Jean-Luc Ponty - Open Strings (1971)

1.Flipping (Part I) 4:42
2.Flipping (Part Ii) 10:45
3.Flipping (Part Iii) 5:43
4.Open Strings 14:54
5.Sad Ballad 4:15.

Jean Luc Ponty - violin
Philip Catherine - guitar
Joachim Kühn - piano
Peter Warren - bass
Oliver Johnson - drums.

Recorded at MPS-Studio, Villingen, Germany December 1971

After creating a major stir in the U.S. in 1969, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty returned to his native France for a couple years. One of his few recordings from the period is this stimulating date which was last made available in the U.S. as a Pausa LP. Ponty teams up with keyboardist Joachim Kuhn, guitarist Philip Catherine, bassist Peter Warren and drummer Oliver Johnson for his three-part, side-long "Flipping," the lengthy "Open Strings" and Kuhn's "Sad Ballad." The electric violinist's dynamic playing is heard in peak form throughout the colorful album, an early and creative fusion date.
Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

Jean-Luc Ponty - No Absolute Time (1992)

01.No Absolute Time
02.Savannah
03.Lost Illusions
04.Dance of the Spirits
05.Forever Together
06.Caracas
07.The African Spirit
08.Speak Out
09.Blue Mambo
10.The Child in You.

 

Martin Atangana - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)

Eduardo Chermont - Engineer
Kevin Eubanks - Guitar
Abdou M'Boup - Percussion, Drums, Sound Effects, Tambourine, Bells, Shaker, Cowbell, Bougarabou Drums
Wally Minko - Piano, Keyboards
Guy N'Sangue - Bass, Sound Effects
Jean-Luc Ponty - Synthesizer, Violin, Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Producer, Violin (Electric)
Mokhtar Samba - Percussion, Drums, Timbales, Cowbell, Doundoumba, Bougarabou Drums
Sydney Thiam - Percussion, Sound Effects, Bells, Shaker, Doundoumba.

A switch back to Atlantic finds Jean-Luc Ponty continuing to dabble in West African waters while re-establishing his earlier solid base in repeating sequenced patterns. The electronics are back, for Ponty splits his time between the electric violin and various synthesizers and sequencers while Abdou M'Boup and Sydney Thiam add African percussion, which often takes a back seat to the electronics as the rhythmic basis for the music. This time, though, the material Ponty has composed isn't as compelling as it had been in the past; at times, Ponty sounds like he is very competently treading water (though "Blue Mambo" has a compelling groove). Yet despite all of the changes Ponty has put himself through, his music still has a Continental elegance that cannot be mistaken for that of anyone else. Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.

Jean-Luc Ponty - Upon The Wings Of Music (1975)

 

1.Upon The Wings Of Music (5:24)
2.Quesion With No Answer (3:25)
3.Now I Know (4:25)
4.Polyfolk Dance (5:10)
5.Waving Memories (5:40)
6.Echoes Of The Future (3:08)
7.Bowing - Bowing (4:52)
8.Fight For Life (3:34).




This 1975 Atlantic album is considered one of the very best in Jean-Luc Ponty's five-decade career. Fusion classics include 'Question With No Answer', 'Waving Memories' and 'Echoes Of The Future.' Collectables.
Recorded at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California in January 1975. Originally released on Atlantic (18138).

Jean-Luc Ponty (violin, electric violin, string synthesizer)
Patrice Rushen (piano, electric piano, Clavinet, organ, synthesizer)
Dan Sawyer, Ray Parker Jr. (electric guitar)
Ralphe Armstrong (acoustic & electric basses)
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (drums, percussion).

Jean-Luc Ponty is the most commercially successful fusion violinist. On the face of it, that doesn't seem to be such a big deal because there were and are only a handful of them. But jazz-rock did allow a return to popularity of the jazz violin. Such legendary players as Stuff Smith, blueser Sugar Cane Harris, jazzer Joe Venuti and Stéphane Grappelli had made their marks. But the violin as an instrument for the young jazz or rock fan didn't seem to be in the cards. That was changed by fusion players Ponty, Jerry Goodman, Zbigniew Seifert, L. Shankar, Allen Sloan and a few others. Ponty in particular, having played with old-school Grappelli and Smith and new-school Frank Zappa and Mahavishnu, bridged the generations. He also popularized the instrument enough to front bands that sold records by the ton and brought droves of younger fans to large venues.
"Upon the Wings of Music" is a typical Ponty performance from that time. Its title suggests its vibe. As a general rule, Ponty's tunes would be introduced by a minute or two of soaring electric bowing. In fact, the word "soaring" in the dictionary should have Ponty's picture next to it. There's a little more room on this tune for some improvisational light funk and jazz noodling, which Rushen, Armstrong and Chandler do quite well. But the overall feel is dominated by Ponty's melodious strains that quite literally allow you to float away on a cloud.
Reviewer: Walter Kolosky