Upon the Wings of Music

Jean-Luc Ponty | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00007BH2J
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,886 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the beginning of Ponty's mature '70s style, October 9, 1999

By 

"jazzviolinist" (Florham Park, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upon the Wings of Music (Audio CD)

This album to me represents the beginning of Ponty's run of raw, energy-infused jazz-rock fusion albums of the mid to late '70s, notably his first heavy use of pentatonic scales, distortion, and rock rhythms. Granted, most of the tunes here don't contain the mind-boggling virtuosity which he displays in later releases, (with one notable exception - 'Fight for Life', the second half of which contains a great early example of Ponty's potential to let loose.) Also, this album contains what I think is one of his most beautiful slow songs, 'Now I Know'. The musical inflection he imparts to this remarkably simple melody in B minor is truly something. 'Polyfolk Dance' is the third gem on this album, with some fantastic solo moments by Ponty. Finally, 'Question with no Answer' is a blast to play along with, if you play the violin.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars JLP's Promising Fully Electric Starter, September 22, 2004

By 

P. McKenna "theowlwatches" (Atlanta GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Upon the Wings of Music (Audio CD)

While still in the Mahavishnu Orchestra MK II, Jean Luc concocted his first solo outing. While not as fully realized as subsequent albums, this at least strongly pointed the way he would be heading shortly.

The opening title track with its insistent drumming by Ndugu Leon Chancellor roars out of the gate with Ponty soaring over the top of the maelstrom, beautifully constructed melody here! "Question With No Answer" features a beautiful plaintive piano intro from Patrice Rushen just before Jean Luc enters with the song's probing, insistent melody, gradually building momentum as the full band enters to a rousing conclusion. "Now I Know" is a moody ballad with dreamy Herbie Hancock-esque Rhodes from Patrice as Jean-Luc spins out haunting melodies. Things pick up again with "Polyfolk Dance" featuring some cool odd-meter passages. One thing the album as a whole is lacking in is strong guitar work (the contributions of Dan Sawyer and Ray Parker Jr. are at best serviceable and generic), the solo on here is a bit cliched and irritating with its angry mosquito tone.

Also featured is a solo violin piece "Echoes Of The Future" with Ponty employing an Echoplex for layering figures on top of one another, something that would become one of his trademarks.

The rest of the tracks are decent enough fusion, but in subsequent albums, Ponty's compositional prowess would grow like mad.

A good solid start, all told.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cult recording!, October 1, 2007

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Upon the Wings of Music (Audio CD)

Jean Luc Ponty' s debut could not be more successful. In 1975, there were two admirable soloists of the instrument in stage : Don Sugar Cane Harris, with his musical offer that went from the folk to blues, and Stephan Grapelli, a living legend of the instrument.

But the main contribution of Ponty consisted in narrowing and reaffirming the bounds between the violin and the traditional jazz instruments, making the violin literally dissolved in the musical speech, and just remarking his tonalities, between the different ideas, and making the violin became a rhythmic and dynamic device.

Of course we had to mention the use of the violectra solo in re-recording in the moving and expressive "Echoes of the future."

"Upon the wings of the music" was by far his main presentation card , but "Question without answer" , but in particular the piece "Waving memories" is a mesmerizing track that combines lyricism and vibrating beating. Ndugu ( leaon Chancler) is terrific in the percussion, drums, Roto toms and Remo. Kudos too for Ralphe Armstrong in guitar and electric bass, Don Sawyer and electric guitar except in Fight for life and finally the presence of Ray Parker in electric c guitar.

But the only and irrefutable fact this album has surmounted the test of time and still is in the privileged position of being in the privileged place among the first 8300 albums, after thirty two years from being released, taking into account the impressive transition of the jazz with the appearing of such admirable soloists as Dvae Crusin, Bob James, Ramsey Lewis, Earl Klugh, George Benson in traditionally accepted instruments in jazz (Take into account the Seventies was the decade of the piano as prominent star, the Sax in the eighties and the guitar in the nineties) makes of this artistic triumph a true musical phenomena.

Please, go for your favorite CD store and listen it, you will not be able to resist this amazing proposal.