Gary Moore & Colosseum II - Streets And Walkways: The Best Of Gary Moore & Colosseum II (1996)

This 1996 Streets And Walkways: The Best Of Gary Moore & Colosseum II provides a good overview of Colosseum II 's Electric Savage and War Dance while it also adds some songs from 1978's Back on the Streets by Gary Moore. Gary Moore has earned the status of guitar legend. This disc shows that he was as adept at playing in a jazz-fusion style as he was as a high octane rocker. This is an excellent introduction, for those who have only heard his more famous stuff, to a different side of Gary's playing.

This is a superb compilation, with tracks taken from 3 albums (recorded between 1976-1979) - Colosseum II's 'Electric Savage' and 'Wardance' and Gary Moore's solo album 'Back on the Streets' - comprising 5 tracks from each (5 songs and 10 instrumentals). Exceptional guitar playing throughout - as you'd expect - and very varied vocals from Gary, ranging from jazz/soul on 'Castles' (Colosseum II) and 'Song for Donna' to the more familiar slow blues of 'Don't Believe a Word', as originally written by (and featuring) Phil Lynott, to the hard rock of 'Back on the Streets' and pop/rock perfection of 'Parisienne Walkways'. The 4 pages of booklet notes by Mark Crampton are informative and well written, charting Moore's entire career through to the release of 'Blues for Greeny' in 1995.

For those who are more familiar with Gary's later solo rock and blues phases, his Colosseum II period is where he said he learned so much from playing alongside keyboard maestro Don Airey. The emphasis here on jazz-rock fusion instrumentals may take some getting into but there are obvious comparisons with Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer and 'Fighting Talk' is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! The Colosseum II influence is often apparent even on Gary's later solo rock projects and here on the otherwise hard-rocking 'Back on the Streets' and soulful 'Song for Donna' - marvelous stuff.

~ Customer reviews, Amazon

Track List

01. Back On The Streets [4:22]
02. Put It This Way [4:55]
03. Don't Believe A Word [3:45]
04. Desperado [6:01]
05. The Scorch [6:03]
06. All Skin And Bone [3:48]
07. Castles [5:41]
08. Lament [4:42]
09. Wardance [6:01]
10. Fighting Talk [5:54]
11. Song For Donna [5:27]
12. Major Keys [5:13]
13. Hurricane [4:54]
14. Starmaiden-Mysterioso-Quasar [6:23]
15. Parisienne Walkways [3:20]