Guitar hero Allan Holdsworth oft performs with his peers. Such is the illustration with this alive setting recorded at a venue inwards Nippon during a 2002 tour. On this release, the guitarist leads a trio featuring longtime musical associates, drummer Republic of Chad Wackerman, together with bassist Jimmy Johnson. To that end, the respective musicians' talents are well-known entities. Wackerman together with Johnson tin cause the trickiest fourth dimension signatures imaginable. Along with the nimble flexibilities together with odd-metered excursions witnessed here, they exude a strength of ability that serves equally a meaty foundation for Holdsworth's mighty licks.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wonderfully recorded album, Holdsworth's climactically driven legato-based riffs are intact, equally he too implements jazzy chord voicings together with delicately stated fabrics of sound. But the trio raises the ante throughout many of these pieces, awash with moments of nuance together with controlled firepower. In sum, Holdsworth's legion of followers should endure pleased with a recording that should order with his finest efforts to date.
Incredibly, All Night Wrong (Favored Nations) is Allan Holdsworth’s outset “official” alive album, made at the Roppongi Pit Inn inwards Nippon inwards May 2002, with 2 longtime collaborators, old Zappa drummer Republic of Chad Wackerman together with bassist Jimmy Johnson. Holdsworth’s guitar improvisations are almost equally complex equally they teach without flight over your caput completely. Holdsworth, equally is good known, is a guitarist’s guitarist who doesn’t take in himself a jazz thespian withal whose music tin barely endure called rock. Virtually cliche-free, Holdsworth isn’t somebody y'all tin categorize; head to “Alphrazallan” for evidence of this. His uncompromising music doesn’t come upwards to you; y'all convey to become to it. Holdsworth’s intensely focused, fearsomely long solos brand their signal past times cramming to a greater extent than notes into the foursquare inch than y'all powerfulness intend is humanly possible, such equally on “Funnels,” together with with Wackerman’s fill-every-crack drumming, it tin brand for exhausting listening. Usually at 1 dynamic level, it’s similar beingness trapped inwards a conversation where y'all can’t teach a give-and-take inwards edgeways.
The championship may offering insight into guitar legend Holdsworth's notorious aversion to the pressures of alive recordings; indeed, this marks the outset alive solo album of his long career. But the nigh-flawless performances hither (recorded inwards May, 2002 at the Roppongi Pit Inn inwards Tokyo, Japan) too advise a surely irony to the fusion pioneer's concerns. His distinctive chordal melodic technique sets "Lanyard Loop" (and much of the album) inwards a quietly savory orbit; simply it's a deceptively languorous framework that Holdsworth masterfully uses to contrast his often-aggressive soloing. "The Things You See" showcases to a greater extent than or less remarkably fluid tonal shifts together with a solo tack that's equally costless together with Coltrane-esque equally advertised. The soft focus of "Alphrazallan" proves it tin too endure a tightrope walk, spell drummer Republic of Chad Wackerman's playful, funk-edged solo introduction gives the dark, cascading mystery of the guitarist's playing on "Zone" withal to a greater extent than or less other compelling facet, with bassist Jimmy Johnson capably adding withal to a greater extent than or less other layer of rhythmic complexity. The jazzy, neo-swing of "Water on the Brain, Pt. II" together with "Gas Lamp Blues" (where Johnson inwards detail shines) displays the trio's forceful, economical interplay to skillful effect, together with 1 that stands inwards dramatic contrast to the dreamy soundscape "Above & Below." Fusion remains an underappreciated musical language, simply this is a fine alive showcase for 1 of its original linguists.
Track listing:
All tracks written past times Allan Holdsworth, except where noted.
1. "Lanyard Loop" 5:46
2. "The Things You See" 6:53
3. "Alphrazallan" 7:04
4. "Funnels" 5:01
5. "Zone" (Holdsworth, Steve Hunt, Gary Husband, Jimmy Johnson) 9:19
6. "Water on the Brain Pt.II" 5:30
7. "Above & Below" 8:21
8. "Gas Lamp Blues" 7:59
Total length: 55:53
Personnel:
Allan Holdsworth – guitar
Republic of Chad Wackerman – drums
Jimmy Johnson – bass
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