Wired in Bloomington, MN

Released in 1976,
Jeff Beck
's
Wired
contains some of the best
jazz-rock
fusion of the period.
is generally more muscular, albeit less-unique than its predecessor,
Blow by Blow
. Joining keyboardist
Max Middleton
, drummer
Richard Bailey
, and producer
George Martin
from the
sessions are drummer
Narada Michael Walden
, bassist
Wilbur Bascomb
, and keyboardist
Jan Hammer
.
Beck
contributed no original material to
, instead relying on the considerable talents of his supporting cast. Perhaps this explains why
is not as cohesive as
, seemingly more assembled from component parts.
Walden
's powerful drumming propels much of
, particularly
Middleton
's explosive opener,
"Led Boots,"
where
erupts into a stunning solo of volcanic intensity.
also contributes four compositions, including the
funk
-infused
"Come Dancing,"
which adds an unnamed horn section. While
"Sophie"
is overly long and marred by
Hammer
arena rock
cliches, his
"Play With Me"
is spirited and
's soloing more melodic. Acoustic guitar and piano predominate the closing
ballad
,
"Love Is Green"
;
's electric solo gracefully massages the quiet timbres.
is well balanced by looser, riff-oriented material and
's more intricate compositions.
and
give
a '70s-era
flavor that is indicative of their work with
the Mahavishnu Orchestra
Bascomb
's throw-down,
"Head for Backstage Pass,"
finds
Bailey
skillfully navigating the mixed meters while
counters with a dazzling, gritty solo.
"Blue Wind"
features an infectious riff over which
trade heated salvos. As good as
is, it would have benefited from the
/
rhythm section and a horn arrangement by
Martin
. One of
's finest tracks is an arrangement of
Charles Mingus
'
"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat."
's playing is particularly alluring: cleanly ringing tones, weeping bends, and sculpted feedback form a resonant palette.
lend supple support. Within a two-year span, the twin towers
set a standard for
instrumental rock
that even
has found difficult to match. On
, with first-rate material and collaborators on hand, one of
rock
's most compelling guitarists is in top form. ~ Mark Kirschenmann