Et Cetera - 1972 - Knirsch

Et Cetera 

1972

Knirsch

01. The Really Great Escape (4:13)
02. Sun (6:39)
03. Yan (13:01)
04. Tuning S0pread (11:09)
05. Yin (9:51)

Wolfgang Dauner / Keyboards and electronics
Günter Lenz / Bass
Jon Hiseman / Drums
Fred Braceful / Drums
Larry Coryell / Guitars

The leader and composer of all but one track is Wolfgang Dauner a pioneer when it comes to Jazz / Fusion and experimental music in Europe. He is a keyboard player but adds electronics on this album as well. The one song he didn't compose was written by the very talented American guitarist Larry Coryell who adds his unique playing to this album. We also get bass player Gunter Lenz who's played with Volker Kriegel and many others, as well as COLOSSEUM drummer Jon Hiseman who guests on here. Fred Braceful the drummer is an American who came to Germany in the fifties with the army. He stayed and played in Jazz bands originally but tired of that and joined ET CETERA. He actually left this band when they started drifting into Jazz territory and joined EXMAGMA who played a more adventerous and avant syle. If there's anything more impressive than the lineup here it's the music itself. Listed under Krautrock but it could have easily gone under Jazz / Fusion. This is a blending of styles really but Krautrock and Jazz / Fusion standout the most. I love the fuzzed out keyboards and bass but it makes it hard to know what i'm hearing at times much like on a lot of Canterbury music.

"The Really Great Escape" is Coryell's composition. This really gets my blood flowing. We get this nasty distorted keyboard sound throughout as the drums pound away. The guitar and vocals come in around a minute. How good is this ! Amazing sound 2 1/2 minutes in. Nothing like headbanging to some fuzzed out keyboards. Incredible track ! "Sun" is a Jazz / Fusion track with piano and a pastoral setting to start. Other sounds join in at a minute as it slowly builds.The guitar 2 minutes in reminds me of Santana.There is so much going on here. Great tune.

"Yan" is the almost 13 minute experimental piece. No melody to start just this freaky electronic soundscape with sounds coming and going. We get piano melodies 2 minutes in. Percussion then takes over around 4 minutes then these strange sounds come and go in the background. This gets louder before 8 minutes as the percussion continues. Drugged out vocals before 10 minutes followed by a silent calm after 10 1/2 minutes. Piano and an eerie vibe follow. A very Krauty tune. "Tuning Spread" is an 11 minute Jazz / Fusion track. It kicks in quickly with fuzz, drums, piano and more. Great sound ! Love the drumming after 2 minutes. I like the guitar too that joins in. Piano comes to the fore 5 minutes in. More fuzz 7 1/2 minutes in. The guitar is back before 10 1/2 minutes and check out the drum work. "Yin" opens with percussion, keyboards and atmosphere.The guitar joins in and we get distortion as well. So good. Intense is the word here. Some nice bass after 7 1/2 minutes.

This album is a must for fans of Jazzy and experimental Krautrock.