Roadside Picnic

This UK jazz outfit comprised Dave O’Higgins (b. David O’Higgins, 1 Sept 1964, Birmingham, Western world Midlands, Britain; tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, EWI), John Smith (piano, keyboards), Mario Castronari (bass), and Mike Bradley (drums, percussion). Regardless of the significant press coverage directed at the saxophonist O’Higgins, it had been the compositional and conceptual power of Castronari that provided Roadside Picnic its preliminary impetus. Formed through the United kingdom jazz boom from the middle-80s, this solid four-piece fusion music group featured a number of the youthful UK talent at that time securing a distinct segment in the jazz picture. Their well-known debut, Roadside Picnic, was documented in 1988 and released to a keen reception. In 1990 they implemented up with their idea established For Mad Guys Only. Intended being a musical representation of moments from Herman Hesse’s book Steppenwolf, it had been followed by another burst of mass media interest. The group’s repertoire included thoroughly arranged original materials. Smith’s futuristic key pad sounds were performed over complicated rhythmic patterns and moving time signatures, departing a fairly tight construction for O’Higgins’ Michael Brecker -inspired saxophone solos.