 | everyone else gives it a perfect rating, so I mine as well do the same
rating: 5
I really like Enigmatic Ocean. The violin jams are scorching hot, and absolutely exciting. The album feels like a mid 70's Jeff Beck album in terms of sound and style (of course Beck focuses on the guitar, not the violin- must be the production of the album that sounds the same). Can't pick a favorite song when every single moment of Enigmatic Ocean features lots of energy, beauty and challenging violin and guitar playing. It's quite an album.
This is one of those rare cases where EVERYTHING comes together and feels so right. I found myself playing certain songs over and over just so I can remember them. It was a pleasure to do so, because every time you hear these songs, you remember a little bit more each time. Interesting how there's a moody atmosphere throughout the album, while violin solos can be used as a challenge for people who are willing to take that challenge. This is just great great stuff.
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Jean-Luc Ponty
rating: 5
My son plays the violin and just started playing with a jazz band. He's 16 and appreciates all types of music. But, now that he's focusing on jazz violin... he really likes Jean-Luc Ponty. I bought a couple for his Christmas stocking!
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Spectacular!! Possibly his best........a true fusion classic!!!
rating: 5
I am surprized and delighted to see the rare unanimous 5-star rating on this album, and I am happy to join in and continue the trend!!! I have been a Jean-Luc fan since the release of the incredible Imaginary Voyage in '76, and this is arguably Ponty's best album ever!!! This is a stand-out album even among the fusion classics!!! Keyboardist Allan Zavod was a standard member of the band at the time, and he really shines on this album. British guitarist Allan Holdsworth adds his remarkable talent and personality in perfect form. Session guitarist Darryl Steurmer (who is now playing guitar for Genesis) does an excellent job on this album. Jean-Luc's friend from his days in The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Ralphe Armstrong on bass, is marvelous. And Steve Smith (who joined Journey a year later in time to enjoy their fame in the late '70s, and later started Vital Information) is supurb as well. The music is inspired and astronomical throughout!! One of the loftiest, best examples of the fusion movement!!! This is an energetic, vital and necessary album!!! It's easy to want to over-talk about this album and go into details that you can read in other reviews on this site. I won't impose that on you here. If you've ever tried to compile or compose an artwork such as a music album as I have (believe me, I'm no real musician and I'm not claiming that I am of a professional calibre), but if you have tried to do such a thing, you may have realized that sometimes the right collection of tunes comes together and inadvertently, a masterpiece comes out...a piece of magic that is something special and is much greater than the sum of its parts. Believe me. Enigmatic Ocean is such an album. This album is such a masterpiece! Even in the glorious realm of fusion, this album stands out as one of the greats!
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A baffling (Enigmatic) abundance of musical ideas (Ocean).
rating: 5
I've never seen an album so unanimously loved here at Amazon! But it is nice confirmation for those of us who place it among our top 5 albums of all time. There's no question that all the musicians here were top-notch, and just worked so naturally together on this album. But the dazzling solos would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Ponty's incredible compositions supporting them, and the unique voice of his electric violin. This was the type of album in the 1970's that caught your attention immediately, and stretched your musical tastes into a whole new and exciting style of contemporary music. For a young man (at that time!) who was just learning to appreciate the bass guitar in much of progressive music, I found Armstrong's jazzy but progressive fretless bass a source of endless creativity and fun.
Really, there is little I can add to the gushing reviews that others have already posted, but I needed to acknowledge this album's brilliance if only for reasons of posterity. This was indeed JLP's best, and one of the greatest albums ever - fusion, jazz, rock, prog...whatever. Absolutely essential for those stranded on a deserted island surrounded by...ocean.
(Bring extra batteries!)
I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 9.7/10; Performance = 9.5/10; Production = 8.5/10; CD length = 8/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 9.3 ("5 stars")
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Right where I left it...
rating: 5
I experienced this music when I was 20, back when Enigmatic Ocean was originally released, while smoking pot with a group of friends. I've always disliked smoking pot, and never had a good experience with it EXCEPT for that night -- it felt so wonderful being tossed around in all that sound. I haven't heard EO again until tonight, and it's every bit as incredible as I remembered it to be... now THAT's what I call transcendental.
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