BLOW-UP (OST)

This is the Hancock-composed soundtrack to the Michelangelo Antonioni film of the same name (1966). There are some certain shining moments here, for sure. The degree to which this will appeal to your average "prog rock music collector", though, is unknown to me. It will appeal to those fans of perhaps Proto-Prog, but even that is a stretch. The most notable thing to me here is the incredible lineup featured. Next to Herbie, we have such Jazz greats as Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods, Joe Henderson, Jim Hall, Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette. Good Lord. Sorry to say that I don't know Joe Newman, but it appears that I really should... Paul Griffin has appeared on The Royal Scam and Aja by Steely Dan! Apparently involved in a lot of rootsy music, otherwise. And to think that British trumpeter Ian Carr of Nucleus was nearly on this as well! [Herbie scrapped the idea of using those British musicians with whom he, in the least, rehearsed this material.] One track, "Stroll On", was performed by The Yardbirds, and, I would say most significantly, it features both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

"Blow-Up", the main theme, is a pretty great opener. A mix of sort of rockin' feel with awesome jazz instrumentation in its (short-lived) latter half. Perhaps, if anything. there's some parallels to what was done by contemporary bands like The Free Spirits. "Verushka, Pt. 1" really had nothing to offer. Its second part was far more sultry and slower paced. That track features a tenor solo by the great Joe Henderson.

Following "Verushka", "Bring Down the Birds" brings back the more rockin' instrumentation, driven by the straight-ahead drums and Jim Hall's rhythm guitar. Another stellar solo here, this time by Woods on Alto. Some more very of-the-time jazz on one of the more satisfying numbers, "The Naked Camera", we are then back to a quieted moment on the soft "Jane's Theme".

The one track different from the rest in just about every way is the Garagey, straight-ahead Rock song by The Yardbirds, "Stroll On". This is certainly, too, far from their finest moment... The guitar solo, I assume performed by Page, is definitely the best part.

We return to swingin' '60s Jazz on "The Thief", a rolling number prominently featuring organ. This track, in the middle-to-end, features a sort of low-lying Post-Bop section [I'm speaking here with more confidence than I should...]. Not a whole lot to say or see here. We then return to the feeling and softness on "The Kiss", with a light solo from Hall. This is matched then with a blazing and loud solo from (what I can tell) Henderson. "Curiosity" feels a whole lot like something off of Kind of Blue, perhaps. Very lovely.

We get into something that is stylistically rather interesting on "Thomas Studies Photos"... Very cool. It's hard for my mind, personally, to not go to the Wazoo era for Zappa. I know I've made similar comparisons previously. Believe me when I say, I would have loved it for longer than its minute runtime... Real beauty and grace is featured on the next, "The Bed", featuring an airiness from our rhythm section and acoustic piano from Herbie. Frisson, baby! So lovely and sweet. This then is juxtaposed sharply by the strong, forward-running "Blow-Up (End Title)", our brief album closer.