One minute the band is driving a heavy, contemporary funk-jazz riff, and the next they lurch directly into traditional New Orleans swing, complete with Burrows on clarinet.
Decades after This Time hit record store shelves, Galapagos Duck is still actively gigging and packing out venues across Australia. While the lineup has inevitably shifted over the last half-century, the core philosophy has never wavered: deliver high-energy, world-class jazz that makes the audience feel good.
Recorded with a very loose, live feel and minimal overdubbing, it feels like sitting in the front row of a smokey club. Galapagos Duck This Time
This stylistic shifting drew occasional criticism from purists who felt the band was catering too hard to the masses. However, that exact willingness to blend high-brow jazz with foot-stomping grooves is exactly why they became a household name. 🎺 A Legacy That Refuses to Stop
The album is a fascinating time capsule of mid-70s jazz experimentation: One minute the band is driving a heavy,
By 1975, Galapagos Duck was a well-oiled machine. They teamed up with legendary producer Horst Liepolt for his 44 Records label to record their third album, This Time (often discussed alongside their subsequent 1976 releases like St James ).
Working as a house band meant they had to please diverse crowds. This forced a relentless versatility that became their defining characteristic. They weren't purists; they were performers who wanted jazz to be accessible to everyone. 💿 Breaking Down This Time (1975) Recorded with a very loose, live feel and
Whether they are throwing down staple covers like Herbie Hancock’s "Watermelon Man", Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train", or their famous renditions of "Caravan", they remain the gold standard of live Australian jazz.