After the recording of Caravanserai they leave Santana, Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon starting a new musical adventure with other renowned musicians such as Aynsley Dunbar (Zappa, Lou Reed, Bowie….) Ross Valory and George Tickner, giving rise to Journey.
Although Journey may sound like a typical AOR group from the 80s, its first three albums, between 1975 and 1977, are framed in a mix of jazz-rock and progressive quite interesting.
Songs: Of a Lifetime; Beginning of the theme about a soft and ethereal guitar phrasing (which will be repeated continuously) to which a blunt rhythmic section is added along with the typical Rolie keyboard curtains, which defends the vocal melody well to enter a final part much more dynamic with a Schon shot to the guitar to which others are attached immediately. A tremendous trick to start.
In the Morning Day; Theme quite different from the previous one, beginning with Piano and Hammond and catchy vocal melody, beatle at times, until there is a breakdown of rock Riff where there are for Hammond and guitar solos.
Kohoutek; First (and tremendous) instrumental of the album, with the beginning of Piano reminiscent of the Floyd and Parsons, until beginning the "dance" with a tremendous drums next to the guitars (very Mahavishnu at times). The "dialogues" of guitar and keyboards are priceless, wrapped by a plethoric Dumbar. A high-voltage Jazz Rock exercise, which ends with the “space” melody of origin.
To Play Some Music; Typical commercial song of the seventies, with a simple riff and full of good organ solos, synthesizers and guitars.
Topaz: Another instrument of soft start, which lasts only one minute, entering a new phase of intensity very "santanera" alternating it with soft jazz moments, in a series of very well elaborated environmental ups and downs, ended the theme melancholy.
In My Lonely Feeling / Conversations; R&B wave theme with tremendous bluesera guitar, dotted with nice, very good instrumental solos.
Mystery Mountain; Martial court beginnings to enter with voice and sound environment that remind Steve Hillage. Dunbar's power is unstoppable and the group works like a well-oiled machine. It is a shocking song and a good finishing touch to the album.
His first three albums on the Jazz-Rock / Progressive wave passed without grief or glory through the charts, so a change of style (AOR) and training was established, with Steve Perry on the voice, which would lead them to the expected success , but this is another quite different story. This is an album that in my opinion is worth listening to, good instrumentalists and good songs, fully enjoyable for Jazz-Rock and Progressive lovers.
To Play Some Music; Typical commercial song of the seventies, with a simple riff and full of good organ solos, synthesizers and guitars.
Topaz: Another instrument of soft start, which lasts only one minute, entering a new phase of intensity very "santanera" alternating it with soft jazz moments, in a series of very well elaborated environmental ups and downs, ended the theme melancholy.
In My Lonely Feeling / Conversations; R&B wave theme with tremendous bluesera guitar, dotted with nice, very good instrumental solos.
Mystery Mountain; Martial court beginnings to enter with voice and sound environment that remind Steve Hillage. Dunbar's power is unstoppable and the group works like a well-oiled machine. It is a shocking song and a good finishing touch to the album.
His first three albums on the Jazz-Rock / Progressive wave passed without grief or glory through the charts, so a change of style (AOR) and training was established, with Steve Perry on the voice, which would lead them to the expected success , but this is another quite different story. This is an album that in my opinion is worth listening to, good instrumentalists and good songs, fully enjoyable for Jazz-Rock and Progressive lovers.
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