Niagra Niagara (2-CD)

The first NIAGARA album - simply called Niagara - was released in 1971 and was noticed even by those unfamiliar with Niagrara's music due to the controversal sweaty breasts album cover. The album was unusual not only because of its cover. It was a purely percussive album on which numerous high-profile drummers from around the world came together; Americans Cotch Blackmon and George Green, Englishman Keith Forsey, Juan Romero from Venezuela and the German musicians Udo Lindenberg and Daniel Fichelscher (who also played in Gila, Amon Düül II and Popol Vuh). Niagara remains a unique, driving mix of jazz, rock and skilful adaptations of African elements, captured in two long epic tracks. The encouraging success of the debut album lead to the follow-up, S.U.B: in 1972. The percussion concept had been revisited and even expanded upon, not the least of which was the impressive instrumentation. The result was no longer as homogeneous as its predecessor, but rather a colorful fireworks display, greatly influenced by bassist Gary Unwin. Returning to the original concept, Niagara recorded a third and final album, Afire (1973), again the brainchild of Klaus Weiss.