First Seven Days

Jan Hammer | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GN242
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,850 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #11 in Music > World Music > Europe > Eastern Europe > Czech Republic

Track Listings

1. Darkness/Earth in Search of a Sun

2. Light/Sun

3. Oceans and Continents

4. Fourth Day/Plants and Trees

5. The Animals

6. Sixth Day - The People

7. The Seventh Day

Editorial Reviews

It's not clear on what day God created fusion, but Jan Hammer was there to receive it-and all his fans give thanks! This ambitious, utterly unique 1975 LP finds the keyboard virtuoso using electric piano, Moog, Mellotron and more to evoke Earth's creation; it's a seven-part suite of jazz, rock and classical, a stunning concept LP by a fusion pioneer! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great synth prog from former Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboardist, June 16, 2006

By 

Jeffrey J.Park (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Seven Days (Audio CD)

As a huge Mahavishnu Orchestra fan, I was pretty excited when I stumbled across this 1975 album, which has been nicely remastered by Columbia. This album features Jan playing all of the instruments including acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, moog synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer and digital sequencer, Freeman string synthesizer, and mellotron along with a full drum kit. As it turns out, he is a pretty good drummer. Steve Kindler provides some violin work here and there, while David Earle Johnson provides percussion on The Animals and Sixth Day People.

The music on The First Seven Days is a far cry from the full-out rave ups on Mahavishnu albums like Inner Mounting Flame (1971) and Birds of Fire (1973). Rather, this is a very prog rock sounding album, with loads of synthesizers, European classical influences, rock influences, and with very little in the way of jazz. In general, the pieces range from quiet piano interludes to heavier tracks that feature the drums (the title track for example). In general though, all of the tracks are very atmospheric and synth-heavy.

For those of you that are curious, this album is not an exercise in mere "blowing". Although Jan does flex some Mahavishnu-like muscle from time to time, the pieces are generally carefully composed and arranged, and exhibit a great deal of restraint for somebody with such tremendous "chops".

All in all this album is very highly recommended to prog fans, exploratory Mahavishnu Orchestra fans, and possibly even electronica fans.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After 30 years..., June 9, 2005

By 

Grrr "g-man" (ALASKA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Seven Days (Audio CD)

Literally, after 30 years, this album is still as fresh, inspired and contemporary as it ever was for me. I'm not being sentimental, either. A timeless beauty. As has been mentioned by others, his Miami Vice "mortgage paying gig" is no reflection on the gift of this unique composer/player's ultimate ability to produce eccentric and confident, nuanced phrases of beauty. Add to that an exquisite synth technique! Had he been born in a prior century where orchestral music was widely celebrated and supported, we'd we listening to music influenced by such a composer. Hyperbole? No, I truly believe Jan possesses compositional ability the likes of many of the greats - only he was thrust into an era with a fun, but stifling musical vocabulary. A gem amidst mediocrity. And, I'd rank this album his greatest achievements. Why he didn't produce more like this, I've always pondered... but that's what makes The First Seven Days all the more special.

We all discover music which shapes our ideas of what music can be. Upon reflection, this album, 30 years later, has proven to be one such an album. It's bold, courageous and visionary, and still holds my fascination.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait for CD, September 16, 2003

By 

Craig Weatherby (Waltham, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Seven Days (Audio CD)

I wore out my vinyl copy, and was not disappointed to hear it again after many years. This suite of programmatic tone poems is every bit as good as I remember. Among a group of sometimes brilliant (e.g., his work with Mahavishnu Orchestra), sometimes cheesy (e.g., some of the JH Group and soundtrack stuff) works, this is one of which Hammer can forever be very, very, proud.