Eddie Gomez - Mezgo

Initially a Japan-only release, Mezgo was eventually issued worldwide by CBS/Epic in the summer of 1986.  To the best of my knowledge, it has not been issued on compact disc. 

The albums flips between electronic introversion (Me Two) to musical conversations between Gomez and Michael Brecker (Capricious Fantasy), to a charming duet for double bass (Scott Davis).  In Cello Sonata in G Minor by the English composer Henry Eccles (1670–1742); Gomez’s bowed double bass (not a cello!) floats over and around Masahiko Satoh’s distant piano.  Caribbean Fantasy picks up a carnival rhythm; it should belong in every jazz-dance DJ’s record box.  Brecker’s solo blasts all through Puccini’s Walk; meanwhile he weaves a lingering melody in and around Delgado on both tenor and EWI. 

Mezgo is a fine example of how the Japanese record industry established and exploited a niche in the music-buying market.  Thanks to labels such as Alfa, East Wind & Electric Bird, world-class jazz players were provided with a platform to compose, perform and record, unfettered by the typical commercial constraints[i] of the American and European labels.  On the strength of demand for imported Japanese jazz albums, domestic record labels began marketing an increasing number of jazz albums by new and established artists.  Records on independent labels such as GRP, Concord and ECM found their way into high street stores.  The jazz boom of the 1980s was under way[ii].

Mezgo is not that well remembered as an album; however, its continued unavailability added to the quality of the playing (especially that of Michael Brecker) has made it the topic of much internet chatter of late.  I haven’t managed to find another vinyl rip of this album anywhere on the net – so, here is what appears to be an un-played copy; courtesy of the rather wonderful Discogs music database and marketplace.  It has been ripped to FLAC via LP12/Akito/Shure M97XE/Graham Slee Gram Amp 2.

Track listing

Me Two

Capricious Fantasy

Puccini’s Walk

Delgado

Caribbean Morning

Scott David

Download

Cello Sonata In G Minor (1st Movement)

Players

Eddie Gomez – bass

Michael Brecker – reeds

Steve Gadd – drums

Masahiko Satoh – keys

Recorded Tokyo, 1985

download here

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[i] It was common practice in the pre-CD era for certain record labels to demand three tracks per side of an LP, all less than seven minutes in length.  Furthermore, the most commercial tracks would always be placed at the start of each side, partly to take advantage of the improved sound quality of the outer grooves but also to make cueing the record that much easier for DJs.  Following the introduction of compact discs; and to maximise the chance of radio play, an unwritten seven-minute limit remained in force with many record labels.  Not many jazz radio shows would make room for tracks that went on for 10, 15, 20 minutes (or longer)

[ii] The re-launch of Blue Note and Verve plus the establishment of major label offshoots such as Elektra Musician and Atlantic Jazz were notable elements in the re-emergence of jazz in the 1980s.   As was the film of Colin MacInnes novel, Absolute Beginners plus the popularity of acts such as Sade, Everything But The Girl and The Style Council