Comments for Soft Machine, Fourth

An absolutely brilliant album and one of my all time faves. It''s often misconstrued as "free jazz" but is actually quite structured compositionally (listen to the intoduction of the main theme in Teeth and it''s reoccurrence throughout even on the fade with the squealing cello...it''s quite wonderful).

Lineup: Hugh Hopper: Bass guitar Mike Ratlege: Organ, electric piano Robert Wyatt: drums Elton Dean: Alto Sax, saxellowith Roy Babbington: Double bass Mark Charig: Cornet Nick Evans: Trombone Jimmy Hastings: Flute, bass clarinet Alan Skidmore: Tenor saxLast album with Robert Wyatt, who moved on to a solo career. Develops in manner of Third, but is morejazzy than psychedelic, at times almost like free jazz.. The emphasis here is on the horn section, with very little soloing from Ratlege. This also shows the compositional talents of Hopper, who wrote Kings and Queens and the entire Virtually suite. Much better recording quality than Third.