JIG-A-JIG / MARCUS JUNIOR

"Jig-a-Jig / Marcus Junior" is a single release by UK, Bristol based rock act East of Eden. The single was released through Deram Records in 1970 and features the A-side track "Jig-a-Jig", which is a non-album single track and the B-side track "Marcus Junior", which is an edited (shortened) version of the "Leaping Beauties for Rudy / Marcus Junior" track from the February 1970 "Snafu" album.

"Jig-a-Jig" is a completely out of character track for East of Eden who had up until then experimented with jazz/rock, psychedelic rock, and proto-progressive rock, but "Jig-a-Jig" is at its core a traditional Irish folk jig where Dave Arbus violin dominates the soundscape. It´s a fast-paced, busy, and hard rocking version of a jig though and the way it´s building steam and layers of instruments all the way through the song is pretty effectful.

"Marcus Junior" is a jazz/rock big band type track which shows the new direction that East of Eden pursued on the "Snafu" album. It´s a good quality track with some nice wind arrangements and solos and a hard rocking rhythm section driving the track forward. Both tracks on the single are instrumentals. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.