Scope I (Dutch Band, Made in Germany, Rights registered in Holland, 1974)

Absolutely a masterpiece of fusion-- it just don't get more masterly than this.  A poor mono rip has been circulating for some time that really didn't do it justice, so I had to purchase the record; please upgrade your copies to this new one.  They of course did another album called Scope II but it wasn't quite as good as this powerhouse.  I hope everyone reading knows this band already.  Briefly what we have here is the best ideas from seminal fusionauts Mahavishnu and Soft Machine in a very listenable but inventive and interesting package without silly frills like overlong solos, like the Heavy Joker with Max Leth jun I posted a long time ago but much better.  Of particular interest is the gorgeous Fender Rhodes, minimoog, and organ playing of Rik Elings, who composed most of the music.  However the guitarist, Rens Nieuwland, is not exactly a shabby player in this outfit-- not at all!

For those who haven't heard this yet, hang on to the handrails, because this is some of the most furious fusion those 'tired old Europeans' (to use Dick Cheney's phrase) have ever produced.  (Now the joke's on Dick of course since he can no longer travel to Europe for fear of being arrested for war crimes and put on trial at the Hague, but he can at least listen to this masterpiece from the privacy of his lead-lined basement bunker 50 feet underground....as he remembers 'Yesternight's Dream:' [track A4] the New American Empire, now a matter made merely of memory alone...)

Yes, I know, more US-bashing.  But bear in mind I've also indulged in Euro-bashing:
http://prognotfrog.blogspot.ca/2012/06/free-fair-holland-1978.html
and singled out the obsessive-compulsive Germans for particular satire often enough...


CREDITS:
Bass, Grand Piano, Percussion – Erik Raayman
Drums, Percussion – Henk Zomer       
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Organ [Hammond], Grand Piano, Flute, Synthesizer [Minimoog] – Rik Elings
Engineer – Volker Heintzen
Guitar – Rens Nieuwland
Producer – Jochen Petersen, Scope (15)

And to think this record is almost 40 years old now!
Kayak...etc.:




Yesternight's Dream: