Album: A Speedway On Saturn's Rings
Artist: The Fusion Syndicate
2023 Purple Pyramid
CD: CLO4022CD

Fernando Perdomo: guitars (4, 5, 7), rhythm guitars (1, 2, 6), string synth (1, 3), ARP string synth (4), arpeggiator (1), Hammond B3 (6), Rhodes (7, 8), Moog (4), Moog bass (3), bass (5), Echoplex (4), percussion (4)
Al Di Meola: electric guitar (1)
Jah Wobble: bass (1-4, 6, 7)
Chester Thompson: drums (1-4, 6-8, 12)
Chris Poland: lead guitar (2)
Rick Wakeman: keys (3), keyboard solos (9)
Angelo Moore: sax (4), Theremin (4)
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal: guitar (4)
Bootsy Collins: vocals (5)
Brian Jackson: electric piano (5), flute (5)
Carmine Appice: drums (5)
Jan Akkerman: guitar (6)
Alphonso Johnson: bass (8)
Steve Stevens: guitars (8), synth (8), lead guitar (10)
Jimmy Haslip: bass (9)
Nik Turner: sax (9)
Jerry Goodman: violin (9)
Colin Edwin: bass (10)
Billy Cobham: drums (10)
Jordan Rudess: keyboard solos (10)
Mel Collins: sax (10)
Billy Sheehan: bass (11)
Gavin Harrison: drums (11)
David Sancious: keyboard solos (11)
Jay Beckenstein: sax (11)
Derek Sherinian: keyboard solos (12)
Larry Coryell: lead guitar (12)
Eric Marienthal: sax (12)
Billy Sherwood: additional instrumentation (9-12 uncredited)


Produced by Perdomo (1-4, 6-8), Jürgen Engler (5), Sherwood (9-12)
Recorded in Los Angeles, Dec 2022-Mar 2023 (1-8)
Recorded between Apr-Aug 2012 (9-12)
Wobble bass engineered by John T Wardle/Jon Klein (1-4, 6, 7)
Poland guitar engineered by Carlos Cruz (2)
Wakeman keys engineered by Erik Jordan (3) in the UK
Mixed by Zach Ziskin (1-8), Perdomo/Ziskin (9-12)
Mastered by Engler/Chris Lietz
A&R/artist relations: John Lappen
Front painting by Javier Carmona


Tracks:
1. "A Speedway on Saturn's Rings" [Perdomo]
2. "Planet 15" [Perdomo]
3. "IO" [Perdomo/Wakeman]
4. "Escape from the Black Hole" [Perdomo]
5. "The Bottle" [Gil Scott-Heron]
6. "Blasting Off" [Perdomo]
7. "Lunar Rover on Mars" [Perdomo]
8. "Coming Back Home" [Perdomo/Stevens]

Bonus tracks (CD, digital)
9. "Random Acts of Science" [Sherwood]
10. "Stone Cold Infusion" [Sherwood]
11. "Molecular Breakdown" [Sherwood]
12. "Particle Accelerations" [Sherwood]



Notes: This instrumental album is released 1 Sep 2023 digitally through Bandcamp, and then 12 Sep on CD or limited edition purple marble vinyl (with tracks (1-4) as side A and tracks (5-8) as side B).

Perdomo has been a regular collaborator with Dave Kerzner and, through Kerzner, has worked with several members of Yes previously, including Sherwood. Perdomo became a staff producer at Cleopatra Records and this led to this album, released under the name The Fusion Syndicate. The Fusion Syndicate name was originally used for an eponymous 2012 project from Billy Sherwood, along similar lines to the Prog Collective, but with a fusion sound. The first 4 tracks from that album are included as CD-only tracks here, having been remixed. This was something of a surprise, it having been presumed previously that the Fusion Syndicate was Sherwood's project, but this would seem to imply the project belongs to the label and was handed over (presumably amicably given Perdomo and Sherwood work together). Carmona also worked on the art for the first album.

The label can't seem to decide whether track 3 is "IO" or "Io". (5), (2) and (3) were all released digitally before the album. (HP, 16 Aug 23; updated 17 Aug 23)

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