Recorded in the spring of 1978 at Yes bassist Chris Squire's home studio, K-Scope featured three founding members of the Split Enz/Crowded House: Eddie Rayner (keys), Tim Finn (lead vocal) and brother Neil Finn (backing vocal). Manzanera also enlists percussion heavyweight Simon Phillips, good buddies John Wetton and Bill MacCormick (both bassists and vocalists), and saxophonist Mel Collins, among several others. The band strong arms the solid pop/rock structures and approaches the instrumentals with the same verve. The literally "coolest" tune in the set is also Manzanera's personal favorite, the breezy "Gone Flying"…
Phil Manzanera's first post-Roxy foray into solo albums is a terrific all-star affair that still holds up enormously well. Calling on favors from Roxy members present and past, and those from the Cambridge/British art rock scene, Manzanera assembled a supergroup for every song. Robert Wyatt sings Spanish gibberish on the opener "Frontera," a rewrite of his own "Team Spirit." Brian Eno teams up for the sunny "Big Day" and the nonsensical "Miss Shapiro," both of which would not have been out of place on his own early solo albums. John Wetton (of several groups including Family and Asia) sings a duet with Doreen Chanter (of the Chanter Sisters and the Joe Cocker Band), and Bill MacCormick of Matching Mole and Quiet Sun sings his own "Alma," the album's closing ballad. Fans of any of the singers above, not to mention Manzanera, whose party this is, won't be disappointed.
Michael Cosmic s Peace In The World & Phill Musra Group's Creator Spaces, featuring unreleased music by The Phill Musra Group and Michael Cosmic. Free improvisation, first touched on by messengers like John Coltrane, Sun Ra and Albert Ayler, gives us an exuberant maelstrom that rejoices in life while it shoves back at complex, unforgiving social-political environments. The 70's Boston underground brought twin brothers Phill Musra and Michael Cosmic together with Turkish-born drummer Hüseyin Ertunç; as a trio, and with other Boston jazzers (John Jamyll Jones of Worlds Experience Orchestra, the 2nd Now-Again Reserve Edition entry), the twins each privately issued an album. Potent mixes of spirituality, expressionist fire and electrified newness. Mastered from the original tapes.
The title refers directly to the previous release from 2004, 6 PM, which was 50 Minutes long. This is now part three of an album trilogy that started with Vozero in 2000 and it is equally strong as the other two.
Magnificent melodies and exotic rhythms embellish his journey back into his early years in London - including the legendary UFO club and its psychedelic settings. The choice of collaborators speaks for itself, all his old companions are on board Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Paul Thompson, Andy Mackay…
Borrowing a page from his old colleague Brian Eno's catalog, Manzanera delved into the ambient music scene with this release, and he did very well. This is an excellent album full of layered sounds and relaxing melodies. Manzanera teamed up with Paul Williams and Andy Grossart, formed a short-lived band by the name of Nowomowa, and recorded this one CD. It is interesting to note that all of the songs were recorded live off of the floor, with no overdubs. This is quite an achievement given the genre of music. But it does add an element of edge to the music. Compiled from the soundtrack from the film of the same name, Manzanera was able to put together a more complete picture of this music when he reissued it on CD in 1999, and he shifted the artist credit to himself, as opposed to releasing it as the band name. Commercially speaking, this was a wise move. Manzanera fans will enjoy this, as well as fans of ambient music.
Two stars together: Jonh Wetton (King Crimson, UK, Asia, etc.) and Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), in this interesting work!
Phil Manzanera had no problem filling his mid-'70s downtime away from Roxy Music. His guitar graced some 20 albums, like John Cale's Fear, Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets, and Nico's The End. This outing from his all-star side group is slicker than his 1976 live debut album, but no less worthwhile; some 16 musicians are credited. The sound is sleek and sophisticated; even lyrics aren't exempt from creative twists, as shown on "Listen Now"'s glistening jazz-pop – which cleverly juxtaposes its title against a bouncy "now, now, listen" chorus.