Album Liner Notes
The Story of I
The Story of I is one of the most distinctive albums anywhere near Jeff Berlin's 1970s orbit. Patrick Moraz built it as a single extended concept work, then recorded part of it in Rio de Janeiro with Brazilian percussion layered into the tracks, which gives the record a completely different pulse from the New York fusion sessions around it.
Overview
This is not just a 'Patrick Moraz solo record with Jeff on bass.' It is a serious concept album with a clear narrative frame, a continuous-sequence structure, and a rhythmic identity shaped by Moraz's time in Brazil. That gives Jeff a very different job from the sharper jazz-funk records elsewhere in the discography.
Jeff Berlin's playing matters here because the album needs movement, tension, and shape more than flashy isolated moments. The bass has to connect Moraz's keyboards, Ray Gomez's guitar, Alphonse Mouzon's drums, John McBurnie's vocals, and the Brazilian percussion overdubs into one flowing piece.
It is also a historically useful record because it shows how broad Jeff's early discography really is. Within the same decade he is on Patti Austin, David Matthews, Bruford, and this. The Story of I proves he was never locked into one narrow fusion template.
Quick Snapshot
- Released in 1976, The Story of I was Patrick Moraz's first solo album after leaving Refugee and during his period with Yes.
- The album is structured as one continuous work divided into 14 titled sections and built around a concept involving a giant hotel-like building called 'The Story of i.'
- Recording took place at Aquarius Studios in Geneva and at a studio in Rio de Janeiro, where Moraz recorded much of the percussion that was later dubbed onto the album.
A real concept album
The Story of I is built as a single extended narrative work, divided into 14 sections rather than a conventional unrelated-song sequence.
Brazilian influence
Moraz recorded much of the percussion in Rio de Janeiro and dubbed it onto the core tracks later, which gives the record its distinctive rhythmic identity.
Jeff outside the expected lane
This is one of the clearest examples of Jeff Berlin working inside a progressive, textural, globally inflected studio album rather than a straight fusion blowing session.
Listen For
Impact to Intermezzo
The opening run establishes the record fast: Moraz is not sequencing unrelated tunes, he is building one long-form environment.
Cachaça (Baião)
This section makes the Brazilian rhythmic side of the album impossible to miss and shows how far the project sits from typical Anglo prog in 1976.
Best Years of Our Lives
One of the clearest song-form focal points on the record, and a good place to hear how Jeff supports Moraz's melodic and vocal writing without breaking the album's larger flow.
Track Listing
- 1. Impact
- 2. Warmer Hands
- 3. The Storm
- 4. Cachaça (Baião)
- 5. Intermezzo
- 6. Indoors
- 7. Best Years of Our Lives
- 8. Descent
- 9. Incantation
- 10. Dancing Now
- 11. Impressions (The Dream)
- 12. Like a Child in Disguise
- 13. Rise and Fall
- 14. Symphony in the Space
Musicians
- Patrick Moraz: keyboards, vocals, percussion, story concept
- Jeff Berlin: bass guitar
- Alphonse Mouzon: drums
- Ray Gomez: guitar
- John McBurnie: vocals
- Vivienne McAuliffe: vocals
- Veronique Mueller: vocals
- Jean Ristori: cello
- Auguste De Anthony: acoustic guitar
- Jean-Luc Bourgeois: percussion
- Philippe Staehli: percussion
- Rene Moraz: dance
Technical Credits
- Producer: Patrick Moraz
- Engineer: Jean Ristori
- Engineer: Chris Penycate
- Recorded at Aquarius Studios, Geneva, Switzerland
- Additional percussion recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and dubbed onto the album
- Label: Charisma
- Gatefold sleeve with lyrics/story material documented by contemporary LP listings