Befour

"Befour" was a great concept - a sort of versatile chamber rock -that translated into a half-great album, which means I suppose that it's not a great album at all. Brian Auger wasn't much of a jazz organist - he lacked the good-natured elasticity of American B-3 players. He almost made up for what he lacked with inspired song selections, good arrangements, & an earnest Sixties idealism that he has unto this day. "Befour" opens up with a stiff cover of Sly's "Higher" (for heaven's sake, why bother?). He adds nothing to Hancock's "Maiden Voyage," which comes across as a learning exercise. "Just You Just Me" is a forgettable original. Which leaves very lovely versions of Faure's "Pavanne" & Albinoni's "Adagio." Also a wonderful instrumental cover of Traffic's "No Time to Live," featuring an understanding, sensitive organ solo of the sort Winwood never quite had the chops to construct. Auger re-recorded the song later with a vocal by Julie Tippett, to much the same effect. Auger adds two top Brit session drummers (left, center, & right) & just steamrolls over Les McCann's "Listen Here," reconstructing it as a progressive rock classic, one of those great numbers that smashed the four minute radio barrier. Brian Auger never seemed to figure out if he wanted to be Stevie Winwood, Jimmy Smith, Georgie Fame, Alan Price, Matthew Fisher, or an art rocker with good taste. This indecision made it very difficult for him to be Brian Auger. But he tried & succeeded with a few cuts on every LP he released. I treasure my vinyl copy of "Befour." I just can't see replacing it with an [expensive] import CD, remastered or not. Maybe I love it/him for sentimental reasons.

Had Jimmy Smith been a flower child, he may have sounded like Brian Auger.Befour was Auger before adding Julie Driscol, later Tippets, wife of the session pianist. He does Sly Stones "I Want To Take You Higher," and Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage."What makes Auger so infinitely enjoyable, his music hold so well, is that he brought rock into jazz, did not impose jazz onto progressive rock. He didn't rest on jerky time signatures or flashy solos.But solos are plenty here, smooth as a baby's Hammond's bottom. This music is informed, elegant, perfectly played. Auger's work has not aged a day since the 1960s, and will always remain scrumptiously listenable .

I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT BRIAN AUGER.BY CHANCE I HEARD SOMETHING ON AN INTERNET RADIO STATION.I WAS AMAZED.WHERE WAS THIS GUY?I GOT CDS WITH HIM AND TRINITY AND I AM ABOUT TO GO ON HIS SOLO AMD OTHER PROJECTS.AMAZING GROOVES,FANTASTIC ORGAN PLAYING,EXCELLENT MELODIES. CHECK HIM OUT.

A classic from back in 1969, when music was exciting and musicians were adventurous, trespassing beyond the existing frontiers and discovering new things, things that could be done and things that couldn't (but were anyway!).Those unfamiliar with Brian Auger and the Trinity ought to be told that this album was released without Julie Driscoll. It seems that working together was an option rather than an obligation. Streetnoise (also 1969) is the one you want if you want to hear Jools' lovely voice. Having said this, Befour is by no means inferior. It`s different, as each of their albums was, and it is musically excellent (in fact, has gone down in history as one of Brian's best). I bought it 'cos I love 'No time to Live' (a Traffic composition). This song was also done by Julie Driscoll. It's a sublime song, as Brian Auger points out in the liner notes ("it's the track that breathes"). Modest, I must say, 'cos the album contains 'Listen Here', over nine minutes of everything you could ever want from an instrumental (of course, it's the keyboards that blow you away, both his piano-playing and the hammond organ are delicious (nothing to beat a maestro of jazz-rock when he launches out on this instrument). But there are guitars and drums as well. In fact, it's a showpiece, and avoids the excesses of some contemporary pieces, with their drawn-out drum solos and so on, thank goodness!The bonus tracks are ok...'Rain Forest Talking' is a woodwind piece, curiously unlike other stuff I've heard from these guys, and something that doesn't sound like 'back in '69. It`s a live track, but there is no info. as to what instrument (flute, clarinet...?) or who is playing it (the multifarious Brian, one supposes). To finish, the lp is a pretty successful trip combining classical, rock and jazz to great effect.Buyer, be aware that you can get hold of the British, the French and the American editions, each one with different artwork. The French one, with the guys prancing about in a meadow, is typical sixties, and personally my favourite. The UK one (which I bought 'cos it was much cheaper!) has the members of the band sillouetted and reflected, in tones of grey and black, and reminds me of Aynsley Dunbar's first album.