Jean-Luc Ponty — The Gift Of Time/ Storytelling/ Tchokola

Here’s a two-disc CD set from UK ‘s BGO, which combines three late 80s/ early 90’s albums from French violinist, composer, and bandleader Jean-Luc Ponty.  The albums feature a mix of electronica, ethnic and world music elements blended into Ponty’s jazz fusion stylings- for often creative, tuneful, and atmospheric results.

The two CDs are presented in BGO’s house-style card slip & clear jewel case packaging. This also features a twenty-four inlay booklet- which takes in credits, band photos, and a sixteen-page write-up about Ponty, the album’s players, and the albums themselves by Mojo’s & Record Collectors Charles Waring.

Jean-Luc Ponty was born in 1942 to a family of classical musicians in Avranches France. At age sixteen, he attended Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris- he graduated two years later with the institution's highest honour, Premier Prix. 

He was first hired by the Orchestre Lamoureux - whom he played for three years. During this time he also played clarinet in a college jazz band, and this was where his lifelong interest in fusion came about.  In the late 1960s,  he emigrated to the US- playing stints with both Frank Zappa and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Between the early '60s and mid-2010s, he has an impressive thirty-four albums as bandleader under his belt, including of course the thre albums here- 1987’s The Gift Of Time, 1989’s Storytelling, and 1991’s Tchokola- the first two albums are on CD one, and the last album has CD two to itself.

So first up we have The Gift of Time- this was Ponty’s first album for Columbia. It was an eight-track affair rolling in at a fairly tight just over thirty-five-minute runtime. The line-up for the album was Jean-Luc Ponty – violin, Prophet-5 & Synclavier synthesizers, electronic percussion, and effects. Pat Thomi – electric guitar. Baron Browne – electric bass and Rayford Griffin – drums, percussion. And it was a decidedly varied & electronic-edged-edged fusion album. We move from the bright jiving synth keys & Volin swoon ‘n’ sail of “New Resolutions”. Onto strutting electro reggae beat fed “Between Sea And Sky” with its blend of wishful violin melody, guitar/ bass break downs, and steady beat. And we have the seven-and-a-half minutes of “Introspective Perceptions” with its initially blend of rising ‘n’ drifting synth tones and light swooned/ emotionally touched violin playing- later switching dark organ-like climbs & more moody string sails ‘n’ wails. The track rather sounds like an effective cue from a mid-80s neo-noir film score.

Next, we 1989’s Storytelling- this is a track album, which featured a band of four/ as well as four guests. We had Jean-Luc Ponty – violin, Synclavier synthesizer, and keyboards. Jamie Glaser – electric guitar. Wally Minko – piano, keyboards. Baron Browne – electric bass. Rayford Griffin – drums, percussion. With guests Grover Washington Jr. – soprano saxophone. Clara Ponty – piano . Patrice Rushen – synthesizer, synth solo. Kurt Wortman – percussion. We go from manically pulsing synth keys,  building percussive detail, and brightly sawing strings of “In The Fast Line”. Onto the steady piano jaunting, clean guitar strum, and distant bass plod of “Pastoral Meldoy” which features both subtle Violin glide & classical guitar playing. Through to the bounding bass-led synth-rock of “At Journey’s End” with its smashing cymbal percussion, and cascading ease jazz synth/violin lines. Another nicely varied album.

Shifting over to disc two we have 1991’s Tchokola, which found Ponty signed to Epic. It’s a ten-track album that has a serious ethnic and world music edge to proceedings. With eleven players taking part- Jean-Luc Ponty – violin, keyboards, electric violin and viola. Martin Atangana – guitar. Yves N'Djock – guitar. Guy N'Sangue – bass. Brice Wassy – drums, percussion. Moustapha Cisse – percussion. Angélique Kidjo – vocals. Myriam Betty – vocals. Esther Dobong'Na Essiène (aka Estha Divine)-vocals. Kémo Kouyaté – harp, background vocals, Balafon, Kora. Abdou M'Boup – percussion, bongos, vocals, Sabar, Tama, Bugarabu. Willy N'For – vocals.

The album moves from Latin jazz meets afro funk strut of “Sakka Sakka” with chanted African vocals & swooning ‘n’ sailing electric violin. Onto bounding afro bass, cascading guitar flow, and jigging strings of “N'Fan Môt”. Through to layered ethnic percussive clip-clap meets felt violin, mellow guitar strum, and distant female African chanting of “Cono”.  Again another very worthy/interesting album- with creative world leanings/ touches.

If you’re a fan of 80s/ early ’90s fusion, which dared to mix in electronica and world music elements then this two-disc set will most certainly appeal. And I’ll most certainly be checking out more of Mr Ponty's work.