Robert Wyatt 's music is a delicious mix of experimental pop and jazz.

First as the drummer and vocalist in the prog-jazz-rockers Soft Machine, here with the beginning of the A-side sequence from their second album. Pop absurdity (even the alphabet can be sung) and avant-jazz at its best.

Its solo work came after an accident that keeps him in a wheelchair since then (before there was a experimental jazz instrumental album that Wyatt himself does not consider cannon). The pop is still there, only mellower, political and less wild. The jazz also keeps present but there's no rock anymore.

"Sea Song" is the begin of its heartbreaking masterpiece "Rock Bottom", a ethereal mellow song with only Richard Sinclair (on bass) and Wyatt playing an array of keyboards.

"Sonia" is a (much) lighter jazz instrumental dominated by the Mongezi Feza's trumpet. A genial cover of Elvis Costello's "Shipbuilding" follows. An example of the mix of the (slightly) commercial covers Wyatt did at the time, and an example of a political statement that later became a dominant element in its music.

Jumping to the last three albums (putting a 40 years career in 30 minutes requires this jumps). Three straight amazing albums of mature jazz-pop. The dream-like "A Sunday in Madrid", the cool jazz of "Old Europe" and, finally, a version (between hundreds) of the Che Guevara's anthem "Hasta Siempre Comandante" that is surprisingly successful adding to the original latin feel the jazz and Wyatt's peculiar voice.

Enjoy!

01 - Soft Machine - Pataphysical Introduction Part I (Volume 2 1969)
02 - Soft Machine - A Concise British Alphabet Part I (Volume 2 1969)
03 - Soft Machine - Hibou Anemone and Bear (Volume 2 1969)
04 - Soft Machine - A Concise British Alphabet Part II (Volume 2 1969)
05 - Soft Machine - Hullo Der (Volume 2 1969)
06 - Robert Wyatt - Sea Song (Rock Bottom 1974)
07 - Robert Wyatt - Sonia (Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard 1975)
08 - Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding (Shipbuilding single 1982)
09 - Robert Wyatt - A Sunday in Madrid (Shleep 1999)
10 - Robert Wyatt - Old Europe (Cuckooland 2004)
11 - Robert Wyatt - Hasta Siempre Comandante (Comicopera 2007)
Total: 35:29 (32,4 MB)