T2-It´ll All Work Out In Boomland (1970)

Another short-lived band was T2, who disappeared without a trace after only two years, having released a single album, "It'll All Work Out In Boomland". Twelve years later, the band reunited to record a series of songs that had been forgotten, intended for a second release, but which were never officially released. Formed in London in 1970, this band consisted of drummer Peter Dunton, bassist Bernard Jinks, and guitarist Keith Cross, the latter a six-string prodigy at just 17 years old. Despite his young age, Cross already had considerable experience, having played in several psychedelic rock bands such as Please, Gun, and Bulldog Breed. T2's only album was recorded by Decca Records, who advanced them ten thousand pounds in royalties, anticipating a successful career for the group. However, poor planning and inadequate promotion resulted in the album going largely unnoticed by the general public. “It’ll All Work Out In Boomland” is a work based on a hard rock sound influenced by blues and jazz, with improvisations contrasting with Dunton’s melodious vocals. Tracks like the heavy blues of “No More White Horses”, the psychedelic haze of “In Circles”, and the progressive and expansive “Morning” make up an album that is a kind of puzzle, reflecting the diverse musical ideas that prevailed in England during those years. From this point on, T2 earned a great reputation as a live band, even playing at the Isle of Wight Festival alongside Jimi Hendrix. But internal tensions led to Keith Cross’s departure, leaving behind a considerable amount of material composed and recorded but unfinished. The band continued for a while with new guitarist Mike Foster, finally disbanding in 1972. It was in the late 80s and early 90s that the resurgence of progressive rock led many forgotten bands from the 60s and 70s to release "lost" and "forgotten" albums for new generations eager to discover material from those years. Thus, the band recorded "Second Blue" (1992), "Waiting For The Band" (1993), and "On The Front Line" (1994), composed mostly of material discarded from their first album and demos intended for their second well-crafted compositions, but nonetheless not reaching the heights of their fantastic debut.

Ash Ra Tempel-Join Inn (1973)

Ash Ra Tempel are the quintessential krautrock. Their musical style wasn't based on structured or pre-planned compositions; this band was the complete opposite: pure improvisation. What might sound like a chaotic mess of each instrument playing on its own, in Ash Ra Tempel functioned like a perfectly oiled machine. Formed in Berlin in 1970, Ash Ra Tempel are one of the most formidable groups to have ever existed, a colossal and powerful force, almost superhuman in some ways, with three virtuoso musicians led by guitarist Manuel Gottsching. The lineup also included former Tangerine Dream drummer and synthesizer player Klaus Schulze and bassist Harmut Enke. All their albums are considered classics of krautrock and progressive rock. But "Ash Ra Tempel" and "Join Inn" are their best works. The term "jam band" is generally synonymous with spontaneous stoner jams like the Grateful Dead, but Ash Ra Tempel is undoubtedly the band that has best navigated this field; they never worried too much about rehearsals, so by nature their compositions were not premeditated. Their first album, “Ash Ra Tempel” (1971), contains two extensive tracks where the cosmic and atmospheric soundscape has a distinctly psychedelic feel. Side A features the energetic and dramatic “Amboss”, while side B is much more atmospheric, with “Traummaschine”. “Join Inn” (1973) has an identical structure but is definitely much more accessible. The sound is also more readily digestible, and unlike the first album, Schulze takes center stage, imbuing the pieces with a more ambient style. “Join Inn” is somewhat similar to the debut album, with one side featuring a powerful power trio jam, “Freak’n’Roll”. This long suite unfolds with gentle interludes, building to a climax with blistering guitars and a powerful rhythm section featuring incredibly precise and powerful drumming and a dominant, energetic bass. The second side... The 25-minute ambient experiment “Jenseits” features spacious sounds and grand tones beautifully achieved by Schulze's synthesizers and Rosi Muller's haunting yet exquisitely beautiful vocals. “Ash Ra Tempel” and “Join Inn” are undoubtedly two of the most devastating recordings of all time.

The Soft Machine-Land Of Cockayne (1981)

By the late seventies, Soft Machine had become a kind of sanctuary where some of the best and most venerable British musicians of the previous two decades, most of them free from contractual obligations, found refuge from the modern styles that were proliferating at the time. Still under the direction and guidance of the ever-present Karl Jenkins (keyboards) and John Marshall (drums and percussion), the group reached the magnitude of a supergroup formed by the most select cast of instrumentalists: Dick Morrissey (tenor saxophone), Alan Holdsworth (guitar), Alan Parker (rhythm guitar), John Taylor (Fender Rhodes), Jack Bruce (bass), and Ray Warleigh (alto saxophone and flute), in addition to vocalists Stu Calver, John Perry, Tony Rivers, and Bill Harman. With this astonishing lineup, they recorded Soft Machine's final album, "Land of Cockayne", which would simultaneously become their final epitaph at the very beginning of the eighties. This latest release is a delightful eclectic exercise in classic sounds, excellent jazz-funk, and jazz-rock, where the musicians are simply perfect, without any excesses or self-importance, extraordinarily cohesive, and solely focused on making music fluid and light music in which each contributes their unique virtuosity. Written and composed entirely by Jenkins, the album's tone is one of relaxed and enveloping exquisiteness, dominated more by melodic suggestion (which at times approaches symphonic structures) than by the improvisational excess typical of Soft Machine's previous work. Tracks like the Floydian "Over and Above" or the ambient "Lotus Groves" lead us to the short and orchestrated "Isle of the Blessed", a prelude to the jazz-fusion tracks "Panoramia", "Hot-Biscuit Slim", and "Sky Monkey", which are the highlights of one of the best jazz-rock albums of the eighties.

The Soft Machine-Volumen Two (1969)

This is one of the quintessential Canterbury sound albums, slightly surpassing other masterpieces such as Caravan's "In the Land of Grey and Pink" or Hatfield and The North's "Rotter's Club", to name just two. Despite its short length (thirty-three minutes), this album had a huge impact at the time, with seventeen exhilarating tracks. Released in 1969, "Vol. II" is a bit less pop and more complex than its predecessor, the stunning debut "The Soft Machine" (1968), and although one of its leading figures, Kevin Ayers, doesn't appear on this new work, frankly, he isn't missed. The album shifts effortlessly (and quite rapidly) between playful pop tracks like "Hulloder", "As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still", and "Pig", and considerably more complex jazz-rock (though not fusion) pieces, such as "Hibou, Anemone and Bear" and the free jazz of "Out of Tunes". The album is divided into two distinct sides: Side A is primarily written by bassist Hugh Hopper and arranged by Robert Wyatt, while Side B is entirely written by keyboardist Mike Ratledge. Thus, Side B is much more jazz-oriented and abstract, which is surprising given Hopper's later work. Side A is more pop-oriented and, at the same time, much more accessible; however, both sides showcase incredible moments of exceptional quality. Wyatt, though occasionally grating, is impeccable here: his sloppy, choppy, and slightly high-pitched delivery perfectly complements the whimsical music. This album also marked the first time The Soft Machine used a horn section on one of their recordings, with brilliant results. Ultimately, "Vol. II" is the pinnacle of Soft Machine's varied and illustrious career, a perfect and smooth blend of jazz, psychedelia, pop, and rock.

The Soft Machine-Six (1973)

In 1973, Soft Machine released their sixth album, as the title suggests. On "Six", the British band moved away from the Canterbury sound to fully immerse themselves in jazz fusion. Released as a double album, "Six" no longer featured Robert Wyatt or Elton Dean, who were replaced by Karl Jenkins and John Marshall, respectively. Unlike the previous, more abstract "Fifth", this sixth album adopted a more elegant approach, presenting more concrete rhythms and music more accessible to the average listener. It represents the perfect fusion of rock and jazz improvisation. Divided into two parts, the first disc showcases the new live lineup, establishing an innovative style of rock and jazz with a pulsating bass and drum rhythm, along with the interplay of the horn section. However, the common thread connecting the two discs remains the distinct musical tones of Mike Ratledge's Canterbury sound, conveyed through his intricate keyboard work. The second studio album offers a more interesting use of keyboards as the main instrument, as demonstrated by tracks like "The Soft Weed Factor" and "Stanley Stamps Gibbon Album (for B.O.)", clear examples of Ratledge's cyclical keyboard loops, which cleverly filter through the rhythm section and allow for Jenkins' atmospheric saxophone passages. The psychedelic "Chole And The Pirates", on the other hand, reflects a clear nod to the band's Canterbury past, and in contrast to all of these, there's the dark and avant-garde "1983". With "Six", Soft Machine showcased their impressive instrumental interplay, partly due to Jenkins's organized dystopian approach and the remarkable accessibility of music with its manifest complexities, resulting in a hypnotic and relaxing masterpiece of avant-garde jazz-rock.

Soft Machine-Softs (1976)

By 1976, Soft Machine had ceased to be the band that fused free jazz, avant-garde jazz, improvised music, and experimental instrumentation, under the influence of the Canterbury sound, and had become a more disciplined group. While it's true that only traces of their earlier era remain, it's also true that by this point the band was far from the same, with a lineup that no longer included any of the original members, with the exception of Mike Ratledge, who appeared as a guest musician on several tracks. The addition of a guitarist also gave the group greater diversity in their musical palette. This guitar role was filled by John Etheridge, while the rest of the lineup consisted of Alan Wakeman (saxophone), Karl Jenkins (keyboards), John Marshall (drums), and Roy Babbington (bass). "Softs", released in 1976, showcases a group more focused on pure progressive rock with the logical, but increasingly less redundant, jazz influences of their earlier work. This evolution towards more conventional sounds is present in tracks like the progressive "The Tale of Taliesin" or the frenetic "Ban-Ban Caliban". Ambient and contemporary jazz fusion is reflected in "Song of Aeolus", while "Out of Season" is a progressive jazz-rock piece. The funk jazz of "One Over the Eight" and the ambient electronica of "Second Bundle" close an album that marked an almost complete break from Soft Machine's characteristic sound.

Soft Machine-Fourth (1971)

The history of Soft Machine has been marked from its proto-avant-garde and psychedelic beginnings, under the driving force of Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers, and Robert Wyatt, to its evolution into a band of excellent, fully-fledged jazz fusion instrumentalists, led first by Mike Ratledge and later by Karl Jenkins. "Fourth", as its title indicates, is the British band's fourth album and belongs to the group's second phase, the one led by organist Ratledge. It would also be the last with drummer Robert Wyatt as an official member of Soft Machine. Completing the band were bassist Hugh Hopper and saxophonist Elton Dean, while Mark Charig (trumpet), Roy Babbington (double bass), Alan Skidmore (saxophone), and Jimmy Hastings (flute and clarinet) appear as supporting musicians for the recording. This release features no vocals or psychedelic influences, but rather a solid, conventional jazz-rock/fusion band with experimental elements. The music here is generally heavily influenced by Miles Davis's avant-garde jazz, unlike the typical Canterbury jazz-rock. Musically, it comprises a series of well-balanced pieces, as demonstrated by the pulsating jazz of "Teeth" and the dark, atmospheric "Kings and Queens". Free jazz is also present in "Fletcher's Blemish", while the album's centerpiece, "Virtually", occupies the entire second side of the original record a suite with diverse moods ranging from traditional jazz to atonal improvisations featuring Elton Dean's saxophone, interspersed with dissonant passages over dreamy ambient electronics.

Soft Machine-Seven (1973)

By the time Soft Machine released their seventh album, keyboardist Mike Ratledge was the only remaining member of the original lineup, with the rest of the band comprised of former members of Nucleus: Karl Jenkins (saxophone, electric piano, and flute), John Marshall (drums), and Roy Babbington (bass). Although Soft Machine were always known for their diverse output, they all shared a deep-rooted psychedelic and Dadaist influence and an avant-garde jazz fusion sound. However, with this new release, the band's style began to show dramatic shifts in rhythm and musical direction. "Seven" features a more organic jazz sound, and while there aren't any standout tracks, the entire album flows seamlessly, as if it were a single piece. The opening track, "Nettle Bed", hints at their early Canterbury sound, but this beginning is merely a mirage of what's to come, showcasing a perfectly executed atmospheric jazz fusion. Tracks like the pleasant and floating "Carol Ann", "Day's Eye", "Snodland" or "The German Lesson", make it one of their most competent transitional albums.

Soft Machine-Fifth (1972)

Pioneers of the experimental and psychedelic jazz of the Canterbury movement, Soft Machine remained at the forefront of the genre for several years, far ahead of their contemporaries, thus avoiding falling into typical stereotypes. In 1972, the band released their fifth album, which would be the last in which they experimented with free jazz and also the last to feature one of their most important members, Elton Dean. In this release, Soft Machine's style delves deeper into the essence of classic jazz-rock. The best representation of this orientation is embodied by a series of jazzy pieces with a clear rock accent, such as "All White", "Drop", and "As If". However, the band leaves brief glimpses of their more recent past with the improvised "LBO" and the haunting "Pigling Bland" and "Bone". From here on, bassist Hugh Hopper and organist Mike Ratledge would keep Soft Machine afloat, creating major works such as "Six" and "Seven" (1973), "Bundles" (1975) and "Softs" (1976).

Nucleus-We´ll Talk About It Later (1971)

“We’ll Talk About It Later” is considered one of the best jazz fusion albums, on par with any by Miles Davis, Mahavishnu, or Return to Forever, and is also Nucleus’s best album, though not far behind their debut. This British band, founded in the late 1960s by trumpeter Ian Carr, along with Brian Smith on winds, Karl Jenkins on keyboards, Chris Spedding on guitar, Jeff Clyne on bass, and John Marshall on drums, remained largely unchanged for a considerable time. This helped them develop the necessary confidence and a fluidity of interaction among its members that dwarfed their contemporaries. From their inception, the band gained considerable notoriety, winning first prize at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in 1970, and becoming a sensation at the Newport Jazz Festival and the renowned Village Gate Jazz Club. In 1970, Nucleus released their debut album, "Elastic Rock", and that same year came "We'll Talk About It Later" (both with covers by Roger Dean), which received high praise from the specialized press, hailed as one of the pinnacles of jazz-rock. After their impressive first album, they created this incredible work, an amalgamation of great tracks featuring dark sounds of oboe, trumpet, and guitars with hypnotic passages performed by these virtuoso musicians. In fact, most of the members later became renowned musicians in other top-tier bands. The quality of the compositions is very high, with a superb musicianship that is not only about flashy virtuosity but also about restraint, fluidity, space, breath, feeling, and interplay. This allows the band to open their melodious compositions with intricate improvised sections, resulting in a brilliant album of engaging jazz music that seamlessly blends the energy of rock with the powerful melodies and captivating musicianship of jazz. An album that is essential for any serious music collection.

Asia-Phoenix (2008)

In 2008, the founding members of Asia reunited to record and release the album "Phoenix", a high-quality work that clearly showcased the talent of its four members, both creatively and instrumentally. Thus, after several years away from recording, John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes returned with a work full of vibrant and intense tracks. Tracks like the catchy opening track "Never Again", the melodic "Heroine", the solid rock anthem "I Will Remember You", and the progressive "Parallel Worlds" and "Sleeping Giant-No Way Back-Reprise" made up a good album with an accessible sound very close to the AOR style, but with that unmistakable progressive touch resulting from Howe's guitar and Downes's exuberant keyboards, along with Wetton's excellent vocals and Carl Palmer's powerful and devilish drumming.