IF
UNUSUAL SUSPECT
(1970-1975)
If ever a band epitomised the spirit of Jazz-Rock - it was. Born of the early Seventies, this highly popular and innovative British band created an exciting new blend of musical influences. The founder members were all top rated jazz musicians, but with youth on their side, they were readily accepted in the world of pop and rock. Most jazz music relied heavily on open ended jamming on familiar, well worn standard tunes. By the late Sixties this just wasn't good enough as progressive rook bands were proving much more adventurous than their jazz counterparts. The birth of jazz-rock was sparked by the success of American pioneers Blood, Sweat & Tears andChicago who brought a new clarity and blues power back to big band jazz. In 1969 If was born and the new band began to develop their own sound and approach. They used tightly written sax and guitar arrangements, deployed to back a powerful young lead singer. This new concept provided the way ahead for many musicians who might have languished on the under-funded, under-publicised jazz club circuit. If recorded a succession of albums, toured extensively throughout Europe and America and played to large, appreciative audiences. They also enjoyed all the fringe benefits of the rock life style. When several members of If held a reunion meeting in March 1997, they laughed long and loud at their shared memories of the good old days.[source : alexgitlin.com]
My IF TOP :
1. If (1970)
2. If3 (1971)
3. If4 / Waterfall (1972)
4. If² (1970)
5. Tea Break Over, Back On Your 'Eads (1975)
6. Double Diamond (1973)
7. Just Another Bunch Of Pretty Faces (1974)
4 comments:
Excellent post. Thank you!
If, the Cult, great artists no doubt...but no Jim Carroll Baistophe to tribute the man's passing?
RIP Mr. Carroll, and thank you Baistophers for the great tributes always.
Sorry Kingpossum, I didn't even know Jim Carroll until you mentioned him. After having briefly looked at what he was famous for, I'm sure he was a great artist too.
However, this blog is fortunately not a necrologist one. We were a lot sad when Ian Carr passed away early this year but didn't even make any tribute (even if this baistophe is close to be posted here).
oh what a post, i wrote comment to weather report a few minutes ago like an anonymous with the request to re-upload Hawkwind compilation. And i stay at your blog for a some time and i wrote MAN and then IF to search link and both bands are there. Ones of my favourites. Hard to find albums,cause when i wrote "man" to the search link, finds it thousands wrong links with the words includes -man-, thank you for Man and IF too (i didn't find my favourite If's CHISWICK HIGH ROAD BLUES on your compilation, but it doesn't matter, because IF had not poor song, all their discography is like Best Of Compilation and it is so sad, that life of this great band was so short. Only few bands was so great like them in my opinion.)
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