VIOLIN-SUMMIT

This album is a real odd bird. I found the LP many years ago in a bin at a salvage store. (Along with an Artcane album I bought for the cool cover art, which turned out to be a decent prog album.) The credits were rather poor on the LP as they are also on the 1999 CD release. I welcome anyone out there who has better information on this album to send in an update for the entry of this because I'd really like to know more about it.

It's listed on Jean Luc's web site as "Violin Summit" 1966, which is correct for the last six tracks (second side of the LP). The first five tracks are what are really of interest to prog and most Ponty fans, unless you really dig traditional Jazz. The first five tracks are obviously not from 1966 but most likely from the early 70's, judging from the style of the music. One of the biggest clues here is track three - Memorial Jam for Stuff Smith, who died in 1967.

Some interesting footnotes, Stuff Smith is credited in the liner notes as being "one of the first to play amplified violin". If you haven't heard of Grappelli, he was one of the masters of Jazz violin most famous for playing with Django Reinhart in the Hot Club of France band (well before I was born). I had the honor of shaking his hand at his trailer when he played at Chastain Park, Atlanta many years ago! Grappelli has intersected the prog world three times that I know of - this album, Peter and the Wolf with Lancaser and Lumley, and an album not listed on this site: the Indo Prog/Raga Rock masterpiece, Conversations led by L. Subramaniam.

I've been enjoying this album's music for many years (first side mainly) and it's certainly a must have for Ponty fans. Obscure yet obtainable.

Good, but not essential from a prog standpoint due to the traditional Jazz tracks. The Jazz Rock/Fusion tracks are most excellent.