Rock Workshop (RSD 25)

First ever vinyl re-issue of this collaborative jam aptly named Rock Wokshop. Originally released in 1970 on CBS, this could have been a major cult in the vein of Traffic ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’ or ‘The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown’, but failed to became an instant classic. Time is a gentleman perhaps, or so it seems. And time has come to restore this marvellous manifesto.

A fantastic project led by Scot, Alex Harvey (before his venture in the Sensational Alex Harvey Band) on guitar/vocals the Rock Workshop featured a who’s who of the English jazz scene. Virtuoso Ray Russell is on fire on guitar, while trumpet player Harry Beckett, tenor saxophonist Bob Downes and clarinet/flute player Tony Roberts described the extreme regions of the rhythm’n’blues credo. The rhythm section was comprised of stunning drummer Alan Rushton, bass player Daryl Runswick and conga player Robin Jones.

Filled with enough impro madness and wild acid blues licks the album is mostly an instrumental affair, the further 9 minutes of final track ‘He Looks At Me’ being a proper example. Even collecting a masterful rendition of traditional ‘Wade In The Water’ the album is a must have for any freaky progressive head.