From the very first time I heard Eddie Jobson perform as a member of Frank Zappa‘s band in 1976-77, I was immediately drawn to the style and playing of this virtuoso violinist/keyboard player. Whether it was Zappa compositions, or those of Roxy Music, Jethro Tull, or even his own solo work or through the supergroup U.K. – Jobson’s style was and is uniquely his very own.
In October 2007, Jobson announced the formation of a new band, UKZ, with Trey Gunn, Marco Minnemann, Alex Machacek, and Aaron Lippert. Their EP, “Radiation,” was released on Glo Digital in March 2009; along with a 7:48 minute video (above) of the title track.
In the summer of 2009, Jobson created an adjunct performing group, the ‘Ultimate Zero Project‘ which has featured a “revolving list” of guest musicians on a number of mini-tours through August 2009 in the eastern U.S., as well as Poland and Russia in November 2009 to play a given set of progressive rock repertoire. ‘Ultimate Zero Tour Live‘, released in 2010, and recorded in Poland, Russia & Boston during the 2009 Ultimate Zero Tour offers some of the best performances from those mini-tours.
Today’s Sunday Big Note features an excellent audience recording of Eddie Jobson’s Ultimate Zero Project performing at the Jammin’ Java in Vienna, Virginia on August 17th, 2009:
Transporter
[audio:SBN_20110424_01 Transporter.mp3]
Walking From Pastel
[audio:SBN_20110424_02 Walking From Pastel.mp3]
Improvisation
[audio:SBN_20110424_03 Improvisation.mp3]
Awakening
[audio:SBN_20110424_04 Awakening.mp3]
Drum Solo by Simon Phillips
[audio:SBN_20110424_05 Drum Solo By Simon Phillips.mp3]
Awakening
[audio:SBN_20110424_06 Awakening.mp3]
Larks’ Tongues In Aspic: Part 2
[audio:SBN_20110424_07 Larks’ Tongues In Aspic _ Part Two.mp3]
Carrying No Cross
[audio:SBN_20110424_08 Carrying No Cross.mp3]
Memories of Vienna – Nostalgia
[audio:SBN_20110424_09 Memories of Vienna – Nostalgia.mp3]
Alaska
[audio:SBN_20110424_10 Alaska.mp3]
Presto Vivace
[audio:SBN_20110424_11 Presto Vivace.mp3]
In The Dead Of Night
[audio:SBN_20110424_12 In The Dead Of Night.mp3]
Band Introductions
[audio:SBN_20110424_13 Band Introductions.mp3]
Vital Transformation
[audio:SBN_20110424_14 Vital Transformation.mp3]
Drum Solo by Marco Minnemann
[audio:SBN_20110424_15 Drum Solo by Marco Minnemann.mp3]
Tu-95
[audio:SBN_20110424_16 Tu-95.mp3]
The Only Thing She Needs (Part One)
[audio:SBN_20110424_17 The Only Thing She Needs (Part One).mp3]
The Only Thing She Needs (Part Two)
[audio:SBN_20110424_18 The Only Thing She Needs (Part Two).mp3]
More Intros
[audio:SBN_20110424_19 More Intros.mp3]
Caesar’s Palace Blues
[audio:SBN_20110424_20 Caesar’s Palace Blues.mp3]
Line-up:
Eddie Jobson – violin, keyboard
Simon Phillips – drum, tamborine
Trey Gunn – warr guitar
Marco Minnemann – drums, shaker
Greg Howe – guitar
Eddie Jobson is cool! I would also recommend Anna Phoebe as far as electric violinists go. Ironically enough she’s also toured with Roxy and Tull too! P.S. Anyone know what Simon House is doing nowadays?
I like Simon’s work. Last thing I know of was his solo album from 2006, Solar Wind. With all the various Hawkwind reunions going on, I’m sure he’ll turn up with them once again.
In the electric violin category, I’d also HIGHLY recommend Ric Sanders, who was tapped to fill Fairport Convention’s violin slot once Swarbrick could no longer tour — his earlier work with Soft Machine was pretty tasty, too.
And Darryl Way is definitely worth the time — Curved Air Live showed his chops, his Concerto for Electric Violin showed his vision.
And oh shit, I forgot Dave Arbus!!!!! His fiddle graces the fade on Baba O’Riley — but his work with his band, East of Eden, is deeply, deeply unhinged and wondrous. Worth checking out if you have any fondness for demented psychedelia…..
[quote comment=”28581″]I like Simon’s work. Last thing I know of was his solo album from 2006, Solar Wind. With all the various Hawkwind reunions going on, I’m sure he’ll turn up with them once again.
In the electric violin category, I’d also HIGHLY recommend Ric Sanders, who was tapped to fill Fairport Convention’s violin slot once Swarbrick could no longer tour — his earlier work with Soft Machine was pretty tasty, too.
And Darryl Way is definitely worth the time — Curved Air Live showed his chops, his Concerto for Electric Violin showed his vision.[/quote]
I wish Simon would rejoin Hawkwind. I heard some tracks from their most recent album but it didn’t grab me. Simon’s violin and keyboard work adds extra texture and color. I also like the work he did on a couple of tracks on the Hawklords album e.g ‘Only The Dreams of A Cold War Kid’ and the Bowie albums ‘Stage’ and ‘Lodger’. I prefer the live version of ‘Speed Of Life’ with him on violin than the original ‘Low’ version; his playing makes the music seem more warm and vibrant.
[quote comment=”28602″][quote comment=”28581″]I like Simon’s work. Last thing I know of was his solo album from 2006, Solar Wind. With all the various Hawkwind reunions going on, I’m sure he’ll turn up with them once again.
In the electric violin category, I’d also HIGHLY recommend Ric Sanders, who was tapped to fill Fairport Convention’s violin slot once Swarbrick could no longer tour — his earlier work with Soft Machine was pretty tasty, too.
And Darryl Way is definitely worth the time — Curved Air Live showed his chops, his Concerto for Electric Violin showed his vision.[/quote]
I wish Simon would rejoin Hawkwind. I heard some tracks from their most recent album but it didn’t grab me. Simon’s violin and keyboard work adds extra texture and color. I also like the work he did on a couple of tracks on the Hawklords album e.g ‘Only The Dreams of A Cold War Kid’ and the Bowie albums ‘Stage’ and ‘Lodger’. I prefer the live version of ‘Speed Of Life’ with him on violin than the original ‘Low’ version; his playing makes the music seem more warm and vibrant.[/quote]
I got lucky — the only Bowie show I’ve seen was the Stage tour, and I almost didn’t go. A buddy had to work at the last minute, so I bought his ticket. Absolutely stunning show, with Bowie’s core rhythm section augmented by Simon, Roger Powell from Utopia, and a then-little-known guitar player named Adrian Belew (that night was my first exposure to his otherworldly style). The Stage LP mostly does it justice, but the sheer power of the performance was only really hinted at.
[quote comment=”28609″][quote comment=”28602″][quote comment=”28581″]I like Simon’s work. Last thing I know of was his solo album from 2006, Solar Wind. With all the various Hawkwind reunions going on, I’m sure he’ll turn up with them once again.
In the electric violin category, I’d also HIGHLY recommend Ric Sanders, who was tapped to fill Fairport Convention’s violin slot once Swarbrick could no longer tour — his earlier work with Soft Machine was pretty tasty, too.
And Darryl Way is definitely worth the time — Curved Air Live showed his chops, his Concerto for Electric Violin showed his vision.[/quote]
I wish Simon would rejoin Hawkwind. I heard some tracks from their most recent album but it didn’t grab me. Simon’s violin and keyboard work adds extra texture and color. I also like the work he did on a couple of tracks on the Hawklords album e.g ‘Only The Dreams of A Cold War Kid’ and the Bowie albums ‘Stage’ and ‘Lodger’. I prefer the live version of ‘Speed Of Life’ with him on violin than the original ‘Low’ version; his playing makes the music seem more warm and vibrant.[/quote]
I got lucky — the only Bowie show I’ve seen was the Stage tour, and I almost didn’t go. A buddy had to work at the last minute, so I bought his ticket. Absolutely stunning show, with Bowie’s core rhythm section augmented by Simon, Roger Powell from Utopia, and a then-little-known guitar player named Adrian Belew (that night was my first exposure to his otherworldly style). The Stage LP mostly does it justice, but the sheer power of the performance was only really hinted at.[/quote]
I wish I was older than I am, then maybe I could have seen the Stage tour. Aswell as the CD, I’ve also seen some clips from that tour on You Tube. I wish that line-up had stayed together longer as I am a big fan of Simon House, Roger Powell (and everybody else in Utopia including of, course, Todd Rundgren) and Adrian Belew. Does anyone know of any DVDs of this tour?