Soft Machine Tanglewood Tails

While the two sets from the second night (February 28, 1971) have been released before, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ENTIRE TWO-NIGHT STAND HAS BEEN RELEASED. So half of this is previously completely unreleased.

This follow-up to Soft Machine's highly acclaimed 2018 album Hidden Details finds John Etheridge, Roy Babbington, John Marshall and Theo Travis on fine form at the Baked Potato, LA, USA on 1st February 2019. The material mixes tunes from Hidden Details, along with older material and some choice improvisations. The band, with a world tour under their belt and a partisan crowd urging them on, are absolutely at the top of their game - powerful, committed and idiosyncratic.

While the two sets from the second night (February 28, 1971) have been released before, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ENTIRE TWO-NIGHT STAND HAS BEEN RELEASED. So half of this is previously completely unreleased.

The band name says it all. Three members of this quartet worked at different times in the original Soft Machine (John Etheridge, Hugh Hopper, John Marshall) whilst the fourth (Theo Travis) has assumed the mantle once taken by the late and lamented musician, Elton Dean. They've come up with a program of music that pulls off the not inconsiderable feat of acknowledging the legacy at the same time as it forges ahead in new and distinct ways. The world would be a far more interesting place if more musicians operated on a similar level. Overall this a vibrant, adventurous fusion and free form jazz outing; it stands up well to the band's illustrious history and ought to be on any Soft fan's collection.

The first Soft Machine LP usually got the attention, with its movable parts sleeve, as well as the presence of ultra-talented songwriter Kevin Ayers. But musically, Volume Two better conveys the Dada-ist whimsy and powerful avant rock leanings of the band. Hugh Hopper took over for Ayers on bass, and his fuzz tones and experimental leanings supplanted Ayers' pop emphasis. The creative nucleus behind this most progressive of progressive rock albums, however, is Robert Wyatt. He provides the musical arrangements to Hopper's quirky ideas on the stream-of-consciousness collection of tunes ("Rivmic Melodies") on side one.

Soft Machine Legacy is made up of former Soft Machine members and the lineup here boasts Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Marshall and John Etheridge. Sadly it was less than 2 months after this concert that Elton Dean passed away, and so it's stated in the liner notes that this album is in memory and a tribute to this legendary performer. The concert here was performed at a club in Paris called "New Morning" and this is a club famous for it's Jazz concerts and also a favourite place for Elton and Hugh to play at.