This studio session marked the beginning of blues violinist
Don "Sugarcane" Harris' association with the German record label Saba (later renamed MPS).
Harris, who was nearly flat broke at the time, had to borrow one of the violins used on the date, along with a pickup for the amplified selections. Joined by electric guitarist
Volker Kriegel, pianist
John Taylor, and drummer Tony Oxley (all of whom are better known for their jazz credentials), the session ends up being a fusion of blues, jazz, and a bit of rock, while all of the songs are
Harris' originals. The opener, "Keep On Driving," is the kind of insistent blues typically associated with
Harris, though it is a bit low key, possibly due to the use of acoustic violin. The free improvisation within "Blues on the Moon" is atypical for the genre, but not
Harris, who is again on the acoustic instrument. The leader's slashing attack on electric violin in the humorously titled "Which Way Is the Bathroom?" is easily the highlight of the date, recalling his best collaborations with rocker
Frank Zappa, as well as the violinist's rare live recordings. He is at his most soulful in "Desiree." The brisk "Almost Broke" showcases a hot solo by
Kriegel, while the funky "Coitus Interruptus" finds
Harris' violin taking on an almost vocal quality, followed by
Kriegel's blistering solo. The disc ends with an extended workout of "Remember the Past," a sort of blues strut that detours into wild improvisations by the quartet. This was a fine beginning for
Sugarcane Harris' debut with the label, though health problems essentially ended his recording career within just a few short years. ~ Ken Dryden