PRESENTS THE ADVENTURES OF THE ASTRAL PIRATES

One of those outstanding jazz scene virtuoso's, drummer Lenny White made his bones playing for the likes of Miles Davis(he appeared on the seminal 1969 album 'Bitches Brew') and Chick Corea's 'Return To Forever'. However, like fellow sticksman Billy Cobham, White soon tired of playing other people's material and set off on his own solo journey with 1975's well-received 'Venusian Summer'. One more album followed - 1977's 'Fat City' - before White, in tandem with fellow musicians Don Blackman, Nick Moroch and Alex Blake, created the following years 'The Adventures Of Astral Pirates', an album deemed by many fans to be his finest release of all. A kind of hyper-real, sci-fi themed, jazz-fusion concept piece, this 1978 album features one of the more colourful sleeve designs of the decade(no mean feat) and a succession of inter-linking pieces, all played with impressive quicksilver precision. Highlights include the Eastern-tinged 'Mandaran Warlords', which segues smoothly from ominous opening tones to delectable old-school jazz riffery, the seven-minute White-only penned closer 'Climax', which inserts up-scale tribal drum licks into a fizzing brew of skilful hi-tech jamming, and last but by no means least the snazzy, funk-dipped strut of 'The Great Pyramid'. Although by no means in the same exulted class as fellow fusion proprietors Return To Forever and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, this colourful album does still feature its fair share of dazzling instrumental moments; as a result, 'The Adventures Of Astral Pirates' should more than please all you 1970's fusion freaks. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2013

Well I like the idea, an all instrumental concept album of the sic-fi variety. Having Patrick Gleeson on synths was a great idea but I have no idea who the rest of the band are other than our drummer Lenny White of course. Not that that matters necessarily but I really felt that this was one of those pedestrian albums other than the song "Mandarin Warlords". We basically have ten chapters in this concept with the opening song being the prelude so eleven tracks in all at just under 40 minutes.

"Prelude:Theme For Astral Pirates" is simply a short spacey tune with acoustic guitar and outbursts of piano. "Pursuit" opens with some nice bass and drums as the guitar comes in over top. The organ's turn after 1 1/2 minutes then back to the guitar along with strings and more. "Mandarin Warlords" is by far my favourite with those female vocal melodies bring Zeuhl to mind after 1 1/2 minutes and throughout.

"The Great Pyramid" opens with drums as relaxed bass joins in. Kind of funky here as spacey sounds help out. Ethnic sounding guitar before 1 1/2 minutes gives this a World music flavour. Organ and a heavier sound late. "Universal Love" is a commercial vocal track with male vocals. Very soulful but I'm not a fan. "Remembering" is a very short piano only piece sounding classical. "Revelation" opens with guitar and atmosphere then piano takes over after 1 1/2 minutes. Pretty stuff.

"Stew, Cabbage And Galactic Beans" is pretty much a "rock" track as the guitar lights it up at times as the organ runs. It turns funky before 2 minutes though then the organ leads again. "Heavy Metal Monster" opens with drums and a heavier sound. Funky bass too. Organ before 2 1/2 minutes then the guitar is back a minute later. "Assault" features a one minute drum solo from White. "Climax:Theme For Astral Pirates" ends it with guitar and a spacey background in this all instrumental closer. Piano leads for a while but the guitar returns to end it.

A pretty good album but it left me feeling not very impressed overall. I'll take his "Venusian Summer" album over this all the way.

Sci-fi progressive/jazz/funk/fusion? Works for me.

You can say that the theme of this album is corny and dated, or that the song "Universal Love" is out-of-place and cheesy here, or that funk and progressive don't mix. But this is a very enjoyable, well-played, well-composed album despite the hurdles it faced. Lenny White plays excellent drums (and some synthesizers) all over this album, along with Don Blackman (vocals, keyboards), Alex Blake (bass), and Nick Moroch and Jeff Sigman (guitars). This is mostly progressive rock/jazz fusion (a la "Romantic Warrior"), with some funk thrown in on the side. Despite the less-than-desirable production sound, I still find this to be a very exciting, interesting and unique cd from a talented drummer and songwriter. If you're a fan of Romantic Warrior-era Return To Forever, this cd is essential.