Brian Auger: Complete Oblivion Express

In the progressive jazz world of the early 1970s, artists were influenced by one of two primary camps—the fusion abstraction of Miles Davis's electric groups of the late 1960s or the eclectic jazz-rock bands such as the Free Spirits, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Steely Dan and Soft Machine.

Artists who came out of the Miles Davis wing included Larry Coryell and the Eleventh House, Tony Williams Lifetime, John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu, Herbie Hancock's groups and Chick Corea's Forever and Return to Forever.

Artists who came out of the jazz-rock wind were the Brecker Brothers, Tom Scott and the L.A. Express, Weather Report, David Sanborn, Deodato, Grover Washington Jr., other groups recorded by CTI Records and Brian Augur's Oblivion Express.

The last name may not be well known to you. Auger has been largely overlooked of late, probably because he didn't have high-charting hit albums or singles in the U.S. and he never became a household name like the leaders of other bands. Listening to a newly released box, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express: Complete Oblivion (Soul Bank Music), the band remains an exciting cross-pollination of music genres.

The new box features the band's six studio albums remastered from the original studio master tapes for vinyl and CDs by Bill Smith at United Archiving in Los Angeles. The albums are Oblivion Express (1970), A Better Land (1971), Second Wind (1972), Close to It! (1973), Straight Ahead (1974) and Reinforcements (1975).



What I love most about these albums is how they are a mix multiple genres and that each of the six sounds completely different than the rest. For example, A Better Land has a jazzy Joni Mitchell feel with Crosby, Stills and Nash vocal harmony. Unlike most fusion, Brian's form of jazz rock was less psychedelic and mystical and more rooted in pop and R&B. In other words, it's easier today to grasp and digest.

Born in London in 1939, Brian became a keyboardist who worked with many of the leading rock and blues artists passing through England in the 1960s. As a session musician in 1965, Auger played on the Yardbirds' recording For Your Love and formed the Steampacket that year with musicians who inlcuded Long John Baldry and Rod Stewart. In 1966, Auger formed Trinity.

When that band folded, Auger launched Brian Auger's Oblivion Express in 1970. On the first three albums, his band included powerful drummers Robbie McIntosh and Steve Ferrone and guitarist Jim Mullen, all of whom would go on the play in the Average White Band.

Auger's vision for each of the six albums is captivating. Oblivion Express has a rock, jam band sound; Second Wind has a much funkier kick; Closer to It! has a broader world music influence and includes a solid cover of Marvin Gaye's Inner city Blues; Straight Ahead has a jazzier funk feel, with a cover of Bumpin' on Sunset; and Reinforcements has a more Latin jazz-funk sound akin to Deodato, particularly Something Out of Nothing.

Listening to all six albums straight through is quite a ride through a broad landscape of styles. The remastering is spectacular and panoramic, and the jazz elements are first rate.

A great holiday gift for yourself or a friend who digs this singular period of experimentation and discovery before disco dominated charts here and abroad.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find Brian Auger's Oblivion Express: Complete Oblivion (Soul Bank Music) on CDs here and on vinyl here.

JazzWax clips: Here's The Light from Oblivion Express...



Here's Women of the Seasons from A Better Land...



Here's Don't Look Away from Second Wind...



Here's Inner City Blues from Closer to It!...



Here's Bumpin' on Sunset from Straight Ahead...



Here's Something Out of Nothing from Reinforcements...