The Fusion Reactor #134 - Dinosaurs & Such

At the boy scout meeting the other night, I happened to mention my radio show to a couple of the kids. One suggested that I do a show about dinosaurs. I think he thought it was a talk show where I could discuss dinosaurs or something like that. But I straightened him out. It's an interesting theme. This show is a bit different. So - Vincent. This show's for you. It's also one of the silliest shows I've done in quite some time, especially due to my sound effect being on vacation this week. Who knew sound effects took vacations? But there it was, right there in its contract. It just hadn't taken one up until now. But, now it's off for some kind of sound effect family reunion in New Zealand. Or was that Iceland? Now I forget.

King Crimson - Dinosaur (6:38)
It only seemed logical to include this one. Great song. It could have been a hit, I imagine. Except it's over 6 minutes, which is of course a no-no. And it's not all in 4/4, which also disqualifies it. And there's that string-like section in the middle, they'd have to cut that. And none of the members look anything like anyone you normally see in a music video. Maybe if they used too much lighting to soften Robert's features it would work. But wait, Robert prefers to be in the dark on stage. But that might work too. Or just use claymation.

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic - Dinosaurs Theme (3:35)
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic - I'm a Pterodactyl (3:06)
These songs are from different albums but perhaps Birdsongs have a certain feel to all their Dinosaur songs. These two certainly do. It almost could have been an entire Birdsongs show, but that would have been going overboard, don't you think?

John McLaughlin - Dragon Song (4:15)
John McLaughlin - Don't Let the Dragon Eat Your Mother (5:17)
Now these two are on the same album. Jazz/rock or fusion, whatever you want to call this, it's good stuff.

Erik Norlander - Neurosaur (5:52)
I'm not even going to pretend to know what a Neurosaur is. But it sure sounds neat. Possible suggestion: Tarkus is a Neurosaur?

James, Nell - Fossil (4:33)
Apparently Nell is only 17, but obviously she has an appreciation for prog. See, there is hope!

Electrocution 250 - Funky Lizard (4:24)
Thanks to Franky for introducing me to these guys. This song in particular fits in well with the jazzy piano. Oh yeah, and you know that Dinosaur means "terrible lizard," right? I left out the King Crimson song, some might think I took the "terrible" part too literally. Not me, I love that one. I wonder if it in some small way inspired the next one.

Phish - Colonel Forbin/Lizards/Narration (10:00)
Yes, the recording leaves much to be desired. It's from a very old cassette recording Trey made for his senior thesis. I don't think the narration was ever done exactly like this again. Could be wrong, it's happened before. Once or twice.

Z-Axis - (She Had To Go) Live With the Lizards (3:46)
And things are actually better for her there. OK I really have no idea what to say about this song.

Gambale, Frank - Loch Ness Monster (5:15)
Mark pointed out that this has something of a Schon & Hammer feel to it. He's right. Now you're going to ask me who the keyboard player is, aren't you? I forget. Let's see, Frank is playing the guitar, of course, and the keyboards are played by... Hans Zemhuelen. No, I don't know who that is. But now I'd like to.

Okumoto, Ryo - Godzilla vs. King Ghidarah (7:18)
Neat stuff from the Spock's Beard keyboard player. Again, it's jazzy enough that I can cheat it over onto the fusion side, like I did with the Electrocution 250.

Gongzilla - Gongzilla (6:36)
Gongzilla - Gongzilla Dilemma (5:17)
These are also from the same album, 1995's Suffer. Excellent stuff. Anything with Allan Holdsworth involved usually is. Except without the "usually."

Soniq Theater - Lizards and Wizards (3:49)
Nope, don't know much about these guys (this guy?) or this song. Definitely keyboard-dominated, but not the work of Hans Zemhuelen.

Ritual - Dinosaur Spaceship (5:59)
Is this band named after the last part in the Tales From Topographic Oceans suite? Am I the only one whose first thought that was upon hearing of the band? Perhaps I should get out more.

Hancock, Herbie - Chameleon (14:42)
In case you didn't notice, I'm out of dinosaurs for the rest of the show. Now we have smaller lizards, some of them not so terrible at all. Apparently this lizard can dance, 'cuz he sure is funky.

Sonic Youth - Skink (4:12)
A song where the lyrics and the title have no relation whatsoever. But Kim's vocals are bearable for a change. Mostly.

De Fenestra - Abrasive Shuffle of the Scarlet Tortoise (6:44)
To me it sounds like it should be the title to a Frank Zappa instrumental. But alas, FZ is no longer with us, so I'm glad someone was able to pick up the torch for him. Not that the music is very Zappa-esque. Well, maybe a little. I'd go more with P.M. Gong myself. Not a lizard. I know.

Passport - Snake (4:39)
Also not a lizard.

The Fusion Reactor #133 - Right at Home

I'm glad to be back home... for the time being, anyhow. I'll be headed off to work in the morning, of course. But before that happens, it's time to celebrate with some prog and fusion, don't you think!?

Mahavishnu Orchestra - On the Way Home To Earth (4:44)
I was pleasantly surprised by the Visions Of the Emerald Beyond album altogether. I had been a bit disappointed by Apocalypse and Inner Worlds, and Visions was the last one I picked up. It's quite good, in my opinion. You'll find that John McLaughlin is an unofficial recurring theme in this show.

Joe Satriani - Home (3:28)
Joe shows us that he's not all flash and speed picking. Very nice melodicism and restraint.

Tony Williams Lifetime - Right On (1:53)
John McLaughlin is back! This frenzied sonic attack is about the opposite of the previous song.

Ten Point Ten - The Long Way Home (5:42)
And we're back to mellow. Lovely vocal harmonies and a nice emotional buildup in a song about the human condition.

Chad Wackerman - Close To Home (5:23)
No, this isn't another John McLaughlin project. Will Allan Holdsworth do instead? And no, this isn't one of those sentimental "home" songs. Unless your idea of sentimental is searing fusion.

Rush - The Color Of Right (4:49)
Speaking of "the last album" I picked up from a band - which isn't necessarily their last/latest album... Test For Echo fits that in the Rush category. Not sure what I was waiting for.

Ajalon - The Long Road Home (18:26)
No, this isn't *the* epic of the evening. I've got a more-epic epic coming up soon! This is a good one though. Narrative poetry is probably underused in prog music. That and the excellent singing make for a really nice song. Wait - is that a Machine Messiah quote I hear? Almost...

Rare Blend - Heading Home (3:17)
From orchestrated prog epics to acoustic guitar and vocals. Bluesy, at that. I guess there's no telling what I'll be playing on The Fusion Reactor.

Ewingwood - Come Back Home (4:11)
I know one of the singer/guitarists in this band. They're not really prog, but this one has a nice dramatic buildup to it so I'd consider it kinda close, anyhow. Now, just put in a 5 minute guitar solo and some mellotron, and we're golden, right?

Miles Davis - Right Off (26:56)
Yes, this would be *the* epic. Ask people about Miles' fusion stuff, and if they're knowledgeable they will bring up A Tribute To Jack Johnson. As if you couldn't tell, that's John McLaughlin on guitar there. Miles didn't get into his "heavily effected" trumpet much yet at this point, so some will find that more appealing.

Salem Hill - Nowhere Is Home (5:13)
That's kind of sad, but it makes sense when you get the story behind the concept album. Which, by the way, blows my mind. It's a dark album, but a very good one as well.

Ornette Coleman - Home Grown (3:23)
Kind of a wild ride here. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was math jazz. The piano, sax, and drums all seem to be playing different stuff at the same time. And that's just the head. Then it gets really weird.

Ahleuchatistas - Right Sock Brown, Red Leg Blue (3:48)
Now this one is definitely math rock. And the title says about all I can think of to say about it. Neat music with some impressive bass playing.

Billy Cobham - a. Searching For the Right Door b. Spectrum (6:34)
Good ol' Billy. Part "a" of this is all Billy, then the band kicks in for part "b." Just the sort of funky fusion you'd expect from a 1973 album from a Mahavishnu Orchestra alumni.

Kansas - Nobody's Home (6:02)
Sure, Steve Walsh's voice was just about completely shot when they recorded this version of one of my favorite Kansas songs. The orchestra fits in nicely though and adds a new dimension that, while I prefer the original, I enjoy hearing now and then. Not sure I get the extended ending though.

The Muffins - Like a Machine That Only Works When It's Working Right (1:59)
In the "the title is almost as long as the song" category, another odd but interesting and fun tune. Maybe one day I'll do a whole show of these. I think I'd be tired by the end though.

Dave Bainbridge - The Homeward Race (5:26)
As we race toward the end of the show, Dave rocks out in 7 for us. How nice of him. I do believe I could listen to his playing all day and not get tired of it. So melodic, so lyrical.

Pat Metheny - Last Train Home (5:19)
Seemed like a good upbeat ending for the show, while mellowing things out after Dave's scorcher. I wouldn't say Pat and Dave are polar opposites, but they definitely have very different approaches.

The Fusion Reactor #132 - Snowed In!

This week I was (still) at my parents house, dog- and house-sitting while they're away someplace warm. Due to a huge amount of snowfall, with the added bonus of freezing rain and "wintry mix" on top of it, I couldn't get to my place (about 15 miles away) to do the show. Due to internet craziness, I couldn't get it done remotely. I just opened up an email to send to everyone to say I couldn't do it this week, when... Eureka! I can broadcast from my computer, which is here with me at my parents' house. Don't leave home without it, folks.

So here it is. A plethora of fusion tunes with a few proggy numbers thrown in for some added kick. Kinda like these fiery habanero Doritos I'm eating right now.

Miles Davis - Zimbabwe (41:47)
More live Miles to start things off, this one from the "Pangaea album. And it's a long one, to be sure. Miles and his band played their heads off that day, this being part of the second set they did that day (the first being the album "Agharta."

Bill Bruford - The Sahara of Snow, Parts 1 & 2 (8:43)
From the one of a kind "One Of A Kind" album. Very different from the Bruford I played last week, which was his Earthworks band. This is his 70's fusion band, featuring Jeff Berlin on bass and Allan Holdsworth on guitar. Excellent stuff.

Umphrey's McGee - Headphones and Snowcones (2:27)
Kind of an odd tune from Umphrey's McGee. It's nestled in there on the "Local Band Does OK" album, right in there with those intense prog tunes and jambandy jams. This one is pure fusion delight though. The double guitar attack gives way to trumpets and harmonies, and the classical keyboard is replaced by vibes.

Frost* - Snowman (3:55)
Ya know, I haven't really built a snowman in years. Not even thrown a snowball. Something must be wrong with me. Wait, I did make a replica of the planet Jupiter out of snow a few weeks ago. Long story. Anyhow, here's Frost* with one of the poppier tunes from their "Milliontown" album.

Chick Corea Electric Band - Make a Wish, Parts 1 and 2 (7:59)
Chick's "Inside Out" album has some really cool stuff on it, and this would be one of the best, in my opinion. It's one of those fusion songs that feels like an adventure. Much of Chick's music feels like that to me. I'm taking the band's advice here and wishing for warmer weather. And less percipitation. And a cure for disease, while I'm at it. More on Chick later, in a different band. Maybe you can guess which one that will be...

Stanley Clarke - Hot Fun (2:55)
I like to think of the "School Days" album as a concept album - not sure if that was Stanley's intention or not. But anyhow, this is like recess on one of those sunny days just before school lets out. Summer's ahead, in fact you can feel it on your skin now. School's not done yet, but it's great weather to run around on the playground with some friends.

Rare Blend - Cool Days Hot Nights (5:29)
From the "Infinity" album... This one almost sounds like it's done in the tropics. Or am I just forcing my wishful imaginings on it?

Panta Rhei - Tropical Fever (3:11)
Panta Rhei went through a lot of different styles, from ELP-style neoclassicism to Tangerine Dream-y electronica. This, the Epilogus album, was pretty fusiony, as is evidenced by this track.

McLaughlin, DiMeola & DeLucia - Midsummer Night (4:37)
The three guitarists never cease to amaze me with their pleasing acoustic jazz prowess. If they weren't so amazing, it would be awfully pretentious of them to call themselves - and this album - "The Guitar Trio." But they are. Those Californians are quite good as well, but personally I'd rather listen to these guys. The compositions and the improvisation are excellent.

Machine and the Synergetic Nuts - Texas (5:13)
And on a completely different note... MSN is an amazing and inventive band from Japan. Their "Leap Second Neutral" album should come with a warning for those on heart medication. It's pretty relentless. You simply need to hear it. Love the 'stop-start' thing they keep doing in this one. I can't imagine dozing off during a song like this.

Forever Einstein - Big Sky Mind (4:32)
I was listening to this in the car the other day, and I decided it needed to be on this week's show. It's so quirky and fun. The whole "One Thing After Another" album is like that, along with everything I've heard in their catalog. Listen for the Mahavishnu Orchestra quote in the middle. I do believe I laughed out loud when I heard that the first time.

Mahavishnu Orchestra - Meeting of the Spirits (6:53)
The song quoted in the above song. It's from their debut album "The Inner Mounting Flame" and it's the first track, so it's like their way of saying "Hello world! This is the Mahavishnu Orchestra!" And what a statement it makes. Thirty-six years later, it's still capable of stopping conversations and pinning ears back all over the world.

Return To Forever - Sorceress (7:33)
RTF did a bunch of excellent albums, but I think 1976's "Romantic Warrior" album is the best. Again, I hear it as a concept album, sort of a fusion companion-piece to Rick Wakeman's "Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table" but with a much shorter name. At this point in their career I definitely feel that it became less of a Chick Corea thing and more of a group effort. That's how it feels to me, anyway. Here's one of the more laid-back - but still quite exciting - pieces from that album.

Tripod - Fuzz (6:57)
Pocket fuzz? Peach fuzz? Facial Hair? Distortion? What is this song about? It's one of those things that makes my parents' dog cock his head to the side as if to say "Huh? You're weird." Most bass/sax/drums bands sound similar to this. Morphine was a bit more accessible though, I'd say. See, you thought I was gonna say this was the only one. Hey, don't worry about it - accessibility isn't everything.

The Tony Williams Lifetime - Snake Oil (6:30)
Tony and the crew finish things off with some funky stuff. The "Believe It" album is my favorite from the TWL. The fact that it's all instrumental probably plays a significant part in that. Allan Holdsworth definitely does. Personally, I think the song sounds more like a snake than snake oil, but nobody really asked my opinion, did they? But I'm not bitter about it or anything.

So maybe this show was a brief island of sunshine and warmth in your winter. That was the plan, anyhow. I hope you liked it.

The Fusion Reactor #131 - It's Alive!

The Fusion Reactor goes live! Tonight's show consists of eight (8) tracks from various live albums, most of them pretty long, but with some shorter ones in there for balance. Six of the tracks are what I would call fusion - or at least fusion-influenced - and the other two are pretty much prog.

Miles Davis - Tatu (part 1) (18:48)
This is from the Dark Magus album, and it's a neat funk cooker. What makes it especially fun is to try to figure out which of the three guitarists is soloing at what point. Or wait - is that Miles with his distorted wah-trumpet? Such fun. Music fit for either intense concentration or background listening.

KBB - Shironiji (13:03)
I'm not sure what Shironiji means in English, but my personal translation is "really really beautiful." This being a live version just makes it even better. Simply amazing music from a fantastic band. The intensity at the end somehow matches the serenity at the beginning. From the Live 2004 album.


Steve Howe - Running the Human Race (4:02)
Another simply beautiful piece from one of my favorite guitarists. Steve Howe probably holds a top spot in most proggers' guitarist lists. This originally from his Turbulence album, which is really great. Of course, this is the live version from Pulling Strings. Quite nice.

Mahavishnu Orchestra - Dream (21:24)
At first I had to wonder if it was worth my while to get Between Nothingness and Eternity because it only has three tracks on it. But those three tracks... oh so nice! They're not all as long as this one, but none of them feel too short. This is a textbook example of how to build a musical piece up from nothingness to... eternity, I guess. Is that a "Sunshine Of Your Love" tease in the middle? It might be, Jack Bruce played on at least one of John McLaughlin's solo albums.

Brand X - Isis Mourning (parts 1 & 2) (9:59)
Another nice dreamy piece - at least that's how it starts out. From the Livestock album. I gotta say though - poor Isis. Mourning all the time in such an odd way. Let's all have a pity party for Isis, ok? 1... 2... 3... Awwwww! I mean, seriously. I told her she never should have married that guy in the first place. But what are you gonna do? Nice interplay here between Percy Jones on the bass and everyone else. Then, is it me or does it seem like she starts to feel a bit better towards the end?

Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Come To Dust (10:53)
From the Footloose and Fancy Free album. Bill and band capture the feel of the "old-school" jazz ballad here, eliminating the need for me to dig for a classic jazz cut. Not that it would be tough, I've got some great live Wes Montgomery or Thelonious Monk or many others that I could have played. But this one is just great. Close your eyes and imagine you're in a smoky jazz club and it's the early 60's. Not that I remember that or anything, since I wasn't born yet. But one can dream, can't one?

Phish - Divided Sky (15:12)
Personally, I don't think Hampton Comes Alive is the best introduction to Phish live. But it's six discs long, and there's no way it can all be bad, right? Right. Case in point: Divided Sky. This is a song they've been playing since their Junta album, they'd better have it down by now, right? Right. And they do. Now, you know that everyone and their uncle's brother thinks that Phish is merely a jamband. They just go out there and improvise, right? Wrong. This is almost entirely composed. Very little of it is improvised. This is a 15-minute long version, and probably about 12 minutes of it are pretty much the same every time. No, the "audience solo" is not the same every time, but then again, the audience isn't completely the same every time either, are they?

Soft Machine - The Floating World-Bundles-Land of the Bag Snake-Ealing Comedy-The Man Who Waved at Trains (26:07)
I was listening to this disc the other day in the car and it occurred to me how sad it was to have it all broken apart in when it plays on the station. So... paste them together and what do you get? 26 minutes of yummy fusiony goodness. I do like the titles of the different parts, although I think "bass solo" might have been a bit more descriptive, or at least more accurate. Listen long enough, and Allan Holdsworth picks up the violin for a bit. Wonderful! At some point they suddenly went on to something completely different so I figured that was a good time to end it.

And thus ends the show. I hope it made you smile once or twice.