Customer Reviews

Riding The Escalator - By: , 26 Sep 2003
Not for the fainthearted. If you enjoy a challenge, this is the album for you. There is more imaginationin five minutes of this album thanin the entire catalogues of some revered artists.
The album begins with thirteen minutes of warped big band jazz & eventually covers everything from jazz rock, to avant garde, to caberet & traditional Asian music.
It features a stellar who's who of jazz & seventies rock musicians.
Highlights include Jacks Travelling Band: Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Carla Bley et al, rampaging through DETECTIVE WRITER DAUGHTER & RAWLPINDI BLUES & a beautiful vocal performance from Linda Ronstadt on WHY.
McLaughlin's contributions are very much pared down & bluesy compared to his Mahavishnu histrionics & Bruce's contributions excell throughout.
Other cameos include Traffic's Chris Wood & a surprise appearance from Manfred Mann's Paul Jones.
You don't have to like jazz to appreciate the wealth of ideas & magnificent musicianship - just an open mind & a willingness to listen a few times before passing judgement. Quick fix music this definitely is not but the Escalator is well worth the ride!