Jon Hassell // Power Spot Cassette, Album, Dolby B (US, 1986)

Released in 1986, Power Spot is one of the most rhythmically driven and accessible recordings in Jon Hassell’s catalogue, combining atmospheric trumpet work with layered percussion, electronic textures, and ambient production techniques. The album continued Hassell’s exploration of his influential “Fourth World” musical ideas, blending modern studio technology with global rhythmic influences and improvisational structure.

Compared with some of Hassell’s earlier ambient recordings, Power Spot places greater emphasis on groove, repetition, and movement, while still maintaining the spacious and cinematic atmosphere associated with his work. Hassell’s electronically treated trumpet remains central throughout, drifting between melodic fragments and textural sound design.

The album was produced with contributions from musicians connected to experimental, ambient, and world music circles, helping create a layered and highly immersive sonic environment. The result is a recording that moves fluidly between ambient music, jazz fusion, electronic experimentation, and percussion-based composition.

Power Spot became one of the more widely recognised releases associated with Hassell’s mid-1980s work and remains appreciated for its balance between experimental soundscapes and rhythmic accessibility.

This US Dolby B cassette edition reflects the original release era, when cassette formats remained an important medium for both mainstream and alternative music distribution throughout the 1980s.

For collectors, cassette editions of Power Spot preserve an important recording from Jon Hassell’s evolving “Fourth World” period, documenting a distinctive fusion of ambient electronics, rhythm, and experimental composition.

Label: ECM Records - ECM 829 466-4, ECM Records - 829-466-4, ECM Records - 829 466-4
Format: Cassette, Album, Dolby B
Country: US
Released: 1986

Track Listing
A1 Power Spot
A2 Passage D. E.
A3 Solaire
A4 Miracle Steps
B1 Wing Melodies
B2 The Elephant And The Orchid
B3 Air

Description
Official cassette release with picture sleeve.

Recorded October 1983 and December 1984.

Catalogue number 'ECM 829 466-4' on both sides of cassette.
Catalogue number '829-466-4' on front cover.
Catalogue number '829 466-4' on insert spine.

Art: traditional Navajo Sandpainting design.
Printed in U.S.A.

ECM Records
Marketed and Distributed by Polygram Classics Inc.
810 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019

Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode: 042282946645