One of a Kind is the second solo album by the drummer Bill Bruford, and the first proper album by his band Bruford. Released in 1979 on EG Records, it is a collection of instrumentals in a style that can loosely be defined as jazz fusion. Bruford features guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist Jeff Berlin, and keyboardist Dave Stewart. "Forever Until Sunday" and "The Sahara of Snow" had originally been performed at 1978 concerts by Bruford and Holdsworth’s previous band U.K. They were intended for a studio album, but were never properly recorded by U.K. as Bruford kept the pieces for himself when he and Holdsworth exited the band. U.K. bandmate Eddie Jobson co-wrote "The Sahara of Snow" and reprises his violin part on "Forever Until Sunday". Stewart's "Hell's Bells" utilizes a fragment penned by his former National Health colleague Alan Gowen (the 3-chord pattern underlying the guitar solo). Holdsworth's "The Abingdon Chasp" is the only piece he wrote for Bruford.
| One of a Kind | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 1979 | |||
| Recorded | January–February 1979 | |||
| Studio | Trident Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion | |||
| Length | 46:28 | |||
| Label | EG/Polydor | |||
| Producer | Bill Bruford | |||
| Bruford chronology | ||||
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| Singles from One of a Kind | ||||
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Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [3] |
In a review for AllMusic, Dave Connolly wrote: "Good-humored twists and turns abound in the music... Those who enjoy their fusion with a healthy dose of rock will find One of a Kind a fair match for anything from Return to Forever or Brand X."[2]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called the music "strongly melodic, freewheeling and built round Bruford's ringing percussion."[3]
John Kelman of All About Jazz praised the "firmly-cemented group sound, and... consistent set of compositions," and commented: "The same characteristics found on Feels Good to Me are evident on One of a Kind, with everyone demonstrating palpable growth... the magic of One of a Kind is that it remains compelling and accessible... Solos flow organically throughout the long-form compositions, integrated in ways that makes them feel a part of the larger whole."[4]
Exposé Online's Jeff Melton stated: "From the get-go, this collection of ten tracks stands as a maelstrom of chops, arranging skills and inspired ensemble playing... the dynamics between drums, keys and fretless bass provide a high profile, capable structure for Holdsworth's top-flight soloing ability."[5]
In an article for Sounds of Surprise, Matt Phillips wrote: "it's music that breathes... played by empathetic, truly virtuosic musicians. But is it rock, jazz, prog or fusion? Who knows, but it's some of the greatest British instrumental music of all time."[6]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hell's Bells" | Dave Stewart, Alan Gowen | 3:32 |
| 2. | "One of a Kind, Pt. 1" | Bill Bruford | 2:20 |
| 3. | "One of a Kind, Pt. 2" | Bruford, Dave Stewart | 4:00 |
| 4. | "Travels with Myself – And Someone Else" | Bruford | 6:10 |
| 5. | "Fainting in Coils" | Bruford | 6:33 |
| Total length: | 22:35 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Five G" | Jeff Berlin, Bruford, Dave Stewart | 4:41 |
| 2. | "The Abingdon Chasp" | Allan Holdsworth | 4:50 |
| 3. | "Forever Until Sunday" | Bruford | 5:46 |
| 4. | "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 1" | Bruford | 5:18 |
| 5. | "The Sahara of Snow, Pt. 2" | Bruford, Eddie Jobson | 3:23 |
| Total length: | 23:58 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Manacles (live 1979)" | Bruford, Dave Stewart | 7:25 |
| Total length: | 7:25 | ||
Personnel
edit- Allan Holdsworth – electric guitar, acoustic guitar (midsection of "The Abingdon Chasp")
- Dave Stewart – keyboards, synthesizers, electronics
- Jeff Berlin – bass guitar
- Bill Bruford – drums & percussions, voice of the Mock Turtle (intro to "Fainting in Coils")
with
- Eddie Jobson – violin ("Forever Until Sunday")
- Anthea Norman Taylor – voice of Alice (intro to "Fainting in Coils")
- Sam Alder – narrator (intro to "Fainting in Coils")
- John Clark – electric guitar ("Manacles")
Production
edit- Alwyn Clayden – art direction, design
- Sheila Rock – photography
- John Shaw – photography
- Stephen W Tayler – engineer, production assistant
References
edit- ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 48.
- ^ a b Connolly, Dave. One of a Kind at AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 185.
- ^ Kelman, John (24 April 2005). "Bill Bruford: Feels Good To Me And One Of A Kind". All About Jazz. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Melton, Jeff (1 September 2005). "Review - Bruford - One of a Kind". Exposé Online. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Phillips, Matt (16 April 2021). "Bruford: One of a Kind Revisited". Sounds of Surprise. Retrieved 27 September 2022.