Randy Roos - 1978 - Mistral

Randy Roos 

1978

Mistral

01. Stew

02. Platypus

03. Inward Stroke

04. The Hunt

05. Horizon Game

06. Innisfree

07. Marcel Marceau (Three Little Things)

Bass – Neil Stubenhaus

Drums – Louis DeAndrade

Electric Guitar – Mike Stern

Guitar – Randy Roos

Percussion – Alyrio Lima

Tabla – Shashi Pandit (tracks: 3,6)

Boston based Berklee graduate guitarist Randy Roos was originally in a band called Orchestra Luna, an album that used to turn up quite a bit in my crate digging days. This album is quite a bit different from that, and is a guitar fronted instrumental jazz fusion - a style that was quite popular back in those days, especially from Masters level grad students like Roos. It's the rougher edge that Roos brings forth that I find appealing, and thus scores an extra point from me. Roos is clearly a master of his instrument of choice, and overall Mistral will occasionally call out Al Di Meola circa Elegant Gypsy or Casino. I was also reminded of the German group Syncrisis, in the more fiery moments. Essential for fans of guitar fronted fusion.

The CD label describes the music as: "Masterfully playing a variety of fretted and fretless guitars, Roos demonstrates why its time for this overlooked gem to be revisited. Mistral is pure high energy fusion that will appeal to fans of Jeff Beck and Return To Forever."