Jeff Berlin, vocalist!!??

[Bob_Ross]

Guess you're not one of Annette’s fans

I will confess that after only hearing Annette on Bruford's Feels Good To Me album, I was pretty ambivalent about her...uh...talents.

But then I heard her I Have No Feelings album, I'm sold: She's the real deal.

Jeff's vocal sound and style is a product of its time period. There are similarities to Paul Williams from Allan Holdsworth's IOU band

You say that like it's a good thing...

I will confess, I hated Paul Williams' contributions to the Holdsworth band during that time period. Saw the band -- Holdsworth, Williams, Berlin, and Chad Wackerman -- live in 1983 or so in a tiny club in Cambridge MA and nearly threw up in my mouth every time Williams came on to sing a number. In comparison, I love Berlin's Long Island blue-collar crooning all over Gradually Going Tornado...but only in comparison.
But you are spot-on that there are similarities.

 

[jerry]

Jeff's singing here reminds me of how much he admired Jack Bruce.
Not in terms of the sound, but the overall presentation of a skilled, clear voiced singing bassist.
Also a nod to John Wetton in that regard.

To me, Jeff's vocal sound and style is a product of its time period. There are similarities to Paul Williams from Allan Holdsworth's IOU band, which was recording and touring then.

I always thought Paul Williams sounded a bit like Bruce, I dug his voice. Holdworth got some flack back then for having Williams, but I think they were tight as buds.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

For all the haters out there, just for chuckles try singing any of Jeff's vocals from that album.
It's much tougher than you would think, sorry folks he's got vocal chops as well.

Loved all the Bruford stuff, still have them on CD, and cassette. LOL

And Annette has grown on me over time, there's something that just tickles me about her now.
Again try and sing any of her parts.

Yep Paul, and Jeff certainly have some Jack Bruce in them.

 

[DuluthDank]

I read all the comments before listening and expected it to be much worse than it was. Consider that this is the bass player who isn't a singer singing and grade it on the appropriate curve, I'd say it's down right good.

His bass line in this tune is killer by the way.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I’m quirky, I’ve always liked Annette Peacock

 

[ajkula66]

I’m quirky, I’ve always liked Annette Peacock

+ 1 right here.

Her "Moogs, Paul and Myself" phase is not my favourite but I love just about everything else that she's done.

As for Jeff Berlin singing...I've heard a lot worse from people who can't his level of musicianship on his main instrument so...

 

[Swerve]

Jeff has talked about this before. Bruford convinced him to sing. Jeff basically said he can hit the notes but doesn’t have an interesting voice. So he prefers not to.

 

[winston]

I was listening to it when it came out in the '80s, I thought Jeff's vocals served the vibe of the music, even if he didn't have the silkiest set of pipes ever.

But I can't think of a prog/fusion vocalist from the period I prefer to Adrian Belew with King Crimson...he's got the pop to go with the chops, is a great tunesmith, and a natural frontman.

 

[jerry]

I was listening to it when it came out in the '80s, I thought Jeff's vocals served the vibe of the music, even if he didn't have the silkiest set of pipes ever.

But I can't think of a prog/fusion vocalist from the period I prefer to Adrian Belew with King Crimson...he's got the pop to go with the chops, is a great tunesmith, and a natural frontman.

Belew had a band in the 80's call the Bears that released one of my favorite pop albums of that decade. Pop in the best sense of the word, Belew knows song-craft. The bassist Bob Nyswonger used to be a member here, great player!

 

[lordradish]

Is it better or worse than Annette Peacock's try at vocals with Bruford?
I can't decide.

I think that band would have been so much better had they just dispensed with the vocals altogether.