ZOOM

This is an excellent, very generous two-disc compilation of jazz-rock, mainly from the early 1970s, and recommended to everyone who likes Larry Coryell or John McLaughlin. It's ESPECIALLY recommended to those who like the combination of wildly expressive electric guitar, a strong rocking rhythm section and a virtuoso vibraphonist. Most of the first disc was originally released by "The Dave Pike Set" (wonder how many bands would call themselves that way nowadays?), Pike being an American vibes player who settled in Germany during the late sixties. Although I'd heard of Volker Kriegel, I'd never heard of Pike until I bought this set, but he's wonderful, and if you enjoy Gary Burton's albums, I'm sure you'll feel right at home...

Of course this collection is also notable for Kriegel's highly enjoyable soloing, and for the fact that he surrounded himself with so many excellent players: there's Wolfgang Dauner and John Taylor on pianos (both electric and acoustic), some of the tracks have Eberhard Weber on bass and John Marshall on drums, one of the pieces even features Robert Wyatt (before his accident). Only the final three tracks of the second disc sound like generic fusion to me, not much more exciting than elevator music, but by that time you'll have more than two hours of highly enjoyable jazz-rock behind you!