EMBRYO ft. JIMMY JACKSON - Steig Aus (1972-1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Steig Aus marks a turning point for Embryo. Recorded in 1971-1972, during three separate sessions that also gave birth to Rocksession, the album captures the group actively looking for the ethnic fusion that will soon become its main m.o. for the better part of the decade. It also signals the beginning of the group's distancing from the record industry -- both albums were rejected by their major label, which led to a transaction with the forward-looking small label Brain. Steig Aus features extremely inspired jazz-rock jams, which makes it a lot less friendly than their 1974 hit record, a lot jazzier too, but still a breathtaking journey into Krautrock-meets-American free jazz-meets-North African percussion. The first session yielded the side-long "Call," a loosely structured suite, and "Dreaming Girls," a Miles Davis-like ballad. Both tracks feature drummer Christian Burchard, bassist Jörg Evers, violinist Edgar Hoffmann, U.S. organist Jimmy Jackson, and American jazz keyboardist Mal Waldron. The latter, who had previously played with Eric Dolphy and Max Roach, among other luminaries, was called in as a guest. "Radio Marrakesch/Orient Express," which ended up opening the album, was recorded a while later, when the group reconvened in the studio, minus Hoffmann and Evers (the latter being replaced by Dave King). The track is already opening a window on Middle Eastern influences, with extra ethnic touches (particularly in the percussion department) added a few months later, when the group came back from a trip to North Africa. Steig Aus is a pretty unique cross between German psychedelic rock and American electric jazz. It is probably not the best place to start exploring Embryo's discography, but it deserves special attention nonetheless. François Couture
Tracklist :
1     Radio Marrakesch/Orient Express 9:50
Roman Bunka
2     Dreaming Girls 10:34
Christian Burchard
3     Call: Call, Pt. 1/Organ Walk/Marimba Village/Lost Violin/Call, Pt. 2 17:25
Waldron/Burchard/Bunka/Jackson/Hofmann
Credits :
Bass – Dave King
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone [Vibes] – Christian Burchard
Electric Bass [E-Bass] – Jörg Evers
Electric Piano [E-Piano] – Mal Waldron
Guitar, Baglama [Saz] – Roman Bunka
Mellotron [Melotron], Organ – Jimmy Jackson
Violin – Edgar Hoffmann

EMBRYO - Rocksession (1973-1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Progressive rock provides the framework but jazz-rock gives the flavor to this powerfully seductive album-length workout, four extended numbers (on which the vocals who are present are buried so far down in the mix that these are essentially instrumentals) that surge forth with saxophone solos and keyboard runs to rival the best-known English and U.S. prog rock bands -- and Christian Burchard's myriad percussion sounds (outdoing even his keyboard timbres at times) are in a class of their own. The difference between Embryo and their English-speaking rivals is that Embryo are content to take their time, even compared with acts such as King Crimson, getting where they're going, and don't mind going in long, extended detours into the funkier side of jazz. "Entrances" -- which, despite its title, is the second track on the album -- is worth the price of admission by itself for its seeming digressions, which all pull together around Jorg Evers' amazing bass work. And the rest of the record is no letdown, even after the quarter-hour of soaring excursions on that number. It all should have been more widely heard outside of Germany and Central Europe. Bruce Eder 
Tracklist :
1 A Place to Go 04:10
Christian Burchard
2 Entrances 15:41
Mal Waldron
3 Warm Canto 10:12
Mal Waldron
4 Dirge 09:43
Mal Waldron
 Credits :
Bass – Dave King, Jörg Evers
Drums – Christian Burchard
Electric Piano [E-Piano] – Mal Waldron
Guitar – Siegfried Schwab
Organ [Orgel] – Jimmy Jackson
Producer [Uncredited] – Embryo
Saxophone, Violin – Edgar Hofmann

EMBRYO with MAL WALDRON ft. CHRISTIAN BURCHARD - For Eva (2000) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This album is an Embryo album without being one.. As this collection had appeared under Mal Waldron name back then. Indeed this 67 live collection shows the partnership between American jazz pianist and vibraphonist Christian Burchard, but also many other Embryo familiars like drummer Serfas, bassist Meid (also AD), etc. The whole thing was pure jazz back then, you could even call swing, because of its Lionel Hampton-type mallet-driven jazz. The quartet developed some very enjoyable but out-of-scope for this site jazz that borders Armstrong or the afore-mentioned Hampton. Virtuosic, but certainly not arrogant or show-off-ey, the 9 tracks taken from '67 concerts in Munich or Graz (Austria) are all originals penned by Mal Waldron or Burchard (just one) , with one cover, Autumn Leaves, with none standing out from the selection. web
Tracklist :
1. Sugar Lump (5:09)
Walt Dickerson
2. For Eva (7:54)
Christian Burchard
3. For Bob (11:26)
Mal Waldron
4. Cool World (12:04)
Mal Waldron
5. Anka's Trance (10:24)
Mal Waldron
6. Autumn Leaves (3:50)
Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert
7. Infinite You (5:16)
Walt Dickerson
8. Bud Study (5:20)
Mal Waldron
9. Fire Waltz (4:28)
Mal Waldron
Total Time: 65:56
Line-up / Musicians
- Mal Waldron / piano, percussion
- Christian Burchard / vibes
- Dieter Serfas / drums
- Reinhard Knieper / bass