July 31, 2007
July 30, 2007
Roberto Colombo – Botte Da Orbi (1977, CD, Italy)
1. Ascolta Si Fa Sera (5:13)
2. Botte Da Orbi (1:52)
3. Fiato Alle Trombe (5:42)
4. Dai Non Fare Il Romantico (4:36)
5. Alegher Alegher (5:42)
6. Danza Disumana (4:53)
7. Il Ritorno Di U Kembe (6:07)
8. Fine Del Trentatre (1:20)
Roberto Colombo – Sfogatevi Bestie (1976, CD, Italy)
1. Sono Pronto (2:20)
2. Caccia Alla Volpe (10:20)
3. Entreneuse (6:37)
4. Sfogatevi Bestie (4:26)
5. Assurdo Pt. I (1:57)
6. Metronomo 138 (8:27)
7. Assurdo Pt. II (4:30)
July 23, 2007
Ethos – Open Up (1977, LP, Usa)
1. Pimp city (7:26)
2. Start anew (3:22)
3. U.V. Melody (0:32)
4. Memories (7:08)
5. The players (Of the game) (5:49)
6. Marathon II (5:24)
7. Sedona (4:07)
8. Close your eyes (5:45)
Musicians:
Michael Ponczek / Hammond organ, MiniMoog, PolyMoog, Chamberlin, Rhodes
Wils Sharpe / electric & acoustic guitars, vocals
Brad Stephenson / bass, double bass, bass pedals, vocals
Mark Richards / percussion, Moog, vocals
ETHOS were an excellent 70’s US based 4 piece prog rock band whose second album “Open Up” remains a landmark album for this music lover. Fans of classic 70’s prog will love this album with their great epic passages (a la YES) with complex syncopation (aka GENTLE GIANT and KING CRIMSON) and pastoral moments full of the glorious mellotron. In many ways they remind me musically of a cross of FIREBALLET and YES. ETHOS were Brad Stephenson (bass, string bass, moog bass pedals), Mark Richards (percussion, moog drums), Michael Ponczek (mini moog, poly-moog, Hammond, organ, Rhodes piano, mellotron) and Wil Sharpe (acoustic and electric guitars). Their overall sound is full and rich with some real creative and challenging parts yet controlled and highly symphonic. A truely amazing little album that I recommed to all prog rock lovers. (James Unger).
Circus - Circus (1976, LP, Switzerland)
1. Stormsplineter (2:45)
2. Nowadays (10:49)
3. Sundays (6:56)
Side B
4. Dawntalk (5:07)
5. Room For Sale (15:07)
Musicians:
Roland Frei / lead vocals, 6- & 12-string acoustic guitars, tenor saxophone
Andres Grieder / flute
Marco Cerletti / bass, bass pedals, guitar
Fritz Hauser / drums, vibes Releases information LP Zytglogge - ZYT 208 (1976, Switzerland)
July 18, 2007
Northwind – Distant Shores (1977, Digital file, Usa)
The original Northwind band was founded in 1968 by Roland Ernest and Jan Stepka. They were inspired originally by bands such as the Doors, Cream, the Moody Blues, the Beatles, and Procol Harum. Northwind was later heavily influenced by ELP, Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis. Echoes of these styles are found in the Distant Shores recordings. The band went through four membership changes. The first incarnation had drummer Steve White. In 1970 they created and performed an original rock opera entitled “Looking Back.” In 1972 they recorded an untitled demo album featuring the song “Last Day at Lokun.” Tom Iacaboni replaced Steve White on drums when Steve left the band to pursue the guitar. In 1974 Tom, Jan and Roland recorded the world famous (in collectors' circles) Northwind demo album in Roland's family's basement. This album is often erroneously referred to as “Woods of Zandor.” Tom was at heart a jazz drummer, and when he left Tim Cahill joined on drums and percussion. For a short period, Bob Pascoe contributed his rock guitar to Northwind's sound. Northwind then performed mostly in clubs and created a reputation in Canada. This period largely had the band playing covers of other rock bands' material. In 1977 returning to original music, Roland took over guitars and the band added the talents of Rob Foster on wind instruments. In 1978 the band recorded their magnum opus “Distant Shores” in Roland's family's basement in Sterling Heights, Michigan. One song, “Just Yesterday,” was released as part of a local radio station's compilation of Detroit area bands' music entitled “Home Grown.” Tim Cahill's religious calling conflicted with his perception of the rock and roll lifestyle leading him to leave secular musical performing. Howard Wells joined the band on drums and percussion for rehearsals while Roland and the band's manager Ron Geddish vainly persued a record contract. Northwind broke up in 1978 largely because of this failure. In the end, the “Distant Shores” songs were never performed outside of Roland's basement. Jan Stepka created this site in 2002 to keep Northwind's music and memory alive.
Repost
Flight – Incredible Journey (1976, LP, Italy)
1. Music Is (6:50)
2. 1929 (5:45)
3. First Impression (3:40)
4. Mystery Man (3:25)
5. 2003 (5:50)
6. Visions Of A Dream (3:50)
7. The Sands Of Time (4:30)
8. Rock 'N' Roll Star (3:52)
Musicians:
John Ray / bass
Ted Karczewski / guitar
Russell A. Dawber, Jr. / drums, percussion
Jim Michael "Fizzwah" Yaeger / keyboards
Pat Vidas / vocals, trumpet
July 17, 2007
July 16, 2007
Gruppo D'Alternativa - Ipotesi (1972, LP, Italy)
Gruppo d'Alternativa was based in Milan, and Ipotesi was conceived as a rock opera, and even represented at Teatro Uomo with good success. It was based on the death of a friend of the group's singer, in a road accident. The LP, released on Harvest, contained only a small part of the opera, that originally relied much more on improvisation, most of the band members being influenced by such jazz artists as Miles Davis. But it was not successful, and the record company asked the group to release a more commercial second album, causing their decision to take separate ways.
Little is known of the former group members after the end of GdA. Leonardo Dosso played for some time with Stormy Six, on their Cliché and L'apprendista albums, and after the end of his musical studies he dedicated to chamber music and formed the Arnold woodwind quintet, playing with them for over 20 years. He is also a bassoon teacher and collaborates with baroque music ensembles.
The only CD reissue ever made for this album is the one by AMS, released in 2007 with mini-LP gatefold cover.
July 15, 2007
Ensemble Havadià – '81-'82 (1981-82, CD, Italy)
Hermann Szobel - Hermann Szobel (1976, CD, Usa / Austria)
July 14, 2007
Mamma Non Piangere - Musica Musica Bestiame E Benessere/ Sempre Avanti A Testa Bassa (1979-80, 2 LP, Italy)
MAMMA NON PIANGERE – N. 2 (Sempre Avanti A Testa Bassa) 1980
Re-Up
Orchestra Njervudarov – Con Le Orecchie Di Eros (1979, LP, Italy)
Musicians:
Orchestra Njervudarov was formed in Bologna, though some of the members were from the Marche. The band nucleus existed since mid 70's under the name Frogs, playing a jazz-rock inspired from Soft Machine and Weather Report. The new name was chosen not long before the album release in 1979, and the group had a limited live activity.
Con le orecchie di Eros, the only recorded release by Orchestra Njervudarov, is an album with a very strange story, being well known by name to many italian prog fans throughout the words, though few of them had heard it, making it a sort of legendary (and difficult to find) record.
Released in 1979, probably in a limited quantity, by EMI, and badly promoted, the album is an unusual mix of Canterbury-inspired instrumental jazz prog (not unlike Picchio Dal Pozzo's albums), Zappa-esque sounds and atmospheres and even a touch of ironical new wave like in the long-titled Rapporto Njervudarov sulla teoria degli opposti estremismi (to be honest, this is the only track to sound totally out of place in the entire album, with crazy lyrics in the same vein as some "demential" italian punk bands of the late 70's).The LP has some very good and intense moments, though it's not particularly representative of the typical italian prog sound.