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Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | March 1978 | |||
Recorded | 6–9 July 1977 at Théâtre Le Palace, Paris, France | |||
Genre | Jazz rock [1] | |||
Length | 39:06 | |||
Label | Harvest | |||
Producer | Soft Machine | |||
Soft Machine chronology | ||||
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris is a (mostly) live album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1978. It is their first album recorded entirely without any founding members of the band, as Mike Ratledge left the group during recording of the previous album Softs. It is also first album since their debut without wind instruments.
As reported on the booklet of the 2010 edition, it was recorded almost entirely live, by The Manor Mobile recording engineer Alan Perkins, during a 4-night residency at Paris' Théâtre Le Palace in July 1977. Much of the album was later mixed and partially re-recorded in studio; the track "Soft Space" was completely re-recorded in studio and released as a single ("Soft Space" parts 1 and 2) in 1978.
After the final performance recorded for the album, the band's van was broken into and burglarized. Among the items stolen was Etheridge's Gibson SG electric guitar he used during the shows. [2] [3]
All songs composed by Karl Jenkins except where indicated.
Note: on original LP pressings, the audience noises after the end of "Huffin" continue into the runout groove.
(all previously unreleased except tracks 9 & 10)
Soft Machine
Soft Machine are a British rock band from Canterbury formed in mid-1966 by Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen and Larry Nowlin. As a central band of the Canterbury scene, the group became one of the first British psychedelic acts and later moved into progressive rock and jazz fusion, becoming a purely instrumental band in 1971. The band has undergone many line-up changes, with musicians such as Andy Summers, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Marshall, Karl Jenkins, Roy Babbington and Allan Holdsworth being members during the band's history. The current line-up consists of John Etheridge, Theo Travis, Fred Thelonious Baker and Asaf Sirkis.
Sir Karl William Pamp Jenkins,, HonFLSW is a Welsh multi-instrumentalist and composer. His best known works include the song "Adiemus" (1995), from the Adiemus album series; Palladio (1995); The Armed Man (2000); his Requiem (2005); and his Stabat Mater (2008).
Hugh Colin Hopper was a British progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and other bands.
Elton Dean was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello and occasionally keyboards. Part of the Canterbury scene, he featured in Soft Machine, among others.
Bundles is the eighth studio album by the jazz-rock band Soft Machine, released in 1975.
Six is the sixth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine. Originally released in 1973 as a double LP, the first disc is a live album and the second disc is a studio album. This is the first album to feature Karl Jenkins as a member the group, replacing Elton Dean. Jenkins eventually became the de facto leader and main composer of the group.
Seven is the seventh studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1973. Bassist Roy Babbington, who had previously worked with the band as a session musician on the Fourth (1971) and Fifth (1972) albums, joined the band as a full-time member, replacing Hugh Hopper, who left to begin a solo career. This line-up change meant more than half of Soft Machine was now former members of the band Nucleus.
John Stanley Marshall was an English drummer and founding member of the jazz rock band Nucleus. From 1972 to 1978, he was the drummer for Soft Machine, replacing Phil Howard when he joined.
John Michael Glyn Etheridge is an English jazz fusion guitarist, composer, bandleader and educator known for his eclecticism and broad range of associations in jazz, classical, and contemporary music. He is best known for his work with Soft Machine from 1975 to 1978, 1984 and 2004 to present.
Richard Sanders is an English violinist who has played in jazz-rock, folk rock, British folk rock and folk groups, including Soft Machine and Fairport Convention.
2nd Vision was a British jazz-rock band notable for including guitarist John Etheridge and violinist Ric Sanders, both former members of Soft Machine. It released the album First Steps, which has been re-released on Blueprint Records in 2006.
Softs is the ninth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1976.
Land of Cockayne is the tenth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1981. The title refers to the medieval land of plenty. It would be the last album released under the Soft Machine name until Hidden Details in 2018.
"Huffin" is an instrumental song written by Karl Jenkins and performed by Soft Machine. It was only released as a live recording, on their album Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris. It is the last section of a suite of seven connecting songs which comprise the first side of the album, and is preceded by a short song titled "Puffin" which serves as an introduction to "Huffin".
Fred Thelonious Baker is an English guitarist and jazz bass guitarist from Tibshelf, Derbyshire. He is known for playing in Phil Miller's Canterbury scene band In Cahoots.
Burden of Proof is the sixth album by the Canterbury associated band Soft Machine Legacy and their third studio album, released on CD in March 2013. This was the last album to use the "Legacy" suffix before it was dropped in 2015. Soft Machine returned with Hidden Details in 2018 featuring the same line-up that recorded this album.
Hidden Details is the eleventh studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in September 2018.
Steam is the fourth album by the Canterbury associated band Soft Machine Legacy and their second studio album, released on CD in 2007. This is the final Soft Machine project to feature bassist Hugh Hopper prior to his death in June 2009. He was replaced by Roy Babbington, Soft Machine member from 1973 to 1976. Babbington has previously replaced Hopper in Soft Machine-proper. Steam also marks the first appearance of Theo Travis in the group replacing Elton Dean who died in February 2006 at age 60.
Soft Machine are an English rock band from Canterbury formed in mid-1966. As a central band of the Canterbury scene, the group became one of the first British psychedelic acts and later moved into progressive rock and jazz fusion. Having known numerous line-ups, the band currently consists of John Etheridge (guitar), Theo Travis, Fred Baker (bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums).