Jean-luc Ponty ENIGMATIC OCEAN

Personnel: Jean-Luc Ponty (electric violin, violectra, bells, piano); Allan Zavod (piano, electric piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizer); Allan Holdsworth, Daryl Stuermer (electric guitar); Ralphe Armstrong (electric bass); Steve Smith (drums, percussion).
Recorded in June and July, 1977.
Personnel: Jean-Luc Ponty (vocals, violone, piano, keyboards, bells); Daryl Stuermer, Allan Holdsworth (guitar, electric guitar); Allan Zavod (piano, electric piano, Clavinet, organ, keyboards, synthesizer); Ralphe Armstrong (electric bass); Steve Smith (drums).
Recording information: 06/1977-07/1977.
Photographers: Frank Moscati; Andy Kent.
Arguably Jean-Luc Ponty's finest record, ENIGMATIC OCEAN benefits from the two-pronged attack of Ponty's engrossing violin playing and guitarist Allan Holdsworth's equally majestic command of his own six-string and its accompanying devices. Compositionally, the tracks move from fast and furious fusion to moments of blissful restraint.
The lovely "Nostalgic Lady" features Holdsworth in peak form, coloring in the foreground with pastel shades of guitar synth, while former Journey drummer Steve Smith caresses Ponty's sultry violins with graceful strokes to cymbal and snare. The multi-part title track soars on spacey beds of synthesizer, guitar, and drums. As Ponty's rhythmic foil, Smith has never been better, and reveals himself as one of the finest drummers to have emerged from '70s fusion. Enigmatic arrangements and enigmatic playing make Ponty's OCEAN the perfect balm for mind and soul.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop