Solar Plexus by Ian Carr With Nucleus from 1971.
I spoke at length about Ian Carr and Nucleus when reviewing Elastic Rock, their debut album, We'll Talk About It Later, a masterpiece, and Ian Carr: Belladonna.
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz trumpeter, composer, writer, and teacher, among the founders of Nucleus and the Rendell/Carr Quintet. He also wrote important biographies of jazz musicians Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett and was a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Nucleus, whom he founded, is a British jazz-rock band formed in 1969 and active until 2009. Their debut album, Elastic Rock, is a true masterpiece, and from then on, Nucleus evolved from progressive and psychedelic rock to a funky-accented sound, becoming one of the most influential bands in modern jazz.
Solar Plexus, which falls chronologically between We'll Talk About It Later and Ian Carr: Belladonna, is also a milestone in British jazz-rock/fusion, a record of great technical refinement, featuring Carr's structured compositions and exceptional performances by all the musicians.
The album differs from its predecessors in being composed entirely by Ian Carr and featuring a distinctly orchestral jazz sound, less oriented toward hard rock, thanks to a larger horn section that includes exceptional guests, including Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett.
The album is based on two themes introduced in the opening track "Elements I & II," which are then developed in subsequent tracks ("Changing Times," "Spirit Level," "Bedrock Deadlock," "Torso") and fused together in the longer final track, "Snakehips' Dream."
The sound is characterized by rhythmic funk moments and meditative, experimental jazz passages, but also by medieval music with more or less explicit references to Miles Davis from the "Bitches Brew" period, while still maintaining a distinct identity.
All the musicians, particularly Harry Beckett's flugelhorn solos, Brian Smith's soprano saxophone, and John Marshall's drumming, excel in their performances. Chris Spedding's guitar, while present, is less prominent than on previous albums, leaving more space for the wind arrangements.
- Elements I & II is a short, experimental opening track with extensive use of the VCS3 synthesizer and bowed double bass, with a cosmic atmosphere, and introduces the album's two main themes.
- Changing Times develops the first theme with a funky mood, an orchestral piece featuring Kenny Wheeler's magnificent flugelhorn and Tony Roberts' splendid tenor saxophone with a pressing rhythm section.
- "Bedrock Deadlock" develops the second theme, with a beautiful and melancholic oboe introduction by Karl Jenkins and double bass, then evolves into jazz-rock with a guitar riff by Chris Spedding and beautiful sax and trumpet solos.
- "Spirit Level" returns to the first theme with ethereal atmospheres and dissonances, a beautiful interplay between bass clarinet and electric bass, and a magnificent flugelhorn solo by Harry Beckett.
- "Torso" is a piece dedicated to the second, more rhythmic theme, featuring Brian Smith's great soprano sax and an extraordinary solo by John Marshall on drums.
- "Snakehips' Dream" is a final suite lasting about 15 minutes that blends the two themes. It's a hypnotic piece reminiscent of Miles Davis' "In a Silent Way," with at times tribal rhythms, exceptional keyboards, and beautiful wind instruments and synthesizers.
This album saw the pioneering use of the VCS3 synthesizer (played by Keith Winter) in a jazz context, creating "cosmic" and experimental atmospheres that anticipated future electronic sounds. Its integration with classical instruments like the oboe and bassoon, along with a powerful horn section, elevated the sophistication of fusion arrangements of the time.
An Excellent album.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.
Tracklist
1. Elements I & II (2:12)
2. Changing Times (4:44)
3. Bedrock Deadlock (6:52)
4. Spirit Level (9:20)
5. Torso (6:12)
6. Snakehips Dream (15:16)
Duration 44:36
LineUp
- Ian Carr - trumpet, flugelhorn (6 players only)
- Karl Jenkins - oboe (3 players only), baritone saxophone, electric piano
- Brian Smith - tenor (6 players only) and soprano (5 players only), flute
- Chris Spedding - guitar
- Jeff Clyne - bass, double bass (3 players only)
- John Marshall - drums (5 players only), percussion
Featuring:
- Keith Winter - VCS3 synthesizer
- Kenny Wheeler - trumpet and flugelhorn (1, 2, 5, 6 players only)
- Harry Beckett - trumpet and flugelhorn (3, 4 players only)
- Tony Roberts - tenor saxophone (2 players only), bass clarinet (4 players only)
- Ron Matthewson - bass (4 players only)
- Chris Karan - percussion
