Atlantic Bridge

Atlantic Bridge

Atlantic Bridge are a fusion group known for a single self-titled LP released in 1970. Their music sits at the early end of jazz rock and fusion, combining improvisation with rock structures.

Recording style and personnel

The most distinctive element of the group’s sound is Jim Philip’s saxophone playing, which is described as forceful and influenced by free jazz, including the style associated with John Coltrane. Daryl Runswick contributes notable passages on bowed bass, adding another layer to the group’s approach.

Release and repertoire

The LP includes versions of “MacArthur Park,” “Something,” and “Dear Prudence,” which the group reshapes substantially from their original forms. The record contains six pieces in total, and its approach is sometimes expansive and meandering. A later reissue on Get Back adds two tracks from the 1971 EP I Cant Lie to You, including “I Can’t Lie to You,” which stands apart from the rest of the group’s catalogue by featuring soul-rock vocals from several female singers.

Context

Atlantic Bridge’s album appears at a time when this kind of fusion is still relatively new, before the style becomes more common in the following years.