Downwind (album)

Occupation

  • Pierre Moerlen: drums, vibraphone, marimba, timpani, keyboards, vocals
  • Hansford Rowe: Bass
  • Ross Record: guitar, vocals
  • Benoît Moerlen: vibraphone
  • François Causse: Drums
  • Didier Lockwood: violin
  • Didier Malherbe: Saxophone
  • Mike Oldfield: Guitar, String Synthesizer, Bass
  • Steve Winwood: Hohner Clavinet, Moog synthesizer
  • Terry Oldfield: Flute
  • Mick Taylor: guitar

Downwind is an album by the group Pierre Moerlen 's Gong, which was recorded in the summer of 1978 and published in 1979.

Background

Like the other albums by Pierre Moerlen 's Gong, the album is mainly oriented on jazz rock and has little to do with the rather psychedelic space rock of Daevid Allen's Gong, although the bands have a common history. Downwind was published in February 1979 and marked a slight departure from the scheme of the previous albums Gazeuse! and Expresso II While this album still, virtuoso drums and penetrating marimba and xylophone melodies based on the synthesis of liquid guitar riffs, which is a hallmark of Pierre Moerlens Gong, it also marks the beginning of a movement back towards conventional pop and rock music. Two of the songs on the album, " Aeroplane " and " What You Know ", are short pop songs with vocals by Moerlen. Also included is a cover of Babatunde Olatunji 's " Jin -Go -Lo -Ba ", which has become famous by Santana as " Jingo ". Steve Winwood, Mick Taylor and Mike Oldfield play as a guest musician keyboards and guitar on some tracks.

Reception

Sean Trane awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote in jazzmusicarchives.com: First Gong album under Pierre Moerlen 's name is downwind in many ways a surprising album, but at least we know when the impressive cover, who is the boss. Although the line-up of the group is similar to that on this album Expresso II, it has an all-star guest line-up with Taylor and Lockwood (again), the returnees Malherbe and Stevie Winwood and Mike Oldfield. Actually, I suspect that some of the tracks were recorded on this album already during the Expresso II recording sessions. Allmusic awarded four out of five stars.

Album pieces

  • Aeroplane: 2:42 ( Moerlen, O'Lochlain )
  • Cross Currents: 6:13 ( Moerlen )
  • Downwind: 12:34 ( Moerlen )
  • Jin -go -lo- ba: 3:27 ( Olatunji )
  • What You Know 3:44 ( Moerlen, O'Lochlain )
  • Emotions: 4:46 ( Moerlen )
  • Xtasea: 6:40 ( Moerlen )
Gong (Band) Record label Arista Records Genre Jazz fusion Singing Moog-Synthesizer
292995
de