Customer Reviews

Entrance

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After over 35 years of music collecting, I still see only one "Entrance." Edgar and brother Johnny collaborate on an explosion of unforgettably delectable fusion ideas, brought to life with a dead aim that's still fresh today. Side 1 comprises a suite that meshes and melds to perfection. Side 2 includes standalone tunes, including "Tobacco Road," the only one I ever heard played on the radio (a pathetic shame...). If you love and appreciate good composition, you'll be amazed at the torrent of fluid music that holds Entrance together. One of my top 100 of all time, and definitely an unknown gem. At Amazon's low price, there's no reason NOT to own it!

Long ago, I was a Johnny Winter fan, and listened to this album because it was his brother...It wasn't rock and roll, but for some reason I REALLY liked it..as I aged, and my tastes turned to jazz, this remained as one of my most prized collections.The performances are flawless, the studio mixing is superb, the tunes are well-written...I can't say enough for this album.
There are very few things you'l buy that will still make the hairs stand up on your neck 30 years later, but this is one...there are no bad tunes here, and it should be a part of everyone's collection that appreciates well-written, well-executed, well-mixed jazz/rock music of this type....it's hard to beat.

Edgar's first album is still one of his best. His extraordinary voice, his energetic sax and keyboard playing are all heard to great advantage here. The strong jazz infuence may come as a surprise to those who only know him from "Free Ride" and later but it's a style that he is obviously quite at home in. The best part of this record is remarkable compositional talent that Edgar displayed at such a young age. Everything about this record is first rate and even though I'm a fan of most everything he's done, this is still my favorite Edgar Winter recording of all time. Just buy it!

Edgar Winter's first album is in many ways his best, and one of the greatest debut albums ever. Of course, those fans who came to know and love the later, arena-rock Edgar may hate it (see some of the other reviews here). This album is a potpourri of jazz, soul, and rock. Very strong writing and arranging (although I don't think the lyrics on side one are great), excellent playing from the session musicians, especially bassist Gene Kurtz, as well as featured players Edgar and brother Johnny (on a burning Tobacco Road). At this time Edgar's singing was influence mainly by Mose Allison, which the negative reviewers on this page would know if they knew anything. It's a unique, melodic, groovy record which I highly recommend to all those with open ears.

I first heard this album through the walls of my college dorm room about 30 years ago. It grew on me and I finally had to have a copy for myself. Frankly, I would never have discovered it on my own. Like Traffic's "John Barleycorn Must Die" "Entrance" defies simple categorization, received little, if any, air-play and was far from mainstream top 40. 30 years later this album is still relevant and enjoyable. I've owened it on LP, Casette Tape and finally on CD. The first 7 cuts are a biographical pouring out of Edgar's soul responding to the world's reaction to his uniqe physical appearance and I thank him for the look inside. If you listen to this CD and don't get moved please have someone contact the mortuary because your are no longer among the living.

I've been trying to find this in CD format for years. As I read some of the reviewer's comments I was not surprised how few understand what Edgar was doing and feeling. This isn't the recording he would make money or fame on, but this is where you hear the progressive jazz that rocked the era's reviewers. Not the Rock & Roll world. The New York Times and other publications gave him outstanding RAVE reviews. He made Playboy's list as the Best New Jazz performer AND their ALL-STAR band at Sax.

Side one on the LP each song segued into the next. In the lyrics he tells the listeners that though he loves jazz and blues, he is going to try to make some money in music. Side two first song contained a huge hit with his rendition of "Tobacco Road," a powerful, emotionally devastating masterpiece that propelled him into the national spotlight. The personnel on Entrance featured Johnny Winter and his band with the legendary players, Tommy Shannon on bass and "Papa" John Turner on drums.

I bought the original vinyl when it was released, then the cassette and finally the CD here at Amazon.

Buy it knowing that the first 7 songs will not sound like any Winter you've ever heard, but song 8 is the signature Winter sound. In my opinion, this is a must have classic and the professional reviewers raved for good reason.

I too first listened to Edgar in the wake of his brother Johnny's hits. Having a dad who was a jazz drummer introduced me to music genres on a wide scale compared to most of my counterparts in the 60's and 70's. I don't remember how I came to be in posession of Entrance, but I knew as soon as my dad asked me who I was listening to, that it deserved attention. For those reviewers who 'don't get it', it takes a sofisticated palette willing to be taken on the journey. The precursor of many of Edgar's 'hits' to come are hidden inside a melodic, soul-filled, jazz-drenched trip that never gets old, listen after listen. I too, have searched for this on cd without success. I'm only hoping my vinyl will last till I find one. A must have in anyone's collection!

mr. winter has quite an album for us. The final cut, Jimmy's Gospel is quite enjoyable.

The album was released in 1970; this 1992 version must be remastered or something...

Definition of the Jazz-fusion musician in the Miles Davis vein- that of highly skilled jazz musicians who acquired a heavy rock influence; and the genre having been carried on and explored by those who crossed paths with Miles Davis in the beginning (which became a veritable who's who list in the jazz fusion of the 1970's).

Definition of Edgar Winter's diametrically opposite direction- highly skilled rock-rooted musicians with a love for the complexities of jazz. This direction has not been carried on and explored, because very few rock-rooted musicians can touch it. Too bad, when I first heard this (listen to the "Jump Right Out" and "Peace Pipe" samples) I saw a lot of artistic promise in that direction, albeit by the very few who could technically do it.

Too bad Edgar Winter had to get away from this rock/jazz direction (I'm guessing for record company/financial reasons?)- "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride" were nice, and I'm glad he finally made some money, but to one who had already heard this album (which preceded those) they were pale and primitive by artistic comparison; actually, pretty depressing. Too bad his success had to come with dumbed-down music... and he just got dumber (to please tunnel-visioned execs?), what a tragic waste and misdirection of talent. Maybe he's not too old (and rich enough now) to pick this direction up again (since he's one of the few who can), somehow I think the human race needs it... and to rub salt into an artistic wound, this album didn't even rate a link in Wikipedia!

Rarely does an album sound better almost 40 years after it was recorded. However, Entrance truly delivers on all levels.

The intricate complexity of journeyman-class instrumentals, overlaid with enthusiasticly painted vocals from a pail of insightful lyrics, is something one would have expected at the end, rather than at the beginning, of a lifelong musicians career.

Whether it is the emotional delivery of Loudermilk's classic "Tobacco Road" - wherein you sense the autobiographical, cathartic release of a tortured young man - to the nimble keyboarding and vocalization of Mose Allison proportions applied throughout, this album alternate rocks and rolls.

While others of his generation were out ham fisting riffs ala "Smoke On The Water", Edgar's finely-crafted sound textures stand out in their field as they carry us away on other-wordly clouds of emotion, as well exemplified on "A Different Game."

Yes, anyone who was looking for a Stevie Wonder clone should go elsewhere: This music is for adults only!