09 October 2018: Damanek & KAUAN

From The Prog Report:
A recent gem of an album was released in 2017 on GEP (Giant Electric Pea) records by a new band called Damanek.  The album titled ‘On Track’ came out in May, 2017,  and is the brainchild of Guy Manning, former member of The Tangent and the United Progressive Fraternity, which released a fantastic album in 2014 called ‘Fall in Love with the World’.  Manning, also an accomplished solo artist, has built a great band here with music similar to the UPF album.  The band premiered the new material at least year’s Summer’s End festival in Europe.
The album is a mix of world music and prog, featuring lots of percussion, sax and horns, multiple keyboards and harmonies.  The opening song with the odd title “Nanabohzo and the Rainbow” would fit nicely on a Toto record, while the second track and likely single “Long Time, Shadow Falls” is a track Peter Gabriel might approve of.  “Believer-Redemmer” is a straight-up smooth jazz track, but it fits nicely here, while “Oil of Arabia” has a Steely Dan vibe.  And of course there is the epic closer “Dark Sun” which will satisfy any Prog urges.
Guy Manning holds nothing back on this release and the band assembled is top-notch.  This is not heavy prog metal but make no mistake, this is outstanding musicianship.  For a relaxed and enjoyable experience, this is a great album.  We recommend checking this one out.

Studio Album, released in 2017

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Nanabohzo And The Rainbow (7:49)
2. Long Time, Shadow Falls (7:47)
3. The Cosmic Score (5:56)
4. Believer-Redeemer (5:48)
5. Oil Over Arabia (5:33)
6. Big Parade (4:15)
7. Madison Blue (3:12)
8. Dark Sun (13:43)

Total time 54:03

Line-up / Musicians

- Guy Manning / lead & backing vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, e-bow, percussion, composer
- Sean Timms / keyboards, banjo, backing vocals, production & mixing
- Marek Arnold / saxes, clarinet, keyboards, MIDI controller
- Daniel Mash / bass

With:
- Phideaux / vocals (8)
- DavidB / backing vocals
- Julie King / backing vocals
- Kevin Currie / backing vocals
- Antonio Vittozzi / guitar
- Luke Machin / guitar
- Chris Catling / guitar (4)
- Nick Magnus / keyboards & arrangements (3)
- Stephen Dundon / flute (7)
- Eric 'Tooch' Santucci / trumpet (4,6)
- Alex Taylor / trombone (4,6)
- Brody Thomas Green / drums (1-6)
- Ulf Reinhardt / drums (8)
- Tim Irrgang / percussion

Releases information

Artwork: Tony Lythgoe

CD Giant Electric Pea ‎- GEPCD1055 (2017, Europe) 

Kaiho is KAUAN’s eighth album following 2015’s lauded Sorni Nai, and focuses on childhood and the transition to adulthood, when the death of a loved one shatters halcyon beginnings and makes clear the stark reckoning that awaits in the end. 
"This is a new circle in KAUAN’s life. We’ve been slowly walking through the genres of music, and now I feel we are coming to a destination. To me, it sounds like a very mature and comprehensive sequel to our 2009 album Aava tuulen maa. And yeah, it will have a totally different sound because we've taken on a new approach and recorded with very old-school methods (most of the sounds were sculpted before tracking and there was almost no digital processing)."     -Anton
Tonight we'll be playing the entirely instrumental version of this album recently released as a digital download on Bandcamp.

02 October 2018: Dialeto and Gryphon

Review by kev rowland

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

When Dialeto released their previous album, 'Bart'k In Rock', famed ex-King Crimson violinist David Cross made an appearance on one song, and in my review I said that he had made such an impact I really wish he has played on more. Well, at this concert on 22nd July 2017, he stuck around for way more than just one song. Coming onto stage in time for the sixth number on the CD and staying there all the way through to the end. The Brazilian trio are mostly instrumental, and here they were promoting their last album, which took compositions by B'la Bart'k and then moved them into their own genre, with lots of improvisation. Interestingly, one of the songs featured on this CD is 'Mikrokosmos 78', which Dialeto hadn't worked on, and it was only after the suggestion of Cross that a version was put together especially for this concert.
Cross is a very busy musician, but one hopes that he sticks around for more gigs and recording with the trio, as they all blend their skills so very well together, to create an album that is exciting, invigorating, and just bloody great fun to listen to. The interaction between all four is incredible, as they extend and move away from songs and take them into new areas. The first eight songs are by Diaelto, and then we have four from King Crimson and one from David's own band. 'Starless' is instantly recognisable, and gets a reaction from the crowd; it is the perfect way to close out the concert (with drummer Fred Bayley showing that he is a fine singer, and it is a choice for the band to be instrumental as opposed to lack of skill). But before then everyone has been treated to an amazing concert, with four great musicians bouncing ideas off each other, allowing the music to take them where it needs to go. Dialeto have been building quite a reputation, and deservedly so, and hopefully this work with Cross will see them being recognised by a far wider audience, as it is certainly deserved.

Live, released in 2018

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Roumanian Folk Dances 3: Standing Still (3:39) video
2. Roumanian Folk Dances 2: Peasant Costume (3:01)
3. Roumanian Folk Dances 4: Stick Game (4:58)
4. Mikrokosmos 149: Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm II (3:48)
5. Mikrokosmos 113: Bulgarian Rhythm I (4:44)
6. Mikrokosmos 78: Five Tone Scale (7:31)
7. An Evening in the Village: 10 Easy Piano Pieces No. 5 (4:38)
8. The Young Bride: For Children Vol. 1 No. 17 (5:15)
9. Exiles (10:59)
10. Tonk (3:34)
11. The Talking Drum (6:39)12. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two (7:33)
13. Starless (11:19)

Total Time 77:38

Line-up / Musicians

- Nelson Coelho / Guitar, Mellotron Guitar (13)
- Gabriel Costa / Bass Guitar, Vocals (10)
- Fred Barley / Drums, Vocals (9,13)
With:
- David Cross / Violin (5-13)

Releases information

Format: CD, Digital
May 2, 2018 (Digital) June 4, 2018 (CD) 

Red Queen to Gryphon Three is the third studio album made by the band Gryphon. The album was released on Transatlantic Records in the UK with a blue cover, while Bell Records released the album in Canada with the cover border in black.
Red Queen to Gryphon Three is a concept album based loosely on a game of chess. The music, which frequently evokes a medieval mood, blends and alternates Baroque, Renaissance, English folk and progressive rock music styles. Themes are presented, developed and recapitulated in the fashion of classical music.

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Opening Move"	Richard Harvey, Graeme Taylor, Brian Gulland, David Oberlé	9:42
2.	"Second Spasm"	Taylor, Gulland	8:15

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
3.	"Lament"	Taylor, Gulland, Philip Nestor	10:45
4.	"Checkmate"	Harvey, Taylor, Gulland, Oberlé	9:50
Total length:			38:32

Personnel

• Brian Gulland – bassoon, krumhorn
• Graeme Taylor – guitars
• Richard Harvey – keyboards, recorders, krumhorn
• Philip Nestor – bass guitar
• David Oberlé – drums, percussion, tympani

Production^[2]

• Arranged by Gryphon
• Produced by Gryphon & Dave Grinsted
• Recorded & Mixed by Dave Grinsted at Chipping Norton Studios, August 1974
• All songs published by Heathside Music.
• Organ manufactured by Ernest Hart
• Acoustic bass manufactured by Pete Redding

18 September 2018: Atila / Bedjabetch / Steppe-Scape (Stars of Eurasia)

Review by loserboy
PROG REVIEWER

 

Excellent 70's Spanish symphonic progressive rock album with a powerful progressive musical prowess. "Intencion" is very reminiscent at times of PINK FLOYD ("Meddle" era) with great guitar soloing and a ton of great keyboard work (Hammond and moog). The songs on this album are very much inspired and this is an essential album to have in your collection. Although not a dominating factor and in fact vocals are used only in the first track, with them being sung in native tongue and being very well done. The album also features a female choir in sections which also works to perfection of the album. The keyboard work on this album is quite crunchy actually and really brings out different atmospheres throughout the album. The album features 1 epic track, the 16-minute "El Principio Del Fin" which offers a little bit of almost everything from HENDRIX guitar soloing to more symphonic. Pan Y Musica have kindly re-released this Spanish masterpiece in re-mastered form and one is able to hear a more enriched sound than previously possible on CD format. 

More reviews here.

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=2454

Studio Album, released in 1976 Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Intención
2. Cucutila
3. Día Perfecto
4. El Principio del Fin

Line-up / Musicians

- Eduardo A. Niebla / guitar
- Miguel A. Blasco / bass
- Juan Punet / drums
- Benet Nogue / organ, mellotron, piano, moog, voice
- Juan Vidal / sound effect

BEDJABETCH were a French fusion band from France. Their only album 'Subrepticement' released in 1979 is similar to bands from Canterbury style like SOFT MACHINE and NATIONAL HEALTH. Besides guitarist Marcel MARINO and keyboardist Patricia HUE who would later end up in a disco band MOBO, not much is known about other member's musical careers. 

Bedjabetch, the French jazz rock/funk band led by bass player Branko Miljevic and guitarist Marcel Merino was a great, but short lived Canterbury style progressive jazz rock fusion band of the 1970’s. The band's one obscure album was released in a drab purple sleeve with plain white lettering, but never judge a book by it's cover! The music is often complex and powerful, but is very inventive with outstanding musicianship. The album contains some great fat funky arrangements with exceptionally good saxophone from Michel Olivieri and great distinctive guitar from Marcel Merino. Listen to Marcel's great grooving "Drame Sous Les Palmiers", but all the tracks are great. At times the sound is reminiscent of bands like Magma, Soft Machine, Isotope, National Health, Secret Oyster, Camel and others. In fact this one Bedjabetch release is far better than some of the albums released by the aforementioned bands. "Subrepticement" is regarded by many progressive jazz rock fans as one of the best albums of its genre from the late '70's.
TRACKS
1 Pieds D'Anchois 3:40
2 Dinosaures 5:30
3 Le Chateau De L'Elephant 4:20
4 Drame Sous Les Palmiers 6:58
5 Subrepticement 3:50
6 Boucle D'Or 15:50
MUSICIANS
Marcel Merino - Guitar
Branko Miljevic - Bass
Patricia Hue - Piano, Keyboards
Gilles Petri - Drums Michel Olivieri - Alto, Soprano, & Tenor Saxophone, Flute 

Steppe-Scape (Stars of Eurasia) – The Great Steppe Live

released January 1, 2018 | This album is a live recording of Steppe-Scape performing at the Spirit of Astana festival in Astana (Kazakhstan), June 23, 2017.

Steppe-Scape (Stars of Eurasia) is a project that synthesizes ancient music, vocal techniques and traditional instruments of Central Asian and Russian cultures with futuristic electronics and ambient avant-rock of the West, thus emerging as a truly Eurasian cultural phenomenon.

Steppe-Scape (Stars of Eurasia) is a unique collaboration between most interesting and widely known in the West artists from Central Asia and Siberia, such as Namgar (Namgar Project, Buryat Republic), Radik Tyulyush (Huun Huur Tu, Chalama, Republic of Tuva), Angela Manukyan (Volga, Moscow), and guitarist, composer, and electronica artist Markus Reuter (Crimson ProjeCKt, Stick Men, centrozoon, Namgar Project), one of the most talented European artists today.

The musicians of Steppe-Scape summon shamanic energies of their ancestors, opening infinite spaces of steppes, dense forests, and mountains reaching out to the sky. The music of Steppe-Scape is a ritual that enchants its listeners and transports them to the far-away ancient horizons where forces of Cosmos and spirits of Nature meet. Steppe-Scape (Stars of Eurasia) is a vibrant meeting of the millennia-old traditions of the Great Steppe with the cutting-edge music of tomorrow.

credits

Namgar Lkhasaranova: vocals, yataga, khomus
Radik Tyulyush: vocals, throat-singing, igil
Angela Manukyan: vocals
Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars® U8, Soundscapes, Arrangements
Merlin Ettore: hybrid drums
Eugene Zolotarev: chanza, bass
Robert Yuldashev – kurai

Vlad Oboronko: Concept
Markus Reuter and Vlad Oboronko: Producers

Cover design – Anna Rozhdestvenskaya
Concert photo – Gleb Terletsky
Tuva photo – Wladislav Efimov

Our heartfelt thank you to the Spirit of Astana/Spirit of Tengri festival team and Zhan Kasteev personally – for professionalism, human warmth, and friendship
Thank you Katya Vlasova for providing a high quality stage sound
Thank you Victor Arestov and Anton Chebakov for a great job of mixing our music 

https://iapetus.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-steppe-live-free-download?from=embed

11 September 2018: Aniana / Parallel Worlds & Dave Bessell (DiN56)

 Aniana was a student of mine at Kodiak High School many years ago - her debut solo release is a superb example of her singing and songwriting abilities - and her backup band is kickass!
From her Kickstarter page:

This album has been a long time coming. I’ve been working for so many years on many different projects, pouring every drop of my passion for singing and performance into each one.
My musical career first bloomed over a decade ago in Phoenix, Arizona where I sang harmonies in The Mighty 602 Band, a reggae backing band that backed legends such as H.R. (of Bad Brains), Ras Michael, and Danny Clark of The Meditations. I also worked in the 9-piece hip-hop band Antedote, singing smooth melodies over jazz-infused beats. After moving to Portland seven years ago, you may have seen me perform with bands such as Philly's Phunkestra, Ben Darwish’s Commotion, Marv Ellis, Funk N' Roses, and Yak Attack. I've fallen in love with each style of music I’ve performed - reggae, hip-hop, rock, funk, soul, folk and I've discovered new things about my voice and performance style each time.
The songs on the album move through the chapters of my life. With each chapter that I write about, the style reflects true to the kind of music that I was performing at the time. Each genre brings out memories and conjures feelings about different periods of my life. Music has always been a pulse - a living part of my soul that has carried me through the peaks and valleys of my journey.
I’ve waited so patiently for this time to come. My musical career has taken me on an amazing journey of performances.
Hear tracks from the album here:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aniana/aniana-solo-debut-lp-chapters
Buy her album here:  https://www.anianamusic.com/

  DiN56 | Parallel Worlds & Dave Bessell | Dystopia                

The names of both Parallel Worlds and Dave Bessell should be very familiar by now to followers of the DiN ambient electronica label. Bakis Sirros (aka Parallel Worlds) has two solo albums, Obsessive Surrealism (DiN26), Shade (DiN32) as well as collaborations with DiN label boss Ian Boddy on Exit Strategy (DiN37) and most recently World Adapter (DiN48) with Self Oscillate (Ingo Zobel). Bessell on the other hand has a single solo album Black Horses Of The Sun (DiN47) as well as his contributions to the two synth supergroup Node releases (Node 2 (DiN44) & Node Live (DiN55)). Of course the duo have already collaborated before on their 2012 album, “Morphogenic” (DiN41) and “Dystopia” sees these two musicians continue their sonic dialogue.
 
Track titles such as “Cipher”, “Mutagen” and “Devoid” as well as the album title leaves one in no doubt that you are entering a dark and foreboding sound world. Indeed Bessell quotes the infamous novel “Neuromancer” by William Gibson as a major influence. Bakis Sirros as ever weaves his intricate modular rhythms that seem to squirm and writhe underneath vast slabs of analogue chords that rise and fall like cities. Indeed the album is very dynamic with complex, almost classical arrangements that constantly shift under ones feet. Amongst this Bessell introduces some fleeting guitar work as well as his adventurous analogue physical modelling sound design. Seeming to inhabit a netherworld between dark electronica and progressive synth these two musicians have once again created an album that just doesn’t sound like anyone else out there. Join them for a unique sonic adventure.

Hear a demo track here.           www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/

05 June 2018: 3RDegree / Lobate Scarp

Tonight's program features two concept albums from American Progressive rock bands:  3RDegree's Ones & Zeros, Vol. 0 and in the second half of the show, Time and Space from Lobate Scarp.  The complete playlist for tonight's show is below the album information.

She would not be my toy…I’d be her human being” (from “Olympia”)
ONES & ZEROS: the building blocks of A.I. mixed with physical desire…

“Are you a sheep? Are you a hero? Stuck in a binary code” (from “Ones & Zeros)
ONES & ZEROS simplified: on or off…yes or no

“Why deny? The more we fight it, the more we lose control” (from “Logical Conclusion”)
ONES & ZEROS: the self-fulfilling prophecy

These are the things on the mind of 3RDegree that make up its sixth album ONES & ZEROS: vol. 0 and the bookend to 2015’s ONES & ZEROS: vol. 1-their first concept album(s)-now complete. All songs offer a unique take on the issues and ethics associated with the rapid progress of technology. Ray Kurzweil & others have been discussing futurism and transhumanism since the 1970s but only now are we seeing it impact our daily lives. Spearheaded by 1990’s-era members California guitarist Patrick Kliesch & New Jersey lead vocalist/keyboardist George Dobbs, the rest of the band shortly pitched in different songs-all closely associated with the overall theme. As with previous albums, both fully-fledged and skeletal ideas were created and passed between band members via the Internet and worked on in the flesh soon after.

3RDegree circa 2017 continues to embody the musical direction envisioned by “power trio” Robert James Pashman, Patrick Kliesch & Robert Durham in 1991: to create interesting and engaging music that mixes accessible melodies and catchy hooks with the intelligence and complexity of Progressive Rock. Releasing a debut album (on cassette!) with THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE in 1993 (w/Pashman on lead vocals), 3RDegree decided to step up their game in 1995, adding a world-class lead vocalist in George Dobbs and releasing their second album, 1996’s HUMAN INTEREST STORY, which was re-released in 2013, remastered. After playing many live shows in the New York City area gaining little traction, the band hung it up, leaving much material sitting on the proverbial cutting room floor.

Dobbs would continue musical endeavors including solo albums, Pashman and Kliesch would work on projects together and a solo album each apart…but talk of 3RDegree was couched in the past tense until Pashman would make a video collection in 2005, putting together all the band’s music videos and performances onto DVD and basement tapes onto CDs. Discussion of the songs left behind bubbled under throughout that year until the original trio met at a NYC bar where it was agreed upon that the band would record again and later, play reunion concerts at NJ Proghouse in 2007 with original drummer Rob Durham and long time collaborator, guitarist Eric Pseja. 2008 saw the release of NARROW-CASTER (which included the aforementioned songs along with brand new ones) making a big splash in small progressive rock ponds worldwide with the Dutch Progressive Rock Page (DPRP.net) reveling: “It’s not often an album as refreshing as this comes along, and we should treasure it when it does...an album that demands repeated spins, and rewards every listen with some new revelation”. In 2009, new drummer Aaron Nobel joined and the band played shows in Brooklyn (w/Phideaux) & North Carolina’s ProgDay (w/Ozric Tentacles) later finding themselves working on some tracks with two different themes but with election year coming in 2012, the band decided that their political crop of songs would be particularly timely.

THE LONG DIVISION would be released ahead of election day followed by many 2013 mid-year shows culminating in a return visit to ProgDay ’13’s pre-show-all with new lead guitarist Bryan Zeigler. The album’s single “You’re Fooling Yourselves” made the Top 10 Songs Of The Year at DPRP’s yearly poll alongside many, much more “established” bands. In early 2014, the band made an appearance at Québec City’s Terra Incognita Festival (w/Glass Hammer) playing to an enthusiastic audience-3RDegree’s first show outside the USA.

In August 2015, 3RDegree released a new album-ONES & ZEROS: vol. 1-on 10T Records (their last release) and performed live on their first world tour that not only hit the American northeast, but also France (Paris), Germany (Frankfurt), The Netherlands (Rotterdam), & U.K. (London, Leicester, Southampton & Wales) ending at The Summer’s End Festival (w/Pallas). Shows continued into 2016 (with original drummer Robert Durham back in tow) including an appearance at RoSfest in Gettysburg, PA (w/Spock’s Beard). The band continued writing songs related to the “ones & zeros theme” throughout 2016 with the goal of an equally compelling collection to accompany their career pinnacle. 

credits

released April 30, 2018

3RDegree:

George Dobbs: lead & backing vocals, keyboards, percussion, violin
Robert James Pashman: bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Patrick Kliesch: acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Robert Durham: drums, percussion
Eric Pseja: electric guitar, backing vocals
Bryan Zeigler: electric guitar, backing vocals

Produced by George Dobbs, Robert James Pashman & Patrick Kliesch
Mixed & Mastered by Angelo Panetta
Drums recorded at Panetta Studios & assisted by Dan D'Elia
Drums on "Logical Conclusion" & drum arrangement ideas on "The Future Doesn't Need You" & "Olympia": Aaron Nobel
Tech support: Ed Baumann
Theremin on "Olympia": Sheuh-Li Ong
Co-lead vocal on "Unintended Consequence": Moorea Dickason
Additional violin on "Click Farm": Jay Friedman
Spoken voice on "Perfect Babies": Ava Penelope Pashman

Cover art by Alexandre Kouznetsov
Album design & layout: Eric Pseja

This album is dedicated to the tireless champion of new music: Dewey Gurall

 Somewhere between Pink Floyd, Queen, Yes, and Nine Inch Nails, Lobate Scarp's unique Progressive Space-Opera Rock music will surely take you on a musical journey you won't forget.

Music Connection magazine has stated that “the group Lobate Scarp presents prog-rock that hits you right between the eyes” and that their “musical approach deserves industry support and interest".

Time and Space is an AOR rock-opera complete with Trumpets, Saxophone, Viola, Violin, Cello, Theremin, Glockenspiel, and a 30+ person choir singing in Latin. Alex Acuña (Weather Report) appears as a special guest percussionist in the opening 15-minute track and Rich Mouser (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Neal Morse) mixed and mastered the album. Steve Leavitt produced and engineered.

 

22 May 2018: Italian Prog Night in honor of Lew Fisher

Tonight's program is dedicated to Lew Fisher, a long time fan and promoter of progressive music.  His group, the Progressive Music Society, went through several incarnations as technology changed until he closed it down a few years ago.  The group was an invaluable source of discussion and suggestions for fans of progressive rock.  Lew continues his advocacy for prog through his daily Facebook posts.  Because he is such a fan of Italian prog, I asked him for some suggestions other than the standard PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi) and tonight's program is the result.   Good listening everyone!   Notes on all the tracks and bands played tonight are below. The complete playlist for tonight's show appears after the music notes.

The first half of tonight's show will spotlight Maurizio Di Tollo's 2015 release, "Memorie di uno sparring partner" which Lew feels is destined to be a prog classic.

Prog Archives Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Rock Progressivo Italiano Team

Italian multi-instrumentalist Maurizio di Tollo certainly keeps busy with a wide range of progressive music related work! The last few years have seen him drumming on La Maschera di Cero's well-received `La Porte del Domani' and several Hostsonaten discs, playing keyboards and drums on a cool self-titled instrumental album by the trio `Arena Di Tollo Marras', and even delivering a superb solo prog-rock album all his own entitled `L'Uomo Trasparente' in 2012. He presents a follow-up to that one in 2015 with `Memorie di uno Sparring Partner' (Memoirs of a Sparring Partner) , and it's a shock to discover it's not really much of a progressive rock album at all. Now before all the RPI and prog-fans start clenching their butt-cheeks in panic, make no mistake - Maurizo and his musical guests here (many of them Italian prog notables) have delivered an intelligent and very modern rock album full of extremely well-played instrumentation around very strong song-writing and effective melodies, but prog elements do show up, just in skilfully executed shorter passages in and around the actual tunes, which are always the focus.Along with Maurizio's own world-weary vocals and a general melancholic air that pervades all the tunes, `Memorie...' isn't really too far removed from Steven Wilson's recent solo works, as well as the darker moments of Fabio Zuffanti's more recent projects. The moody and sometimes dark rock of the album also mixes in elements of electronica, jazz and a definite singer- songwriter quality, though not in a folky manner that the term is often applied to. Instead the pieces revolve around very personal and reflective thoughts, which will likely be even more appreciated by those who speak Italian.
Looking at some of the particular highlights, piano-driven opener `Sempronio' comes to life once it picks up in tempo with subtle jazzy vibes, and it also holds a beautiful trumpet solo in the final moments. A definite solo Steven Wilson-like sound burns through `Il Cielo e' un Uomo Solo', where plaintive piano, gently humming Hammond organ, whirring dreamy synths and warm acoustic with emotional heart-wrenching electric guitar solo spots weave a seductive mix together, all while the tune itself holds a particularly lovely melody. Same goes for `La Vita Buona', a seductive the late-night contemplation of creeping electronics, ghostly piano, Anathema-like slow-burn electric guitar smoulders and dramatic upfront drumming behind Maurizio's raspy vocal.
`I Padroni del Vapore' is a welcome harder diversion with a crashing brooding heaviness and snarling vocal, `Se Questo e' l'Amore' is a stark piano rumination, `Il Poeta' a tough rocker, `Amore Mio, Hai Ragione' a powerful ballad fuelled by Mellotron on the chorus, and instrumental interlude `A Occhi Chiusi' begins on delicate piano before the whole band roar to life, aggressive chunky bass and hard driving drums the highlight. The longest piece at over seven minutes, `La Paura' is definitely one of the more overtly proggy pieces, a soaring theme with heavy bursts, programed loops and even triumphant and uplifting moog soloing, and Maurizio delivers a confident, commanding lead vocal fitting of a final closing musical statement.
After the initial disappointment that this isn't a full-blown prog-rock work to compare to his previous work (and sure enough, closer inspection of the BTF Records press release about the disc states that particular fact ' always pays to read the fine print beforehand!), `Memorie...' still quickly reveals itself to be a perfectly impressive work all its own. As prog-rock listeners, it's nice to sometimes take a step back and listen to something less busy or complex, yet no less intelligent and artistic, and Maurizio and his musical collaborators have definitely delivered that here. If you're in the mood for a thoughtful, early A.M hours kind of introspective listen and can give it several plays to link it sink in, ` Memorie di uno Sparring Partner' proves to be a fragile, haunting little gem.
Three stars as a prog album, four stars as a stylish and smart rock album.
Studio Album, released in 2015

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Sempronio (5:45)
2. Io e le Cose (5:50)
3. Il Cielo e' un Uomo Solo (5:07)
4. La Vita Buona (6:35)
5. I Padroni del Vapore (4:21)
6. Se Questo e' l'Amore (4:39)
7. Il Poeta (5:56)
8. Amore Mio, Hai Ragione (4:28)
9. A Occhi Chiusi (3:12)
10. La Paura (7:26)

total time: 53:23

Line-up / Musicians - Maurizio di Tollo (Distillerie di Malto, Fabio Zuffanti, H?stsonaten, La Maschera Di Cera, Moongarden) / Vocals, Piano, Synth, Moog, Programming
With:
- Christian Marras (Luca Scherani, Arena Di Tollo Marras) / Bass
- Eros Cristiani (Mauro Pagani) / Piano, Synth, Programming
- Andrea Pica / Guitar
- Ged Lynch (David Rhodes, Peter Gabriel, Random Hold, David Sylvian) / Drums, Percussion
- David Rhodes (Peter Gabriel, Random Hold, Talk Talk) / Guitar
- Roberto Gualdi (PFM, Alessandro Farinella, Voodoo Hill) / Drums
- Nicola Oliva / Guitar
- Andrea Cavalieri (Luca Olivieri) / Contrabass
- Ernesto Nobili / Classic & Acoustic Guitars
- Nico Casu / Trumpet
- Giux Mura / Back Vocals
- Fabrizio Barale (Luca Olivieri) / Guitar

Also on tonight's program:

Garybaldi was an Italian progressive rock band founded in the early 1970s.

We'll be hearing "Nove 1" from the album Storie Di Un'Altra Citta

La Maschera Di Cera took life in 2001 when Fabio Zuffanti ( bass player with Finisterre and with a lot of other projects ) decide to form a  group who could re-create the glorious tradition of the italian progressive sound of the ’70.

We'll be hearing"Encicla 1168" from the album LuxAde 

Taproban was founded in Rome in 1996 by keyboards player Gianluca De Rossi and gets its name from Taprobana, the ancient denomination of Ceylon Island (Sri-Lanka), where Tommaso Campanella set his The City of the Sun. The group takes its inspiration by the Synmphonic-Pop or Progressive Rock of the earlier seventies, that had its best representative groups in Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant and King Crimson. The absence of an electric guitar player and the consequent prominence of the keyboards, however, recall the triangle formation of Emerson Lake & Palmer or Le Orme, creating a sound language that prefers instrumental parts rather than lyrical.

We'll hear "Outside Nowhere (Parts A-F)" from the album Outside Nowhere.

Formed in Rome in 2001 as a ’70s-centric prog covers band, La Bocca della Verità (The Mouth of Truth, so named after an ancient marble mask located in the Roman capital) have finally released their own work, a sprawling science fiction concept album that starts in the year 2161 and presumably tells the story of the planet Avenoth. 

We'll be hearing "La Suite dei Tre Pianeti" from the album Avenoth.

 

 

08 May 2018: The Who - "Tommy" Special FreeForm Fund Raiser Edition

Tonight as part of KMXT's Spring Fundraiser, we will be playing Tommy in its entirety without interruption.  This is your opportunity to support Kodiak Public Radio by going to kmxt.org and making a donation or becoming a sustaining member.
      Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who, a double album first released in May 1969. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend as a rock opera that tells the story about a "deaf, dumb and blind" boy, including his experiences with life and his relationship with his family.
     Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of Meher Baba, and attempted to translate Baba's teachings into music. Recording on the album began in September 1968, but took six months to complete as material needed to be arranged and re-recorded in the studio. Tommy was acclaimed upon its release by critics, who hailed it as the Who's breakthrough. Its critical standing diminished slightly in later years; nonetheless, several writers view it as an important and influential album in the history of rock music. The Who promoted the album's release with an extensive tour, including a live version of Tommy, which lasted throughout 1969 and 1970. Key gigs from the tour included appearances at Woodstock, the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival, the University of Leeds, the Metropolitan Opera House and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. The live performances of Tommy drew critical praise and rejuvenated the band's career.

Track listing

Track names and timings vary across editions; some editions have two tracks merged into one and vice versa. "See Me, Feel Me", for example, is the second half of "We're not Gonna Take It", but is its own track as a single and on the 2003 deluxe edition.^[68]All tracks written by Pete Townshend, except where noted.

The Who

• Roger Daltrey – vocals, harmonica
• Pete Townshend – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• John Entwistle – bass, french horn, vocals
• Keith Moon – drums

Note: Townshend also played banjo on the original album's "Tommy's Holiday Camp".

Side one
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Overture"	Townshend	3:50
2.	"It's a Boy"	Townshend	2:07
3.	"1921"	Townshend, Roger Daltrey on chorus	3:14
4.	"Amazing Journey"	Daltrey	3:25
5.	"Sparks"	Instrumental	3:45
6.	"The Hawker" (Sonny Boy Williamson)	Daltrey	2:15

Side two
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Christmas"	Daltrey, Townshend in middle eight	5:30
2.	"Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle)	Entwistle and Townshend	4:03
3.	"The Acid Queen"	Townshend	3:31
4.	"Underture"	Instrumental	9:55

Side three
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Do You Think It's Alright?"	Daltrey and Townshend	0:24
2.	"Fiddle About" (Entwistle)	Entwistle	1:26
3.	"Pinball Wizard"	Daltrey, Townshend on bridge	3:01
4.	"There's a Doctor"	Townshend, with Daltrey and Entwistle	0:25
5.	"Go to the Mirror!"	Daltrey and Townshend	3:50
6.	"Tommy Can You Hear Me?"	Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle	1:35
7.	"Smash the Mirror"	Daltrey	1:20
8.	"Sensation"	Townshend	2:32

Side four
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Miracle Cure"	Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle	0:10
2.	"Sally Simpson"	Daltrey	4:10
3.	"I'm Free"	Daltrey	2:40
4.	"Welcome"	Daltrey, Townshend ("more at the door") and Entwistle (spoken part)	4:30
5.	"Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon)	Townshend	0:57
6.	"We're Not Gonna Take It"	Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle	6:45