snobb With full respect to French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty for his work as sideman in Mashavishnu Orchestra and partially with Frank Zappa, I have never been a big fan of his solo albums. Ponty's transformation of Gipsy swing to violin shred for middle-class sofa rockers didn't sound attractive,what for sure is a question of taste.

This Ponty early collaborative work attracted me first of all because of Japanese pianist Masahiko Sato,who is stated as co-leader. Sato in late 60s-early 70s was a true free jazz idol on Japanese scene,so I was curious what can he do in a company like this.

Recorded (and released) in 1970, "Astrorama" contains four originals,three -Ponty's and one Sato's. With no doubt it is Ponty's album first of all - his violin fusion shredding absolutely dominates here even if experienced ear can hear some interesting Sato soloing in few places. In accordance with a long lasting Japanese jazz tradition local musicians tried to collaborate with renowned Western jazz stars, such gigs or recordings were tickets of sort to domestic Jazz hall of fame.

Sato, who at the moment of "Astrorama" recording already built up the reputation of most innovative and revolutionary of Japanese "new jazz" pianist,plays electric piano here trying to adapt his very different techniques to Ponty quite conservative jazz fusion's requirements. As a result he sounds more as Corea (or Hancock) on their very early fusion recordings. Rest of the band don't help much as well - drummer Motohiko Hino (brother of renown trumpeter Terumasa Hino) is well known by his heavyweight drumming manners,fitting better to fusion or rock jazz than to more subtle genres. Unknown to me guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo doesn't shine much, and the last quintet member is a European mainstream jazz legend Dane Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen. His presence in band for sure increased the quintet status a lot, but physical and quite conservative groovy acoustic bass lines adds even more eclectics to far not very organic band.

As one can expect from such line-up,resulting music is quite a mixed bag. Ponty feels a true leader and obviously dominates with quite enthusiastic support from electric guitarist and drummer. Sato balances with different success between electric piano fusion passages and more complex,free and partially psychedelic pieces which not always fit well.

Still the year is 1970 and creativity is in the air so in whole "Astrorama" is quite rewarding listening,representing one of deviations of classic fusion on the early stage of the genre.

moodyxadi This album was my introduction for all jazz things. I'm not a jazz aficcionado although I really like bebop and some fusion. Coming from a classic rock background I never care to any jazz til this album came to my hands. It was an wonderful experience because it keeps all the rock energy I was used to blended with that classic jazz/fusion touch. From then on I started to seek Ponty's stuff wherever I was. It came to be that it was his Atlantic years that touch me most and this album is a short but elegant sum of his Alantic output at the time. All in all you have a wonderful band where I must mention Ralphe Armstrong and Casey Scheuerell as the obvious rivals to the man himself. It's a pity there isn't any video from this tour (only the Montreal 82 VOIO is closer but then only keyboard man Zavod is present), it would be great.

If any of you really likes this album I strongly recommend the Lampinski recording of the Pawtucket concert in 1978.

Warthur A high-class late 1970s fusion album from Jean-Luc Ponty, with unexpectedly catchy tunes showing a very mild (but quite noticeable) disco and funk influence. Whilst the idea of disco fusion might sound disastrous, Ponty and his backing musicians show superb judgement in precisely how much disco they allow to creep in, hitting a perfect balance where they use enough to keep things vibrant, energetic, upbeat and catchy, without going too far into schmaltzy kitsch territory. Ponty also makes sure to get the best use out of the talent available to him, the electric guitar contributions of Allan Holdsworth being particularly high quality.

js "Imaginary Voyage" is just one of thousands of funk and progressive rock influenced jazz fusion records that came out in the mid-70s. The songs on this album are good and the musicians are excellent, but give it a spin and boredom is likely to set in before the album is finished. One of the first problems with this record is that it came out in 1976 instead of the earlier part of that decade. If this record had come out before '74 the music would have been fresh and innovative and it would have shown in the musician's playing. Instead, by '76 these guys had already been playing this style, or similar styles, in various bands for more than half a decade. The fact that these guys are on familiar territory shows in the spotless but risk-free solos.

Another problem with this record is the production. For some reason, as the decade wore on, producers felt a need to make jazz fusion into some sort of modern muzak, or fuzak as it has often been referred to. The compression on here is so tight that all the highs and lows in the volume have been taken out leaving a bland sameness. The equalization also aims for that washed-out middle ground. It's a shame because any attempt at high energy playing just doesn't come across on the speakers.

There are two songs on here that deserve special mention, one bad and the other good. "New Country" is the bad, it consists of a pounding disco beat topped with hoe-down fiddle music, need I say more. The good is "Imaginary Voyage" part II which is one of those mysterious Scriabin-like chord progressions that used to be popular with John McLaughlin and people who worked with him in the early 70s. This is a style of jazz-fusion that unfortunately has faded over the years.

This isn't a bad record, but it could have been a lot better if the producers hadn't tried to so hard to squelch everything, and if the musicians would have been willing to take a few risks.

Slartibartfast This album is a real odd bird. I found the LP many years ago in a bin at a salvage store. The credits were rather poor on the LP as they are also on the 1999 CD release. I welcome anyone out there who has better information on this album to send in an update for the entry of this because I'd really like to know more about it.

It's listed on Jean Luc's web site as "Violin Summit" 1966, which is correct for the last six tracks (second side of the LP). The first five tracks are what are really of interest to most Ponty fans. The first five tracks are obviously not from 1966 but most likely from the early 70's, judging from the style of the music. One of the biggest clues here is track three - Memorial Jam for Stuff Smith, who died in 1967.

Some interesting footnotes, Stuff Smith is credited in the liner notes as being "one of the first to play amplified violin". Grappelli was one of the masters of Jazz violin most famous for playing with Django Reinhart in the Hot Club of France band. I had the honor of shaking his hand at his trailer when he played at Chastain Park, Atlanta many years ago!

I've been enjoying this album's music for many years (first side mainly) and it's certainly a must have for Ponty fans. Obscure yet obtainable.