Soft Machine Legacy

For the last time as Legacy with Elton Dean, the four members of Soft Machine, the late Elton Dean on saxophones (now replaced by Theo Travis) and Fender Rhodes, bassist Hugh Hopper, guitarist John Etheridge and drummer John Marshall, went into the studio to record. There have been a few live releases but this combination of new songs, out and out improvisation and revisited old material will be an absolute delight to those who yearned after the hard hitting fusion days of the seventies.

The opening 'Kite Runner' is a warning for what is to come, as it blasts out at you, knocking you sideways with its explorative riffing and wall of sound. It's a truly progressive sound, and should be a template for those wondering where improvisational jazz rock should be going. Not bad for a bunch of old codgers. And it's the energy and enthusiasm that is as inspiring as anything, as the vets continue on their way.

Unusually, for me, the star of the show is John Etheridge, whose guitar work binds everything together, leading when he needs to, and supporting when it's someone elses turn to shine. Listen to some of the delicate playing on 'Twelve Twelve' and tell me you're not impressed. Some of the material really reaches out into the abstract abd has an intensity that is utterly spellbinding.

The final number, 'Strange Comforts', is the most melodic on offer, and as it meanders its way to a conclusion, it gives you time to reflect on what has been, and what will never be, as a mournful Dean refrain slowly blows. You should own this record.

This vesion of Soft Machine spans the years in terms of membership. Hugh Hopper was a roadie for the first line-up of the band then joined as bass player after first Daevid Allen (Allen can be heard on the demos album Jet Propelled Photographs ASIN: B00008GQGW) left prior to their first album Soft machine Volume 1 was released the Kevin Ayers jumped ship and Hopper stepped in for Volume 2. He made his presence felt immediately leading to the mistaken notion that Soft Machine were never a guitar band until Alan Holdsworth joined for the Bundles album. Clearly Allan was the band guitarist whose departure was forced on the band by "immigration difficulties" thus creating the legendary Gong. Kevin Ayers doubled on guitar on Volume 1 and it was after he left that they did without guitar to great effect.

Elton Dean, who died in 2006 prior to the release of this CD, was a mainstay of jazz infused Soft machine middle period and has been in various spin off bands such as Soft Heap, and Soft Head as well as releasing many solo albums including the excellent Just Us (ASIN: B00000DAGK) and playing with other related bands such as National Health. His soloing here is as good as many of his best work when he was at the height of his game. He will be greatly missed

John Marshall was part of the colonisation process when ex-members of Ian Carr's band Nucleus took over Soft Machine, however he is a brilliant drummer whose presence here helps build the album on very solid dynamic rhythmic foundation, I will never forget his brilliant playing when I saw him with Eberhard Weber's Colours 20 odd years ago.

John Etheridge is the new boy. He join Soft Machine for the Softs album and had the very difficult task dealing with many fans difficulties accepting the addition of guitar to the band but also of stepping into the shoes of Alan Holdsworth, who had carved out a place for himself despite being a guitarist. It was, however, the shifting musical climate of the late 1970's that made his stay relatively short then and his playing here is fantastic

The Soft Machine Legacy is a worthy bearer of the name, I am not sure who or what legal nicety prevented them being simply Soft Machine but that doesn't really matter. This is not just a bunch of aging musicians cashing in on their past, this is a genuine new album that picks up the threads of their shared musical history and I do hope that the remaining members can recruit other members of the rather large but exclusive club that is former member of Soft Machine as there is clearly mileage in this music. I recommend this album whole heartedly