"Guardian Angels" showcases the
comprehensive talent of virtuoso bassist, Miroslav Vitous. It puts on full
display his incredible talent on electric and acoustic basses (with and without
bow). One of the things that I thoroughly enjoy about this music is that it
dispels the claim, attributed to former band mate and co-founder of Weather
Report, Josef Zawinul, that Vitous couldn’t bring the “bottom”. On every track
here, he brings it. ~ Matt Seahorn, Amazon.com.
As a big Miroslav Vitous fan, this album is
extremely satisfying outing and captures a late 70s snapshot of fusion. To
start, it features a future member of his group, Kenny Kirkland, on keyboards,
John Scofield sounds great on guitar and brings two originals. It also features
two Japanese members who Miroslav made a few albums with; George Otsuka on drums
and Mabumi Yamaguchi is on soprano sax, who were involved in two Maracaibo
albums, the album Mabumi, and keyboardist Fumio Karashima's Hot Island. I'd
recommend the original Evidence edition of this album, it's affordable and has
great liner notes recalling first-hand details from the recording. Enjoy! ~
Frank G, Amazon.com.
Trio Records, PAP-9154, 1979
Evidence Records, ECD 22055, 1993
Recorded 9th, 10th, 11th
November, 1978 At Onkio Haus, Tokyo, Japan
Musicians:
Miroslav Vitous - Bass,
Electric Bass, Synthesizer [Mini-Moog, Solina String-Ensemble]
Mabumi Yamaguchi - Soprano
Saxophone
Kenny Kirkland - Piano,
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP-70 [Electric Grand],
Synthesizer [Yamaha CS-50 (Polyphonic), Mini-Moog]
John Scofield - Guitar
George Ohtsuka - Drums
[Yamaha]
Tracks:
1. His Meaning / Rising /
Resolution {Miroslav Vitous} (8:38)
2. Inner Peace {Kenny
Kirkland} (6:10)
3. Guardian Angels {Miroslav
Vitous} (5:54)
4. Off To Buffalo {John
Scofield} (7:52)
5. Eating It Raw {John
Scofield} (6:15)
6. Shinkansen {Kenny
Kirkland} (6:11)
Total Time: 40:03
Credits:
Producer, Engineer - David
Baker
Producer - Ken Inaoka
Music Director - Miroslav
Vitous
Engineer [Assistant] -
Takashi Ogawa
Production Coordinator - Kaz
Harada
Management – Hiroaki Itoh,
Mamoru Kamekawa
Photography - Shigeru
Uchiyama, Yasuhisa Yoneda
Design - Breakfast
This
is another example of the type of 'fusion' that was going on in NYC in the late
70's. It was popular then for Japanese artists to hire the top guys on the
scene, make a record and be big stars in their home country. This CD is cool in
that we hear a young Kenny Kirkland burning on electric keyboards. Kenny was
'the cat' to be reckoned with at this time. Scofield sounds good here too,
although he sounds better on Chet Baker's 'can't go home again' and his own CD
'Live', also 'Rough House' which I think were recorded around the same time.
The music is basically, pentatonic scales or whatever, played in unison really
fast then solos: either up-tempo samba vamps or medium tempo funk groove. It's
OK I guess...if you are a Kirkland or Scofield fan. ~ Wes Green, Amazon.com.
