LIBERATED FANTASIES

The last Duke album for MPS is his least adventurous too. 1976 was not the easiest year for fusion but most of the new wave pioneers were still rooted in fusion whereas Duke had multiple interests and growing commercial ambitions. And so we can hear decent funky music with different vocals including Duke's impressive falsetto, good sense of melody. Fusion moments are limited to be in the background - accessible compositions and restrained chops, mainly at the keyboard level supported by stable rhythms. For me, there are three highlights, the two longest tracks and the acoustic piano led "After love". The title track indeed fulfills its name by clocking at more than 9 minutes, having a liberated structure with plenty of ARP soloing and even decent Latin jazz drum and bass monologue. This last intensive track marks the end of Duke's fusion era that should have received more attention.