Guru Guru - 1978 - Live

Guru Guru

1978 

Live

01. Transylvania Express (5:50)
02. As long the Music's flowing (6:29)
03. Formentera (5:27)
04. Conga Jam (6:20)
05. What's the Matter with the Kids (7:15)
06. Herzflimmern (8:45)
07. Ooga Booga Spezial (11:26)
08. Der Elektrolurch (7:37)
09. Moroso (5:42)
10. Medicin Man's Overdose (12:30)

Dieter Bornschlegel / guitars, percussion
Mani Neumeier / drums, percussion, sounds, vocals
Roland Schaeffer / guitar, sax, flute, trombone, percussion, vocals
Peter Kühmstedt / bass, percussion

Well if Guru had released a double live album back in 71 or 72, I think that many fans would probably regard it as the ultimate guru statement. But Mani Neumeier waited until the late 70's to release one of them (when those became a safe bet), and therefore representing most of Guru's albums prior to break up and post break up phases. The overall feel is one of jazz-rock of the post break-up, rather than the disoriented psych rock prior to the break- up, but the track selection

By this time Roland Schaeffer is now fully integrated in the group, ready to become the "nummer zwei" Guru" and all four members play percussion instruments at one time or another during the concert. Guru is now a danceable eastern-tinged, funky jazz-rock act, which manages to do extremely fun shows, often with the now-inescapable Elektrolurch (heard much better versions that the one on this album, though) as the crowd favourite and cornerstone of their concerts. Fun is mostly the name of the game in great What's The Matter With The Kids or the Conga Jam. One of the concert's centrepiece is the Ooga Booga Special which is orchestrated around the old Kanguru album track, but has been adapted to fit newer pieces, but also (a bit to my disappointment) a lengthy drum solo (Mani is excellent, but repeated listening in your living room.). Another highlight is Medecineman's Overdose with its delightful spacey athmospheres

Yes, there are a few inevitable lengths in some tracks as in Herzflimmen (even if Schaeffer blows a mean sax), the Latino-African Formantera or Transylvania Express and its twin As Long As The Music's Flowing, but obviously this is a flaw that one notices in his living room, not in the fun of a concert. Guru was one of those German groups that took another dimension in concert as did Grobschnitt and Kraan.

Although not really the double live album I'd be hoping for as a Guru adept, I'll still take it very gladly as it is still essential to the group today, which still sounds and acts this much fun on stage some soon to be 45 years, now.

Recorded across cities all over Germany and Holland, this is one of the best sounding live albums of the seventies. Guru Guru started of as acid/psychedelic rock band and grew towards a psychedelic funk/jazz rock act and this album covers mainly their later style. Fans of their first three albums should therefor be mindfull of on which grounds they judge this album.

Stylistically and soundwise this album could be seen as the big brother of Kraan's double live album from '75. A tight unit of bass and drums (of course by bandleader Mani Neumeier), two guitar players - both very able to give away an amazing guitarsolo - and Rolandd Scheaffer also plays some saxophone parts and percussion. The vocals are often dopey, but they are almost never the centerpart of a track. The recording quality is amazing, I only know one record that has a better live recording; Jan Akkerman's Live at Montreux.

The first two sides are mainly just Guru Guru having a lot of fun with its fast funk psychedelic rock style with loads of great solo's, sounds and rhythmical playing. Nothing to progressive or difficult, but very advanced nevertheless because of the top notch fusion interplay of bass drums and guitars. The musicianship can easily florish in the format. The crowd really seems to be having a good time.

The third side shows the band in a experimental mood, taking up some Ooga Booga parts from the Kanguru album and an experimental space rock / spoken word jam called Der Elektrolurch. Though long drum parts on live albums are usually cause of a lack of substance, the interplay with the crowd does give me a pleasent feeling of being part of great event.

The fourth side is my favorite of the album. This is a progressive rock listeners heaven with the brilliant heavy spacerock opener Moroso and the multi-part twelve minute Medicin Man's Overdose, which also has some strong dynamic changes and a beautiful twelve string guitar interlude by Dieter Bornschlegel. The ending is short, bombastic and powerful.

Guru Guru in their fusion prog period is an acquired taste, but the musicianship and professional production of this double live album is beyond opinions. Moreover, the crowd really adds to the music, which is usually lacking on progressive rock (related) live albums. Recommended to fans of jazzrock/fusion, krautrock, jamband, psychedelic rock, spacerock and audiophiles.