On this 2003 effort, ex-members of the fabled British band
Soft Machine reunite as
Soft Works for a set consisting of loosely visualized pieces. And while
Soft Works' roots harken back to the late-'60s to early-'70s
prog rock-based
Canterbury Scene, the band spanned genres including
jazz fusion and
free jazz during its tenure. Bassist
Hugh Hopper, saxophonist
Elton Dean, and drummer
John Marshall are noted for their longstanding tenure with this time-honored outfit. In addition, guitar hero
Allan Holdsworth periodically performed and recorded with the group during the mid-'70s and early '80s. Therefore, this eagerly anticipated outing should warm the hearts of those who've followed the
Soft Machine/
Soft Works' legacy amid various offshoots during the last several decades.
On
Abracadabra, the quartet reworks a few
Elton Dean pieces, culled from his
Moorsong CD, while also including guitarist
Phil Miller's piece titled
"K-Licks," among others. The musicians indulge in electrified and irrefutably spacious
jazz grooves in concert with some ethereal treatments provided by
Holdsworth's "synthaxe"-based guitar maneuvers. Yet
Holdsworth's effectively designed chop chords and accentuating progressions help anchor the proceedings.
Dean flexes quite a bit of muscle here, due to his hard-edged and somewhat gritty alto and saxello lines. Where many of these works feature gradually climactic cadenzas supported by
Hopper and
Marshall's limberly executed rhythmic maneuvers,
Holdsworth conveys his infamous, doomsday chops, but the music quiets down on occasion, whereas the instrumentalists occasionally delve into the free zone. Otherwise, they turn in a spunky straight-four vibe on
Dean's
"Willie's Knee." As a result, many of the album's highlights are contained within the soloists' synergistic exchanges and in their ability to run on all cylinders when the situation arises. ~ Glenn Astarita
