Shades of Joy

Recorded in San Francisco in 1970 and originally released on the Douglas label, obscure Shades of Joy's Music Of El Topo is commonly associated with the visionary western-on-acid epic film El Topo by Chilean born Ukrainian Jewish multi-medial artist Alejandro Jodorowsky as its soundtrack, despite another unrelated album on the Apple label being credited as the true soundtrack to the flick. Nevertheless, this intriguing piece of urban jazz funk fusion delivers seven instrumental mantras whose core is neatly amalgamated by the fine art of a great ensemble, here together only for this seemingly extemporized job. The idea of 'soundtrack' is here superbly interpreted and leaves the listener puzzled about the short life of this incredible gathering of exceptional musicians

• 1 the desert is a circle
• 2 man of seven years
• 3 flute in a quarry
• 4 together
• 5 el topos dream
• 6 slowest and saddest waltz
• 7 freakout 1