Customer Reviews

Endless Jam

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I usually don't care for remakes, but in this case I will make an exception. Michael Schenker put's his indellible mark on these classics like Michael Angelo on the Cystene chapel. The rhythm section is great...Aynsley Dunbar is the perfect timekeeper, Gunter on bass does a really good job. Davey Pattison is better than I expected. I'm just wondering why this was'nt called Schenker's Endless Jam. His solos are more than half the song. This is not typical for Michael, his solos are always within the framework of the piece. Hold on to your hat, Schenker is on Fire! This is without a doubt one of the best performances I have ever heard. It sounds like his leads were done live. His speed and tone are incredible, his melody and feel are unmatched. Check out "Shapes of Things" and "I Got The Fire" for speed. "Hey Joe" and "Pearly Queen" for his tone. "A Whiter Shade" and "Theme For an Imaginary Western" for his feel. But my favorite track is the Robin Trower classic "Long Misty Days". Schenker is unbelievable on this one, every facet of his playing is displayed. At 49 Mr. Schenker still Rules. Get It!

Grizzled vets Michael Schenker, Dave Pattison, and Aynsley Dunbar team up to re-work a bucket of hoary old classics and danged if they don't generate a shower of sparks and some genuine heat. No mean trick given that you've likely heard many of these tunes a million times. I know I went in jaded and came out with my ears pinned back. Basically it's a Schenker does Jeff Beck-Jimi Hendrix-Robin Trower-Ronnie Montrose outing, and the German axemeister is stunningly clean, nasty and ferocious throughout. He's one of the few guitarists who can carry a long solo, continually escalating the power and dynamics, his hornet's nest flurries refusing to let your interest wander. He's in top form on the Hendrix chestnut "Hey, Joe" and does superb justice to Robin Trower's swirling and very moving "Long Misty Days." Longtime Trower fans will be familiar with Dave Pattison, who smoothly handles the warbling on everything except the opener - the Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things" - which seems to strain his reach and sense of phrasing at times. My only other quibble is that this clambake could have used at least one more balls-out rocker like "I Got The Fire", but all in all it's a solid, meaty work that is well worth killing your china pig to purchase.

An album of cover tunes.

We start with Shape of Things and it is quite tasty. I'm surprised.

Next up is a very impressive Schenkerized version of Hey Joe. Again I'm surprised because his last bunch of albums have been boring & derivative but this album is fabulous. Even though Schenker is utilizing different guitar sounds compared to his early 80's work, his fingerwork and melodious inventions are sounding quite nice & spicy. He seems to be working with more sustain & chorus...

We're now at Pearly Queen and it too sounds damn good. Schenker is showing us that he still has the guts of a hotshot guitarist. HE CAN STILL TEAR IT UP. I can't believe it either. Mind you, it would be foolish to expect him to still be able to sound & play like he did 20 years ago, but for a man of 49 he sounds really good. It blows my mind.

The next track is Whiter Shade of Pale. It has alot of fanciness about it that sort of turns me off...but that's just me.

Next up is Never In My Life and it sounds okay, but it doesn't strike me as anything special---and yet, I wouldn't skip this track.

Next is Robin Trower's Long Misty Days. It's a bit repetitive sometimes but still sounds pretty. It's nice to hear Schenker using guitar effects that you've never heard him use before.

Next up is a spirited rendition of Montrose's I Got The Fire. Schenker plays it better than Ronnie Montrose but Pattison doesn't sing it as well as Sammy Hagar (no one could). Still, it's a good song.

Next up is Voyager from Gamma (aka: Ronnie Montrose). It's a keeper. Quite good.

Up next is The Stealer. It's a good bluesy & rocky number. I like it.

Next up is the wistful Theme From An Imaginary Western. Here Michael is joined on guitar by one of his adolescent heroes Leslie West. It's not bad.

And now we've reached the final song Built For Comfort. I was a bit disappointed the first time I heard this because Schenker isn't playing it nearly as fluidly (nor filling in all the gaps) like he did with UFO on their Phenomenon album. But I have grown to like it after listening to it a couple of more times. It has a mature, funky & crunchy feel about it unlike the UFO version.

All in all this is a damn good album. Aynsley Dunbar is on drums and does a fine job. Gunter Nezhoda plays bass like the pro he is. And yes, Davey Pattison can still sing as well as he did with Robin Trower and Ronnie Montrose back in the 1980's. As long as you are willing to embrace Schenker's "new" 21st century sound & style, you will be glad to own this album. I know I am.

Yes, I know it sounds strange, Michael Schenker doing cover tunes, but this just flat out rocks! This one and it's slightly better companion "The Endless Jam Continues" are just fantastic and a great way to escape your cube while still sitting there. That's the beauty of good music- you can be a million miles away while some corporate stooge is giving you orders. Just nod your head, click on the mouse and JAM :)

If you love the old Schenker (UFO-No Heavy Petting, etc.) you will love this C.D. This is the first C.D. I have purchased that I truly love in the past five years. If you love Schenker you will love this C.D.

I've bought nearly every record/CD that Mr. Schenker has played on for about 30 years now. I can't seem to help myself - I still hold out some hope that sooner or later that he'll make another one that I REALLY like. Needless to say, I have kicked myself alot lately. Oh sure, there have been great songs and guitar playing along the way, but I mean a whole album. I picked this one up recently along with UFO "You Are Here" (which I wouldn't recommend any of you do).
Suffice it to say, that Endless Jam makes up for alot of what he has thrown together lately. What is strange is that I really wasn't part of the sixties scene where most of this music came from, and with the exception of Hendrix, I never really cared to listen to it. I can't seem to put this down. While this is unmistakably Schenker, he has set aside the tone most of us associate with him for a more raw sound that really suits the songs here. None of that 90's LA sound he picked up from Ratt, etc., no ovation acoustic, just Michael playing his heart out on
a V against some good songs with a tight rhythm section and a guy who can really sing. I don't know if I would have liked this
when I was 20 or 30 something, but at 40 something, I love it.

This album is exactly what Michael schenker needed. Sure all of his post Unforgiven releases were solid albums but they lacked the intensity of his earlier albums. On this album he is in true schencker form. The Guitar work is simply breathtaking. Shcenker does his best shredding in 7 years on this album, yet at the same time he remains faithful to the original materials soul, whike transforing it into his own masterpiece. He also abondoned the acustic guitar that has been haunting his albums since the Mcaully Schenker Group days. I hope Schenker can follow up this album with an excellent new MSG album.

SCHENKER IS THE MAN AND PATTISONS VOCALS ARE GREAT.
SCHENKERS SIGNATURE SOUND MAKES THESE CLASSICS SOUND
VERY MELODIC WITH LOTS OF FEELING. WHITER SHADE IS
AWSOME AS IS HEY JOE. MS ALSO SHOWS HES STILL ONE OF THE BEST
GUITARIST. KILLER LEAD BREAKS THROUGH OUT EVERY SONG.
IT IS AN ENDLESS JAM. GREAT CD BUY IT.

I have listened to this CD 3 or 4 times so far. Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, MSG) is one of the best rock guitarists in the world and he has added his great style to these classic rock tunes. Michael has assembled a tremendous line-up of musicians for this project including; Leslie West (Mountain and West, Bruce and Lang), Dave Pattison (Robin Trower), Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Etc.). I consider this a "Must Own" for anyone who likes classic rock. It adds an updated sound to the old tunes and the 60's and 70's feel is still there. I highly recomend this CD!

The highlight of this album for me is Mountain king Leslie West. His legendary tone and vibrato work sores in Theme For An Imaginary Western. Leslie is ALL ABOUT IMPROV. And he jams great here. Dont listen to the other reviewer here who thinks Leslie never plays this song the same way. Leslie NEVER plays a song the same way twice, which is how he reinvents himself now 40+ years going.

GREAT ALBUM.