Stomu Yamashta* / Steve Winwood / Michael Shrieve – Go
Label:
Island Records – ILPS 9387
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:
US
Released:
1976
Includes a blue 7"x7" full color 8 page booklet with credits and lyrics.
“Go” is a really interesting Progressive rock, Experimental and Rock-Classical supergroup record released on Island Records in 1976. The album is very Avant-garde and ahead of it’s time.
I would describe the LP as having elements of Rock-Classical, Jazz Rock, Experimental and even Space Rock or (Krautrock).
According to the booklet’s liner notes Stomu Yamashta based the album “Go” loosely on the game of the same name. The game Go is a Chinese board game played on a grid of black lines. The game is an abstract strategy game for two players. The goal is to surround more territory than the opponents.
Not unlike the game, the music on “Go” can be random and abstract, about opposites colliding, but also about strategic musical composition choices surrounding the songs.
“Go” is comprised of wunderkind Stomu Yamashta - a Japanese String Synthesizer composer, who appeared on David Bowie’s “The Man Who Fell To Earth” soundtrack. Legendary Classic Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul singer Steve Winwood ( Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith) Vocals, Organ, Synthesizer and Acoustic Piano,
and Michael Shrieve (Santana) Drum Kit.
In addition, to this talented trio of performers taking top bill; influential and talented German Electronic music, Space rock musician Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream/ Ash Ra Tempel) contributes on Synthesizers. (Read my earlier blog entry about his wonderful “Body Love Soundtrack”)
Jazz-Fusion /Jazz-Rock guitar great, Al DiMeola joins in on the majority of the numbers on this record.
And the musical ‘dream team’ continues . . .
Rosko Gee (Traffic’s) - Bass Guitar
Thunderthighs - Backing Vocals
Paul Buckmaster - Woodwind, Brass & Strings Arrangements (Elton John, Rolling Stones)
Hisako Yamashta - Violin & Backing Vocals
Junior Marvin -( Bob Marley & the Wailers) Rhythm Guitar
Chris West - Rhythm Guitar
Phil Brown - Audio Engineer from Tottenham, London who has worked with Traffic, Led Zeppelin, Bowie, Marley and Talk Talk to name a few.
A1 Solitude 2:57
A2 Nature 2:32
A3 Air Over 2:32
A4 Crossing The Line 4:46
A5 Man Of Leo 2:02
A6 Stellar 2:53
A7 Space Theme 3:12
B1 Space Requiem 3:20
B2 Space Song 2:00
B3 Carnival 2:46
B4 Ghost Machine 2:06
B5 Surfspin 2:25
B6 Time Is Here 2:46
B7 Winner/Loser 4:10
Stream it here to check it out, but buy a tangible copy on vinyl!
https://youtu.be/g53zcpaXT8o
