LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

These albums originally appeared in 1969 in the UK on the Liberty/World Pacific Jazz label and are now appearing for the first time as a double CD on Gottdiscs. 'Electric Connection'was produced by Richard Bock, who was connected production-wise with many Ravi Shankar recordings. 'King Kong'was produced by Frank Zappa It has been a long, fascinating odyssey for Jean-Luc Ponty, who started out as a straight jazz violinist only to become a pioneer of the electric violin in jazz-rock in the '70s and an inspired manipulator of sequencers and synthesizers in the '80s. At first merely amplifying his violin in order to be heard, he switched over to electric violin and augmented it with devices that were associated with electric guitarists and keyboardists, like Echoplex machines, distortion boxes, phase shifters, and wah-wah pedals. Review of 'Electric Connection'from AMG: "The innovative violinist Jean-Luc Ponty was making a strong impression in the United States in 1969, a year in which he made four notable American recordings that solidified his reputation a few years before he formed his own fusion band. For this little-known effort, Ponty is joined by a big band arranged by Gerald Wilson and including pianist George Duke (an important early collaborator), altoist Bud Shank, flutist Tony Ortega and guitarist Wilbert Longmire." Review of 'King Kong'from AMG: "Not just an album of interpretations, 'King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa'was an active collaboration; Frank Zappa arranged all of the selections, played guitar on one, and contributed a new, nearly 20- minute orchestral composition for the occasion. Made in the wake of Ponty's appearance on Zappa's jazz-rock masterpiece 'Hot Rats', these 1969 recordings were significant developments in both musicians'careers. In terms of jazz-rock fusion Zappa was one of the few musicians from the rock side of the equation who captured the complexity - not just the feel - of jazz, and this project was an indicator of his growing credibility as a composer." TracklistELECTRIC CONNECTION:1. Summit Soul 2. Hypomode Del Sol 3. Scarborough Fair/Canticle 4. The Name Of The Game 5. The Loner 6. Waltz For Clara 7. Forget 8. Eighty-OneKING KONG: 1. King Kong 2. Idiot Bastard Son 3. Twenty Small Cigars 4. How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That 5. Music For Electric Violin And Low Budget Orchestra 6. America Drinks And Goes Home