UPON THE WINGS OF MUSIC

This is JLP back to the recording studio under his name and with in a new style (jazzfusion) after several years as side man for Frank Zappa and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. As far as I know this is JLP´s more ecclectic Lp of his mid 70's fusion period. He brought in the funky Ralph Armstrong on bass from his former year sojourn in the MO and Ngudu (from The Crusaders/WReport) on drums; Their black funk influence is immediately felt on the lively opening funkyfusion of the title track, where Patrice Rushen excels on the Rhodes and on the clavinet. QwnA is a poignant acoustic piano and double tracked violin piece. A burning violin solos over beautiful Rhodes, round bass and hard hitting fat drums on the laid back NIK follows. An inspired MO influenced track closes side 1, with a flashy distorted guitar solo by Ray Parker Junior over forward pulling drums and pumping bass;

Echo chamber processed violin opens side 2 in 6/4 mid tempo, soon replaced by RPJ highly compressed solo over a funky groove; another wave of echo violin over hard hitting jazzy Ndugu and inspired Rhodes playing, finishes the track. EotF is a multitracked SciFi violectra solo piece by JLP. Dan Sawyer creates a lush guitar chords background for another swelling violin solo and PR shows she has a voice of her own on the moog that will send shivers down your spine. DS and RPJ open with a double guitar attack the uptempo MO inspired Fight For Life,where the later has a very inspired heavily processed guitar solo; the piece goes into 200Km/h mode on the 2nd part, JLP reminding us why McLaughlin hired him for his MO last 2 albums: ´nuff said- if I had to keep only one JLP album, it would be this.