Vol. 1-Memories

I was not to familiar with Hugh Hopper but you don’t really have to be. Memories volume 1 includes a list of works that Hopper recorded with bands he featured in, such as Soft Machine, Franglo Band, and some tunes he recorded with friends. 

 

In-between each track Hopper offers up a low-fi recorded introduction to each track. It sounds kind of pieced together, but the quality of the music is amazingly crisp and enjoyable. 

 

The album features seven tracks that I felt were a bit touch and go at first. There are some tunes in which Hopper uses a computer to generate music which is reminiscent of Walter Carlos’ work on Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange soundtrack. It’s very space age sounding and of course artificial in the mix of some great jazz fusion coming from other proper instruments. Not terrible once you come to terms with what it is. 

 

The straight organic jazz fusion tracks on the album are breathtaking. At one point, after listening to guitar on one track, the only thing that came to mind was a smashed window falling down in a chaotic fashion but hitting the ground producing musical notes that somehow managed to make sense. It’s jazz, you get what you get. 

 

The final track on the album, Long Piece, would have made Radiohead ala Kid A era very happy. It’s an odd composition on an album of mostly straight forward jam tracks. This one contains loops and samples that go on for about four and a half minutes before a more coherent line of music chimes in. 

 

Overall I have to say that I was extremely pleased with the album and would definitely advise Jazz Fusion fans to seek it out. Enjoy.