Soft Machine Soft Machine/UK 1972

The Croydon performance on December 3, 1972 was recorded with a high-quality audience recording. With a stable and very well-balanced sound quality throughout, you can enjoy the superb ensemble to your heart’s content. On this day, the event featured Medicine Head, Ron Geesin, Ivor Cutler, John Peel, and others. In May of that year, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, John Marshall and Karl Jenkins from Nucleus joined Soft Machine to form the “SIX” lineup. Although several live shows were canceled in June due to Marshall’s illness, they continued to be very active, performing numerous live shows from July to mid-November (the Brighton Dome performance on October 20th was released as Disc 1 of “SIX”, and many other recordings for the BBC remain), and recording the “SIX” albums in the studio from November 18th to 24th, 27th to December 1st, and December 4th to 5th. This item is a special live performance that took place in the middle of the “SIX” recording. The set list is basically based on the live recordings of “SIX” (Disc 1) and “BBC In Cocert”, but fans will love the fact that they can hear The Soft Weed Factor (recorded in the studio take on Disc 2), who has never appeared in the 1972 live recordings. The exceptional groove of the four members is definitely a must-listen! With the addition of Jenkins, who has a diverse musicality that emphasizes scores and ensembles, a sophisticated atmosphere that is completely different from the free jazz approach drifts throughout the whole album, and the performance is full of loops that make heavy use of repeated rhythms and phrases, which is hard to believe was in 1972. Even if you’re not a fan, you’ll be impressed by the raging performance. Hopper’s bass playing, which fully demonstrates his avant-garde sensibility, explodes! The perfection of Gesolreut is truly magnificent! This is a valuable document that allows you to really experience the period when the band transitioned from the full-throttle free jazz style of “Fifth” to a minimalist style. This is an exquisite item that luxuriously packages the unique, floating psychedelic sound created by these four unique people! Live at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, UK 3rd December 1972 PERFECT SOUND 1. Fanfare 2. All White 3. Between 4. Riff 5. 37 1/2 6. Gesolreut 7. EPV 8. Drop 9. The Soft Weed Factor 10. Lefty 11. Stumble 12. 5 From 13 13. Riff II Mike Ratledge – Keyboards, Piano Hugh Hopper – Bass Karl Jenkins – Keyboards, Piano, Sax, Oboe　John Marshall – Drums