U.K. - The Sahara Of Snow (1979)

Live at El Mocambo Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 27, 1978.

U.K. were a British progressive rock supergroup originally active from 1977 to 1980. 

The band was founded by bass guitarist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford, formerly the rhythm section of King Crimson. 

The band was rounded out by violinist/keyboardist Eddie Jobson, and guitarist Allan Holdsworth. 

Bruford and Holdsworth left in 1978, and Bruford was replaced by drummer Terry Bozzio. 

Throughout their brief existence, U.K.'s music was characterised by skilled musicianship, jazzy harmonies, close harmony vocals, mixed meters, electric violin solos, and unusually varied synthesiser (Yamaha CS-80) sonorities. 

Relative to specific styles, the band spans various genres ranging from progressive rock to jazz fusion.

This recording comes from the heavily booted Boston 1978 FM radio show featuring the first line-up of the group with Allan Holdsworth (electric guitar) and Bill Bruford (drums). 

The most important tracks are three pieces which were re-worked on the next studio LP, Danger Money: "The Only Thing She Needs," "Carrying No Cross," and "Caesar's Palace Blues." 

Each of these songs contains wildly different group arrangements and is worth hearing in their initial form. 

It is no surprise to identify the jazz elements injected specifically from Bruford and Holdsworth that give each track a noticeable guitar context. 

"The Only Thing She Needs" benefits from Bruford's adept top kit drumming style and a looser tempo. 

"Carrying No Cross" includes a Latin midsection which is quite impressive, while "Caesar's Palace Blues" is more syncopated rhythmically with Holdsworth's leads playing off Jobson's pizzicato violin during the intro. 

"The Sahara of Snow," this recording provides distinct clues as to how close the original quartet was to completing their second album before the band split. 

Track listing

1.  Alaska - 4:11

2.  Time To Kill - 5:39

3.  The Sahara Of Snow Pt. 1 - 5:06

4.  The Sahara Of Snow Pt. 2 - 4:49

5.  Carrying No Cross - 10:35

6.  The Only Thing She Needs - 8:51

7.  Thirty Years - 8:54

8.  In The Dead Of Night - 6:13

9.  By The Light Of Day - 5:59

10.  Presto Vivace & Reprise - 3:23

Companies, etc.

• Recorded At – El Mocambo, Toronto

Credits

• Bass Guitar, Vocals – John Wetton
• Drums – Bill Bruford
• Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
• Keyboards, Violin – Eddie Jobson

Notes

Released:  1979

Genre:  Progressive Rock

Length:  1:04:27

Label:  Not On Label (Bootleg)

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