TERJE RYPDAL — Waves (review)

TERJE RYPDAL — Waves album cover Album · 1978 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
Although all the tracks on this album tend to pull from the same sources, each song sounds unique. As usual Rypdal is heavily influenced by free jazz fusion such as early Weather Report and Tony Williams, as well as psychedelic rockers such as Hillage, Gilmour, Hendrix and the mid-70s version of Miles' band. The song 'Per Ulv' opens with a proto-ambient techno drum machine pattern, then adds real drums and alternates between typical Rypdal sustained minor key melodies and late 70s Weather Report style fusion-bop swing. The next song 'Karusell' is very spacious and ambient and features a slow trumpet melody backed by Rypdal's always unique neo-classical chord changes. Unfortunately this song doesn't sustaim momentum and gets a bit dull after a while. This sort of slow "moment form" jazz sounded a lot fresher in the 70s.

'Stenskoven' is a bizarre bit of three time rock cabaret that is a cross between later Doors and Nina Rota, but it is played with a triple track guitar plus synth sound reminiscent of Queen at their bombastic worst, especially when the barroom piano is added at the end. It is definitley a fun song in a sarcastic sort of way. Next comes 'Waves', the sort of song you expect from Terje, a beautiful sustained guitar melody backed by simple held chords on the polysynth.

The 'Dain Curse' starts off like a direct tribute to early Weather Report with some very funky melodic bass lines ala Alphonso Johnson. As the jam picks up steam they sound a lot like some of Miles' more rocking moments with Terje supplying the McLaughlin style guitar and Palle the screaming trumpet counterpoint. The song closes with more or Rypdal's melancholy melodies played by Palle on the trumpet over a funky free-jazz rhythm.

The album closes with 'Charisma' which sounds a lot like the spaced out mellow moments on Miles' Agharta album. Terje pays tribute to the amazing guitar duo on that album by playing the well spaced rhythmic licks of Reggie Lucas as well as the searing solo style of Pete Cosey, Palle adds the melancholy trumpet answers to the bluesy guitar solo.

If you like 70s psychedelic jazz with some European space-rock influence, this is the one.
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