11 October 2011: Symphonic Prog from Canarios & LINDH PÄR/BJÖRN JOHANSSON
Well, it's not easy to make a bio of Par Lindh & Bjorn Johansson because we're not talking about a band but about a project to release one (first) Tolkien related album, Bilbo and later "Dreamsongs from the Middle Earth". This two friends and excellent musicians had worked together for a long time, Bjorn even played guitars in the first PAR LINDH PROJECT" album "Gothic Impressions, being an important part of it. It's unnecessary to talk about Par Lindh and his long career with bands as ANTENNA BAROQUE, the Symphonic Trio VINCEBUS EREPTUM, his solo career as Church Organ virtuoso, Keyboardist, Classical Pianist, drummer and President of the Swedish Art Rock Society plus responsible of PAR LINDH PROJECT, so lets talk a bit about the incredible guitar player called Bjorn Johansson, who is not as well known as the Organ wizard but is also transcendental for Scandinavian Symphonic. Bjorn is mainly a guitar player but as Mike Oldfield he's more than proficient in almost every one it's enough to mention that in his recordings with Par Lindh he plays classical guitars, 12 string guitars, 6 string steel guitars, electric guitars, slide guitars, sitar guitar, zither, Jews harp, mandolins, bouzoki, bassoon, tin whistle, low whistle, Akai S2000 sampler, Giga studio sampler, Access Virus virtual analogue synthesizer, jingle bells, vibraslap & cabasa Bass. After releasing Gothic Impressions, Pär Lindh approached Bjorn because of his great interest in releasing a Tolkien based album called "Bilbo" (1996), in the vein of Bo Hansson's Lord of the Rings but with a clear Medieval and Baroque influence so beloved by both musicians. In this first project they counted with Magdalena Hagsberg and Anna Scmidtdz in the flutes. In 2004 they rejoin again to release their second joint project called Dreamsomngs from Middle Earth, again with members of Par Lindh Project as Magdalena Hagsberg and Lovisa Stenberg plus Roine Stolt from THE FLOWER KINGS who plays bass in the track "Dream Three"" This album has a more Classic Symphonic approach, giving a different perspective to Tolkien's narrations. (from ProgArchives.com)
Los Canarios biography (from Progarchives.com)
LOS CANARIOS was a Spanish band that started playing back in the late 60's. At the beginning, they played Soul and R&B influenced music, singing mostly in English. Recorded in the Seventies, "Circlos" shows an adaptation of VIVALDI's "Four Seasons" with a rock and Hispanic flavour. This is a concept album with an interesting story line that goes from the creation of the Earth to the Apocalypse in 2700 A.C.
The music reminds of this era, with a predominant Hammond organ, a blend of rock and classical music in the style of THE NICE and other EKSEPTION. This album is a heavy and dynamic work in its own right with plenty of synth and organ work as well as guitar. Vocals (in English) are heard throughout but I'd say the album is dominated by instrumental sections. "Ciclos" is a classic of the Spanish progressive scene. But otherwise I have to agree with other prog fans that this is a classic.
DISCOGRAPHY:
1968 - Lo Mejor Del Clan
1970 - Libérate
1972 - Canarios Vivos
1974 - Ciclos
LOS CANARIOS was a Spanish band that started playing back in the late 60's. At the beginning, they played Soul and R&B influenced music, singing mostly in English. Recorded in the Seventies, "Circlos" shows an adaptation of VIVALDI's "Four Seasons" with a rock and Hispanic flavour. This is a concept album with an interesting story line that goes from the creation of the Earth to the Apocalypse in 2700 A.C.
The music reminds of this era, with a predominant Hammond organ, a blend of rock and classical music in the style of THE NICE and other EKSEPTION. This album is a heavy and dynamic work in its own right with plenty of synth and organ work as well as guitar. Vocals (in English) are heard throughout but I'd say the album is dominated by instrumental sections. "Ciclos" is a classic of the Spanish progressive scene. But otherwise I have to agree with other prog fans that this is a classic.
DISCOGRAPHY:
1968 - Lo Mejor Del Clan
1970 - Libérate
1972 - Canarios Vivos
1974 - Ciclos
04 October 2011: Steven Wilson "Grace For Drowning"
"'Insurgentes' was an important step for me into something new. This record takes that as a starting point, but it’s more experimental and more eclectic. For me the golden period for music was the late sixties and early seventies, when the album became the primary means of artistic expression, when musicians liberated themselves from the 3 minute pop song format, and started to draw on jazz and classical music especially, combining it with the spirit of psychedelia to create “journeys in sound” I guess you could call them. So without being retro, my album is a kind of homage to that spirit. There’s everything from [Ennio] Morricone-esque film themes to choral music to piano ballads to a 23 minute progressive jazz –inspired piece. I've actually used a few jazz musicians this time, which is something I picked up from my work remixing the King Crimson records"[6]
All songs written and composed by Steven Wilson.
| Disc 1: Deform to Form a Star | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Grace for Drowning" | 2:06 | |||||||
| 2. | "Sectarian" | 7:41 | |||||||
| 3. | "Deform to Form a Star" | 7:51 | |||||||
| 4. | "No Part of Me" | 5:45 | |||||||
| 5. | "Postcard" | 4:29 | |||||||
| 6. | "Raider Prelude" | 2:23 | |||||||
| 7. | "Remainder the Black Dog" | 9:27 | |||||||
| Disc 2: Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "Belle de Jour" | 2:59 | |||||||
| 2. | "Index" | 4:49 | |||||||
| 3. | "Track One" | 4:16 | |||||||
| 4. | "Raider II" | 23:21 | |||||||
| 5. | "Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye" | 8:01 | |||||||
27 Sept 2011: FreeForm Progressive Goes Elk Hunting on Afognak Island
20 Sept 2011: Children of the Bong & King Crimson
The group split up shortly after the release of the album. Rob Henry went on to form a band called Euphonic and now plays in a band called Neech. Daniel Goganian went on to study at the National Film and Television School and now works in the film and television industry for Savalas Audio Post Production in Glasgow, Scotland. He also plays samba percussion for the Paraiso School of Samba in London.
Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, originally released in 1973. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation - arguably their most forward-thinking thinking version yet, featuring original member and guitarist Robert Fripp and new members John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar), David Cross (violin, Mellotron), Jamie Muir (percussion), and Bill Bruford (drums), as well as lyricist Richard Palmer-James. Bruford had just left his previous band, Yes before they embarked on their "Close To The Edge" tour. Bruford felt that he had done all he could with Yes at this point and thought the more jazz oriented King Crimson would be a more expansive outlet. The album sees the band incorporate into its sound violin and also various exotic percussion instruments, including sheet metal and mbiras, all courtesy of the newly arrived Muir.
The album opens with a long experimental instrumental piece titled "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One." After that there are three vocal pieces, "Book of Saturday", "Exiles" and "Easy Money." These are followed by two more instrumentals, "The Talking Drum" and "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two." The instrumental pieces on this album have strong jazz fusion influences, and portions have an almost heavy metal feel.
The album spawned the concert staple "Exiles", whose Mellotron introduction had been adapted from an instrumental piece called "Mantra" the band's original line up performed throughout 1969. At that time, as well as in late 1972, the melody was played by Fripp on guitar.
It is the only studio album with this 5-man line up. Muir left the group while on tour promoting this album in 1973. Attrition took this incarnation of King Crimson through the next several albums until Fripp's "retirement" in 1975.
In the Q & Mojo Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, the album came #22 in its list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums". (from Wikipedia)
13 September 2011: Invisible Opera Company of Tibet (Brazil) & Greylevel
INVISIBLE OPERA COMPANY OF TIBET is a code name created by Daevid Allen (Gong), which original idea is, as he says, 'an international ideological/spiritual/aesthetic communications network for artists of all kinds who share the common vision of warm hearted, pan-stylistic, inclusive art forms which serve the drive towards conscious evolution'. Subsequently different band versions originated whilst picking up this spirit with more than 50 members and ex-members around the globe.
The Brazilian branch, initially provided with the suffix 'Tropical Version Brazil', manifested around 1988/89 when guitarist Fabio Golfetti of the psych prog band Violeta De Outono contacted Allen with the intention to collaborate. They recorded the first single 'Numa Pessoa Só' in 1989 and two years later their debut 'The Eternal Voice' came out, musically a mix of ambient, glissando and ethno/world element. Glissando Spirit is the album we will hear this evening, released in 1993.
From humble beginnings as a solo studio project, Greylevel has since evolved into a full-fledged band. Brought together by shared passion for creating original music that aims to transport the listener into worlds of sound. Opus One was their first album.
06 September 2011: Celebrate the 70s: Beggars Opera & Bo Hansson
Bo HANSSON (born 10 April 1943 in Gothenburg, Sweden, died 24 April 2010) is famous for his 1972 concept album "Lord of the Rings" which came out decades before Hollywood ever made any noise about Tolkien's trilogy. The music was taped on a remote island off Stockholm, on an 8-track recorder, in a summer house studio with the help of a few friends and musicians. It received Gold Record awards in England and Australia. Licenced by Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma label in England and America, it was also the subject of an extensive TV ad campaign that turned it into a hit in progressive rock circles at the time.
"Lord of the Rings" is a beautiful, timeless album of instrumental psychedelia worth hearing, even if it does sound rather 70ish production-wise. It doesn't feature any "fantasy/medieval" themes à la AYREON but captures the otherworldly, pastoral feel of Tolkien's work, like a Nordic album should.
This band was from Scotland, their name is derived from a novel by the poet John Gray in 1728. The musicians of BEGGARS OPERA were Martin Griffiths (vocals), Rick Gardiner (guitar and vocals), Alan Park (keyboards), Gordon Sellar (bass, acoustic guitar and vocals), Virginia Scott (Mellotron and vocals) and Raymond Wilson (drums and percussion). BEGGARS OPERA made a lot of records but remained acting in the shade of most progressive rock bands.
On their third LP "Pathfinder" BEGGARS OPERA seems to have reached its pinnacle: strong and alternating compositions with lush keyboards (Mellotron, organ, piano and harpsichord), powerful electric guitarplay and many shifting moods (even Scottish folk with bagpipes).
29 August 2011: Caravan & Elbow
The 40th Anniversary release of Caravan's classic Canterbury Sound album featuring remixes of some tracks by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree).
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan.[1] Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending psychedelic rock and jazz to create a distinctive sound like their contemporaries Soft Machine. Caravan still remains active as a live band in the 21st century.
Also this evening, progressive music from Elbow.
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011. In the UK all of their albums have made the top twenty and seven of their singles have been in the top forty.
In 2008 they won the Mercury Music Prize for their album The Seldom Seen Kid.
28 June 2011: Matt Stevens & Interstellar
Interstellar
The Canadian band was formed in 1998 by Rob Boak (guitar, bass, keyboards) and Denis Dufour (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals).[1] The debut album, Late Night Tea, was released in 2000 on Mother Superior Records.[1] Cam Lindsay of Exclaim! described the record as sounding like it had been recorded "at four in the morning", comparing it with Spiritualized and Tortoise.[2] Second album ToSleepToDreamToWake was recorded over three years and issued in 2004 on Plan Eleven Records, charting across Canada.[3] It was described by Darren Eke of Exclaim! as containing "varying degrees of jazz, psychedelia and electro-pop, which are often aided by atmospheric guitar or synthesiser textures to enhance its up-tempo electronic lustre",[4] and by Wavelength as "a sublime mix of multiple instrumentals and lovely spacey ambience"Matt Stevens
From Matt Stevens: "It is just me, a guitar and a loop pedal in front of an audience at the Electric Garden Festival in May 2011. There is a full review of the festival here."
14 June 2011: AKIN & The Winter Tree (formerly Magus)
The Winter Tree is a synthesis of many different musical styles and genres: rock, folk, electronic, ambient, and world music among others. These elements combine to create a fascinating and cohesive work that should satisfy the progrock enthusiast as well as a diverse listening public.
Our thanks to Shawn at ProgRock Records for making this music available for our listeners.
FreeForm Progressive Takes a Break
19 April 2011: Crimson Jazz Trio & Ship of Fools
The band finished recording a second album, The King Crimson Songbook, Volume Two, with assistance from Jakko Jakszyk and Mel Collins (Wallace's colleagues in 21st Century Schizoid Band; Collins is also a King Crimson alumnus) before Wallace died on February 22, 2007. It was released on April 7, 2009 on Inner Knot Records. (from Wikipedia)
The band’s first fully-fledged album came out in 1993. Close Your Eyes (Forget the World), as the title would suggest, is a work with a hallucinatory quality. Entirely instrumental, save for the odd vocal sound clip, textured electronics interact with swirling phased guitars throughout this album, all the while underpinned by an intuitive drummer and more than adequate bassist. Deft use is made of repetitive grooves, explored in all their facets, infusing the listener’s cerebrum with a gorgeous textural ambience.
This is the kind of music that makes one go ever deeper into rarely explored territory, spacing the mind out into a kind of oneness with the music. The effect can be at times meditative and calming, as when Graham Wilkes’ flute dominates during the Celtic-tinged "Western Lands". At others it is invigorating, as when a long lasting repetitive groove is suddenly replaced by heavy riffing guitars and other sonic flourishes.
The band’s keyboard sound is heavily on the electronic side, with some elements that are close to techno. Yet all of this is counterbalanced by an organ sound that recalls the early 70’s, as well as a certain symphonic quality that gives the music a sense of grandeur and presence. Such counterbalance of instrumentation seems to have been very much a part of the band’s approach as it is difficult to find any part on a Ship of Fools disc that is dominated entirely by any one member of the band. For the most part, it is truly a group effort, with each member contributing a valuable part of the overall sonic palate; supporting the work of the others.
Out There Somewhere continues this approach, but now with a somewhat harder and more driving sound. Gone (with the exception of one track) is the flautist, as the band introduced a second guitarist to the mix. The general sound is more aggressive and heavily layered. The compositions are just that: compositions with limited jamming but plenty of flourishes into parts unknown that could only be explored by a band in which the musicians are totally in synch with a joint vision within the framework of a generally composed piece.
The musicianship is excellent, building upon the strengths of the first release. But the glue that seems to hold the whole thing together is in the extensive use of sound-clips that range from such diverse sources as the Apollo 11 mission, the Wizard of Oz, Ren & Stimpy’s Space Madness and even readings from Michel Foucault’s Madness & Civilization (from which the band appear to have taken their name). The whole thing melds the album into an exploration of one of Space Rock’s abiding fascinations: the discovery of one’s inner-self through exploring without. Hawkwind may have said it first with their "D-Rider" (“Facing out, we’re facing in”) but Ship of Fools here make the definitive space-rock commentary on the relationship of mankind to its universe. As such, this is kind of a concept album. The concept is far from linear, but a message therein is contained.
To pick out any one track from Out there Somewhere that stands above the rest is difficult. The album starts out hard and driving as if propelled by raging pistons, and yet by the third song the music takes on a pastoral quality. As each piece segues into the next, one has the impression of a carefully constructed and holistic piece of work; a rich tapestry of sound and audio-clips that weave an intricate pattern of images within the consciousness. The result is a richly psychedelic and intensely visual audio experience: one that engages the mind in a complete interaction with the music. I am quite sure that, if they had ever been introduced to each other, Nektar’s Mick Brockett would have had a field day with these guys.
With these classic albums, Ship of Fools presented an experience that went beyond that which is audible. It’s a sonic exploration of the consciousness…one that unfortunately is not available to most listeners. These titles (which were once available on a double CD) are no longer available. Hopefully enough of an outcry can emerge to make them once again available. It’s up to you, but I say that it’s time we keel-haul those responsible for the loss of one of space rock’s greats if these great titles do not once again readily grace many a CD deck.
There is some hope however. It seems at the time of writing that the best parts from these titles have been gathered together and remixed into a single CD, Lets Get This Mother Outta Here on Peaceville Records. (from http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=1838&bhcp=1)
12 April 2011: Frank Zappa & XAAL
Because Hot Rats focuses on instrumental jazz-like compositions with extensive soloing, the music sounds very different from earlier Zappa albums, which featured satirical vocal performances with extensive use of musique concrète and editing. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood is the only member of the Mothers to appear on the album and was the primary musical collaborator. Other featured musicians were Max Bennett and Shuggie Otis on bass, drummers Aynsley Dunbar and John Guerin and electric violinists Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Jean-Luc Ponty.
This was the first Frank Zappa album recorded on 16-track equipment and one of the first of such recordings released. Machines with 16 individual tracks allow for much more flexibility in multi-tracking and overdubbing than the professional 4- and 8-track reel-to-reel tape recorders that were standard in 1969. While Zappa was recording Hot Rats The Beatles were working on their Abbey Road album, but were limited to 8-track technology.
The album was dedicated to Zappa's new-born son, Dweezil Zappa. (from Wikipedia)
5 April 2011: Greylevel + Matt Stevens
From humble beginnings as a solo studio project, Greylevel has since evolved into a full-fledged band. Brought together by shared passion for creating original music that aims to transport the listener into worlds of sound.
The band spent two years carefully working on their sophomore release entitled "Hypostatic Union", their first album that features all 5 members. This album is now available through ProgRock Records.
March 29 2011: Tribute to Gary Moore
Tonight's show is a tribute to the late, great guitarist Gary Moore who passed away recently. We'll be playing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Variations (for rock band and cello), a live recording of Gary supporting Greg Lake in 1981, and few other tidbits.
Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 1952[1] – 6 February 2011), better known simply as Gary Moore, was a musician from Belfast, Northern Ireland, best recognized as a blues rock guitarist and singer.
In a career dating back to the 1960s, Moore played with artists including Phil Lynott and Brian Downey during his teens, leading him to membership with the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy on three separate occasions. Moore shared the stage with such blues and rock luminaries as B.B. King, Albert King, Colosseum II, Greg Lake and Skid Row (not to be confused with the heavy metal band of the same name), as well as having a successful solo career. He guested on a number of albums recorded by high profile musicians, including a cameo appearance playing the lead guitar solo on "She's My Baby" from Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3.
Moore died of a suspected heart attack[2] in his hotel room while on holiday in Estepona, Spain, in February 2011.[3][4]
Variations is a Classical/Rock fusion album by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber and younger brother Julian Lloyd Webber were always very close, but their two different careers (a rock musical composer and a classical cellist) meant that a collaboration seemed unlikely. It wasn't until Julian beat his brother in a bet on a Leyton Orient football match that Andrew was forced to write his cello work.
As his subject, Andrew chose the theme of Paganini's 24th caprice and added 23 variations for cello and rock band. The work premiered at the 1977 Sydmonton Festival with rock band Colosseum II, featuring Gary Moore, being joined by Barbara Thompson (Sax, Flute), Rod Argent, (Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards) and Julian Lloyd Webber (Cello). It was subsequently rearranged and recorded in 1978. It reached number 2 in the album charts. (from Wikipedia)
Progressive Music Hiatus on FreeForm
Jan 11 2011: Gazpacho
The original core band of Jan-Henrik Ohme (vocals), Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars) and Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming, producer) started making music together in 1996 and the band has since expanded with Mikael Krømer (violin, co-producer), Lars Erik Asp (drums) and Kristian Torp (bass).
Gazpacho's music has been described by one critic as being "classical post ambient nocturnal atmospheric neo-progressive folk world rock".[1] The music has been compared to A-ha, Radiohead, Marillion and Porcupine Tree.
04 January 2010: Transatlantic "The Whirlwind"
Studio Album, released in 2009
Songs / Tracks Listing
Disc 1: The Whirlwind (77:47)
i) Overture / Whirlwind (9:54)
ii) The Wind Blew Them All Away (6:10)
iii) On The Prowl (6:03)
iv) A Man Can Feel (6:35)
v) Out Of The Night (4:22)
vi) Rose Colored Glasses (7:54)
vii) Evermore (4:10)
viii) Set Us Free (5:03)
ix) Lay Down Your Life (5:11)
x) Pieces Of Heaven (2:17)
xi) Is It Really Happening? (8:11)
xii) Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise) (12:04)
Total Time 77:54
Line-up / Musicians i) Overture / Whirlwind (9:54)
ii) The Wind Blew Them All Away (6:10)
iii) On The Prowl (6:03)
iv) A Man Can Feel (6:35)
v) Out Of The Night (4:22)
vi) Rose Colored Glasses (7:54)
vii) Evermore (4:10)
viii) Set Us Free (5:03)
ix) Lay Down Your Life (5:11)
x) Pieces Of Heaven (2:17)
xi) Is It Really Happening? (8:11)
xii) Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise) (12:04)
Total Time 77:54
- Neal Morse / vocals, keyboards, acoustic & electric guitars
- Mike Portnoy / drums, vocals
- Roine Stolt / vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mellotron, percussion
- Pete Trewavas / bass, bass pedals, vocals
Releases information - Mike Portnoy / drums, vocals
- Roine Stolt / vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mellotron, percussion
- Pete Trewavas / bass, bass pedals, vocals
Release date:
October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
October 26th 2009: Europe
October 27th 2009: North America
October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
October 26th 2009: Europe
October 27th 2009: North America
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