Customer Reviews

Out of Blue

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

 

 

A friend of mine from the "Weather Channel" (Carl Parker...RUSH AT NISSAN 6/23/07) says: "You gotta OWN: Simon Phillips; : "Symbiosis" SO I special order it from "Tower Records" Several years back. RIP Tower.

Phenomenal disc; Amazing Players, (Phillips, Andy Timmons!!!) Chops, Great Mix of Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Excellent Production, Sound Quality. So I am cruising for some "Lukather" and I see the Live in Tokyo/Japan wherever it was; "Out of the Blue" $35.00! OUCH! I am a fan of great instrumentalists as well as genre bending chops and sonic fury done really well...

Warning: Use HOT PADS putting this CD back in the case...sure to cause Re-entry burns! Play it loud on Klipsch, B&W, JBL, Boston Acostics A system that any confesseed Audiophile can appreciate. Well worth it!

Simon Phillips has very bad hair, a bit like Michael Bolton or Kenny G .... but don't worry about that - he is a mighty fine drummer, a master exponent of the sprawling double bass drummed drumset. If you liked Cobham from way back when, then listen to this and hear a quality recording and a new twist on fusion. This is a live album, but the recording is very good and sounds great on my hifi. The really big plus is the tracks are all so strong and based on great tunes, riffs and drum patterns. The individual instruments; keybds, guitar, sax etc. are all cutting it, and Phillips just pumps out a solid groove for them to work round - when he solo's though he is awesome. If you have heard his earlier album like Protocol, this is much more musical and far better. I would not restrict my recommendation soley to drum fans (though its a definite purchase for you Mr. Sticksman). If you like 'Jazz' on the Rocky side, played with balls and a hint of 'spandex', then this is for you. Nice work Mr. Phllips ..... now get a hair cut (loose the Leo Sayer look please).

Starting with technical aspect of how this live album is cut: I personally just love it. I enjoy to have not just the music back to back, but - and in this aspect the album is fantastic - the whole band introduction.

Yet, this is the only time the listener is distracted from the great performance of Simon Phillips and the accompanying band members. To name either of them would be equally unfair to all the other. One can hear that they trully have fun at what they are doing, and they are doing it well. The album does bring a lot of the live athmosphere, without some of the bitter side effects of disturbing(!) noises.

If you enjoyed either Protocol, Symbiosis or Another Lifetime, this is an album to buy.