MAGICAL SHEPHERD

It's not easy for me to review this album (on PA). Music there is great but far from what prog fans would like to hear under " jazz rock" tag. Only a real progressive fusion fans can easily imagine this album's content when I will say that year is 1976 and Vitous collaborators on this album are Herbie Hancock, Airto Moreira and Jack DeJohnette (between others).

Nearest shot is Headhunters, and Hacock's keys sound very similar there. Vitous plays guitar beside of bass there, but his main contribution is groove deep dark funky bass line. All music is quite similar to Headhunters sound of similar time, but even if Hancock's keys sound is easily recognisable, main accent is done on rhythm section there.

It's interesting, that even playing similar pure jazz-funk, because of specific rhythm section album often has almost zeuhl groove. Many songs have vocals, something between funky/pre- disco ones, but even voices are more jazzy, than soul-like.

In all, distilled product of early progressive jazz-funk era, this release really is a strong one and should be placed between best Hancock solo releases of same genre. Not recommendable for fans with allergy to funk vibes though.

My rating is 3+.

After eight years in the think of the foundation and development of Jazz-Rock Fusion, Miroslav apparently felt it important to "prove" to critics that he could play/do funk (which had become all the rage since Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Thrust albums in 1974 and 1975, respectively. So, who better to help him out than the jazz-funk-master himself!

Line-up/Musicians: - Miroslav Vitous / bass, guitar [360 synth], synthesizer (MiniMoog) - James Gadson / drums (A1, A2, B3, B4) - Airto Moreira / percussion - Jack DeJohnette / drums (B1, B2) - Herbie Hancock / keyboards (Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synthesizers [Arp Odyssey, Arp String Ensemble, MiniMoog]) - Cheryl Grainger / vocals (A1, A2, B2, B3, B4) - Onike / vocals (A1, A2, B2, B4)

A1. "Basic Laws" (11:46) two female vocalists open this with some celestial chanting accented by bass notes and weird synthesizer sounds. At the 90-second mark the song funnels into a slow-tempo funk tune with clavinet, bass, congas, drums, and guitar and synth incidentals. The rhythm section remains totally constant while the vocalists, guitar noises, and synth noises play a bit over the top (far less than one would imagine). An occasional key shift seems to add impetus to try new things--especially the one at 6:30--and it does but not really enough. Still, as a funk song, this one has it. Whispered vocals repeating over and over "it's rhythm" join in for the ninth and tenth minutes but then slip back into the background celestial heraldry in the eleventh as the music thins out a bit (while remaining totally committed to the funk). Then it fades out. (22.5/25)

A2. "New York City" (9:32) a more up-tempo, near-disco tune from the first note with very funky wah-wah-ed clavinet and Fender Rhodes (Herbie at his very best!). Vocalists make their first appearance, briefly, around the one-minute mark and thereafter become like curious alien beings making background commentary (a previewof Newcleus' "wicky, wicky, wicky"?) The keyboard work in the third minute makes one think of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something." The changes and variety of offerings make this one a real pleaser (despite the near-disco beat). And, yes: Miroslav can play funk! But, this for whatever reason, this is Herbie's song to shine on--even rivaling Billy Preston's "Space Race" in places. The shift into spacey dreamland in the seventh minute is very cool--very engaging--really giving Miroslav and Herbie room to show of even more of their keyboard and (for Miroslav) guitar ideas. (18.75/20)

B1. "Synthesizers Dance" (5:09) a syncopated more WEATHER REPORT-like attempt at funk: more spacious and less groove-oriented. Even the sounds being generated for lead instrument sounds are kind of off the wall--like something Parliament funkadelic would explore. Lot's of instrumental flare being shown off from multiple musicians here (and especially Miroslav)--which raises the interest/intrigue factor significantly. Good jazz-rock fusion. (8.875/10)

B2. "Magical Shepherd" (6:09) horn like call opens this before bass and Rhodes join in with lots of percussive noise from both Airto and Jack DeJohnette. The lady vocalists are back, this time singing in tandem, singing like a church or Broadway choir. It's actually kind of cool! And the music on top is interesting. At the end of the second minute there is some smoothing out of the basic music, almost committing to a set structure, then, just as you're getting used to it, things shift again into something more jazzy, less committed to linear flow (sounding a little like some of Larry Coryell's brilliant, but chaotic, ideas). Guitar soloing ensues as Herbie and Jack play off of one another with some fun recklessness. Vocals return at the five-minute mark to give the song a kind of celestial stamp of approval into the finish. This one is not a funk song; it is jazz-rock. It is, however, very interesting--definitely worth repeated listens. And the song one which I like the effect of the female vocals the best. (9/10)

B3. "From Far Away" (2:30) a song built around Cheryl Grainger's jazz vocal. Airto and Miroslav's synth bass, Arp, wah- ed rhythm guitar, and Arp strings (no Herbie on this one). Feels like an étude or interlude--definitely an ude. (4.375/5)

B4. "Aim Your Eye" (6:57) a pretty decent funky jazz-rock fusion tune despite the weird background female vocal chants and weird synth "saw" guitar chords! (13.375/15)

Total Time: 42:06

Another case in point to my argument that Jack DeJohnette--as extraordinary a drummer as he is--is not a funkster. I have the feeling that getting Jack to play funk was like asking Bill Bruford to play straight time (or, for that matter, funk!)

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion: one that is consistently of very high compositional and performative standards but does little to really excite or push boundaries. Also, an album that presents two rather strikingly different faces: the funk side with Herbie Hancock, Airto Moreira, and drummer James Gadsen, the other with jazz-stalwart Jack DeJohnette and funk-less Miroslav steering the rest of the musicians toward more jazz- traditional and Jazz-dominant (yet experimental) Jazz-Rock Fusion. Recommended to all Jazz-Rock Fusion enthusiasts. If anything, the performances of these top notch musicians might be worth it all on their own.