SEPTOBER ENERGY

This album looks appealing because of the Robert Fripp name but let me assure you its not very good. It is far more jazz oriented than any King Crimson album. This is very experimental with over 50 members playing..Its more of a progressive big band (with nothing else in the musical world to compare this to). It isn't a good sign that the album seems to wander without any sign of direction at the beginning of the opening track. There are many instances similar to this throughout the album with far to much noise and awkward/weird vocals. Had this been instrumental it'd win another star with me. However where the album gets most of its points are from some of the individual solos like Elton Dean and parts where smaller units shine. Still to many of the minutes on this cd are filled with aimlessness. Play sparingly.

It's album's such as Keith Tippet/Centipede's "SEPTOBER ENERGY" that make you both love and hate prog rock. Here is one of the few albums boasting a 50 piece orchestra as the actual band, not accompaniment, performing a four-part 80 minute suite. This had potential, and was a great concept, but sadly needed a lot of work: mainly editing. There are some sublimely beautiful passages on this record, but one must slog through whole sections which are boring and aimless. This album does best during individual solos, and Elton Dean is the standout here, though the album boasts a who's who list of English Canterbury/Jazz-Rock. The most disappointing soloist is Brian Godding, who performs dull, by-the-numbers solos. This is frustrating when one considers the unmatchable Robert Fripp was just yards away, producing this mess. Keith Tippet does have some pretty piano passages, notable the opening to 'Septober Energy, III'.

On the whole, a dull album. Avoid unless you are a die-hard Canterbury/jazz fan, or must own every King Crimson related release. It definitely ha its moments but they are few and far between. If you can get through (and enjoy) the first five minutes of aimless percussion on this record though you'll probably enjoy it all. For jazz-prog novices start with early Soft Machine or Hatfield & The North before tackling this monster.

Ambition/Concept = 5/5

Execution = 2/5

Final Grade = 3/5

3,5 stars really!!!

" Whatever happened to producer Robert Fripp during the sessions for this horrible would-be jazz? They probably stuffed his ears with impenetrable wax, or maybe he earned a million pounds to overhear the proceedings. There can be no excuse for this. To be avoided at all cost! 5they even failed to give the tracks individual titles!) (MK)" - Faithfully reproduced to the coma from Vernon Joynson's Tapestry of Delights book. And I could not care less whether I have his approval or consent or not!!!!!!

Well, Mr Joynson!!!!!!!! There can be NO (not even one single tiny one) excuse for this most stupid review ever printed in a otherwise good reference book. Granted you did not sign it, MK is probably the initial of the writer of such an ineptly- thought gibberish, but if you ordered a review, you should at least be doing so from someone trustworthy or at least check it out before printing it.

Sure Centipede's only album is anything but perfect, but it was a bold and daring experiment and some 35 years later, it still stands as what I would call it back when I first heard it: a rough gem with a whole bunch of imperfections. This was to be the crowning achievement of Keith Tippett's young career and the least we can say is that it was a cornerstone in his career. The album is made up of experimental jazz- rock (often bordering on the free-jazz), and if two of the four 20 min untitled tracks (so what, Mr MK?) are rather difficult, the other two are most superb and sometimes spine chilling in sheer power.

This huge project overtaking some 50 musos including most of Soft Machine, Blossom Toes, parts of Nucleus, most of the Keith Tippett Group, Keith's future wife Julie Driscoll and a good deal of King Crimson members, this big band is definitely worth your checking it out, especially if you love the most adventurous/jazzy works of the above-mentioned groups. The list of participants is long and super-impressive for the proghead, and it can only pique his curiosity. It will be rewarded if not expecting a partial result amounting to the simple sum of all its ingredients.

The first track is an improvised and free-flowing (but not necessarily smooth- flowing) crescendo that never reach its apex until you reach over the other vinyl side and find yourself faced with a superb bass driven track where Tippett provides many choices for the multitude of soloists that cannot help but provide superb solos (each and everyone of them, too Mr MK) including a great psyched-out guitar solo from Brian Godding (Blossom Toes). The third track might just be the hardest moment to suffer with its lenghty Phil Howard drum solo and further down dissonant marching band music: easily the low point of the album even if the order inside the chaos is quite impressive. However from the first piano notes from Tippett, you know your ordeal is over and ecstasy is about to start. This last track is simply grandiose even if it does take a while to develop, but once the great bass line gets set, with Wyatt in the centre, John Marshall on the left and BT's Fennell on the right backing it up (that's right folks, three drummer at a time: fabulous), we are down to some of the purest jazz-rock soloing - guaranteed goose bumps on Elton Dean's saxello, and then some finally clear singing (a bit buried but the lyrics are simply repeated). I certainly believe the album could've gained from a bit of conciseness as the worthy music could've held on a single disc, but this was an experiment and such came the fruits.

Clearly this album is the one where Keith Tippet decided to abandon all forms of conventional and restrained forms of music and headed for the great unknown with his future group Ovary Lodge. He will be greatly assisted by the one time counterculture superstar Julie Driscoll/Tippetts who adds so completely delirious vocals on this album. This big band did perform a few gigs, most in France.

In case you are wondering about why Fripp did produce such an album, please remember that this album was recorded around Lizard, which is the album where Tippet collaborated most with Crimson. And we can thank Robert for this difficult (and even scary) but ultimately grandiose improv fest as this album is. Please note that I have never seen this album with the artwork pictured above, but always with a plain white gatefold with the name and title on the front part. To be approached carefully if you are not keen of improvised jazz-rock, but it is quite an oeuvre, no matter what second-order hired-hands might just think!!!!!

Centipede is 50-piece big band, formed by avant-jazz musician (and one time King Crimson's collaborate) Keith Tippet. In early 70-s he formed this orchestra for performing of his conceptual work "Septober Energy", and after the series of live shows this work was recorded on double LP. Musicians participated are great names from progressive rock and jazz from that time (Elton Dean, Mark Charig, Ian McDonald, Alan Skidmore, Robert Wyatt, Julie Tippett, Zoot Money, etc) and music students as well. Album's producer is Robert Fripp, but don't be mistaken - this work has not too much in common with King Crimson music.

Four-piece work ( one piece on each LP side) is mostly orchestrated free form avant-jazz, jazz fusion and progressive rock combination. In fact, album never was popular at all, and even at time of release received quite negative critics. I think, one of main big mistakes is albums opener - long free form bulky free jazz composition, which destroys first impression. Brave listener, passed by it, will find much more accessible music, full of sax solos, jazz-rock vibrations and even some vocals. For sure, this album's compositions are not radio-friendly, but three last pieces are interesting and nice early experimental jazz-rock compositions, which could easily attract even not very prepared listener.

Possibly, a bit too long, compositions contain many interesting moments, combining early prog rock melted with r'n'b vocals, free jazz winds and airy, but intensive orchestrations. Album requires repite listening, and every time you will find new interesting nuances in their music.

Possibly, still too radical for mainstream fusion listener, this work for sure should attract jazz fusion researchers and free-jazz/avant-jazz lovers. Without a bit out of place album's opener, my rating will be 4. In present combination - 3,5.

A mammoth, fifty-person enterprise featuring the cream of the early-seventies jazz-rock brigade, Centipede's 1971 album 'Septober Energy' proved to be an exercise in both gargantuan excess and instrumental brilliance. Naturally, opinions on the release are divided. The line-up is far too numerous to list here, though it did include the likes of Soft Machine alumni Marc Charig(cornet), Elton Dean(sax), Roy Babbington(bass), Robert Wyatt(drums), Nick Evans(trombone), John Marshall(drums, percussion) and Karl Jenkins(oboe, sax), Patto's leader Mike Patto(vocals), King Crimson-and-Bad Company's future front-man Boz Burrell(vocals), King Crimson and future Foreigner co-founder Ian McDonald(sax), Nucleus members Ian Carr(trumpet), Brian Godding(guitar) and Jeff Clyne(bass) whilst the projects main organiser was Keith Tippett, leader of The Keith Tippett Group, whose wife Julie(vocals) also appeared. The album is divided into four, lengthy pieces, each of which hover around the twenty-minute mark, making this one epic listen. Luckily, three of the four pieces are pretty memorable, the group playing with considerable discipline. If there is a problem with 'Septober Energy', however, then it is this: the opening section features precious little music, instead featuring a cacophony of strange, eerie vocals and abstract sounds; not a good start. Also, despite the musical excellence on offer, this very much touches on a more arty style of jazz-rock, the rock almost airbrushed out completely. That said, fans of the many groups who appear - and it could be said that this is basically a massive supergroup of sorts featuring Soft Machine, Nucleus, Patto, The Keith Tippet Group and a bunch of seriously talented classical and jazz musicians - should lap this ensemble piece right up. Very high-brow then, and not exactly progreesive rock or fusion per se, but still pretty fascinating for serious music listeners all the same.

STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

The most endearing thing about this album is the time period from whence it came and the freedom musicians were allowed. To approach a record company with the idea of bringing 50 people together and record a double LP containing something in the vein of jazz rock, just barely (if that) able to attract the main stream audience... That is crazy. And wonderful! CCS with it's tens of musicians fell way into backwater when Centipede produce twice the amount and then some. The cover attracts me, the idea brings a smile to my face and the effort makes me bow in awe. So far, so good.

The music, then, is a totally different thing. The "Part 2" is actually the only track I enjoy. The track is a groove, chugging along pleasantly. The groove is interrupted by small variations in riff and texture but is basically a groove where the band is allowed to play a solo or two. I like it, though I rarely listen to the whole thing. I get kind of lost after a while. Maybe even bored. The other tracks range from more or less free form jazz to sort of structured pieces.

It's really a feat digesting the album as a whole. Basically it is intelligent noise and that is not really my cup of tea. Chaos can be amazing but not over four sides of vinyl. Not for me, anyway. The melodious parts are not enough in numbers to amuse me.

I admire the effort, as I wrote earlier. I suppose that only true artistes care less for their audience than their ambitious ventures and that I appreciate. As a listener, though, I wish they could have evened it out a bit, making the album a little more accessible. I love jazz rock and the way the instruments sound on here makes me happy but the experience as a whole is a letdown.

Conclusion: the music gets two stars and the effort four, which I round down to a decent three star. There's enough intelligence and musicianship on here to make you crazy. Too bad it is lost in a haze of chaos and noise, rather than being a true master piece of epic proportions. It glides by like a led balloon. Sorry.