(NB: this review was first published 17 January 2007)
Jakko M. Jakszyk has had a long and diverse career, careening wildly from pop/funk band Level 42 to Canterbury bands featuring Dave Stewart (Rapid Eye Movement), David Jackson, Peter Blegvad and John Greaves (The Lodge) and countless others. During the first few years of the 21st century he effectively replaced both Robert Fripp and any of a number of past vocalists in the 21st Century Schizoid Band, a group which reunited former members of King Crimson to recreate the band’s earlier material, with an eye toward future, newer compositions.
Jakszyk also has a fairly significant solo discography as well, with material ranging from singer-songwriter to pieces drawing heavily from his history and work with many of the legends of Canterbury progressive rock. Following the interruption in active work with 21CSB, Jakko began work on a new solo release, which would evolve into The Bruised Romantic Glee Club, a 2 CD set of new solo material and cover renditions of material which influenced Jakszyk during his formative years. The list of guest musicians on this release is lengthy and shows how well connected Jakszyk has been throughout his career:
Lyndon Connah, Gavin Harrison, Dave Stewart, Nathan King, Pandit Dinesh, Robert Fripp, Peter Sinfield, Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, Danny Thompson, Mark King, Hugh Hopper, Clive Brooks.
As befits such a project, the material is diverse, ranging from chamber renditions of classical material through heavy rockers with a distinct King Crimson tinge. Throughout, elements and washes of Canterbury-esque jazziness permeate, over which Jakszyk’s pleasing tenor vocals soar and twist, weaving a series of tales taken directly from his life’s experiences. Even the cover material has his distinctive stamp on them, rather than being simple regurgitations of the material.
The title track opens the album quietly, with plaintive, fragile vocals courtesy of Jakszyk and a pleasing, jazzy feel. Things do not remain thus for long, as schizoid, psychotically heavy sections with dueling saxophone and guitar blast the piece from potentially sedentary realms. “Catley’s Ashes” was one of the new compositions the band played. This is a phenomenal studio recording of the piece, with former King Crimson sax player Mel Collins providing some excellent wind playing, and Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison holding down the shifting, Crimson-like rhythm changes.
Several tracks on The Bruised Romantic Glee Club deal with Jakko’s childhood, as well as the loss of his parents. “Highgate Hill” hearkens back to Jakko’s birthplace. As Jakszyk has never spent much time there, in his mind the place has evolved in a nearly mythical way. The song is pretty straightforward musically, with nicely layered vocals and sweetly symphonic keyboards. “Forgiving” is a song for written too late to actually ask for the forgiveness that Jakko felt he needed from his father, while simultaneously forgiving him for the mistakes he made in his past. The song is built around a Robert Fripp soundscape, and is beautiful in its simplicity and emotional honesty. Also included in this series of reminiscences is “When We Go Home,” dedicated to the memory of his adoptive mother. Sweet, quiet and carefully constructed, the song is fragile and evokes longing, loneliness, and loss. Female vocals and lovely electric guitar courtesy of Robert Fripp add layers of depth and feeling to an already emotionally wrought composition.
The second disc in this set covers a number of songs that Jakszyk felt were influential or important to his musical education. A number of Canterbury bands loom large here, such as Soft Machine. “As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still (incorporating That Still And Perfect Summer and Astral Projection In Pinner)” is evidence of this. Based around a piece from Soft Machine 2, this medley also includes a section of original material from Jakszyk and Dave Stewart. In order to do this piece justice, Jakszyk assembles a veritable Canterbury super group, with Hugh Hopper (bass), Stewart (piano) and Clive Brooks (drums), along with sax and flute courtesy of Gary Barnacle. The performance is quick, engaging, and wholly honest to the Soft Machine original.
Additionally, Jakszyk covers a pair of Henry Cow tracks (“Nirvana for Mice” and “The Citizen King”), handling the intense complexity and construction with aplomb.
It should come as no surprise that this covers disc also includes some King Crimson material, considering his involvement with 21CSB. Two tracks from the band’s early days are recreated here, with the most interesting one being “Pictures Of An Indian City” – Jakszyk’s rendition of this King Crimson classic from 1970’s In The Wake of Poseidon. He completely reinvents the piece, with sitar replacing guitar, and original lyricist Peter Sinfield providing new lyrics for a new age. Connecting this new version to the old is an excellent soprano sax solo by Mel Collins, who recorded parts on the original studio version. An elegiac cover of 1971’s “Islands” (from the album of the same name) also features on this disc; while not as extensive a reworking as the original, adds to the original while remaining true to the work that it follows.
The Bruised Romantic Glee Club has much to offer even the most discerning listener. With material that ranges so widely (or wildly), there is certain to be something for everyone here. Highly recommended.
Track Listing CD 1:
Bruised Romantic Glee Club
Variations on A Theme by Holst
Catley's Ashes
When Peggy Came Home
Highgate Hill
Forgiving
No One Left To Lie To
Thing We Throw Away
Doxy, Dali and Duchamp
Srebrenica
When We Go Home
Track Listing CD 2:
As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still (incorporating That Still And Perfect Summer and Astral Projection In Pinner)
Pictures Of an Indian City
Nirvana for Mice
Islands
The Citizen King
Soon After
Musicians:
Jakko M. Jakszyk: guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, balalaika, vocals
Gavin Harrison: drums
Danny Thompson: acoustic bass
Mel Collins: tenor, alto sax and flute
Gary Barnacle: sax, alto flute, flute, bass flute, piccolo, tenor and soprano sax
Dave Stewart: piano & keyboards
Ian Wallace: drums
Hugh Hopper: bass
Clive Brooks: drums
Robert Fripp: guitar
Lyndon Connah: piano
Nathan King: bass guitar
Pandit Dinesh: table, vocals
Caroline Lavell: cello
Helen Kaminca: viola
John Giblin: acoustic and fretless bass
Find out more:
http://www.jakko.com/
This in from Steve F. at Cuneiform and Nick Didkovsky:
"I got a message a few months ago from Hugh Hopper's wife Christine. She reported that since Hugh's passing, she's been struggling with finances. Of course she's also struggling emotionally, as she misses him terribly, but the gist of her message was a call for financial help. She recalled that Hugh told her that if she ran into trouble, to ask their friends for help. So she did. In response, John Roulat, Steve Feigenbaum, and I decided to produce a limited edition benefit CD, The Gift Of Purpose. The CD features a live concert by Bone (Didkovsky/Hopper/Roulat) that was beautifully recorded at Orion Sound in Baltimore. There is also a bonus track by myself, John, Colin Marston (Behold....the Arctopus, Dysrhythmia, Krallice), and Daevid Allen (Gong, Soft Machine, etc). Daevid contributed some very moving vocals which pay tribute to Hugh. John, Steve, and I are splitting the manufacturing costs and donating the gross income to Christine. Steve has already wired her some money in advance. "The Gift of Purpose" is a Cuneiform Record, in digipak format, with cover design by Bill Ellsworth. So it looks and sounds very, very good! For those of you new to Bone, we were a trio that was initiated when Hugh contacted me some years ago suggesting we collaborate on a record. Our record "Uses Wrist Grab" came out on Cuneiform a few years back, and we figured we were done. However, we were sort of drafted into doing live performance by Bruce Gallanter of Downtown Music Gallery, who invited us to perform at a festival he'd organized. Once we discovered we could pull off this material live, we did a handful of gigs, including the one on this record. We're very proud of the performance we unleashed in Baltimore, and thrilled that we can make it available to all of Hugh's friends through this benefit CD! I hope you will support this project by purchasing a copy of The Gift of Purpose." - Nick Didkovsky
This CD is only being sold by people who have agreed to pay the Hopper family the full selling price of $15.00 each copy. That means that right now, you can buy it from Downtown Music Gallery in New York City and Wayside Music only. Every cent of your $15.00 goes to Hugh's family.
Downtown Music Gallery are at:
13 Monroe Street [between Catherine & Market Streets in Chinatown], New York, NY 10002-7351
(212) 473-0043
Or you can buy it from Cuneiform/Wayside Music directly (see below)
It pained me greatly to learn that after 40 years of giving such great music to the world (and definitely being one of the coolest people in the world), that Hugh's family would find themselves in such circumstances and I am doing everything I can to help. If Hugh's lifetime in music means something to you, I hope you will consider helping too.
Thanks.
http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Products/Hopper--Hugh---The-GIft-of-Purpose__Cuneiform-spc-3334.aspx
Hugh has been suffering ill health for some time and MoonJune Records have arranged for a Benefit Concert to raise funds to help make life for comfortable for Hugh. The idea was generated by Hugh's colleagues in Soft Machine Legacy and made possible thanks to John Etheridge and The 100 Club. All profit from the evening will go to Hugh and his family along with percentages of the profits from albums on sale from the evening.
Hugh Hopper Benefit Concert
14th December 2008
The 100 Club, London
SOFT MACHINE LEGACY (filling for Hugh: FRED BAKER on bass)DELTA SAXOPHONE QUARTET
PHIL MILLER IN CAHOOTS
BASH QUARTET feat. ALEX MAGUIRE, PATRICE MEYER, FRED BAKER & LIAM GENOCKEY
SOPHIA DOMANCHIC & SIMON GOUBERT DUO
YUMI HARA-CAWKWELL
Another older article, but again, just found out today.From his website:Well, the back pain disappeared, but in June I was diagnosed with leukemia. I am having ongoing treatment and it's going well. Chemotherapy has advanced a lot recently and it's not the horrible ordeal it used to be. I had no real problems with the chemo. Had some minor infections after the course finished, but that's because the body has no defences for a couple of weeks. The team at Canterbury Hospital are brilliant - really supportive, and the hospital is part of a national Clinical Trial, so they always have the state of the art medication and no funding problems.
I have to start another course of chemo soon which means I can't travel to do gigs, but I am feeling positive about my life. My dear love Christine has been a miracle worker, making sure I have all the best food and supplements. It's actually harder for the people around than it is for me - I just have to relax in hospital, being cared for. Fred Baker and Roy Babbington have been doing the Soft Machine Legacy gigs in my place. Roy of course was a guest already on Soft Machine albums and took over from me when I quit the group in 1973. And Fred from Phil Miller's In Cahoots is a wonderful player - much better than me technically! Onwards and upwards!
From their press release:
Thanks to the invaluable support of the Instituto Queretano para la Cultura y las Artes (Culture and Arts Institute of Queretaro), the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro "through the faculties of Political Sciences and Psychology- the municipality of Queretaro, The Municipality of San Juan del Rio, Luna Negra, S.C. and other private institutions, we have set the 2005, 2006 and 2007 editions of the cultural event FestivAlterNativo.
This event has been the stage for nine bands, national and international, representing a diversity of musical styles which have found a niche in the new music/ alternative scene: MARIONETA (Queretaro), MUSTANG (Queretaro), MANTIS ATEA (Morelia-Mexicali-Queretaro), SAENA featuring Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma & Margarita Botello-(Mexico City), CABEZAS DE CERA (Mexico City), BANDA ELASTICA (Mexico City), COLECTIVO KAOSS (Queretaro), AMAROK (Barcelona) and JORGE CAMPOS KUARTETO (Santiago de Chile- Toronto).
With a firm intention of continuing supporting the contemporary musical scene, both local and international, Luna Negra, S.C. have thought of the Fourth Edition of the FestivAlterNativo, scheduled for June 14th and 15th, 2008.
This year we will have to opportunity to enjoy the following roster of bands:
Saturday, June 14th:
SANTOSOTELOS Stick Duo (Mexico) feat. Mauricio Sotelo of Cabezas de Cera and Hugo Santos of Saena-1870 (Mexico)
CHRIS CUTLER & HUGH HOPPER Duo (England)
BANDA ELASTICA (Mexico)
Sunday, June 15th:
SAENA (Mexico) -feat. Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma & Margarita Botelo
CAST (Mexico)
AMAROK (Calalonia, Spain)
Rock In Opposition France EventApril 17th, 18th & 19th 2009
The first edition of the France R.I.O. Festival, held in Carmaux in 2007, confirmed the enthusiasm of a large audience, coming from all over the world to attend this event, that some have labelled "historic".
To keep away from a certain "routine" that could harm the integrity of our musical choices and to secure firm financial and artistic partnerships, we decided that the next instalment of the France R.I.O. would take place in 2009.
So, the R.I.O. now becomes a biennial event. As the preparation of such an event is time-consuming, this frequency should provide us with the distance needed to conceive a programme as demanding and innovative as the first edition.
Once again, the Rock In Opposition 2009 will be an event of international quality. It will be held in the same musical venue that proved to be the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy really innovative music in optimal conditions: the "Maison de la Musique de Cap Découverte".
With an additional feature however: a special Opening Day will also be organised in Albi.
During the Festival, specific locations will be dedicated to record labels, press representatives or any relevant "movement" showing some fighting spirit in the field of contemporary musical expression.
Specific venues will also be provided to facilitate dialogue between the musicians and the audience.
Additional activities, such as artist residences, workshops, conferences, exhibitions and installations will also be organised within the framework of the festival.
The programme will be finalised by the end of September 2008 but the "Artists" section of the website will be regularly updated in order to keep you informed of "work in progress".
Rock is a struggle, a protest against injustice, a way of resisting everything that degrades the human being and his environment… A way of building a world more like us, a world based on self- and mutual respect… With no constraints and no concessions…
More than ever, Rock has to innovate, provoke, confront… More than ever, Rock has to be in opposition…
Roger Trigaux
From: http://www.somnius.com/amn/2008/05/09/rio-2009-festival-announced/
The tentative lineup includes:
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (USA)
Koenjihyakkei (JP)
Daevid Allen/Hugh Hopper/Chris Cutler (Aus/UK/USA)
Univers Zero (B)
Charles Hayward (UK)
Yolk (F)
Peter Brotzmann (D)
