DVD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Looking for a piece of Classic Rock history? Look no further! This spectacular DVD set delivers everything one might hope for in that department. Professionally filmed at a special concert and intended to be included as a part of the Who documentary "The Kids Are Alright", this footage was eventually abandoned and laid in the vault for 30 years, to be seen in its entirety for the first time now, after becoming the Holy Grail for fans after years of anticipation. With remastered sound and restored video quality, the DVD sound and looks as it was recorded yesterday, truly amazing. The band goes through a set of favorites, spanning their entire career, with dexterity, power and absolutely total dedication, as they always did. Slightly rusty as a result of not playing together for over a year, Roger Daltrey delivers the vocals as if his life depended on it, Pete Townshend is all over the stage in manic frenzy, John Entwistle lurks in the shadows delivering those unbelievable virtuosi bass lines and Keith Moon beats the hell out of his enormous drum set in a way only he could, earning him the legendary status of one of Rock's most talented drummers. Sadly enough this was to be one of his last live performances before his tragic and untimely death. If all of this is not enough, the 2^nd DVD includes a 1969 never-before-seen concert by the Who at London's Coliseum, another Holy Grail for the band's fans, where "Tommy" was played as the main part of the performance. Spectacular stuff! Yes, sure, I'm not objective, after all this music was the soundtrack of my youth, but hey I can still enjoy this music 30-40 years later, and it kicks ass. Essential piece of Rock history! Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS, 138 minutes.

 

Side Note: I've watched closely the discussions about this release on several music forums on the Net and some of the stuff people said there really pisses me off, big time. Moon looks fat, he misses beats, Daltrey looks old… for Pete's sake, what bullshit. Theses were Master musicians and total professionals. On stage they gave everything they had, absolutely total dedication, so total in fact that many of them paid for it with their lives! Looking at these people on stage only proves that most of the current bands look like a bunch of amateurish wankers in comparison.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

1^st album by Canadian instrumental Jazz-Rock Fusion quintet Upright led by bassist Eric Martin, who also composed all the music the included here. The quintet (sax, guitar, keyboards, bass and drums) goes through a set of quite nice tunes with some quirky rhythm changes, nothing spectacular or innovative but altogether a pleasant Fusion album which can be enjoyed by the genre's many fans.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

1^st album by short-lived US Prog group Quill, which is one of the greatest but sadly little known gems of the US 1970s Prog Movement, brought to life only by this CD reissue. The band also recorded another, even more ambitious project, which remains unissued to this very day. The album is a concept story in two long movements, almost entirely instrumental, performed by the three Quill members: keyboardist Ken DeLoria, bassist Keith Christian and drummer Jim Sides. The obvious keyboard trios come to mind (Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, etc.) but the band deserves to be remembered by its own merits, as it is truly remarkable. The complex and intertwined musical themes and the spectacular instrumental solos (especially on the Hammond organ) are amongst Prog's finest moments and the album is definitely a minor masterpiece in its own right. No serious Prog collection would be complete without this shining gem!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

1^st album by obscure US Prog quintet Tesseract, which presents quite an ambitious, almost totally instrumental set of compositions, heavily influenced by Gentle Giant and Classical Music, sort of GG goes Baroque. The front instrument is the violin, played by obviously classically trained Karen Bentley, with keyboardists and the band's main composer Don Tillman supplying all most of the melody lines using an array of instruments, including the Mellotron. The only non-original piece on the album is the band's adaptation of a Bach composition, which suits the bill. As nothing was heard from the band in over a decade now, this might be their only recording, but it is a little gem that well deserves to be remembered. The more classically inclined Prog lovers will definitely enjoy this album very much, as well as all GG aficionados. Recommended!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

This great box set includes the five original albums recorded between 1975 and 1979 by the guitar Master John McLaughlin: The three albums with the Jazz-World Fusion group Shakti - "Shakti", "A Handful Of Beauty" and "Natural Elements", the solo album "Electric Guitarist" and the album with One Truth Band "Electric Dreams". 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 bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

5^th album by US Prog trio Rocket Scientists, led by keyboards wizard Erik Norlander and active since the mid-1990s, continues their splendid output so far. Although rarely mentioned as one of the top Prog acts, they are truly excellent and often much more ambitious and intelligent than most other acts of the genre. Norlander is an extraordinary instrumentalist (a "one man orchestra") and a great composer with highly developed sense of melody and harmony. Guitarist Mark McCrite (who is a founding member) and bass / stick player Don Schiff (who joined the band on the second album) create some mighty music here, powerful at times, lyrical at others, which is a pure delight for any Symphonic / Neo Prog enthusiast. The album recorded almost 8 years after their last release, presents almost 2 hours of Prog at its best, full of excellent instrumental passages and long, well developed musical themes. For people familiar with the band's legacy this one is no surprise, for those who are not, this is a splendid opportunity to get acquainted with one the best bands around.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

US RIO act, Thinking Plague, have been responsible for producing some of the most interesting music since the mid-1980s, recording superb albums once every few years. Always on the forefront of new musical developments the group shuns any conventions and is always full of wonderful surprises. This album is the first live recording by the group, caught at the Nearfest Festival in 2000. Expanded to a sextet, with leader Mike Johnson (guitar), Mark Harris (reeds) Matt Mitchell (keyboards), Dave Willey (bass), Dave Kerman (drums) and fronted by the wonderful vocalist Deborah Perry they deliver some amazing music, which includes some material previously released on their albums and new stuff previously unheard. This is some of the best contemporary Prog and a joy to listen to with never a dull moment in sight. Definitely a must for RIO fans and highly recommended for every Prog enthusiast, able to move beyond the Symphonic basics.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

British pianist / composer Howard Riley is one of the most notable precursors of the Free Jazz and Improvised Music, not only in his country, but worldwide. His visionary approach to composing and performing has been a beacon for musicians trying to expand the horizons of the musical world, as we know it, for almost five decades now. This album is a most welcome reissue of a solo piano album dating from the early 1980s, which has been unavailable for much to long. At the time of this recording Riley has already reached a maturity and self-determination, after playing and composing for 25 years, always on edge of the established musical rules, moving outwards. The five pieces are a stellar example of Riley's extraordinary technique, dynamics and creative thinking. Lovers of his music (sadly few in numbers) and connoisseurs of Improvised Music, will of course cherish this piece of Art, as much as I do.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Although the early period of the legendary Canterbury band Soft Machine is relatively well documented on record, especially in the last decade when many live recordings of the band have been unearthed, cleaned up and released, video material was so far almost completely nonexistent. Therefore if there is a Holy Grail of Canterbury scene, and of course of Soft Machine, this is it! This footage, filmed by French TV at the Theatre de la Musique is not only a stellar visual experience but also a great sonic document due to the theatre's superb acoustic. The band is at their most creative peak of course and what's more the quintet lineup here, including Lyn Dobson on saxes and flute, existed for a mere few months and is almost undocumented on record. Elton Dean, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt are the band's backbone and of course everybody plays their hearts out in glorious harmony and high-spirited atmosphere. I don't need to emphasize how great and groundbreaking this music is (as I have done repeatedly so many times already), so let's just say that this is an essential piece of music history, which deserves a place in any serious music collection.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Canterbury scene founder (or at least one of the founders) Kevin Ayers reveals here a bunch of his private recordings (demos, outtakes, etc.) from the early days of his solo career (after leaving Soft Machine), recorded mostly by himself (vocals, guitar, piano) and all written by himself. A few regular cohorts (David Bedford – organ, Mike Oldfield – bass, Robert Wyatt – drums) give a helping hand on occasion, but mostly this is Ayers by himself, demonstrating his amazing songwriting abilities and a unique delivery. This is a superb document of the early 1970s music, but also of the social climate and the care-free approach to life that characterized the bohemian scene Ayers was so much a part of. "Portrait of an Artist as a young man" is a very suitable description and this is not only a historical document but also a delightful trip down the memory lane, back to times long gone and much missed. The dedicated Ayers fans will of course be delighted to listen to this material, and considering the fact that none of it was ever heard before this is a Canterbury Holy Grail in many respects. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Soft Heap was a short-lived Canterbury super-group where members of Soft Machine (Hugh Hopper – bass and Elton Dean – sax) met with pianist Alan Gowen (Gilgamesh, National Health) and drummer Pip Pyle (Gong, Hatfield And The North). They managed to record just one (eponymous) studio album and disbanded shortly afterwards, with each musician pursuing their own path. This wonderful album presents one of the very few live gigs the band played live in London and is of course a Canterbury dream comes true. The band had all the qualities that make the Canterbury scene so special; superb musicianship, great compositions and a free spirit atmosphere with a dash of typical British humor. For specialists – we can hear here a composition by Gowen, which was never previously available on record and the band's name (second word) is an acronym of the band's first names. Considering the fact that Gowen, Dean and Pyle are no longer with us (they passed away in 1981, 2006 and 2006 respectively) and Hopper is fighting leukemia at the time these lines are written, this is a tremendously important document of an era, which unfortunately is long time gone. A must for any Canterbury fan!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

British pianist Steve Miller (brother of guitarist Phil Miller) started his way on the Canterbury scene when he played with legendary bands like Delivery and Caravan, but by the late 1970s he reexamined his ambitions and musical approach and moved to play Free Jazz, as did many of his Canterbury cahoots. In the mid 1980s Steve led his own trio with Tony Moore on bass and Eddie Prevost on drums, performing a series of concerts with guest saxophone players, which included Lol Coxhill, Bobby Wellins, Harrison Smith and Elton Dean. The recording on this album present the concert with Dean and it is a remarkable document of the British avant-garde Jazz at the time. As a bonus an earlier encounter between Miller and Dean, featuring another Canterbury hero, the drummer Pip Pyle, is also included. Considering the fact that Miller died prematurely in 1998 and Dean is also already on the other side since 2006, this album is a splendid addition to their legacy and a delight to their many admirers. British Jazz enthusiasts will of course be especially delighted to hear this material. Recommended!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

British saxophone Giant Mike Osborne retired from active performing by the end of 1982 as a result of his mental illness, leaving the local Free Jazz scene with an enormous empty space. Although his playing is relatively well documented starting in the late 1960s, when he was an active participant in creating the British Jazz revolution / emancipation, and in the 1970s when he played with the most prestigious ensembles, but his last period before his untimely retirement remains almost completely undocumented. Therefore these recordings, dating from the early 1980s, shortly before he was to stop performing are priceless and of great historic importance. The two sessions presented here are both quartet recordings with Dave Holdsworth on trumpet and alternating bassists Marcio Mattos / Paul Bridge and drummers Brian Abrahams / Tony Marsh. Osborne's playing is fluid and passionate, presenting the absolute heights of improvisational artistry. Both quartets present the usual level of telepathic interplay present in Free Jazz situation, with all musicians performing brilliantly. Osborne died in 2007, leaving behind him a legacy, which proves beyond any doubt that he was a true Force of Nature. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Legendary ex-Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper is definitely one of the most prolific and restless alumni of that band and his output over the year is nothing but extraordinary. Floating between Improvised Music / Free Jazz, modern Jazz and even Fusion, his dedication to move forward and explore uncharted territory is truly admirable. This new project takes Hopper into a completely new area, which combines Free Improvisation with ambient textures and steady upbeat, creating quite a fascinating and original musical experience. Although the music is completely improvised, it sounds as if pre-composed and more often than not even melodic. Hopper's partners are saxophonist Simon Picard (member of the excellent Canterbury ensemble In Cahoots led by guitarist Phil Miller), keyboardist Steve Franklin and drummer Charles Hayward. Together they create some extraordinary musical vistas, full of imagination, beauty and inspiration, which yet again prove that music has no boundaries and new possibilities are still out there. Hopper's many fans need no encouragement to try this out, but I'd recommend this stuff to every Canterbury / Jazz fan, as it definitely covers some uncharted music ground, which is accessible to most music lovers. Fascinating!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Live recordings by the legendary Canterbury band Soft Machine have been popping out in recent years on a regular basis, but all of these concentrate on the early days around the period between (and before) the first album and up to about 1973. Therefore this live album is especially interesting, as it dates from 1975, when the Band went through a radical change with a new lineup, adding the extraordinary powers of guitarist Allan Holdsworth. The band, which also included Karl Jenkins on oboe, sax and keyboards, Mike Ratledge on keyboards, Roy Babbington on bass and John Marshall on drums, abandoned the material recorded on previous albums and concentrated on entirely new material, written mostly by Jenkins and Ratledge, which was about to be released on the "Bundles" album. The source of the recording is the endless archive of Radio Bremen, which of course ensures superb sonic quality. Soft Machine enthusiasts need no encouragement to grab this album with sweaty hands, expecting the best, and sure enough it delivers in full. The performances are stellar, the music enchanting and although less revolutionary and avant-garde then the earlier period, nevertheless it is still some of the best stuff played in the 1970s, with distinct Fusion overtones and masterly touches by the musicians. The album includes extensive liner notes, where the band members reminiscence about the period and circumstances of the recording – a great read and together with the music what a piece of music history!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions, mostly on the Prog / Fusion side, with some Jazzy excursions – all really great stuff:

 

 

Italian Prog / Fusion ensemble Arti & Mestieri was formed in the early 1970s and has been active on the scene continuously, releasing new albums from time to time. The band's leader, drummer Furio Chirco, is definitely one of Fusion's most extraordinary figures, often compared to Billy Cobham (at his prime). The keyboardist Beppe Crovella is also an outstanding player, using an array of analog instruments. Together the band sounds like a combination of the best 1970s Fusion bands (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Flock, Return To Forever, etc.), but with a distinct Italian touch, evident mostly in the beautiful melodic lines. This live recording captures the current lineup of the band (a septet with vocals, violin, sax, guitar, keyboards, bass and drums) performing in front of an ecstatic Japanese audience. The material includes two long mini-suites, which present the material from the band's first two legendary albums from the 1970s: "Tilt" and "Giro Di Valzer Per Domani", as well a selection of newer compositions. The band's overall sound is purposely "retro", which of course is even more delightful. This is an absolute must, not only for the many fans of this legendary band, but for every Prog / Fusion enthusiasts. When we (often) say "they don't make music like this any more", this album is one of the very few exceptions to the rule. Don't even think twice!

 

 

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Here is a nice album by US drummer Martin Urbach, who got in touch with me out of the blue:

 

 

1^st album by US drummer / composer Martin Urbach, who was born in Bolivia and moved to the US at the age of 18, settling in New Orleans. Following the tragic events in New Orleans as the result of the devastating Hurricane Katrina hitting the town, he relocated to NY State. This album features a quintet with Urbach on drums, Scott Bourgeois on saxophones, Brian Seeger on guitars, Tim Collins on vibraphone and Pascal Niggenkemper on bass, playing nine original compositions by Urbach. The music is high-spirited, with well developed melodies and excellent performances by all musicians. Nothing overtly experimental, just good, straight-forward Jazz, well played and full of ideas and great melodies, something every Jazz lover should enjoy. This is the kind of music one can easily return to time after time, enjoying it repeatedly. Since the vibraphone is rarely used these days, I especially enjoyed hearing that wonderful instrument back in action. Recommended!

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Here is the first of the two albums by brilliant Israeli pianist Alon Yavnai:

 

 

1^st album by Israeli pianist / composer Alon Yavnai, who currently lives in the US and is one of the several Israeli musicians, who managed to establish an international fame and career for themselves in the last few years. Classically trained in Israel, Yavnai continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music, soon after to join the Cuban Master Paquito D`Rivera's ensemble, performing worldwide and recording several albums, including the 2008 Grammy winner "Funk Tango". In parallel, Yavnai develops his solo career, playing with his trio, cooperating with the great NDR Big Band in Hamburg and performing with many acclaimed Jazz artists. This debut album puts him in the spotlight as an instrumentalist and composer. With his trio: Massimo Biolcati – bass and Take Toriyama – drums and with D`Rivera as a special guest, he performs mostly his original compositions with the bass player adding a couple of his own and one classical piece used as a basis. Yavnai's brilliant technique is evident every step of the way, as he commands the instrument any way he wishes, extracting from it unexpected sounds and strange harmonies. The classical training comes handy when performing all those devilishly difficult changes and arpeggios, but does not overshadow his deep feel for the Jazz tradition and improvisational skills. The music is deeply influenced by Yavnai's cross-cultural background, with Israeli, Middle Eastern and South American rhythms get combined into a new amalgam. Definitely a superb debut for a future Jazz star, this album is a wet dream for every Jazz piano trio connoisseur, present company included. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here is a new packaging of the 3 classic Kaveret albums:

 

 

This box set collects the 3 studio albums recorded by the legendary Israeli group Kaveret – "Poogy Tales", "Poogy In Pita" and "Crowded In The Ear". These are the expanded editions of the original albums, remastered and with bonus tracks, same as the individual albums released already on CD. The only advantage of this box set is the cheaper price for buying all 3 albums together and the box wrapping. Read the individual album descriptions for more details.

 

 

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Here are the 3 reissues by the legendary Folk-Rock band Strawbs, which were previously unavailable on CD – what a joy!:

 

 

10^th album by the legendary UK Folk-Rock group Strawbs led by Dave Cousins, who is still in the helm 40 years later enjoying the renewed interest in the band, Strawbs were definitely one of the most successful and brilliant UK Folk-Rock outfits. This album was the last of the albums released by the A&M label and marks a certain attempt to produce music, which is less complex and more accessible. There are no epic tracks here, but the material is very strong, written, as usual, mostly by Cousins, with a couple tracks by other band members. The band at the time of the recording was a quartet, with Cousins, Dave Lambert, Chas Cronk and Rod Coombes, but many famous musician friends participate in the recording, including keyboardists Rick Wakeman and Tommy Eyre. In retrospect this is still an extremely solid release, which makes the fact that it remained unreleased on CD until now a complete folly. High time to grab it now!

 

 

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Here are the 3 reissues by the legendary Folk-Rock band Strawbs, which were previously unavailable on CD – what a joy!:

 

 

3^rd album by the legendary UK Folk-Rock group Strawbs led by Dave Cousins, who is still in the helm 40 years later enjoying the renewed interest in the band, Strawbs were definitely one of the most successful and brilliant UK Folk-Rock outfits. This album, recorded in the shadow of the previous eponymous release, which was lavishly (and expensively) produced, is much more straightforward instrumentally, but it does feature the first appearance of the legendary keyboards player Rick Wakeman, who was soon after to become a regular Strawbs band member. The groups also expanded by adding to the original trio the cellist Claire Deniz. Cousins, as usual, wrote the bulk of the material, with Tony Hooper contributing one of his own tunes and co-composing another. The album includes the first (of many) epic tracks Strawbs were to record later on, the almost 11 minutes long "The Vision Of The Lady In The Lake". In spite of the modest production, this is a brilliant album and a prime example of Folk-Rock at its best, which makes the fact that it remained unreleased on CD until now a complete folly. High time to grab it now!

 

 

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Here are the 3 reissues by the legendary Folk-Rock band Strawbs, which were previously unavailable on CD – what a joy!:

 

 

2^nd album by the legendary UK Folk-Rock group Strawbs, although officially often referred to as their first album, as the first recordings with Sandy Denny remained unissued until much after this album was released. Led by Dave Cousins, who is still in the helm 40 years later enjoying the renewed interest in the band, Strawbs were definitely one of the most successful and brilliant UK Folk-Rock outfits. In various stages of their career they would explore other avenues, getting closer to Rock and Pop, but they always remained faithful to the Folk tradition, which is their core inspiration. Cousins, a remarkable singer, guitarist and songwriter, was also a hardened bandleader and his personality is the key for the band's ability to keep going for four decades. This album, which was the 1^st they recorded for the UK branch of the US A&M label, is a brilliant collection of songs, all written by Cousins. The group was a trio at the time (Cousins with Tony Hooper and Ron Chesterman), but many studio musicians support the band, and the superb arrangements and brilliant production by Tony Visconti make it an everlasting masterpiece of the genre. I have no idea how this piece of music history remained unissued on CD until now, but once out this is a must buy for all Strawbs and Folk-Rock enthusiasts. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here is the last album still missing on my site by the brilliant Avishai Cohen:

 

 

2^nd album by Israeli bassist / composer Avishai Cohen recorded while he was a member of Chick Corea’s acoustic trio and the Origin sextet and released on Corea’s label Stretch Records. The core lineup, which participates in the album’s recording is a sextet with Cohen, Jimmy Greene on sax and flute, Steve Davis on trombone, Jason Lindner on piano, another Israeli – Amos Hoffman on guitar and oud and Jeff Ballard on drums. Cohen expands his usage of instruments here, adding electric bass, piano, synthesizer and percussion. Cohen’s ability as a bass player is of course legendary and needs no further discussion here, but his true greatness is his extraordinary ability to compose superb Jazz pieces, which skillfully combine the American Jazz tradition with other musical elements, mainly folklore and World Music. Cohen’s Middle Eastern background is clearly evident in his music, although he is also wide open to other sources of inspiration. Of the fourteen pieces on the album, Cohen composed twelve, adding to the repertoire just one folk tune and one composition by the pianist. The overall effect is truly refreshing and the combined skills of the musicians involved create an album of rare beauty, which contains an immense amount of new and exciting music. This is a truly remarkable follow up to the great debut, which announces many great things to come out of this extraordinary talent. A must!

 

 

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The Israeli Kadima Collective label just released a new album, so here it is:

 

 

French bassist Joëlle Léandre is one of a relatively few women pioneers on the Free Jazz and Improvised Music scene to earn a legendary status. Her activities on the scene have brought her in contact with the most distinguished performers, both European and American (such as Anthony Braxton). She also worked in the field of contemporary Classical music with composers like Pierre Boulez and John Cage. In 2007 Joëlle visited Israel and her live performances there have been recorded and are now issued on this double CD. The first CD includes 7 solo bass (and voice) performances and the second CD offers her playing in duo, trio and sextet settings with the top Israeli Improvised Music artists: Jean Claude Jones – bass, Steve Horenstein – baritone and soprano sax, flute, Sameer Makhoul – oud and voice, Assif Tsahar – bass clarinet, Daniel Sarid – piano, Hagai Fershtman – drums, Albert Beger –tenor sax and Ariel Shibolet – soprano sax. These wonderful musical moments are some of the highlights of the Improvised Music created in Israel, a small but quite lively scene led by Jones and consistently documented on his Kadima Collective label. Connoisseurs of the genre will be quite delighted to hear this stuff.

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

3^rd album by the excellent US Prog group Sonus Umbra and their strongest release so far, which is really quite amazing considering the strength of their material from day one. The group was originally founded by science students in Mexico City and was called Radio Silence. By the late 1990s the founding members emigrated to the US and recorded a demo album called "Laughter In The Dark", which was warmly received. For legal reasons (usual bullshit) the group's name was later changed to Sonus Umbra, and their albums under that name earned them international recognition. This album is a true Prog epic, a concept work consisting of twenty tracks and combined into a continuous coherent piece of music. The three founding members: Pablo Garcia – keyboards, Ricardo Gomez – guitars and Luis Nasser – bass, are joined by three US musicians: Lisa Francis – vocals, Jeff Laramee – drums and vocals and Andy Tillotson – guitars. With five gifted instrumentalists, the band is able to produce a rich instrumental content, full of beautiful melodies, excellent solos and complex textures, something every Symphonic Prog fan in the world can enjoy wholeheartedly. Definitely something I can recommend without the slightest hesitation.

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

1^st album by Polish Prog group Indukti, which consists of five classically trained musicians but plays some of the heaviest Prog hypnotic music I've ever come across. They add the violin (played by Ewa Jablonska) to the double guitar / bass / drums lineup and two guest musicians: a vocalist and a harp player, creating massive, wall of sound effects. The album is mostly instrumental and requires getting used to, especially for people who come from the Symphonic side of Prog, but the obvious mesmerizing quality is there at all times if you can survive the barrage of sound the its density. The harp provides some nice quiet passages, being in complete contrast to the predominantly heavy sound that follows. Not recommended to weak-hearted listeners, but people who are constantly on the lookout for new directions in music should find this very interesting.

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

This fantastic album is really a bunch of surprises! The origins of the recording and the people involved are quite mysterious and apparently it was recorded by a group called Jasper Wrath, which included (among others) the keyboardist Jeff Cannata, who is responsible for this reissue on his Oxford Circus label. Apparently the group recorded enough material for two albums, which were released separately, one under the Zoldar And Clark moniker and the other as Arden House. This new edition brings all the material recorded originally for the first time and it is an amazing collection of Prog at its best – richly melodic, complex and witty, almost too good to be true and certainly not sounding as made in the US, as the sound and musical approach are deeply rooted in the classic UK Prog tradition, almost Canterbury. Great keyboards and mellotron, quirky guitars and unusual time signatures, all the ingredient for great Prog music are here for all of us to savor finally. This is as good as Prog gets and this new edition is surely the reissue of 2008, bringing to life some of the best memories of the glorious past. Essential!

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

1^st album by the Swedish Prog group Liquid Scarlet, which plays somewhat heavier brand of the genre with a typical Scandinavian dark sound and gloomy atmosphere, similar to other Scandinavian bands but not as unique as the best of those. Altogether an ambitious debut, which shows potential for the future, but the music, especially, needs to be more captivating to make them really stand out. Don't take me wrong, this is still a very decent album, which most Prog fans will enjoy and fans of the Scandinavian Prog will surely enjoy even more, but considering the incredibly high standard displayed by other Scandinavian bands, who practically rule the Prog world in the last decade, Liquid Scarlet are not one of them yet.

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

2^nd album by the excellent Swedish Prog group Black Bonzo, which is a direct continuation of their superb debut album and brings some of the nicest and most clever Symphonic Prog recorded recently. The band sticks strictly to the 1970s Prog formula, even using a distinct "retro" sound in the studio, which makes this album sound as if it was recorded in the 1970s – I'm pretty sure nobody would be able to guess this album was recorded in the 2000s if they didn't know so. The music, although not innovative and closely related to almost all the 1970s Prog giants (Jethro Tull, early Deep Purple and Uriah Heep in particular), is still original and really beautifully melodic. Lost of Hammond organ and mellotron, great instrumental work all through and superb songwriting – what else can one expect from an album? A great follow up to their debut and no doubt now – these guys know what they are doing and I like it! Symphonic Prog-heads should have a field day with this!

 

 

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Here are a bunch of new Prog releases from all over:

 

 

5^th album by Canadian Prog quintet Mahogany Frog, which is one of the most eclectic and successful Prog groups currently active, managing to surprise listeners which each new release. Completely beyond any generic classification, the band members use a mixture of acoustic and electronic keyboards, guitars, bass, drums and trumpets, jumping from one style to another many times within one tune. Wonderfully hectic and yet making perfect sense, this music escapes any effort to be described, but definitely deserves to be heard, pronto. I didn't (yet) hear any of their earlier efforts, but this got my attention immediately and I enjoyed every minute of it. For people who like whacky, unpredictable music, which challenges and eschews conventions. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here are a couple of new CDs by a great Italian Prog band D.F.A.:

 

 

4^th and long awaited (for 8 whole years) album by the great Italian Prog group D.F.A. (Duty Free Area), which was definitely worth waiting for. D.F.A. are a quartet with Silvio Minella on guitars, Alberto Bonomi on keyboards and flute, Luca Baldassari on bass and Alberto De Grandis on drums and the fact that they all hold regular day jobs to make a living perhaps explains why they take a while to make a new album. Musically the album takes on exactly where the last one left us, continuing the beautifully melodic Symphonic Prog tradition, but with an up to date sound and orchestration. Some string arrangements and a vocal trio (called Andhira) are added to expand the scope and depth of the music and the extended compositions are even more ambitious that before. After hearing the album just once, it's obvious that this is some of the most rewarding Prog I've heard in a long time and it gets an immediate masterpiece status. The instrumental work is really quite amazing, both on the up-tempo tunes and the slow ballads, with prolonged improvisations by the guitarist and keyboardist. The flute is less dominant that on the two earlier albums, but obviously the more powerful sound present on this album calls for a change in that department. Three of the six tracks run well over 10 minutes, one epic track nearing the 20 minutes mark. I can hardly imagine a more rewarding album coming out these days from any Prog group, and therefore this is definitely a must in all matters considered Prog and for me the 2008 album of the year for that genre. Don't even hesitate for a moment!

 

 

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Here are a couple of new CDs by a great Italian Prog band D.F.A.:

 

 

Long awaited reissue of the first 2 albums by the great Italian Prog group D.F.A. (Duty Free Area) – "Lavori In Corso" from 1995 and "Duty Free Area" from 1999, now remastered and with bonus tracks. D.F.A.'s appearance at the 2000 Nearfest festival (as captured on the "Work In Progress" album) brought the group the much deserved international recognition, but fans had to wait for another 8 years for their new album entitled simply "4^th". D.F.A. are a quartet with Silvio Minella on guitars, Alberto Bonomi on keyboards and flute, Luca Baldassari on bass and Alberto De Grandis on drums and the fact that they all hold regular day jobs to make a living perhaps explains why they take a while to make a new album. Nevertheless they are great musicians and D.F.A. is definitely one of the great discoveries of the 1990s Prog revival. These two albums are among the best to come out in the 1990s, continuing the classic 1970s Prog as if nothing happened in between. Highly melodic, with beautiful tunes and great instrumental performances, this is Symphonic Prog heaven; something every devoted Prog fan will love to play repeatedly. The bonus tracks were recorded live in 2003 and are re-workings of the original tracks appearing on the debut album. The second album features two guest vocalists, one of which is no other than Alberto Piras of Deus Ex Machina fame. All together this is a highly recommended package, including some of the best Prog music created in the 1990s and an indispensible piece of Prog history.

 

 

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