Soft Machine 9/20/24 Small Batch Cellars, North Haven

 Progtastic fall is here and what better way to start than an “early bird special” held in a winery garage on a dead end street in North Haven. The promoter’s website listed doors at 5, show at 6 which seems like a blue hair time slot for this pillar of prog-Jazz. It’s been 50 years since the primordial ooze of the Canterbury scene birthed Soft Machine. If John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers was the teething ground of British blues rock and rollers, Soft Machine served the same purpose for the British prog-jazz movement. Started by Daevid Allen, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Larry Nowlin, all luminaries of the form, SM pioneered psych-prog jazz like no other. Members over the years include Allan Holdsworth, Jack Bruce, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, even Andy Summers was a member for a spell. The music comes with extended song forms, instrumental jams with periods of jazz improv dipped in psychedelia. Robert Wyatt famously quipped that the Softs extended song structure is a deliberate attempt to reduce the audience’s ability to boo. The current lineup consists of long time member John Etheridge on guitar, Theo Travis on soprano, alto saxes, and flute, Fred Thelonious Baker on bass, and Asaf Sirkus on drums. The setlist is kind of irrelevant since there are virtually no hits from this band but some tunes from the Etheridge era (late 70s to the present) were performed: Burden of Proof, TheTale of the Taliesin, Tarabos, The Visitor at the Window, Kings and Queens.  They did a great version of the Kevin Ayer’s tune Joy of a Toy, which Etheridge stated was written in the unlikely prog chord of D major. The band was limber with each member taking extended solos. Etheridge, the elder statesman, was equally comfortable playing mind numbing leads or lyrical passages. Travis could jive and wail or switch to flute. Some tunes with flute had a 60s soundtrack feel. Sirkus plays in other bands and his muscular style powered the proceedings. Baker’s bass throb moved toward krautrock. I heard Mahavishnu, Red era King Crimson, even some Pink Floyd touches. The influence of this band cannot be understated, they opened for Hendrix on multiple tours, they played backup on Syd Barrett’s solo work, and have been a revolving door for creative musicians. I enjoyed this early bird special, may I recommend the patty-face-melt with a side of noodles.