NUCLEUS — Live at the Theaterhaus (review)

NUCLEUS — Live at the Theaterhaus album cover Live album · 1980 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sean Trane
Again released on the German label Mood, this Stuttgart concert feels like a swansong for Nucleus, with even the faithful Geoff Castle now gone, and although the amazing John Marshall returns on drums, it doesn’t help rekindle the flame. Indeed, the rest of the line-up consists (outside of the unmovable Carr) of rather unknown sidekicks, including a guitarist that toys with guitar synths (the atrocious Synclavier, I guess). Again graced with a grim grey & black photo-shoot (the group has come down from the fire escape onto the back-alley ;o))), as far as I know this was to be the last Nucleus release when the band was still active.

The general feel of the album is more of a standard-jazz than anything fusion-esque, with the 12-mins Bouquet Pour Ma Belle baing frankly very early 60’s-ish, and Wood’s guitar sounding like René Thomas with some effects. Personally I find it very boring and jump the track ASAIC, but the following For Miles And Miles cannot hide that it’s Miles-inspirations will be very 60’s-ish as well, even if fretless, synclaviers and Rhodes are all over the track, it sounds quite retro, even when the band suddenly wakes-up, it doesn’t sound too jazz-rock or fusion. Only Easy Does It Now sounds fusion-esque enough to sit in a Nucleus, and even then, it is somewhat of a stretch, but the fretless and funky drums do change from much of the rest of the album, along with a real electric guitar solo… clearly the etter track, really.

Somewhat un-Nucleus an album, if you’re into updated standard-y jazz, this Theaterhaus recording might be up your alley, but this fusionhead will pass on it, because it’s not my cup of tea, and in some extreme way, even look at it as un-worthy of the Nucleus moniker. WStill good in its own genre, I’d have much preferred that this album bore Carr’s name instead of his legendary group, because it might have been less misleading.

Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Ernesto Rodrigues, Bruno Parrinha & Johannes von Buttlar : Whispers and Reveries Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Carlos Bechegas, João Madeira & Monsieur Trinité : Free to Open Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Floros Floridis, Ernesto Rodrigues, Guilherme Rodrigues & Ulf Mengersen : Xafnikes Synantiseis Jazz Related Improv/Composition
FLOROS FLORIDIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Vinny Golia Quintet 2024 : Almasty Avant-Garde Jazz
VINNY GOLIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 15 hours ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 15 hours ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed