With: Edgar Hoffman (violin), Jimmy Jackson (organ), Mal Waldron (electric piano), Roman Bunka (guitar), Jorg Evers, Dave King (bass), Christian Burchard (drums, vibes)
Record date: December 22, 1970
Mal has always been open to new influences to his music. He has experimented with classical music, pop music, rock and fusion. Between 1966 and 2002 he kept developing his own sound always trying out new thing. His basic sound always remained the same but from that basic sound he explored lots of territories. His experiments with Embryo date back till 1967 when that German 'krautrock' band wasn't even formed yet. In Münich he already played with Christian Burchard and other future members. I once heard some criticism of categorizing Embryo as a krautrock band and I tend to agree. I like the term etno-fusion which is used in the liner notes of my cd version. I think that pretty much describes what you can hear here altough I do not like catogorizing anyway. But if I had to call it a name: etno-fusion it is.
It's mostly fascinating music that draws influences from rockmusic, psychadelica, world music and contemporary jazz. It all blends well into creative and original music. In the liner notes Matthias Mineur talks about the uncreative and commercial music made in those years. He presents Embryo as a great alternative sound and he is right about that. I'm not necisarrily a big fusion or psychadelica fan but I can definitely dig this sincere and original music.
The band starts with a more psychadelic rock oriented composition. Roman Bunka starts on a 'saz', a guitar or lute kind of instrument from the middle east which gives it an oriental vibe. Then in comes the band with a hard vibing and downright funky Jimmy Jackson on organ. After his great solo it's Mal's turn and it's so interesting to hear him play in a setting like this. It's not a problem at all for him as he continues the path that Jackson has set out. It's funky and swings like mad. Mal's repetivie vamps sound like an excellent base for a band like Embryo to groove on.
Dreaming girls is something else: a more ambient like ballad with some beautiful playing by every single band member. It has a raga kind of feel with lots of repetition in sound and structure. Highlight is Mal's composition 'The Call'. I like the more jazzy/fusion version on his own classic JAPO album better but this one is defintely great as well. It's more rock oriented with Burchard playing some excellent drums here pushing the band to it's boundaries. I love Jimmy Jackson here who again plays downright funky, heavily influenced by the blues. Edgar Hoffman also shines on violin here.
I could definitely hear why Mal wanted to play with these guys. This is not necissarily my prime kind of music style but it's great fun to listen to. Also it sets Mal in a completely new direction, one that suits him well. Mal's affilition with them would be a live long one. With two more official albums to come an many more unoffical ones for he gigged with them trough all of his life in all kinds of settings.
Of course the original LP is pricey but reissues are widely avaible on cd for very reasonable prices. Highly recommended stuff for fans of Mal. Of course this album is in every Embryo fan's collection but it's also recommendable for all open minded jazz fans and mostly: those who like psychadelic rock.
It's mostly fascinating music that draws influences from rockmusic, psychadelica, world music and contemporary jazz. It all blends well into creative and original music. In the liner notes Matthias Mineur talks about the uncreative and commercial music made in those years. He presents Embryo as a great alternative sound and he is right about that. I'm not necisarrily a big fusion or psychadelica fan but I can definitely dig this sincere and original music.
The band starts with a more psychadelic rock oriented composition. Roman Bunka starts on a 'saz', a guitar or lute kind of instrument from the middle east which gives it an oriental vibe. Then in comes the band with a hard vibing and downright funky Jimmy Jackson on organ. After his great solo it's Mal's turn and it's so interesting to hear him play in a setting like this. It's not a problem at all for him as he continues the path that Jackson has set out. It's funky and swings like mad. Mal's repetivie vamps sound like an excellent base for a band like Embryo to groove on.
Dreaming girls is something else: a more ambient like ballad with some beautiful playing by every single band member. It has a raga kind of feel with lots of repetition in sound and structure. Highlight is Mal's composition 'The Call'. I like the more jazzy/fusion version on his own classic JAPO album better but this one is defintely great as well. It's more rock oriented with Burchard playing some excellent drums here pushing the band to it's boundaries. I love Jimmy Jackson here who again plays downright funky, heavily influenced by the blues. Edgar Hoffman also shines on violin here.
I could definitely hear why Mal wanted to play with these guys. This is not necissarily my prime kind of music style but it's great fun to listen to. Also it sets Mal in a completely new direction, one that suits him well. Mal's affilition with them would be a live long one. With two more official albums to come an many more unoffical ones for he gigged with them trough all of his life in all kinds of settings.
Of course the original LP is pricey but reissues are widely avaible on cd for very reasonable prices. Highly recommended stuff for fans of Mal. Of course this album is in every Embryo fan's collection but it's also recommendable for all open minded jazz fans and mostly: those who like psychadelic rock.
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