Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express-Closer To It! (1973)

If with the album "Second Wind" Brian Auger and his band As Oblivion Express veered towards a more jazz-oriented sound, on the following album, "Closer to It!", that direction was even more pronounced, fully embracing jazz-rock with Latin influences. For this recording, vocalist Alex Ligertwood, guitarist Jim Mullen, and drummer Robbie McIntosh were replaced by Jack Mills (guitar) and Godfrey MacLean (drums), while Lennox Laington (congas), Barry Dean (bass), and of course Brian Auger himself (organ and keyboards) returned. The sounds of Latin jazz fusion are present in the opening track, "Whenever You're Ready", which sets the musical tone for the rest of the album. Along a similar path run the irresistible "Happiness is Just Around the Bend" and "Light on the Path", while the more sophisticated and progressive "Compared to What", the more predictable "Voices of Other Times" and the anthological version of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues", make up one of Brain Auger's greatest and best contributions to progressive jazz rock.