Gong Expresso – Decadence (Gong Expresso, 2017)
Gong Expresso continues the legacy of Pierre Moerlen’s Gong, which was one of the spin offs of the original 1970s progressive band Gong. The major difference here is that Gong Expresso leans much closer to classic jazz than fusion. Canadian guitarist Julien Sandiford is a talented young musician, whose style is closer to Wes Montgomery than fusion guitarists. It’s much laid back and sometimes ventures into smooth jazz.
Veterans Hansford Rowe (USA) and Benoit Moerlen (France) still have the cutting edge drive of Gong with formidable electric bass and vibraphone work, supported by the powerful drums of Francois Causse (France).
It’s good to see yet another incarnation of Gong, who are taking the Gong brand in new directions.
Buy the digital edition of Decadence