Embryo - Rocksession (1973/2008 Remastered Edition)
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Artist: Embryo
Album: Rocksession
Released: 1973/2008
Brain/Revisited /SPV (50892)
Genre: Krautrock,Jazz-Rock
Rock session is another album consisting of material they recorded during sessions between 1971 and 1972. Actually the band was planning to release this stuff already in 1972. But their record company UA was not pleased by it, so they recorded first Father, Son & Holy Ghosts and the songs from these sessions have been used for this album here and Steig aus . The line-up is almost identical on these two albums, with the difference that Sigi Schwab was replacing Roman Bunka on guitar. But it's anything else than a bad album and rather a very interesting one who is deeply into typical jazz-rock in the Krautrock vein.
The opener A place to go is a very orientally influenced piece with marimbas, keys, electric guitar, percussion and very "kraut-ish" sounding vocals. Really great stuff and anyone loving this sub-genre will be fascinated by it. Entrances , the longest track is dominated by Schwab's excellent jazzy guitar before Hammond is taking over. The work of the rhythm section is as well just awesome. It's a highly jazzy piece on an album that is probably the most jazzy one of their three session records, no wonder since jazz pianist Mal Waldron was involved in three of the four tracks as a composer. In the last third of the track there is an excellent sax solo by Hofmann. This one is for sure the highlight of the album.
Second side of the record is the more relaxing and soaring one starting with Warm canto , a very soft and mellow track played on vibes, keys, violin and percussion plus electric guitar and piano by Waldron in its second half. Although being a rather quiet song in the beginning it's revealing a fascinating development in its course. Last one Dirge is starting as well with a highly soaring atmosphere with vibes, guitar and then violin and e-piano. As on the whole album the bass and drum work is again excellent. Also this song is developing after a while to a fascinating one.
As a SUMMARY this album might be in a way different from their excellent other ones like Father,Son... or Embryo's Rache , but nevertheless I would say it's an essential one by them and recommended to any lover of jazzy Krautrock.
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This outstanding German band plays a trippy jazz rock like no one else. “Rockession” is a very technical, achieved effort which develops long instrumental, groovy, syncopated tunes with an enormous feeling. (1) delivers an essential “freak out” jazz rock composition with oriental elements, a great sense of rhythm. and an insistent technical drum accompaniment (near to Miles Davis’ “on the corner “). (2) starts with a bass guitar line pattern crossed with clean, technical speed accuracy electronic guitar solos with effects. Perfectly improvised and brightly executed in a total freedom. The track also includes interludes of long Hammond organ solos. Pretty effective. (3) is a more atmospheric, calmer, melodic track with xylophone parts and organ dominated arrangements with soaring violin solos. The last title provides an excellent, mysterious, strange jazzy rock tune with “ethnic” harmonies, an astonishing guitar solo accompanied by the Hammond organ and a very rhythmical bass / drum structure. This album can easily be a real revelation for every jazz rock lovers. Highly recommended.
progarchives.com
Track List:
1. A place to go (4:25)
2. Entrances (15:35)
3. Warm canto (10:07)
4. Dirge (9:35)
Total Time: 39:42
Line-up/Musicians
- Christian Burchard / drums
- Jörg Evers / bass
- Edgar Hofmann / saxophone, violin
- Jimmy Jackson / organ
- Dave King / bass
- Siegfried Schwab / guitar
- Mal Waldron / electric piano
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