(Translated from my old Italian page by Paul O'Brien)

Embryo, formed by ex-Amon Duul II member Christian Burchard, consisted of Edgar Hofmann (sax, violin), Ralph Fisher (bass, organ), John Kelly (guitar). Their first album, Opal (Ohr, 1970), showed Embryo to be influenced by the mystical free-jazz of John Coltrane and by the Canterbury sound (People From Out the Space). The group's characteristic jazz-rock took shape in Embryo's Rache (UA, 1971), followed by Father Son and Holy Ghosts (UA, 1972).

From the same period came Steig Aus (Brain, 1972), which contained the epic Radio Marrakesch/Orient Express, with Mal Wa ldron on piano and another erstwhile Amon Duul member Jimmy Jackson on mellot ron, and Rocksession (Brain, 1973), which contained four even more experimental jams from the same sessions – for example Entranc es, Warm Canto and Dirge – recordings which came to be consi dered by the band as too experimental and thus too far from the Embryo ethic.

With the addition of jazz saxophonist Charlie Maria no, the band (which at this point consisted of Burchard, Roman Bunka on guitar and sax, and Dieter Miekautsch on piano) recorded We Keep On (BASF, 197 3), with further standout epics in No Place To Go (at 12 minutes) and Ticket to India (15 minutes).

The following two albums Surfin! (Buk, 1975) and Bad Heads and Bad Cats (April, 1976), had lost much of the early creative spirit, despite Dance of Some Broken Glasses (on the first) and < I>Human Contact (on the second). The leader abandoned Mariano to his fate, spent a time in India, and returned refreshed and with a new style first presented in Apo-calypso (April, 1977).

Continuing their journey to Asia, the group put together a series of world music albums, of which Embryo's Reise (1979) is probably the best (Cello Cello). Others included Life (1980) and another double album, La Blama Sparozzi (1982). When they at last came home, Embryo recorded their first studio album in seven years, Zack Gluck (1984), but then set off again for more travel, this time to Africa, an experience which provided the material for Yoruba Dun Dun Orchestra (1985) and Africa (1985).

Far from abandoning the music scene, Burchard continued to record albums of jazz-influenced and ethnic music: Turn Peace (1989), Ibn Battuta (1994), Ni Hau (1996), Istanbul-Casablanca (1999).

Anthology 1970-1979 (Schneeball, 1980) and the live double album Invisible Documents (Disconforme, 1998) summarize their story.

Message From Era Ora (Sound Of Cobra, 2013) contains live recordings of 1976.

Aalst 2010 documents two live jams.

Christian Burchard died in 2018.