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Una gemma Soft Machine per il quarantennale Cuneiform
by Mario Calvitti
Non sono molte le etichette indipendenti che possono permettersi di festeggiare il quarantesimo anniversario dalla loro fondazione; ancora meno quelle che possono parimenti fregiarsi di un catalogo di tutto rispetto, ricco di artisti e opere di livello assoluto. È questo il caso della Cuneiform Records, con sede a Silver Spring nel Maryland fondata nel 1984 da Steven Feigenbaum, e tuttora da lui gestita con l'assistenza della moglie non senza difficoltà (qualche anno fa era stata annunciata la cessazione della pubblicazione ...
Continue ReadingSoft Machine: Other Doors
by Glenn Astarita
Soft Machine's Other Doors is a compelling exploration into the progressive jazz-rock fusion realm, highlighting the band's evolution and continued dedication to innovative musical expression and capturing the essence of Soft Machine's improvisational brilliance. The record unfolds like a sonic journey, inviting listeners into a world of intricate compositions and virtuosic performances. What sets Other Doors apart is its raw energy and the band's ability to blend various musical elements seamlessly. Tracks such as “Kings and Queens" and the Kevin ...
Continue ReadingA Tribute To The Late Drummer John Marshall From Soft Machine
by Len Davis
On today's program we pay tribute to the late drummer John Marshall with an uninterrupted bracket of music from Soft Machine. We follow that with music from Yellow Jackets, Dave Weckl, Steve Weingart, Tom Kennedy, then close it out with Tribal Tech, Scott Kinsey and Joe Zawinul.Playlist Soft Machine “Fell To earth" from Other Doors (Moonjune) 00:00 Soft Machine “37 1-2" from The Dutch Lesson (Cuneiform) 07:18 Soft Machine “Hazard Profile 3-4-5" from Bundles (Esotericl) 14:36 Yellow Jackets ...
Continue ReadingSoft Machine: The Dutch Lesson
by Mark Sullivan
Soft Machine had played in Rotterdam several times before this 1973 show in the small theater De Lantaren. But this version of the band was relatively new. One of the earliest shows by the quartet of electric bassist Roy Babbington, Karl Jenkins (on multiple horns and electric piano), keyboardist Mike Ratledge and drummer John Marshall was documented on NDR Jazz Workshop--Hamburg, Germany, May 17, 1973 (Cuneiform Records, 2010). By late October the band had become a potent live force. They ...
Continue ReadingSoft Machine from 1973, Trevor Watts from 1976, Vital Information and Dave Weckl band
by Len Davis
Vital Information from Time Flies, Tony Williams from Spectrum Road, Soft Machine, The Dutch Lesson. Trevor Watts fromAnother Time, French trumpeter Erik Truffaz, Italian bassist Pippo Matino, Dave Weckl Band, Tom Coster and Brazilian bassist Fernando Molinari. Playlist Vital Information “Choreography in Six" from Time Flies (Wounded Bird) 00:00 Tony Williams “Wild Life" from Spectrum Road (Palmetto) 05:22 Soft Machine “Improvisation from The Dutch Lesson (Cuneiform) 10:48 Trevor Watts-Amalgam “Jive" from Another Time (FMR) 16:12 Erik Truffaz “Ghost ...
Continue ReadingSoft Machine: Facelift France and Holland
by Maurizio Comandini
Sotto l'ombrello robusto chiamato Soft Machine si nascondono in realtà parecchie band. All'inizio l'interesse del gruppo, nato nel 1966 in quel di Canterbury (anche se loro non vogliono essere considerati come esponenti del cosiddetto Canterbury Sound), era per una sorta di pop-rock patafisico, che poi ha iniziato a dilatarsi verso la psichedelia, il rock progressivo, il jazz moderno, la musica creativa, l'avanguardia. Questa eccellente proposta della Cuneiform, etichetta che davvero merita un plauso particolare per l'abilità dimostrata nel riuscire a ...
Continue ReadingSoft Machine: Live At The Baked Potato
by Chris M. Slawecki
European progressive jazz-rock ensemble Soft Machine seems to have run through more lives than even the luckiest tomcat. They've been first-rate musicians at every incarnation, and it's heartening to hear John Etheridge (guitar), John Marshall (drums), Roy Babbington (bass) and relative newcomer Theo Travis (piano, flute, saxophone) sound so vibrant as well as accomplished on Live at the Baked Potato. Baked Potato is a souvenir, recorded at Los Angeles' legendary musical hotspot, from the ensemble's 2019 tour of ...
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