Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris [LIVE] [IMPORT]

Soft Machine

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 1995)
• Original Release Date: 1978
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Import
• Label: See for Miles UK
• ASIN: B00000119V
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #464,254 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. White Kite

2. Eos

3. Odds Bullets and Blades, Pt. 1

4. Odds Bullets and Blades, Pt. 2

5. Song of the Sunbird

6. Puffin

7. Huffin

8. Number Three

9. Nodder

10. Surrounding Silence

11. Soft Space

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fractal Effect, March 1, 2001

By	Julian Boyce (Singapore, - Singapore) - See all my reviews

If intelligent fusion is your thing - and it must be if you've accessed this particluar band and this very web page, then you can chill out to some of the best live fusion EVER (excepting Brand X, Mahavisnu Orchestra and Weather Report), with this understated SM masterpiece. Why the fractal effect? Because one slice of sound leads into another wider echo, and into another wider echo until, before you know it, you've gotta turn the vinyl over (thank God for the cd), and stay mesmerized until the end. Apart from Karl Jenkins (who's got all pretentious these last few years with soft new age), you'll also discover the superb John Marshall on drums and, for me, one of the best jazz-rock guitarists EVER: John Etheridge. In fact track 2 is practically a religious experience under the Etheridge fretwork that only the best of Holdsworth, McClaughlin and Metheny can equal. And while on the subject, check out 2nd Vision (also featuring John Etheridge and Ric Saunders>, for a superbsound charge into celtic/jazz/rock fusion.

4.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC JAZZ-ROCK FUSION, October 29, 1999

By A Customer

In my opinion, along with BrandX and ColosseumII the Bundles/Softs lineup of Soft Machine were the best of 1970's fusion and at least the equal of any of the rated American groups. With this live C.D. the typical energetic,dynamic Softs style is augmented with the addition of a violin player(Rick Sanders)complementing the great John Marshall(drums) and the hugely under-rated John Etheridge(guitar). The Karl Jenkins compositions are again impressive and Steve Cooke(bass)cooks(excuse the pun)up a storm with John Marshall which really powers the outfit along. Certainly Odds Bullets and Blades;Puffin and Huffin are lively exciting pieces which provide the highlights in what is overall a very impressive effort. The only reasons I have not given it 5 stars are that the last track,Soft Space,is rather disco-ish and the mix seems rather flat sonically with a lack of space and "air" to the sound. But if high quality musicianship, inventiveness and originality are required in your listening do yourself a favour and listen to this.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Getting A Little Chilly, May 22, 2001

By	JOHN SPOKUS (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well played,well recorded, yet unimaginative. This music is more like a new agey Windham Hill type band only with more furious Al Dimeola style electric guitar. This was basically an "in name only" Soft Machine, with just about all it's core members gone save for Karl Jenkins(and he's not an original Soft either) who has forsaken any horn playing and stuck to keyboards here. Guitarist John Etheridge is a shredder without the personality and voice of an Alan Holdsworth.