None Too Soon (Moonjune MJR043, 2012)
This is the 2012 remastered edition of Allan Holdsworth’s ninth album. The original album came out in 1996 and it is an interesting detour in Holdsworth’s career. He was encouraged by pianist Gordon Beck to record an album of well-known jazz standards.
“… after I’d completed Hard Hat Area, Gordon was visiting again and he said, ‘Maybe you should do a record of tunes that people might be able to relate to’,” says Allan Holdsworth in the liner notes. “He had the impression that my music mostly sailed past people, and he thought that maybe if I played something recognizable, they might be able to appreciate what was going on.”
It’s thought-provoking because to be honest, I find Holdworth’s work with UK, Gong, Bill Bruford and his original solo work much more appealing than playing jazz classics. None Too Soon includes Allan Holdsworth’s vision of pieces by John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Django Reinhardt, and Joe Henderson, together with an Irving Berlin tune, two compositions by the album’s pianist, the late Gordon Beck, and Allan’s avant-garde arrangement of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood”.
The band on None Too Soon included Allan Holdsworth on guitars and synthaxe; Gordon Beck on keyboards; and the Tribal Tech rhythm section composed of Gary Willis on bass and Kirk Covington on drums.
None Too Soon will please Allan Holdsworth fans with his signature creative solos and electric recreations of familiar jazz compositions.
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