"Extraordinary and Impressive Jazz Rock in Britain Extends Beyond Soft Machine, Brand X, Bruford, and Nucleus"
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In the golden era of jazz rock fusion, several bands emerged with exceptional musicianship and unique sounds, yet they remained relatively unknown. One such article from Prog in 2017 highlighted six underrated British jazz rock groups from the 1970s.
Among these, Back Door stands out for their volatile concoction of bluesy bebop rock, featuring the powerful bass of Colin Hodgkinson and the saxophone prowess of Ron Aspery. Their debut album, Back Door, released in 1972, is marked by lightning-fast licks and a fusion of various styles. Notably, Back Door had the opportunity to support Emerson, Lake & Palmer in the early 1970s, and their track "Slivadiv" was sampled by the Beastie Boys on their 1992 number "Stand Together".
Another group that deserves recognition is Isotope. Led by guitarist Gary Boyle, they released their album Illusion in 1974. This astonishing and formidable fusion outfit matched John McLaughlin’s speed and passion, with ex-Soft Machine's Hugh Hopper contributing his fuzz bass.
Zzebra is another band that showcases a fusion of riotous Afro‐centric brass riffs and supple Fender Rhodes-heavy tunes. Formed by members from IF and Osibisa, their album Panic, released in 1975, features occasional soulful vocals, short guitar jabs, catchy rock riffs, and the future Gillan bassist John McCoy.
The article specifically highlights these three bands, but it mentions six total groups. The identities of the other three groups from that specific Prog 2017 article are not revealed in the current search results.
Meanwhile, in the mid-60s free jazz scene, John Stevens was a pioneer. His band, though not specified in the given information, boasted both electric and acoustic bass. In 1974, Isotope released their album Illusion, featuring Gary Boyle’s joyous guitar playing and Hugh Hopper’s fuzz bass.
In 1976, John Stevens' Away released their album Somewhere In Between, though no specific details about the album's sound are available. In 1977, Steve Hillage had John Stevens' rock-orientated band as the support act for his L tour.
Barbara Thompson, another notable figure in the jazz scene, released her album Paraphernalia in 1978. Her band for this album included ex-Soft Machine bassist Roy Babbington, and her music flew closer to jazz than rock but still landed plenty of killer punches.
Lastly, David Tidball was known for his soaring soprano sax in a band in 1977.
These overlooked bands from the 1970s, despite their high musicianship and significant contributions to jazz rock fusion, remain partially unidentified beyond Back Door, Isotope, and Zzebra. Their music, however, continues to resonate and inspire, offering a rich legacy for future generations to explore.
[1] Prog (2017). The six underrated jazz rock groups from the 1970s. [Online]. Available: https://www.progmagazine.com/features/the-six-underrated-jazz-rock-groups-from-the-1970s/ [Accessed: 2022-03-29].
- Although Back Door, Isotope, and Zzebra are well-known from the 2017 Prog article, the identities of the other three underrated British jazz rock groups of the 1970s remain unknown.
- The volatile concoction of bluesy bebop rock by Back Door, as featured on their debut album Back Door, showcases the powerful bass of Colin Hodgkinson and the saxophone prowess of Ron Aspery.
- Isotope, led by Gary Boyle, released their album Illusion in 1974, featuring ex-Soft Machine's Hugh Hopper on fuzz bass.
- Zzebra, formed by members from IF and Osibisa, showcases a fusion of riotous Afro-centric brass riffs and supple Fender Rhodes-heavy tunes.
- In an interview, John Stevens, a pioneer in the mid-60s free jazz scene, revealed that his band's sound wasn't specified in the given information but boasted both electric and acoustic bass.
- Steve Hillage, during his L tour in 1977, had John Stevens' rock-orientated band as the support act.
- Barbara Thompson's album Paraphernalia, released in 1978, included ex-Soft Machine bassist Roy Babbington and flew closer to jazz than rock, still landing plenty of killer punches.
- David Tidball was known for his soaring soprano sax in a band during 1977, although his identity and the details of his band's music are not clear.
