The Gypsies / Widescreen

Carmen seemed ready to move into the big time in 1974. They had two stunning albums under their belt, their fabulous fusion debut, Fandangos in Space, and the even more adventurous Dancing on a Cold Wind, which paired the band with producer Tony Visconti. A successful tour opening for Jethro Tull followed, and another, opening for the Rolling Stones, was planned. In the interim, Carmen set to work on the third set, The Gypsies. That album bristled with anticipation, as Carmen delved ever deeper into the depths of prog rock, while never neglecting their flamenco sensibilities. Hard rocking here, flipping into pop/rock there, bounding into psychedelia, falling gently into folk, the band dances exuberantly across genres, with David Allen's stunning guitar always to the fore. The title track is their apotheosis — it initially echoes of a traveling Gypsy caravan, then swirls into prog. Flamenco rhythms storm in and out, the tension increases, the darkness descends, and the rhythms pick up amidst the fiery guitar solo, until the track seems to dance itself to exhaustion. It was a brilliant set, and also the band's swan song. An accident put an end to drummer Paul Fenton's musical career, bassist/synthesizer player John Glascock was stolen away by Tull, and with their money gone, Carmen danced no more. In the '90s, however, David Allen began recording solo, then joined forces with violinist Julian Ferraretto and keyboardist/remixer/producer Larry Lush, eventually resulting in Widescreen's eponymous album. Flashes of Carmen illuminate the set, most of which finds Allen in a far mellower mood than fans had ever heard previously. Best described as world music, his guitar work is still magnificent, the numbers delicately shaded and introspective in feel, with only "Seti" eliciting Allen's previous fire. "Bouba" is the only number that charts unexplored musical worlds, starting in the Spanish plains before sailing off to funky town, and showcasing Ferraretto's phenomenal skills. Equally good is the exuberant "Carmenesque," flamenco-fired but jazz-styled. Twinning these two similar yet worlds apart albums makes for an intriguing package, with Angel Air adding a pair of bonus tracks, one a Carmen single, the other a recent Widescreen homage to the late Glascock, with Allen's sister Angela guesting.