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Duncan Glenday
11-06-2012, 11:28 AM
http://www.progressiveears.com/clubpics/jACARANDA.jpg

This turned out to be a surprise. Originally touted as a jazzy instrumental album it wound up being much more diverse than that. Some jazz is in the mix but seldom for a whole tune. I think Dregs fans would like a lot of this and find some kind of familiar. Not the jazzy spots, some other ones.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G6nN6o9a4QA

**

By Ryan Smith

http://wavemakermagazine.com/2012/08/23/album-review-trevor-rabins-jacaranda-2012/

I had quite honestly believed this album would never happen.

The grand musical force known as Trevor Rabin came out of South Africa in the late seventies with three solo albums, and eventually introduced the world to a brand new Yes in 1983. After the band's break-up in 1981, Yes bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White joined up with Rabin to start a new group for the eighties called Cinema. When former Yes alumni Jon Anderson and Tony Kaye jumped on board, they confirmed that the group was in fact a new Yes (much to Rabin's chagrin at the time).

Trevor Rabin brought his fresh-sounding guitar playing, his powerful voice and his uncanny writing abilities to the band's eleventh studio album 90125. The album gave them a number one hit with "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and a level of commercial success they had scarcely dreamed of in their previous incarnations. The follow-up, 1987's Big Generator, would unfortunately be delayed by infighting, and was ultimately panned by critics and fans alike.

A fourth solo album, Can't Look Away, followed in 1989 with a little success, but Rabin continued to work with Yes and would see them through to the mid-nineties with the disastrous Union album (released 1991, at least a fantastic tour followed the album), and the very underrated Talk (1994, which features his epic swan song "Endless Dream"). He left Yes in 1995 and entered into highly successful career composing for film.

He's done remarkably little in terms of non-film music, which is a damn shame. In 1999, he guested on former Yes-man Rick Wakeman's Return to the Centre of the Earth, and in 2003 he dipped into his archives to release Live In L.A. (a live album from his tour for Can't Look Away) and 90124 (a collection of demos written for Yes, Cinema, and for his own purposes). There was serious hope for me then that he was going to do something new. But it didn't happen, and so I figured he was happy doing what he was doing.

Then we got this little treat known as Jacaranda, which is his fifth solo album. The record his all instrumental, with everything being performed by Rabin, excepting drums which are split up between the ace Vinnie Colaiuta, Lou Molino III, and Rabin's son Ryan from the band Grouplove. There are also some pretty female vocals on "Rescue".

I was initially concerned about how a Rabin record would sound without vocals. I love instrumental albums, especially as of late, but often times they quickly become boring during casual listens. This album, however, is a diverse collection of compositions which are concisely complex. The first thing I noticed, after the little ditty at the beginning, was the immediate return of his gorgeous guitar tone(s!) and the dense tapestry of keyboards he has chosen to wield once again (listen to the intro to Yes' "Endless Dream" after you listen to this… do it!). The album also sees Rabin making use of jazz compositions, hiding them beneath his signature triumphant bluesy/folk style, and sometimes letting them take the forefront, like in "Freethought." Songs like "Through the Tunnel" illustrate perfectly why I love Rabin as a player. As he jumps precisely back and forth between beautifully serene segments to the more aggressive, one definitely gets a sense of the playful joy he must have simply performing the music. The album's coda "Gazania" is something very special that brings everything together marvellously, with a really neat second half that I won't ruin for you.

In short (?!) Jacaranda is both a joyous return and a showcase of ruthless skill for a powerful progressive mind. It is a brilliant instrumental album that doesn't ever fall into the regular traps by becoming uninteresting for lack of vocals.

Meme Prog Mutation
11-06-2012, 12:46 PM
Thanks Duncan. This post is going to cost me some money. I had no idea.

Tom

gimmetrons
11-06-2012, 01:00 PM
I think Duncan nailed it. A surprisingly engaging and a bit quirky album. I do not play instrumental albums repeatedly as a rule, but this one keeps coming back. TR appears to have quite the chops on guitar and keys. Highly recommended by this listener!

mozo-pg
11-06-2012, 05:13 PM
I'm definitely interested.

ombasan
11-07-2012, 08:23 AM
It's a top album! I love it and hope he will keep on releasing new stuff that is not film soundtracks!

Dean Watson
11-07-2012, 11:28 AM
I first heard this album on ProgStreaming - I could not stop listening! This record is completely wonderful in everyway! I abolutely love it! One of the top for 2012 that's for sure!

Scott Bails
11-07-2012, 12:25 PM
It's a top album! I love it and hope he will keep on releasing new stuff that is not film soundtracks!

Yes, completely agree.

I'd be okay with a vocal album/follow up to Can't Look Away, too. Though I'd also welcome another instrumental album, too.

Septober Energy
11-07-2012, 09:52 PM
Highly recommended even if you think you won't like it!

Boceephus
11-08-2012, 03:40 AM
My first listen didn't excite me much, but once I read a few positive reviews I gave it another chance & the tunes clicked.

Farpoint Kevin
11-12-2012, 07:52 PM
Love what I've heard of this. It's on the "to buy" list for sure.

Rand Kelly
06-19-2013, 11:43 AM
Grouplove, Trevor's Son,Ryan Rabin's band was on Jay Leno last night. The second commercial break,just before Kathy Griffin came on Ricky Minor and band played OoALH. Grouplove comes out and Ryan is on keyboards this time,not the drums and wearing an exact replica or maybe the original t-shirt that Trevor wore on the dvd 9012Live. I knew I recognized that t-shirt. Leno doesn't have the performance archived yet at www.nbc.com If you forgot what the shirt looked like, http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xbPAZXl7jM0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xbPAZXl7jM0

No Pride
06-19-2013, 12:49 PM
Joining in on the love fest (so far) for this album. A great showcase for Trevor's prowess as a composer, arranger, producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. Those of you that think Trevor ruined Yes by making them more commercial are in for a surprise; there's nothing even remotely commercial about this album. In fact I'd say it's more progressive than anything Yes has done in decades.

There's a lot of genre jumping here, sometimes within one tune, but it all holds together really well. Not to mention some pretty incredible playing! We always knew Trevor had a bunch of chops on guitar, but there's some pretty amazing keyboard playing too! And his dobro playing dropped my jaw; he sounds as good as some guys who play that instrument exclusively!

But as impressive as the musicianship is, this album is mostly about composition. No lengthy solos here, just a lot of well pondered compositions. I'll admit, I wish he sang at least a little on this, as I think he's a great singer. There is one beautiful tune that features some wordless female vocals, but we never hear Trevors voice. But that's okay, it's a wonderful instrumental album.

And yeah, there's more than a little Steve Morse influence happening, which is fine by me!

Scott Bails
06-19-2013, 01:27 PM
Still loving this one, but really hoping he follows it up soon with an album featuring his vocals.

Yanks2014
06-19-2013, 01:57 PM
Great album! To anyone not crazy about "Can't Look Away", this album sounds NOTHING like that! I happen to like both, two totally different sides of Trevor Rabin.

zeprogmeister
06-19-2013, 10:17 PM
Good album for guitar technique, but nothing substantial composition wise.

bondegezou
06-21-2013, 09:18 AM
Great album, often very different to Rabin's better known prior work, often going back to his jazzier roots in South Africa. I interviewed Trevor about the project at http://bondegezou.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/interview-with-trevor-rabin.html

Henry

kid_runningfox
06-21-2013, 01:58 PM
Superb album, one of the highlights of 2012 for me.

ScottAM
06-21-2013, 02:21 PM
As a big Trevor fan, I can't believe I haven't picked this up yet. Will remedy that! Speaking of "remedy", it's ironic that this solo album seems more akin to a Steve Howe solo album, eh? Something about the diversity and approach reminds me of other "other" Yes guitarist.

On a completely petty level, Trevor's hair dye just does not seem natural with his looks...he's reminding me more of Paul McCartney these days. Sorry for having to inject that.

Yanks2014
06-22-2013, 05:47 PM
Good album for guitar technique, but nothing substantial composition wise.

Nonsense. Good music period.

happytheman
06-23-2013, 07:38 AM
Joining in on the love fest (so far) for this album. A great showcase for Trevor's prowess as a composer, arranger, producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. Those of you that think Trevor ruined Yes by making them more commercial are in for a surprise; there's nothing even remotely commercial about this album. In fact I'd say it's more progressive than anything Yes has done in decades.

There's a lot of genre jumping here, sometimes within one tune, but it all holds together really well. Not to mention some pretty incredible playing! We always knew Trevor had a bunch of chops on guitar, but there's some pretty amazing keyboard playing too! And his dobro playing dropped my jaw; he sounds as good as some guys who play that instrument exclusively!

But as impressive as the musicianship is, this album is mostly about composition. No lengthy solos here, just a lot of well pondered compositions. I'll admit, I wish he sang at least a little on this, as I think he's a great singer. There is one beautiful tune that features some wordless female vocals, but we never hear Trevors voice. But that's okay, it's a wonderful instrumental album.

And yeah, there's more than a little Steve Morse influence happening, which is fine by me!
Ditto.. bought this after hearing about it either here or Yesfans from Henry.. Listened to it all the way few several times.. never gets old.. always finding something new.. this would have been a "new, fresh" approach had he brought this kind of material to Yes..

gearHed289
08-01-2013, 02:38 PM
A facebook friend of me hipped me to this album. I've really enjoyed it! It's been years since I heard a new instrumental album that did anything for me. The playing is great, the guitar tones are outstanding. Genre jumping for sure. I totally agree with the Dregs comparison. That was the first thing I thought, and upon further listening, maybe some late-model Jeff Beck too? I do wish he had listed who played on what, as there are 3 drummers and Tal Wlikenfeld as well as Trevor on bass. I have it in my car right now, and it seriously changed my mood after a brutal day at work yesterday!

bondegezou
08-02-2013, 07:02 AM
I do wish he had listed who played on what, as there are 3 drummers and Tal Wlikenfeld as well as Trevor on bass.

Full details at http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wnalum.htm#rabin , and indeed in the CD liner notes.

Henry

Yanks2014
08-02-2013, 02:00 PM
Ditto.. bought this after hearing about it either here or Yesfans from Henry.. Listened to it all the way few several times.. never gets old.. always finding something new.. this would have been a "new, fresh" approach had he brought this kind of material to Yes..

But he did bring a new, fresh approach to Yes. That was 30 years ago, so of course what he's doing now would be much different. BTW, I do really like this album a lot, quite a surprising effort.

gearHed289
08-02-2013, 02:23 PM
Thanks Henry! I'll have to look again (eyes are old and shot!), but I just saw little descriptions of each song in my liner notes.

Father Tiresias
08-05-2013, 07:58 PM
I decided to buy this, in spite of my fear that I might find it to be a self-indulgent noodlefest. I've only spun it once and am pleased to report that there are discernible compositions and melodies. Really enjoying it so far ... Quite an eclectic record.

bondegezou
08-06-2013, 06:53 AM
Thanks Henry! I'll have to look again (eyes are old and shot!), but I just saw little descriptions of each song in my liner notes.

They are there! But, yes, in small print.

Henry