Reviews roundup – Focus vs. Noa Levy vs. Marita vs. The Artaud Beats vs. Laurie Jane & The 45’s vs, Ruff As Stone
FOCUS
Focus 11
In And Out Of Focus Records
You know where you are with a Focus album. So after live and offshoot releases it’s nice to get back on board with the real thing.
And the new album kicks off with an old tune. Although in a new incarnation as ‘Who’s Calling’ first appeared on a Thijs van Leer & Jan Akkerman album back in the eighties. But van Leer has abandoned the synths of that period piece and integrated it fully into the trad jazz prog Focus template. Something that sets you up for the (mainly) instrumental excellence that follows.
Nowadays Focus comprises sole original member, leader keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, longtime drummer Pierre van der Linden (1970–1973, 1975, 1990, 2004–present) , guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet but the new boys are well integrated into what is expected in the band.
When it’s good it’s very, very good with ‘Heaven’, ‘Winnie’ and the title track as good as anything that has gone before. And when they’re not very, very good they get by by being very good. The only weak spot is the sole vocal track ‘How Many Miles’ which only serves to interrupt the flow. That aside this will please Focus fans especially as there is a lot of flute weaving in and out of this particular Focus. An excellent release.
No video so here’s a classic recorded live a couple of years back.
NOA LEVY
Take Two
Belle Records
An EP from Israel born jazz singer Noa Levy who is currently a jazz student at the California Jazz Conservatory.
The EP is so called because each tune sees Ms Levy working with one other musician. Dillon Vada is on two tracks, Dan Neville gets two and Omree Gal-Oz appears on one. That’s the worst one as well, a terrible reinterpretation of ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ which is more redolent of a thoroughly unpleasant rash.
But that aside there is a lot to enjoy here for jazz fans. She is a very good vocalist and even if the EP gives the impression of trying just a bit too hard to be different which is why the more rooted ‘Social Call’ and ‘Laura’ come off best. Drum solos belong (if anywhere) on side 4 of double live albums not on five track EPs. Fact. That said she has a voice that remains with you and may well be a name to watch out for.
MARITA
Bloodlust
Skullcrack Records
Hello? I appear to have fallen into a 1985 heading time machine. Which would be fine. On the plus side, I’d be in my teens. On the down side, the late Mrs H would still be in my future. But I’d be planning on hitching to the Monsters of Rock completely unaware of what a shit bill awaited me (ZZ Top, Marillion, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Ratt/ Magnum since you ask). Thankfully I would have had Knebworth a few weeks earlier to sate me (Deep Purple , Scorpions, Meat Loaf , UFO, Mountain, Blackfoot , Mama’s Boys, Alaska).
And that is where this record lives. Is it good? Well by modern standards it doesn’t fare well. But if you want a hard rock meets metal album full of horror references, screeching guitar solos and Wendy James type vocals then this is a place for you. It’s a bit like a heavy metal Missing Persons. But there are plenty of strong melodies, great George Lynch styled guitar parts and a hefty dose of attitude. The best songs have a throwaway fast food appeal to them with ’66 Crush’, ’10 to Midnight’ and ‘Danger City’ favourites round my way.
The wee girl vocals may not be to everyones taste but in a world where Babymetal and Kawaii metal in general is a thing then there should be a place for this.
THE ARTAUD BEATS
Nodutgang: Bodo 28.10.11
Bonobo’s Ark
Are you ready for some improv Canterbury styled jazz prog fusion? Well if not then best move along, nothing to see here.
Because that’s what you’re getting from Yumi Hara (piano,voice) along with three former Henry Cow members – (Geoff Leigh: sax, flute, voice, electronics, Chris Cutler: drums, percussion and John Greaves: bass, voice). To reiterate they first met up at Jean-Hervé Péron’s Avantgarde Festival in Schiphorst, 2009 when Geoff Leigh and Yumi Hara were working as a duo. They met Chris Cutler and John Greaves who were the rhythm section with Peter Blegvad and Dagmar Krause and it was, magic!
Since then they’ve toured irregularly, made a couple of visits to Japan, released a studio album and some live releases This latest art rock offering was recorded at the Nodutgang festival in Bodo, Norway in 2011 and was originally released as tour only limited edition CD-R. Now it’s a proper CD with a bonus track ‘Platform’ which was originally released as a bonus to Japanese buyers of the original CD-R. I’m not going to pretend that this is easy listening because it’s three quarters of an hour of improvisational jazz art-rock. However, the musicians are all exceptionally gifted so you’re not dealing with noodlers.
Fans of the Canterbury scene will find a lot of familiar motifs here and if your yen is for proper avant-garde, then this is worth investigating.
No video for this one so here’s a video from the Logos launch gig.
LAURIE JANE & THE 45’s
Late Last Night: Elixir of Sara Martin
Down In The Alley
Utterly fabulous. Now away and buy it. Dinnae fash yersel reading on.
Oh right, you’re still here. Well I thoroughly enjoyed their last “Midnight Jubilee” offering so when this dropped through the letterbox I settled myself down for some splendid blues meets soul. Which I got. What I wasn’t expecting was a run through some of the highlights of the career of blues pioneer Sara Martin.
Who she? Well I knew the name from Dodgy Dans collection of 78s back when I were a lad but I hadn’t realised that she recorded more than 100 sides for Okeh during the Prohibition / Depression era, and was a contemporary of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, who performed around the United States as well as Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. She toured and recorded with such performers as Fats Waller, Clarence Williams, King Oliver, and Sylvester Weaver. Never mind the diamonds in her teeth, and her lavish costumes, which she changed several times per show while being billed as “The Famous Moanin’ Mama.” Yes, really.
Well Laurie Jane hails from her hometown and has put together this tremendous tribute. The band are sympathetic to the songs, Laurie Jane has a great voice and when they go proper retro on the trio of vintage recording enhanced tunes it’s a sheer delight. There isn’t a single bum note to be found anywhere and when they hit a swing groove you can hear the sound of Sara Martin swaying from beyond. Essential for fans of old time blues.
RUFF AS STONE
Put Your Smile On
BRM
Hey, look everybody! It’s Austin Howard, lead singer from 80s band Ellis Beggs & Howard. Former Kajagoogoo man Beggs went on to work with prog rockers Steve Hackett and Steven Wilson while Ellis ended up with the Spice Girls and S Club 7 (wins). Meanwhile Mr Howard put out a solo single, worked with the likes of Joss Stone and did some studio and production work. But now he’s back.
Turns out Ruff as Stone have been together(ish) for a decade now after a jam session one afternoon in 2009. Life obviously got in the way as we’re nearly a decade on but if you’ve got a thing for that rock / soul hybrid that popped up in the eighties (think Terence Trent D’Arby / Roachford) then you’re in for a treat here.
Along with his cohorts Lutz Kunzel (Guitarist), Tobias Kunzel (Drums/Bvox) and Rob Tree (Bass/Bvox) this is a thoroughly enjoyable set of throwback pop / rock / soul which would have gone down a treat back in the day. The original material is melodic and memorable and they throw in some Solomon Burke, Hot Chocolate and Los Bravos covers just to make sure you’re paying attention.
Sadly it’s the kind of thing that will do diddly squat in the youth fixated UK but with a couple of well known German musos in their ranks, the future would seem to revolve around the festivals of mainland Europe especially if they close with a cover of “Life ain’t nothing but a bubble / Life ain’t nothing but a bubble”. Very enjoyable.
St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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