Jean-Luc Ponty - The Bottom Line, New York 11/21/76 FM
Jean-Luc Ponty’s various lines ups were responsible for some of the finest melodic fusion in the 70s, certainly worthy contemporaries of bands like Return to Forever, Michael Urbaniak, Weather Report and the like. This show, recorded on tour for Imaginary Voyage, is almost flawless from both sound and performance perspective, the band deftly working through the material and managing to keep a surprising dynamic range from the fusion rippers you expect to much more impressionist and gentle music, progressive rock and even slightly classical diversions. It’s really a joy all the way through.
Herbie Mann - Ludlow’s Garage, Cincinatti, OH 12/29/69
I always find it amazing that Sonny Sharrock used to be in Mann’s bands around this time given his later, far more out predelictions. This hits the band after two rather pivotal Mann albums, Memphis Underground and veering really close to this show, Live at the Whiskey A Go Go. Mann’s got a kind of chugging jazz sound that’s often more Booker T. than Bobby Hutcherson, with very populist grooves laying back for Mann’s flute. Sharrock fans are likely gonna be waiting for him to break out, but like the albums of the time it only happens in full once or twice, and of course, are really the high points of this music. Course Stone Flute was to come, which could be his best 70s record, so this is catching Mann close to the peak of the era.
Jake Holmes - “The Above Ground Sound” of Jake Holmes
Weird and amateurish sounding folkster/songwriter who opens the album with a really amazing, fuzzed out psychedelic track with great stinging guitar. After this piece I thought I was on the verge of hearing a rare classic, only for this to degenerate into what sounds like an out of sorts Mick Jagger trying to do the Tim Buckley catalog. It’s an awfully weird amalgam of 60s influences, definitely Bob Dylan and other folksters, but it also kind of points to a sort of Amon Duul-ish like anarchy which isn’t delivered quite so well due the rather fair songwriting.