FUTURE PROOF
5 Nelsonian victories,byJames McNair
Flame on: Be-Bop circa Sunburst Finish, 1976 (clock-wise from left) Tumahai, Clark, Fox, Nelson.
BE-BOP DELUXE
★★★★★ Futurama
(Harvest, 1975)
The definitive Be-Bop line-up arrives, and Nelson’s vocal gift makes a quantum leap. The title references a ’60s guitar brand and a ‘world of the future’ exhibit/ride at the 1939 World’s Fair; highlights include the fluid thrills of Stage Whispers and Music In Dreamland. “This guitar does not lie,” sang Nelson on the former. Prophetic.