Miki Jtm Encore

Tuki is the song of one given to many. As the ECM leader debut of master drummer Momodou “Miki” N’Doye, it houses multiple fates under one roof and collates them into discernible rhythms and voices. N’Doye hails from Gambia, where in the mid-70s he met Norwegian musician Helge Linaae. This encounter brought him to Oslo, where, after coming into contact with such influential movers as Jon Balke, his future as shaker in the far north was secured.

Mickey Curtis was born of English parents in Tokyo, Japan in 1938. After the end of The World War II he lived by singing in the Occupation Forces or Camps, and as a result he was approved as a rockabilly singer. Although he had been an active pop singer and a frontman of two chorus-pop outfits named 'City Crows' and 'Vanguards' in mid 60s, he was awakened to rock suddenly and finally formed Samurai (The Samurais in their early days) in 1967. During the first two years Samurai made a lot of gigs and released two albums - "Tenor Sax Of Love" (1968; as The Samurais) and "Samurai" (1970) - in Europe. In early 1969 their soundscape was completely shifted to progressive rock, and we can easily realize the fact especially in their eponymous album…

A trip through both light and heavy prog psych, this is an oft forgotten but excellent lost gem of psychedelia's golden years. Mickey Curtis leads his wonderful band to carve new soundscapes and lay down some kickin' tracks. "Trauma" opens the album with a ten minute long journey through both the light and hard aspects of the band's style, in a great instrumental romp. The rest of Side One is a few cut and dry, though well done, bits of hard psych. Side Two is a psych epic through the realm of King Riff, an ever rockin' and mind blowing country. Keys are the hidden weapon here, for while guitar leads and flutes chime in, the keys add extra texture, and then shine brightly in the lands of King Riff. Another excellent hidden treasure from psych, highly recommended to psych and heavy prog fans.