...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI...


..::OPIS::..

Wydany pod koniec 1970 roku wspaniały, progresywny i bez wątpienia pionierski album z wyraziście jazzowymi elementami - nagrany przez późniejszych muzyków Gong, Caravan, Nucleus i Soft Machine. Ten trwający 79 minut CD zawiera kapitalne, rozbudowane i pozbawione muzycznej waty kompozycje, gęste brzmienie, a przede wszystkim fantastyczny, emocjonalny (i na szczęście pozbawiony popularnej wówczas chrypki...), kobiecy wokal Carol Grimes - jednej z najlepszych, ówczesnych wokalistek rockowych!

To, jak dobry jest ten album słychać dosłownie od pierwszych 10-20 sekund! UWAGA! Od dawna niedostępna, wcześniejsza wersja CD sygnowana była nazwą Delivery, ale oryginalny winyl (wiernie zreprodukowany w tym booklecie) podpisany był jako Carol Grimes And Delivery. Dodatkowo dołączono 6 nagrań, w tym B-stronę rzadkiego singla z 1970 oraz krótki występ dla radia BBC. Świetny dźwięk!

JL

Fools Meeting - and what a meeting it is !!! This album features an eclectic blend of Blues and Jazz with a very progressive approach. Starring an impressive cast of (future) Canterbury luminaries ; Phil Miller (Guitars), his brother Steve on Piano, Pip Pyle (Drums) Roy Babbington (Bass Guitar) - one cannot help but to expect something special. Add to this the sweet, sweet voice of one Carol Grimes (and boy, does she sing her heart out). Her vocal styling is full of tremolo, something akin to Grace Slick or Signe Anderson from the early Jefferson Airplane, and also special guest Lol Coxhill (Saxophones), whose contribution to the songs is priceless. Phil M's trademark style of Guitaring can be witnessed here, as he holds many solo spots, and is the main composer. Steve M's jazzy Piano playing has a unique air to it - at times his Piano doesn't have sustain, so his notes are short and sharp, making for a more interesting sound. The rhythm section is quite excellent - Babbington is already playing with amazing skill and dexterity, those that are familiar with the Karl Jenkins led Soft Machine should agree that he is quite a Bassist. Pyle's Drumming is very busy, and he shows often that he can play outside the confines of regular 4/4 beats. Coxhill is up there with the likes of Elton Dean and Gary Windo, with his lungs full of fury, blowing up a whirlwind of seldom heard sounds with his affected Sax. Of the 8 tracks on the LP (Tapestry re-issue, couldn't afford an original - been searching since around 1990) there is rarely a dull moment, each song is constructed in such a way that changes tempos regularly and never stays too long in one place. The music is not particularly indicative of 'Canterbury', the more Bluesy moments are when Grimes is singing, the instrumental parts suddenly take off in another direction, be it Jazz, Avant-Garde or Rock. I suppose if Steve utilised some fuzzy organs and e-piano it could be a genuine Canterbury sounding article. Best songs are possibly 'Miserable Man' (8.28), 'Home Made Ruin' (3.23), 'The Wrong Time' (7.50), and 'Fighting It Out' (5.48), but the album as a whole is an enlightening experience.

Tom Ozric

As was often the case for progressive albums released on the cusp of 1970, Delivery's one and only LP Fool's Meeting sounds torn between prog innovations and the blues and psychedelic obsession of the late 1960's. In the case of this Canterbury Scene proto-supergroup (most of the members would go on to great success with the likes of Caravan, Gong and Soft Machine, among others) it's the fetishized American blues rock that keeps them grounded in the past. Although they do it well, it ultimately holds Fool's Meeting from being as distinguished and memorable as some of the records these musicians would work in later incarnations of their careers.

When it comes to this late Sixties' British response to longstanding American blues tradition, I'm most inclined to point the finger at the first two records from Led Zeppelin's career; there was no doubting where most of Zeppelin's influence was coming from, but they added a new kick that made it interesting. Delivery does much the same on Fool's Meeting, with the notable exception that while Led Zeppelin amped up blues with the fuzz of hard rock and proto-metal, Delivery has imbued the style with the nuance and interplay of jazz music. It's an incredibly promising combination, and when Delivery successfully manage to pair the two, the result is significant. "Miserable Man" in particular is a fantastic example wherein Delivery nail the atmosphere of both styles. Disappointingly, as the album progresses, the jazz aspect becomes less prominent, leaving the dated blues rock to preside, complete with predictable 12 Bar songwriting patterns. Delivery's jazz rock still finds its way through the cracks in the form of the occasional saxophone solo (as is the case in "Fighting it Out", but the excellent promise of Delivery's style doesn't feel realized here. Very fortunately for after-the-fact listeners however, the scaled fusion of jazz with psych and rhythmic rock would found the basis of the Canterbury Scene.

While the musicianship on the album is appropriately strong, the most memorable element of Delivery's music is undoubtedly the smoky voice of Carol Grimes. Although she's the only member that wouldn't have a lasting impact on the Canterbury Scene past Delivery, her vocals are excellent, wrapped up in a confident vibrato and charismatic presence that might warrant comparison to Robert Plant's bluesy howling on the early Zeppelin albums. More common comparisons to Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick are not beyond reason, but Carol Grimes takes a fiercer approach to her vocals. She would go on to play with a host of blues and jazz acts as the years went on, and while her post-Delivery albums might be worth checking out for her voice alone, it's something of a disappointment that we didn't get to hear her voice in any more progressive rock. With a voice like hers, I'm surprised she didn't become more of a legend. There's a gaggle of female vocalists in the 'occult retro rock' scene today that are trying to sound exactly like her, most probably without ever knowing it. Of course, none have ever truly succeeded.

To my chagrin, the Canterbury Scene has generally alluded my progressive rock listening experience. For what it's worth, Fool's Meeting is more than enough to pique my interest in the style, with the full knowledge that the album has only scratched the surface. Carol Grimes and Delivery have earned their respective spots as quiet legends in the British rock pantheon. Especially if you're a fan of Caravan, Gong, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Soft Machine or any of the other bands these guys would play future roles in, Delivery should stand as an excellent history lesson.

Conor Fynes



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Blind To Your Light 05:06
2. Miserable Man 08:28
3. Home Made Ruin 03:23
4. Is It Really The Same 05:45
5. We Were Satisfied 04:03
6. The Wrong Time 07:51
7. Fighting It Out 05:49
8. Fools Meeting 05:26

Bonus Tracks:
9. Harry Lucky (Single A-side, August 1970) 03:42
10. Home Made Ruin (Alternate Take) 02:57
11. One For You (Recorded by Delivery in 1971) 07:40
12. Is It Really The Same (BBC Live, 1970) 05:20
13. Blind To Your Light (BBC Live, 1970) 05:31
14. Miserable Man (BBC Live, 1970) 08:18



..::OBSADA::..

Carol Grimes - vocals, percussion
Phil Miller - guitar
Steve Miller - piano, vocals
Roy Babbington - bass, string bass
Pip Pyle - drums

with:
Lol Coxhill - soprano & tenor saxophones (1-8,10)
Roderick Skeaping - violin (2)
Richard Sinclair - bass (11)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9jW0QHnJh0


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