LIVE - THEN!

A second live release from Allan Holdsworth in one year. This one, however was recorded in 1990, 12 years (to the day) before All Night Wrong. I'd hate to compare the two, because the bands were quite different (Then! is a quartet and ANW features a trio) and each features a completely different set list.

Steve Hunt (keyboards; Stanley Clarke, Mahavishnu Project) uses many of Allan's synth patches and plays many of the Synthaxe parts that Allan originally played on the studio versions of some of these tunes. Steve does a commendable job filling Allan shoes keeping the chording consistent with the originals. Thus, he allows the master to experiment with his Bill Delap Baritone guitars, a breath-taking event! Jimmy Johnson (bass; Flim and the BB's, James Taylor and a host of others) holds down the bottom in his own unique fashion. He gets a few chances to jump into the spotlight and shine. Gary Husband' drums sound huge. He plays with such intensity and control. Any student drummer would be well advised to check this out.

The tunes, nine in all, cover a large spectrum of Allan's career. Proto Cosmos, a Tony Williams Lifetime favorite, is given a rousing performance. Atavachron is simply elevated to another level, which I feel blows away the original. White Line, sans Paul Williams vocals, is wonderfully reconstructed with Allan playing the vocal lines with much more emotion than any vocalist ever could, beautiful. Pud Wud features a brilliant bass solo from Jimmy Johnson, playful and intricate. My favorite moment on the track. Steve Hunt's synth work really comes alive on this tune, as well. House of Mirrors, slowly builds with a gorgeous melody and soft suspended notes cascading and drifting. This is one of Allan's most emotive solos I've heard. Non-Brewed Condiment rocks and pushes the band with muscular drumming and wild soloing.

The improvs, Zone's I, II and III, are phenominal examples of exploration. Each piece is interspersed throughout the CD, beginning, middle and end. They take the listener to uncharted territory, on the spot creations of what only highly skilled musicians can achieve. These tracks are not for the weak of heart nor short attention spans. The push and pull of each instrument creates tension, not to fight for the spotlight, but to add splashes of color onto a spectacular work of art. Curious and inspirational.

This is not a starting place for Allan's work. This one requires some previous exposure to Allan's music. It is a facsinating look at what can be done, on stage, by one of music's most enigmatic guitarists, as well as a snapshot of musical history.

PS: Be sure to have a pint of your favorite ale whilst listening, to salute the master.

`Tis a rare thing, a document of this incomparable artist live. Equally rare are those recordings from the days with arguably his best line-up from the 90s; Jimmy Johnson holding the bottom together heroically, keyboardist Steve Hunt fleshing out the texture and doing a great job of Holdsworth synthaxe-mimicry, and the remarkable Gary Husband turning in a typically stunning performance on drums. "The willingness of Allan Holdsworth to allow this archival live recording to crawl forth from the vault required twelve years of mental fermentation and no small amount of coaxing", writes Christopher Hoard in the notes. Such is the case with craftsmen of Holdsworth's caliber and is a tribute to his own high standards.

Though not quite the eloquent presentation as his other sanctioned live album 'All Night Wrong' - both recorded ten years apart at the intimate Roppongi Pit Inn in Tokyo - this is a more immediate performance with a fire just under the surface that the later recording lacks and exhibits a measured but electrical intensity from each player. The mix is also superior to 'All Night Wrong' and each musician is well balanced. In addition to six of Allan's better compositions including the blistering 'Proto-Cosmos', the sentimental and melodic 'White Line', space-age Trekism in 'Atavachron', cyber-jazz of 'Pud Wud', gentle balladry that is 'House of Mirrors' and head-spinning facility of 'Non-Brewed Condiment', we are also treated to 'Zone' I, II, and III, musical platforms that allow each member to play spontaneously within a loose framework. In many ways, this record shows Allan's jazz roots most explicitly without sounding jazzy and while maintaining his wholly individual perspective. Here is Allan Holdsworth the soloist and leader expanding the boundaries of musical space, and I cannot think of a better exhibition of his special power.

Well, this is a special cd. Released in 2004, the recording took place in May of 1990 in Japan. There's an unbelievably strong chemistry among the band members of this touring quartet, none of whom played together as a group on any of the studio albums from which the music for this concert was culled.

Gary Husband's drumming is phenomenal - interesting, jazzy, driving, and right up front in the recording mix. Jimmy Johnson's bass is like an additional guitar soloist on many of the songs, just all over the place. Keyboardist Steve Hunt helps to keep some rhythmic sanity in those moments when Husband is soloing and improvising, and he also provides the band a nice full sound with additional soloing - he even uses some synthaxe (or synthaxe sounds on the keyboard) to augment the fullness of the band and stay true to the original feel of some of the compositions.

Then there's Allan Holdsworth. He's at the top of his game here on this recording. If you're reading this review on a relatively obscure album of his, then you don't need me to tell you how great his sound and technique is. He just kills on this cd.

Song selections include Proto-Cosmos, White Line, Atavachron, Pud Wud, House of Mirrors, Non-Brewed Condiment and three improvised selections spread throughout the album called Zones (which all feature a baritone electric guitar). The playing and execution is tight and true, but different enough from the original studio versions to make this a very worthwhile purchase. (The "Zones" are O.K., not great. But they ARE new and unique! They're growing on me.)

Finally, rest assured that the recording and production quality is great. If you've seen other reviews by me, you know that's important to me. The original source tapes were "extremely high quality, digital 24-track" tapes (according to the liner notes), and Holdsworth himself was involved in the mixing and mastering of all tracks.

AH is one of my very favorite guitarists, from his playing with Tony Williams, Soft Machine, Gong, Ponty, Bruford and U.K., right on through to his own great solo stuff. Here, he inspires his whole band to shine on one great piece after another.

Superlatives fail to define his greatness. I highly recommend this cd.

Holdsworth's THEN! on the Alternity label is playing now and I must say this is definite must-have!! Just to hear Zones I, II and III is worth the buy as these compositions are totally live improv and boy do these cats let it rip. The other 6 tracks smoke too -- sheesh, and they sound this superb live!! -- oh how this makes me want to nail my guitar case shut and pack it away for another decade!

I am very thankful folks like Chris Hoard doggedly persisted in getting the perfectionist AH to finally let this THEN! be released. It amazes that just because something like the guitar voicing might not perfectly suit AH, something as superb as THEN! might not have ever been released.

AH, please listen up man! You are too darn good technique, performance, and composition-wise to keep gems like this from your fans just because you may not be 100% happy with a voicing technicality. Heck, AH, you could play on a used Fender Squire Tex-Mex Tele through a Montgomery Ward's Airline Amp and a Radio Shack cord and you would tear it up. We love ya man!! Let more of these "hidden away" "not-so-perfect" archival releases come to light. My picky & jaded reviewer ears say you did a superb job in final edits, mastering, etc, etc and THEN! is superb!!!! You are the fusion man AH! Also, of course the rest of the band was awesome, awesome, awesome. I really enjoyed hearing Steve Hunt use AH's SynthAxe patches via the keys -- very nice effect! Johnson and Husband equal bliss beats in perfection and grace.

Chris Hoard and Derek Wilson, thanks again for offering us this! I know this took years of work to nudge AH into seeing it as a worthwhile release. Do tell, Allan -- this sucker kicks! Do it again! Recommended!