First Wind by Ricotti & Albuquerque is a 1971 jazz-rock cult gem. UK vibraphone king Frank Ricotti and guitarist Michael de Albuquerque throw a genre party—jazz, rock, and folk crash with experimental zest.

The result? Taut originals like Go Out And Get It strut with bite, while covers of Melanie, James Taylor and Spanky and Our Gang hit the spot.

Backed by a killer crew, it’s cool, bold, and remastered by Prof. Stoned to sound razor-sharp. Critics in ’71 were hooked — Record Mirror purred very nice (Brit-speak for gold), Cream praised its polish.

Now, this first artist-approved expanded reissue adds unearthed BBC sessions and rare Michael de Albuquerque singles—your ticket to a lost classic, fully loaded.

1. Ratsa (Don’t Know Why) [4:49]
2. Lo And Behold [3:15]
3. Go Out And Get It [3:53]
4. Don’t You Believe Me [5:15]
5. New York Windy Day [4:43]
6. Bobo’s Party [6:10]
7. Didn’t Wanna Have To Do It [3:09]
8. Old Ben Houston [3:08]
9. The Wind Has No Love [3:59]
10. Give A Damn [4:09]
11. Better Men Than Me (Michael de Albuquerque solo single, 1969) [2:17]
12. Burn Burn Burn (Michael de Albuquerque solo single, 1969) [2:45]
13. Roll Him Over (Michael de Albuquerque solo single, 1970) [3:06]
14. Blind Man (Michael de Albuquerque solo single, 1970) [3:03]
15. Alan Black intro (Live On BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, 8/22/1971 [0:20]
16. Ratsa (Don’t Know Why) (Live On BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, 8/22/1971) [6:32]
17. Give A Damn (Live On BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, 8/22/1971) [4:03]
18. Don’t You Believe Me (Live On BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, 8/22/1971) [5:04]
19. Go Out And Get It (Live On BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, 8/22/1971) [3:19]

Complete with a stunning 20-page booklet featuring track-by-track commentary by Michael de Albuquerque along with 9 bonus tracks, including their complete and previously unreleased John Peel Sunday Concert BBC session, this fully remastered album opens on the elusive musical hide and seek of Ratsa (Don’t Know Why) and the beautifully crafted Lo And Behold and they are backed by the playfully heartfelt Go Out And Get It, the veritably cinematic Don’t You Believe Me and then comes the shimmering New York Windy Day.

Along next is the expertly sewn melodies within Bobo’s Party and the thoughtful Didn’t Wanna Have To Do It and they are in turn backed by the rhythmically harmonized Old Ben Houston, the languishingly warm The Wind Has No Love, the original recording rounding out on the sheer elegance of Give A Damn.

The bonus tracks then come alive with four solo singles from Michael de Albuquerque, the first being the forthright Better Men Than Me, the psych rock of Burn Burn Burn, the enraptured Roll Him Over and then we get the gently rhythmic melodies within Blind Man.

The final recordings are of the BBC John Peel Sunday Concert, and after a brief Alan Black intro, they open with a now drum and percussion-led Ratsa (Don’t Know Why), another bout of elegance within the twinkling Give A Damn, closing on the cinematic-scape of Don’t You Believe Me and a euphorically-charged Go Out And Get It.

In the swinging summer of ’71, two musical mavericks decided to crash the British jazz-rock party. Michael de Albuquerque, a choirboy-turned-rockstar with blue-eyed soul vocals smoother than a velvet suit, joined forces with Frank Ricotti, a vibraphonist so skilled he could make xylophones weep with envy. Their mission? To create a sound that would make jazz cats purr and rock enthusiasts howl with delight.

But these two weren’t flying solo. They assembled a dream team that could swing harder than a wrecking ball and groove tighter than a pair of disco pants. John Taylor tickled the ivories like a caffeinated octopus, Chris Laurence plucked the bass as if it owed him money, and Trevor Tomkins beat the drums like they’d insulted his mother. With guest appearances by trumpeter Henry Lowther and guitarist Michael Keen, this ensemble was more stacked than a sandwich at a New York deli.

While their collaboration was brief, Ricotti & Albuquerque left an indelible mark on the British music scene. De Albuquerque went on to join the Electric Light Orchestra and contribute to hit records, while Ricotti continued to dazzle in the jazz world.

Their bandmates? They scattered across the musical landscape like jazzy Johnny Appleseeds, cultivating grooves in rock, classical, and film music.

Now, Think Like A Key Music is giving this dynamic duo a second wind, reissuing First Wind with the band’s blessing and unearthing their mythical 1971 BBC concert session. It’s like finding a vintage Aston Martin in your gran’s garage – a classic, officially sanctioned, and ready to take you on one hell of a ride!

Official Purchase Link

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