Groovy jams from land of the rising sun. Japanese intensity and craziness mixed with 70’s psychedelic blues.
Elephant9 – Dodovoodoo (2008)
“Elephant9 is a Norwegian jazz/prog rock band. Their music sounds like a modern take on 70’s prog and hard rock, with clear influences from Miles Davis. Their live shows are said to be stunning. Classic Hammond driven prog fusion and great big real deal analogue instrumental pieces on a direct line from somewhere in 1974. Flowing jazz flavoured progressive rock pieces that feel like well considered structured focused jams. Well focused is a relative term, they’re not afraid of a long piece (or two) of healthy prog rock self indulgence, a self assured style, tight accomplished musicians who just let it all naturally flow rather then feeling any kind of need to show off how good they are. Thrilling ride through the glories of organ driven 70’s sounding jazzy prog rock, bits of funk, Deep Purple sounding hard rock jams, and more notes that you can reasonable expect to be coming at you none stop in such a gloriously good way.”
Losalios – Colorado Shit Dog (2002)
“Losalios is an instrumental band from Japan which plays a mix somewhere between Jazz, Rock, Punk and Avant-garde which could be considered Math rock.”
Thirsty Moon – I’ll Be Back – Live ’75 (2006)
Fusion jams by German krautrock band Thirsty Moon recorded live, 29.05.1975, at “Lila Eule”, Bremen, Germany.
Kickbit Information – Bitkicks (1998)
“Pure krautrock gravy from the loins of some of its finest architects, the hairy jazz rock blowout herein being choice enough to even overlook the gristly and distorted warts-and-all recording quality of these never-intended-for-release rehearsal room recordings. Led by Ex-Guru Guru and future Spacebox bassist Uli Trepte, this briefly assembled outfit (which also featured Frumpy’s Carsten Bohn and Thirsty Moon’s Willi Pape) churn out three slabs of classic kraut fusion here in the rawboned and hectic style that Trepte would soon carry forward with Spacebox.”
Brian Ellis Group – Live at the Casbah (2011)
“Brian Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist from San Diego, CA, best known for his work as lead guitarist in the psych/prog band ASTRA. Having very little time for a proper rehearsal, the decision was made to play completely improvised sets, heavily influenced by early 70s fusion from Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tony Williams, Soft Machine and Magma, the afro beat rhythms of Nigerian legends Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, as well as the intensity of heavy modern jam bands like Earthless and Acid Mothers Tempel. The result is a unique, forward-thinking blending of sounds that is virtually unheard of from modern bands, paying homage to it’s influences while never being derivative.”
Bushman’s Revenge – You Lost Me at Hello (2010)
“Bushman’s Revenge aims to combine the jazz/improv background of the rhythm section with the rock/metal background of the guitarist to create their own expressive music inspired just as much by Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix as by Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler.”
Made in Sweden – Live! At the Golden Circle (1970)
Rare live album by Swedish supergroup with Georg Wadenius on guitar who later joined Blood, Sweat & Tears. Known primarly as “best Swedish band of 70s” and Grammy Award-winning hitmakers this album however mostly instrumental and built on improvisation.