Progarchives:
"Sole album from this Hammond-driven heavy prog, came in a gatefold artwork with a rare copper plate by Merian of the Speyer city in the Renaissance era. This private pressing of 200 copies was produced at low cost, which is rather audible, but there is nothing scandalous either. Their earlier musical direction was very much in the symphonic prog range (The Nice or ELP), but some line-up changes modified that somewhat as incoming organist had a jazzier feeling, more in the Colosseum-vein, especially in the Dave Greenslade sound. The resulting is a symphonic prog that has some Uriah Heep (organ, vocals), Atomic Rooster (Gallo’s guitar is inspired of DuCann) and Colosseum (organ).

The four tracks comprising the original album (three of them well above the 10 minutes) are all in the heavy rock domain, dominated by the huge organ sound. Indeed the 13-mins War Games hesitates between Colosseum (Greenslade-like organ twirls) and Uriah Heep (Byron-like vocals, in English, often correctly pronounced), but the whole thing sounds much more symphonic than the average track of those two groups. The 10-mins+ In The Heart Of The Cities is much more guitar-ey, DuCann and Litherland (not Clempson), but the brilliant drums/bass work of the opening track is not as present, and the track ends in a semi-operatic Byron-like yell.

On the flipside, I Am America Too, is a piano & organ piece (the shortest, clocking at 5-mins+) that first takes on Bernstein, before veering hard rock with Heep-like vocals, but you can feel the singer’s effort to match Farlowe’s range, which of course is too far removed to succeed. The 17-mins epic Strange Days Hiding is pure Hammond galore, Hensley-inspired, unfortunately mared by a long drum solo, which like all of them is terribly boring. The two bonus tracks are both covers of Colosseum, one of them being the famous Lost Angeles, which they manage correctly at best, but certainly no more. The production quality on these tracks is not as good as the rest of the album (therefore they stick out a bit), but again nothing scandalous.

While TT’s sole album still benefits from its much sought-after legend, with its wider availability it has lost its must hear or have aura, but can still be seen as an early 70’s small unearthed gem, even if by its release, it was already not that fresh-sounding, since their influences had already done their better works. Still definitely worth a listen."

01. War games
02. In the heart of the cities
03. I am America too
04. Strange days hiding
05. Lost Angeles
06. Bring out your dead

Stefan Kowa - bass
Hanns Dechant - drums, percussion
Klaus Fresenius - vocals
Werner Gallo - guitar
Reinhard Magin - keyboards

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"What a surprise to have stumbled upon this CD by percussionist David Earle Johnson, who doesn't seem to have many albums in print, let alone much of a solo discography. Granted, the co-billing of Jan Hammer (a mover and shaker during the heyday of jazz-rock fusion) on the CD cover may have convinced me that there was some worth to buying "Hip Address", but the music itself turned out to be rather good for the most part.
Orignally released in 1980, "Hip Address" builds on the jazz-rock fusion Hammer created with both the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck, adding a more percussive feel to it courtesy of Johnson. Hammer and Johnson play all instruments, with Hammer playing drums in addition to his multiple keyboards. The duo are augmented by flutist Jeremy Steig on two tunes, "Bamboo Forest" and "Hip Address" (instrumental).

Odd-metered tunes such as "Rebel Trot" and "Siete Para ti" and "Hip Address" (instrumental version) add a Latin-tinged influence thanks to Johnson's percussive assault using congas and timbales along with other exotic instuments such as an African Log, cuicas and kalimbas. Yet the music is not entirely geared towards dance-like rhythms ("Punk Luck", "Hip Address") and attempts at commercialism (the vocal tunes sung by Johnson are rather dated, but nonetheless charming in their own way). Tunes such as "Green and Black" and "Night" (the latter tune orignally from Hammer and Jerry Goodman's "Like Children" album from 1974) are displays of textures ranging from lush to moody. "Bamboo Forest" (originally released on Hammer's "Oh, Yeah?" in 1976) is a fierce jazz-rock workout with Hammer blazing with a fierce guitar-like synthesizer solo.

This is definitely worth owning for Jan Hammer fanatics such as myself. However, Johnson pulls his musical weight by adding to Hammer's frenetic energy and stimulating musical dialogue throughout "Hip Address"."

1 Rebel Trot 4:39
2 Green and Black 3:30
3 Punk Luck 3:50
4 Siete Parati 3:34
5 Hip Address [Vocal Version] 4:45
6 Night 8:02
7 Bamboo Forest 6:07
8 Hip Address [instrumental] 6:19

David Earle Johnson - Vocals, Percussion, Conga, Drums, Timbales, Vocals, Kalimba
Jan Hammer - Keyboards, Drums

( Read more... )

Extremely versatile and respected French singer-songwriter. Active since the 70s, Renaud has written some very controversial songs during his musical career, the most famous one (to British readers at least) praising all women as being better than men except Margaret Thatcher, saying that if he comes back as a dog in his next life, he will use her as a lampost… He is famously recovering from alcoholism with some degree of success.

1. Laisse Beton
2. Le Blues De La Porte D'Orleans
3. La Chanson Du Loubard
4. Je Suis Une Bande De Jeunes
5. Adieu Minette
6. Les Charognards
7. Jojo Le Demago
8. Buffalo Debile
9. La Boum
10. Germaine
11. Melusine
12. La Bande A Lucien

Renaud Sechan - voix, guitare
Alain Ledouarin - guitare
Patrice Caratini - contrebasse
Alain Labacci - guitare et banjo
Joss Baselli - accordeon et bandoneon
Christian Lete - percussions
Jean-Jacques Milteau - harmonica

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AMG:
"By 1971, a new band was put together by drummer-composer Zohar Levy. They called themselves Acharit Ha'Yamim (Apocalypse), although not a prog band they were rather important and influential and their sole album (now considered a milestone of Israeli Rock) comprised psychedelic hard rock with strong Blues and soul influences and some progressive overtones, this album also failed commercially and the band broke-up.

Formed in 71, Apocalypse was the first artistic rock band in Israel. At the time, it wasn't much appreciated by local listeners, but for the years followed, Israeli audience began to adapt to this unique blend of 60's British rock'n'roll and Israeli folk music. Zohar Levi (drums and composition) added some influences from sophisticated trends that were going on at the time, like The Beatles later albums, and Proto-Prog bands. Their music is full of drive, and is related quite easily to hard rock. Due to commercial failure, Apocalypse disbanded only a year after being formed, leaving only one album behind them.

This self-titled album is by one of Israel`s first complete rock band. The 1972 album contains some of Israel`s best poetry put to rock music by Zohar Levi, the band`s percussionist. The album is considered by many as a masterpiece"

No Place For Two On The Pole
The Soaring Tree
The Princess
Open The Door For Me
Getting Up Exercise
Under The Eucalyptus Tree
The Life And Death Of Guskin
It's My Birthday

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AMG:
"Bobby Short is the Frank Sinatra of the supper clubs. Like Sinatra, Short is a consummate entertainer, a true professional. But the distance between Caesar's Palace and the Café Carlyle is approximately equal to the distance between Hoboken and uptown Manhattan, and Short's style is absolutely uptown. He has none of the hardscrabble swagger that infused Sinatra's work with pathos. If ever there was a time when Bobby Short was not invited to all the right parties, he doesn't let on, not for a note. The complete absence of angst makes Bobby Short Celebrates Rodgers & Hart easy listening indeed, but in the most wonderful way. His voice is unruffled and mellifluous, his phrasing spirited without ever being quite over the top. His articulation of Lorenz Hart's superb lyrics rests upon his witty and urbane piano playing like a marcelled starlet draped across a chaise lounge. His music is lovely without being too sweet, coquettish without being coarse, droll without being camp. Debonair, cosmopolitan and utterly self-possessed, Bobby Short is the just the man for the classic show tunes of Rodgers & Hart. Throughout this recording, he sustains a fantasy of New York that exists only on the big screen, and only in black and white. The national anthem of this magical dreamland is the "Hollywood Party" medley. This song is itself a delightful little movie — a rousing start; drama, action, and intrigue in the middle; culminating in one big, big finale."

1 On Your Toes 2:16
2 Medley: Hollywood Party No. 1/Hollywood Party No. 2 3:41
3 You Mustn't Kick It Around 2:25
4 Where or When 2:59
5 Have You Met Miss Jones? 2:40
6 Hallelujah, I'm a Bum 3:20
7 Johnny One Note 1:43
8 With a Song in My Heart 2:51
9 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 3:00
10 My Romance 3:52
11 Wait Till You See Her 2:46
12 There's a Small Hotel 2:25
13 Soon 3:18
14 Spring Is Here 3:21
15 Ev'ry Sunday Afternoon 2:02
16 Glad to Be Unhappy 3:21
17 I Still Believe in You 3:09
18 Nobody's Heart 2:33
19 You're What I Need 2:01
20 No Place but Home 3:29
21 You Took Advantage of Me 3:21
22 It's Got to Be Love 3:07
23 Isn't It Romantic? 2:50
24 Ev'rything I've Got 3:15
25 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered 3:27
26 I Wish I Were in Love Again 2:37

Bobby Short - Piano, Vocals
Beverly Peer - Bass
Richard Sheridan - Percussion, Drums

( Read more... )

AMG:
"A soul singer who is known primarily as Whitney Houston's mother rather than for her own considerable talents, Cissy Houston was born Emily Drinkard and began her career as a member of her family's gospel group, the Drinkards. In the early '60s, she joined forces with a floating group of singers known simply as the Group (including at various points Doris Troy and Dee Dee Warwick) to provide backup vocals on numerous soul, pop, and rock sessions. They contributed to many Atlantic sessions in particular, and Atlantic executive Jerry Wexler signed the act to the label in 1967. Named the Sweet Inspirations, they recorded some excellent gospel-flavored soul in the late '60s, managing a few hits (as well as continuing to back up other artists, most notably Aretha Franklin) before Houston left to go solo at the end of 1969. She recorded an impressive album for Commonwealth United in 1970, Presenting Cissy Houston, which yielded a couple of small R&B/pop hits: "I'll Be There" and "Be My Baby." Much in the manner of the Sweet Inspirations, although the material consisted of fairly well-worn soul, rock, and pop tunes, the state-of-the-art arrangements and gospel-ish vocals made them sound fresh. Her contract was sold to Janus Records later in the year, and while she issued a few singles there until the middle of the '70s, she never received the support and promotion she deserved. A case in point was her little-known original version of "Midnight Train to Georgia," taken to the top of the charts about a year later by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Houston recorded several albums for Private Stock beginning in the late '70s, as well as continuing her regular work on sessions and commercial jingles. She recorded a duet with daughter Whitney ("I Know Him So Well") in 1987, and cut a duet album with veteran soul singer Chuck Jackson in 1992."

1 Think It Over 6:00
2 Love Don't Hurt People 3:01
3 Somebody Should Have Told Me 4:30
4 After You Frank, James 4:38
5 Warning Danger 5:56
6 I Just Want to Be With You 5:08
7 An Umbrella Song 2:58
8 Sometimes 3:33
9 I Won't Be the One 3:00
10 Morning Much Better 3:58
11 Love Is Holding On 3:23
12 It Never Really Ended 2:51
13 Love Is Something That Leads You 2:52

Cissy Houston - Vocals
Michael Zager - Piano (Electric), Vocal Arrangement
Rob Mounsey - Keyboards
Dave Carey - Vibraphone
Michael Chimes - Harmonica
Alan Rubin - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Burt Collins - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Gerald Chamberlain - Trombone
Jack Jeffers - Trombone (Bass)
Ronnie Cuber - Sax (Baritone)
Lenny Hambro - Sax (Alto)
Jerry Love - Siren
Jeff Mironov - Guitar
Francisco Centeno - Bass
Donnie Harper - Bass
Allen Schwarzberg - Drums
Rubens Bassini - Percussion
Whitney Houston - Vocals (bckgr)
Beverley Ingram - Vocals (bckgr)
Alvin Fields - Vocals (bckgr)
Lani Groves - Vocals (bckgr)

( Read more... )

AMG:
"Like Frank Zappa, guitarist Henry Kaiser spent a good portion of the mid-'80s fascinated by the sonic wonders offered by the synclavier keyboard. Devil in the Drain, essentially a solo recording, documents some of his early experiments with it and suffers a bit from the dated quality it confers. He often uses it to generate percussive patterns, and even though his tendency is toward jagged and irregular rhythms derived in part from his love of the work of John French ("Drumbo" in the Captain Beefheart band), they sound shallow and lacking in richness. The music centers around a niche Kaiser found comfortable, straddling free improvisation and rock, but doesn't reach the free improv heights of some of his best work (the duo Wireforks with Derek Bailey, for example) or the deliciously impassioned cover songs he would do in the next few years. The title track uses text from a children's book by Daniel Pinkwater and has a dark undercurrent not unlike some of Edward Gorey's work, but musically it drags on for too long. Not a bad album, but one that Kaiser completists will enjoy more than the casual listener."

1 Sugagaki for Conlon 3:15
2 King of the Wild Frontier 2:54
3 Dark Memory #4 5:18
4 Smokestack Lightning 1:28
5 Roadside Picnic 5:21
6 Free to Choose 3:56
7 Lost Horizon 3:39
8 Devil in the Drain 9:09
9 If This Goes on... 3:07

Henry Kaiser - Guitar, Keyboards, Synclavier
Bruce Anderson - Guitar

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AMG:
"Although it is not obvious looking at this obscure (and long out-of-print) LP, this album has pianist Oscar Peterson's very first American recordings. Eight of the selections match Peterson on duets with bassist Ray Brown (the famous Oscar Peterson Trio was still over a year away), while four are taken from a 14-song session that found bassist Major Holley joining Peterson. This version of "Tenderly" was a big hit at the time and put the virtuoso pianist on the map, but Peterson was heading for stardom anyway. Other selections on the historic if surprisingly little-known album include "Little White Lies," "They Didn't Believe Me" and Peterson's basic originals "Nameless" and "Debut." Hopefully, Polygram will bring back this historic music on CD someday."

1 Debut 2:52
2 They Didn't Believe Me 2:55
3 Lover, Come Back to Me 2:51
4 Where or When 3:27
5 Three O'Clock in the Morning 3:39
6 All the Things You Are 3:36
7 Tenderly 3:46
8 Oscar's Blues 3:14
9 Little White Lies 3:09
10 In the Middle of a Kiss 3:13
11 Nameless 2:55
12 Two Sleepy People 3:18

Oscar Peterson - Piano
Ray Brown - Bass
Major Holley - Bass

( Read more... )

1 Theme from Shaft [Vocal Version] 4:39
2 Bumpy's Lament 1:51
3 Walk from Regio's 2:24
4 Ellie's Love Theme 3:18
5 Shaft's Cab Ride 1:10
6 Cafe Regio's 6:10
7 Early Sunday Morning 3:49
8 Be Yourself 4:30
9 A Friend's Place 3:24
10 Soulsville [Vocal Version] 3:48
11 No Name Bar 6:11
12 Bumpy's Blue s4:04
13 Shaft Strikes Again 3:04
14 Do Your Thing [Vocal Version] 19:30
15 The End Theme 1:56

Isaac Hayes - Keyboards, Vocals
Lester Snell - Synthesizer, Piano (Electric)
Sidney Kirk - Piano
Charles Pitts - Guitar
Michael Toles - Guitar
James Alexander - Bass
Ronald Hudson - Bass
Willie Hall - Drums, Tambourine
Gary Jones - Bongos, Conga
Johnny Allen - Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements
J. Alan Johnson - Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements
The Bar-Kays - Rhythm Section


( Read more... )

The Tapestry of Delights:
"Soft and delicate, yet melodic, confident and self-assured, this Deram act's only album resides somewhere between period UK country rock (Cochise, Quicksand, Southern Comfort, Quiver) and singer-songwriterdom (Mike Maran, Pete Atkin, Tony Hazzard) with plenty of light and shade thrown in from both sides.

Featuring crème de la creme of Britain's studio scene and aided by a sympathetic and lush production, this band manages to produce twelve superbly orchestrated tracks full of energy, effervescence, vigour, character, rich flavour and originality. It also features no less than three lead vocalists and - count them! - five guitarists, including none other than Southern Comfort's Gordon Huntley.

Was Eric Bell the same guy who played in Thin Lizzy, on Mk I line-up's biggest hits, "Whiskey In The Jar" and "The Rocker"?

Clem Cattini is featured in our other PICKs: Hungry Wolf, Ugly Custard, John Schroeder and Fancy.

Jimmy Hastings, of course, needs no introduction, being a long-standing member of Canterbury prog legend Caravan.

Grout-Smith designed the cover art for this album."

1. Help Me
2. Hello Lady
3. I Can't Believe My Eyes
4. City Boy
5. Blind Leading The Blind
6. Machine Side
7. See The Wheels Are Turning
8. Whenever
9. Do It for Mother
10. Blind Man
11. Nothing At All
12. See What The future Brings

Eric Bell - Guitar
Tony Carr - Percussion
Clem Cattini - Drums
John Chuter - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Ant Grouth-Smith - Guitar, Bass, Sax, Vocals
Jimmy Hastings - Flute
George Howe - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Gordon Huntley - Steel Guitar
Barry Morgan - Drums
Douglas Wright - Drums

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AMG:
"Released in 1974, Michael White's The Land of Spirit and Light is a spiritual jazz classic. Ambitious, outrageously creative, and aesthetically restless, it is simply one of the finest outings on the Impulse! label. Beginning with an unusual ensemble that included classical guitarist Bob King, bassist Cecil McBee, percussionist Kenneth Nash, Prince Lasha on woodwinds, and pianist Ed Kelly — along with vocalist Stanley Nash and some unidentified others — the set walks the line between improvisation and groove-based playing. The three-part title suite is a case in point, as McBee's bass creates a groove-based line and is flown over by White's violin and countermelodies by King. The melody from "Pt. 1" introduces "Pt. 2" and becomes a kind of freewheeling dance as soloists weave in and out and harmonic improvising becomes intuitive. "Pt. 3" changes directions entirely, as it is introduced briefly by percussion instruments cooking along to a speedy and pointed intersection with White and Kelly, the latter of whom solos in brief bursts before Lasha enters on flute and states an entirely new melody. The ten-minute "Fatima's Garden" is the hinge track on the disc, and is continually in the process of becoming as modal piano, bass, shimmering bells, and violin find a common ground about six minutes in before giving way to Lasha's flute as it meanders and wanders through the middle. There are Asian scales played by King, and the entire work comes off as a dreamscape. "Fiesta Dominical" sounds exactly like its title, with chanted vocals and Lasha's piccolo swirling about the mix. Even the thoroughly outside "O Ancient One," with its flamenco flavors courtesy of White, holds together because of its sparseness and inventiveness. No one player dominates, and the ensemble improvises as a whole until about three minutes in, when a groove rounds everybody up and Lasha's bass clarinet takes the improv groove in a loose contrapuntal exchange with White, whose deep Middle Eastern head covers the ground. The set closes with "Lament (Mankind)," a brief, mournful duet with White accompanied by McBee's bowed bass. It's startling, haunting, and an utterly unsettling way to end such a joyous recording, but it works because the sheer restlessness of the adventure has been so joyous. It adds a melancholy balance to the sounds of paradise. Wonderful."

1 The Land of Spirit and Light, Pt. 1 2:43
2 The Land of Spirit and Light, Pt. 2 3:21
3 The Land of Spirit and Light, Pt. 3 4:33
4 Fatima's Garden 10:01
5 Fiesta Dominical 7:23
6 O Ancient One 8:52
7 Lament (Mankind) 2:27

Michael White - Violin
Prince Lasha - Clarinet, Flute
Ed Kelly - Piano
Bobby King - Guitar
Cecil McBee - Bass
Kenneth Nash - Percussion
Stanley Nash - Vocals
Kenny Jenkins - Vocals

( Read more... )

1 Bolond Varos 3:23
2 Oh, Napsugar 2:53
3 Pardon, Ez A Kezem Volt 2:47
4 Sarga Lampak 2:59
5 Dal A Maganyrol 2:43
6 Nehez Fiuk 4:10
7 Vandorut 3:09
8 A Haz 4:36
9 Megered Az Eg 2:46
10 Fenyek A Tavolban 3:34
11 Lattam En Egy Osztrigat 3:26
12 Gyere Alom 7:18

Balazs Feco - enek, zongora, orgona
Debreczeni Ferenc - dob, enek
Galacz Lajos - enek, gitar
Pasztor Laszlo - gitar, vokal
Som Lajos - basszusgitar

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AMG:
"A perfunctory release of what could have been a very good live album, this is marred by some shocking sonic lapses. The performances themselves are perfectly good, highlighting much of the band's best material, such as "Lady of the Lake" and "Shine on Brightly," albeit in a live setting that has somewhat more warmth than the original studio renditions. The two lesser radio-fodder tracks, "Can't Think Twice" and "Could This Be Love," are paired together, which at least makes them convenient to skip. But there are several spots where the source tape warbled and changed speed in a most excruciating manner. No one at the record label appears to have been listening; since they occur during instrumentals and repeated choruses, there's absolutely no reason that they couldn't have been fixed with some judicious cutting and splicing. This is no Yessongs, granted, but surely Starcastle deserved better than this."

1. Shine On Brightly (5:10)
2. Forces (5:51)
3. Can't Think Twice (3:43)
4. Could This Be Love (3:37)
5. Change in Time (4:31)
6. Lady of the Lake (10:42)
7. Breath and Thunder (6:02)
8. Fountains (9:50)

Terry Luttrell - lead vocals
Gary Strater - bass, vocals
Stephen Tassler - drums, percussion, vocals
Herb Schildt - organ, synthesizers, piano
Matthew Stewart - guitars, vocals
Stephen Hagler - guitars, vocals

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AMG:
"Singer Barbara Lea often recalls her idol and friend Lee Wiley on this set of love songs. The backup is uniformly tasteful but changes from song to song with such impressive stylists as trumpeter Johnny Windhurst, baritonist Ernie Caceres, Garvin Bushell (on oboe and bassoon), Dick Cary (the arranger on piano and alto horn), guitarist Jimmy Raney and (on a beautiful version of "True Love") harpist Adele Girard making memorable appearances. Lea's straightforward and heartfelt delivery is heard at its best on such songs as "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "Mountain Greenery," "More than You Know" and "Autumn Leaves" (which is partly taken in French). These interpretations are often touching."

1. Will I Find My Love Today
2. We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together
3. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
4. Am I In Love?
5. The Very Thought Of You
6. I've Got My Eyes On You
7. True Love
8. Mountain Greenery
9. More Than You Know
10. Ain't Misbehavin'
11. Autumn Leaves
12. Sleep Peaceful, Mr. Used-To-Be

Barbara Lea - Vocals
with
Dick Cary - Piano
Johnny Windhurst - Trumpet
Ernie Caceres - Clarinet, Sax (Baritone)
Garvin Bushell - Bassoon, Oboe
Adele Girard - Harp
Al Casamenti - Guitar
Al Hall - Bass
Osie Johnson - Drums
and The Jimmy Lyon Trio:
Jimmy Lyon - Piano
Jimmy Raney - Guitar
Beverly Peer - Bass

( Read more... )

1. Childe Roland (7:14)
2. Hall of mirrors (4:59)
3. Song for Europe (4:27)
4. Something wicked this way comes (9:53)
5. Sheets of blue (12:05)
6. Chaldean crossing (11:07)
7. La rage (12:08)
8. Earthborn (5:58)
9. Jerusalem (4:01)

Robert John Godfrey - keyboards
Stephen Stewart - guitars, synths and vocals
Niall Feldman - bass
Damian Risdon - drums and percussion
Troy Donockley - Low Whistles
Geraldine Connor - vocals
Robert Perry - keyboards - Stage Design

( Read more... )

1 Star of the County Down 2:41
2 Irish Heartbeat 3:52
3 Tá Mo Chleamhnas Déanta (My Match It Is Made) 3:31
4 Raglan Road 4:43
5 She Moved Through the Fair 4:44
6 I'll Tell Me Ma 2:29
7 Carrickfergus 4:23
8 Celtic Ray Morrison 3:47
9 My Lagan Love 5:19
10 Marie's Wedding 3:17

Van Morrison - Guitar, Arranger, Drums, Vocals
Paddy Moloney - Pipe, Whistle, Uillean Pipes, Tin Whistle
Derek Bell - Harp, Keyboards, Tympani, Tiompan
Kevin Conneff - Drums, Vocals, Bodhran
Martin Fay - Fiddle, Percussion
Sean Keane - Fiddle
Matt Molloy - Flute
Ciaran O'Braonain - Bass
Maura O'Connell - Vocals (bckgr)
Mary Black - Vocals (bckgr)
June Boyce - Vocals (bckgr)

( Read more... )

AMG:
"One of the great things about following an artist like Chris Cutler over a thirty-year career is to see how qualities in his earliest work are transformed over the years and projects. From the art song experimentation of Henry Cow, Cutler has continued to write interesting texts which are not intuitively suited for musical expression, and then to find collaborators to set them to brilliant and sometimes difficult music. Although the art song as a genre hails from composers like Schubert, Cutler takes his influences from Schoenberg, Stravinsky and Bartok as well, and comes up with a monumental achievement with the Science Group, a worthy successor to a line that includes Art Bears, Domestic Stories, and the (EC) Nudes. His primary collaborators here are studio wizard and multi-instrumentalist Bob Drake and keyboardist/composer Steven Tickmayer. Long-time colleague Fred Frith reprises guitar duties, and Claudio Puntin plays wind instruments (recalling Lindsay Cooper's work with Henry Cow). Amy Denio once again takes up the thorny texts and angular melodies. Tickmayer's music is all over, from the ethereal chamber music of "Engineering" to the progrock keyboard solo in "Parity," from the chorale of "Love" to the driving rock of "Schroedinger's Box," changing tempi and moods as rapidly as the 'protean masses interrupt, corrupt, erupt' ("Chimera"). Cutler's lyrics, inspired by The New Scientist and the work of George Steiner, center around epistemological and scientific themes, light years away from the banalities of most pop music, but also a continuation of his text work (recall that Cutler set Thomas Pynchon to music in his Cassiber group). This is a superb album, both in itself and as part of the continuing genre expanding work from Chris Cutler and his musical associates."

1. Mnemonic
2. Aleph Zero
3. Engineering
4. Lost In Translation
5. Chmera
6. Parity
7. Love
8. Open Or Closed?
9. Napoleon
10. .......In.....
11. ...........Schroedinger's Box
12. Event Horizon
13. Lab Notes
14. Scale Invarians
15. There Must Be Something
16. Napoleon, In Schroedinger's Box

Stevan Tickmayer - keyboards
Chris Cutler - percussions
Bob Drake - bass
+
Fred Frith - guitars
Amy Denio - vocals
Claudio Puntin - clarinet
Shaun de Waal - voice

( Read more... )

AMG:
"Although purists might not find it as much to their taste as Midnight Creeper, Everything I Play Is Funky is easily one of the best examples of Lou Donaldson's commercially accessible period of the late '60s and early '70s. Donaldson's forays into funk and R&B-driven soul-jazz could sometimes sound stiff, but the grooves here — which feature many of the same players — are consistently limber and unforced. And, typical of the style, the grooves (not adventurous improvisation) are what make the album tick. For once, Donaldson's attempt at an R&B cover — in this case, the Lee Dorsey-sung, Allen Toussaint-penned "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" — is pulled off well enough to make for an entirely convincing statement of purpose. That number kicks off an entertaining program also highlighted by three Donaldson originals — the cooking funk number "Donkey Walk," which seems to inspire the fieriest solos on the record, the cheery calypso "West Indian Daddy," and the hard bop-flavored "Minor Bash." There's also a version of "Over the Rainbow" done in Donaldson's caressing, melodic ballad style, and the simple funk vamp "Hamp's Hump." It's a nicely varied assortment, all anchored by the percolating rhythm section of guitarist Melvin Sparks, bassist Jimmy Lewis, and drummer Idris Muhammad (Charles Earland and Dr. Lonnie Smith switch off on organ, and Blue Mitchell and Eddie Williams do the same on trumpet). This is the sort of record that modern-day Donaldson disciples like the Sugarman Three cherish, and one of his few truly consistent efforts in this style. Recommended wholeheartedly to funk and rare-groove fans."

1 Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On) 5:15
2 Hamp's Hump 6:35
3 Over the Rainbow 7:05
4 Donkey Walk 6:32
5 West Indian Daddy 6:22
6 Minor Bash 6:08

Lou Donaldson - Sax (Alto), Vocals
Blue Mitchell - Trumpet
Eddie Williams - Trumpet
Melvin Sparks - Guitar
Charles Earland - Organ
Dr. Lonnie Smith - Organ
Jimmy Lewis - Bass
Idris Muhammad - Drums
Rudy Van Gelder - Engineer

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Progarchives:
"TWELFTH NIGHT emerged from the Andy Revell Band formed at Reading University, where in 1978 they won a talent competition. Geoff MANN was an artist friend of the band from the moment in 1977 that he knocked on Andy's door to find out what record Andy was listening to and discovered that it was just Andy playing guitar! The embryonic band consisted of Andy and Brian Devoil (drums), with Mr Rick Battersby managing the dry ice.

After Clive Mitten joined in 1979, TWELFTH NIGHT as a band were born and got straight down to the work of recording. A live LP followed several tapes and experiments with other musicians, including one Electra Mcleod who performed vocals for one tape only. A vocalist was needed - but where to get one? Many were auditioned - including Geoff, who also performed a gig or two with the band and wrote some words for "Sequences".

A successful series of gigs was followed by the band being booked for the Reading Festival - the first local Reading band to have achieved this in the history of the festival. After much deliberating, Geoff MANN, the backdrop painter became Geoff MANN the poet, lyricist and vocalist.

It's important to consider the musical, social and political climate of the late 1970s - early 1980s to get a handle on what TWELFTH NIGHT were about; The roots of the music lie mainly in Andy Revell's HACKETT/HILLAGE guitar sound, but GENESIS, early PINK FLOYD and WISHBONE ASH are the most obvious influences. It has been said that there is a punk element to TN, and while there is a certain amount of aggression, that energy comes more directly from NWOBHM than punk. MANN's vocal style and lyrics may be laced with anarchism, but they run a whole lot deeper than that - Geoff was a deep thinker and poet, and later became ordained. His words attack the idle non-thinking majority in a cajoling way, they attack the governments at a grass-roots level and they attack the nonsense of war - but also support the positive aspects of life, like love.

After MANN left (amicably) to join the church in 1983, a new era of TN started with Andy Sears as vocalist. TWELFTH NIGHT are still making music in one form or another - but it tends to be fitted around the day jobs. Sadly, Geoff died of cancer in 1993.

The "MANN-era" music will live on in prog as being something particularly special, as it goes several steps further than even FISH-era MARILLION, with whom the band are often (mistakenly) compared."

1. The Ceiling Speaks (8:26)
2. The End Of The Endless Majority (3:18)
3. We Are Sane (12:04)
4. Fact And Fiction (5:27)
5. The Poet Sniffs A Flower (4:03)
6. Sequences (17:14)
7. Creepshow (12:06)
8. East Of Eden (5:14)
9. Love Song (8:29)

Geoff Mann - vocals
Andy Revell - guitars
Rick Battersby - keyboards
Clive Mitte - bass
Brian Devoil - drums

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