

      How many bands are there in progressive rock which can be considered truly unique? In a field of music where new bands are constantly recycling ideas and sounds from the '70s, and where almost every classic band seems to have legions of imitators, it would seem a unique band would be almost impossible. Only a few of the most avant-garde and idiosyncratic bands are relatively isolated. Even then, lines of influence can be drawn to or from these bands in most cases. One of the most unique bands in progressive rock is Italy's Area. This ground-breaking group mixed jazz, rock, traditional music from all around the Mediterranean Sea, and avant-garde electronics with a revolutionary political and musical sensibility. The result is a vibrant and unprecedented mixture of musical styles which remains without equal today. True, the recent Italian band Deus Ex Machina echoes something of the spirit of Area today. Also the above review of Rahmann's album mentions a similarity to Area in the Mediterranean melodies, but nothing before or since that I have heard comes very close to the unique musical vision of Area for more than a few fleeting moments.
      What sets Area even further apart is that they were fronted by one of the most gifted and powerful vocalists to ever take the stage. Imagine, if you can, a hyperactive Elvis Presley with operatic vocal training singing in Italian. This is Area's late Demetrio Stratos. While Jon Anderson and John Wetton may have had pretty voices, Stratos could sing circles around them both. He could also growl, yodel and create all sorts of vocal sound effects which bordered on superhuman. Area's other four musicians were all some of the best in their respective fields, but it is clear that Stratos was always the star of Area's show.
      Are(a)zione (translated "area action") is an excellent introduction to the band's work. It features selections from the band's first three albums, plus an amazing 14-minute jazz fusion improvisation and what I can only assume is a rather unorthodox rendition of the international communist anthem "L'Internazionale" (in the tradition of Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" and Gentle Giant's "The Queen"). Also included are great renditions of the classics "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre," "La Mela Di Odessa" and "Cometa Rosa." All are high-energy shredders likely to get you off your prog-rock butt and moving around the house. But this can be detrimental to your appreciation of the music because it can be so intricate.
     If you know Area, you know how good this is. If not, take my word for it and buy this album.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Trout Mask Replica
Reprise
1969
CD Warehouse, Jacksonville, FL

      "Fast and bulbous!" You may find yourself repeating this wonderfully silly exclamation to yourself and your friends for weeks after listening to this album for the first time. Like almost everything on this album, it makes no sense, but it sure is fun anyway.
     Captain Beefheart was one of many enigmatic and colorful characters who emerged from the fertile musical landscape of the late sixties and early seventies. Unfortunately he ceased to exist when he quit making music and took up painting, along with his real name, Don Van Vliet, in the mid-eighties. However, this was not before achieving serious cult status and leaving behind several albums, the most famous of which being Trout Mask Replica.
     This double length LP (now on one CD) is packed full of some of the weirdest songs and ditties you will ever hear. Beefheart's lyrics (delivered in a false, low, gravelly blues voice) are second to none in plain old silliness, but they always seem to be remarkably poetic. By the same token, the musical passages found on this album are some of the quirkiest and most jagged you'll hear outside of Henry Cow, yet they're substantially more listenable.
     This is the most fascinating thing about Trout Mask Replica. It's odd music, but somehow very compelling. These short musical sketches are drawn with strokes of extremely angular and non-melodic guitar (imagine a drunk early Robert Fripp) and some occasional squeaking saxophone (think John Zorn). The band is rounded out with bass guitar and drums which, along with the guitar and horn, start, stop and tumble (though not always at the same time) through a veritable obstacle course of time signatures, keys and rhythms. While at times the band sound as if they have not rehearsed this album more than once or twice, this music is actually the result of the musicians spending months learning the transcribed parts which Captain Beefheart wrote in stream-of-consciousness fashion on piano. This is why prog and adventurous music fans are likely to enjoy this music. This is a truly an avant-garde approach to composing music, though it's all disguised with a thin veneer of supposedly blues-based rock'n'roll. Aside from one or two tracks, the only real evidence of the influence of blues in this music is in the delivery of the vocals and in the lyrics.
     Unfortunately, such extreme music has a high rate of listener fatigue. The fact that this album is double length does not help. I have yet to listen to the whole album in one sitting, and I'm not sure I ever will, but I still recommend it highly.