BRUFORD: ONE OF A KIND

Bill Bruford is one of the most famous and recognized drummers of the world and he was one of the founder members of Yes, a member of King Crimson and a founder member of U.K. Beyond that, he participated in several musical projects and performed live with Genesis, he returned to King Crimson and Yes, performed with his ex- colleagues of Yes, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe and Patrick Moraz, and also with the American band Pavlov's Dog. These are only some of his most important musical contributions to our loved universe of the progressive rock music.

So, Bruford was, undoubtedly, one of the founders of the progressive rock music and he bought new ideas to it, with rock, jazz and orchestral techniques. According to Digital Dream Door, Bruford is the seventh greatest rock drummer of all time. Bruford is also considered as one of the most influential drummers ever existed and his technique and influence are considered at the same level such as Neil Pearl of Rush, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Keith Moon of The Who, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Ian Paice of Deep Purple, or in our days, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater.

'One Of A Kind' is the second solo studio album of Bill Bruford and was released in 1979. This album was released one year later, after Bill Bruford having participated in the release of U.K., the eponymous debut studio album of U.K., the super-group he helped to form with three other great progressive rock musicians, the guitarist Allan Holdsworth, the keyboardist and violinist Eddie Jobson and the bassist and vocalist John Wetton.

So, the line up of the album is Bill Bruford (drums and percussion), Allan Holdsworth (electric guitar), Dave Stewart (keyboards and synthesizers) and Jeff Berlin (bass).

Some of the material recorded on this album, despite never was been released on any studio album of U.K., was originally performed live in the 1978 live tour of U.K. It happens with the track 'Forever Until Sunday', which features an unaccredited Jobson work on violin, and with the ninth and tenth tracks 'The Sahara Of The Snow, Pt 1 and 2'. By the other hand, the track 'Hell's Bells' used a fragment of a song original composed by the former and original colleague of Stewart, Alan Gowen, when both were members of the Canterbury scene band, founded in 1975, National Health.

By the time when 'One Of A Kind' was recorded, two years later, the core group from 'Feels Good To Me' has became even more focused. Bruford restricted himself to the drum kit, likely in an effort to create a recording that could be more easily reproduced when performed live. Gone too, were the vocals and added trumpet, further indications that Bruford was looking at the group as a viable touring entity. Since Stewart has gone from National Health and Holdsworth was back from the time spent in the U.S.A. with Tony Williams, it seemed as though that everything was lining up.

The same characteristics founded on his debut studio album 'Feels Good To Me' are evident on 'One Of A Kind', with everyone demonstrating palpable growth. Holdsworth's style, as distinctive as it is, would ultimately evolve into something more abstract that would, in some ways, alienate some of his core audience. But at this point he is still eminently approachable, equally capable of relaxed and flowing lines as he is able of rapid-fire exchanges. Jeff Berlin finds the comfortable middle-ground, with a formidable technique that never seems on display for the sake of it. Stewart continues to avoid the trappings of his contemporaries like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, with a conception that is clearly broader than both and an interest in the ensemble that demonstrates a kind of a refreshing lack of his ego.

The compositions on 'One Of A Kind' are even more episodic than those on 'Feels Good To Me', and in many ways, more challenging. And yet, despite a landscape of constantly shifting meters and tempi, the magic of 'One Of A Kind' is that it remains a compelling and an accessible work, despite its complexity. The irregular meters are so comfortably executed and in-the-pocket that unless one is paying attention, nobody doesn't really notice all that all. The solos flow organically throughout the long form compositions, integrated in ways that makes them feel a part of the larger whole even though, in performance, it would become clear just of how of much freedom was being afforded to all.

Conclusion: 'One Of A Kind' is a collection of progressive rock songs with a jazz exploration, which latter would be defined as jazz/rock fusion. This is an excellent album with twists and turns around its music, punctuated by Bruford's steadying and slightly subversive rhythms, Holdsworth's flashes of fire, Berlin's insistent line bass and Stewart's remarkably colourful keyboard work. 'One Of A Kind' is an album I bought some years ago and I always considered it an excellent album. It's commonly accepted that it's his best solo work and that it's also one of the best albums of the jazz/rock fusion. This is an album with the same quality of the best albums of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Brand X, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Billy Cobham, Al Di Meola, Miles Davies, Return To Forever and Weather Report.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Share this BILL BRUFORD review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to VianaProghead
• Report this review (#2119648)
• Buy BILL BRUFORD music online with PA partners
• Show all BILL BRUFORD MP3/Stream
• Go to BILL BRUFORD page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Bruford: One of a Kind page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for BILL BRUFORD related discussions