Vernal Equinox (album)

Vernal Equinox
Studio album by Jon Hassell
Released	1977 (1977)
Recorded	October 1976 (1976-10) – October 1977 (1977-10)
Studio	Various York University Electronic Media Studios (Ontario, CA) Mastertone Recording Studios (New York City, WA)
Genre	Ambient
Length	51:03
Label	Lovely Music, Ltd.
Producer	Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell chronology
Vernal Equinox (1977) Earthquake Island (1978)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Pitchfork	8.8/10 [2]

Vernal Equinox is the debut studio album by Jon Hassell, released in 1977 by Lovely Music, Ltd. In 2016, the album was ranked number 47 on Pitchfork's top 50 best ambient albums of all time list.

Track listing

All music is composed by Jon Hassell.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Toucan Ocean"	3:42
2.	"Viva Shona"	7:04
3.	"Hex"	6:20
4.	"Blues Nile"	9:51

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Vernal Equinox"	21:56
2.	"Caracas Night September 11, 1975"	2:10

Critical reception

In 2016, Vernal Equinox was ranked number 47 on Pitchfork's "Top 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time" list. ^[3]

In 2020, Pitchfork reviewed the album, stating: "When Jon Hassell coined the term “Fourth World” to describe his work, he fabricated a musical universe that new artists still call home. Melding the work of minimalists like La Monte Young and Terry Riley with non-Western folk, avant-garde classical and electronic, and early-’70s electric Miles Davis, the trumpeter and composer arrived more or less fully formed in 1977 with his solo debut." ^[4]

Personnel

Adapted from the Vernal Equinox liner notes. ^[5]

Jon Hassell  – trumpet, electric piano (A1, A3), production Musicians Miguel Frasconi  – bells and claves (A3) Andy Jerison – synthesizer (A3) Nicolas Kilbourn – mbira and talking drum (A3) David Rosenboom  – synthesizer (A1, A3), mbira (A2), rattles (A3), goblet drum (B1), recording Naná Vasconcelos  – congas (A1, B1, B2), shakers (A1, A3), bells (A2), talking drum (A2) William Winant  – kanjira and rattles (A3)

Production and additional personnel Michael Brook  – recording Andy Jerison – recording Rich LePage – mixing Ariel Peeri – design

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United States	1977	Lovely Music, Ltd.	LP	1021
	1990		CD

References

1. Kirschenmann, Mark. "Jon Hassell: Vernal Equinox > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
2. Cook-Wilson, Winston (March 23, 2020). "Jon Hassell: Vernal Equinox Album Review | Pitchfork". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 27, 2020.
3. Pitchfork (September 26, 2016). "The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
4. Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Jon Hassell: Vernal Equinox". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
5. Vernal Equinox (sleeve). Jon Hassell. Berkeley, California: Lovely Music, Ltd. 1977.

External links

• Vernal Equinox at Discogs (list of releases)