AFREAKA!

An odd cornucopia of blues-rock, brass-rock, jazz-rock, Afro-rock music that gives the listener the feeling that this band was still forming, still trying to figure out the direction it was going to go with its music.

A1. "Past Present And Future" (9:50) heavily-distorted rock bass play with the accompaniment of cymbal play opens this one before sax, trombone, and electric guitar join in acting as a kind of horn section. W. Raphael Joseph's guitar takes the first solo, a brief one, before Ray Rhoden's organ takes over while the bass and percussionists below keep the momentum moving forward. Sleepy Jack Joseph's two note bass line gets rather annoying so I feel quite relieved when the music shifts at 4:20 to a more R&B-oriented parade plod. The horns feel as if they're supposed to be the featured sound in this section but they don't do anything exciting or adventurous. Then a little bridge at the six-minute mark signifies a shift into a keybaor-less section in which Raphael solos again (again briefly). Then the organ returns and another very monotonous four-note rhythm track is established to support a trombone solo. This music is so very simple! Even the drumming sounds so rudimentary (not to give the drummers rudiments a bad name). (16.5/20) A2. "Disillusioned Man" (4:58) nice conga rhythm track opens this one before Keith Emerson-like organ joins in, leading the in-rushing of the rest of the bands, this time with sax acting more alone. Vocals start before the end of the first minute, a kind of Soulful variation of the BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS shtick. Smoky Adams has a nice voice: he pulls of some nice melody-making with some thoughtful lyrics over some very interesting music. The now-interesting near- minimalist weave then supports an extended soprano sax solo from Paddy Corea. (His instrument sounds much like an Irish Uilleann pipes.) A much more impressive song than that sad opener. (8.875/10) A3. "Another Country" (8:28) after hearing the opening of this, the album's third song, I had to check back with the year of publication of this album: its rhythm tracks sound so 1969/70 Blood Sweat & Tears/Chicago Brass Rock! More singing on this one--a song that is more complicated musically, which makes Smokey Adam's job more difficult (finding a catchy, smooth-flowing melody to fit this herky-jerky music would be tough). A big shift into a different motif occurs in the third minute to what will become the firm but gentle support for an extended tenor sax solo. The new motif, while quite simple, is in actual fact quite hypnotic. Weird! (17.5/20)

B1. "Hymn To Mother Earth" (8:10) what begins as a kind of a turns into a rather plaintive ballad of hope Luckily, it turns back into a driving, though still simplistic, blues-rocker with some nice work from the rhythm section--especially drummer Steven John. At the halfway point another brass-led motif bridges us into a nice, hypnotic rhythm pattern for a sax solo. The music returns to the ecologically-motivated vocal motif around the six minute mark and thereafter continues flowing in and out of the dynamic and slow motifs--like a Jimi Hendrix Experience song style. Overall, this is a very interesting song--especially in its construction but also for the fact that Smokey Adams can manage a fairly successful, even-keeled vocal over the top. (13.25/15)

B2. "Mercy (Variation No. 1)" (9:20) Opening with an obnoxious riff of organ arpeggio played with a slightly more interesting rhythm track from the rest of the band which then gradually straightens out to provide support and guidance for trombone and saxophone solos over the next few minutes. The percussion play within this one makes it, in my opinion, the only song that treads across the ocean into some native African sounding musical territory. Nice work Aynde Folarin, Paddy Corea, Steven John, and Sleepy Jack! Organist Ray Rhoden tries to inject some Egypt into the mix with a stereotypic Black Land arpeggio in the final minute. An okay song that still could have been better-- more dynamic and energetic as so many drum-and-percussion-oriented African traditional musics are. (17.5/20)

Total time: 39:46

I do not feel or hear any profound or obvious connection to African music other than the possibilitiy of the performers being likely African-American. I do, however, hear a very slight Jamaican/Reggae inflection in a lot of the songs. Overall, this is a very pleasant, almost innocuous album to listen to, but there is nothing here that I feel is very fresh or innovative.

B-/3.5 stars; a fair album from musicians that can obviously do better--especially compared to that lame opening song. Would that the Side 1 had been more like Side 2--and Side 2 been more adventurous.