DAVID ROSE - LIVE - 1978

David Rose was, during most of the 70s, the violinist for Transit Express, one of France’s best and most durable jazz-rock outfits. The group was notable for its extensive use of synthesizers and electronics in a fusion context (similar to the Mahavishnu Orchestra) and reached its peak with the brilliant 1977 release Couleurs Naturelles, a luminous exposition of the possibilities of European jazz-fusion welded to a neo-classical sensibility. In retrospect, Transit Express had as much in common with King Crimson and Genesis as they did with any number of jazz-rock groups. Rose released several solo LPs in the late 70s (the most notable being The Distance Between Dreams) and this live recording dates from approximately the same time period. Rose himself thoroughly dominates most of the pieces on Live, alternating acoustic and electric violin, the latter often heavily processed with echoplex, distortion, and other sundry devices. But the rest of the group have plenty room to show off their impressive chops, particularly Serge Perathoner who plays Jan Hammer to Rose’s Jean-Luc Ponty throughout most of the lengthier pieces. The analogy is certainly apt, as much of Live could be easily mistaken for lost tracks from any number of mid to late 70s Ponty albums, particularly Imaginary Voyage or Cosmic Messenger. Lots of fusion fire between Rose and his compatriots, especially on “Au Dela du Miroir” and “Skyway,” both of which are strongly reminiscent of King Crimson circa Larks’ Tongues in Aspic. Superb musicianship and flawless technique are complimented by dead-on improvisational instincts throughout the entire performance. Definitely a diamond in the rough for Francophiles and fusion freaks.
http://aural-innovations.com


David ROSE is an American violinist that mostly worked in France, especially within TRANSIT-EXPRESS. He recorded no less than seven albums with his own line-up, between 1977 and 1983, among whom the first one "Distance Between Dreams" (1977) was the most famous. "Live" was also recorded in the same days and is a previously unreleased recording reissued by the Musea label. A true dream-team had gathered on the 22nd April 1978 on the stage of Jacky BARBIER's club, A L'Ouest De La Grosne: Serge PERATHONER (TRANSIT EXPRESS) on keyboards, Gérard PREVOST (MAGMA, ZAO, RAHMANN...) on bass, Claude SALMIERI (PAGA GROUP) on drums and Gérard KURDJIAN (TRIODE) on percussions... Without mentioning the leader ! Here is then an opportunity to re-discover the suggestive and lyrical jazz-rock performed by David ROSE GROUP, which is particularly interesting thanks to the sensual and energetic violin parts. The compositions can evoke some heavyweight of the genre such as BRAND X and Jean-Luc PONTY, but also some classical composers such as BARTOK and DEBUSSY. Full of energy and very sophisticated, quite surprising and innovative, this music is an interesting testimony of the French musical underground of the Seventies. To be urgently rediscovered !
http://www.musearecords.com