Burden Of Proof
latest release by Soft Machine Legacy

Released on MoonJune.

JOHN ETHERIDGE: electric guitar
ROY BABBINGTON: bass guitar
JOHN MARSHALL: drums and percussion
THEO TRAVIS: tenor sax, flute, fender rhodes piano

Recorded by Beppe Crovella, at Electromantic Synergy Studio, San Sabastiano da Po, Italy; August, 2012.
Mixed and mastered by Andrew Tulloch, at The Blue Room, London; December, 2012 through January, 2013.
Produced by Soft Machine Legacy.
Executive Producer: Leonardo Pavkovic

Price : UK and Europe. £12.99 (inc p+p)

USA/Japan/Rest of World. £13.99 (inc p+p)

"Burden of Proof is, to put it mildly, absolutely exquisite. These are four musicians who are masters of their craft, and truly at the top of their game, not only as soloists but as contributors in an actual band. They've put together here a collection of songs that basically has something for everyone; challenging jazz-fusion, adventurous prog-rock, bits of chaotic free-jazz, atmospheric instrumental pop-jazz, and even a little hard rock. Extraordinary!"
5 stars . Pete Pardo. Sea Of Tranquility.org

Having retired to weigh up the evidence, the jury had been out for all of five minutes when it returned the verdict that the burden of proof is conclusively indicative of a resounding guilty; guilty of making probably the finest progressive jazz-fusion record you will hear this year.
In fact, Soft Machine Legacy speak in an all-encompassing musical language that goes well beyond pigeonholing, and with Burden Of Proof they have moved on from Steam to become a fully integrated unit with a near psychic understanding of the collective muse. I can say with some confidence that if you are a lover of progressive music you should definitely buy this now!
9 out of 10. Roger Trenwith. dprp.net

Despite its monicker, Soft Machine Legacy is not a tribute project or an attempt to recreate the music of the 1970s. The music here is fresh, risky, and full of life. If Burden of Proof proves anything, it's that the spirit of exploration in music remains alive and well. Fittingly so, because that's what Soft Machine was all about in the first place.
Dave Wayne. All About Jazz

"Etheridge plays with a biting slightly smoldering tone evoking pre-Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. Travis has a fluid surging wail out of Coltrane, Rollins, and Joe Henderson and the bass and drums team is tight and propulsive as as you're likely to hear this year".
4 stars. Mark Keresman, Icon Magazine.

"This album, entitled "Burden Of Proof", hits me the hardest. It's so real. Soft Machine Legacy create glorious music. the jazz group sound like they're desperate to get their message across".
John Shelton Ivany, jsitop21.com

John Etheridge - Theo Travis - Roy Babbington - John Marshall

" Soft Machine Legacy" was launched in Turkey in Oct, 2004. The intriguing line-up of Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, John Etheridge and John Marshall was a coalition of 4 long-time servers in different eras of the legendary group Soft Machine, but who had not played before as a unit. With the enthusiastic management of MoonJune in New York - the band quickly established a recording an touring schedule in Europe playing a repertoire of new originals and some vintage pieces. Highlights including appearances at the Umbria Jazz Festival and Leverkusen Jazz Festival (televised).
In 2006 came the sad death of Elton Dean, whose place was taken by young blood Theo Travis, who has a continuing association with Gong and was thus perfectly sympathetic to the music.
After a long illness Hugh Hopper sadly passed away in 2008. A decision was taken to continue with Roy Babbington - thus reuniting 3/5ths of the 1975-77 line up that recorded the acclaimed "Softs" album. (special thanks to Fred Baker who deputised when Hugh was ill).
This is The Soft Machine Legacy as it appears now, having completed a month long tour of Europe in Oct 2009, from which ' Live Adventures ' has been recorded. 2010 will also see the reissue of the Soft Machine albums on EMI, Harvest-Bundles, Softs, Alive and Well. Land of Cockayne

2010 RELEASE

'LIVE ADVENTURES'

1. Has Riff 2
2. Grapehound
3. The Nodder
4. In The Back Room
5. Song Of Aeolus
6. The Relegation Of Pluto / Transit
7. Gesolreut
8. Face Lift
9. The Last Day

JOHN ETHERIDGE electric guitar; THEO TRAVIS tenor & soprano sax, flute;
ROY BABBINGTON bass guitar; JOHN MARSHALL drums.

recorded live by Peter Hartl, Posthof, Linz Austria
and by Fabian Gierscher, The Village, Habach, Germany
October 2009

Price : UK and Europe. £12.99 (inc p+p)

USA/Japan/Rest of World. £15.99 (inc p+p)

cat no : MJR036

review : seaoftranquility.org
'LIVE ADVENTURES*****
Recorded at two successive nights on October of 2009 (one night in Austria, the other in Germany), Live Adventures once again sees a revamped Soft Machine Legacy after the passing of legendary bassist Hugh Hopper. Just as he did in the 1970's when Hopper left Soft Machine to pursue a solo career and other musical opportunities, veteran bassist Roy Babbington (ex-Nucleus & Keith Tippett Group) has once again stepped into the fold and taken over the bass role, and alongside guitarist John Etheridge, drummer John Marshall, and reed player Theo Travis, the band not only keep the spirit of the original Soft Machine alive, but take their music into this new decade quite nicely. And, it remains a fitting tribute not only to the recently deceased Hopper, but also to Elton Dean as well, who passed away a few years back...more

Though much of this live album contains new material from the current line-up, a few nods to the past are here, such as the moody Karl Jenkins composition "Song of Aeolus", complete with fiery liquid guitar lines from Etheridge, and a few of his others like the raucous jazz-fusion burner "Gesolreut" and his classic, smoldering cut "The Nodder". The band even launches into Hopper's "Facelift", and it's given a dark, almost doomy flavor thanks to some haunting sax from Travis, bubbling bass from Babbington, and Etheridge's stabbing guitar lines. The new tracks from the band are quite good as well, and perhaps a tad more atmospheric and experimental, like the chilling "Has Riff", the brooding "Last Day", and the two upbeat jazz-rockers by Etheridge, "Grapehound" and "In the Back Room". Nice to hear the guitarist really ripping it up here, showing that he's a player of formidable skills. Marshall's drum work also cannot be overlooked-just check out his delicate yet busy stick work on "Grapehound" while Etheridge is blazing away over the top on the guitar. Very impressive.
Four very talented players, nine very engaging tunes, all make for a highly enjoyable album from Soft Machine Legacy.Throw in some excellent cover artwork by MoonJune Executive Producer Leonardo Pavkovic (I almost thought I was looking at a classic Yes/Saga album cover hybrid) and you have one highly recommended CD for jazz-fusion and prog fans alike.
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review : abstractlogix.com
On their rousing new live disc for MoonJune (recorded during the European tour in October of 2009), Live Adventures, SML covers more vintage Soft Machine repertoire than on previous releases, yet reinvigorates the tunes by means of fresh arrangements and expansive, protean improvisation. Soft Machine partisans will rejoice at the inclusion of such repertory gems as "Gesolreut"...more

in which the band lays bare the funky heart of its signature elliptical ostinato with steaming soli and propulsive grooves; "As If", an oblique rereading of the Mike Ratledge piece marked by spectral guitar shadings and Travis's shakuhachi-like flute etchings; and the stirring, elegiac "Song of Aeolus". And fittingly, the band pays heartfelt tribute to the dearly departed Hugh Hopper with a rendition of his iconic "Facelift", artfully investigating the intricate twists and turns of its singular long-form melody. This is no potted history of Soft Machine, but a living, breathing music. With Live Adventures, Soft Machine Legacy makes a forceful case that the music of Soft Machine is as relevant and ripe with possibility today as it was in the band's heyday. Longtime fans and new converts alike can take heart in the knowledge that the Soft Machine family tree, with its deep roots in the musical revolution of the '60s, continues to sprout new limbs in the new century and shows no signs of slowing. The legacy is in very good hands indeed.
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read full review/play clips at abstractlogix.com

'STEAM'

1. footloose
2. the steamer
3. the big man
4. chloe and the pirates
5. in the back room
6. the last day
7. firefly
8. so english
9. dave acto
10. anything to anywhere

recorded by Jon Hiseman at the Temple Studios.
December 2006.

Few copies available of Steam (unavailable in UK)

Price : UK and Europe. £12.99 (inc p+p)

USA/Japan/Rest of World. £15.99 (inc p+p)

cat no : MJR016
PLAY TRACKS & BUY NOW FROM AMAZON (UK)
overseas : AMAZON.COM
see also moonjune.com

review :

Chris Parker - vortexjazz.co.uk
A real treat, this: three ex-members of various editions of Soft Machine (guitarist John Etheridge, bassist Hugh Hopper, drummer John Marshall) plus long-time admirer Theo Travis (replacing the late great Elton Dean) letting themselves go on ten rousing jazz-rock cuts that are at once recognisably stylistically connected to the music of the original bands, but also thoroughly contemporary (chiefly courtesy of the substitution of loops and sonic processing for keyboards ­ something of a speciality for Travis, as anyone who's witnessed his various Vortex duo performances will know). - more

The textures created by the contrast between Etheridge's spangly, powerful but delicate guitar playing and Hopper's trademark 'fuzztonics', and between Travis's reeds and flute and Marshall's muscular drumming ­ to name just two ­ are memorable and arresting; what's really impressive, though, is the infectious enthusiasm, joy and sheer energy that infuse everything the band play.
There are glances back into the 1970s (a visit to Mike Ratledge's 'Chloe & the Pirates'), but overall, as the (excellent and informative) press release claims ­ MoonJune Records is 'a one-man army represented by an Italo-Montenegrian [Leonardo Pavkovic] from New York who especially loves British music', and he writes knowledgeably and enthusiastically about everything his label produces ­ this album 'will not only appeal to fans of the 1970s Soft Machine, but to anyone who likes their fusion wide open, their jams loose and totally spontaneous, and their jazz combined with potent grooves and fiery energy'. Couldn't have put it better myself ­ warmly recommended.
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SOFT MACHINE RELEASE
"Softs" reissue of 1970's original recordings
John Etheridge: acoustic and electric guitars;
Alan Wakeman: soprano and tenor saxophones;
Mike Ratledge: synthesizer
Karl Jenkins: piano, electric piano, minimoog synthesizer
Roy Babbington: bass guitar;
John Marshall: drums;
see allaboutjazz.com for full article

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY
"Soft Machine Legacy"
Elton Dean - soprano/alto sax, John Etheridge - el.guitar,
Hugh Hopper - el. bass, John Marshall - drums

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON (UK only)
price : £12.99

Soft Machine Legacy
"Live In Zaandam"
Elton Dean - soprano/alto sax, John Etheridge - el.guitar,
Hugh Hopper - el. bass, John Marshall - drums
price : £11.99 BUY NOW FROM AMAZON (UK only).
Overseas at MOONJUNE RECORDS

2006 DVD RELEASE
THE SOFT MACHINE LEGACY
"Live In Paris"
Elton Dean - soprano/alto sax, John Etheridge - el.guitar,
Hugh Hopper - el. bass, John Marshall - drums

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON (UK)

SEE VIDEO CLIP (2.04) LIVE IN PARIS 2005 - clip from 'Ash'
real player required

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY (l-r) John Etheridge, John Marshall, Theo Travis, Hugh Hopper. Treviso Italy. 2007 (photo by Mike Judd)

Soft Machine Legacy: New Morning--The Paris Concert
by Duncan Heining. Jazzwise Magazine

"I thought I'd feel sad seeing the late Elton Dean on this DVD but the music is all too vital and immediate for narrow emotion. From John Etheridge's opening notes on "Ash", this one cooks and burns. It was always slightly risky putting together an all-star band from the many versions of the Softs but these guys have as much claim to the legacy as pretty well any. Somehow, they join up all the dots in the group's four decade history. Hopper's "1212" feels a touch stodgy around the theme but otherwise it's on fire. There are fine versions of the bassist's lovely "King and Queens" (could actually have been longer), Dean's beautiful ballad "Baker's Treat", on the ball fuzz-bass from Hopper and some fabulous drumming from Marshall on "Sideburn" and throughout. As for Etheridge, henceforth known as "'Smokin' John Etheridge", he just keeps getting better. His duet with Marshall on "Two Down" is incandescent and on "Seven For Lee" and "Kite Runner", his playing is a joy. The flame still burns."

Soft Machine Legacy live in Paris.     John Etheridge. Elton Dean. Hugh Hopper. John Marshall // photos : Fabrice Journo

Soft Machine Legacy agent :
Geoff Amos, Triangle Creative Productions,
Croft House, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 3AS England

email geoff@croft.demon.co.uk
01422 834089 direct/24hr/fax (+ 44 1422 834089 - international)
01523 166687 message pager (+ 44 1523 166687 - international)