Stepps "Kryptonite"1976 Aussie Fusion jazz rock
- 10 years ago
Stepps "Waltz For Tiger Joe" Private Pressing, 1976 Aussie Fusion Jazz Rock
Stepps were a Sydney-based five-piece band who played around town during the second half of the seventies. The band appeared at a variety of venues around Sydney and held down a weekly residency at the Royal George Hotel. Their other notable achievements included a live broadcast concert in 1978 on ABC and airplay on the radio station that used to be known as Double J (the old name for the 'Triple J' radio station for you overseas people and Gen Y kids).The band decided to self-release an album of their material to promote their music. The band pressed the album themselves and even photocopied the artwork for the cover themselves at a local printing firm. As is often the case with this type of release, not many were pressed – in fact, the run was limited to only 50 copies. The yellow-label privately pressed record is housed in a plain white sleeve adorned only with photocopied pages that are hand-pasted to both sides of the cardboard cover. The material on the album was recorded in 1975 and 1976 in Sydney, and released early in 1976.The style of music is jazz-rock with an unashamedly optimistic mood. Bernie Morgan's singing is quite beautiful on the songs she features on. Her voice compliments the music perfectly. But it's the musicianship that is the real highlight of the album. In terms of Australian music, obvious reference points (in terms of both musical style and the record as an artifact) are Canberra's Yaraandoo and the Rob Thomsett Group's Haro album. While I haven't given Yaraandoo a proper listen, this album is a much better record than the later mentioned.
The whole first side of Waltz For Tiger Joe is fantastic. The opening track washes over your ears like warm sunshine. It's quintessentially Australian jazz-funk sound is similar in places to Jackie Orszaczky's 1975 LP, and Bernie's singing also reminds me of Kerrie Biddell's best jazz moments. If I Knew is a jazz ballad that changes up into a mostly instrumental fusion number. The first side finishes with the best cut on the album – Kriptonite. Written by the band's guitarist, Ian Hildebrand, the distorted intro gives way to a compelling guitar riff that easily lodges itself in your head. Washes of keys and funky drumming keep this tune grooving all the way through until the players weave their way into a bass-guitar solo interlude that acts almost as a signature for the band. And as the bass player signals his intent to conclude, the other players effortlessly reintroduce that compelling guitar riff.The band can't top Kriptonite for the rest of the record, but they get close with Side Two's opener Make Me – a great vocal jazz cut with Bernie Morgan at her most prominent post on the whole record. What's great about this number is the way that the music perfectly compliments Bernie's voice, even following her individual words in some parts.
Stepps were a Sydney-based five-piece band who played around town during the second half of the seventies. The band appeared at a variety of venues around Sydney and held down a weekly residency at the Royal George Hotel. Their other notable achievements included a live broadcast concert in 1978 on ABC and airplay on the radio station that used to be known as Double J (the old name for the 'Triple J' radio station for you overseas people and Gen Y kids).The band decided to self-release an album of their material to promote their music. The band pressed the album themselves and even photocopied the artwork for the cover themselves at a local printing firm. As is often the case with this type of release, not many were pressed – in fact, the run was limited to only 50 copies. The yellow-label privately pressed record is housed in a plain white sleeve adorned only with photocopied pages that are hand-pasted to both sides of the cardboard cover. The material on the album was recorded in 1975 and 1976 in Sydney, and released early in 1976.The style of music is jazz-rock with an unashamedly optimistic mood. Bernie Morgan's singing is quite beautiful on the songs she features on. Her voice compliments the music perfectly. But it's the musicianship that is the real highlight of the album. In terms of Australian music, obvious reference points (in terms of both musical style and the record as an artifact) are Canberra's Yaraandoo and the Rob Thomsett Group's Haro album. While I haven't given Yaraandoo a proper listen, this album is a much better record than the later mentioned.
The whole first side of Waltz For Tiger Joe is fantastic. The opening track washes over your ears like warm sunshine. It's quintessentially Australian jazz-funk sound is similar in places to Jackie Orszaczky's 1975 LP, and Bernie's singing also reminds me of Kerrie Biddell's best jazz moments. If I Knew is a jazz ballad that changes up into a mostly instrumental fusion number. The first side finishes with the best cut on the album – Kriptonite. Written by the band's guitarist, Ian Hildebrand, the distorted intro gives way to a compelling guitar riff that easily lodges itself in your head. Washes of keys and funky drumming keep this tune grooving all the way through until the players weave their way into a bass-guitar solo interlude that acts almost as a signature for the band. And as the bass player signals his intent to conclude, the other players effortlessly reintroduce that compelling guitar riff.The band can't top Kriptonite for the rest of the record, but they get close with Side Two's opener Make Me – a great vocal jazz cut with Bernie Morgan at her most prominent post on the whole record. What's great about this number is the way that the music perfectly compliments Bernie's voice, even following her individual words in some parts.