Music Banter - View Single Post - Anteater's Muzak 101: Legitimizing Smooth Jazz For The Unwashed Masses

Anteater · 03-31-2013, 09:54 AM

Jean-Luc Ponty - The Gift Of Time (1987)

ARTIST BACKGROUND
Even if you don't know Jean-Luc Ponty and his virtuosic violin abilities to any degree of familiarity, you've more than likely run across him via his numerous contributions to the albums and material of others. He was mainstay on a lot of the classic output of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, toured and did studio work with both Elton John and Frank Zappa, not to mention his innumerable live performances with guys like Stanley Clarke and George Duke. Thus, he's arguably a living legend in the realm of jazz fusion and still one of the best violin players on the planet today (if not of all time).

THE ALBUM
1987's The Gift Of Time was the culmination of a decade in experimentation for the much lauded stringmeister and his 17th studio album overall. Perhaps due to the fact that this record marked a transition from label Atlantic to Columbia, the sound quality production-wise is remarkably good compared to some of his earlier 80's explorations. It went on to sell fairly well, followed by a world tour or two. Notably, Ponty replaced his usual session guitarist Scott Henderson on this record with Gino Vanneli guitar alumni Pat Thomi. Schweeet!

WHY YOU WANT THIS
Well, the thing to realize about Jean-Luc Ponty, particularly in regards to The Gift Of Time, is that he's never dumbed down his music merely to play to contemporary jazz trends of the day. For him, synthesizer overload and attaching all kinds of crazy pedal effects to his violin was a combination of curiosity and ingenuity. The technical playing and tight arrangements he's been known for since the halcyon jazz-fusion era of the mid 70's remains very much intact well into the 80's and 90's. Furthermore, some of the neatest radio-length material he ever wrote is on this album: the title track in particular, with its swirling psychedelic orchestral swelling and hypnotic drum/bass foundation, is probably the single best smooth jazz song of the 1980's period, and the rumbling, tribal 'Faith In You' coupled alongside the spacey, 7-minute cloudscaper 'Introspective Perceptions', certainly give the listener plenty of engaging fusion-lite to chew on.

CLOSING REMARKS
Whilst there is no contemporary jazz record from the 80's that completely escapes the realm of synth-laden cheesiness, The Gift Of Time has such a unique sound that its easy to enjoy it on its own merits. In the same way that Allan Holdsworth turned the synth-axe into an institution all its own during the period, Jean-Luc Ponty's own sonic explorations through treating his violin like a guitar, modifying and layering his sound painstakingly as electronic technology exploded throughout the 80's...its really something special to sink your ears into.

In short, this is not only a really interesting contemporary jazz album...the music is pretty snazzy in general! Not for everyone, mind you, but definitely worth checking out by anyone who desires to experience just how far violin-based jazz got pushed a few decades ago.

FINAL GRADE