October/November 2008
| PROG NUGGET Although it is known fact that Triana was responsible for blazing the trail for all Spanish progressive groups (i.e. Almeida, Azahar, Bloque, Canarios, Crack, Gotic, Ibio, Iceberg, Iman, Medina Azahara, Mezquita, Tarantula, Vega etc..) especially with their incorporation of flamenco guitar into progressive music, very few people know that their influence spread heavily into classic rock circles. The tragic death of Jesús De La Rosa (keyboardist, songwriter, vocalist of Triana) in a car accident in October of 1983 basically put an end to the greatest Spanish prog band of all-time (not that they weren’t headed downhill by this time anyway). Devastated by the loss, Led Zeppelin quickly reunited for a one-off tribute concert to one of their great inspirations. Although Robert Plant misinterpreted Luminosa Mañana to mean No Quarter his mastery of the Spanish language is impeccably displayed in this song and it’s remarkable how much he sounds like Jesús. It’s also quite amazing how Jimmy Page gets that exact acoustic flamenco sound out of his electric guitar and J. P. Jones come up with that doomy organ and synth sounds out of a plain ole electric piano while playing some mystery bass lines with his feet. This event was so special that even John Bonham came back from the grave to play drums. Here you can witness this rare footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo385ECNgRw. RIP Jesús (and again John)! CD’S (PROGRESSIVE) ARGENTINA COSAS, LAS - Instrumental quartet made up of 2 guitars, bass & drums and a certain King Crimson “Red” feel. http://www.myspace.com/lascosaspriusdiscos RUIZ, ANDRES - Excellent melodic symph/prog. http://www.myspace.com/ruizandres AUSTRALIA LEVI SMITH’S CLEFS - 1970 progressive with heavy organ & soulful vocals MADDER LAKE - Finally an official release of this 1973 progressive work. http://www.myspace.com/madderlake SPECTRUM - Official release of their classic second work. STAR SPANGLED BANGER - English flavored progressive rocker from 1973. UNITOPIA - Wonderful new album! http://www.myspace.com/unitopiaband. BELGIUM MAGUIRE SEXTET, ALEX - Keyboardist Alex and a host of Belgium musicians with some fine jazz rock. http://www.moonjune.com/MJR022.htm BRAZIL MUTANTES (OS) - New digipack edition CANADA DIRECTION - New album and again in Ange style. Great! GAROLOU - Their 1999 comeback album. http://www.myspace.com/garolougarouprog KARCIUS - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/karcius LAST PLACID DAYS OF PLENTY, THE - Great debut by this prog band from Toronto. Like a blend of Pink Floyd, Kino, Saga and RPWL. http://www.myspace.com/149944407 SPACED OUT - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/spacedoutmusic DENMARK SAVAGE ROSE, THE - Nice new digipack 2 on 1 editions by Denmark's most successful rock/prog band. http://www.myspace.com/savagerosemusic FINLAND CIRCUSFOLK - Wonderful prog rock with lots of challenging but catchy compositions. Reminds me of Beardfish. http://www.myspace.com/circusfolkband FRANCE ANTIKLIMAX - Electronic music a la Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis. http://www.myspace.com/antiklimax CLEARLIGHT DECAMPS, CHRISTIAN (& FILS) - Available again after quite a while out of print. This is one of his best solo efforts. DECAMPS, FRANCIS - A few hard ones to get by Ange keyboardist. DELIRED CAMELEON FAMILY DUPON, JACK - Blend of prog, rock and avant garde with a 30 & 23 minute-long track. One of the most unique pieces of work I have ever heard! http://www.myspace.com/jackdupon MIRAGE - New studio album with Camelish sounds but I hear some Pink Floyd and Crimson now creeping in as well. MORGLBL - Reissue of their first 2 out of print albums. http://www.myspace.com/morglbl ZAO - Cahen, Seffer & Causse live 2008. GERMANY AGITATION FREE - Beautiful new digipack editions! ANYONE’S DAUGHTER - Amazing instrumental/narrative concept album back in print. ATLANTIS - Post-Frumpy 70’s prog/rock with Inga Rumpf and Curt Cress. COLOUR HAZE - New album by these German space rockers. http://www.myspace.com/colourhaze ELECTRIC ORANGE - One of the best space rock/kraut rock bands around today. http://www.myspace.com/abgelaufen ELOY - 1st album of kraut rock which was the precursor to them becoming the greatest German prog band of all-time. EROC - The mastermind drummer of Grobschnitt. FRANZ K - One of the most successful 70’s German rock groups. FREQUENCY DRIFT - Melodic and passionate progressive built around the wonderful vocals of Katja Huebner. http://www.myspace.com/frequencydrift FRUMPY - Excellent heavy 70’s progressive with the amazing Inga Rumpf at the helm. GIFT - Early 70’s heavy prog with outstanding guitar and keyboards (organ, synths, mellotron). GROBSCHNITT - Yes, it's finally available again! HABOOB - 1971 Amon Duul II offshoot with James Jackson. Mix of prog and psych with a touch of blues and funk. HEALING ROAD, THE - Instrumental symph/prog mostly led by the keyboard playing of Hanspeter Hess. Influences range from Genesis to Pink Floyd. http://www.myspace.com/hphess JANE LUCIFER’S FRIEND NOVALIS - Great live album! OSSIACH - 1971 live show featuring Tangerine Dream, Weather Report, The Trio, Otto M. Zykan & Ensemble, The Dave Pike Set, Anima Sound, Hummel Spielt Hummer, Madrigalchor Bukarest, Friedrich Gulda mit der Filharmonija Zagreb, Raga, Le Group Liturgique de Tunis, Jellou Osman Mezoued & Le Group Liturgique de Tunis, Mahgreb-Suite. SEVEN STEPS TO THE GREEN DOOR - Excellent symph/prog with alternate male/female vocals. One of thes best of the new German bands! http://www.myspace.com/ssttgd SIXTY-NINE - Long-awaited CD releases by this keyboards (mostly organ)/drums duo from 1972 & 1974. ZONE SIX - http://www.myspace.com/zonesixtrance GREECE LUUP - Led by flautist Stelio Romaliadis with David Jackson on sax this has a mystical feel to it very much like mid-70’s Jade Warrior. Wonderful! http://www.myspace.com/steliosromaliadis TULIPE NOIRE, LA - Back in print! http://www.myspace.com/latulipenoire ISRAEL EPHRAT - Produced by Steven Wilson this progressive effort is the work of Omer Ephrat and has a nice mix of the heavy and the melodic. Nice debut! http://www.myspace.com/omerephrat LEMMUS LEMMUS - Great progressive psychedelia in early Pink Floyd style with vintage organ, moog & mellotron sounds. http://www.myspace.com/lemmuslemmus ITALY AIRPORTMAN - Stunningly beautiful instrumental acoustic/post-rock/prog. http://www.myspace.com/airportman ALLEGRI LEPROTTI - Picchio Dal Pozzo, Magma, Zappa influenced crazy jazz/prog/fusion. Great stuff! http://www.myspace.com/allegrileprotti CERCHIO D’ORO, IL - New album after years of silence! http://www.myspace.com/ilcerchiodoro DEVIL DOLL MURPLE - Great new album by original members! NOSOUND - New double edition! http://www.myspace.com/nosoundnet PRESENCE - New album! ROHMER - Another stunning instrumental work by Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre, Hostsonaten, Aries, Lazona, La Maschera Di Cera) & friends. http://www.myspace.com/rohmerofficial TILION - New studio album by this highly underated symph/prog band. Excellent! http://www.myspace.com/tilionmusic JAPAN ASTURIAS - Brilliant new studio album. Essential! COSMOS FACTORY - Killer album by one of the best Japanese 70’s progressive groups. FLOWER TRAVELLIN’ BAND - New studio album to lead off their recent tour. http://www.myspace.com/flowertravellingband GOTO, TADASHI - Second album of heavy instrumental fusion with Ty Tabor, Randy George and Tony Levin. http://www.myspace.com/soundscape50 MEXICO REYES, JORGE - 1st and best album by Nuevo Mexico flute player. Great blend of prog, ethnic and cosmic music. NETHERLANDS AYREON - http://www.myspace.com/ayreonauts BALLOON - Deubt release by this Dutch band stylistically like Porcupine Tree, RPWL, Riverside and the likes. http://www.myspace.com/balloonholland BITTERTOWN - Concept symphonic work with 3 vocalist taking on different roles. Powerful, emotional and melodic! Listen to mp3’s: http://www.tomjanssen.nl/Bittertown%20-%2003%20-%20The%20Train%20to%20Nowhere.mp3 http://www.tomjanssen.nl/Bittertown%20-%2002%20-%20The%20Shadow%20of%20the%20Wind.mp3 http://www.bittertown.com/ SEVEN DAY HUNT - Post-Egdon Heath symph/prog. Excellent! http://www.myspace.com/sevendayhunt SURVIVAL - Keyboard (vintage keys) progressive that reminds me of Trace. Excellent! http://www.myspace.com/survival2 NEW ZEALAND DR. TREE - Instrumental progressive jazz rock from 1976 by this 6 piece band made up of bass, drums, keys, guitar, percussion and trumpet. RAGNAROK - 2 great albums on 1 by the best prog band to come out of Kiwiland. http://www.myspace.com/ragnaroknz THINK - 1976 progressive rocker with strong organ and guitar throughout. http://www.myspace.com/thinknzpomp NORWAY SEID - Progressive spacerock with notable organ and mellotron. Great! http://www.myspace.com/seidrock SMELL OF INCENSE - Celtic/prog classic available again! http://www.myspace.com/smellofincense POLAND CASHMERE - Symph/prog with violin and female vocals. Fantastic! http://www.myspace.com/cashromantic LOONYPARK - Neo symph with female vocals and Floyd feel throughout. http://www.myspace.com/loonypark METUS - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/metuspl MILLENIUM - Not 1 but 2 new albums! http://www.myspace.com/milleniumpoland MINDFIELDS - Excellent prog with some tasty guitar and keyboard work. Recommended! http://www.myspace.com/mindfieldsmusic MOONRISE - Neo symph/prog similar to Collage, Camel and IQ. http://www.myspace.com/moonriseband NEMEZIS - Prog/symph with passionate female singer and music in Camel, Marillion, Quidam and Collage vein. http://www.myspace.com/nemezismusic OPENSPACE - Another fine new Polish progressive group not unlike Riverside. http://www.myspace.com/openspaceartrock UISTITI - Melodic progressive with nice female vocals by Anna Ujma. http://www.myspace.com/uistitiband RUSSIA AVIVA OMNIBUS - Prog rock interpretation of Tschaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Moves from prog to neo-classical to prog metal quite fluently. http://www.myspace.com/avivaprog SOUTH AFRICA MACKAY, DUNCAN - Mega-rare 1st symph/prog album by this keybaord whiz. http://www.myspace.com/duncanmackay SPAIN KOTEBEL - Back in print! http://www.myspace.com/kotebel SWEDEN ARCHIMEDES BADKAR - 70’s progressive/jazz. Excellent! FLOWER KINGS, THE - Found some copies of this out of print gem. Hurry! http://www.myspace.com/cosmiclodge KARMAKANIC - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/karmakanicmyspace LAVA - Fantastic instrumental progressive krautrock/spacerock sounding right of the 70’s. http://www.myspace.com/lavagbg ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE - New studio and as great as ever. http://www.myspace.com/oresundspacecollective PAATOS - http://www.myspace.com/paatos RAGNAROK - Wonderful new studio album as if they never stopped! http://www.myspace.com/ragnarokprogg SWITZERLAND EXIT - 1975 keyboard progressive with some psych overtones. 4 long tracks. U.K. ALSO EDEN - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/alsoeden BARBIERI, RICHARD - Nice solo works by Porcupine Tree keyboardist. http://www.richardbarbieri.net/ BRAINCHILD - Progressive brass-rock classic from 1970. http://www.myspace.com/brainchildbrassrock BREAD, LOVE & DREAMS CAPABILITY BROWN - Rock/prog from 1972 & 1974. Voice contains a side-long track. CASTANARC - Melodic progressive and long out of print but I scored a small handful at a great price. DEEEXPUS PROJECT - Modern prog rock a la Porcupine Tree, Frost, Marillion and Spock’s Beard. http://www.myspace.com/deeexpusmusic DIRTBOX - Long deleted IQ (John Jowitt) side project in a more creative rock setting. Sale price! ENGLAND - New digipack edition of this symph/prog masterpiece in Yes style. FROST* - And the new album many of you have been waiting on. http://www.myspace.com/planetfrost GILMOUR, DAVID - http://www.myspace.com/davidgilmour HARD STUFF - New digipack edition. IT BITES - Very good comeback effort by John Mitchell and the boys. http://www.myspace.com/itbites LUNATIC SOUL - Side project by Riverside vocalist Mariusz Duda, and what a beauty it is. Recommended! http://www.myspace.com/lunaticsoulband MAGENTA - http://www.myspace.com/magentauk MALACHI - Organ driven prog rarity from 1971. MARILLION - http://www.myspace.com/marillion MYSTERIES OF THE REVOLUTION - Amazing instrumental progressive fusion with some great organ, flute and some mystical parts as well. Recommended! http://www.myspace.com/mysteriesoftherevolution NEW VIOLIN SUMMIT - With Jean Luc Ponty, Wolfgang Dauner, Terje Rypdal, Robert Wyatt & Michal Urbaniak. NO-MAN - http://www.myspace.com/nomanuk OCEANSIZE - http://www.myspace.com/oceansizeuk ORFORD, MARTIN - Martin's latest and supposedly last musical effort. POND LIFE - Instrumental jazz rock from 1995. Been out of print ever since so it’s quite rare. Bargain price! REASONING, THE - http://www.myspace.com/thereasoninguk RENAISSANCE - Great live album! http://www.myspace.com/renaissance7377 SQUIRE, CHRIS - http://www.myspace.com/chrissquire STEAMHAMMER USA AGGREGATION, THE - Psych from 1967 and one of the best from that era. BELLER, BRYAN - New fusion album by Mike Keneally band bass player. Features Mike as well as Nick D'Virgilio of Spock's Beard. http://www.myspace.com/bryanbeller BLISS CASEY, RICH - New album by keyboard maestro Casey. http://www.myspace.com/richcasey CERAMIC - Pre-Lands End pop/progressive. Way out of print! EVOLVE IV - Post-Mach One melodic prog/rock. http://www.musicevolve.com/music.htm FEAR OF FLYING - After a 20 year hiatus the band is back with a fine new release with Camel, Rush and Yes influences. http://www.myspace.com/fearofflyingtheband FOSTER III, JACK - http://www.myspace.com/jackfosteriii HOUR OF THE SHIPWRECK - Stunning melodic progressive full of passion, darkness and beauty. Recommended! http://www.myspace.com/houroftheshipwreck KANSAS REFLECTIONS: AN ACT OF GLASS - Symph/prog work with the help of Nick D’Virgilio, Phil Keaggy, Dave Meros, Ted Leonard, Adrian Belew, Bryan Beller, Ryo Okumoto and Mike Keneally. Genesis, Rush & Spock’s Beard influences abound. http://www.myspace.com/actofglass RELAYER - New studio! http://www.myspace.com/relayermusic REWIRING GENESIS - Project by Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard) & friends SHAOLIN DEATH SQUAD - Amazing band in the style of Zappa, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Devil Doll. http://www.myspace.com/shaolindeathsquad WALSH, STEVE ZAZU - 1975 prog/rock with some excellent keyboard breaks. A bit like Kansas. http://www.myspace.com/195452910 VENEZUELA PI XPRNC - Female-fronted progressive rock project headed by multi-instrumentalist Karen Gonzalez with hints of King Crimson, Tool and Porcupine Tree. http://www.myspace.com/piexperiment JAPANESE MINI LP SLEEVE CD’s CLEARLIGHT DELIRED CAMELEON FAMILY DEVIL DOLL KANSAS PROGRESSIVE METAL CD’s SIEGES EVEN SUSPYRE SYMPHONY X XYSTUS DVD’s ARGENT AYREON BALLETTO DI BRONZO, IL CAMEL FROST* GILMOUR, DAVID GLASS HAMMER JETHRO TULL KRAFTWERK MARS VOLTA, THE OCEANSIZE PONTY, JEAN-LUC GROUP RETURN TO FOREVER SIGUR ROS SOFT MACHINE LEGACY SPOCK’S BEARD SYLVAN TANGERINE DREAM WAKEMAN, RICK YES ZAPPA, FRANK LP’s ANNEXUS QUAM BREAD, LOVE & DREAMS CALIFFI, I CERCHIO D’ORO, IL COLOUR HAZE ELEPHANT9 FRESH MAGGOTS FRY, MARK HABIBIYYA, THE HUMAN BEAST, THE NEW TROLLS PHOLAS DACTYLUS SYNANTHESIA UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA XHOL |