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Following the release of their sensational debut album "Out Of Myself" the Polish Prog band Riverside started the recording process of their follow up and no less brilliant album called "Second Life Syndrome". However, after just a couple of months they had enough material to release this interim EP, saving the rest of the material for the actual second album. The four songs included here present the more contemplative / lyrical side of the band, characterized by slower tempo and slightly dark atmosphere. Lead singer / bassist Mariusz Duda sounds just perfect and the instrumental support from guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, keyboardist Michal Lapaj and drummer Piotr Kozieradzki are imply perfect. The EP was expanded with some live material recorded a few months earlier, which is also superb. In addition this extended version of the EP includes also multimedia material accessible by your PC. It's no wonder that Riverside is considered by many as the best Prof group of the first decade of the 21^st Century – anybody listening to this music will simply have to agree.

 

 

 

5^th album (and their 4^th studio effort) by the brilliant Polish Prog band Riverside, which consist of lead singer / bassist Mariusz Duda, guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, keyboardist Michal Lapaj and drummer Piotr Kozieradzki. The album marks several new bold steps the band is taking in the process of its continuous development: longer tracks (two are over 10 minutes), the use of brass arrangements and one track being a three-part mini-suite. The sound is a bit harsher and metallic, but only at some points, as the album displays overall a great diversity and keeps changing moods and tempi rapidly. It is truly heartwarming to see this band grow and change with each release, eschewing stagnation and not fearing experimentation. Although some fans of the band received this album coldly, I'm pretty sure that in the long run they will discover its hidden beauty. After all there are truly just a few contemporary Prog bands, which can be put in the same league as Riverside. This edition of the album is expanded with a DVD of a live concert in Amsterdam, filmed a year earlier, which is also superb. It's no wonder that Riverside is considered by many as the best Prog group of the first decade of the 21^st Century – anybody listening to this music will simply have to agree.

 

 

 

1^st album by the seminal UK band Soft Machine, which would in time become an icon of the Psychedelic era and a founding stone of the Canterbury genre. Guitarist Kevin Ayers, keyboardist Mike Ratledge and drummer Robert Wyatt were some of the most talented, inspired and prophetic musicians, who found themselves in the midst of a musical (and social) revolution, which would inspire generations to come. This timeless masterpiece is molten gold (or mercury) of ingenuity in every respect, full of zany ideas, typical British humor and futuristic (at that time) musical approach, based on freedom of expression and telepathic communication and interplay. Although "song based", this music was completely unconventional, in many respects ridiculing the popular music of the time. Ratledge brought a strong Jazzy feel into the mix, which would soon after dominate the group's direction during the 1970s, causing Ayers to leave the group after this album was recorded and the tour that followed. Ratledge and Wyatt would recruit bassist Hugh Hopper (who was the band's roadie at the time) and the new lineup would record their second album and another masterpiece. In retrospect this music still sounds too good to be true and lost nothing of its power and inspiration. Only a handful of albums can feel that fresh over 40 years after they have been recorded, but this one is surely one of them. This new remastered and expanded edition adds two ultra-rare tracks recorded by the band a year earlier. An absolutely essential album and a must!

 

 

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Only album by the brilliant, but short-lived British quartet comprising of keyboardist Alex Maguire, saxophonist Elton Dean, bassist Fred Baker and drummer Liam Genockey. The first three musicians in the lineup are of course associated with the Canterbury scene, mostly on the Free Jazz and Improvised Music side of the genre. Maguire wrote most of the music for this session, with Dean co-composing one track. The music is, as always in the case of such great musicians, a brilliant display of both individual virtuosity and group improvisation, which need little introduction to connoisseurs of the genre. In view of Dean's death, this is one of the latest studio sessions he played on and therefore a treasure. Not to be missed!

 

 

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As hard as it is to believe, this is the debut solo piano recording by Jazz Giant Herbie Hancock. Aged 38 at the time of this recording, Hancock was at that time already a worldwide Jazz star with a resume, which only a very few other Jazz musician could produce. His recordings with Miles Davis, VSOP and his projects as a leader include some of the finest Jazz music ever recorded, yet strangely he seldom attempted to perform solo piano pieces. Therefore this recording is a milestone and a rare document of the illustrious career of this great musician. Recorded in Japan, this album was initially only released on the Japanese market, It took 26 years to have it finally released worldwide (the usual record companies bullshit), which is a true crime. The only consolation comes as the bonus tracks available on this issue. The original album included seven tracks (this issue adds four alternate versions), three of which are standards and four are original compositions by Hancock. His delivery is of course divine, breathtakingly beautiful and deeply touching. Hancock always had the incredible gift to utilize his extraordinary technical skill to express his deep lyricism and emotional insightfulness, which are even more evident on these recordings, considering him sitting alone at the piano. This is an absolute must for every piano-loving music connoisseur.

 

 

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One of the advantages of being 70 is that you don't need to prove yourself any more. This is of course especially true in case of Herbie Hancock, who lists among the greatest Jazz musicians of all time. He was lucky to age well, with his career still intact and what is perhaps even more important he keeps moving forward and changing his musical directions constantly. Hancock never was one of those Jazz musicians, who refuse to leave the lofty pedestal of Jazz "superiority", ignoring whatever is happening in contemporary music. In the last couple of decades Hancock, in parallel to his Jazz activities, recorded projects which pay tribute to other musical phenomena, including Pop and Rock. His "The New Standard" album presented a collection of contemporary Pop anthems arranged for a Jazz ensemble, His wonderful tribute to the talents of the divine Joni Mitchell ("River: The Joni Letters") is another of such projects. This project takes thing even a notch further. Hancock invited a group of musicians from all over the world; each and every one of them representing a different aspect of World Music influenced contemporary music and recorded with them new arrangements to some classic Pop songs. Augmented by some of the best Jazz musicians around (drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, guitarist Jeff Beck, percussionist Alex Acuña, keyboardist Larry Goldings, bassist Marcus Miller and many others) and recorded in many different studios around the world, this is a magical tribute to contemporary music by a Master musician. I absolutely loved every minute of it and I'm sure many of you will too!

 

Side Note: I have read quite a few reviews of this album published in the few weeks since its release and unfortunately most of them are completely irrelevant, missing the point by a mile. Many people seem to dislike this album for a variety of reasons, simply being completely ignorant to its concept and qualities. As we say around these parts: "The dogs keep barking and the caravan moves on".

 

 

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This excellent box set includes three studio albums, recorded between 1967 and 1968 and released on the Epic label, by the great British pioneer of Folk-Rock and later Psychedelia Donovan: "Mellow Yellow", "Hurdy Gurdy Man", and "Barabajagal". Donovan's unique talent fro writing superb melodies, his brilliant vocal delivery and his openness to new musical ideas made his one of the most important British musicians in the late 1960s. Supported by some of Britain's best musicians at the time, like flautist Harold McNair, bassist Danny Thompson, guitarist Jeff Beck and many others, these albums are all absolute classics of the era. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the attractive price tag this is a tremendous bargain as well. Highly recommended!

 

 

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1^st album by Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering formed and led by Shlomo Bar. Bar, born in Rabat, Morocco, immigrated to Israel with his family as a child in the 1950s and experienced many difficulties and hardships the North African Jewry was exposed to upon their arrival in the newly established Jewish Homeland, which was at the time ruled and led by Ashkenazi Jews. The rich and colorful tradition and culture of the Sephardic Jewry was considered unworthy and lacking any cultural values and the establishment tried to suppress and eradicate it systematically. This process, together with poverty and social injustice, created a cultural and social conflict and unrest, which took decades to resolve. Bar, a natural leader and charismatic individual, was one of the first Sephardic artists to openly revolt against the cultural oppression of Sephardic culture, purposely returning to his roots and origins and proudly presenting them as valid and meaningful artistic qualities. In 1977 he formed the Natural Gathering ensemble, which was a vehicle to expose the riches and traditions of Sephardic musical tradition, mixing them with other folkloristic influences of non-Western origin, as well as Rock and even Jazz elements. This, their debut album, was an iconic achievement, which proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that cross-cultural Fusion is possible on the local Israeli scene and can be both musically and lyrically viable and valuable. Bar wrote all the beautiful music (except for one traditional melody) and the lyrics, written mostly by the playwright Yehoshua Sobol, were full of sarcastic social criticism, as well as longing to the lost tradition. The inclusion of the Indian-born violinist Samson Khamkar, who possessed a virtuosic improvisational ability, enriched the overall texture and depth of the music. The album achieved quite a success at the time of its release, surprising both the public and the music establishment, and served as a model for many other musicians, who realized that they should not be ashamed of their origins. Let's remember that this happened in the late 1970s, at least a decade or more before World Music became a recognized and respected musical genre, which proves how groundbreaking and prophetic this album really is.

 

 

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2^nd album by Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering formed and led by Shlomo Bar. Recorded only a few months after their sensational debut album, this album presents the ensemble live at the legendary Tel Aviv club "Tzavta", which was at the time the most prestigious venue in the country and a heart of the Israeli cultural establishment. The fact that the group was allowed to perform there proves the immense success they achieved with their groundbreaking debut recording, slaughtering many cultural "holy cows" at the process. The album's title refers to the anecdote about the Indian-born violinist and sitar player Samson Khamkar being notoriously late for their performances. The ensemble was a quartet at the time (the same lineup recorded the debut album) and included also guitarist Miguel Herstein and bassist Israel Borochov. It's quite surprising to hear that the ensemble did not record here any of their earlier material, which appeared on the debut album, presenting a completely new set of songs, proving that they did have a wealth of repertoire in store. The live environment turns out to be ideal for the ensemble, allowing the players to stretch out and improvise extensively. The music represents an amalgam of Eastern and Western elements, both musically and lyrically, creating a first of its kind cultural / musical Fusion, which was a true Israeli music, perhaps for the first time.

 

 

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5^th album by Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering formed and led by Shlomo Bar. Bar presents here another set of his original compositions (except for one song), three of which accompany texts by Rabi David Hassin, one by the great Israeli poet Lea Goldberg (who seems to be his favorite as he returns to her texts time after time) and one by old collaborator playwright / poet Yehoshua Sobol. One of the tracks is an instrumental. Bar expands his input and in addition to his vocals and percussion, he also plays flute. Violinist Samson Khamkar adds his usual wonderful ornaments and the four other members of the ensemble: Ellen Dan – oboe, Menashe Sasson – santoor, Yechiel Hasson – guitar and Emanuel Mann – bass (his fretless bass is quite extraordinary) create a superb fabric of sounds which take the listener on a magic carpet ride between North Africa, India, Persia and the Middle East. Overall this album is darker and more contemplative than the previous output by the band, perhaps reflecting the leader's state of mind at the time. Nevertheless this album is surely another stone in Bar's temple dedicated to preservation of the rich traditions of World Music, invigorating them with his own unique interpretation and blending. This magnificent music has little competition anywhere else in the world and hopefully more people will discover it with the passing of time.

 

 

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6^th album by Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering formed and led by Shlomo Bar. Bar presents here another set of his original compositions (except for two songs), which accompany texts by Israeli poets or rabbinical texts, some originating in the Medieval times. Bar who sings and plays percussion and flutes, is accompanied by five excellent musicians: Samson Khamkar – violin, Ellen Dan – oboe, Menashe Sasson – santoor, Eli Digme – guitar and oud and Emanuel Mann – bass (his fretless bass is quite extraordinary) and a few guest musicians. Together they create a superb fabric of sounds which take the listener on a magic carpet ride between North Africa, India, Persia and the Middle East. The songs on this album are slightly shorter and more concise that the band's earlier material, which allows for greater musical variety, making the album perhaps more accessible to wider audiences. However, Bar does not compromise any of his artistic integrity whatsoever. This is still some of the best Fusion between East and West music anywhere on this planet.

 

 

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9^th album by Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering formed and led by Shlomo Bar. Bar presents here perhaps the boldest change in the musical direction of his music and his ensemble as well, emphasized by elaborate studio technology, which produces a more contemporary ambience. Although the underlying principle is still the same: a mixture of World Music and modern sounds, the use of electric instruments, the production and almost rocky feel of the album take the music into a new dimension. All the music on this album was composed by Bar, to texts by Israeli poets and those written by ensemble member Yael Offenbach. Bar who sings and plays percussion and flutes, is accompanied by five excellent musicians: Nitzan-Chen Razael – violin, Menashe Sasson – santoor, Ilan Ben-Ami - guitar, Ilan Aviv – bass guitar and Yael Offenbach – tabla. Together they create an amazing musical texture, unparalleled by any other contemporary ensemble I know of. This is a magical ride gliding over NY, LA, London, Paris, Tel Aviv, Marrakesh, Baghdad, and Teheran and back, a ride once taken will be extremely difficult to forget. It is quite amazing to see (and hear) a musician so open and receptive to new ideas, after following a specific path for so many years, like Shlomo Bar. Overall this is still some of the best Fusion between East and West music anywhere on this planet and definitely one of the best albums recorded in Israel in the last decade. An absolute must to any music connoisseur, who can recognize great music regardless of where it comes from.

 

 

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This live recording is one of several releases based on the private archives of legendary drummer Ginger Baker, which finally see the light of day. Although not intended for a formal release and suffering from "bootleg" sound quality problems, the musical importance of this material is so significant, that it overshadows any technicalities and is essentially a Godsend. This album brings a live recording of Baker's ensemble Salt, which he founded following the demise of Air Force. Salt never recorded any albums during its short life-span, and therefore this material by the band is invaluable. In Salt Baker assembled a group of British Jazz players, which played in the last Air Force lineup, augmented by African vocalists and drummers, taking an even more radical step towards World-Jazz Fusion. Some great players are present: saxophonist / flautist Steve Gregory, saxophonist Bud Beadle and others. But the great surprise of this recording is the participation of the legendary Jazz drummer Art Blakey, who "battles" with Baker in a series of drum exchanges. Definitely worth investigating, especially in view of the fact that the sound quality on this album is quite excellent, as it originates from a TV recording made of the concert.

 

 

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This live recording is one of several releases based on the private archives of legendary drummer Ginger Baker, which finally see the light of day. Although not intended for a formal release and suffering from "bootleg" sound quality problems, the musical importance of this material is so significant, that it overshadows any technicalities and is essentially a Godsend. This album brings a live recording of the group Baker Gurvitz Army, which he founded with ex-Gun and Three Men Army members guitarist Paul Gurvitz and bassist Adrian Gurvitz and ex-Sharks member vocalist Steve Parsons (aka. Snips). Baker Gurvitz Army recorded only three albums during its short life-span, and any additional material by the band is invaluable. The material is drown from the band's studio albums and was recorded during the band's final tour. Several surprises are heard here for the first time, like the group's version of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love". Definitely worth investigating, provided you're not squeamish about sound quality.

 

 

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This live recording is one of several releases based on the private archives of legendary drummer Ginger Baker, which finally see the light of day. Although not intended for a formal release and suffering from "bootleg" sound quality problems, the musical importance of this material is so significant, that it overshadows any technicalities and is essentially a Godsend. This album brings a live recording of Baker playing with his old friend Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his ensemble Africa 70 during the Berlin Jazzfest. In many respects this recording is a culmination of Baker's long association with African music and his Jazz-World Fusion, before his return to more conventional Jazz music. Definitely worth investigating, especially in view of the fact that the sound quality on this album is quite excellent.

 

 

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This live recording is one of several releases based on the private archives of legendary drummer Ginger Baker, which finally see the light of day. Although not intended for a formal release and suffering from "bootleg" sound quality problems, the musical importance of this material is so significant, that it overshadows any technicalities and is essentially a Godsend. This album brings a live recording of Baker's ensemble Energy, which he founded in 1979, marking his return to Rock for a while. Energy recorded only one live album during its short life-span (it was released over a decade later), and any additional material by the band is invaluable. Baker assembled a formidable group featuring the talents of guitarists John Mizarolli and Whitey Davis, keyboardist David Lennox and bassist Henry Thomas. The material is mostly Blues-Rock based, with Mizarolli playing some incredible solos. Definitely worth investigating, provided you're not squeamish about sound quality.

 

 

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1^st album by the brilliant Greek Prog band Aphrodite`s Child, which was the first and to this day most famous band from that country to break the cultural boundaries and reach international audiences. Originally a quartet, the three group's members: keyboardist and primary composer Evanghlos O. Papathanassiou (later to become the renowned Vangelis), bassist and lead vocalist Demis Roussos and drummer Loukas Sideras, left their native country following the military coup d'état, which left Greece paralyzed artistically and culturally. The group wanted to reach the UK, but for various reasons got stuck in France first, where this, their brilliant debut, was recorded. A classic of the Psychedelic era and an early Prog attempt, this album remains to this day as a formidable achievement. Vangelis' superb feel for melody and lyricism and Roussos' extraordinary vocal abilities create a wonderful atmosphere, unparalleled by most other groups at the time. The group enjoyed a European mega-hit with the song "Rain And Tears", included here, but overall their music was not hit oriented and overtly much more ambitious that most of the hit songs of the era. It's also interesting to emphasize the role of Greek folkloristic motifs present in their music, with the grand tradition of Rebetiko at the helm. Definitely worth discovering and a great trip down the memory lane sparkling with gems like this one!

 

 

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2^nd album by the brilliant Greek Prog band Aphrodite`s Child, which was the first and to this day most famous band from that country to break the cultural boundaries and reach international audiences. Originally a quartet, the three group's members: keyboardist and primary composer Evanghlos O. Papathanassiou (later to become the renowned Vangelis), bassist and lead vocalist Demis Roussos and drummer Loukas Sideras, left their native country following the military coup d'état, which left Greece paralyzed artistically and culturally. The group wanted to reach the UK, but for various reasons got stuck in France first, where their brilliant debut album was recorded. They finally reached UK a year later to record this, their follow up. A classic of the Psychedelic era and an early Prog attempt, this album remains to this day as a formidable achievement. Vangelis' superb feel for melody and lyricism and Roussos' extraordinary vocal abilities create a wonderful atmosphere, unparalleled by most other groups at the time. The group enjoyed a European mega-hit with the album's title song, but overall their music was not hit oriented and overtly much more ambitious that most of the hit songs of the era. It's also interesting to emphasize the role of Greek folkloristic motifs present in their music, with the grand tradition of Rebetiko at the helm. Definitely worth discovering and a great trip down the memory lane sparkling with gems like this one!

 

 

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The recorded legacy of the legendary British saxophonist Elton Dean, one of the great icons of British Jazz since the late 1960s, is fortunately quite extensive, nevertheless some of his great sessions remain relatively obscure due to their short-lived presence on the record market and the fact that many of his albums are sadly out of print. This is one of such examples, a trio recording with Italian bassist Roberto Bellatalla and drummer Mark Sanders. In spite of the difficulty intrinsic to a saxophone trio, Dean seems to enjoy the freedom such setup allows, improvising extensively on the three "instant" compositions included on the album. He uses the alto sax for the more explosive ventures and the saxello for the softer, lyrical moments, always in top form. The rhythm section provides a great support for the music, obviously with open ears and a massive amount of admiration and respect for the Master. Although this is quite difficult, mostly freely improvised music, Dean's fans and admirers will find this to be just their cup of tea. Grab it, if you can find it!

 

 

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This live recording is one of several releases based on the private archives of legendary drummer Ginger Baker, which finally see the light of day. Although not intended for a formal release and suffering from "bootleg" sound quality problems, the musical importance of this material is so significant, that it overshadows any technicalities and is essentially a Godsend. This album brings a live recording of Baker's revolutionary Jazz-World Fusion ensemble Air Force, which he founded following the demise of Cream. Air Force recorded only two albums during its short life-span, and any additional material by the band is invaluable. Baker assembled a formidable group of top British Jazz players of the period, augmented by African vocalists and drummers. The fact that this album features the talents of the legendary saxophonist / organist Graham Bond is alone worth the price, but other great players are also present: organist / guitarist Ken Craddock, saxophonist / flautist Steve Gregory, saxophonist Bud Beadle, bassist Colin Gibson and others. The material is similar to the material present on the two Air Force albums, but several surprises are heard here for the first time, like the group's version of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love". Most of the pieces include extended improvised parts, with the saxophonist taking solos in tandem. Definitely worth investigating, provided you're not squeamish about sound quality.

 

 

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2^nd album by the brilliant British Prog band Flash, formed by founding member of Yes, guitarist Peter Banks, after he left the band following the recording of their first two albums. The band also included lead singer Colin Carter, bassist Ray Bennett and drummer Mike Hough. In many respects Flash was what Yes should have become, at least in my opinion. Banks didn't like the change of direction Yes were following, which although brought them fame and fortune, was for many of the early fans of the band (myself included) a huge disappointment. The pomposity and pretentiousness that Yes displayed in the years to follow was often pretty sickening and Banks was able somehow to predict that. Therefore the forming of Flash was a great joy at the time, as it truly followed in the footsteps of the two first Yes albums ("Yes" and "Time And A Word"), which to this day are my favorite albums by the band. What makes Flash such a great band? Well, it certainly had all the right ingredients, both in its personnel, as far as musicianship is concerned and musical approach, following the development of the Prog movement in the right direction. Great melodies, brilliant performances, a balance of influences ranging from Jazz to Pop, all incorporated just at the perfect measure. This album has no weak moments, no unnecessary fillings, in short no bullshit whatsoever. Everything is just perfect as far as Prog is concerned. Over the years I enjoyed listening to this album countless times, never ever being disappointed and in time it actually grew stronger on me, surely in view of the realization, that they don't make them any more. Essential music for body and soul!

 

 

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Any previously unreleased material by the seminal British band Soft Machine is always a great source of joy to the band's many fans all over the world, even if similar material exists on other studio and live recordings. By the time this live recording was made, the band, which comprised of saxophonist Elton Dean, keyboardist Mike Ratledge, bassist Hugh Hopper and drummer Robert Wyatt, made a dramatic transition from their initial psychedelic period into Jazz-Rock Fusion, with often bordered on Free Jazz. This recording, from April 1970, was made just prior to the band entering the studio to record their masterpiece "Third" and following their six-night residency at the prestigious Ronnie Scott's club in London. They were at one of their musical peeks, having played the material included on this album for quite some time, which of course allowed them to stretch out and take risks, as well as re-invent the music at a greater rate of freedom that is usually possible with new pieces. This explains why several of the pieces are expanded to last well over 10 minutes and one even over 20 minutes. Most of the music was composed by Ratledge, with Hopper contributing a few of his own pieces and one piece by Wyatt. There is no doubt that this was a very special night, as the level of interplay and inspiration is truly extraordinary, with some of the most adventurous improvisations ever achieved by these illustrious musicians. While playing this music, the band was literally changing the shape of music as known up to that point, clearly pointing towards uncharted territory. Definitely one of the great moments of early British Jazz, not be missed by anybody interested in Soft Machine or the period's music. This album is often criticized for its poor sound quality; indeed it suffers from the primitive recording source, but honestly I think that every minute of this music is worth more that almost anything else recorded at the time, so poor sound quality or not, this is a treasure!

 

 

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In the early 1970s the trio Slapp Happy, which comprises of German vocalist Dagmar Krause, British keyboardist Anthony Moore and US guitarist Peter Blegvad, was part of the early RIO movement, closely associated with the British group Henry Cow. The two bands recorded a couple of brilliant albums together and Slapp Happy recorded two albums of their own (on their debut they were supported by the German band Faust), which are all considered absolute classic of avant-garde rock. When the band re-united to record this album, expectations were sky-high. The result took many of the band's fans by surprise, as almost 30 years later Slapp Happy evolved into a completely different band, playing sophisticated, but melodic and hardly avant-garde material. Nevertheless the trio members lost none of their magical touch over the years as far as musicianship and composing skills are concerned. This great set of songs (and the album as a whole) is beautifully performed and crafted, with sophisticated lyrics and enchanting melodies. It is hard to determine if the passing time simply mellowed their once young and tormented souls, but they did grow up and aged well. Since one should allow artists to evolve and change, listening to this album one should "ignore" the band's past to some degree, giving it a fair chance. With this approach I'm sure this great music can be accepted on its own terms and admired for its own merits. Excellent stuff!

 

 

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In the early 1970s the trio Slapp Happy, which comprises of German vocalist Dagmar Krause, British keyboardist Anthony Moore and US guitarist Peter Blegvad, was part of the early RIO movement, closely associated with the British group Henry Cow. The two bands recorded a couple of brilliant albums together and Slapp Happy recorded two albums of their own (on their debut they were supported by the German band Faust), which are all considered absolute classic of avant-garde rock. When the band re-united in 1997 to record the splendid “Ça Va” album, expectations were sky-high. The result took many of the band's fans by surprise, as almost 30 years later Slapp Happy evolved into a completely different band, playing sophisticated, but melodic and hardly avant-garde material. Nevertheless the trio members lost none of their magical touch over the years as far as musicianship and composing skills are concerned. This live recording from the group's Japanese tour finds them in great shape, performing several songs from the re-union album, as well as new versions of songs from their early 1970s recordings. This great set of songs is beautifully performed, with superb sound quality. It is hard to determine if the passing time simply mellowed their once young and tormented souls, but they did grow up and aged well. Since one should allow artists to evolve and change, listening to this album one should "ignore" the band's past to some degree, giving it a fair chance. With this approach I'm sure this great music can be accepted on its own terms and admired for its own merits. Excellent stuff!

 

 

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2^nd album by US multi-instrumentalist / composer Dave Kulju (ex-member of the Prog ensemble Electrum), which continues the excellent work of his debut release. Kulju plays almost all the instruments on the album with the exception of drums, which are played by his old mate Frank Basile and a violin part by Ian Cameron on one song. The majestic epic, called "A Poet's Talespin", almost half an hour long, is the centerpiece of the album and features the vocal talents of Annie Oya, with the rest of the material being entirely instrumental. The music is rich in textures and moods, mostly lyrical and somewhat dark, but always interesting and constantly developing. Kulju plays all the instruments with deep sensitivity, shunning any unnecessary extravagance. Both his keyboards (usually background) and guitar (foreground) playing is intelligent and sensitive, suiting his music perfectly. Although obviously well within the realms of Prog, the music contained herein breaches genre boundaries and amalgamates various inspirations, from Classical to Metal, as well as folkloristic (mostly Celtic this time) motifs. In this case it all works perfectly creating a piece of music, which is truly gratifying to listen to. It is a real pleasure to see a musician, who is consistent in his work, not rushing anything and taking himself and his music seriously. Prog fans should have a field day with this album, but anybody blessed with a sensitive pair of ears should also be able to enjoy it immensely. The beautifully designed packaging is a bonus. Kudos again Dave!

 

 

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9^th album by the great Irish Prog group Horslips, great precursors of Celtic Rock in general and Celtic Prog in particular. Firmly based in Irish Folk music and the Celtic tradition, the band incorporated these themes with Prog, creating exciting and outstanding music, which withstands the tides of time beautifully. The band included guitarist John Fean, multi—instrumentalist Charles O`Connor, keyboardist Jim Lockhart, bassist Barry Devlin and drummer Eamon Carr. All five musicians contributed their musical ideas as composers and four of them (except the drummer) shared the vocal duties. This release is Rockier and less Celtic in comparison to their earlier albums, but still an excellent album overall. It is the third part of a trilogy, which started with "The Book Of Invasions" and continued with "Aliens". This newly remastered edition includes bonus tracks and is exquisitely packaged. A must for all Prog fans!

 

 

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Breathtakingly beautiful album by the young and angelic British singer Sandy Denny and the founders of the seminal group Strawbs (Dave Cousins, Tony Hooper and Ron Chesterman), captured here at the full glory of their youthful and somewhat naïve bliss of music making. This is a true beginning of British Folk-Rock, leading to a glorious future, in which the participants of these recordings were to play a central role. A few demos recorded by the quartet found their way to Denmark, where a local label Sonet offered them a recording contract, which produced this, their debut album. The most interesting point about the album is the fact that the entire material is self-written, mostly by Cousins with some contributions by Hooper and Denny. Denny sings most of the lead vocals, superbly supported in vocal harmony by Cousins and Hooper. This new edition of the album doubles the contents of the original release with out-takes, demos and previously unreleased material, which turn it into a true treasure chest for all Denny / Strawbs / British Folk-Rock fans. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

 

 

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A new and unexpected album by the wonderful British Folk-Rock / Prog group Amazing Blondel, one of the most unique and sophisticated bands to appear on the scene in the 1970s. After recording four wonderful albums for the Island label, the band switched to the DJM label, where they recorded four additional albums before disbanding. With the departure of John Galdwin, the duo of Terry Wincott and Edward Baird continued to carry the band's tradition, utilizing well-known Rock musicians as guest artists and modifying the sound to a more contemporary rockier song format. The album presents a collection of new material, written entirely by Baird, and performed by the duo, with help from several guest musicians. It seems they are aging well, as they can still make some great music. Worth investigation!

 

 

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1^st album by the great Polish Prog group Ossian (a.k.a. Osjan), which was one of the first East European groups to embrace World Music influences and incorporate them into their highly improvised music. Founded in 1971 by multi-instrumentalists Jacek Ostaszewski (flutes and percussion) and Tomasz Holuj (tabla and percussion), the band was later expanded to include Milo Kurtis (trombita and percussion, who is of Greek origin), creating some of the most adventurous and mind-blowing music, which of course at the time was truly pioneering and eons before its time. Later incarnations of the group were further expended to include additional musicians. The group's music consists of long (usually well over 10 minutes) contemplative and largely improvised pieces, performed solely on acoustic instruments. Deeply emotional and drawing its inspiration from the Far East, Middle East, India and Polish Folklore, this is definitely one of the most wonderfully strange musical experiences one can get exposed to. This debut album was recorded before Kurtis joined the band and features guitarist Marek Jackowski. By the time of this recording the group had already years of experience playing together live, which is apparent from the incredible level of the interplay between the musicians. A must to all brave-hearted music lovers!

 

 

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2^nd album by the great Polish Prog group Ossian (a.k.a. Osjan), which was one of the first East European groups to embrace World Music influences and incorporate them into their highly improvised music. Founded in 1971 by multi-instrumentalists Jacek Ostaszewski (flutes and percussion) and Tomasz Holuj (tabla and percussion), the band was later expanded to include Milo Kurtis (trombita and percussion, who is of Greek origin), creating some of the most adventurous and mind-blowing music, which of course at the time was truly pioneering and eons before its time. Later incarnations of the group were further expended to include additional musicians. The group's music consists of long (usually well over 10 minutes) contemplative and largely improvised pieces, performed solely on acoustic instruments. Deeply emotional and drawing its inspiration from the Far East, Middle East, India and Polish Folklore, this is definitely one of the most wonderfully strange musical experiences one can get exposed to. This album was recorded with the trio including Kurtis and features the great Polish Jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko (who plays on side B of the original LP), who invited the group to record an impromptu session for the Polish Radio, sharing with them his love of improvisation and mysterious music. A must to all brave-hearted music lovers!

 

 

CD

 

 

3^rd album by the great Polish Prog group Ossian (a.k.a. Osjan), which was one of the first East European groups to embrace World Music influences and incorporate them into their highly improvised music. Founded in 1971 by multi-instrumentalists Jacek Ostaszewski (flutes and percussion) and Tomasz Holuj (tabla and percussion), the band was later expanded to include Milo Kurtis (trombita and percussion, who is of Greek origin), creating some of the most adventurous and mind-blowing music, which of course at the time was truly pioneering and eons before its time. Later incarnations of the group were further expended to include additional musicians. The group's music consists of long (usually well over 10 minutes) contemplative and largely improvised pieces, performed solely on acoustic instruments. Deeply emotional and drawing its inspiration from the Far East, Middle East, India and Polish Folklore, this is definitely one of the most wonderfully strange musical experiences one can get exposed to. This album was recorded with a quintet lineup with the addition of violinist Zygmunt Kaczmarski and percussionist Radoslaw Nowakowski, as well as several guest musicians, including the great Polish Jazz bassist Pawel Jarzebski, and is definitely the most consistent and coherent recording the group ever made, with the entire album dedicated to a five-piece suite which gives the album its title. A must to all brave-hearted music lovers!

 

 

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This incredible album presents a series of recordings by the virtuoso Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mieczyslaw Kosz, one of the greatest hopes of the country's scene, tragically cut short by his unexpected death at the age of 29. Often compared to Bill Evans, Kosz played with wonderful warmth and incredible musicality, combining the best of Jazz with his Classical education, which enabled him fluidity and superb use of harmony. These trio recordings, released posthumously, are the only additional document of his incredible talent, besides the sole album he recorded during his lifetime called "Reminiscence", released as part of the Polish Jazz series. He was also a gifted composer, as evident from several of his compositions included on this album, and a great interpreter of Jazz standards, also featured here extensively. The recordings constitute mainly of radio sessions, luckily captured on tape and preserved for eternity, and were originally released as a double LP. This is some of the most exquisite piano trio ever recorded, so don't hesitate before grabbing it even for a second!

 

 

HAVE FUN!