As of 1976, Jean-Luc Ponty's variations on the Mahavishnu Orchestra topic were all the same fresh as well as imaginative, cast inwards a distinctively different, to a greater extent than lyrical, to a greater extent than controlled framework. For Imaginary Voyage, Ponty's instrumental lineup is identical to that of Mahavishnu -- electrical violin, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums -- but he turns the emphasis on its head, alongside all commands coming direct from the violin (his) as well as less competitive crossplay emanating from his colleagues. For starters, "New Country" is a lively jazz-rock hoedown, 1 of those periodic C&W side trips that some fusioneers endeavor for a lark, as well as "The Gardens of Babylon" is a wonderfully memorable tune, the beginnings of which grow out of "New Country." The lastly one-half of the LP is taken upwardly yesteryear the championship composition, a potent four-part suite that hangs together alongside barely a snag inwards involvement over its 20-minute span.
If yous are a considering buying a Luc Ponty CD as well as you're non sure where to begin....well the answer is, Imaginary Voyage. I ain most of his music as well as this 1 stands out every bit beingness the most musical as well as beautiful compostion. (I powerfulness add together that Egnimatic Ocean is some other gem). Listen on all yous progressive Jazz lovers :)
Gene
Back inwards the 70's, I bought this album - the 2d ponty Album I got after Cosmic Messenger. the music was PERFECT for the fourth dimension menstruation as well as for things going through me dorsum then. Like Cosmic messenger, it takes yous on that achetypical "trip" that some of us discovered subsequently tin live experienced without "medical assistance." ;-) This volition produce it for you! inwards fact, this is the variety of music that yous seat headphones on for as well as sit down it out on your most comfortable chair ... unopen your eyes as well as "travel." The music is compelling as well as extrememly good orchestrated. The melodies are extremely unique keeping inwards heed when it came out (that is if yous heard similar, yous belike heard re-create cats from subsequently periods.) This is a highly recommended slice of the Ponty Collection which I volition proceed updating at every improvement of technology scientific discipline (Album to Tape to CD to DVD, any ...) This album was business office of the "fusion" music that took my out of my high forehead classical stage into the "modern era."
Imaginary Voyage is awesome. Jean Luc Ponty shows that at that topographic point is such a matter every bit violin jazz, but his audio is 1 that can't live pigeonholed. Just hear to county as well as western influenced 'New Gardens' as well as it volition stimulate got yous bobbing your caput as well as tapping your feet. The slower paced 'The Gardens of Babylon' is only every bit powerful. I intend that every cutting is a winner. Imaginary Voyage Parts I through IV only flows from 1 cutting to the next. You tin hear the instruments verbalize to 1 another. This is 1 of my favorite CD's. Try listening to it through earphones. Awesome! Highly recommended.Vannie( . )
For his 2d album of 1976 Jean Luc Ponty finaly realized the combination of musical ideas that would offering him his distinctive sound. While his previous 2 albums were sure enough goose egg to skimp on,they were genuinely business office of a procedure which would Pb upwardly to a string of belatedly 70's musical triumphs for him. Beginning alongside this album. After a menstruation of seeing which,where as well as how of his ain musical ideas tally his audio best,it seemed that everything was edifice to what happened here. And I tin honestly state it's 1 of his real best musical achievements.
"New Country" is probable 1 of the most unique compositions ever. It sounds rather similar some combination of a country/western howdown as well as a firey jazz rocker. Very inventive. "The Gardens Of Babylon" as well as "Once Upon H5N1 Dream" showcase the best facial expression of his "new sound" real well: sleek,glossy as well as streamlined fusion alongside a practiced emphasis on tune as well as rhythmically powerful every bit well. "Tarantula" goes an splendid chore at blending the pounding jazz stone alongside to a greater extent than rhythmic jazz funk. Not every bit unproblematic to produce every bit 1 powerfulness intend but it plant here. The championship track,a 4 business office rhythmic extravaganza ending alongside an intense viii infinitesimal jazz funk groove in 1 lawsuit again allows for some exciting soloing from Ponty.
Jean Luc Ponty's musical journeying was e'er every bit ongoing one. I suppose if yous followed his musical progression from his earliest days to his latest loose the progression would live to a greater extent than obvious. But fifty-fifty taken inwards scattered bits it's non hard to hear. This basic format of 1 one-half of seperate compositions as well as some other of several parts of the championship vocal would live something he'd remain alongside for a piffling while. And it was quite a practiced concept really. It gave him the jeopardy to Pb into his principal theme. That agency goose egg could come upwardly off every bit underwelming. Any agency yous await at it,in this representative it definitely worked on every level.
Long ago, I got the LP "Imaginary Voyage," as well as played it until it was worn out. Then I got the cassette tape as well as played that until it was worn out. Right now, I'm working on the CD version of the album, as well as am far from tired of listening to it. This is, inwards my opinion, the best album that Jean-Luc Ponty has recorded: the best multifariousness of music as well as the best that he has written. Starting alongside "New Country" as well as moving into the dreamy "Gardens of Babylon" as well as "Wandering On The Milky Way," into the urgencies of "Once Upon H5N1 Dream" as well as and then into the sudden "Tarantula," Ponty displays a multifariousness of emotions alongside his mastery of the electrical violin. He as well as then tops that alongside the epic 4-part "Imaginary Voyage," which culminates inwards the wonderful eight-minute "Part IV." Jean-Luc Ponty has been unopen to a long fourth dimension as well as has a lot of recordings, as well as if yous haven't heard this album before, larn it. It's definitely worth buying.
(As an aside, I had heard virtually this album from watching "Soundstage," an onetime PBS exhibit from long ago, when they had an episode called "Fiddlers Three," featuring Doug Kershaw, Itzahk Perlman as well as Jean-Luc Ponty. H5N1 wonderful show, showing 3 dissimilar types of violin performances: Ponty, thus smoothen as well as fifty-fifty inwards using the bow, fifty-fifty inwards fast songs, it seemed similar he wouldn't suspension a sweat. Perlman played classical music, his movements thus precise, sudden as well as clean, carefully as well as exacting inwards his bow work. Kershaw played Cajun province music, all elbows as well as movement, the strings on his bow breaking from his sawing motions on the violin, it appeared thus sloppy compared to the other 2 but sounded thus good. At the end, all 3 combined on 1 song, playing various parts inwards their ain style. H5N1 groovy exhibit alongside groovy talent using the same musical instrument but playing various ways.)
Tracks Listing
1. New Country (3:07)
2. The Gardens Of Babylon (5:06)
3. Wandering On The Galaxy (Violin Solo) (1:50)
4. Once Upon H5N1 Dream (4:08)
5. Tarantula (4:04)
6. Imaginary Voyage
Part I (2:22)
Part II (4:05)
Part III (5:28)
Part IV (8:00)
Total Time 38:10
Line-up / Musicians
- Jean-Luc Ponty / Electric as well as acoustic violins, organ as well as background synthesizers
- Marc Craney / Percussion
- Tom Fowler / Electric bass
- Daryl Steurmer / Electric as well as acoustic guitars
- Allan Zavod / Electric keyboards as well as acoustic pianoforte
EmoticonEmoticon