Two Strokes

Bill Bruford - Master Strokes 1978-1985 (1986) {EG Records EGCD 67}
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© 1978-85, 1986 EG Records / Virgin | EGCD 67
Rock / Jazz / Jazz Rock / Fusion / Progressive Rork

When you're a drummer playing behind the vocal heights of Jon Anderson, the guitar virtuosity of Steve Howe, or the keyboard genius of Rick Wakeman, you may expect to be disregarded from time to time. Aside from die-hard fans of Yes or King Crimson, Bill Bruford's drumming is taken for granted more often than not, when in fact he's one of the finest rock drummers to emerge from the era. Master Strokes: 1978-1985 is a well-assembled compilation of some of Bruford's best drum work, spanning numerous styles and examples of percussive artistry. All 14 tracks explore the many sides of Bruford's repertoire, delving into jazz fusion, straightforward rock, and progressive rock, and laying out some entertaining examples of how much fire the drums can truly muster, not only in their bombastic state, but also as an accompaniment to other instruments and rhythms as well.

All of Billy Squier's best material is dished out on 16 Strokes, from the simplistic contagiousness of "The Stroke" to the Van Halen-like fervency of "Tied Up." His rock & roll flamboyancy, a mix of hard but not heavy guitar riffs wrapped around spirited just-for-fun three-minute outpourings, was best established through his singles and not the entirety of his albums. Squier's wild, sexually inundated feistiness is best represented here on a compilation, where the sleekness of "Everybody Wants You" is found in the same place as the naughty "She Goes Down." Both "In the Dark" and "My Kinda Lover" from 1981's Don't Say No pop up here, as does his smoothest of songs, "Emotions in Motion" from the album of the same name.

BRUSH STROKES from Athenia Trio features works for flute, oboe, and bassoon. The program harnesses the impressive versatility of the trio, with six pieces by six different composers, including two commissioned specially for the ensemble: Alyssa Morris’s Brush Strokes, and Robbie McCarthy's The Blind Men and the Elephant.