For those unaware, two rare solo albums from the late Hugh Hopper, former member of Soft Machine are now out, both combined into the same two disc package via Explore Rights Management.

Jazzloops and it’s sequel The Stolen Hour features Hopper with special guest appearances by his fellow Soft Machine members and friends: Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean, revered jazz drummer John Marshall, Gong alumni Didier Malherbe, and French guitarist Patrice Meyer.

Both discs have been remastered and the booklet features the original comic for The Stolen Hour.

Peter Pardo of Sea of Tranquillity’s reviews of the original releases concluded with this comment: “Hearing Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Robert Wyatt and John Marshall, all former Soft Machine members, jamming together again is another reason to celebrate…”.

CD 1: Jazzloops
1. T3
2. AFRIK
3. GARRISOI
4. SFRANKL
5. ACLOOP
6. CALMOZART
7. AINTPO
8. 1212
9. DIGWOT
10. L4
11. NIGEPO

Not only was Hugh Hopper a key member of Soft Machine, but he was very much an accomplished solo artist, who sadly passed away in 2009. And so with his legacy now being celebrated with the re-release of two of his solo albums, and which had been hard to find until now, we first take a listen to Jazzloops.

Drawn together from a variety of sessions recorded over 2001 and 2002, and with the noted guest list running into the double digits, Jazzloops lives up to its title readily enough. Rather than keeping the various performances as they are - both live jams and assembled studio efforts were used - Hopper took everything and reassembled it in his own approach to a DJ mix set, at least of sorts.

The tracks themselves aren’t mixed together, but the primacy of core loops and various solos over them gives the album not only its title, but its intent.

Hearing Hopper’s work rotating around fairly straightforward rhythms or sounds may be a bit surprising at times, sure, given his musical interests over the years, but then again Hopper had never been one to ignore the power of a more pop-tinged approach.

CD 2: The Stolen Hour
1. CRAIG’S DISTENDED TRAIN RIDE
2. COMPLICATIONS AT WORK
3. AN INESCAPABLE ENCOUNTER WITH MRS. PRY
4. YEARNING FOR THE STOLEN HOUR
5. THE LONG DRIVE
6. AN UNREGULATED SUNSET
7. A SIDEWAYS PEEK AT DREAMTIME
8. SNIDE WISDOM INVOLVING THE IMMATERIALITY OF TIME
9. THE STUFF HE SEES
10. MIA’S TIMELY EMERGENCE FROM THE EAST
11. COMPATIBILITY
12. SHARING THE STOLEN HOUR

Next up we get The Stolen Hour, a most gloriously atmospheric, jagged and intense recording, and such a superb extension of Jazzloops, the album was one of Hopper’s best Jazzloops series of explorations; this one written to accompany the distinctive imagery of American comic book artist, Matt Howarth.

Assisted by, amongst others, Robert Wyatt (cornet, voice), John Marshall and Didier Malherbe, Hopper updated the Jazz-tinged minimalist looping he initially developed in the 1960s, evoking the innovative spirit of early Soft Machine, while simultaneously suggesting new possibilities for his music.

Official Purchase Link