WORTH A LISTEN
Rating: 
The best reason to own Gazeuse! is because it gives us one more chance to hear guitarist Allan Holdsworth as a sideman on someone else’s project. For me, this is the best way to hear Holdsworth because his unique sensibility is highlighted so it can be savored. When the tunes and arrangements are by Holdsworth, the landscapes are so alien I don’t feel like I have anything I can grab hold of and Holdsworth’s playing ends up going in one ear and out the other.
As for the music itself on Gazeuse!, it is late Gong, which means that it’s straight up fusion. Gong is best known for playing progressive pop music, being part of the Canterbury scene, but in the late 70s, the band moved in a jazz rock direction.
Gazeuse! is pleasant enough music, but it just isn’t that interesting in and of itself. Unlike Bill Bruford’s quartet from the same period, the musicianship by Pierre Moerlen (drums), Benoit Moerlen and Mirielle Bauer (vibraphones), Mino Cinelu (percussion), and Didier Malherbe (flute and sax) simply isn’t strong enough to sustain interest. The same goes for the arrangements. They are busy and complicated, but they don’t really go anywhere. There’s no real point to any of it.
That’s not to say that Gazeuse! isn’t enjoyable, it’s just not profound.
In other words, Allan Holdworth freaks should own Gazeuse! so they can marvel at his playing in yet another context. Everyone else should probably skip this release as there are so many wonderful CDs that you should purchase before this one.