Spheroe - 1978 - Primadonna

Spheroe 

1978 

Primadonna

01. Hep deliler bisi bulur (4:20)
02. Janata express (3:20)
03. Primadonna (5:10)
04. Cocorido (3:25)
05. Karin song (2:40)
06. Arlechino (7:50)
07. Chiaroscuro (2:17)
08. Jeff (4:45)
09. Matin rouge (3:08)
10. Violet (1:20)

- Michel Perez / guitars, synthesizer
- Gerard Maimone / keyboards, vibraphone
- Rido Bayonne / bass, percussion
- Patrick Garel / drums, piano

Second Spheroe album from 1978 entitled Primadonna is a step forward in their jazz rock sound. I've always liked this second album over the first. It's realy something strange that this band is so low rated here, the second album is not only low rated but aswell has no review, I wonder why. Still for me a very pleasent album with a lot to offer. Not necesarly an overblowing band from late '70's in jazz, but thie work, both albums are good and needs a better view if you are in this kind of musicc. I said this is more enjoyble than the first who was also a good one, but this time they are more confident in their skills and have better ideas than on first. Primadonna has the same ingredients as the previous one, jazz rock with some latino leanings, but not as DiMeola, they are more towards Iceberg and Return To Forever in places. All the pieces stands as good for me, in places even very good. I like very much the up tempo of the album with great interplay between musicians. A quite excellent parts , made to me to give easely 3.5 rounded up to 4. Pleasent all the way. One of those albums from the late '70's in jazz that are forgotten.

French jazz rock has a special smell. A subtle, refined aroma of an elite character, almost never intended for export. It is clear that the local musicians could not compete in number with the trendsetters - the Americans - there. They weren’t going to. They simply created to the delight of themselves and the discerning audience, who know how to appreciate the originality, quality and charm of the pieces performed.

Throughout the seventies of the last century, the instrumental quartet Spheroe enjoyed a reputation as one of the best European fusion bands. They were formed in 1972, after which they took a very successful start. However, for the entire subsequent five-year period, the team acted exclusively in the stage version. With the release of the first unnamed LP, the lives of the Spheroe members changed significantly. Critics proclaimed them the new heroes of the genre, and there were countless proposals for cooperation. In an attempt to make up for lost time, the ensemble grabbed at a lot: theatrical performances, festivals, the sound design of art exhibitions ... In addition, the easy-going Frenchmen had time to deal with material for the new disc. When the fresh compositions of Spheroe took on their proper form, the group put them in the basis of the concert program. Workshop light and music shows attracted the attention of the audience. And, of course, the profit from the sales of the debut release served as an additional element of joy for the artists. Feeling at the peak of their own technical capabilities, Spheroe went to the Swiss studio Aquarius, where, under the experienced guidance of sound engineer Jean Ristori (ex-leader of the Mainhorse proto-prog formation), they recorded the LP "Primadonna" ...

The disc opens with a playful (if not playful) sketch of "Hep Deliler Bisi Bulur" by organist Gerard Mehman. The dialogue he designed for guitar and keyboards is delivered in a fun and virtuoso way: Michel Perez's chiseled six-string parts are heavily powered by a vast analog arsenal, including Moog synthesizers, ARP strings ensemble and Hammond C3. In general, it is a lively, positive piece that sets the listener in the right mood. Etude "Janata Express" (written by drummer / keyboardist Patrick Garel) tends towards a more formatted, "commercial" variety of fusion rock; the center of attention here is the rhythmic component, even in pitch, decorated perhaps with Fender Rhodes piano chords and the callsigns of the Hi Fly guitar synthesizer. The title piece brings a lyrical note to the hitherto vigorous narration; the composer's alliance between maestro Meman and bassist Rideau Bayonne gave birth to a beautiful elegiac story, wrapped in an "art" veil. An expressive and heartfelt passage that deserves the warmest words. Drive, irrepressible enthusiasm and a motley string of sun glare reign supreme in the opus "Cocorido" saturated with entertaining specifics, from where a completely marvelous view of the magical electro-acoustic number "Karin Song" opens up, performed in the manner of fellow tribesmen of Spheroe - the symphonic sextet of Terpandre. An extremely pleasant kaleidoscope of melodic shades meets us in the canvas of the extended track "Arlecchino", harmoniously combining exquisite progressions with characteristic jazz-rock techniques. The palette of a short sketch of "Chiaroscuro" seamlessly coexists with abrupt synth-cosmisms and a colorful background that is absolutely earthy in spirit. The bottom line is two positions demonstrating various fusion spectra - from complex mid-tempo panoramas of a nostalgic sense ("Jeff") to standardized unpretentious themes ("Matin Rouge"), plus a pacified keyboard-percussion ending "Violet", rhythmically flowing with an impressionistic cascade ...