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May 31, 2022 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

Bill Bruford looms large as one of the greatest drummers ever, regardless of genre. For those who are primarily familiar with Bruford through his time with prog-rock giants Yes and King Crimson, the 6-CD Making a Song and Dance provides a full career overview that follows the drummer from those bands to settings that enabled him to explore his interests in improvisation and jazz elements. Considering the time span covered, multiple Bruford projects, and other artists involved, it’s amazingly inclusive.

As he notes in the set’s hardbound book, Bruford eschews a straight chronological order of the tracks here and instead arranges the material by his unique contribution, under four headings. The first two discs, under “The Collaborator,” include several Yes tracks, a healthy look at his time with King Crimson, and material from prog supergroup U.K. and Piano Circus (the latter being from his final recordings). Two discs under “The Composing Leader” turn toward his jazz-oriented directions with Bruford, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, and more. Recordings with Roy Harper, guitarist Al Di Meola, and Yes’s Chris Squire and Steve Howe are among those under Disc Five’s “The Special Guest,” and the sixth CD’s “The Improviser” heading features work with Moraz-Bruford, King Crimson, and guitarist David Torn.

While notable box-set overviews of his bands Bruford and Earthworks have been made available, along with Yes and King Crimson reissues, Making a Song and Dance offers a remarkably thorough look into the life’s work of and career development of a truly singular artist whose influence continues to ripple. (www.billbruford.com)

Author rating: 8/10