ELTON DEAN - saxello, alto sax, Fender Rhodes
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH - guitar
HUGH HOPPER - bass guitar
JOHN MARSHALL - drums
The 2003 album Abracadabra by Soft Works, reissued by Moonjune Records in 2025, represents the sole studio recording of the all-star quartet comprised of former Soft Machine members: Allan Holdsworth (guitar, Synthaxe), Elton Dean (saxophone), Hugh Hopper (bass), and John Marshall (drums). The band evolved from the Soft Ware quartet (which originally featured Keith Tippett instead of Holdsworth) and had never recorded in this exact lineup before.
The album primarily consists of virtuosic, improvisational jazz-rock that may be disappointing to some progressive rock fans due to its chaotic and often unexciting nature. The eight instrumental tracks often sound like one big jam session, relying on familiar jazz-rock patterns. The sound is dominated by saxophone solos from Elton Dean, while Allan Holdsworth leaves a too small mark, mostly confining himself to his recognizable chord progressions and only occasionally delivering short but top-notch solos. The Hopper-Marshall rhythm section maintains cohesiveness, with Hopper delivering solid bass work, including a notable fuzz bass solo. The bonus tracks, recorded live in Tokyo in 2003, offer a rawer and more adventurous jazz-rock sound with even more improvisation.
Given that this was the only time these four key figures in British jazz-rock recorded together, and all of them have since passed away, Abracadabra stands as a unique and historical release, despite its minimal progressive rock content.
