The tracks for the album were originally recorded yesteryear engineer Rudy Van Gelder at his Van Gelder Studio inward New Jersey. According to Holdsworth, this was done during a rehearsal session, afterwards which the tapes were released yesteryear CTI without his or the other band members' consent. None of the musicians involved e'er received royalties for their work. Holdsworth thence considered the album an unauthorised unloosen together with non business office of his discography.
This debut solo unloosen yesteryear Allan Holdsworth has an "in the raw," coarsely presented, jam-session character consummate alongside warts together with all, every bit good every bit existent gems of jazz fusion shining through. H5N1 commencement hearing of this unloosen inward its vinyl version mightiness provoke laughter at how genuinely bad it sounds compared to Holdsworth's other releases every bit good every bit his playing alongside other groups. As it turns out, Holdsworth himself abhors this unloosen (considering it "a existent terrible disaster"), together with has taken legal activity together with had it removed from production for several reasons.
The original label used rehearsal tapes to compile it, deeming it unnecessary to finance existent sessions. During the recording session, Holdsworth had to hurry through each vocal together with champaign never obtained the masters to larn over earlier release. In essence, the original unloosen was nil to a greater extent than than a taped rehearsal, packaged yesteryear CTI every bit an album without Holdsworth's permission.
This recording has been bootlegged yesteryear label afterwards label, none of the musicians involved e'er saw whatsoever royalties, together with no legal paperwork exists. (The recording's known labels together with release/re-release dates include CTI Records [1976], King Records [1976], Epic Associated Records [CD, 1990], King Records [Japanese-only CD, 1994], together with CTI Records [Japanese-only CD, 1997]. Velvet Darkness was also released inward 1997 on an unknown label inward Nippon every bit a bootleg CD; an original re-create of the vinyl LP album had been transferred to the CD.)
The 1990 unloosen alongside alternate takes (just to a greater extent than pieces dredged upward from the jam-session exercise tapes) is indeed an interesting snapshot of immature stellar musicians doing their affair inward a laid-back but energetic fusion-funk-rock groove. It is for all the inward a higher house reasons that this is indeed a completist/collectors special nowadays. Included are the directly real rare recordings of Holdsworth playing acoustic guitar together with violin, which he does real well. The alternate create got of "Gattox" is a special treat, featuring Holdsworth soloing alongside an intensity together with emotive ability that echoes all the best dynamics jazz fusion could offering inward the '70s.
This 2017 reissue is from Talking Elephant together with the remastering is awesome! You tin listen clearly every musical instrument from the musicians, the scorching guitar together with violin of Holdsworth, pounding bass of Alphonso Johnson together with the monster drumming of Narada Michael Walden, Same every bit the 1990 CBS reissue it comes alongside v alternate takes of the original tracks. Original album alone at xxx min. but alongside the alternate create got the whole cd runs at 53 minutes. This is AH's commencement album though he disowns since it is a "practice session" together with took legal activity to cease the unloosen dorsum inward the 1990s. Does it audio similar a rehearsal session? Absolutely not, it is a corking jazz stone fusion album. The alone permit downwards is that at that topographic point is no booklet of reading only the CD sleeve album cover. Even if you lot create got the CBS lawsuit larn this i since at that topographic point is a big improvement inward audio quality.
This album is real raw. High energy. Crisp sound. Keyboards are cheesy sounding, but when were they non from that era? The drums are GREAT. Allan plays violin on this i also. I met him i time during the I.O.U tour (25 years ago???), together with he told me he hated this album intensely. In fact I asked him to sign mine, together with he refused. He genuinely tried to BUY it from me!! He was non kidding. He said he wanted it out of circulation. I cannot imagine why.
R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth.
https://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Allan+Holdsworth
Track listing:
01. Good Clean Filth (5:20)
02. Floppy Hat (2:46)
03. Wish (4:20)
04. Kinder (3:07)
05. Velvet Darkness (4:42)
06. Karzie Key (3:11)
07. Las May (1:38)
08. Gattox (4:51)
Bonus tracks:
09. Good Clean Filth (Alternate take) (5:38)
10. Kinder (Alternate take) (3:07)
11. Velvet Darkness (Alternate take) (4:44)
12. Karzie Key (Alternate take) (2:15)
13. Gattox (Alternate take) (6:47)
Total fourth dimension 52:26
Personnel:
- Allan Holdsworth / acoustic (2,4,7) & electrical guitars, violin (6)
- Alan Pasqua / electrical piano
- Alphonso Johnson / bass
- Narada Michael Walden / drums
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