CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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The Lost Trident Sessions has long been considered one of the holy grails of fusion. At the time it was recorded, there was disagreement among the members of the group as to whether the music contained therein was underorchestrated or just fine the way it was. Eventually, the group decided to […]

CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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After a brief two-album flirtation with Brazilian jazz, Return To Forever shifted to it’s most popular incarnation, a kind of swaggering but lightweight combination of funk, arena rock cliches, Chick Corea’s cheesy Latinisms, and a touch of jazz. That didn’t turn out to be such a bad thing ultimately, as it […]

CLASSICS I HATE
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I hate to say this, but Mingus At Antibes is only for Mingus fanatics who really, really like Better Get Hit In Your Soul.
In a way, it’s hard to blame Mingus. In 1960, he had just invented the combination of gospel shouting and free jazz, set to a driving 6/8 beat. It’s […]

CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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Man, I’ve been dreading reviewing this one. The Sermon (on the Blue Note label) is considered one of the major classics of jazz. Jimmy Smith is acknowledged by pretty much everyone, including other organ players, as having invented the organ as a serious jazz instrument and as it’s greatest exponent.
Why then, do […]

CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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Boy, am I going to get in trouble for this review. Maybe I’m one of those philistines that just doesn’t get late Coltrane, even though I liked Sun Ship, which was recorded after Meditations. But I’ve got to say, I find Meditations (released on the Impulse label) difficult to sit through.
The first […]

CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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When it first appeared in 1972, On The Corner caused a major uproar and almost universal condemnation from the jazz press. It was called anti-jazz. One quote will serve to establish the tone of the criticism. “That music is worthless,” said Stan Getz. “It means nothing. There is no form, no […]

CLASSICS THAT I HATE
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It might be going to far to say that I hate Spectrum, but let’s face it — considering the talent of the musicians involved in this recording, the results are underwhelming, to put it kindly.
Let’s see: Billy Cobham on drums, Jan Hammer on keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, Ray Barretto on […]

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CLASSICS THAT I HATE
Somebody’s got to say it: Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy is the sort of uninspired drivel that hastened the decline of fusion as an artistically viable form of musical expression.
It fails on every possible level. The arrangements are busy all right, but it’s all sound and fury, signifying nothing. The grooves […]

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CLASSICS THAT I HATE
Back in 1976, when Land of the Midnight Sun came out, it was hailed as a instant minor classic. At least that’s what the guys I hung out with in high school thought.
We were impressed by guitarist Al DiMeola’s speed, his control of tempo, his ability […]

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CLASSICS THAT I HATE
Let me just say it straight out: pianist Chucho Valdes’ New Conceptions is awful, almost unlistenable.
Why am I so repulsed by New Conceptions?
Perhaps it’s the selfconsciously “soulful” ballads, which drip syrup but not a drop of genuine feeling. Or perhaps it’s the ghastly rendition of […]