Current Legacy
As part of the Bristol International Jazz Festival, Soft
Machine [Legacy] played a stunning set last night at The Lantern, Colston Hall.
The current incarnation of the band – whose genealogy is
expansive – is John Etheridge - guitar, John Marshall - drums, Roy Babbington -
bass, and Theo Travis – saxophone, flute and synth. Marshall was ill so Nic
France who has drummed with Nucleus filled the seat with aplomb.
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| From Wikipedia - click to read |
I'm not a Soft Machine all-knower, which became quickly evident
throughout the short set that did, however, embrace a broad range of SM’s oeuvre,
so when former member Karl Jenkins was mentioned, I was surprised, not
realising he had been an early-ish one. But that is all part of the glorious
learning curve. Like many, I
have Soft Machine Third [a vinyl copy
too] which is a classic, but that is pretty much it, though I do have Soft Machine Legacy’s SML and Steam, the former playing now.
This ignorance means I do not recall the titles of most of
the tracks played, so apologies to those who are in the know, but there was a
lovely performance of Hugh Hopper’s Kings
and Queens, with Travis playing sweet echoed flute; another Hopper song Facelift, as well as the band’s second
number Bundles which ignited the
venue. [This is an additional note: having now listened to the Soft Machine Legacy's Burden of Proof more carefully, I note the performance of Kings and Queens is from this album's cover version; and I recognise one other song played, the live pulsation of the pulsing Pump Room].
The Etheridge/Travis tandem riffs and runs were superb, and
their individual soloings were always virtuoso contributions. There were two
fine solo slots for Babbington and France, Babbington getting an intro from
Etheridge that recalled, as exemplification for many of these, his once disgruntled
departure from the band.
Babbington having returned to play his current part, this was jazz and fusion and rock at its finest.
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