(Jazz-Rock) [LP] [24/96] Jean-Luc Ponty - 4LP's - 1976-1984, FLAC (tracks+.cue)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed folder: /Jean-Luc Ponty - Imaginary Voyage (LP)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR14 -0.12 dB -16.09 dB 01 Jean-Luc Ponty - LADO 1- New Country.wav
DR13 -1.63 dB -16.91 dB 02 Jean-Luc Ponty - The Gardens Of Babylon.wav
DR11 -8.01 dB -22.95 dB 03 Jean-Luc Ponty - Wandering On The Milky Way (Violin Solo).wav
DR13 -3.86 dB -18.46 dB 04 Jean-Luc Ponty - Once Upon A Dream.wav
DR12 -2.72 dB -16.36 dB 05 Jean-Luc Ponty - Tarantula.wav
DR13 -0.37 dB -15.45 dB 06 Jean-Luc Ponty - LADO 2- Imaginary Voyage - Part I.wav
DR12 -1.63 dB -14.42 dB 07 Jean-Luc Ponty - Part II.wav
DR12 -1.15 dB -14.40 dB 08 Jean-Luc Ponty - Part III.wav
DR14 -0.24 dB -15.68 dB 09 Jean-Luc Ponty - Part IV.wav
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of files: 9
Official DR value: DR13

==============================================================================================

Jean-Luc Ponty reaches a musical peak by releasing this excellent fusion record. Looking at the new line-up here, the talent and reliability of the musicians is not questionable: Mark Craney (Jethro Tull's "A") plays very fast and EXTREMELY elaborated drums. Tom Fowler (Frank Zappa) plays a restless, complex and very melodic bass. Daryl Stuermer is absolutely majestic, playing a beautiful acoustic guitar in unison with Ponty's VERY melodic electric violin. Stuermer shows here that he can also be a decent electric guitar player, as reveals his light wah-wah solo on "Tarantula": however, we feel here his solo sound still not comparable to David Gilmour's "Money" solo. However, he is an EXCELLENT acoustic guitar player, and he should stay in that department. Allan Zavod, on keyboards, does an honest job, although he rather stays in the background.
On side 2, the high-speed recordings in "Imaginary Voyage Part 1" are absolutely breathtaking: the comparison with Yes' "Sound Chaser" is inevitable. The epic track "Imaginary Voyage" may be uninterruptedly listened without any problem, although Stuermer's electric guitar solos have nothing really spectacular.

Review by greenback, progarchives.com

Design Concept, Design – Bill Harvey*
Electric Bass – Tom Fowler
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Daryl Stuermer
Engineer – Larry Hirsch
Engineer [Assistant] – Burt Szerlip
Keyboards [Electric], Piano [Acoustic] – Allan Zavod
Management [Personal Management] – Michael Davenport (2)
Management [Road Manager] – Chase Williams
Mastered By – George Piros
Percussion – Mark Craney
Photography By [Cover Photo] – Peter D'Aprix
Producer, Arranged By, Composed By, Violin [Electric, Acoustic], Organ, Synthesizer [Background Synthesizers] – Jean-Luc Ponty

Phonographic Copyright (p) – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright (c) – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Produced For – J.L.P. Productions, Inc.
Published By – Ytnop Music
Recorded At – Kendun Recorders
Mixed At – Paramount Studios
Mastered At – Atlantic Studios
Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
Manufactured By – Atlantic Recording Corporation

Notes
Published by Ytnop Music (BMI)

Recorded at Kendun Studios, Burbank, California - July and August 1976.
Mixed at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California - August 1976.
Mastered at Atlantic Recording Studios.

Produced [...] for JLP Productions, Inc.

1976 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Printed in U.S.A.

Mfg by Atlantic Recording Corp. 75 Rockefeller Plaza, N.Y., N.Y.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Rights Society: BMI
Matrix / Runout (Label Side A): ST-A-763725-SP
Matrix / Runout (Label Side B): ST-A-763726-SP

———————————————————————————————-
Analyzed folder: Jean-Luc Ponty ?– Enigmatic Ocean (LP)
———————————————————————————————-
DR Peak RMS Filename
———————————————————————————————-

DR14 -4.97 dB -22.09 dB 01 Jean-Luc Ponty – LADO 1- Overture.wav
DR15 -1.59 dB -17.80 dB 02 Jean-Luc Ponty – The Trans-Love Express.wav
DR14 -2.72 dB -18.93 dB 03 Jean-Luc Ponty – Mirage.wav
DR14 -3.70 dB -22.84 dB 04 Jean-Luc Ponty – Enigmatic Ocean – Part I.wav
DR13 -4.37 dB -19.28 dB 05 Jean-Luc Ponty – Part II.wav
DR13 -5.50 dB -20.52 dB 06 Jean-Luc Ponty – Part III.wav
DR14 -4.07 dB -20.80 dB 07 Jean-Luc Ponty – Part IV.wav
DR15 -1.80 dB -19.01 dB 08 Jean-Luc Ponty – LADO 2- Nostalgic Lady.wav
DR14 -3.14 dB -19.62 dB 09 Jean-Luc Ponty – The Struggle Of The Turtle To The Sea – Part I.wav
DR14 -1.31 dB -18.00 dB 10 Jean-Luc Ponty – Part II.wav
DR13 -2.73 dB -18.27 dB 11 Jean-Luc Ponty – Part III.wav
———————————————————————————————-

Number of files: 11
Official DR value: DR14

=============================================================================================

Of all the fusion albums I own, there are three albums that really changed my opinion on the genre itself. The first was Bill Bruford’s second album One of a Kind, which really opened my eyes to the zany and highly syncopated side of fusion.

The second was Al Di Meola’s Elegant Gypsy, which opened my eyes to the guitar-dominated fusion sound (and being a guitarist I could definitely see a new inspiration in my playing). And the third is this album, Jean Luc Ponty’s 1977 album Enigmatic Ocean. His style of fusion ranges on a tight groove and some dynamic unison runs and motifs with the keyboard, guitar, and of course his signature violin (which utilizes a lot of different guitar effects on this album, such as wah and phasers). The lineup for this album couldn’t have been any better, too, featuring guitarist extraordinaire Allan Holdsworth (who was on One of Kind, ironically). Future Zappa alumni Allan Zavod also gets a good go on this album (Ponty was himself a Zappa alumni so the connection to Zappa is extended a bit more) on the keyboards. And Daryl Stuermer (of future Genesis fame) gives a nice performance overall alongside Holdsworth on the guitar.

The album opens with a short but sweet Overture, which sort of sets the mood in a way to what the album would sound like. The Trans-Love Express starts off the journey with a fantastic bass performance from Ralph Armstrong (who is superb throughout the entire album). The tight groove in the rhythm section is further augmented by various runs and melody lines from Ponty and Holdsworth. Mirage begins with guitar arpeggios and some underlying mixed percussion (as well as well-timed bass harmonics). Ponty’s violin utilizes a phased effect on this track and his budding experimentation with effects proves to be most effective. Zavod’s keyboard solo make good use of the keyboard and has a sensational floating feel to it. The first of two suites on the album is the title track of Enigmatic Ocean (which is spread out over four parts), which clocks in at a bit over 12 minutes. It begins with an atmospheric keyboard laden introduction that turns into an arpeggio based keyboard motif. This song is also the first to feature some lead guitar work from Holdsworth, who exchanges licks with Ponty at many points of the song itself. Holdsworth’s signature style of very noodly and fluid runs comes through with flying colors on this piece as well. It’s a fantastic piece in the end, with every musician giving their best and coming through successfully as well.

Nostalgic Lady and the second suite The Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea round out the album with more fantastic instrumental performances. Nostalgic Lady has one of the most addictive bass lines I’ve ever heard, especially when put as a counter melody with the stellar unison guitar/violin work. It’s probably my favorite non-suite track of the album and it really is a perfect blend of melody and cohesiveness. The Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea is the second suite of the album, this one running a bit over 13 minutes. It begins with a tight groove from the rhythm unit, an underlying unison guitar theme and a violin lead on top of it all. The second part opens with a brilliant piano motif from Allan Zavod and some superb guitar from Stuermer and Holdsworth. The song ends with a fantastic bass groove (man Armstrong can really play the bass). Armstrong puts on the distortion in the middle of the song and offers a solid bass solo. The song reaches a fantastic climax when from what I can grasp Stuermer gets a chance in the spotlight and offers up a mean guitar solo (you can actually tell it’s Stuermer as he and Holdsworth have terribly different soloing styles). In the end, this piece finishes off the album in epic fashion and is one of best fusion pieces I’ve ever heard.

Overall, I’d rank Enigmatic Ocean amongst my top three fusion albums ever. Everything about this album is perfect, from the stellar overall mix and sound, to the fantastic musicianship (fantastic is actually an understatement). If you’re looking for high energy and melodic fusion, then you’ll find a lot to like about this album. If you’re a fan of the violin, then this album also comes with a high recommendation. Actually, I’d recommend this album for anybody who is just getting into fusion and for those who are into fusion but don’t know who Jean-Luc Ponty is. Masterliness. 5/5.

progarchives.com

Drums, Percussion – Steve Smith (5)
Electric Bass – Ralphe Armstrong
Electric Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] – Daryl Stuermer
Electric Guitar [Lead] – Allan Holdsworth
Engineer – Larry Hirsch
Organ, Synthesizer, Electric Piano, Grand Piano, Clavinet – Allan Zavod
Producer – Jean-Luc Ponty
Violin [Electric, Five-string Electric, Violectra], Bells – Jean-Luc Ponty

Notes
Recorded and mixed in June/July 1977.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side A Label): ST-A-773927-SP
Matrix / Runout (Side B Label): ST-A-773928-SP

foobar2000 1.3.5 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2016-04-23 19:14:57

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Jean-Luc Ponty / A Taste For Passion (LP)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR13 -2.89 dB -18.31 dB 5:41 01-LADO 1- Stay With Me
DR16 -1.12 dB -19.93 dB 5:45 02-Sunset Drive
DR12 -5.17 dB -19.25 dB 4:21 03-Dreamy Eyes
DR15 -2.83 dB -19.58 dB 4:59 04-Beach Girl
DR16 -0.12 dB -18.80 dB 5:27 05-LADO 2- A Taste For Passion
DR15 -1.00 dB -17.93 dB 5:48 06-Life Cycles
DR13 -5.54 dB -24.25 dB 1:28 07-Reminiscence
DR16 -2.49 dB -19.62 dB 3:22 08-Give Us A Chance
DR15 -12.43 dB -31.97 dB 0:41 09-Obession
DR16 -2.80 dB -22.36 dB 3:05 10-Farewell
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR15

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2490 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

Dreamy. Ethereal. Beautiful. These are the words that first spring to mind whenever I listen to A Taste for Passion by Jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. Not only is the music incredibly powerful and memorable, but the playing itself is magnificent. Ponty has a way with musical phrasing that allows him to experiment with a myriad of different styles and approaches, yet somehow make it all fit together like a perfectly-cut jigsaw puzzle. One moment you're being swept away by otherworldly, melodious pieces such as ''Stay With Me'' and the album;s title track, and the next minute you may find yourself grooving out to one of the album's Jazz- aimed masterworks such as the wonderful ''Sunset Drive''. There really isn't much to dislike here, unless you want to get picky and say that much too much musical ground is covered. Granted, it may have appealed to more people has the music stayed in one area for the most part, but then we wouldn't have the wonderful, eclectic masterpiece that we have today.
When I was a kid, my father had his vinyl copy of this record playing over the stereo (one of the very few Jazz-oriented albums he had in his massive collection, which otherwise consisted of a fairly even balance of Rock and Classical). I remember even then being quite mesmerized by the effect the music was having on me, so i sought out the album sleeve to learn more for myself. Imagine my surprise when what I discovered was an unshaven, slightly insane-looking man holding an electric violin and posing in a mischievous way. But ever since then, I began to grow more and more curious about the man and his music. Ultimately, I began seeking out his works on my own, and I now regard him as one of the masters of Jazz-Rock. He truly pushes music forward in a way few others seem capable of, and I never tire of his majority of work. Always something new and interesting to say via his musical genius, and this album is no exception. I think you're robbing yourself of one of the most special musical experiences of your life as long as this album remains out of your possession. It's one of Jean-Luc's best, and an absolute no-brainer as a place to start for newcomers.

4.5 Stars. May not be everyone's favorite Ponty album, but especially for newbies, I cannot recommend it enough.
Review by JLocke, progarchives.com

Bass – Ralph Armstrong*
Drums, Percussion – Casey Scheuerell
Engineer – Ed E. Thacker*
Guitar – Jamie Glaser, Joaquim Lievano*
Keyboards – Allan Zavod
Mastered By – Greg Calbi
Violin, Organ, Electric Piano, Piano, Producer – Jean-Luc Ponty

Mastered At – Sterling Sound
Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
Recorded At – The Village Recorder
Mixed At – Cherokee Studios

Notes
Recorded at Village Recorders
Mixed at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, CA - June & July 1979
Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City

"SP" suffix on label

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed folder: /Jean-Luc Ponty - Open Mind (LP)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR13 -0.12 dB -16.27 dB 01 Jean-Luc Ponty - LADO 1- Open Mind.aiff
DR12 -4.48 dB -18.65 dB 02 Jean-Luc Ponty - Solitude.aiff
DR12 -1.73 dB -16.23 dB 03 Jean-Luc Ponty - Watching Birds.aiff
DR13 -0.50 dB -17.32 dB 04 Jean-Luc Ponty - LADO 2- Modern Times Blues.aiff
DR13 -1.61 dB -16.88 dB 05 Jean-Luc Ponty - Orbital Encounters.aiff
DR13 -1.35 dB -17.28 dB 06 Jean-Luc Ponty - Intuition.aiff
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of files: 6
Official DR value: DR13

==============================================================================================

Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.
Jean-Luc Ponty plays himself some really modern keyboards here, creating very atmospheric textures, rather urban, often flirting with a jazz-New Age style. To enhance the modern aspect of the music, Ponty plays a VERY "bottom" synth bass, which gives very much color, personality and depth to the music. Ponty is so much involved in the keyboards that it seems his electric violin almost becomes a secondary instrument here: his electric violin is however still very present, but it seems to be less monolithic and to merge more with the rest of the music: sometimes, it participates to the rhythm itself, or it is just simply played with less speed, focusing more on the sound or on the ambience itself. Chick Corea plays some good & nervous keyboards solos! The overall sound is very clean, fresh and modern. The complex keyboards exploration on "Orbital encounters" is absolutely impressive. The echoed atmosphere created with the violin sound on "Intuition" is really breathtaking! Every track is at least very good, so that this record is among his best ones.

Review by greenback, progarchives.com

Drums – Casey Scheuerell (tracks: A3), Rayford Griffin (tracks: B2)
Guitar – George Benson (tracks: B1)
Synthesizer – Chick Corea (tracks: A1, A3)

Mastered at Future Disc Mastering, Hollywood CA
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode (Scanned): 042282358110