Brian´s Auger Oblivion Express-Second Wind (1972)

On his ninth album with his band Oblivion Express, organist Brian Auger expanded the lineup with a new vocalist, Alex Ligertwood, a guitarist and singer who had previously worked with the Jeff Beck Group. While the foundation of this new work remains an innovative, heavy jazz-rock sound, Auger incorporates other stylistic elements such as rhythm and blues and funk, styles that had appeared sporadically in his earlier work, but which are more prominent here. Songs like the energetic opening track, "Truth", have that characteristic Santana Latin rock feel. Written by Ligertwood, the bass, guitar, and Hammond organ sequences make for a strong start. In contrast to the latter, there is the more contemplative "Don't Look Away", the galloping jazz rock "Somebody Help Us", the dynamic with funk and rhythm and blues arrangements "Freedom Jazz Dance", or the excellent jazz fusion rock "Just Me Just You", while the song that gives the album its title, is an intense jazz rock driven by the interaction of Jim Mullen's guitar, the precise rhythm section composed of bassist Barry Dean and drummer Robbie McIntosh, along with Auger's organ, finally culminating this superb and surprising ninth album by Brian Auger's Oblivion Express.

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.

Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express-Straight Ahead (1974)

Brian Auger's fifth album with his band Oblivion Express features a new lineup, with Godfrey MacLean no longer on drums, replaced by the more experienced Steve Ferrone, and the addition of percussionist Mirza Al Sharif. However, what remains largely unchanged is the frenetic jazz-rock style driven by Auger's Hammond organ, even more powerful this time around thanks to the prodigious percussion work of Lennox Laington, Steve Ferrone, and Al Sharif. This vigorous rhythm section is evident in the opening track, "Beginning Again", which, based on simple jazz-rock chords, showcases the excellence of both Auger and guitarist Jack Miles. The solid jazz fusion/rock track "Bumpin' On Sunset" represents another of the highlights, which contrasts with the funk jazz "Straight Ahead" and the long and catchy "Changes", to end with the melodic "You'll Stay In My Heart", a clear cut oriented towards radio formulas due to its attractive sound.

Brian Auger-Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express (1970)

Brian Auger's career began in the mid-1960s, driven by the influence and allure of jazz organist Jimmy Smith. In 1964, he formed Trinity, with whom he cemented his enormous reputation over the next five years, releasing half a dozen high-quality blues, jazz-rock, and rhythm and blues albums such as "Open", "Jools and Brian", "Streetnoise", and "Befour" (the first three with Julie Driscoll). However, in the early 1970s, Brian Auger decided to form a new project and place greater emphasis on avant-garde instrumental sounds. This led to the creation of Oblivion Express, a band that included bassist Barry Dean, drummer Robbie McIntosh, and guitarist Jim Mullen. Released under the RCA label, in mid-1970 the self-titled debut of this new lineup was published, in which Brian Auger showcases his furious Hammond organ in a series of vigorous rhythmic jazz rock songs with progressive connotations such as "Dragon Song", "Total Eclipse", "The Light", "On The Road" or "The Sword", all of them under a solid rhythm section and the talented guitar backing of Jim Mullen.

Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express-Live Oblivion (1974)

Former jazz pianist Brian Auger rose to fame in the mid-1960s as a rhythm and blues organist thanks to his exceptional technical skill on the Hammond organ. After playing with guitarist John McLaughlin, Auger found success with the group Steampacket in 1965. Alongside him were Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, and Julie Driscoll, forming a formidable vocal trio. In 1968, he left the band to form The Trinity with Julie (who was his wife at the time). This marked Auger's greatest success, thanks in part to their hit cover of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's On Fire", which climbed the charts worldwide. In 1970, Auger founded Oblivion Express with Jim Mullen and Robbie McIntosh. The style of this new group moved away from the jazz-rock sound of his earlier work, focusing instead on more powerful and progressive music. His first two albums, released in 1971, "Brian Auger's Oblivion Express" and "A Better Land", leaned towards complex funk-rock sounds. However, the true strength of Brian Auger and his band lay on stage, where they conveyed a power and emotion that weren't captured on their studio albums. That's why, in 1974, the triple live album "Live Oblivion", recorded at the famous Hollywood venue, the Whisky a Go Go, was released, finally bringing him the success that his studio recordings had eluded him.