Allan Holdsworth-Secrets (1989)

Allan Holdsworth is one of the most admired and acclaimed guitarists in jazz-rock, and his influence has reached hundreds of guitarists around the world. In his early days during the early 1970s, the played in legendary bands such as Nucleus, Soft Machine, Gong, and Tempest, establishing himself as an enigmatic and virtuosic guitarist. Later, in addition to launching his own solo career, he participated in other projects, including UK and Tony Williams Lifetime, among various other notable groups and artists. Following five solo albums, some of which are landmark works in progressive jazz, Holdsworth became a proponent of MIDI modules and the SynthAxe, a revolutionary guitar synthesizer that, despite its innovation, faced many detractors who preferred the more conventional sounds of the electric guitar. Exploring these new sonic textures, he released albums such as "Atavachron" (1986) and "Sand" (1987). After the latter, Holdsworth partially returned to his signature sonic palette, going back to the electric guitar for the album "Secrets". On this record, Allan joined by bassist Jimmy Johnson, keyboardists Alan Pasqua and Steve Hunt, and drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Chad Wackerman, delivered a work brimming with creativity and sonic splendor. Tracks such as "City Nights", "Spokes", "54 Duncan Terrace", "Joshua", and "Peril Premonition", make this one of the finest jazz-rock albums of the 1980s.