Recommendation: Soft Mountain - Soft Mountain (2007)

Soft Mountain

Improvised live in the studio by the quartet of Hugh Hopper (bass), Elton Dean (sax), Yoshida Tatsuya (drums) and Hoppy Kamiyama (keyboards). Although, only released in 2007 (and in some places in 2006), this was recorded in 2003, during Dean's and Hopper's tour in Japan with Soft Works. By contacting Hoppy ahead of time, they agreed to get into a studio and just play... They start nicely and calmly with some "regular" sounding jazz, and slowly and progressively advance towards the more experimental and daring parts of this free style playing, of which a major part if free-form. The drums, while at times a bit too much in the back, are just a wild ride, relentless and with non-stop energetics, as if on steroids. It's made up of only two tracks - Soft Mountain Suite parts 1 & 2, and each is around half an hour. It might get too much at times, but when in the proper mood or state of mind, this is very rewarding. In any case, a fine release, very enjoyable, dynamic with mostly non-stop action.

Soft Mountain

Track 1: Soft Mountain Suite Pt. 1 (30.40)
Track 2: Soft Mountain Suite Pt. 2 (27.55)

Total running time: 58.40

Recorded 10th August 2003 in Tokyo, Japan

Elton Dean sax
Hugh Hopper bass
Hoppy Kamiyama keyboards
Yoshida Tatsuya drums

Music composed by E. Dean, H. Hopper, H. Kamiyama & Y. Tatsuya