SECRETS

Allan's obsession with never playing the same thing (phrase) twice results in yet another masterful collection of "impressions" in which he has surrounded himself with a cornucopia of the world's very best musicians.

1. "City Nights" (2:33) stunning guitar work/melody making on this powerful Jean-Luc Ponty-like instrumental. Heck, the bass play is stunning, too! What an opening! (9/5/10)

2. "Secrets" (4:21) Rowanne Mark singing a bit over Allan's jazz fusion SynthAxe-dominated jazz fusion. She sounds remarkably similar to Gayle Moran--in both tone and style. Great Chick Corea-like "keyboard" sound from Allan's SynthAxe--until he starts exploring melody lines that Chick would never think of. Jimmy Johnson's bass play coupled with Vinnie Colaiuta's rolling drum play are quite lovely to hear beneath/with Allan's melody lines. It's actually quite a lovely song. (P.S. I love Gayle and Annette.) (9.5/10)

3. "54 Duncan Terrace (Dedicated To Pat Smythe) (4:35) piano jazz with some (la lot less than I would expect) guitar play from the bandleader. Opens with heavily-effected Jan Akkerman-like guitar chord work before giving way to the piano for a big chunk of the song. Again, absolutely stunning drum play beneath. Bassist Jimmy Johnson even gets a nice solo spot in the third and fourth minutes. The "harp"-like solo in the final minute must be another one of Allan's SynthAxe masks. Odd "big chord" ending. (9.75/10)

4. "Joshua" (5:59) even thought this starts out kind of sappy, pop-ballad-like, arrives more great SynthAxe work and Fender Rhodes play over stunning drums and bass. Unfortunately, the keyboard work remains in sappy-cheesy pop-ballad land throughout. (9.25/10)

5. "Spokes" (3:32) a little more funk from the bass and drums with this SynthAxe-led song. (8.75/10)

6. "Maid Marion" (7:17) very spacious soundscape of Fender chords with SynthAxe "sax" opens this before bass and delicate drums come in to support an extended MIDI-Fender Rhodes solo from Steve Hunt (or is it a SynthAxe MIDI-ed "keyboard"?) In the fifth minute another synth "soprano sax" solo ensues--this one sounding more like a guitar's product, for sure. Vinnie is certainly having fun beneath during this section: quite the conversation they're having! Almost Corea-Gadd-ish. (14/15)

7. "Peril Premonition" (4:44) the Wackerman brothers help play out this cute "safe room" role play song while Allan returns to the non-SynthAxe electric guitar that we've all come to expect from him since his Bruford/UK years. Some wonderful support of some awesome guitar work though a little less loud and punchy than the Johnson-Colaiuta combo. (8.75/10)

8. "Endomorph (Dedicated To My Parents)" (4:19) male vocals over synth washes. Craig Copeland has an interesting Gino Vannelli tone with a more jazzy, Al Jarreau-like style; the melody he establishes is replicated quite accurately and respectfully by Allan's guitar in the second verse, and then Craig is given the third verse for a reprise. Beautiful. Allan is at his peak in the same way Jean-Luc Ponty was at his peak with Individual Choice. (9.5/10)

Total Time: 37:20

The rhythm section of bassist Jimmy Johnoson and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta are quite a match for Allan's guitar; I think they, in fact, soften his often abrasive, angular approaches to melody making.

A/five stars; a veritable masterpiece of timeless jazz-rock fusion. This is an album that I didn't give the light of day for years until seeing an interview with Rick Beato and Vinnie Colaiuta but, now that I have, I think it is an essential acquisition for any prog lover's music collection. .