Bruford - One Of A Kind.

Bruford

One Of A Kind

(Winterfold/Cherry Red)

By Paul Davies

All too often people are put off listening to ‘challenging’ music due to other’s prejudices clouding their own judgement. Consequently, they create a mental wall between themselves and a patiently waiting adventure in a musical landscape of exotic sonics and dexterous musicianship. An open mind is always rewarded. Sure, it helps if you have a scintilla of hands-on musical knowledge to gawp in wonder as to how so and so ‘did that’! That gawp isn’t exclusive to such, though. As anyone can ‘get it’ and it helps when rhythmic complexity and creative melody intertwine with a variety of musical flavours.

This is jazz fusion and it’s all about meticulous attention to detail and feel. One Of A Kind does all this and more. The cast of players represents the crème de la crème of this genre as Bruford, Berlin, Holdsworth and Stewart silkily and skilfully intersect on memorable compositions. This is the professor of percussion Bill Bruford's first release under the 'Bruford' band name. This new vinyl reissue is mastered from the original 1979 mix taken from the original 1979 analogue tapes by Stephen W Taylor. Its provenance is unquestionably pristine as is the acclaim this recording achieved following its release.

From opening big banger Hells Bells via One Of A Kind Part One & Two to album closer The Sahara Of Snow Part One & Two, the lengthy labyrinthine musical passages are a pleasurable maze of musicality balanced by the shorter Abingdon Chasp, Forever Until Sunday, Travels With Myself-And Someone Else, Fainting In Coils and Five G. One Of A Kind remains a unique cerebral and emotional experience proving exceptional music and playing lasts forever.

PAUL DAVIES