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The Ed Palermo Big Band: Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages

By Kyle Simpler
May 15, 2025
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The Ed Palermo Big Band: Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages

Sometimes musicians with serious chops take their music a little too seriously. Others, however, manage to combine talent and humor in a way that proves infectious. The

Ed Palermo

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Palermo Big Band is one of the best examples of the latter. With albums drawing on such diverse influences as

Frank Zappa

guitar, electric
1940 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa,

Paul Butterfield

harmonica
1942 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Butterfield, and

" data-original-title="" title="">King Crimson, Palermo delivers a foundation of solid jazz infused with a spirit of experimentation and an eye for the absurd. With Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages, he once again lives up to expectations.

Although genres such as pop, country and metal have long commanded large audiences, in the 1970s, jazz-rock performers were also filling stadiums. The music generally fell into two distinct categories: jazz fusion and progressive rock. While both centered on virtuosic performances, there was a somewhat friendly division between the two camps—something like rival sports teams.

Long known for his inventive arrangements and sly wit, Palermo turns this project into a theatrical showdown between genre titans. Imagine a late-night jam session with

John McLaughlin

guitar
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">John McLaughlin,

Chick Corea

piano
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Chick Corea,

Frank Zappa

guitar, electric
1940 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa and

Yes

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Yes—with a little Soundgarden thrown in for good measure. The result is an audacious, horn-driven spectacle that feels at once cerebral, visceral and deeply fun.

From the outset, Palermo's band charges into a sonic battlefield where electric guitars duel with saxophones and odd meters wrestle with lush harmonic passages. This is not a mere mashup; it is a carefully staged collision, full of nuance and affection for both genres. Tracks veer from Zappa-esque satire to Mahavishnu-level intensity—often within a few bars.

As always, Palermo's ability to balance complexity with clarity is striking. His arrangements swing between the orchestrated grandeur of prog and the freewheeling abandon of fusion, while maintaining a consistent thread of wit and musical precision. The band—seasoned, fearless, and tight—brings each piece to life with flair, capturing the spirit of the originals while injecting them with fresh energy and context.

Standouts include reimagined prog motifs that morph into full-throttle jazz explorations, along with moments where the genres blur so convincingly that it becomes hard to recall that there was ever a line between them. This is neither parody nor pastiche, but rather homage with a twist, driven by Palermo's distinct vision.

Whether one comes for the virtuosity, the genre-hopping audacity, or simply the joy of hearing a big band let loose, Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages delivers. It is a high-concept album that refuses to take itself too seriously, yet never lets its craft slip. In Palermo's hands, the "war" between prog and fusion ends in a kind of musical armistice—one where imagination wins.

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Track Listing

Resolution; Black Hole Sun/Bodhisattva; There Comes A Time; Tarkus; Vrooom; Long Distance Runaround; Snake Oil; There's No Mystery About My G-Spot; Spanish G-Spot Tornado; Mystic Knights Of The Sea; On The Milky Way Express; Take A Pebble; One Word; The Fish; Fred; Black Hole Sun; Pictures Of A City.

Personnel

Ed Palermo

saxophone

Cliff Lyons

saxophone, alto

Phil Chester

woodwinds

Bill Straub

woodwinds

Ben Kono

saxophone, tenor

Barbara Cifelli

woodwinds

Ronnie Buttacavoli

trumpet

John Bailey

trumpet

Augie Haas

trumpet

Bobby Spellman

trumpet

Charley Gordon

trombone

Mike Boschen

trombone

Matt Ingman

trombone, bass

Bruce McDaniel

guitar

Bob Quaranta

piano

Ted Kooshian

piano

Paul Adamy

bass

Ray Marchica

drums

Mike Keneally

guitar

Katie Jacoby

violin

Album information

Title: Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Sky Cat Records

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