Go-Go Live From Paris (1976)

Stomu Yamashta, who in the early 1970s explored avant-garde and modern classical music, performing compositions by Toru Takemitsu and Hans Werner Henzel, had a chance encounter in 1970 with drummer Morris Pert, which set Yamashta on the path of jazz and rock. He then joined Pert's band, Come to the Edge. The track "One Way" from their ambient album "Music" is a good example of Yamashta's ability to create ambient pieces. In 1972, he became involved with film scores, beginning with Robert Altman's "Images", composed by the renowned John Williams. The soundtrack was nominated for an Oscar, partly due to Yamashta's contributions and his atonal sounds scattered throughout the film. A year later, he formed East Wind with keyboardist Brian Gascoigne, a band that also included the iconic Canterbury scene bassist Hugh Hopper. From this point onward, with a style difficult to categorize, percussionist and keyboardist Stomu Yamashta left his distinctive mark on a dozen works in the 1970s, showcasing a skillful blend of smooth, atmospheric jazz and rock developments. His music was highly enjoyable, featuring vital and accessible jazz-rock elements, but also darker and more unusual soundscapes. In 1975, Stomu formed the supergroup Go, composed of Steve Winwood, Klaus Schulze, Al Di Meola, and Michael Shrieve, and recorded the albums "Go" (1976), "Go Live From Paris" (1976), and "Go Too" (1977), considered masterpieces of modern music. Like most supergroups, Go's history is short. Such a collective of talented musicians from different parts of the world, each with their own busy recording and touring schedules, can only happen when the stars align and there's a fleeting moment of opportunity. Most of the musicians involved were in a state of transition at the time, and over a period of approximately a year, they produced spectacular music together. A band formed by former members of Blind Faith, Traffic, Santana, Tangerine Dream, and Return to Forever could easily have clashed over egos and artistic differences, ending the project before it even began. However, a shared interest in a new musical experience created something that, in fact, sounds like a hybrid of all these bands. After releasing a studio album, Go reached its peak during a short tour in 1976, which produced one of the most spectacular live recordings of all time: the excellent double album "Go Live From Paris". On June 12, 1976, at a packed Palais des Sports in Paris, this supergroup performed before an euphoric audience. Their relaxed and inspired performance featured a unique blend of styles, from soul (Steve Winwood) to electronic rock (Klaus Schulze and Stomu Yamashta) and jazz fusion (Al Di Meola). Michael Shrieve, former drummer for Santana, performs as the renowned and accomplished percussionist. Also noteworthy are the brilliant vocal exchanges between Steve Winwood and Karen Friedman. The band that presented the studio album "Go" live was almost the same but expanded, with Jerome Rimson on bass, Brother James on percussion, and Pat Thrall as second guitarist. The double album consists of six tracks, longer than the original studio versions, some with a jam session feel, interspersed with spacious electronic breaks and piano interludes. Long and developed pieces like "Man Of Leo", full of rhythms and intense solos by Di Meola, instrumental improvisations like "Windspin" with a funk bass taking the lead in a sublime way, outstanding jazz rock like "Ghost Machine", or funk/soul exercises like "Time Is Here", complement an anthological performance, where Stomu Yamashta holds back on his instrumental virtues to allow the other members to shine with their instruments.