Track listing:
1. Syzygy incident ( Wagnon) 7:32
2. Wall to wall sunshine (Wagnon, Goodsall, Katz) 4:28
3. Frank's Beard ( Wagnon, Katz) 9:26l
4. Diabollocks 6:00 (Jones, Katz, Wagnon arr. by Percy Jones)
5. Progressivity (Marc Wagnon) 6:35
6. 7,584,333,440 miles away (Marc Wagnon, Percy Jones, Frank Katz) 20:28
7. Some things must last (Marc Wagnon) 5:02
8. Fusionaute (Marc Wagnon) 4:45
9. Orfeo's Demon 5:17 (Percy Jones)
10. High tea on 49th street 4:03 (Jones, Wagnon, Katz)
Recorded & Mixed at Buckyball Studios
Recording engineer: Marc Wagnon
Mixing engineer: Mick Cantarella
Produced by Marc Wagnon
Mastering at The Studio
Mastering engineer Katherine Miller
Cover design: messischmidt.ch
Tunnels "Progressivity"
Tunnels went back to its first line-up as a trio and invited a couple of guests, guitarist John Goodsall from Brand X, and violinist Mark Feldman, who is one of the foremost players in new music today, creating a fresh new sound for this project.
Reviews quotes:
"Progressivity transcends any preconceived notions of fusion and jazz-rock, as the band’s holistic viewpoint signifies an all-embracing sound and style. Consequently, this one should not be overlooked! (Strongly recommended)."
Glenn Astarita allaboutjazz.com
"The music is sophisticated and flowing progressive fusion, with lots of atmospheric jazz grooves and complex rock arrangements...The reunion of sorts between Jones and Goodsall is enough to give most goosebumps." Pete Pardo Seaoftranquility.net
“Open-eared progressive tastes will simply flip for these proceedings.” Chris Spector MRR electronic edition
“This maddeningly creative, wild, and sometimes experimental trio makes no bones about its desire to carry on in the hardcore jazz fusion traditions.” Jonathan Widran All Music Guide
“...clearly has influences in older Brand X yet sounds modern and fresh.” Erik FederAquarian Magazine
“A keeper that every lover of musical energy will HAVE to have!” Rotcod Zzaj Improvizzaation Nation
“I would suggest this is an essential album for your collection. I've liked what I heard on all tracks.” Dick Heath Fusenet
"The more I travel in Tunnels the more I become amazed with their unique architecture." Vitaly Menshikov Progressor.net
Comments about the track names:
1. The Syzygy Incident: This name has strong astronomical connotations, I am an astronomy buff so I am warning you it want be the last one. Syzygy is an astronomical term that is use to describe a conjunction (here I go again) or alignment between the sun, the earth and any other planet. Now, as to what happened on a particular Syzygy to create an “incident” I leave up to the listener.
2. Wall to Wall Sunshine: This all started last year on the Tunnels and Nuove Musiche tour. Although we anticipated horrid/depressing weather during the course of our two week tour, we were blessed with continuous sunshine. Percy came up with the phrase in celebration of the phenomena, which to me seemed more relevant to carpeting, but I was assured that it is a bonefied english expression. We finished the track on the days following the tour, so it seemed appropriate.
3. Frank’s beard: Frank and I worked on this tune but the master plan was his, and at the time, he was in a dilemma about cutting or not cutting. We actually had an opinion poll started about it. In the end, Frank seemed to like it on.
4. Diabollocks: Percy had a bad experience with a neighbour, who had some auditory hallucinations. She kept hearing banging from percy’s apartment, and decided to continuously harass him and his wife Joyce, by calling cops and various security people. So Percy chose that name as a way to exorcise the whole affair.
5. Progressivity: Well it is the tittle cut, it was actually the first thing we knew about the CD, it was its name. Things flowed from there. Now why this name, some people think we have invented it, but I found it on the dictionary, trying to find the definition of the word “progressive” which has been attached to our music for the best and the worst. yes we are progressive in the true sense of the term, which is: interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities...moving forward and onward.
6. 7,584,333,440 miles away: is the distance, at the time of the recording of the tune, of one of the farthest human made object from Earth, a probe called Pioneer. There is an interesting development in this if you are scientifically inclined. check this article.
7. Somethings must last: when I was writing this tune George Harrison died, being forever a Beatles fan, I paraphrased the title of George's first solo release “All things must Pass”.
8. Fusionauts: I don’t think this one needs any more comments.
9. Orfeo’s Demon: on Sarah Pillow Nuove Musiche CD is a song called Orfeo, which features Percy. Percy took the vocal track and put his own spin on it. Percy has a tune on the first Tunnels CD called “Maxwell’s Demon”.
10. High Tea on 49th Street: Percy, as a true man from the British Isles, enjoys a good cup of tea. Unfortunately, he has been thoroughly frustrated at the corner store next to Buckyball Central while trying to reinterpret the tradition in a NY fashion;being over charged, finding hot chocolate inplace of tea, finding loads of sugar dissolved into the tea, and being overcharged for all this that he didn't asked for. So I guess this is more fiction that reality.
Liner Notes by Bill Milkowsky
WARNING: This recording contains dissonance, distortion, harmonic and rhythmic abstraction, tonal nastiness, an abundance of intense blowing and other forms of sonic weirdness that may cause harmful side effects such as dizziness, palpitations, fibrilations, aneurisms, hives, facial swelling, wheezing and may lead to serious brain damage. Do not play while operating heavy machinery or while under the influence of smooth jazz.
Tunnels makes no apologies for its love of fusion music. That is, fusion from the raw, ripping, aggressively searching and risk-taking early '70s of Tony Williams Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Miles Davis (circa Jack Johnson and Live-Evil ); NOT the watered down, lame variety that came along in the late '70s and early'80s (when the once noble experiment became codified, fell out of favor with fans and was branded with the stigma of 'the F word' by critics.
Formed in 1992, Tunnels has evolved into a hard-hitting collective that showcases the extraordinary talents and kindred interplay of its core members -- vibraphonist Marc Wagnon, drummer Frank Katz and bassist Percy Jones, a '70s fusion pioneer himself as co-founder of the British group Brand X. One of the most distinctive fretless electric bassists of the last 25 years, Jones' playing is marked by a bubbling, unerring rhythmic feel in the ultra-low end combined with a penchant for sonic exploration that has become his trademark. The Welch-born bassist and longtime resident of New York City is one of the very few players to forge a different path on the fretless electric bass guitar than the hugely influential Jaco Pastorius [Percy's singular approach on Brand X's 1976 debut, Unorthodox Behavior , paralleled Jaco's own groundbreaking statements on his 1976 self-titled debut].
That spirit of sonic exploration that Jones brings to the table is echoed by Tunnels' resident MIDI advocate, vibist and principal composer Marc Wagnon. A classically trained vibraphonist and percussionist from Switzerland, Wagnon came under the sway of fusion music during its glory years and has kept on that subversive path ever since. "When I got into music intensely in the early '70s I was in my late teens and early 20s," he explains. "I got started with all the progressive English rock bands and then went to Mahavishnu and Miles. It was such an intensely creative era. So many things were happening and so many ideas were being put out then. So to me, that was simply the way things went -- ideas go out and lots of new things come out of it. And I was just expecting that attitude to keep going over time, but it didn't, which was kind of disappointing. So Tunnels is just trying to carry the torch for that spirit in some way with what we're doing."
After studying jazz at the Berklee College of Music and later immersing himself in the downtown (i.e. avant) New York scene, Wagnon unveiled his iconoclastic leanings and virtuosic chops on his 1988 solo debut, Shadowlines , an impressive outing that also showcased a number of up-and-comers including pianist Dave Kikoski, trumpeter Dave Douglas and guitarist Nick Didkovsky of Dr. Nerve fame.
Tunnels released its self-titled debut in 1994 on the Ozone label [it was reissued in 1999 on Wagnon's own Buckyball Records label]. That initial outing, along with its powerful 1999 followup, Painted Rock , were both produced by Wagnon and also featured the contributions of guitarist Van Manakas, who has since left the group and relocated to Nashville. Now with Progressivity , Tunnels has pushed the envelope to another level. With the solid and sympathetic core group of Katz, Jones and Wagnon augmented by guest soloists Mark Feldman on violin and Percy's Brand X bandmate John Goodsall on guitar, this special edition of Tunnels is the most ferocious and adventurous yet, fully capable of delivering powerfully intense fusion music in the classic sense. This should come as good news to those of you hardcore fusion fanatics who have recently replaced your worn-out vinyl copies of Emergency! ,Inner Mounting Flame ,Birds of Fire and Spectrum with newly remastered cd versions. The cd you're holding in your hands falls right into that volatile tradition in its aim of melding rock power with jazz improvisation, complex structures, disciplined ensemble playing, heated interplay and shameless displays of dextrous virtuosity.
"When fusion came out, I loved the stuff," says Tunnels' co-leader and today's preeminent exponent of MIDI vibes. "I still love the stuff that came out then. The problem with fusion is it got a bad name. In the'80s, fusion just got turned around and became this soft, hyper-commerical, lightweight two-chord bass vamp music. And we're not like that at all. At some point it was as if the music industry announced, 'There will be no surprises in fusion anymore.' But there are still some surprises in the bag, I think."
Wagnon and Tunnels cohorts see to that on Progressivity .
They kick it off in audacious fashion with "Syzygy Incident," a prime example of the many textures, colors and little 'ear cookies' that Wagnon can conjure up with his MIDI vibes. This trio piece opens with what seems like a cross between harpsichord and acoustic guitar, buoyed by Percy and Frank's insistently swinging groove underneath. Sampled frog sounds enter the picture and then mid-way into the piece there's an urgent 'electric guitar solo' by Marc that made me do a double take and check the credits to see if infact it was John Goodsall playing. The Brand X guitarist does make his formidable presence felt on "Wall To Wall Sunshine," a frantic, distortion-laced, no-holds-barred fusion romp. Violinist Mark Feldman, who 20 years ago took over Jerry Goodman's spot in The Flock, engages in some fiery exchanges with Goodsall's guitar on this Mahavishnu flavored burner. "Frank's Beard," a piece jointly conceived by Wagnon and drummer Katz, is a great vehicle for Feldman's remarkable improvisational prowess while the experimental "Tech No" is Percy's platform for layering soundscapes, loops and otherworldly effects on top of his inimitable bubbling groove.
The title track is an accomplished piece of writing by Wagnon which again features Feldman's considerable chops on the violin while the freewheeling 21-minute studio jam "37,584,333,440 Miles Away" shows the kind of wreckless abandon that is unheard of on a major label or even most independent labels these days. "The rule of thumb today at record companies is to appeal to the lowest common denominator," says Wagnon." And when people want to have something safe, something that is radio-friendly, it's always at the expense of adventurous creativity. When a record company gets bought by a bigger company that has nothing to do whatsoever with the music, then the music itself becomes a product. And the moment it becomes a product it has to please the shareholders. And once the shareholders have to be pleased, a certain number of rules have to be followed. And that's where compromise enters. So it's true that the only way to do something like this is to be an independent label. And to be honest, I don't know if Tunnels would've survived if I didn1t start this label."
Wagnon's "Somethings Must Last" is the lyrical gem here. Feldman's violin work is particularly luminous through the head of this beautiful ballad and inspired through the freer solo section. The aptly-named "Fusionaute" makes no apologies for its excesses with Goodsall's fuzztones and manic machine-gun picking recalling vintage Al Di Meola with Return To Forever. "Orfeo's Demon" is another outlet for Percy's highly experimental approach to digital editing and working with found sounds (the heavily treated voice here belongs to Marc's wife Sarah Pillow and is actually lifted from a track on last year's baroque-jazz project Nuove Musiche , which also featured Percy, Marc and Frank in the supporting cast). And the closer, "Swing Era" (an excerpt from a 13-minute improv in the studio), highlights the highly interactive trio in one of the things they do best -- swinging in uptempo shuffle beat fashion with Percy keeping flawless time beneath Katz's crisp, polyrhythmic pulse.
There is only a handful of groups these days who are out there waving the flag for this kind of fiercely uncompromising fusion music. And Tunnels ranks right up there with the best of them. -- Bill Milkowski
Full Reviews
The thing about trying to describe the band Tunnels is that there doesn't seem to be any single Tunnels sound.
Even on an individual song, the band can change gears to radically that what starts out as a straight-ahead if muscular bit of fusion can soon delightfully degrade into a wonderful stew of free-form ensemble improvisation. This is the third or fourth outing by the core group of Tunnels (the press release wasn't real clear on that) - bassist Percy Jones, Marc Wagnon on midi vibes, and drummer Frank Katz. They have the kind of relaxed intensity that comes only from playing together often and over along period of time; that familiarity allows them to attempt stuff other outfits can't even dream about. And their two guest artists, guitarist John Goodsall and violinist Mark Feldman, have the talent and guts to keep up every step of the way. On "Wall to Wall Sunshine," the band lets Feldman and Goodsall have the spotlight - and they wring every bit out of their time out front. Goodsall's opening guitar lead sets a tone of intensity that Feldman then turns up a notch - and so it goes, back and forth, for about four and a half minutes. Jones really kicks it on "Frank's Beard," laying down big, fat cushions of bass that create a sonic bubble wrap that the rest of the band can then hop around on without fear of falling. On "Diabollocks," the next song, he takes that deep-friend thump of his even deeper, while Wagnon noodles over top of it. And about 17 minutes into the lengthy "7,584,333,4440 Miles Away" is a tight little vamp on "Amazing Grace" by Goodsall that reminds more than a bit of Hendrix turning "The Star Spangled Banner" inside out. But this album is full of those kinds of surprises - little musical gems that continue to delight as the CD is played over and over again ... as it will be. by Jim Trageser _American Reporter
A new album from this group created by Percy Jones and John Goodsall of Brand X. Their genre is a wild experimentation between progressive rock and jazz fusion, but the result is, as usual, a great professional success, thanks to the experience of great artists who have been on stage for thirty years. "Progressivity" is a well-researched work that takes these musicians back to their roots, thanks to a wide range of progressive sounds and distinctive electronic influences. Songs like "Diabollocks" and "Orfeo's Demon" express all the energy that continues to emanate from the songwriting of these masters. The ten tracks, all instrumental, are brimming with guitar virtuosity and more; this time, they also invited a famous jazz violinist named Mark Feldman. An album to listen to while sitting in a chair, completely relaxed and with an unbridled passion for progressive rock and a lot of jazz. (6/6/02) Nicolò Mulas - Kronic.it
Led by former Brand X fretless bassist Percy Jones, this maddeningly creative, wild, and sometimes experimental trio makes no bones about its desire to carry on in the hardcore jazz fusion traditions of the risk-taking era of Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Tony Williams. They're very good natured about the sacrifice of possible commerce for art's sake. In their liner notes, they actually say something about the recording containing tonal nastiness, dissonance, harmonic and rhythmic abstraction, distortion, and "other forms of sonic weirdness." They warn people under the influence of smooth jazz not to listen! All tongue-in-cheekness aside, what they're really doing is celebrating in modern terms an era where musicality was more appreciated than catchy melodies and radio-ready running times. MIDI vibist Marc Wagnon wrote the brooding, bubbling opening track, "Syzygy Incident," which seems designed for mind expansion, toe tapping, and locomotive timekeeping. In the middle come strange, trippy industrial noises and odd bluesy atmospheres that are sometimes almost relaxing. Then the real action starts on "Wall to Wall Sunshine," with guest guitarist John Goodsall and violinist Mark Feldman ripping the room to pieces. Jones' bass is a constant booming presence throughout. Other tracks seem less organized and more off the cuff, but hardcore fusion fanatics might enjoy them and get something that other listeners may not. So, yes, there is a tendency toward overkill on the weirdness and self-indulgence (there's one 20-minute track), but listeners should focus on celebrating a musical world where great musicians doing such things can actually get a deal and sell records. These types of things are nicely balanced by truly melodic and enjoyable mainstream numbers like "Some Things Must Last." Ironically, that's probably something these guys don't want to hear about their music. — Jonathan Widran
Jazz-rock gets a college education with this ensemble’s third release. The trio receives some bonus coverage thanks to modern jazz violinist Mark Feldman and “Brand X,” guitarist John Goodsall’s inspiring performances. In fact, the now legendary “Brand X” aggregation features the members of “Tunnels:” Percy Jones (bass), Marc Wagnon (midi vibes) and Frank Katz (drums). Hence, the musicians maintain an ongoing working relationship - much to our delight. The group dishes out a program consisting of polytonal sound shaping episodes, asymmetrically inclined angles, and variegated perspectives. Wagnon utilizes samples, synths, and his midi vibes to provide a scenario that hints at a virtual front line soloing section. On “Syzygy Incident,” he injects clavichord samples and tainted B-3 organ treatments atop Jones and Katz’ pumping rhythms and well-timed unison choruses. But this is just a tease, mind you. Because Goodsall and Feldman go toe to toe on the following piece titled, “Wall To Wall,” as the violinist renders lavishly stated lines in concert with the guitarist’s rapid-fire single note leads. Nonetheless, the soloists’ dutifully up the ante on several occasions. The musicians’ artistry continues during the twenty-minute burner, “7,584,333,440 Miles Away,” as they pursue a series of mini themes amid polyrhythmic flurries and a blitzing line of attack. In addition, Goodsall’s machine gun like progressions and the band’s rendering of forbidden dreamscapes culminate with a tuneful jazz-based vibe. Feldman returns during “High Tea at 49th and 10th” – where Katz and Jones go beyond the call of duty via a tumultuously reverberating hybrid swing/rock groove. Here, the rhythm section operates on all cylinders in support of Wagnon’s understated midi vibe soloing. Progressivity transcends any preconceived notions of fusion and jazz-rock, as the band’s holistic viewpoint signifies an all-embracing sound and style. Consequently, this one should not be overlooked! (Strongly recommended) BuckyBall Music All About Jazz
This excellent album by the Tunnels trio could be subtitled: "The Return of Fusion: The Revenge." You'll recall, in fact, how this type of music initially deluded critics and fans, then miserably collapsed under the blows of record marketing, which, as always, shamefully tried to squeeze the lemon out of the water, resulting in only glossy, soulless music that quickly went out of fashion. Now the word is carefully avoided like the plague, and in most cases, that's absolutely correct. But not here. Here, fusion rediscovers the ingredients of its origins: the courage of the sonic explorations of the Tony Williams Lifetime group, the creativity of the early Mahavishnu, the sacred fire of early Weather Report, the energy of all subsequent offshoots that fundamentally harked back to the electric Miles Davis of Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson. The three musicians in this group are Swiss MIDI vibraphonist Marc Wagnon, Welsh fretless electric bassist Percy Jones, and American drummer Frank Katz. The group has been together since 1994 and has now reached their third album, released on Buckyball Records, owned by Wagnon and his wife, singer Sarah Pillow, who also guest-performs on a couple of tracks that feature her voice electronically processed with samples and subsequent processing. Six of the ten tracks feature guitarist John Goodsall (formerly with Jones in the British group Brand X) and violinist Mark Feldman, who for this occasion dusts off the skills he was likely called upon to do when he replaced Jerry Goodman in Flock, some thirty years ago, for some recording sessions from which nothing ever emerged. The music is consistently top-notch, supported by the flexible drummer and the sonic inventions of the bassist, one of the finest interpreters of the instrument, one of the few to have forged an original path in a landscape dominated by the emblematic figure of Jaco Pastorius. Over this ever-imaginative and stimulating rhythm, Marc Wagnon adds his vibraphone inventions, which, exploiting the possibilities offered by MIDI, becomes a generator of completely unusual sounds, drawn from various expander modules. Listen to the 'fake' electric guitar taking a very aggressive solo in "Syzygy Incident," the album's opening track, or other moments where typical analog keyboard sounds emerge or sampled sounds from the most diverse sources (for example, frogs croaking in a truly melodious way): you are witnessing the wonders of the MIDI universe, which allows the vibraphonist to control all these sounds with his mallets. Mark Feldman is expressly thanked in the liner notes for "stepping out of character." Indeed, the violinist we hear on four tracks on this album bears little resemblance to the Feldman we know: his phrasing is nervous, aggressive, tormented, and zigzagging, with results very similar to those achieved by Jerry Goodman, first with the Flock and then, especially, in the very first edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Or, if you prefer, we can find similarities with the work of French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, first with Frank Zappa and then replacing Goodman in the second edition of John McLaughlin's band (although this was already the period when fusion was on its way out). If we really want to find a difference, we have to give credit to Feldman for being sharper, cleaner, but for once without this cleanliness detracting from the physicality of the sound and the pulsating soul of the music. Guitarist John Goodsall, featured on three tracks, is a real eye-catcher, and we've rarely heard him in such dazzling form. He aggressively plays his sharp guitar, unleashing thought-provoking solos with rich, sparkling phrasing, beautifully highlighted by top-quality recording techniques. His presence in the mile-long jam session "7,584,333,440 Miles Away" (over 20 minutes of intense studio improvisation, with a title that sounds like the serial number of some esoteric software...) is the icing on the cake, crafted with great passion by the three permanent members of the band. Meanwhile, the track "Wall to Wall Sunshine" (the only one featuring both guitarist and violinist) effectively evokes, even in its instrumentation, McLaughlin's lineup, while the two guests embark on fiery, distorted exchanges. The vibraphone had already played a leading role in fusion music, both with Mike Maineri and his Steps Ahead and with Gary Burton and the various incarnations of his groups, but this contemporary version certainly has nothing to envy of its precursors and, in fact, presents itself with greater aggression, imagination, and a highly respectable technique. We hope this group can continue its "progressive" adventures in a world once thought to be sunk, like that of Atlantis. MAURIZIO COMANDINI Allaboutjazz.com
This is, without a doubt, one of the finest fusion albums I've heard in the last 20 years. In the liner notes, the band makes no apology for their love of classic, early 70's fusion. That being said, don't expect anything too retro-sounding here. This is very modern fusion, but what these talented players have brought forward from the 70's is integrity of style that refuses to sacrifice to commercialism, and some truly adventurous composition and playing. As the liner notes warn: "this recording contains tonal nastiness, dissonance, harmonic and rhythmic abstraction, distortion, an abundance of blowing and other forms of sonic weirdness…" Percy Jones on fretless bass and guest John Goodsall on guitar (both formerly of fusion pioneers Brand X) join Marc Wagnon on midi vibes and Frank Katz on drums. Wagnon's midi vibes have an amazing versatility of sound. They can add delicacy to a piece, as they do on the opening track, Syzygy Incident, or weirdly futuristic spaciness, as they do on the title track. And how about that rhythm section? Jones' bass is in fine form as always, whether he's funking it up on Fusionauts or playing it sweet and melodic on Some Things Must Last, and Katz's drumming is remarkable; the man is a master at forming order out of chaos. John Goodsall lends some smoking guitar work to three of the tracks, including a searing duel with Mark Feldman on violin on Wall to Wall Sunshine. The album highlight is the 20-minute epic 7, 584, 333, 440 Miles Away (with an appropriately epic title, I might add!). This one's going to appeal to both fusion and space fans alike. From its slow, dissonant beginnings, to its rampaging interior, through ominous stretches of space, to whirling explosions of sound, this could be the soundtrack to some dark, futuristic outer space escapade. My only criticism of the piece is I think I would have rather it built up to some kind of conclusion, rather than just fading out at the end. It feels somehow unfinished. But then again, perhaps that was the idea. After all, once you get that far away, you're probably not going to stop. Fusion lost something in the 80's, becoming a watered down version of it's former self that ultimately lead to trite forms of music such as smooth jazz. A lot of people lost faith in the future of fusion back then. Progressivity is the kind of album that can make you a believer again. Jeff Fitzgerald - Aural Innovations
Another great fretless player that is worthy of discussion and certainly needs no introduction is Percy Jones. His work with Brand X and recently with Tunnels is really outstanding music, full of wonderful textures and moods and of course master craftsmanship. One of the most prolific bassists around, his discography is whose who of excellent artists. He has played with Brian Eno, Steve Hackett, Sarah Pillow and Bill Frisell among others. Check out some samples from his upcoming release (I have already pre-ordered a copy) "Progessivity" which features guest spots with John Goodsall (guitar) and Mark Feldman (violin). Progressivity will amaze, inspire and otherwise knock you on the floor and could even make you wonder why you even try… The other 2 Tunnels CD's in my collection ("Tunnels with Percy Jones" and "Tunnels Painted Rock") are in permanent rotation on the CD player at home. I HIGHLY recommend that you check it out if you haven't already. Just do not play while operating heavy machinery or while under the influence of smooth jazz . Jon Pomplin http://www.jonpomplin.com from basslinks.nl
>Last Monday (13th May) was a personal delight musically. The morning post brought the new Tunnels album three working days after Marc Waggon written to tell me he was sending me a copy. The album is called "Progressivity", which in that peculiar American way of "let's create a new word, even when there are perfectly good ones already", actually well defines the musical content. With initial quick sampling of tracks and then going back to hearthem in real detail, this album suggests itself to be one of the best jazz rock releases in at the least two years - and most definitely the best Tunnels release. It is innovative, ear catching and has many new fresh takes on several different styles of jazz rock. From Mahavishnu-type jazz rock with speed and interplay (Mr Berends* you will like this - I think), to new drum 'n'bass, with Sarah Pillow's classical trained voice sampled and treated, on the track "Orfeo's Dream". John Goodsall and Mark Feldman also guest on various tracks, but the core trio Percy Jones (fretlessbass), Marc Waggon (Midi vibes)and Frank Katz (drums) are in top form. I would suggest this is an essential album for your collection. I've liked what I hear on all tracks - note: some have catchy titles such as "Diabollocks", (Mr Jones did you ever ever consider "Taff-a-gonads" for the title - sorry, a horrible pun on the Welsh connection); "7,584,333,440 Miles Away" (has this got some astrological significance?). Dick Heath - FuseNet
Tunnels makes no apologies for its love of fusion music, that is, fusion from the raw, ripping, aggressively searching and risk-taking early '70s of Tony Williams Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Miles Davis; not the watered-down, lame variety that came along in the late '70s and early '80s. Formed in 1992, Tunnels has evolved into a hard-hitting collective that showcases the extraordinary talents and kindred interplay of its core members - vibraphonist Marc Wagnon, drummer Frank Katz and bassist Percy Jones, a '70s fusion pioneer himself as co-founder of the British group Brand X. Progressivity finds the group pushing the envelope to the next level, with guest soloistsMark Feldman on violin and Percy's rBrand X bandmate John Goodsall on guitar. This special edition of Tunnels is the most ferocious and adventurous yet, fully capable of delivering powerfully intense fusion music in the classic sense, melding rock power with jazz improvisation, complex structures, disciplined ensemble playing, heated interplay and shameless displays of dextrous virtuosity. Instrumental Guitar (Electric/Fusion/Jazz), total running time, 73:39 Guitar9
To call this the second coming of Brand X really does a disservice to the talents of this trlo comprising Marc Wagnon, Percy Jones and Frank Katz, assisted most notably here by guitarist John Goodsall and violinist Mark Feldman. Wagnon performs on midi-vibes, which means his mallets are more than malleable when it comes to producing sonic tomfoolery of every sort imaginable. Jones really percolates on bass (good to the last bop!) and Katz is a whirling dervish on his drum kit. While the participation of Jones and Goodsall may conjure memories of their former band, there is no doubting that the members of Tunnels are intent on making their own passage_ underpround following or not. "7,584,333,440 Miles Away," a 2O-minute track contained here, is definitely the most wild, whacked-out piece of jazz fusion that will blister your ears this year. "Syzygy Incident" and "orfeo's Dream" are other cuts that absolutely rip. If you're a fan of the no-holds-barred fusion that distingulshed the best work of Mahavishnu orchestra, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke or Tony Williams' Lifetime, you're going to like Progressivity and you're going to dig Tunnels.—Mark Newman
Tunnels - PROGRESSIVITY: Shades of Mahavishnu, but in a 21st Century fusion mode, this CD has some of the most beautiful & forward-moving energy music we've ever heard (& we've heard a LOT)! Percy Jones does bass, John Goodsall is on guitar, with Mark Feldman furnishing excellent violin works! These guys KNOW what they're doing, & their love of music shines through with crystal clarity. In fact, as you listen through/to all 10 of the tracks, you can see that they are moving fusion in different directions than it's ever been... some very intricate rhythmic structures (that I just loved) & a kind of dedication to giving the listener a pleasant (tho' challenging) listen. Th' CD liner has a blurb that I'm taking partially out of context to illustrate my feelings after listening... "an abundance of intense blowing and other forms of sonic weirdness that may cause harmful side effects such as hives, palpitations, fibrillations, aneurisms, dizziness... do not play while operating heavy machinery or while under the influence of smooth jazz" - heck, th' description alone makes it worth listening to! & from our perspective, this merits our MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, as well as the "PICK" of 2002 for "best fusion yet"! A keeper that every lover of musical energy will HAVE to have! Contact at Buckyball Records, POB 2034, Radio City Station, NYC 10101, via email to records@buckyballmusic.com or on the site at www.buckyballmusic.com Rotcod Zzaj Improvijazztion nation
usion, that wonderful hybrid genre immortalized by the likes of John McLaughlin, Chick Corea and Miles Davis, was considered dead (or sleeping soundly) by many some time ago and considered moot and musically deficient by much of the jazz world some time prior to that. The three-piece band Tunnels would beg to differ, and the music on the band's inspired "Progressivity" might be enough to make the naysayers reconsider. Tunnels is the innovative fretless bassist Percy Jones, known for his work with the band Brand X. MIDI vibraphonist Marc Wagnon. and percussionist Frank Katz. Guest perforrners include Brand X's John Goodsall on guitar, vocalist Sarah Pillow and the great violinist Mark Feldman. Wagnon demonstrates time and times again just how versatile and interesting MIDI vibes are. He turns in a head-turning solo on "Syzygy Incident" in the voice of an electric guitar, while on the fantastic title track he lays sheets of ambient sound, only to augment them with ebullient dancing melody lines. Jones remains an intriguing bassist, his lines more resembling musical speech | than mere notes. It is as if he is the narrator, sitting quietly in the background (most of the time, at any rate), painting out items of interest in the passing parade. In the liner notes, the usually excellent writer Bill Milkowski retuses to let the music speak for itself, insistently framing Tunnels as the rebirth of the Ghost of Fusion Past. That portrayal may seem accurate, but it seems this band is much more interested in experimenta-tion, unusual soundscapes and odd wanderings than even the term fusion should imply. Disciples of Stanley Crouch, as well as anyone else who still feels that fusion is a dirty word, are advised to avoid "Progressivity." For the rest of us, however, it's an exhilarating listen. —By James Bickers Special to The Courier-Journal
"Warning: This recording contains tonal nastiness, dissonance, harmonic and rhythmic abstraction, distortion, an abundance of intense blowing and other forms of sonic weirdness that may cause harmful side effects such as hives, palpitations, fibrillations, aneurisms, facial swelling, wheezing and may lead to serious brain damage. Do not play while operating heavy machinery or while under the influence of smooth jazz." Having said that, Progressivity is probably the best fusion release since Niacin's High Bias disc a few years ago. With its shades of the Dixie Dregs, late-era Frank Zappa and mid-70's Jean-Luc Ponty, this is not a disc for the musically timid. The intricate rhythmic structures make for a challenging listen, but hey--that's what you want in a fusion album, right? The group's core trio--which includes former Brand X bassist, Percy Jones, Marc Wagnon on MIDI vibes, and Frank Katz on the drum kit--is joined by John Goodsall on guitar (also from Brand X) Marc Feldman on violin and, on two tracks, Wagnon's wife, Sarah Pillow on 'prepared voice.' From the trippy, brooding sounds of "Syzygy Incident," to John Goodsall's shredding lead guitar work on "Fusionauts," to more accessible cuts like the title track or "Some Things Must Last," there's a wide spectrum of musical styles lurking on Progressivity. As a rhythm section, Jones and Katz are a real powerhouse when they need to be. Yet when things quiet down, they bring a sense of calm and beauty to the music as well. Best of all, the band clearly shows they're not afraid to sacrifice commercial success for the sake of artistic integrity (be sure to check out the 20-minute epic, "7,584,333,440 Miles Away"). That's always a good thing. Steve Marshall Thenightowl.com
Bassist Percy Jones, who once made his name in Brand X, is making sure that Christmas comes early this year for all fusion fans. Tunnels, formed 10 years ago by Jones and his colleagues Marc Wagnon (midi-vibraphone) and Frank Katz (drums), has been steadily improving from album to album like a pig in a haystack. After guitarist Van Mana-kas left, you would have thought that Tunnels' sound had lost its power, but that hasn't happened: Tunnels sounds simultaneously crackling and airy, unlike some of the yawningly numb fusion bands. Tunnels hasn't made their album as a trio, but has featured Jones' old colleague John Goodsall and violinist Mark Feldman on some of the tracks. The decision is sensible, as the guests add a refreshing additional color to the band's distinctive sound. If one were to look for criticism in “Progressivity,” the album’s nearly 74-minute duration seems like too short a dose of this kind of fast-paced fusion partying. Sometimes it’s like that! Kalevi Heino Finland
What better title for the contemporary mentors of the progressive fusion movement? The third Tunnels album is a real standout and the best so far. This time out guitarist Van Manakas has left. The band is joined on several tracks by Brand X guitarist John Goodsall and also by an extraordinary violinist by the name of Mark Feldman. Solidly in the tradition of Brand X , Mahavishnu Orchestra, or Return To Forever; "Progressivity" really delivers the goods! Whether it is Marc Wagnon's increasingly amazing midi-vibes playing (sometimes sounding like anything and everything but the vibes), Percy Jones' fluid, virtuostic bass work , Frank Katz's firey drumming which goes from rocking thunder one moment to gentle swinging the next as called upon - or the essential contributions by guests Goodsall and Feldman - this is (to coin a phrase) "one damn fine record"!!! Marc Wagnon sums it up in the liner notes: "warning: this recording contains tonal nastiness, dissonance, harmonic & rhythmic abstraction, distortion, an abundance of intense blowing and other forms of sonic weirdness that may cause harmful side effects such as hives, palpitations, fibrilations, aneurisms, dizziness, facial swelling, wheezing and may lead to serious brain damage. do not play while operating heavy machinery or while under the influence of smooth jazz." (HA! Take that Kenny G!) ZNR Records