Musical styles such as jazz-rock and fusion are for most people closely related to progressive rock. Therefore bands such as Soft Machine and side projects related to this band are loved by a lot of progheads. That's why the newly remastered version of Floating World Live, originally released in 2006 by Soft Machine, deserves a review on our website. First some history lessons before I go deeper into this album. Early 1972 Elton Dean left Soft Machine and was replaced by Karl Jenkins (ex- Nucleus). Primarily to fill the vacant wind position on oboe and saxophone. You have to know that Jenkins is a classically trained oboist and pianist. He quickly became the new core of the group. On Seven, the second Soft Machine album he recorded after Six, the majority of the compositions were his. Moreover, a division of labour on the keyboards with Mike Ratledge had developed. Ratledge played organ and synthesizer and Jenkins played on the electric piano and piano. This led him to play saxophone or oboe less and less often. In the fall of 1973, the band was looking for another musician to become an extra soloist. The material from Seven apparently didn't offer much live. It lacked drive and originality. something new. " The group found that extra something with Alan Holdsworth on guitar. He had just left Tempest. With him in the line up the band developed new material. This was recorded in the summer of 1974 but initially stalled because CBS dropped the band. Therefore Bundles (1975) wasn't released until a year later on EMI's Harvest label. One year later January 1975 the band played a concert in Bremen, Germany. This was recorded and broadcast by Radio Bremen. Thanks to Moonjune Records everybody can enjoy this concert on CD a second time. As mentioned before fully remastered. Therefore, for many music lovers this is a real live treat to hear a half-century -old concert by a band with a magnificent lineup of Mike Ratledge (keyboards), Karl Jenkins (keyboards and wind instruments), Alan Holdsworth (guitar and violin), Roy Babbington (bass) and John Marshall (drums). The CD is dedicated to the two deceased musicians of this prog-rock-jazz elephantine group: Allan Holdsworth (1946-2017) and John Marshall (1941-2023). Floating World Live offers the Bundles material which hadn't yet come out, although in the can since the previous summer, plus two group improvisations. Namely Riff III and Endgame. Furthermore, a bass solo by Babbington titled Ealing Comedy. But also the drum-synthesizer duo North Point. Moreover, a furious drum solo titled J.S.M., and the piece Song Of Aeolus, which can be found in a studio version on Softs (1976). On this live album Holdsworth is terrific! His guitar playing significantly enriched the band, as can be clearly heard on these live recordings. In particularly very impressive on Land Of The Bag Snake. But not only on the electric guitar. He also occasionally plays the violin on this live release. Something I didn't know he could do. Just listen to The Man Who Waved At Trains. Jenkins occasionally picks up the oboe and saxophone. But also, occasionally the recorder as you can hear on Floating World for example. As for Marshall he just drums his heart out. And as for Babbington he also frequently works his way forward on the bass like on his solo number Ealing Comedy, mentioned earlier. This era of Soft Machine was very unique. Taking the band's long-established tradition of continuous change to an extreme, Because when Holdsworth joined all the previous repertoire was abandoned. Literally at once. All in favour of brand new material written by Karl Jenkins and to a lesser extent by Mike Ratledge. It is easy to say that Floating World Live offers an excellent recording of the Bundles line up. Therefore, it should appeal to any fan of British fusion and Holdsworth fans in particular. But also to fans of progressive rock. Especially because the line between prog and jazzrock/ fusion is very thin. Take advantage and listen to this special live album created by a very special line up of Soft Machine and enjoy it as much as I did myself. ***+ Henri Strik (edited by Dave Smith) Where to buy? |
