Believe It cover
Released

There were heavier jazz-fusion records to cross the transom in the mid ’70s, sure, but few used an ensemble’s chops for pure impact quite like this four-man assault led by the kit-bashing Electric Miles alumnus. Believe It signaled a soft reboot of sorts after Tony Williams’ similarly heavy-as-gold circa-’69 Lifetime Mk. I — a power trio with guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young — proved too confrontational for an embryonic crossover audience still attuned to the idea that “jazz-rock” meant Chicago. But they were more than ready by ’75, and Williams’ quartet — Motown-educated bassist Tony Newton, emerging keyboardist Alan Pasqua, and prog-steeped guitar shredder Allan Holdsworth — cut a session that didn’t so much reflect Miles Davis as it anticipated Van Halen. It’s an almost subversive thrill listening to cuts like “Fred” and “Mr. Spock” start from a fairly conventional fusion base, only to explode into hyper-intense fusillades of machine-gun drumming and superball-ricochet keyboards. It hits even better when they just kick the door down and smash up the place a’la “Red Alert”.

Nate Patrin

Suggestions
Heritage cover

Heritage

Eddie Henderson
In the Moment cover

In the Moment

Makaya McCraven
Straight, No Chaser cover

Straight, No Chaser

Thelonious Monk
Mind Transplant cover

Mind Transplant

Alphonse Mouzon
2nd Wave cover

2nd Wave

Roland Haynes
Motion cover

Motion

The Cinematic Orchestra
Live! cover

Live!

Lonnie Liston Smith
Street Lady cover

Street Lady

Donald Byrd
Resavoir cover

Resavoir

Resavoir
The Big Cover-Up cover

The Big Cover-Up

Todd Terje, The Olsens