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Here are a couple of new CDs by one of my favorite US Prog bands Frogg Cafe:

 

 

4^th album by the excellent US Prog band Frogg Cafe and their first live recording compiled from various performances and live in the studio recordings made over a period of two years. The band was expanded to a sextet, adding John Lieto on trombone, and features the new guitar player Steve Uh, who replaced the band's founding number, guitarist Frank Camiola. Bill Ayasse on violin and Nick Lieto on keyboards and trumpet provide the additional lead voicing, supported by the creative rhythm section of Andrew Sussman on bass and James Guarnieri on drums. Frogg Cafe was always primarily a live band, touring extensively, and their performances are always inspired and uplifting. Expanding the studio album tracks into long, full of improvisations, expanded pieces is what they do here. Half of this album's tracks exceed the 10 minutes mark and are a delight to follow, the other half being just slightly shorter and all as good. Several new tunes are also heard here for the first time. This album marks a transition for the band from the Prog past into a more Jazz-Rock Fusion direction, emphasized by the long solos and complex rhythmic structures. The many faithful fans of the group will not be disappointed and this is an absolute must on all accounts for them, but every Prog and Fusion fan should find this stuff interesting. This is definitely a prime example how contemporary challenging music should be played.

 

 

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Here are a couple of new CDs by one of my favorite US Prog bands Frogg Cafe:

 

 

Although not a formal release, this album by the excellent US Prog band Frogg Cafe is a fascinating glimpse into the creative process of music making. It includes excerpts form a 4 hours live in the studio improvised jam session. The ideas are developed spontaneously and flow all over the place, but there is a coherency and great taste prevailing at all times, which turns this music into a unique experience. This is the last recording featuring the band's founding number, guitarist Frank Camiola, who unfortunately had to leave the band due to health reasons. Bill Ayasse on violin and Nick Lieto on keyboards and trumpet provide the additional lead voicing, supported by the creative rhythm section of Andrew Sussman on bass and James Guarnieri on drums. For the many fans of the group, this is an absolute must on all accounts, but every Prog fan should find this stuff interesting, especially those more inclined towards the Jazzy / Fusion side of the genre. This highly atmospheric and challenging music is definitely worth investigating and returning to repeatedly.

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the great Cuneiform label:

 

 

6^th album by the excellent Italian group Deus Ex Machina recorded and filmed (as it comes with an accompanying DVD) at the Paris club "Le Triton", famous for its association with Prog, RIO and Jazz. The club has a recording studio on the premises, which enables recording both studio and live material in high quality. The group, fronted by the incredible singer Alberto Piras, whose voice is of truly operatic quality, plays a strange mixture of Jazz-Rock Fusion, RIO and avant-garde, completely unique and amazing. The lyrics are both in Italian and Latin (they were all Latin on their previous album "Cinque") and were written by Piras; the music was all composed by guitarist Maurino Collina and keyboardist Fabrizio Puglisi. The DVD includes a complete live concert filmed at the club as well as other bonus material like interviews with the band members and earlier video clips going back to the early days of the group in the 1990s. Altogether this is an impressive package containing both studio and live material and concert footage – a great document of a great group. A must for RIO and Fusion enthusiasts alike and considering the success of their previous album, very little encouragement is needed to make people go for this one.

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the great Cuneiform label:

 

 

Relatively little known and surely deserving more recognition, the British Jazz-Rock Fusion band Isotope, led by guitarist Gary Boyle, recorded just 3 albums between 1974 and 1976, and these were soon out of general circulation. The only live recordings by the band available so far were the BBC sessions on Hux Records, and therefore this collection of live material is a most welcome addition to the band's recorded legacy. Recorded between 1974 and 1975, the material captures the second incarnation of the band, which included Boyle on guitar, Laurence Scott on keyboards, ex-Soft Machine bassist / composer Hugh Hopper and drummer Nigel Morris. Percussionist Aureo de Souza was also a member of the band for several months, and the full quintet appears here for the first time on record. The three dates include a Radio Bremen performance (the Radio Bremen is a superb source of material for 1970s British music, second only to the BBC), the only US tour Isotope made in 1975 and an earlier UK recording from 1974. The music includes some of the material recorded on the 2^nd Isotope album "Illusion" and other pieces previously unheard, composed mostly by Boyle and Hopper. For Isotope fans this is an absolute delight, but any fun of the 1970s British Jazz-Rock scene will find this material indispensible.

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the great Cuneiform label:

 

 

2^nd album by Spanish Jazz-Rock band Planeta Imaginario, a classic 8 piece with guitar, piano, bass, drums and 4 horns, resembling similar bands from the early days of Jazz-Rock like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, but (almost) entirely instrumental. They play all original material, composed by the guitarist (Eneko Alberdi Laskurain) and pianist (Marc Capel Nadal). The recording has a retro sound, which is just right for the band, and the orchestral arrangements are all top notch. This album is great fun all the way through and people who love the Jazzier Canterbury stuff and 1970s Jazz-Rock will love this album to bits. The music is quite a strange mixture of classic Jazz-Rock themes, ethnic influences (African and Middle Eastern) and others, creating a completely original blend, which is refreshing and interesting. Most warmly recommended!

 

 

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A new Improvised Music album by the Jewish pianist Bob Gluck and his trio:

 

 

American pianist Bob Gluck and his trio (Michael Bisio – bass and Dean Sharp – percussion) present on this album the full foray of Free Jazz and Improvised Music highly spirited and excellently executed. Gluck, although classically educated, finds his way into Improvised Music of the Cecil Taylor vein quite naturally, expending the "traditional" approach by his use of electronic devices and even the Jewish shofar to express his ideas. Although mostly freely improvised, the music is based upon compositions, two by Joe Zawinul (which is a major source of inspiration for Gluck) and one by Ornette Coleman. The rest of the compositions are originals, all by Gluck except one by the bassist. This is highly emotional music, as usual in the case of Improvised Music, which requires attentive listening and open-mindedness, but for the experienced listener this is quite a treat. Recommended to the connoisseurs of the genre.

 

 

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Here is a new series of box sets with some great music for a great price:

 

 

This great box set includes five original albums recorded between 1971 and 1977 by the great guitarist Jeff Beck, when he was leading his Jeff Beck Group and later as a solo artist, marking his transition from Rock to Jazz-Rock Fusion: "Rough And Ready", "Jeff Beck Group", "Blow By Blow", "Wired" and "With Jan Hammer Group Live". The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Please read the original album descriptions for more details (click on the title links). Essential!

 

 

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Here is a new series of box sets with some great music for a great price:

 

 

This great box set includes five original albums recorded between 1971 and 1980 by the revolutionary Weather Report, led by keyboardist Joe Zawinul, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and later bassist Jaco Pastorius: "I Sing The Body Electric", "Sweetnighter", "Mysterious Traveller", "Black Market" and "Night Passage". The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Please read the original album descriptions for more details (click on the title links). Absolutely essential!

 

 

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Here is a new series of box sets with some great music for a great price:

 

 

This great box set includes the first five original albums recorded between 1971 and 1974 by the revolutionary Mahavishnu Orchestra (Mk. I & II), led by guitarist John McLaughlin: "The Inner Mounting Flame", "Birds Of Fire", "Between Nothingness & Eternity", "Apocalypse" and "Visions Of Emerald Beyond". The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Please read the original album descriptions for more details (click on the title links). Absolutely essential!

 

 

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Finally the other album the by legendary band Trees gets a remastered / expanded treatment:

 

 

1^st album by the little known UK Folk-Rock band Trees, which recorded just two albums before it disbanded. Trees followed the formula set by other contemporary Folk-Rock bands, like Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Pentangle), with female vocalist (Celia Humphris) fronting the band, a repertoire consisting both of traditional British folk and self-penned material, mostly by the band's bassist Bias Boshell. The main difference was the use of lead electric guitar (Barry Clarke), which was featured much more prominently than other representatives of the genre usually allowed for, as well as the Psychedelic influence of the period, which other Folk-Rock bands largely ignored. Altogether a beautiful album and a classic of the genre, now finally remastered and expanded with four bonus tracks, two of which are recent recordings of songs that the band intended to include on this album, but never did. This is a long awaited reissue, which all Folk-Rock enthusiasts will find indispensible for their collection and enjoy immensely.

 

 

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