SAMURAI — Samurai (review)

SAMURAI — Samurai album cover Album · 1971 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Miler72
For some reason Web was renamed Samurai after the release of I Spider in 1970 on Polydor, perhaps one of the members left and had legal rights to the name, as two new members came in with Tony Roberts and Don Fay, both on wind instruments. The band seemed unaware of a Japanese band (residing in the UK at the time) featuring Miki Curtis calling themselves Samurai, and that also went for the record company. Web's I Spider already brought in future Greenslade vocalist/keyboardist Dave Lawson, and of course he stayed during the name change and performed and sang on this album too. Honestly I find Dave Lawson's voice so much more easy to take than on those Greenslade albums (my big gripe with Greenslade was his vocals, which seemed so much more strained there). Samurai is by far the best thing I have ever heard with Dave Lawson, if he sang this way on those Greenslade albums, then I'd probably just have a gripe with Dave Greenslade's frequently cheesy approach in keyboard playing (I often wondered why he played like that in Greenslade, when he didn't in Colosseum, which was more blues-based organ playing). This album is full of nothing but great jazzy prog, with vibraphone being of the dominant instruments. I have always loved the sound of vibes, but unhappy I don't hear it on more rock recordings. "Saving it Up For So Long" is a great opening piece, with lots of nice organ work. "More Rain" is more calm, with nice jazz-style vocals from Lawson. I particularly like the acoustic part with flute. "Maude James" has a bit of a Lizard-era King Crimson feel, probably in the jazzy arrangements and drumming (which are similar to Andy McCulloch's). "Give a Little Luck" has a more rock feel to it, particularly in the guitar playing, but the sax playing gives it that jazzy undercurrent, as well as Dave Lawson's voice. "As I Dried the Tears Away" is the lengthiest piece on the album, and what a great closer.

I have to say, this album is nothing short of amazing, and even if you have an aversion to Greenslade, or perhaps you felt the weak link to Greenslade was Dave Lawson's singing, don't let that put you off, this album is totally required in your collection.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Here For A While Post Bop
NEIL SWAINSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Roll With Me Blues
DUKE ROBILLARD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Pink Elephants On Parade Avant-Garde Jazz
SUN RA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Freedom Weaver (The 1959 European Tour Recordings) Hard Bop
SONNY ROLLINS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Furniture of the Mind Rearranging 21st Century Modern
BLACK DIAMOND
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Alyson Cawley Martin Speake TENDRILS
MARTIN SPEAKE
js· 1 day ago
Canto proibito (feat. Giovanni Falzone)
ADA MONTELLANICO
snobb· 2 days ago
BADBADNOTGOOD - Audacia
BADBADNOTGOOD
js· 2 days ago
BADBADNOTGOOD - Sunday Afternoon's Dream
BADBADNOTGOOD
js· 2 days ago
dark little narratives
OMAWI (WARELIS / GOVAERT / DE JOODE)
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed