Ian Gillan Band-Live At The Budokan (1978)

After leaving the legendary Deep Purple, singer Ian Gillan decided to move away from hard rock and steer his new project, the Ian Gillan Band, toward the realm of energetic jazz rock. Following the release of three magnificent albums "Child In Time" (1976), "Clear Air Turbulence" (1977), and "Scarabus" (1978), the iconic singer brought this venture to a close with the live album "Live At The Budokan", recorded during the promotional tour for "Scarabus" in Japan. The Ian Gillan Band consisted of several highly experienced American and British musicians: former Quatermass bassist John Gustafson and former ELF drummer Mark Nauseef, along with former Spencer Davis Group guitarist Ray Fenwick and keyboardist Colin Towns. Recorded at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo on September 22, 1977, the repertoire for this album is mainly composed of songs from his three albums, plus several Deep Purple covers such as "Smoke on The Water", "Child In Time" and "Woman From Tokyo", performed in a jazzy style, while the infectious rhythms of "Clear Air Turbulence", "Twin Exhausted" and "Over The Hill", would constitute one of the last and most memorable concerts of the Ian Gillan Band before their final demise some time later.