Allan Holdsworth - None Too Soon (96)

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Guitarist Allan Holdsworth is widely considered to be one of the finest instrumentalists in all of jazz fusion, yet has never truly received the recognition that he so rightfully deserves.

Born on August 6, 1946, in Bradford, Yorkshire, Holdsworth was originally taught music by his father, who was a pianist.

First a saxophone player, Holdsworth didn't pick up the guitar until he was 17 years old, but learned the instrument quickly.

After playing in local outfits (in addition to learning the violin), Holdsworth relocated to London, where he was taken under the wing of saxophonist Ray Warleigh.

By 1972, Holdsworth had joined progressive rockers Tempest, appearing on the group's self-titled debut a year later before joining Soft Machine in December 1973 — and radically changing the latter outfit's sound to guitar-based fusion in the process.

David Cross - Exiles

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1 Exiles
2 Tonk
3 Slippy
4 Duo
5 This is your life
6 Fast
7 Troppo
8 Here

Fripp & The Orb - FFWD (94)

Parte 1

Parte 2


01 - hidden
02 - lucky saddle
03 - drone
04 - hempire
05 - collossus
06 - what time is clock
07 - can of bliss
08 - elevenses
09 - meteor storm
10 - buckwheat & grits
11 - klangtest
12 - suess wie eine nuss

California Guitar Trio - Whitewater (04)

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01 The Marsh
02 Atlantis
03 Skyline
04 Mee-Woo
05 Prelude Circulation Bwv 988
06 Cantharis
07 Cosmo Calypso
08 Whitewater
09 Led Foot
10 Relative Illusion
11 Red Iguana
12 Ghost Riders On The Storm

Robert Fripp - A Blessing of Tears - 1995 Soundscapes - Volume Two - Live in California (95)

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01 - The Cathedral Of Tears
02 - First Light
03 - Midnight Blue
04 - Reflection I
05 - Second Light
06 - A Blessing Of Tears
07 - Returning I
08 - Returning II

When Robert Fripp's mother passed away in 1993, he chose the new age sounds of his soundscape series to serve as a tribute to her.

The liner notes in the CD booklet contain a beautifully written eulogy (by Fripp himself) about the interesting life of his mother Edie. Fripp does an excellent job of conveying his grief in the eight selections that comprise A Blessing of Tears, while his sorrow is evident in some of the tracks' titles ("The Cathedral of Tears," "A Blessing of Tears," etc.).

All of the tracks were recorded live during a week-long U.S. West Coast tour, and it differs from the preceding Soundscapes release, Radiophonics, because its sole purpose is obviously not to test his audience's "listening capabilities."

Fripp has once again successfully put his most personal and heartfelt feelings into his music, the proof being heard throughout the beautiful A Blessing of Tears: 1995 Soundscapes, Vol. 2.

King Crimson - Epitaph - Live 1969 (97) Duplo

Volume 1
Volume 2


1 21st Century Schizoid Man
2 The Court of the Crimson King
3 Get Thy Bearings
4 Epitaph
5 A Man, A City
6 Epitaph
7 21st Century Schizoid Man
8 Mantra
9 Travel Weary Capricorn
10 Improv: Travel Bleary Capricorn
11 Mars
12 The Court of the Crimson King
13 Drop In
14 A Man, A City
15 Epitaph
16 21st Century Schizoid Man
17 Mars


This two-disc archival set includes live performances from the short-lived incipient 1969 incarnation of King Crimson.

After months of arduous sonic restoration — or what Robert Fripp (guitar) refers to as "necromancy" — the results are well worth the painstaking processes involved.

The first volume contains material from three different sources — BBC Radio Sessions, the Fillmore East in New York City, and its Bay Area counterpart, theFillmore West.

The second volume consists of nearly another hour-long set from the latter venerable San Francisco venue.

Joining Fripp are Ian McDonald (flute/sax/mellotron/vocals), Greg Lake (bass/vocals), Michael Giles (drums/percussion/vocals), and the only non-performing member, Peter Sinfield (words/illuminations).

They single-handedly fused electric rock music with jazz in a way that no one else has done before or, arguably, since.

Each of the respective series of recordings incorporates their genre-defining debut LP In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) as well as a selection of well-chosen and adeptly executed covers ranging from the full frontal assault of Holst's "Mars" — which became the zenith of the group's live shows — to the alternately free jazz worked into their wigged-out interpretation of Donovan's "Get Thy Bearings."

Although the cuts from the album are pretty close to their studio renderings, there are a few notable differences — such as the alternate early lyrics to "Epitaph," and the absence of the second coda of feedback during the end of "21st Century Schizoid Man."

Conspicuously missing from the disc are concert versions of "I Talk To The Wind" and "Moonchild" — the latter of which is rumored to have never been performed by the band at all. Words fail when attempting to describe the frenetic synergy that these musicians share.

At times the music seems to play the participants in a tidal wave of communal inspiration.

There are more instances of that interaction than not, and Epitaph Live In 1969 (1997) consists of over two solid hours of these incendiary moments.

Interested parties should note that two additional volumes are available via the Discipline Global Mobile website — http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.com.

These are no-fi audience tapes from the 1969 Plumpton Festival (August 9, 1969) and the Chesterfield Jazz Club (September 7, 1969) respectively.

King Crimson – Red (74)

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1 Red
2 Fallen Angel
3 One More Red Nightmare
4 Providence
5 Starless


King Crimson falls apart once more, seemingly for the last time, as David Cross walks away during the making of this album.

It became Robert Fripp's last thoughts on this version of the band, a bit noiser overall but with some surprising sounds featured, mostly out of the group's past — Mel Collins' and Ian McDonald's saxes, Marc Charig's cornet, and Robin Miller's oboe, thus providing a glimpse of what the 1972-era King Crimson might've sounded like handling the later group's repertory (which nearly happened).

Indeed, Charig's cornet gets just about the best showcase it ever had on a King Crimson album, and the truth is that few intact groups could have gotten an album as good as Red together.

The fact that it was put together by a band in its death throes makes it all the more impressive an achievement.

Indeed, Red does improve in some respects on certain aspects of the previous album — including "Starless," a cousin to the prior album's title track — and only the lower quality of the vocal compositions keeps this from being as strongly recommended as its two predecessors.

Red was reissued on CD in the summer of 2000 in a remastered edition that features killer sound and an excellent booklet, containing a good account of the circumstances surrounding the recording of this album.

King Crimson – Beat (82)

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1 Neal and Jack and Me
2 Heartbeat
3 Sartori in Tangier
4 Waiting Man
5 Neurotica
6 Two Hands
7 The Howler
8 Requiem


Beat is not as good as its predecessor (1981's Discipline), but it's not too shabby, either.

The '80s version of King Crimson (Robert Fripp, guitar; Adrian Belew, vocals/guitar; Tony Levin, bass; and Bill Bruford, drums) retains the then-modern new wave sound introduced on Discipline.

The band's performances are still inspired, but the songwriting isn't as catchy or strong.

The moody love song "Heartbeat" has become a concert favorite for the band, and contains a Jimi Hendrix-like backward guitar solo.

Other worthwhile tracks include "Waiting Man," which features world music sounds (thanks to some stunning bass/percussion interplay), and "Neurotica" does an excellent job of painting an unwavering picture of a large U.S. city, with its jerky rhythms and tense vocals.

With lots of different guitar textures, bass explorations, and uncommon drum rhythms present, King Crimson's Beat will automatically appeal to other musicians.

But since they're fantastic songwriters as well, you don't have to be a virtuoso to feel the passion of their music.

David Cross – Exiles (97)

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1 Exiles
2 Tonk
3 Slippy Slide
4 Duo
5 This Is Your Life
6 Fast
7 Troppo
8 Here

David Cross's Exiles is an album of progressive compositions spotlighting Cross's violin virtuosity.

It features guest appearances by King Crimson's John Wetton and Robert Fripp, as well as Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator.