JADIS

JADIS along with Twelfth Night, Pallas, Marillion and IQ was amongst the very first neo-prog bands to emerge in early 80s Britain having formed in Southampton in 1982 after members of the bands Icarus and Saruman Grass crossed paths as they were seeking different lineups. Initiated by guitarist and vocalist Gary Chandler who has been the only constant member since the beginning, JADIS was early to the scene but was a bit low key throughout most of the 1980s only releasing the demo "Baboon Enquiries" in 1984 and then only playing live gigs. It wasn't until 1987 that the band found itself scoring a gig with IQ on the "Namzano" tour when things really started to take off.

It wouldn't be until the band buddied up with Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery who assisted in crafting this demo turned legit debut album in 1989 which found a limited pressing of only 500 copies making it one of the most coveted collectibles of the early neo-prog years. This collaborative effort led to opening for Marillion on the "Clutching At Straws" tour which ushered JADIS into the limelight but also signaled an exit stage left for bassist Trevor Hawkins and keyboardist Pete Salmon who would be replaced by Martin Orford and John Jowitt who would propel the band into its golden years as the neo-prog 80s morphed into the more all-encompassing prog revival 90s.

JADIS' debut featured four tracks that were recorded in 1989 before the album was released and four more (the entire B-side) that were recorded earlier in 1986 and 1987. The band delivers a fairly typical neo-prog style of the era leaning more on the pop side of the equation rather than the prog but nevertheless featured the expected mix of catchy melodic grooves that feature lots of keyboards and Genesis inspired guitar sweeps. Likewise Chandler's vocals evoke the neo-prog standard of the day but lacked the charismatic delivery system of Marillion's Fish or the better executed elegance of IQ's Peter Nicholls. Neo-prog was going through a rough patch at the end of the 80s with Marillion losing Fish and IQ and Pendragon releasing some of its cheesiest material of both their retrospective careers.

JADIS is a rather unremarkable debut that pretty much ticks off all the neo-prog boxes and places them more into a pop rock context much like Pendragon's "Kowtow" or IQ's turkey of an album "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" but actually delivers a much more convincing slice of more pop infused neo-prog than either of those albums pulled off. This eight track album of 33 1/2 minutes may not find JADIS at its peak despite existing for a good seven years however constantly lineup changes kept the band from becoming a tight knit unit until the 90s. This is one that is rather mediocre to my ears. The melodies are somewhat limp and the accompanying musical performances are average at best as well as Chandler's rather limiting vocal style. JADIS was never really a top tier neo-prog band and not for lack of trying.

This album has only been released once by itself making the original vinyl an expensive collectible. Although a second pressing never occurred, the album was added as a bonus CD on newer editions of the band's second album "More Than Meets The Eye." Personally i don't find this album the least bit essential but will surely be of interest to hardcore neo-prog bands who want to take the deep dive into the classic bands' earliest offerings. As far as i'm concerned JADIS was a second tier band that took too long to deliver and even then with the assistance of the biggest names in the biz couldn't muster up an above average album. Not horrible to listen to but pales in comparison to the excellent neo-prog albums that would emerge in the 1990s. Thankfully the band would improve significantly after this debut.

When I first got involved with the progressive underground there is no doubt there were a handful of albums which had a massive impact on me which I still listen to this day, and one of these was 'More Than Meets The Eye'. I saw different line-ups of the band, but the one I love the best was Gary Chandler, Steve Christey, Martin Orford and John Jowitt. Gary and Martin could also often be found performing as a duo, and some of my very favourite gigs come from this period. Over the years there have been some line-up changes, with Martin moving away from music a few times, and although the classic line-up did get back together for some albums in the 2000's, both Martin and John departed again after 2006's 'Photoplay'. They were replaced by bassist Andy Marlow and keyboard player Arman Vardanyan for 2012's 'See Right Through You' before Martin returned again for the last album, 2016's 'No Fear of Looking Down'. It has taken eight years for the guys to return with their tenth studio album, but it has been worth the wait as it feels as if they have never been away.

Jadis are one of those very rare prog bands indeed, in that they just don't sound like anyone else. Here we have a band which first and foremost relies on Gary's melodic guitar playing and vocals, this is supported by a dynamic rhythm section and keyboards which slip alongside the melody, providing support, harmony or driving the lead along with a second singer who has been with Gary so long that he knows just when to come in or pull away. This is classic Jadis, and as soon as I put it on the player, I knew I was in for fun as it is exactly what I have come to expect from this band over the last 30 years. They know their style and what they all bring to the party, so Martin can move from flute to lead keyboards, Steve never seems to stop going all around the kit, Andy is much more than just a simple bassist laying down the foundation as he often provides his own counter melodies, and then at the front is Gary Chandler. Right from the beginning, he has never lost his focus, even when he had to start the band again from scratch, and his passion and drive has produced an album which could have been released 30 years ago.

All reviewers want to be objective yet are always subjective as there are so many factors which impact how we perceive music. So while I am not sure if this really is the best album they have released since 'More Than Meets The Eye', all I can say is that it certainly feels that way. I am not going to ask how long until the next one as I did that when I reviewed the last album as four years felt way too long, and this took eight, but all I can say is that to my mind Jadis are firmly back where they belong, right at the top of the prog Olympics. The gold medal for great music goes to Jadis, and fully deserved.

Jadis has been working since 1982, fitting within the current of neo-prog bands that emerged during that time. And since then they created a series of demos that were finally embodied in this first self-titled album produced by Steve Rothery.

But if there is something that distinguishes Jadis from other groups of the time such as IQ, Marillion and Pendragon, it is a more concise and almost pop song structure, which although it sounds progressive, does give it the tracks a more conventional touch.

And that's not necessarily a negative thing, especially when we hear the overall quality of the album, which is quite high, especially thanks to exquisite guitar work, and some good keyboard bases that, although they haven't aged as well as they should , they do add a mystical and dreamy touch to the sound that in my opinion resembles them in a certain way to the polish band Collage.

I don't know if this "Jadis" is the best record to get to know the group, but I definitely recommend it for all those fans of 80's neo-prog.

Best Tracks: Follow me to Salzburg (I specially like the Keyboards in this one), Taking Your Time (wonderful guitar solo) and In the Dark (great bass line and amazing keyboard solo in the instrumental section)

Jadis followed up their breakthrough More Than Meets The Eye with this album, which once again finds band leader Gary Chandler and his loyal drummer Steve Christey backed up by then-IQ members John Jowitt and Martin Orford. This time around, the mood is a little more reflective and subdued than on More Than Meets the Eye, making Across the Water an interesting companion piece to that. I'm tempted to make the analogy that whilst More Than Meets the Eye is neo-prog for a summer's day - bright, exuberant, full of the joy of life - Across the Water is neo-prog for a summer's evening. (Hell, there's even a track called Daylight Fades.) It's good music for when the dark is drawing in outside, you're tired but happy after the day's exertions, and you're collecting your thoughts as you watch a sunset.

Gary Chandler's Jadis project can be seen as the first "second wave neo-prog band", or perhaps a sort of neo-neo-prog release. Whilst the original generation of neo-prog groups formed in the 1970s or very early 1980s and were influenced primarily by the prog groups of the 1970s, Jadis formed in the mid-1980s and very clearly took their neo- prog heroes as their main inspirations.

Having landed support roles on IQ's Nomzamo tour and Marillion's Clutching At Straws tour - the latter arguably being neo-prog's commercial zenith - Jadis also kept busy in the studio and made a number of demo recordings, with Marillion's own lead guitarist and friend of the band Steve Rothery handling the production side of things. They would eventually compile and release these as this self-titled album, which has languished in obscurity since then but has become more generally available recently. (In particular, it was included - with some bonus tracks - as the bonus CD on InsideOut's 2012 rerelease of More Than Meets the Eye, though irritatingly the most recent rerelease of that album has a different bonus CD that doesn't include this.)

Though produced by a largely different lineup from the Jadis we're used to in the 1990s, Gary Chandler's general compositional and stylistic approach - a sunny, upbeat, positive and optimistic take on neo-prog, rather refreshing considering the darker emotional territory the subgenre often explores - is already evident. G13, which would be updated for More Than Meets the Eye, is a particular treat.

I have been singing the praises of this band for well in excess of twenty-five years now, quarter of a century, where does the time go? This album is the follow-up only 18 years after the first 'Medium Rare', and as with that one includes rare live versions, remixes, and some songs which make their appearance for the first time. Although the band had been involved in the scene for quite some time before 1992's 'More Than Meets The Eye', that was the album which really every sit up and pay attention. Gary Chandler has of course been the singer and guitarist with the band since their inception some ten years earlier while drummer Stephen Christey made his debut with the band on that release and has been a constant presence ever since. Then there is the small matter of the keyboard player. Martin Orford is one of my very favourite musicians in the scene, as well as one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet ' we used to spend many hours on the phone back in the day. He was there for that album as well, although he has since left and re-joined Jadis a few times for various reasons, but he is there now and something special happens when he and Gary are left to their own devices as anyone who has ever seen any of their infamous duo shows will attest to. Mr Bass, John Jowitt, has also been in and out a few times and is no longer with the band, and bass on most of this collection is by the current incumbent Andy Marlow who has been resident for the last two studio albums.

Artwork is again by Geoff Chandler, while the booklet contains full details of where each song came from, as well as copious photos. This isn't an album to recommend to someone who has yet to come across Jadis, there are plenty of others which can do that better (I still have 'More Than Meets The Eye' on my iPhone, and my ringtone is a snippet of 'Wonderful World'), but for those who already know the music this is a delight. Christey is an incredibly powerful drummer, who ties it down while also providing plenty of fills, the bass is the platform on which the band builds, and then at the front is Gary and Martin. Martin is a great singer in his own right, remember he fronted IQ after Paul Menel left and before Peter returned, and his harmonies are a delight, while he is simply one of the best keyboard players around. Then added to that is Gary's vocals and that guitar. He once said to me that whatever equipment he uses it somehow always sounds the same, a distinct tenor so that if I heard a couple of bars of a song for the first time, I would always know who it was.

This self-released digipak is a delight for the fan, allowing them to revisit some older songs in a new light as well as hearing something a little different. That 'Your Own Special Way' sounds almost as if it could be an original is certainly no surprise to anyone who knows them. I was playing this album the other day, at the same time as I have was having a conversation on Messenger with Opher from Solstice Coil, and it was almost as if the years since I came to NZ in 2006 had all dropped away and I was back running Feedback again. Jadis. Timeless. Brilliant.

3,5 stars, really. I think sometimes the wrong choice of the tracks running order has the power to spoil the overall coherence of a good work, This is at least the best explanation of why I really don´t fancy this CD too much, for it has very strong cuts and no tune is really bad. Coming 3 years after the excellent Understand, Fanatic kept the ball rolling with Jadis: The Great Outside is a powerful opener, small wonder it is the first song they played on their View From above live DVD. It´s one of their best and it segues with the equally convincing Into Temptation, where once again it´s hard to believe how good those four musicians are when they get together. Gary Chandler is also at his best both as songwriter and guitarist. He developed his very own, inimitable, style. But things get to a sudden halt with Each & Everyday: although not a bad song per se, far from it, it is nevertheless quite different, too slow and drags a bit in its 6 minutes. It really spoils the CD dynamics.

Things start to pick up the pace again with I Never Notice, although this one is less inspired than the albums two first cuts. On the other hand the nice title track puts everything on track again: a nice instrumental, atmospheric piece, this tune is very unusual for Jadis, but it works extremely well. It also serves as an intro to one of Jadis best songs ever, the reflexive Yourself Alone (also featured on their live DVD). The more mundane Take This Words is saved (as most of the tracks here) by the creative arrangements, excellent musicianship of all involved and, especially, by Chandlers unique, tasteful guitar breaks and solo. The delicate and poignant What Kind Of Reason proves that a slow, simple song can be worked up to an epic when played by four talented guys who know very well what team work is all about. it is over 8 minutes long, but you´ll think it´s too short. Brilliant!

The original CD finishes with another song that seems a little out of place here. Again Who Can We Be Sure Of is not a bad song, but really it´s not up to the remaining tracks of Fanatic, even if the arrangements and Chandler´s great guitar are well done. The extra track on some editions (like mine) The Flame is Burnt out has a fitting title!, since it seems to be just like that, a bonus track: a hard rock ditty that adds nothing to the album. Not the best way to finish an otherwise very fine CD.

Maybe I´m being too harsh and Fanatic deserved a for star rating, since it has so many fine songs on it. However, it is also clear that this time the tracklist is a bit uneven (by Jadis standards, that is). A change of a couple of songs would make this one as good as their previous one. At least that´s my opinion. So my final rating would be something between 3,5 and 4 stars. Compared to many other acts it is an excellent effort, but compared to Jadis own best works Fanatic is "just" very good.

Three years after the good, but a bit lacklustre Somersault (1996), Jadis is back with their "classic" line up when Martin Orford (keyboards, flute, harmony vocals) and Jon Jowitt (bass) return to the fold. After the band had made some changes to their sound on the previous effort, Understand puts them back to the Across the Water (1994) style. In fact, in many ways Understand does seem to me a kind of twin brother of that album, I always had trouble relating which songs are from each album. Anyway although Somersault was not a bad CD, I was quite glad to see that Gary Chandler and company returned to the more melodic and lively sound their fans love so much.

Even if this record lacks a "classic" tune like Daylight Fades or The Beginning And The End, all the tracks are very strong, inspired and full of energy. And songs like Where In The World, Alive Inside and Giraffe Chariot all have remained in the band´s live repertoire through the years. But my favourite one is definitely Counting All The Seconds, a 7 minute mini epic that is not only a fine tune but also contains one of Chandlers best guitar solos ever. And for a musician who built up a inimitable style of his very own, this is no small feat. I really don´t understand (pun intended) why the low rates several reviewers gave to it, I guess some people take a lot of Jadis do for face value, The music here may not be symphonic or avant guard, and the melodies may be simple, but never simplistic. In fact the music is quite elaborated and demands several spins before you really get all the subtle and rich details that adorn the songs. But once you get it, you´re hooked. It´s prog music indeed: varied, exciting and made with passion, done by a very unique band.

So, in the end I found this CD to be an excellent effort: It has no filler or even weaker tracks, and the performances and arrangements are as impeccable as ever. I was really glad that this line up came back, because certainly there is magic when those guys play together.

Rating: four strong stars.

You know the kind of albuns where everything seems to be good and still you don´t fancy them that much? The same thing happens to me on titles like Uriah Heep´s Return To Fantasy, for example. Something´s missing and you can´t figure out what it is. For every time I put Somersault on I do like the songs. Especially if I listen carefully. But t me is one of Jadis least successful works. Ok, the line up changed but I believe it´s not the newbies fault. By the time the band have to record this CD both IQ members Martin Orford and Jon Jowitt had commitments to their main group and could not be around. Keyboardist Mike Torr took over Orford´s duties and bassist Steve Hunt replaced Jowitt. And the new duo does a fine job here.Sometimes they even excel and do have more room to show their skills then the previous ones. Gary Chandler and Steve Christey are in fine form. The production is also excellent. So I made an attempt to solve this case by carefully listening to the record exclusively for a few days.

To me Somersault´s main problem is about the songwriting: it´s their most dense and less accessible work to date. Like if they want to complicate things for the sake of it. Or so it seems. On the other hand it is also undeniable that there is no bad song here either. Upon listening carefully you discover that you like the album after all and that al the tracks have their charm. Some even deserved a little more attention by the public in general like Losing My Fear and Tomorrow Always Arrive. Certainly they are both the album´s highlights and, not coincidentally, the most melodic and the closest to their previous work. The other tracks are also good, with several strong moments on them. Chandlers guitar solos are maybe less inspired than before, but Torr´s keyboards are very creative and quete unique. Still it looks like they tried to bit more than they could chew, some parts just dragging too long affecting the CD´s flow. Long tunes don´t mean necessarily good ones.

Conclusion: I still think that Somersault´s tracks are, individually, very good, buy their running order and maybe the lack of a really powerful, memorable song makes it sound less good then it is. So in the end I can say it sounds actually better than I initially thought. So my rating would be be something between 3,5 and 4 stars. Compared to their more popular albums this is surely a less pleasant one. So I guess 3 stars is a fair grade. It is good, most of the time very good, but not as striking and captive as the bands previous work, or its follow up, 2000´s Understand. .

What really surprises me about Jadis second album (third if you count their very rare self titled album of demos of 1989) is that although Gary Chandler and company created a whole sound of their own since the very beginning Across The Water is very different from the celebrated More Than Meets The Eye, released only two years before. In fact, Jadis, for good or for bad, would never repeat itself along its career through the years.

Across the Water won´t grab you so easily as its predecessor, it really takes more time to sink in, but once it does, you´re hooked and a great showcase for Chandlers fine songwriting skills, as well as the band´s prowess and originality. The classic line up of Chandler on guitar and vocals, Steve Christey on drums plus the IQ members Martin Orford (keyboards, flute, harmony vocals) and Jon Jowitt (bass) works as a tight unit, delivering a series of exquisite tracks like In Isolation, Touch and The World On Your Side. But their very best is the prog classic Daylight Fades, probably their best know song: an ethereal tune with a strong Pink Floyd leaning that is one of my favourite prog songs ever. The jazz piano break in the middle is both subtle and fantastic. The remaining tracks are not on that league, but they are very good anyway, especially if you like Chandlers unique guitar style: melodic, economical, very soulful and never overdone (traces of PF´s David Gilmour again). His vocal delivering may not be the greatest, but he does a good job on it, being both pleasant and emotional.

With a crystal clear production, this is the kind of prog music that may not please much those who prefer the more bombastic side of the genre, but will certainly give great pleasure for those who like fine music delivered with subtlety and finesse.

Conclusion: a terrific release from one of the greatest neo prog bands of all time.