VIDUNDERLIGE KÆLLING [AKA: ASTARTE]

Having finally found a stable lineup on the second album "Sea Son" as well as a massive touring schedule, SECRET OYSTER had become one of Denmark's hottest progressive jazz-rock bands. While planning for a third album the band was approached by the ballet dancer and choreographer Flemming Findt to perform the soundtrack music for the ballet VIDUNDERLIGE KÆLLING ("Wonderful Bitch") for the Royal Danish Ballet. The subject matter was based on the erotic poetry of Jens August Schade and while it seems like a jazz-rock band that built its reputation on heavy funky grooves and instrumental jamming would be the last type of music suitable for a ballet, the Danes in the 70s were extremely opened minded and experimentation was the golden rule.

This third SECRET OYSTER album actually has been released under two titles. Originally as "Astarte" which is the track in the ballet where Vivi Findt performed totally nude while painted entirely gold, the album has been sensibly released ever since as the name of the ballet itself. In fact that's Vivi on the album cover as well as being the wife of Flemming. In fact the entire event featured all the actors in the buff at least once during the show. The Danes were an open-minded society indeed. Despite the seemingly incongruent nature of the band's musical style and what one would consider appropriate for the musical soundtrack for a ballet, SECRET OYSTER did an exemplary job in adapting their jazz-rock fusion to the dancing style of the actors. The result of this unlikely collaboration was a great success and SECRET OYSTER was compensated handsomely which is something they and most progressive bands of the day couldn't boast about too often.

The music has been described as a fusion of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Nucleus and the "Bitches Brew" era of Miles Davis along with some ethnic influences such as raga rock, Argentinean tango and of course SECRET OYSTER's own repertoire of solid instrumental progressive jazz-rock. Like the albums that preceded, VIDUNDERLIGE KÆLLIG is an all instrumental affair with a softer approach that toned down the rock and focused more on the jazz and atmospheres not unlike what the Weather Report was cranking out at the time. On the first two albums, the guitar was more pronounced but on this one it's more laid back with saxophonist Karsten Vogel and keyboardist Kennth Knudsen taking the lead. The album has also been praised for its superb production but given the music's role for being used in tandem with a live theatrical setting it's no wonder no expenses were spared.

While much of the music is clearly the work of SECRET OYSTER only tailored to fit the focus of the ballet, some tracks like "Solitude" for example are completely outside of anything the band had done. This track sounds more like a Beethoven ballad than anything remotely jazz-rock given that it's basically a piano sonata. The "Tango-Bourgoisie" is another stylistic shift sounding more like a military percussion band backing Astor Piazzolla. "Bellevue" sounds more like the world of SECRET OYSTER with a funky bass groove and jamming potential but "Valse Du Soir" takes them out of their comfort zone once again to provide a nice romantic waltz. The original album only featured nine tracks but the reissues on at the Laser's Edge label feature an additional three tracks that wouldn't fit on vinyl i presume.

Definitely the odd duck out of the four albums that SECRET OYSTER released during its five year existence in the 1970s but also the band's biggest payoff. As with any music that was designed to complement a visual art experience, i have to find the music to stand on its own outside of the context of the visuals that it was meant to accompany. There's no doubt that SECRET OYSTER readjusted its skills to get the job done but when all is said and done, many of the tracks on board were clearly meant to amplify the mood of whatever the dancers were performing at the moment. While none of the music is bad per se, as an album of just music it does seem a bit scattered and therefore my least favorite of the four albums released. Still though, a worthy edition that cannot be ignored for true fans.

3.5 rounded down