Elvin Jones - On The Mountain (1975)

01.Thorn Of Aa White Rose (5:09)

02.Namuh (7:50)

03.On The Mountain (4:40)

04.Smoke In The Sun (4:06)

05.London Air (5:35)

06.Destiny (7:29).

Jan Hammer - keyboards

Gene Perla - bass

Elvin Jones - drums.

This 1975 date for the brilliant drummer, with Jan Hammer on keyboards and bassist Gene Perla, is a minor, if somewhat overlooked, classic from the tail-end of the early '70s to the mid-70s' run of great jazz fusion releases. Both Perla and Hammer worked with Elvin Jones between 1971 and 1973, in bands featuring saxophonists Frank Foster, Joe Farrell, Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman. Here, the smaller format allows for a tight group sound with openings for strong solos and fluid interplay throughout. Jones is well up in the mix, giving fans a front-row opportunity to enjoy the drummer, both in all-over-the-kit, rolling-thunder mode and in the subtler moments of his peerless brushwork. The trio perform a half-dozen originals by Perla and Hammer. The impressive writing has a definite jazz sensibility, but Hammer's Moog and electric piano work, Perla's alternating between electric and acoustic basses, and Jones' own fierce eruptions provide a satisfying, rock wallop in several spots. ~ AllMusic.

Jan Hammer - Black Sheep (1978)

01.Jet Stream
02.Heavy Love
03.Black Sheep
04.Light of Dawn
05.Hey Girl
06.Waiting No More
07.Between the Sheets of Music
08.Manic Depression.


Jan Hammer - keyboards, drums, percussion
Colin Hodgkinson - vocals
Gregg Geya Carter - vocals
Bob Christianson - vocals
Tony Smith - drums, vocals
Fernando Saunders - bass, vocals.

Jan Hammer - The First Seven Days (1975)

01.Darkness/Earth In Search Of A Sun (4:31)
02.Light/Sun (6:44)
03.Oceans And Continents (6:16)
04.Fourth Day - Plants And Trees (2:46)
05.The Animals (6:14)
06.Sixth Day - The People (7:15)
07.The Seventh Day (6:11).



Jan Hammer - keyboards, drums
David Earle Johnson - congas and percussion on 5, 6
Steve Kindler - violin on 2, 5, 6, 7.

"Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboard ace Jan Hammer offers up quite a thorough study in synthesizer technology with his second solo release, titled The First Seven Days. With the liner notes declaring "for those concerned, that there is no guitar on this album," Hammer makes it a point to further blur the distinction between the genres of jazz, rock, and classical music. Wishing to portray the first seven "days" of earth's creation, Hammer states that "assuming that each of these days lasted anywhere from one day to 100 million years, the scientific and biblical views do meet in certain points. These points were the inspiration for this album." His incorporation of the piano, electric piano, Moog synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer, Freeman string synthesizer, and Mellotron vividly evokes images of bubbling cesspools and budding birthrights as his inspired version of the physical world sonically takes shape. While The First Seven Days is atmospheric in nature, with no proper pop sensibilities, its thematic construction yields nothing short of a classic narrative."

Jan Hammer Group - Melodies (1977)

01.Too Much To Lose
02.Peaceful Sundown
03.I Sing
04.Honey 5379
05.Window Of Love
06.What It Is
07.Don't You Know
08.Just For Fun
09.Hyperspace
10.Who Are They?
11.Your Love.

Bass [Electric],Acoustic Guitar,Lead Vocals - Fernando Saunders
Drums, Lead Vocals - Tony Smith (2)
Piano, Synthesizer, Drums, Vocals, Producer - Jan Hammer
Violin, Vocals - Steve Kindler.

Jan Hammer Group - Oh Yeah? (1976)

1.Magical Dog 6:43
2.One to One 3:32
3.Evolove 4:45
4.Oh, Yeah? 4:31
5.Bamboo Forest 5:25
6.Twenty One 5:06
7.Let the Children Grow 4:50
8.Red and Orange 6:43.



Jan Hammer - Keyboards, Vocals
Steve Kindler - Guitar, Violin
Fernando Saunders - Bass, Piccolo, Vocals
Tony Smith - Drums, Vocals
David Earle Johnson - Percussion, Conga.

AMG:
"This is an album of fusion at its best. "Magical Dog" and "Red & Orange" are definitive statements. This was the first xposure for violinist Steve Kindler. David Earle Johnson is on congas."