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Bruford

One of a Kind - Remastered Vinyl Edition

Review by Gary Hill

This album, the second from Bill Bruford's solo project that went by his last name, is just getting a great remastered vinyl release from his own Winterfold Records. The lineup on the album is Bruford on drums and percussion along is Jeff Berlin on bass guitar, Allan Holdsworth on guitar and Dave Stewart handling keyboards and electronics. They are joined by a couple guests at different points. The music here lands along the zone of jazz fusion, but it sometimes moves more toward pure jazz, and other times leans a little more on the prog rock side of the equation. All four of those musicians are among my favorites on their instruments, so you can expect greatness here. This is an exceptional album and great vinyl release.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 2 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
Side One

                    

Hell's Bells

Some keyboards open this, and they work out as a group from there. This has a good energy and groove. I'm not overly crazy about the keyboard tones on the main riff, but other keyboard elements work better. This shifts into more of a meaty fusion jam for a time later and that keyboard sound I don't care for it drops away. There is some amazing guitar work on this second section. That keyboard part returns as the opening section gets a reprise late.

One of a Kind, Pt. 1
I like the keyboard sound on this much better. This has some killer twists and turns in a great fusion-styled jam. This is a real powerhouse with some intriguing twists and changes. It also has more smoking hot guitar work.
One of a Kind, Pt. 2
This comes out of the previous tune and has some scorching, more experimental fusion built into it. It's a real powerhouse jam that is so cool.
Travels with Myself – And Someone Else

Mellower and more melodic, this has a more traditional jazz groove in some ways. There is some killer piano work. It does get more energized and rocking as it continues, though. There is also some smoking hot bass work further down the road. This evolves in some cool ways getting into some particularly classy jazz fusion.

Fainting in Coils

Talking starts this, and those voices get processing on them as the track continues. Then they launch out into another killer fusion jam. I love everything about this, but the bass work and drumming particularly stand out for me. Then again, Allan Holdsworth is on guitar, so you know that will be exceptional. A shift to slower, more melodic rock styled stuff is an intriguing change. It drops to just keyboards as that winds down. Eventually other things gradually emerge before it explodes out into some killer jazz prog bombast. That section evolves and eventually takes it to a satisfying conclusion.

Side Two
            
Five G

Frantic, funky bass work starts the second side of the record. The arrangement fills out, and we're taken into more smoking hot fusion jamming. This has some cool shifts and changes and really works very well. In fact, I think this is one of my favorites on the album. Everyone manages to really shine on this thing.

The Abingdon Chasp
More killer fusion is on the menu here. This has a tendency toward the more melodic, but there are some still some intriguing timings and twists at play throughout. A faster groove later has some killer jamming over the top of it. It drops to a slower and mellower movement from there and continues evolving. This just keeps changing as it goes along.
Forever Until Sunday
A much mellower motif gets things underway here. There are some hints of world music here to a large degree because of the guest appearance by Eddie Jobson on violin. This works outward gradually and then explodes into some powerhouse jazz jamming as it continues.
The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1
This comes up gradually with somewhat ambient elements getting it going. Piano rises up in fairly frantic ways. Eventually the arrangement fills out and we're taken into a fast-paced jazz-prog jam that is so classy. There is sort of a trippy thing that takes over for a time. Then it fires back out into fast-stuff that elevates the previous themes.
The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2
The rhythm section takes command in a more prog rock oriented section. This builds outward with something that's both fusion oriented and yet calls to mind King Crimson and Yes to some degree.
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