CHASE

If the Don Ellis Orchestra produced Blood Sweat and Tears and they composed for Broadway musicals.

1. "Open Up Wide" (3:48) amazing full-throttle brass rock. (8.875/10)

2. "Livin' In Heat" (2:54) a little Broadway musical feel to this one (as well as BS&T). I guess the lead vocals hear must be attributed to Dennis Johnson. (8.875/10)

3. "Hello Groceries" (2:56) R&B brass rock. Jerry Van Blair's lead vocal is pure R&B. (8.75/10)

4. "Handbags and Gladrags" (3:23) slowed down New Orleans funereal music start turns into New York City open air style jazz-rock. Love the wavy, layered horn arrangements in the back ground. Lead vocalist Ted Piercefield sure sounds like David Clayton Thomas. (9/10)

5. "Get It On" (2:59) (8.666667/10)

6. "Boys and Girls Together" (2:56) Ted Piercefield again in the lead vocals. (8.666667/10)

7. "Invitation to a River" (14:13) so much like the soundtrack and arias from a single act of a Broadway musical. Even so, it would be considered great, moving theater music. (27.75/30) - a) "Two Minds Meet" - Dennis Johnson again on lead vocals? - b) "Stay" - slow and atmospheric with choral background vocals supporting Dennis' plaintive lead. - c) "Paint It Sad" - there's that David Clayton Thomas sound and feel again. - d) "Reflections" (ad lib) - Astounding horn play--especially from lead trumpeter Bill Chase. - e) "River" - more akin to the slow and plaintive music and lyrics of the second movement.

Total time - 33:09

The horn play is amazing throughout this album but the songs aren't always as engaging and are rarely inventive or forward-thinking as some of the other J-R Fusion artists of the day. I feel that Bill and company's compositional and stylistic orientations are quite similar to the music Stephen Schwartz was doing for musical theater.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of theatric brass rock.