A bookkeeper, teacher and two students meet in a pub in Birmingham. It’s 1971 and the smell of grass is in the air. One can play the piano, the other has a flute pressed between his lips, while one student tucks himself behind the drums and the other wires up the electrics. The rest is the story of Poliphony – a band that could have reached the same heights as Pink Floyd and Freddie Hubbard or Fela Kuti’s Africa 70. Which is why they lit up a natty spliff, started jamming and noticed that the fusion kitchen is alight. Poliphony rushed to the studio, after two days the album was in the can. The first and last album was named – with typical British understatement – after themselves. »Poliphony« is a record to crawl out of bed to on a Sunday morning, never too sluggish, never too bleary-eyed. If you listen to the output from Mule Musiq or know what to make of Modern Sun Records’ boss Skymark, then you’ll find Poliphony right in between. Mad About is reissuing the 50-year-old disc. And the bookkeeper, teacher and two students from the pub in Birmingham live on in spirit. At least until you’ve had enough of the guitar outpourings and reach for Alice Coltrane.
Poliphony
