LIVE - MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL - 1978

As a follow up to his self-titled 1977 album Akkerman recorded 3 tracks from this album plus three others (two previously unreleased) during a gig at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1978 which seemed to exemplify the different, more ecclectic directions he was headed in after his departure from Focus. Strangely enough, though, an excerpt from the Focus epic Eruption off the 1972 Moving Waves album, Tommy, shows up towards the end of the set along with it`s composer Tom Barlage on sax. It has a noticeably cleaner sound played on an arch top guitar which Akkerman seemed to have a fancy for at the time which is featured throughout this performance.

The whole set is fast and paced interspersed only with a gratifying rendition of the melocholic Pavane with the orchestrations replaced nicely with two keyboards. Skydancer with it`s cool guitar runs is given extended treatment is by far the standout. Neppie Noya with his assortment of percussives gives the band a real groove and he even gets to strut his stuff on Azimuth where we hear a percussion duet with Bruno Castelicci. The whole performance is a total group effort and Akkerman hardly dominates while still retaining his technical brilliance with each member adding their own ingredients to this very enjoyable set of smooth and polished soft fusion.

Only two minor complaints about this otherwise exceptional live album is the short running time (a little over 34 minutes) and the omission of Angel Watch a track from the previous year`s " Jan Akkerman " studio album which had many possibilities for a reworked live arrangement. Nevertheless a stellar live performance by guitar maestro Jan Akkerman and band which leaves the listener wanting more. Merveilleux!