''One of a Kind'' is the second solo album by the drummer
Bill Bruford
William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English former drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording ...
, and the first proper album by his band
Bruford. Released in 1979 on EG Records, it is a collection of instrumentals in a style that can loosely be defined as
jazz fusion
Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...
. Bruford features guitarist
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017) was a British jazz fusion and progressive rock guitarist and composer.
Holdsworth was known for his esoteric and idiosyncratic usage of advanced music theory concepts, especially with resp ...
, bassist
Jeff Berlin, and keyboardist
Dave Stewart. "Forever Until Sunday" and "The Sahara of Snow" had originally been performed at 1978 concerts by Bruford and Holdsworth’s previous band
U.K. They were intended for a studio album, but were never properly recorded by U.K. as Bruford kept the pieces for himself when he and Holdsworth exited the band. U.K. bandmate
Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson (born 28 April 1955) is an English musician noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K. and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zap ...
co-wrote "The Sahara of Snow" and reprises his violin part on "Forever Until Sunday". Stewart's "Hell's Bells" utilizes a fragment penned by his former
National Health
National Health were an English progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene. Founded in 1975, the band featured members of keyboardist Dave Stewart (keyboardist), Dave Stewart's band Hatfield and the North and Alan Gowen's band ...
colleague
Alan Gowen
Alan Gowen (19 August 1947 – 17 May 1981) was an English fusion/progressive rock keyboardist, best known for his work in Gilgamesh and National Health.
History
Gowen was born in North Hampstead, northwest London. He joined Assagai in 1971 ...
(the 3-chord pattern underlying the guitar solo). Holdsworth's "The Abingdon Chasp" is the only piece he wrote for Bruford.
Reception
In a review for
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
, Dave Connolly wrote: "Good-humored twists and turns abound in the music... Those who enjoy their fusion with a healthy dose of rock will find ''One of a Kind'' a fair match for anything from Return to Forever or Brand X."
The authors of ''
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled ...
'' called the music "strongly melodic, freewheeling and built round Bruford's ringing percussion."
John Kelman of
All About Jazz
''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...
praised the "firmly-cemented group sound, and... consistent set of compositions," and commented: "The same characteristics found on ''Feels Good to Me'' are evident on ''One of a Kind'', with everyone demonstrating palpable growth... the magic of ''One of a Kind'' is that it remains compelling and accessible... Solos flow organically throughout the long-form compositions, integrated in ways that makes them feel a part of the larger whole."
Exposé Online's Jeff Melton stated: "From the get-go, this collection of ten tracks stands as a maelstrom of chops, arranging skills and inspired ensemble playing... the dynamics between drums, keys and fretless bass provide a high profile, capable structure for Holdsworth's top-flight soloing ability."
In an article for Sounds of Surprise, Matt Phillips wrote: "it's music that breathes... played by empathetic, truly virtuosic musicians. But is it rock, jazz, prog or fusion? Who knows, but it's some of the greatest British instrumental music of all time."
Track listing
# "Hell's Bells"
( Dave Stewart, Alan Gowen
Alan Gowen (19 August 1947 – 17 May 1981) was an English fusion/progressive rock keyboardist, best known for his work in Gilgamesh and National Health.
History
Gowen was born in North Hampstead, northwest London. He joined Assagai in 1971 ...
) 3:32
# "One of a Kind, Pt. 1"
(Bill Bruford
William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English former drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording ...
) 2:20
# "One of a Kind, Pt. 2"
(Bruford, Stewart) 4:00
# "Travels with Myself – And Someone Else"
(Bruford) 6:10
# "Fainting in Coils"
(Bruford) 6:33
# "Five G"
( Jeff Berlin, Bruford, Stewart) 4:41
# "The Abingdon Chasp"
(Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017) was a British jazz fusion and progressive rock guitarist and composer.
Holdsworth was known for his esoteric and idiosyncratic usage of advanced music theory concepts, especially with resp ...
) 4:50
# "Forever Until Sunday"
(Bruford) 5:46
# "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1"
(Bruford) 5:18
# "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2"
(Bruford, Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson (born 28 April 1955) is an English musician noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K. and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zap ...
) 3:23
2005 bonus cut
11. Manacles
ive 1979(Stewart, Bruford) 7:25
Personnel
*
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017) was a British jazz fusion and progressive rock guitarist and composer.
Holdsworth was known for his esoteric and idiosyncratic usage of advanced music theory concepts, especially with resp ...
– electric guitar
*
Dave Stewart – keyboards, synthesizers, electronics
*
Jeff Berlin – bass guitar
*
Bill Bruford
William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English former drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording ...
– drums & percussions, voice of the Mock Turtle ("Fainting in Coils")
with
*
Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson (born 28 April 1955) is an English musician noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K. and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zap ...
– violin ("Forever Until Sunday")
* Anthea Norman Taylor - voice of Alice ("Fainting in Coils")
* Sam Alder – narrator ("Fainting in Coils")
* John Clark – electric guitar ("Manacles")
Production
* Alwyn Clayden – art direction, design
* Sheila Rock – photography
* John Shaw – photography
*
Stephen W Tayler – engineer, production assistant
References
{{Authority control
Bill Bruford albums
1979 albums
Polydor Records albums
Albums recorded at Trident Studios