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.

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.

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.

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.

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.