Customer Reviews

Bruford Levin Upper Extremities

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I saw these guys live and must say that this may be the finest moment to date of Bruford and Tony Levin. Bill Bruford's drumming was absolutely SICK and Levin was just so professional and soulful that it just wasn't real. The show prompted me to get the disc they were selling at the show and it was just as good as the live experience. Chris Botti was ultracool, with some Miles davis-like trumpet, and guitarist David Torn has some interesting textures and loops. What they played at the show is all here on the disc, and if you're into avante-jazz or King Crimson, you simply cannot pass this one up. These guys are incredible musicians, and since Bruford & Levin are no longer in Crimso, perhaps they should be doing more of this stuff. This isn't mindless noodling, but solid avante-jazz. Smart musicianship which doesn't bore. I won't go into the individual titles, it's all well executed. If you did dig this album, go to Tony Levin's website and order the double live disc of the shows too. That's another killer.

This album comprises a wide mixture of approaches and styles. While Bruford has acted in the past as the adhesive element, he now tests further the distinction between melody and rhythm as a product of the drum kit. The band is, however, first and foremost a concert band. Do yourself a tremendous justice by tracking them down, and becoming an actual part of the musical experience. The CD lacks the complexity as well as the coherence the band has been able to achieve while playing live.

If you were able to catch the show, you must own the CD. If you missed the show, take a listen to the CD, but you should understand that while it is great, it pales in comparison to the live music generated by the four musicians.

This is not just some vanity project (though due to the other players' tendancies for minmalism, it's an excellent opportunity to focus on Tony Levin's bass playing) or a blowing session. These guys worked together as a unit and clearly tried to develop some new exciting music.

They definitely succeeded, to my ears. The tracks span and sometimes transcend several genres and subgenres of music. To my ears the latter third of the album goes a bit flat, but the first two thirds of it is wonderful stuff, and with each track rather different from the last. If you like music, you'll probably enjoy it. There's a lot of integrity here.

I think the average listener should be warned that some of the tracks, particularly the ones without Chris Botti, are rather avant-garde to the point of including three short tracks with Bruford playing percussion on the guts of an old piano. People who are not familiar with the later work of King Crimson or anything similar might find these pieces to be too far out there. The tracks with Botti are much more accessible and his playing is very good. David Torn also has some amazing moments on guitar, such as in Etude Revisited.

I should mention that I am a big Yes fan and I think Bruford does some great drumming on the CD, particularly on Cerulean Sea. I'm glad that I purchased this recording and I think there is a lot to like on it, but the juxtaposition of the avant-garde with the more traditional jazz tracks with Botti makes the recording as a whole a little uneven and it may not be for everyone.

B.L.U.E is one of the better albums that I heard lately. Chris Botti reminds me Miles Davis at his best, David Torn is a wonderful guitarist, and a leader on the avant-garde, and Tony Levin and Bill Bruford are amazing (Bruford plays a lot of polyrithms here). I love Tony Levin, he's one of the best bass players, but please, Mr. Torn, give us the pleasure of listen playing together Bill Bruford and Mick Karn!