Monday, August 12, 2013

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bruford

Artist:Bruford
Song:Beelzebub
Album:Feels Good To Me





Bill Bruford is probably best known as the original drummer for Yes and then for King Crimson. When King Crimson split up in the mid-70s, Bruford formed the jazz fusion group Bruford. Feels Good To Me was their 1978 debut album and Beelzebub is the opening track. He was born May 17, 1949 in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. Bruford took up the drums after watching American jazz drummers on TV. As a teen, Bruford was in The Breed. But his first professional gig was with the blues rock group Savoy Brown. It was only for three shows and then he formed Yes with Rick Wakeman, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Chris Squire. Yes was very successful and Bruford left in 1972. Robert Fripp invited Bruford to join King Crimson, another successful band. Fripp disbanded King Crimson in 1974 after keyboard player David Cross left. Then Bruford toured with Genesis in 1976. At the time, Phil Collins was recording his jazz fusion side project Brand X. Bruford played on some of the rehearsals. He left Genesis in 1977 when Chester Thompson was hired as the full time drummer. Influenced by Brand X, Bruford decided to start his own fusion band with former Egg and Hatfield and the North keyboard player Dave Stewart, bassist Jeff Berlin who had played with Patrick Moraz among others and former Soft Machine and Tony Williams Lifetime guitarist Alan Holdsworth. Feels Good To Me was released in 1978. There were guest appearances by singer Annette Peacock, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and Brand X guitarist John Goodsall. Bruford recorded three studio albums and two live albums. Fusion fans should check them out. Bruford returned to King Crimson from 1981-84. And then he was a member of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe. When Chris Squire returned, it became a Yes reunion. Bruford first formed his jazz group Earthworks in 1985 and recorded with them into the 90s. Bill Bruford disbanded Earthworks in 2007 and then retired. He still owns his record company Earthworks. He released his autobiography in 2009. Here's Bruford performing Beelzebub at the BBC 1979. This is from the DVD Rock Goes To College.

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