Valentyne Suite＜限定盤＞

故Jon Hiseman(dr/per)と故Dick Heckstall-Smith(sax)を中心に'68年結成されたブリティッシュ・ジャズ・ロックを代表する名バンド、英Vertigoに移籍し発表された'69年作がオランダ:Music On Vinylより通しNo.入り750枚数量限定のゴールド・カラー・ヴァイナル仕様/180g重量盤アナログにて'23年再発!
小品構成の前作から一転、ストリングス/ブラス・セクションを絡めたバンドを代表する3部構成のタイトル組曲に象徴される通りアンサンブル/音楽性共に格段のスケール・アップが図られた1枚。全編で各メンバーのハイ・レべルの演奏力に支えられた、鎬を削るようなスリリングかつアグレッシヴなソロ/インプロの応酬が繰り広げられる、バンド及び70年代ブリティッシュ・ジャズ・ロックを代表する名作です!

One of England's prime jazz-rock -- or, more accurately, rock-jazz -- outfits, most of the members of Colosseum had apprenticed in blues bands, and it shows very strongly on some of the material here. Both "The Kettle" and "Butty's Blues" are essentially tarted-up 12-bar blues, although they work well in a grander context; in the latter case much grander, as a brass ensemble enters for the last part, drowning out everything but the guitar, an indication that this recording is in dire need of remastering. "Elegy" is a fast-paced, minor-key blues that stretches guitarist James Litherland's vocal abilities. Things do get far more interesting with "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice," which offers solo opportunities to organist Dave Greenslade and sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith before re-emerging in what can only be called a proto-industrial style, all heavily treated clattering percussion. The album's real joy comes with "The Valentyne Suite," which takes the band out of their bluesy comfort zone into something closer to prog rock. Bandleader Jon Hiseman is a stalwart throughout, his busy drumming and fills owing far more to jazz than the studied backbeat of rock. Greenslade proves to be a largely unsung hero, his only real solo in the suite something to offer a challenge to vintage Keith Emerson, but with swing. As to criticism, bassist Tony Reeves has very little flow to his playing, which severely hampers a rhythm section that needs to be loose-limbed, and Litherland's guitar playing is formulaic, which can be fine for rock, but once outside the most straightforward parameters, he seems lost. In retrospect this might not quite the classic it seemed at the time, but it remains listenable, and for much of the time, extremely enjoyable. ~ Chris Nickson