Jerry Goodman & Jan Hammer

In the early 70's fusion was the next big thing, young jazzers with all the chops discovering electricty, volume and audiences. There is no doubt that the bad name fusion garnered at that time flows from the release of what was, quite frankly, rubbish. There were, however, glaring exceptions, the electric Return to Forever's, "Hymn Of the Seventh Galaxy" and just about anything put out by Weather Report and John Mclaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra.

There were, however, glaring exceptions, the electric Return to Forever's, "Hymn Of the Seventh Galaxy" and just about anything put out by Weather Report and John Mclaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. From the latter came an intensity not heard before in fusion and one couldn't help be struck by how heavy it all was, this was not music for the faint hearted. McLaughlin was a very hard task master, so it was not a surprise when the first Mahavishnu Orchesta broke up.

Jerry Goodman had been in the jazz rock band Flock and was already known as a great violinist. After he and Jan Hammer found themselves unemployed, they turned to the fledgling Nemperor records to record this duo album. It does not have the virtuosity of their former band but the range of instruments they play and the compositional strengths make it a lost gem.

Hammer takes on the drumming duties and Goodman shows that he's a competent guitarist as well as a viloin master. On listening to this again, one realizes that the "Like Children" album really fine album.

Well worth a listen.