Supersister - 1973 - Iskander

Supersister 

1973

Iskander

01. Introduction (0:42)
02. Dareios the Emperor (4:51)
03. Alexander (7:02)
04. Confrontation of the Armies (2:47)
05. The Battle (7:59)
06. Bagoas (2:54)
07. Roxane (3:21)
08. Babylon (7:57)
09. Looking Back (4:33)

Robert Jan Stips / keyboards, lead vocals, vibes
Ron van Eck / (bass) guitar, fuzzbass
Charlie Mariano / saxophone, flute

Herman van Boeyen / drums, percussion

Iskander is a special album in Supersister's history, since it's the one not featuring the original flautist and drummer. Stips and Van Eck remained in the fold, summoning a heavily jazzy drummer and a wind player who preferred the sax over the flute. The latter factor influenced the band's sonic development in a crucial manner, since it implies that the wind input can be louder than ever before in a Supersister album, and the keyboard input must necessarily adopt new tricks in order to establish a new form of dialogue with their partners in melody and soloing (the sax and the flute, of course). The brief intro is a real statement of what is going on: an exotic sax solo that properly announces the life of Alexander the Great as a champion in Greece and a hero in Asia. The sung parts are diminished, and so are the displays of musical humor, which makes the sense of musical intelligence become a major asset. What we can still notice clearly is that combination of warm dynamics and extroverted vibe that makes Supersister such a genius in the history of prog-jazz. The aforementioned sax solo gives way to "Dareios the Emperor", a piece elaborated with similarities to Weather Report and the jazzy side of compatriot band Focus (I won't go as far as to say that Focus was an actual influence on Supersister). Mariano does a big deal of Elton Dean chops, which makes for one of a few Soft Machine references for this remodeled Supersister. The title track continues in a similar vein and takes it to a more epic atmosphere: there is also an added touch of grey textures in places, which helps to make the sinister martial drums and organ layers really dark. It is a pity that the ultra- neutoric sax solo should be so short, since it reallly creates an amazing climax while it lasts. Once the electric piano comes to the frontline, the sax stops being intense and becomes quite evocative. The last two minutes are symptoms of pure jazz-prog majesty in a most orchestrated fashion. Despite its explicitly menacing title, 'Confrontation of the Armies' actually happens to be quite playful, as a nod to what the band used to do in their first two albums. 'The Battle' starts with a tympani-driven orgy (reminding us of Carl Palmer's individual highlights in the classic era of ELP), which deceitfully serves as a prologue to an eerie passage of soaring organ layers, soft baritone sax and vibraphone touches. The first main motif arrives like a mixture of Weather Report and Egg (the Canterbury element is a thing that this band can't seem to take off itself): the resulting development states an alternation of languid and furious moods that eventually lead to a bombastic closing section in which the drums and the saxare literally on fire. This one and 'Alexander' have to be the pinnacles of "Iskander". But there's still more. The following two tracks slow down a bit in order to deliver a more gracious mood: 'Bagoas' has a soft colorfulness to it, adorned with exotic percussions and flute; 'Roxane' takes a romantic approach to the bucolic side of jazz, with very tender lines on flute and stylish piano bases. 'Babylon' brings back the Weather report reference, only this time with a stronger focus on jams delivered on various mid-tempo structures (unlike the more epic 'Iskander' and 'The Battle'). The rhythm section is just superb, with a drummer who knows exactly the right place for each ornament and how to establish a whole sound with the bass player. This piece, while not as composed as tracks 2 and 3, can match their incendiary stance in many passages. 'Looking Back' fills the album's last 4 ½ minutes, with moderate Latin-jazz tones (a trick that was also used in previous releases): the connection between bass, flute and electric piano lands on a coda of the intro. That's how this circle is closed, and this is what Supersister decided to become after the original line-up's crisis: "Iskander" is a peculiar opus in Supersister's world, yet still retaining proficiently the same level of musical excellence in the writing and performing areas. It is reasonable to miss the magic of Mr. Van Geest for this one, but it is a fact (at least to me) that this album is not a letdown at all.

The most brillant and daring albums of Dutch progressive rock and the major work of Supersister. For their last album they have assembled a great line up, consisting of master mind and band genius Robert-Jan Stips on keyboards, bass player Ron van Eck, drummer Herman van Boeijen & jazz-ace Charley Mariano on saxes and similar stuff. Iskander is, as the name well implies, a concept album about the life and times of Alexander the Great. The music on the album isn't easily accessible and it misses the familiar sense of humor, so well known from their previous albums. I think, that just because that absence of this often too adolescent "humor" the "Iskander" sounds far more mature than the other albums. The playing is impeccable and the compositions and arrangements are perfect. The music on "Iskander" ranges from complete Crimsonian chaos in "The Battle" to soft and gentle songs like "Roxane" & "Looking Back" with some fine flute parts to enjoy.The flute part in "Looking Back" is still played by the band's previous flute player Sacha van Geest. The album even contains a track that was released as a single "Bagoas", but that one didn't really reach the charts, although the band could be seen playing it in several rock shows. The band is classified as Canterbury, but I think they sound different. I can advise anyone who wants to discover the Dutch masters of progressive rock and who isn't affraid of a solid dose of jazz added, to try out this great album.