Soft Machine’s peak roster playing at peak performance is reason enough to plunk down for ‘Høvikodden 1971’ if this boundary-pushing style of jazz-rock is your thing.

Soft Machine is a living musical equation that continues to evolve, while cradling a nest in the cathedral melodies of Canterbury city.

Soft Works’ ‘Abracadabra In Osaka’ is a worthy addition to the Soft Machine legacy, and a testament to the prowess of some master musicians.

‘Live at the Baked Potato’ shows that you can’t keep a good band down. But does this edition of Soft Machine stand up to what went before?

The smokin’ “Hazard Profile” will be included on a previously unreleased 1974 Montreux performance by Soft Machine with Allan Holdsworth.

A moment of artistry that’s so complete it became definitive.

These rehabilitated acetates point the way for the career-defining music Robert Wyatt would record in the years that followed.

As a 17-band menu of bands gathered for the three-day Holland Pop Festival in June 1970 outside of Rotterdam, Bob Hite of Canned Heat summed things up perfectly: “I feel less uptight here than I ever have anywhere.” You May Also Like: Gregg Rolie remembers Santana breakthrough at Woodstock: ‘WeRead More

Soft Machine will never exist again, but one of the best of the Canterbury bands still lives on via an alumni band.

The forthcoming Fusion Syndicate finds Yes alum Billy Sherwood exploring his lesser-known passion for free-form instrumental sounds associated with Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever. You May Also Like: Billy Sherwood, Fernando Perdomo, Teymur Phell + Others: Five for the Road Must-Own Billy Sherwood projects: Gimme Five