Bond And Brown, Two Heads Are Better Than One
(Repertoire REP 427-WY CD; reissue 1992)

Armed with an auspicious jazz apprenticeship in the early 60s Don Rendell Quintet, and an equally prestigious stint in Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, Graham Bond was at the vanguard of 60s British musicians pioneering fusions of jazz, r'n'b and the newly emerging rock sensibility, most notably in his own seminal Graham Bond Organisation, which included the likes of Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Dick Heckstall-Smith and, briefly, John McLaughlin.

Despite Bond's failing marriage, his periodic decline into alcohol and narcotics abuse, plus the 'distractions' of a deepening preoccupation with White Magic, Two Heads Are Better Than One, his 1972 collaboration with Cream lyricist Pete Brown, is a remarkably coherent song-based progressive rock project. Less overtly r'n'b driven than the earlier GBO and Magick albums, it features condensed instrumental breaks between many catchy hooks. After some Hammond and percussion (Ed Spevock) interplay, 'Amazing Grass' culminates in a bluesy-gospel chorus; 'CFDT (Colonel Frights' Dancing Terrapins)' includes fine guitarwork from Mick Hutchinson and an unexpected free jazzish break led by Bond's alto sax. Brown's vocals/lyrics reach a whimsically erotic high on 'Mass Debate' where the music has psychedelic shades of Barrett-era Floyd.

Additional tracks on this reissue are taken from Bond and Brown's 1972 maxi-single: two excellent, punchy prog-rock numbers, 'Macumbe' and 'Milk Is Turning Sour In My Shoes', which remind us that GB was the most exciting Hammond player of his generation. Also, the previously unreleased 'Maltamour Soundtrack', a suite of songs written and sung by Brown and arranged by Bond for a 1972 documentary about Malta. This is possibly the highlight of the disc. Again imaginative instrumental passages are concisely expressed within song structure and Brown's lyrics are liberally spiced with entertaining humour and nifty wordplay. Most memorable pieces are 'I Spend My Nights In Armour' with Bond's catchy maritime Hammond riff, the switched-on Bach of 'Magpie Man', and a heated jazz-rock instrumental 'Fury Of War'. Of the several albums in my collection featuring Graham Bond, it's this one, with its additional tracks, that I return to most frequently.

Chris Blackford
Rubberneck magazine