The concept of transposing the decidedly electric based music of
Soft Machine to acoustic saxophone quartet may be a stretch for many. But considering the expansive,
orchestral nature of their music, this idea proffered by the
Delta Saxophone Quartet makes sense. Their collective sound does not as much tone down the compositions themselves as they were written, but instead gives them a fuller body minus the
rock-ish bravado, and is very accessible to both
jazz and
classical music listeners. When
Soft Machine went from the keyboard-oriented
fusion edge of
Mike Ratledge to the more symphonic influence of
Karl Jenkins, some fans probably thought it was to their detriment. What the
DSQ has done is reverse the notion that more was better, and have adapted the instrumentation within a quartet format, which was the strongest and most focused of the
Soft Machine bands, minus eventual electric guitar. This cast of British woodwind players consists of
Graeme Blevins on soprano sax,
Chris Caldwell on baritone sax,
Tim Holmes on tenor sax, and
Pete Whyman on alto sax. They play homogeneously, blended together for the most part in tight arrangements with little or no soloing.
Hugh Hopper guests on one track only,
"Facelift," sporting the dramatic, elongated,
industrial-flavored repeated and then developed signature melody lines that
Ratledge played and
Hopper reinforced.
"Outrageous Moon," featuring the other guest,
Morgan Fisher, is the most
Canterbury style piece that still retains the influence of
Ratledge, with watery vocals, live electronics, and the sound of the hurdy-gurdy. A pastoral,
baroque style that
Jenkins eventually explored is heard quite extensively on
"Somehow with the Passage of Time" which is an adaptation of
"King & Queens," as well as the dreamy
"To," the 7/8 time signature identifying
"Dedicated to You," the cricket chirpy
"Aubade," "Noisette," where minimalism meets squawk, and
"Epilogue." Perhaps in this vein
"The Floating World" best represents the transition in the
Soft's lineups, a multi-layered texture composition that is a lustrous variation on the original
ambient electronic, synth-laden version turned purely acoustic and shimmering. Most like their predecessors
the World Saxophone Quartet,
DSQ dance in call-and response fashion within the structure of
"Mousetrap" with bell-like clarity and precision, and do a short
techno improv freebie with
"You." An ambitious project to be sure, kudos to the
DSQ for making the timeless '70s sound of
Soft Machine sound like it has been around for 100 or more years. ~ Michael G. Nastos
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