Rondo (Erik Visser & Sylvia Houtzager) - Trigynon (Netherlands 1986) [ProgRock] @320

Flairck Related
Very Rare! Vinyl Rip

Promotional only picture disc LP recorded by Erik Visser and Sylvia Houtzager, both of Flairck, for the dutch pharmaceutical company Schering Nederland BV. The picture disc design is based on the circular packaging of the contraceptive drug Trigynon. Gatefold cover. Promo only, not for sale.

01. Onder Druk        
02. Wandelgang        
03. Pluche        
04. Dans Je        
05. Druppels        
06. Spiegeling        
07. Overgang        
08. Onder Druk (Reprise)

Erik Visser: guitars
Sylvia Houtzager: violin

Mamadeus - Mamadeus (Netherlands 1983) [ProgRock] @192

Very Rare Flairck related work.
The connection with Flairck is the flutist Peter Weekers and the style of this album is very similar to Flairck.
Almost all instrumental album and played with high performance.
I didn't find any review about this album in the NET.
This is my vinyl rip. Not released on CD.

01. Omenom 3:35 
02. Manon 3:54 
03. Shaura 7:15 
04. Atlantis 4:30 
05. Poolijs 13:40 
06. Moira 5:40 
07. De wolkenkrabber 3:22 


Peter Weekers: fluiten, zang, xylofoon, vibrafoon.
Peter Leerdam: bas, klokkenspel.
Rob van der Vlugt: klarinet, bassethoorn, piano, vibrafoon, xylofoon, marimba
Frans Leerdam: mbira, xylofoon, vibrafoon, marimba, klokkenspel
Rob Husmann: gitaar, vibrafoon, maraca's, zang

Herman van Veen: zang 7
Peter Weekers: panfluit 7
Erik van der Wurff: toetsen 7
Chris Lookers: gitaar 7
Cees van der Laarse: bas 7
Jan Hollestelle: bas 7
Louis Debij: drums 7

Jean-Luc Payssan - Pierrots & Arlequins (France 2005) [ProgRock] @320

Together with his twin brother Thierry, Jean-Luc PAYSSAN was a co-founder of MINIMUM VITAL, more than twenty years ago. This band from the Bordeaux area has become popular among Progressive rock connoisseurs especially, as it took part in the movement's revival by the end of the Eighties. It also initiated a new musical language, somewhere between jazz-rock, Progressive rock and medieval music. The first solo album of Jean-Luc PAYSSAN is not that of a solitary man: Thierry's keyboards and Sonia NEDELEC's voice are here, as well as Bernard MILON's violin. The Master of Ceremonies offers in turn beautiful acoustic or nylon guitar parts. But not only: he also plays unusual instruments such as theorbo, ciste, mandolin, mandole and some percussions... These fourteen short and intimist pieces unveil melodies with an absolute splendour, music of total purity, both timeless and personal. Unlike most guitarists' albums, too frequently complacent and demonstrative, the artist here shows a perfect humility, while proving to be an outstanding instrumentist and composer, with an astonishing culture. No song sounds like another one here, both in its arrangements and inspiration. An absolute eclecticism serving a simply marvellous music: a fountain of purity !
-Musea-


01 - La Fontaine (2'53)
02 - Arlequins (2'28)
03 - Pierrots (1'17)
04 - Etats De Joie (5'25)
05 - Danse Vivace Pour Six Cordes (3'02)
06 - Au Bois Variations (4'40)
07 - Le Manège Aux Songes (2'21)
08 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (I. Prélude) (1'43)
09 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (II. L'Enjôleuse) (1'57)
10 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (III. La Rêveuse) (4'35)
11 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (IV. La Fougueuse) (1'15)
12 - Gaillarde Napolitaine (3'00)
13 - Larmes Bleues (4'04)
14 - Complainte Ancienne (1'37)

Jean-Luc Payssan - classical & acoustic guitar, mandolas, theorbe, zither, percussion, vocals
With:
Bernard Millon - violin
Sonia Nedelec - vocals
Thierry Payssan - synthesizer, organ

Esthema - Apart From The Rest (USA 2008) [World Fusion] @VBR224

Esthema, a World Fusion ensemble out of Boston, MA (USA) creates their unique sound by fusing elements from the traditional music of the Eastern European Balkan region and the Near & Middle East with Progressive Rock and various styles of Jazz. The five musicians that shape the sound of Esthema bring together both Western and Eastern influences, instruments, and musical concepts.
"........Joel Simches from Boston’s Noise Magazine stated, “this recording is nothing less than a true celebration of a number of different styles of world beat, jazz, rock, ethnic European and Middle Eastern traditional music” and John Collinge from Progression Magazine called it “a seamless blend of Eastern and Western motifs: Ethnic scales and meters intertwine delightfully with jazz-rock drums and bass beneath jazzy improv and winding melodies.”


01. Consequence
02. For whom? For Me…
03. Distance
04. Erimos
05. Finding my way
06. Apart From the Rest

Andy Milas (guitar)
Tery Lemanis (oud & bouzouki)
Onur Dilisen (violin)
Jack Mason (Bass)
Carl Sorensen (drums)

Ibrido Hot Six - Ibrido Hot Six Plays Acquiring The Taste (2010 Italy) [ProgProg] @320

Considered – with Genesis and King Crimson – the most creative group of the seventies, capable to create resonant worlds on horseback between ancient music and contemporary, classic and rock, the Gentle Giant contributed to define a type, the progressive rock, that has given to the some light between the most important works of the popular music of all of the times.  The Gentle Giant, inspiring itself all plot of motive cultured and popular of the renaissance saga of Rabelais, has distinguished thanks all symphonic approach of the poly istrumentism and to the refined songwriting of masterpieces what Funny Ways and Pantagruel's Nativity. 

Studied from a musician of large pertaining to perspective openings like Antonio Apuzzo, the Gentle Giant there come returned from this in all book their artistic parable, leaving from the primordi of fine sixties until the masterpieces of Seventy and to the last, recent apparitions of the group Three Friends, born from the union of three historical components of the band (two of which collaborated to this hover releasing a interview). The analysis of all of the pieces of their repertory offers a indispensable leader all listening, and to the deep understanding, the ambitious aesthetics and fascinating of Gentle Giant.

The cd cited, Hybrid Hot Six Plays Acquiring The Taste, proposes the rereading in instrumental key of eight unforgettable compositions of the second album of the Gentle Giant. The faithful approach to the original material surprises for the exaltation of its matrix chamber and the transparency timbrica of the ensemble, formed from two basses, oboe, flutes, fails and reeds. 

Saxophone player, clarinet player, composer and teacher of music, Antonio Apuzzo is profitable since 1975 nell' àmbito of the jazz and of the contemporary music.  Besides to realize numerous record engravings (on everything, those with the trio Orselli Apuzzo Lalla) has composed (with Mauro Thistles) the opera Luz for trio jazz and settetto from room, produced from Italian broadcasting corporation RAI Radio3, and finalist was all' International Songwriting Competition 2007.  Before this hover it wrote, in collaboration with Luigi you Honor, The jazz in the afroamerican tradition. 


01. Pantagruel's Nativity
02. Edge Of Twilight
03. Giant Links: Echoes
04. The House, The Street, The Room
05. Giant Links: The City
06. Acquiring The Taste
07. Giant Links: Before The Wreck
08. Wreck
09. The Moon Is Down
10. Black Cat
11. Giant Links: Blues For Martin
12. Plain Truth

Antonio Apuzzo - Tenor and alto sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, descant recorder
Pino Capomolla - flute, tenor recorder
Francesco Fratini - trumpet
Gianni Di Ruzza - oboe
Gianluca Taddei - bass
Sandro Lalla - bass

Skywhale - The World At Mind’s End (1977 England) [ProgRock] @320

A true obscured gem
(vinyl rip)

Skywhale was formed in 1974 by Steve Robshaw in Bristol UK, in order to play an eclectic blend of soaring optimistic melodic music. This seven piece band created a new and uplifting style of instrumental music, fusing jazz, rock, funk, orchestral and celtic styles. Considered to be a masterpiece, the re-release of this album has been eagerley awaited by fans world wide.
Their album has digitally remastered in Nov 2006 and is available through CD Baby and their Myspace.

This was their only album and it's a melodic blend of entirely instrumental music comprising six tracks in total, all but one of which exceed the seven-minute mark. In addition to the ubiquitous guitar, keys, bass and drums Skywhale featured an additional percussionist and two wind players so there's always plenty going on and the music has something of a Latin feel. There's no real need to try to describe the music further so I'll just let it speak for itself.

In spite of its many qualities this album is probably destined to remain an obscurity and while it's never likely to challenge for a place in the top 100 prog albums it deserves at least some attention. Your first port of call should now be YouTube where you can listen to the album in its entirety (just ignore the vinyl crackles on the recordings), followed by a visit to Amazon where the MP3 is currently available to download for less than a five-spot. If you're a fan of Jazz Rock/Fusion you're in for a rare treat! 
-eventhsojourn  (Prog Archives)-


01 - Epicure
02 - Hydralic Fever
03 - Two Budda Garage
04 - The World At Mind's End
05 - Eternal Optimist (The Rat)
06 - Bogies

Steve Robshaw: guitars, violin, Roland guitar synthesizer
Stan Thewils: flute, tenor saxophone
Paul Todd: soprano saxophone, flute, penny whistle
Dougall Airmole: bass
Mick Avery: drums, percussion
Gwyo Zepix: keyboards, EMS & ARP Synthesizers
John Schofield: percussion

The New Percussion Group of Amsterdam (with Bill Bruford) - Go Between (1987 Nederland) [ProgRock] @320

Those who think of Bill Bruford only as art rock drummer for groups including Yes and King Crimson, fusion drummer with his late-1970s group Bruford, or even (finally, after all these years) a jazz drummer with his ongoing Earthworks projects and improvisation-heavy duets with Dutch pianist Michiel Borstlap, still don't know the whole story. Those familiar with his work in the collective World Drummers Ensemble know that this iconic British percussionist has a pervasive and encyclopedic interest in anything that can be hit with a stick, something made crystal clear on this reissue of The New Percussion Group of Amsterdam's 1986 release, Go Between.

Bruford only plays on one track, the fourteen-minute title composition by Group member Rudd Wiener that, alongside Bruford's acoustic kit and percussion, features xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and bass marimba. It's a complex and episodic piece that shifts from a rhythm-heavy art rock intro to a gentler, minimalist-informed middle section, propelled forward with multiple repetitive patterns that gradually shift, Steve Reich-like, giving the piece an evocative sense of forward motion. Bolstered occasionally by Bruford's more powerful tom-toms and tympani, the two concepts come together as the tuned percussion builds into a harmonic foundation for Bruford's mathematically precise kit work, only to drop into quiet once again before the piece's conclusion—a polyrhythmic and contrapuntal tour-de-force from everyone involved.


01. Go Between (14:26)
02. Redbone (6.39)
03. Marimba Spiritual (14.03)
04. Maenaden (13.41)

Bill Bruford: acoustic drums and percussion (1)
Rudd Weiner: xylophone (1), vibraphone (1), marimba (1), bass marimba (1), percussion (3)
Peter Prommel: xylophone (1), vibraphone (1), marimba (1, 4), bass marimba (1), log drum (2), peacock gongs (2), o-daiko (3), percussion (3)
Herman Rieken: xylophone (1), vibraphone (1), marimba (1), bass marimba (1, 4), log drum (2), peacock gongs (2), shimi-daiko (3), percussion (3, 4)
Steef van Oosterhout: log drum (2), percussion (2, 4), marimba (4)
Johan Faber: log drum (2), peacock gongs (2), percussion (4)
Toon Oomen: log drum (2), percussion (2)
Keiko Abe: marimba (3)
Jan Pustjens: conductor (3)

Eskalation - Different Music for Bassoon, Wind Synthesizer and Sampled Percussion (Germany 2001) [AvantProg] @320

"...outstanding music that will definitely appeal to those who love RIO, neo-classical chamber prog, Zeuhl, the likes of Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Zappa and even straight-ahead progressive rock. Excellent."
PROGRESSION (USA), Spring 2002

"...full of inventive twists, unexpected arrangements and outstanding playing."
EXPOSÉ (USA), April 2002

"Definitely original. If you are able to imagine Happy the Man's Kit Watkins and Univers Zero's Daniel Denis to compose music together with Lars Hollmer and with Michel Berckmans on bassoon, I am pretty sure it would sound something like Stephan Koehr's Eskalation. This is an album deserving a large audience."
TARKUS (Norway), Summer 2002

"...intelligent rock music...terrific percussion programming...a miracle."
KEYBOARDS magazine (Germany) issue 11/01; CD of the month“

"...beautiful and lively (...) and above all, authentic and personal."
TRAVERSES (France), Jan. 2002

"...a must for Univers Zero fans...speedy instrumental pieces...superb."
EURO ROCK PRESS (Japan) No.14, 2002


ESKALATION is Stephan Koehr's solo CD project of experimental rock music. In the 1970's and 80's Stephan has been playing woodwinds and keyboards in several avantgarde and jazz fusion bands, until he was appointed as a bassoon and contrabassoon player in a renowned german opera and symphony orchestra. His romance with wind controlled live electronics started 1979, when he played a pitch-following analog guitar synth module via a contact mike on the bassoon reed!
The CD contains ten distinct compositions, each with its own unique instrumentation, advanced harmonies and complex shifting rhythms and signatures, mixing avantgarde prog rock and world fusion. ESKALATION was composed and recorded using bassoons, keyboard and wind controlled synthesizers and samples, with guest performances on violin and trumpet. If you like alternative progressive music (e.g. National Health, Happy the Man, Univers Zero, Wendy Carlos, etc.).


01 - Prelude
02 - Mumien (Sonderpreis)
03 - Prozession (For Absent Friends)
04 - Böse Heiden
05 - A Crack In The Universe
06 - Sille Tanzt (Ostinato Con Variazioni I-Iv)
07 - Zwölf Uhr Fünf
08 - Folksong I
09 - Totes Mehr
10 - Vier Stufen

Stephan Koehr: bassoons, keyboard and wind controlled synthesizers and samples
Guests:
Sibylle Szymanski-Köhr: Violin (track 2,4,5)
Thomas Forstner: Trumpet (track 5)


Buy the CD:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/eskalation

Home Page:
http://www.eskalation-musik.de/english.html

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/eskalationmusik

Oaksenham - Conquest of the Pacific (Armenia 2006) [ProgRock] @320

Seems like a long time since we reviewed this Armenian band’s previous debut live release Woden’s Eve Live; in fact it was 2002, and since then the band has been diligently working on this, their ambitious studio follow-up. Again, the six-piece of acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums, violin, keyboards and flute go the instrumental route, augmenting their already rich sound with guest players on string harp, english horn, bassoon, oboe, clarinet, cello, french horn, bagpipes and orchestral percussion, all track depending. These compositions stand strong as instrumentals, rich in melody and counterpoint, blazing with guitar, keyboard and violin solos, with plenty of twists, turns and complexities to keep them interesting from beginning to end. The warmth and range of emotions encompassed within the scope of their music is nothing short of stunning, and these are all exceptional players. Make no mistake though, even with all those orchestral instruments at work, these folks can and do rock with the best of them. Their spirited instrumental arrangements of two Gentle Giant classics back-to-back (“Talybont” and “On Reflection”) give away one of their apparent influences, though this writer is more often reminded of Red Queen era Gryphon in Oaksenham’s overall approach and instrumentation. The 26-minute five-part title suite closes the disc nicely, summarizing everything this band is about.
Fans of GG, Gryphon, Snow Goose era Camel, Mike Oldfield, and other ambitious progressive rock works will definitely find this disc to their liking.
-Peter Thelen-

01. Anthem: The Unseen Land
02. Water Spark
03. Elfy
04. The Way Back Home
05. Talybont
06. On Reflection
07. Time-Out
08. Jester’s Pipe
09. Merlin’s Jig
10. Across the Atlantic
11. Ocean ’s Web
12. Golden Hind

Vahagn Papayan: bass
Anna Adamyan: keyboards
Valery Tolstov: flute
Bobikyan: violin
Vardan Gasparyan: guitar
Ashot Korganyan: drums