MUSHROOMaWith a title nicked from a cult conspiracy film and conversational song titles merging Dadaism with Nick Drake (cf. “If songs were lines in a conversation…”), this live disc captures our favourite jazz-rock tribal psychedelic scenesters in full bloom at San Francisco’s now-defunct Tip Top Inn on March 1st 2000. Improvisation has always been Mushroom’s hallmark, and this show suggests personal listening sessions spiked with heavy doses of progressive British jazz (Nucleus, Keith Tippet, Soft Machine, King Crimson) and avant garde krautrock (Can, Faust, Amon DΓΌΓΌl).
The hallucinatory, 1000-yard stare, hour-long set features a three-piece horn section chasing bumblebees around the stage whilst Pat Thomas, Erik Pearson and John Sanders telepathically interweave drum, guitar and keyboard solos. The daydreamy ‘Taco Heel’ is a personal favourite among many highlights. Truly a case for playing twice before listening, as each experience reveals hidden nuances.
Jeff Penczak
No comments:
Post a Comment