Major Surgery

The First Cut

(Next!)

Major Surgery's 1970s Scottish tour under the auspices of the Platform organisation and the Musicians Union has achieved mythical status among those who experienced the South London quartet's apparently effortless flowing from free spirited blows to highly disciplined, positively grooving compositions. But with their only recording long ago achieving collector's item status - only 500 albums were pressed - it has been almost impossible to confirm just how good the band was. Until now. This CD reissue won't disappoint reminiscers and may woo younger listeners as tenor saxophonist Don Weller, guitarist Jimmy Roche, bassist Bruce Collcutt and the late, much-missed drummer Tony Marsh deliver some of the most vital jazz of the era as if they've just set up in the Third Eye Centre all over again. Marsh is the embodiment of musical perpetual motion as Weller and Roche explore individually, and they combine in unison playing that brings to mind another Britjazz band of similar vintage, Back Door.

Rob Adams