Open Fire (Ronnie Montrose album)
Encyclopedia
Open Fire was the first instrumental album from Ronnie Montrose
which explored jazz, rock and acoustic concepts in the vein of Blow by Blow
by Jeff Beck
. Ronnie dropped hints in previous Montrose
albums that he was heading in this direction. Songs like "Whaler" and "One And a Half" from Warner Brothers Presents... Montrose!
and "Tuft-Sedge" and "Merry-Go-Round" from Jump On It
contained various acoustic, synthesizer and string elements that showed Ronnie was looking to branch out from his hard rock persona.
Ronnie reunited with friend Edgar Winter
who produced the album and played piano and keyboards as well. Ronnie welcomed Montrose
alumni Jim Alcivar
on keyboards and Alan Fitzgerald
on bass and were joined by drummer Rick Shlosser
who appeared with Ronnie on Van Morrison
's Tupelo Honey
.
The album begins with "Openers," an orchestration piece which sounds like the beginning of an Indiana Jones
flick. It bleeds into "Open Fire," the closest thing to a straight-ahead rocker on this disc with an unmistakable Ronnie Montrose lead guitar sound. "Mandolinia" starts off with a pulsating Moog sequencer bass followed by layers of mandolin sounds and guitars. "Town Without Pity" is a slick cover that replaces Gene Pitney
's vocals with a blistering lead guitar by Ronnie and backed by fine piano work by Edgar and more orchestration by Bob Alcivar
. "Leo Rising" is an excellent acoustic guitar piece. "Heads Up" and "Rocky Road" are two great examples of the jazz fusion on this disc. "My Little Mystery" features more acoustic guitar with Edgar manning the harpsichord and another excellent use of Bob Alcivar's orchestra. The album ends fittingly with a song titled "No Beginning/No End." Starting off with Moogish special effects by Jim Alcivar, Ronnie coasts in with some smooth acoustic guitar work and follows this by incorporating another soaring lead and leading to a rousing finish.
On the strength of this effort, Ronnie was invited to tour Japan with accomplished jazz and jazz fusion drummer Tony Williams. In July 1978, Ronnie joined Tony, Brian Auger
(keyboards), Mario Cipollina (bass) and special guest Billy Cobham
also on drums for a series of concerts touring as the "Tony Willimas All Stars". "Open Fire," "Rocky Road" and "Heads Up" were part of the set list. A recording of "Open Fire" from one of the shows appears on The Joy of Flying
by Tony Williams (1978).
Ronnie Montrose
Ronnie Montrose, is an Amercian rock guitarist who has headed his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Edgar...
which explored jazz, rock and acoustic concepts in the vein of Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone...
by Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
. Ronnie dropped hints in previous Montrose
Montrose (band)
Montrose was a California-based hard rock band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar...
albums that he was heading in this direction. Songs like "Whaler" and "One And a Half" from Warner Brothers Presents... Montrose!
Warner Brothers Presents... Montrose!
Warner Brothers Presents... Montrose! is the third album of the band Montrose.It is the first Montrose album to feature singer Bob James and keyboardist Jim Alcivar. The album was critically praised and also noted for its movie-poster cover giving the impression that Warner Brothers was presenting...
and "Tuft-Sedge" and "Merry-Go-Round" from Jump On It
Jump on It (Montrose album)
Jump on It is the fourth album by the band Montrose.It is the second Montrose album to feature singer Bob James and keyboardist Jim Alcivar, and features bassist Randy Jo Hobbs on three songs. The remainder of the bass tones were supplied by Jim Alcivar via the keyboard and there was no bassist on...
contained various acoustic, synthesizer and string elements that showed Ronnie was looking to branch out from his hard rock persona.
Ronnie reunited with friend Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
who produced the album and played piano and keyboards as well. Ronnie welcomed Montrose
Montrose (band)
Montrose was a California-based hard rock band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar...
alumni Jim Alcivar
Jim Alcivar
Jim Alcivar is an American keyboard and synthesizer player and sound engineer. He is most noted for his connection to guitarist Ronnie Montrose and appearing in his bands Montrose and Gamma and on his first solo album Open Fire. His father is composer, arranger and producer Bob Alcivar.-Discography...
on keyboards and Alan Fitzgerald
Alan Fitzgerald
Alan Fitzgerald, U.S. musician , was a member of several U.S. bands.He played as a bassist in the bands Montrose and Gamma, both of which also featured guitarist Ronnie Montrose....
on bass and were joined by drummer Rick Shlosser
Rick Shlosser
Rick Shlosser is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, has been a member ofVan Morrison's band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He's also been a varied sessions drummer.-Discography:* Andy Pratt - Records Are Like Life...
who appeared with Ronnie on Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey is the fifth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York before his move to Marin County, California, except for "You're My Woman", which...
.
The album begins with "Openers," an orchestration piece which sounds like the beginning of an Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
flick. It bleeds into "Open Fire," the closest thing to a straight-ahead rocker on this disc with an unmistakable Ronnie Montrose lead guitar sound. "Mandolinia" starts off with a pulsating Moog sequencer bass followed by layers of mandolin sounds and guitars. "Town Without Pity" is a slick cover that replaces Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
's vocals with a blistering lead guitar by Ronnie and backed by fine piano work by Edgar and more orchestration by Bob Alcivar
Bob Alcivar
Bob Alcivar is an American music producer, composer, conductor and keyboard player. He is the father of rock keyboard player Jim Alcivar .-Discography:...
. "Leo Rising" is an excellent acoustic guitar piece. "Heads Up" and "Rocky Road" are two great examples of the jazz fusion on this disc. "My Little Mystery" features more acoustic guitar with Edgar manning the harpsichord and another excellent use of Bob Alcivar's orchestra. The album ends fittingly with a song titled "No Beginning/No End." Starting off with Moogish special effects by Jim Alcivar, Ronnie coasts in with some smooth acoustic guitar work and follows this by incorporating another soaring lead and leading to a rousing finish.
On the strength of this effort, Ronnie was invited to tour Japan with accomplished jazz and jazz fusion drummer Tony Williams. In July 1978, Ronnie joined Tony, Brian Auger
Brian Auger
Brian Auger is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon...
(keyboards), Mario Cipollina (bass) and special guest Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
also on drums for a series of concerts touring as the "Tony Willimas All Stars". "Open Fire," "Rocky Road" and "Heads Up" were part of the set list. A recording of "Open Fire" from one of the shows appears on The Joy of Flying
The Joy of Flying
The Joy Of Flying is a Jazz fusion album by Tony Williams. Although it was recorded at the end of the The Tony Williams Lifetime years, it is considered a solo album. It includes three duets, two with Jan Hammer and one with Cecil Taylor, and three different quartets. The first quartet features Jan...
by Tony Williams (1978).
Track listing
- "Openers" (Bob Alcivar) - 2:54
- "Open Fire" (Ronnie Montrose/Edgar Winter) - 3:53
- "Mandolinia" (Montrose) - 3:14
- "Town Without PityTown Without PityTown Without Pity is a 1961 American, Austrian and West German international co-production film drama starring Kirk Douglas, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. It was made by Mirisch Productions for United Artists....
" (Dimitri TiomkinDimitri TiomkinDimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin was a Russian-born Hollywood film score composer and conductor. He is considered "one of the giants of Hollywood movie music." Musically trained in Russia, he is best known for his westerns, "where his expansive, muscular style had its greatest impact." Tiomkin...
/Ned WashingtonNed WashingtonNed Washington was an American lyricist.-Biography:Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962...
) - 3:17 - "Leo Rising" (Montrose) - 3:49
- "Heads Up" (Montrose/Winter) - 3:39
- "Rocky Road" (J. Thomassie/C. Brent/J. Smith) - 4:23
- "My Little Mystery" (Montrose) - 4:40
- "No Beginning/No End" (Montrose)- 5:54
Personnel
- Ronnie MontroseRonnie MontroseRonnie Montrose, is an Amercian rock guitarist who has headed his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Edgar...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, mandocelloMandocelloThe mandocello is a plucked string instrument of the mandolin family. It has eight strings in four paired courses, tuned in 5ths like a mandolin, but is larger, and tuned CC-GG-dd-aa . It is to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin.-Construction:Mandocello construction is similar to the... - Edgar WinterEdgar WinterEdgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, MoogMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
sequencer bassMusic sequencerThe music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :... - Jim AlcivarJim AlcivarJim Alcivar is an American keyboard and synthesizer player and sound engineer. He is most noted for his connection to guitarist Ronnie Montrose and appearing in his bands Montrose and Gamma and on his first solo album Open Fire. His father is composer, arranger and producer Bob Alcivar.-Discography...
- Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, martenotOndes MartenotThe ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
, sequencer programming - Alan FitzgeraldAlan FitzgeraldAlan Fitzgerald, U.S. musician , was a member of several U.S. bands.He played as a bassist in the bands Montrose and Gamma, both of which also featured guitarist Ronnie Montrose....
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Rick ShlosserRick ShlosserRick Shlosser is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, has been a member ofVan Morrison's band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He's also been a varied sessions drummer.-Discography:* Andy Pratt - Records Are Like Life...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Bob AlcivarBob AlcivarBob Alcivar is an American music producer, composer, conductor and keyboard player. He is the father of rock keyboard player Jim Alcivar .-Discography:...
- orchestra arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...