BRIAN AUGER — Live Oblivion Vol. 1 (as Brian Auger's Oblivion Express) (review)

BRIAN AUGER — Live Oblivion Vol. 1 (as Brian Auger's Oblivion Express) album cover Live album · 1974 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sean Trane
Yet another change into the Express’ line-up, with percussionist Laington having left and allowing space for the returning Ligertwood on vocals and supposedly percussion. If memory serves, their next release would also be a live album with the same artwork (strongly inspired from CTI and SA) but in pink colour. Why they didn’t issue a double live album is beyond me, especially knowing they were the rage around. Blue or Pink colours sounds like a maternity) but in either case, the flavour is the one of a group that seems completely lost

After an overstretched jam of Beginning Again bringing nothing new, but at least showing a little energy, the group takes up Don’t Look Away (from Second Wind), where guitarist Mills gets to strut his stuff and finally compare favourably to his predecessor Mullen. Again the track is overstaying its welcome by at least three minutes, but I suppose this kind of funk arrangement and live settings allowed for inflated duration times. The flipside holds another two lengthy tracks, including an almost definitive version of Bumping On Sunset (also obligatory given that the gig was on Sunset strip in LA), vastly livelier than the soporific SA studio version. Last up is Truth, which sounds a little too inspired from Situation from the Jeff Beck Group’s Rough & Ready album, bassist Clive Chaman being the obvious link here. In either case, beit from the track’s name or the actual songwriting, attributing it to Ligertwood is a little dodgy in my eyes.

Oddly enough, despite Ligertwood’s presence on vocals, all Santana hints are gone in this live recording. If Alex would join up Santana, it wouldn’t up until 79’s Marathon and he is definitely not a good percussionist: he’s almost absent (or inaudible) bar a few diddles on Sunset. While I wouldn’t call this album useless at all, I’d rather have seen it as a double (rather than two singles), which would’ve still not made it essential, but at least more desirable to own.
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

Jason Stein, Marilyn Crispell, Damon Smith, Adam Shead : Spi​-​raling Horn Avant-Garde Jazz
JASON STEIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Utopia Jazz Related Improv/Composition
OLIVER LUTZ
Buy this album from MMA partners
Charlie Pyne Quartet : Nature Is A Mother Vocal Jazz
CHARLIE PYNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Norma Winstone & Kit Downes : Outpost of Dreams Vocal Jazz
NORMA WINSTONE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Djabe & Steve Hackett : When the Sound Turns Sweet Fusion
DJABE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

FULL ALBUM - Oliver Lutz - Utopia w/ Leif Berger, Constantin Krahmer
OLIVER LUTZ
js· 3 hours ago
Lift
DAVE WILSON (US/NZ)
js· 2 days ago
Nature is a Mother
CHARLIE PYNE
js· 2 days ago
Marta Warelis solo @ FourOneOne 5-11-23
MARTA WARELIS
js· 2 days ago
The Chapparrals - Shake Your Head (US, 1978) [Full LP] {Funk, Disco, Soul} ??ULTRA RARE KILLER LP??
THE CHAPPARRALS
js· 3 days 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