Jean-Luc Ponty - Imaginary Voyage

As of 1976, Jean-Luc Ponty's variations on the Mahavishnu Orchestra theme were still fresh and imaginative, cast in a distinctively different, more lyrical, more controlled framework. For Imaginary Voyage, Ponty's instrumental lineup is identical to that of Mahavishnu -- electric violin, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums -- but he turns the emphasis on its head, with all commands coming directly from the violin (his) and less competitive crossplay emanating from his colleagues. For starters, "New Country" is a lively jazz-rock hoedown, one of those periodic C&W side trips that some fusioneers attempted for a lark, and "The Gardens of Babylon" is a wonderfully memorable tune, the beginnings of which grow out of "New Country." The last half of the CD is taken up by the title composition, a strong four-part suite that hangs together with barely a sag in interest over its 20-minute span. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Name Credits Allan Zavod Piano, Keyboards Bill Harvey Design, Artwork Burt Szerlip Assistant Engineer, Engineer Daryl Stuermer Guitar (Electric), Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) George Piros Mastering Jean-Luc Ponty Keyboards, Violin (Electric), Vocals, Producer, Organ, Synthesizer, Violin Larry Hirsch Engineer Mark Craney Percussion Tom Fowler Bass (Electric), Bass