Trio of Doom

Trio of Doom | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 26, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B000QEIM7S
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,851 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Recorded at the 1979 Havana Jazz Festival, this short and powerful set, with Miles Davis alumni, drummer Tony Williams and guitarist John McLaughlin, and Weather Report bassist Jaco Pastorius, was one for the ages. The previously unreleased selections, one through five, are explosive, but mis-miked live tracks. Williams’ "Drum Improvisation" segues into McLaughlin’s fuzz-toned "Dark Prince," which does not swing in a silent way. Pastorious’ theme song "Continuum" is scaled down to its essential twilight textures, while the drummer’s "Para Oriente" - which later became a stable in V.S.O.P’s book, and was recast as "Angel Street" – is rendered here in a funky, pre-grunge mode. The guitarist’s "Are You the One, Are You the One?" previews the jam band craze. The rest of the cuts were recorded a week later in a New York studio, But the warts-and-all original sides are unmatched for their primal power. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Product Description

MCLAUGHLIN / PASTORIUS / WILLIAMS TRIO OF DOOM

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Legendary meeting, a bit less than legendary performance., July 4, 2007

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trio of Doom (Audio CD)

In 1979, a group of jazz musicians gave a series of performances in Havana, one of the seemingly endless gestures of art reaching out through the blocade to Cuba. Legendary among these performances was the "Trio of Doom" performance, a power trio of guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Jaco Pastorius and drummer Tony Williams, all at the heights of their powers. Their brief performance (about 25 minutes) was intended for partial release, but McLaughlin blocked it, instead pulling the group in the studio for a brief session that was then released, with crowd noise dubbed in, as these performances (a popular technique since at least Duke Ellington's legendary "Live at Newport" performance). This CD gathers together all the material-- the 25 minute live show and about 15 minutes of studio material.

McLaughlin's concerns may have been a bit extraneous-- the live performance has its flaws, to be certain (Jaco wanders off key briefly on "Dark Prince", "Are You the One, Are You the One?" threatens to fall apart), but there's a rare energy and power to the performance that really can't be underestimated, starting with Williams brief drum solo intro that sets the mood for high tension before welcoming his band mates on a racing "Dark Prince". For me, as a Jaco fan, the highlight is "Continuum", performed with grace as Pastorius and Williams stick true to the studio recording and McLaughlin offers a superb commentary that sounds both new and natural.

The studio material, particularly when presented next to the live takes sounds a bit sterile. "Dark Prince" probably best illustrates this-- live, it has an energy and urgency to it, McLaughlin's guitars sound dirty and fierce, Pastorius and Williams explode full of energy. In the studio, McLaughlin's tone, while still overdriven, cleans up and the rhythm section gets a bit too lockstep.

All of the material has been remastered and sounds fantastic-- the live material in particular is notable, clearly the source tapes were in good shape, this could have been recorded yesterday. The set is augmented by brief liner notes by McLaughlin and an essay discussing the performance and subsequent studio session.

This recording is difficult to rate-- the sentimental part of me wants to give it five stars and an endlessly positive, glowing review, but in all honesty, while this is a great recording and one that I'm ecstatic to have, it's not exactly the sort of jaw-dropping performance you'd hope it'd be. Fans of any of the three artists will want this, but don't expect something that'll shake the world.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars jaco, October 1, 2007

By 

Kennedy Connor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trio of Doom (Audio CD)

I never really understood the "Jaco" phenomenon until I heard the live take of "Continuum." This is a must have cd for me. Mclaughlin also is in fine form. He seems out of his element in a way which allowed for some real on the spot improv. Forcing him to play with such melodic bass player demands some outside the box thinking for Mclaughlin and of course Williams is superb. I am not a purist or collector just a listener who longs for the early era of "fusion" when people were really playing by the seat of their pants.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are You Kidding?, December 5, 2010

By 

Misterian (Sandy, OR) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Trio of Doom (Audio CD)

I'm shocked by some of the previous reviews. This is a power trio for the ages! Think Cream, Led Zep, Rush. Three musical masters presenting an explosion of music. John McLaughlin unleashed completely on guitar, beyond where he went with Miles during the "Bitch's Brew" era, shredding past most modern rock guitarists. Jaco Pastorius' frenetic punk-jazz-rock bass, also blurring by most mortal guitarists. And Tony Williams, obviously the only drummer in the world up to this task. He's the force of a symphony or a battalion of drums all by himself. It's Fantastic! There's one major problem, IT'S WAY TOO SHORT!!! Still, it's 39 minutes of mad musical genius.