WEATHER REPORT (ABO#415)

WEATHER REPORT

DAYLIGHT AT SUNRISE

(1971-1986)

Weather Report was my first attempt to introduce myself into the world of Jazz and I was very lucky to start with their 1976 album Black Market whose eponymous title remains my favourite WR track.

At their beginnings, Weather Report really sounded like Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. Surprise when you know that Joe Zawinul (keyb) and Wayne Shorter (sax) learned a lot with the master. Until their 1973 Sweetnighter album, this filiation is quite an evidence.

Weather Report found their musical identity with their 1974 album Mysterious Traveller and much more with their 1975 Tale Spinnin'. To their fusion sound was added an african sound. That brought the band to another direction and, to me, the highest point of their carreer was Black Market. After that and especially after their excellent live album 8.30, everything became much more flat even if this african color kept featuring in the Weather Report sound. The 80s are not as good as the decade before but no one can argue that Weather Report's albums in the 80s were at least very good. Weather Report never becam an infamous Smooth Jazz band and that 's a good thing.

Here will you find every period of the band from the beginning to the end in a chronological order. No albums have been voluntarily forgotten but the golden years (1972-1978) is the best represented.

You may notice that another huge album like "I Sing The Body Electric" is under represented because 2 of its best (to me) tracks were chosen from other live albums like Live In Tokyo or Live & Unreleased.

Enjoy this compilation like I enjoy this band.

My Weather Report TOP3 :

1. Black Market (1976)

2. I Sing The Body Electric (1972)

3. Tale Spinning (1975)

My Weather Report TOP3 live albums :

1. Live & Unreleased (1973-1983/2002)

2. Live In Tokyo (1972)

3. 8.30 (1979)

wait if it's temporary unavailable

GARY MOORE (ABO#413)

THE
GARY MOORE
ANTHOLOGY

It's a mammoth of a baistophe I'm delivering today. Actually, it's a lot more than just the finest tracks of an artist as it takes us through Gary Moore's entire career starting with his "Cream", Irish Psychedelic-Blues Rockers Skid Row. From there, I considered every album Gary Moore ever laid his divine axe or his soulful vocals on.
And here it is! Six CDs worth of blues, hard rock, fusion, progressive rock… and more! To tell you the truth, I was rather surprised as how varied and good Gary Moore career had been. Obviously, I knew of his participation to Irish legends Thin Lizzy, and so did I know about his progressive/fusion endeavors with Colosseum II. Also, I was no stranger to both his Hair Metal and Blues Rock career. I even had the chance to see him live twice: first supporting the “Still Got the Blues” album, then with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker promoting their BBM album. Both concerts had been memorable experiences with Mr. Moore shining as the true Guitar Hero he was. Alas, his (failed) return to commercial music of the late 90’s and early 00’s (with “Dark Days in Paradise” and “A Different Beat”), made me lose sight of his music. Like I said, I knew almost every trick up Gary's sleeve but, considering it as a whole, it's amazing what the man has achieved. And so, naturally, I have been utterly shocked by the news of his death and decided it was time to pay the man tribute on this very blog.
I hope you’ll appreciate the work I’ve put into this Gary Moore Anthology and that it’ll lead you to want to know more about each and every step this dearly missed musician has taken on the Stairway to Heaven.
We miss you Gary. R.I.P.

LIVING COLOUR (ABO #393)

LIVING COLOUR
IGNORANCE IS BLISS

Living Colour is an American funk metal band from New York City, formed in 1983. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, and hard rock. Their lyrics range from the personal to the political, in some of the latter cases attacking Eurocentrism and racism in America. The bands were prominent members of the Black Rock Coalition during the late 1980s and early 1990s (a movement which also featured Fishbone, and 24-7 Spyz).
Living Colour rose to fame with their debut album Vivid in 1988. Although the band scored a number of hits, they are best remembered for their anthemic single "Cult of Personality", which won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1989, and their highest charting single "Type". They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. After disbanding in 1995, Living Colour reunited in late 2000 and released two albums in 2003 and 2009 failing to recapture their past fame.

My LIVING COLOUR List
1 – Vivid (1988)
2 – Time’s Up (1990)
3 – Collideoscope (2003)
4 – Stain (1993)
5 – The Chair in the Doorway (2009)

RIYL:
Bad Brains, Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, Urban Dance Squad, Body Count, Mother’s Finest

FISHBONE (ABO #391)

FISHBONE
GETTIN' NUTTZ

Combining equal parts of deep funk, high-energy punk, and frantic ska, the Los Angeles-based Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious diversity, goofy sense of humor, and sharp social commentary, the group gained a sizable cult following during the late '80s, yet they were never able to earn a mainstream audience.
(Thanks to [GEMY] for another tasty compilation.)

Baistophe's FISHBONE Top 3
1 - Truth and Soul (1988)
2 - The Reality of My Surroundings (1991)
3 - The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx (2000)

RIYL:
Infectious Grooves, (early) Red Hot Chili Peppers, Murphy's Law, Urban Dance Squad

DONALD BYRD (ABO #390)

DONALD BYRD
UNFINISHED BIZNESS (1958-1976)

Donald Byrd's story parallels the decline of Jazz in America and the changes that transpired in an attempt to remain relevant.
Trumpeter Donald Byrd was 15 years old when he cut his first record as a sessionman for the Robert Barnes Sextet. He didn't record again until eight years later, when in 1955, he guested on a Kenny Clarke recording. The first album under his own name appeared just two months later on Transition Records. That was followed by several years of journeyman work for future jazz stars such as Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean and Horace Silver as well as a stint in the Jazz Messegers.
He debuted on Blue Note Records in 1958, and his recordings range from Bop in 1958 to Post-Bop in 1963, to Fusion in 1970. In Byrd's case, it progressed into a jazz/soul/funk hybrid that helped to form the roots of Acid-Jazz. 1972's 'Black Byrd' was the result; the biggest seller in Blue Note history, reaching number two on the R&B albums chart. He assembled and produced a group called the Blackbyrds in 1974, although he didn't play with them. They had two Top 20 singles and are best known for the song "Walking In Rhythm". He has recorded sporadically since then; AllMusic shows nine albums between 1977 and 2006.
This collection covers the twenty four albums recorded during the Blue Note years from 1958 until 1976. I've also included the album Groovin' For Nat; recorded for Black Saint. I just liked it a lot. (Burns)

RIYL:
Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock

DIXIE DREGS (ABO#371)

DIXIE DREGS

THE UNPREDICTABLE PROCESS

(OR HOW TO CREATE A MONSTER)

(1975-2000)

Dixie Dregs is a bit of everything. If it is over all a Fusion band mixing both Jazz and Rock styles, it also sounds like many other types of music. You'll find some Progressive Hard Rock à la Kansas played with a velocity that can remind us John McLaughlin or Al Dimeola. Their Dixie roots also allowed them to play country style.

The line-up was very unstable and at the exception of Steve Morse, no one played on every albums. The adventure stopped in 1982 while Morse founded his own band before joining Deep Purple. The band reunited though for a tour in 1992 and then recorded 3 more albums including 2 live ones.

My Dixie Dregs Top 3 :

1. What If (1978)

2. The Great Spectacular (1975/1994)

3. The Night Of The Living Dregs (1978)

My Dixie Dregs Bottom 3 :

1. Industry Standard (1982)

2. Full Circle (1994)

3. Unsung Heroes (1980)

(IAN CARR'S) NUCLEUS (ABO#367)

NUCLEUS

PROMETHEAN WOMBERALIA

(1970-1982)

When I first heard of Ian Carr's death back in february 2009, I was already ready to to Baistophe is main band Nucleus. For many reasons I only post it today and I'm very happy to see it featured on our fame list.

I first heard of Nucleus by looking with whom Tony Levin has ever played. What I wasn't expecting was that the Tony Levin who is playing (the drums) with Nucleus was not the one I was looking for (the one who played bass with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson). So I found Nucleus for the wrong reason.

When I then first heard of Nucleus, I immediately was captivated and felt pretty amazed to see how similar they were with some Soft Machine songs... No surprise then when you know that Karl Jenkins and John Marshall were members of Nucleus before joining Soft Machine. You'll witness that Song For The Bearded Lady has got the same riff as Hazard Profile...

So, if like me, you are a huge fan of the Machine, you'll like Nucleus.

My Nucleus TOP3 :

1. Elastic Rock (1970)

2. Bella Donna (as Ian Carr) (1972)

3. We'll Talk About It Later (1970)

no Bottom

PANZERBALLETT (ABO #348)

PANZERBALLETT
A BEAUTIFUL MESS

.

Panzerballett is a jazz metal fusion band from Germany formed in 2004. With only three albums under their belt, they became something of a sensation by creating a clever and entertaining mix of extreme but melodic metal and jazz where the saxophone takes a big part. In their short but fruitful career, they did many covers of bands and artists such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, Scorpions, AC/CD, Abba (and a few more), as well as original compositions that easily compete with the chosen standards. Still very underground they're a well kept secret Baistophe allows you to discover with this selection of some of the finest tracks from their three opuses. Enjoy.

RIYL:
miRthkon, Meshuggah, Ephel Duath, 1980

PAT METHENY GROUP (ABO#325)

PAT METHENY GROUP

OVER THE HORIZON

(1978-2005)

I first met Jazz with Pat Metheny and even if it's not true Jazz, it still sounds like. This was my first step into that music style and since then I've been exploring much more of this never-ending land called Jazz.

As I said, the Pat Metheny Group is not an absolute Jazz band, although its leader Pat Is a real Jazz guitarist. This fusion explores many other lands that Jazz can marry with: Garage Rock (American Garage), Progressive Rock (Imaginary Days), Electronic Music (The Roots Of Coincidence) and many more.

PMG's music may be called 'elevator music' by some, but I do think there's many more than music without relief in it! In my opinion, I call that music 'Landscape Music' : relaxing and meditative, refreshing.

This Baistophe is made for people who, like me some years ago, still find it hard to be introduced to the world of Jazz.

This Baistophe onluy feature Pat Metheny Group songs. Pat Metheny, as a solo artist, Trio or Quartet Jazz band or in collaboration with others will be considered separately later.

My PAT METHENY GROUP TOP3:

1. Imaginary Days (1997)

2. Still Life (Talking) (1987)

3. The Way Up (2005)

My PAT METHENY GROUP BOTTOM3:

1. A Map Of The World (1999)

2. We Live Here (1995)

3. Speaking Of Now (2002)

>> This TOP/BOTTOM does not consider both 3 soundtracks album which are both worse than A Map Of The World, the latter be not a bad album though.