Solution – Cordon Bleu (1975)

Cordon Bleu is the third album by the Dutch jazz-rock/soul band Solution, released on December 2, 1975, on Rocket.

Recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales under producer Gus Dudgeon, the album refines the band’s earlier progressive leanings into a polished, brighter fusion that balances extended instrumental workouts with concise vocal tracks, all unified by pristine production and seamless flow.

The music centers on intricate saxophone-keyboard dialogues over a rhythm section that shifts effortlessly between relaxed pulses and driving syncopation. Long-form pieces explore layered organ textures, contoured horn lines, and active bass-drum interplay, while shorter vocal numbers introduce smooth lead and backing vocals without breaking momentum. Flute appears selectively, analog synthesizers add airy depth, and discreet electric guitar touches emerge only when needed, maintaining a predominantly horn-and-keyboard identity across the record.

The core quartet consists of Tom Barlage on alto and soprano saxophones, flute, percussion and backing vocals; Willem Ennes on electric piano, acoustic piano, organ and synthesizers; Guus Willemse on bass, occasional electric guitar, lead and backing vocals and primary lyricist; and Hans Waterman on drums. Guests expand the palette: Michiel Pos supplies tenor saxophone on several tracks and co-writes lyrics, while Frankie Fish contributes additional backing vocals and lyrics. All members participate in composition, with Barlage, Ennes, Willemse and Waterman sharing credits across most pieces; sleeve design and photography come from Hipgnosis with lettering by Richard Evans.

A1. “Chappaqua” (10:35) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Hans Waterman, Guus Willemse; opens with sustained organ layers that establish breadth before Barlage’s alto saxophone enters with rapid contoured phrases over Waterman’s shifting cymbal patterns and Willemse’s pulsing bass lines; the ensemble accelerates into dense interplay where Ennes alternates sharp electric piano runs with floating string-synth pads; rhythmic figures fracture and reassemble repeatedly while saxophone lines climb through angular turns; tension builds through layered horn echoes and delayed repeats that Barlage employs to widen the soundfield; bass maintains forward motion beneath elaborate drum fills that recall mid-seventies Phil Collins complexity; the piece cycles through relaxed plateaus and sudden surges, returning to organ-driven symmetry before a final driving section dominated by interlocking bass and drum polyrhythms beneath soaring saxophone statements.

A2. “Third Line Part 1” (1:38) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Guus Willemse; brief atmospheric interlude that begins with Willemse’s low bass notes248 and light cymbal washes from Waterman; Ennes adds sparse electric piano chords while Barlage overlays gentle soprano saxophone lines that drift across the stereo field; the quartet sustains a suspended mood without forward propulsion, functioning as a quiet bridge that dissolves directly into the next part.

A3. “Third Line Part 2” (5:44) – Guus Willemse, Michiel Pos, Frankie Fish; Willemse delivers lead vocals with layered backing from Barlage and Fish; the arrangement starts in relaxed ballad tempo with Fender Rhodes chords and restrained bass; rhythm section increases intensity after the first verse as Waterman introduces busier patterns; Barlage and guest Mich finais Pos trade saxophone statements that rise above the vocal sections; the piece alternates gentle verse passages with fuller instrumental choruses where organ and horns expand the texture; lyrics address personal reflection and quiet persistence; the track builds to a climactic horn-led passage before settling back into the initial calm.

A4. “A Song for You” (3:55) – Guus Willemse, Michiel Pos, Frankie Fish; Willemse sings a direct romantic statement supported by soft Rhodes accompaniment and minimal drum brushes; Barlage switches to flute for the main theme, replacing the album’s predominant saxophone voice; the quartet keeps dynamics low throughout, with bass walking subtly beneath layered vocal harmonies; lyrics express uncomplicated devotion and gratitude; the short running time maintains focus on the central sentimental declaration without extended development.

B1. “Whirligig” (9:03) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Guus Willemse; Willemse’s prominent bass opens with repeating figures that establish a steady forward pace; Barlage enters on soprano saxophone with quick repeating motifs doubled by Ennes on electric piano; Waterman varies the drum patterns between straight eights and syncopated accents while the ensemble shifts tempo multiple times; Pos reinforces horn lines in the denser sections; the piece moves through relaxed floating episodes into funk-oriented passages driven by clavinet-like keyboard textures; saxophone and keyboards exchange extended solo statements over unchanging bass ostinatos; late calm sections give way to a final return of the initial driving rhythm.

B2. “Last Detail Part 1” (2:48) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Guus Willemse, Michiel Pos, Frankie Fish; bright organ fanfare announces the start as the full band enters in mid-tempo stride; Barlage leads with alto saxophone phrases answered by Ennes’s string-synth swells; Willemse locks with Waterman in tight rhythmic figures while bass remains active in the foreground; the short segment maintains upbeat momentum and functions as an introduction that segues without pause.

B3. “Last Detail Part 2” (2:43) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Hans Waterman, Guus Willemse; Willemse resumes vocal duties over the continuing instrumental foundation; the arrangement retains the preceding energy but redirects it beneath lyrical sections; lyrics focus on final moments of connection and closure; horns re-enter to reinforce the refrain while keyboards provide sweeping support; the piece concludes the diptych with a compact resolution that balances vocal presence against concise instrumental punctuation.

B4. “Black Pearl Part 1” (1:14) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes, Guus Willemse, Michiel Pos, Frankie Fish; spacey analog synthesizer washes from Ennes establish an open atmosphere; Willemse adds discreet bass notes while Waterman supplies light percussion; Barlage introduces flute lines that float above the texture; the brief segment serves as atmospheric preparation for the concluding track.

B5. “Black Pearl Part 2” (5:01) – Tom Barlage, Willem Ennes; Willemse returns on lead vocals supported by the full band; the tempo lifts into a moderate pace with prominent organ and electric piano; Barlage alternates alto saxophone solos with vocal sections while Pos adds reinforcement in the horn arrangements; lyrics evoke imagery of rarity and value; the ensemble drives toward a final extended saxophone statement backed by layered keyboards and active rhythm section before fading on repeating horn figures.

Tracklist:
A1. “Chappaqua” (10:35 — :01–5:11–10:27)
A2. “Third Line Part 1” (1:38)
A3. “Third Line Part 2” (5:44)
A4. “A Song For You” (3:55)
B1. “Whirligig” (9:03)
B2. “Last Detail Part 1” (2:48)
B3. “Last Detail Part 2” (2:43)
B4. “Black Pearl Part 1” (1:14)
B5. “Black Pearl Part 2” (5:01)

Credits:
Tom Barlage — alto saxophone, percussion, flute, soprano saxophone, backing vocals
Willem Ennes — electric piano, piano, organ, synthesiser
Guus Willemse — bass, electric guitar, backing vocals, lyricist, lead vocals
Hans Waterman — drums
Frankie Fish — backing vocals, lyricist
Michiel Pos — tenor saxophone, acoustic guitar, lyricist

Gus Dudgeon — producer, remixer, engineer
Pat Moran — recording engineer
Phil Dunne — recording engineer
Steve Holroyd — remixer, engineer
Hipgnosis — sleeve design, photography
Richard Evans — typography