Synaesthesia: Expanded Edition

ポリスでの活動のほか、ジャズからロック、クラシック、映画音楽まで幅広いジャンルと様々なミュージシャンとのコラボレーションなど多彩な活躍で知られるアンディ・サマーズ。80年代ポリス在籍期からソロ・ミュージシャンとしても活動していた彼が、95年にCMPレーベルから9枚目のアルバムとして発表した『Synaesthesia』の拡大リマスター盤。ジンジャー・ベイカー/グレッグ・ビソネット/ミッチェル・フォアマン/ジェリー・ワッツらをフィーチャーしたジャズロック/エクスペリメンタル・ミュージックを基調とした作品。オリジナル収録の9曲のほか、96年に発表されたコンピレーション・アルバム『Frontiers』に収められたジンジャー・ベイカーらをフィーチャーしたレアトラック「Triangles」をボーナスとして追加する。オリジナル・アートワークを復刻したブックレットにはライナーノーツを掲載。

During his post-Police musical career, guitarist Andy Summers has compiled a series of altogether distinctive, fusion-based solo outings marked by his shrewd compositional pen and laudable technical acumen. Moreover, Summers displays a somewhat lyrically driven guitar sound, teeming with animated lines, a rubato-like methodology, and bone-crushing crunch chords, as evidenced on this 1995 release. Here, the artist garners strong support from ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker, along with notable session musicians Mitchell Forman (keyboards), Jerry Watts (bass), and Greg Bissonette (drums). More importantly, the guitarist integrates strings (the Trouserfly String Quartet) into this rather vibrant mix, consisting of Afro-Cuban rhythms, wailing lead soloing, East Indian modalities, and more. Otherwise, many of these works convey an eerie or foreboding musical environment, largely due to a potpourri of discordant themes and portentous musings. ~ Glenn Astarita|

During his post-Police musical career, guitarist Andy Summers has compiled a series of altogether distinctive, fusion-based solo outings marked by his shrewd compositional pen and laudable technical acumen. Moreover, Summers displays a somewhat lyrically driven guitar sound, teeming with animated lines, a rubato-like methodology, and bone-crushing crunch chords, as evidenced on this 1995 release. Here, the artist garners strong support from ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker, along with notable session musicians Mitchell Forman (keyboards), Jerry Watts (bass), and Greg Bissonette (drums). More importantly, the guitarist integrates strings (the Trouserfly String Quartet) into this rather vibrant mix, consisting of Afro-Cuban rhythms, wailing lead soloing, East Indian modalities, and more. Otherwise, many of these works convey an eerie or foreboding musical environment, largely due to a potpourri of discordant themes and portentous musings. ~ Glenn Astarita