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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=102420 Printed Date: November 23 2024 at 02:14 Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Hooffoot: Recommended Swedish jazz/progressivePosted By: spacefreak
Subject: Hooffoot: Recommended Swedish jazz/progressive
Date Posted: May 14 2015 at 11:47
Hooffoot is a relatively new band from Malmö, Sweden, sharing
some members with the much revered Agusa, Øresund Space Collective,
Mantric Muse, Bland Bladen, Carpet Knights and Sgt Sunshine. Their
musical style is quite different though, as they are a six to eight
piece playing an all instrumental hybrid of jazz and progressive with a
slight psychedelic vibe. Their debut album (issued on gatefold cover
vinyl by the excellent Kommune 2 label) offers two side-long tracks that
will take you straight back to 1975! And it’s a definite must for
someone who wants to hear real music.
First side contains the mammoth Last Flight Of The Ratite. Not at
all sterile and uber technical as some fusion from the golden era of
the genre, it rather bridges late 70s period Soft Machine with electric
period Miles and the progressive heaviness of UK acts like CMU and
Norman Haines Band. Heavier melodies reminding of the large instrumental
sections of Balletto Di Bronzo do creep in, somewhere in the middle of
the track to switch back in a softer Soft Machine (era "Six") style.
Great jamming fusion unafraid of risk yet much easy to get into, not to
mention quite melodic and exciting for the most part. This music is old
school in that it is all encompassing, with a subtle -not offensive-
disregard for genre boundaries.
Flip the record over now and you will hear the groovier live vibe of Take Five, Seven, Six, Eight, And Nine.
It starts slow and spacey, in a playful "Caravanserai" mood to switch
to a slower Camel vibe that slowly builds up and the groove finally
kicks in and off we go in a Klaus Doldinger’s Passport way. There is a
wider variety of tempos and stylistic diversity on this interplay of
Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, fuzz bass, trumpet & saxophones and a
rockier drumming. Tirelessly discovering possibilities in the space
between smoother jazz and rock's more propulsive beats.
Seriously, if you're someone who likes lots of jazzy jams combined with
70s retro prog and done so in a tasteful and melodic way with horns,
keyboards and drums played in a distinctly creative and moody kind of
way, I highly recommend Hooffoot. Most of you will be surprised at how
good this record actually is. I really love it and it has been a worthy
purchase for 2015. Definitively for my top 10 annual list.