ELECTRIC CIRCUS

German guitarist Toto Blanke (1939-2013) came to prominence as a member of the excellent avant-jazz rock outfit Association P.C. "Electric Circus," Blanke's second solo effort, is quite different from his first, "Spider's Dance." While his first album consisted of Anglo-American style jazz-rock (which was very good), "Electric Circus" finds Blanke incorporating the ground-breaking sounds of his home country at the time.

Blanke not only handles the guitars on this album, he also plays a ppg synth, ppg sequencer, moog taurus, as well as the banjo. As you may guess, the modern (at the time) synths, sequencers and moog make this quite different from your average fusion LP. Joining Blanke is his former band mate from Association P.C., Jasper van't Hof on keyboards. Also in the mix is American bassist Dave King, who also played with Embryo and the Curt Cress Clan, as well as others. Drums and percussion duties were handled by Edward Vesala of Finland.

The result is an interesting blend of jazz rock and Krautrock. Blanke's guitar (and Banjo) playing is magnificent as ever, but "Electric Circus" is not a guitar album. The synths take center stage on most tracks, layered over spacey, Kraut grooves. Experimental in nature, the album captures the best of both of the worlds it straddles. Recommended to those who like experimental music like Et Cetera / Wolfgang Dauner and other like-minded Teutonic musicians. 4 stars.

ASSOCIATION P.C. guitarist and keyboard player Toto Blanke and Jasper Van't Hof's second round of self-expression outside of Pierre Courbois' leadership. The result is a more experimental sound adventure over which Toto plays his jazz-guitar (and banjo).

1. "PPG" (6:06) cool TERRY RILEY-like Minimalist electronica is here used to create a weave that ends up supporting Toto's guitar soloing. (8.75/10)

2. "Flowers All Over" (6:16) oddly experimental music with jazz guitar eventually dominating the top. I find it boring due to the extremely drawn out time it takes to develop into anything resembling jazz music--and that only a Weather Report-like level of pop jazz. (Bassist Dave King is relegated to playing two notes on infinite repetition for the first 5:45!) Once Toto gets into gear (over half way through the song), he plays some great GEORGE BENSON-like guitar albeit over some ultra-smooth melodic support. Great drumming, though. (8.75/10)

3. "Arabab" (5:52) yet another experimental soundscape opening before wah-wah-rhythm guitar and funk bass and drums take over bringing a funked-up AREA-like sound. This may be the most jazzy song on the album, but still a far cry from the sophisticated stuff these guys are capable of. (8.75/10)

4. "Minister Ed" (7:37) again the unusual dominance of the Berlin School-like sequencer is notable. In the third minute the sequencer disappears and a slow funk with banjo rises in its place. Interesting. Not my favorite. (13/15)

5. "Song For Zeenat" (3:59) long, spacious, slow, and rather eerie electronica intro with delicate cymbal play, percussive noises, sustained low bass note amp hum, and gentle volume-pedal controlled electric guitar notes and riffs, and finger-plucking of piano strings. Over half way into the song it's still forming, coagulating, as Toto and drummer Edward Vesala are still figuring each other out. I actually love this experimental "unfinished" kind of stuff! (9/10)

6. "Spiesser Krollak" (4:32) Berlin School-like saw-synth arpeggio pans across the sonic field for a minute before being supplanted by a slow, mathematical funk chord weave that repeats itself over and while the "prepared [wah-wah pedaled] organ" solos over the top. Edward embellishes and enriches with his fills and flourishes as Toto and bassist Dave King hold fast to the foundations of the math rock motif. Interesting as an experiment/étude, but, in the long run, a waste of valuable tape and vinyl. (8.25/10)

7. "Spinner" (2:03) tuned percussion [muted marimba] organ that seems sequenced which African/Caribbean percussives add to the weave so that Toto can solo Calypso-style (like a steel drum) with the very upper register of his guitar played in a muted staccato fashion. (4.25/5)

Total Time 36:25

My over all feeling from this album is that Jasper and Toto were going through a growing phase upon the acquisition/access to some new electronic equipment, that this album came from tapes garnered from the recording sessions in which the band were just getting to know these instruments and their potentialities; these were just the captures of their experimentations. In my opinoin, only bass player Dave King and drummer Edward Vesala live up to the standards of true Jazz-Rock Fusion, Toto and Jasper are caught in a wormhole of Steve Hillage-like audio distortion. Thus, I would not consider this a very highly recommended album: though there is a much that I like here, I think it would be better suited for collectors only.

B/four stars; a sparsely populated album filled with a large percentage of sound and new instrument experimentation. Best suited for collectors.