Jean-Philippe Goude ‎– Sur Un Air De Gymnastique (1978, LP, France)

Side A
1) Matines (2:26)
2) Grasse Matinée (1:45)
3) Littoral (1:48)
4) Tout Ou Pas (2:02)
5) Sieste (2:28)
6) Midi (1:30)
7) Trépidance (1:39)
8) Nuit Blanche (2:20)
Side B
1) Matin Bleu (1:59)
2) Jour (1:56)
3) Après Midi (4:17)
4) Soleil Noir (1:59)
5) Soirée (3:17)
6) Cinq A Sept (2:35)
7) Lune Mauve (2:48)

Musicians

Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Guitar – Jean-Philippe Goude

Bass Guitar – Bernard Paganoti (tracks: B4), Gérard Prévost (tracks: B3)

Drums, Percussion – Olivier Colé

Electric Guitar – Jean Michel Kajdan (tracks: B4)

Composed By, Arranged By Jean-Philippe Goude

Arrigo Barnabé - Claras e Crocodilos (2014, Brazil)

Track listing:

1. Sabor de quê? (5:28)

2. Maridinho Adorado (5:43)

3. O orgasmo ao alcance de todos (4:24)

4. Boca da noite (7:11)

5. Canção dos pirilampos (1:52)

6. Arrigo Barnabé, Vanguarda Paulista, Dodecafónico, Maxixe dodecafônico - Suite formica vermelha (11:31)

7. Nome : Durango (8:37)

8. Suite Claras e Crocodilos (9:32)

Musicians:

Claras e Crocodilos

Arrigo Barnabé - lead vocals, keyboards, composition and lyrics

Ana Amélia - lead vocals

Phelipe Lewis - trumpet

Sintia Piccin - tenor sax and backing vocals

Paulo Braga - piano and backing vocals

Mário Manga - electric guitar and backing vocals

Ana Karina Sebastião - electric bass and backing vocals

Edu Ribeiro - drums

Gallary ‎– Gallary (1979, LP, Germany)

Tracklist:
A1. Swimming Fools (4:24)
A2. Chiming Clock (6:35)
A3. Guitar For Two (3:23)
A4. Willard (3:30)
A5. For Me (2:31)
B1. Wilbur Whateley (5:48)
B2. Intermezzo (3:41)
B3. Gallary (4:28)
B4. No Need To Emphasize (3:51)

Musicians:
Klaus Schultz/ Guitars
Erich Herms/ Bass, 12 String Guitar
Volker Huck/ Keyboards
Uwe Steimann/ Drums


Megarare private instrumental symphonic kraut prog. This self-produced record came with 500 copies. The band was responsible for the writing, recording and production of the record. The music was influenced by late 70's progressive bands, such as Camel or Genesis, but was without vocals.

D. Beaver ‎– Combinations (1973, LP, Usa)

Track listing:
A1. I'm Gonna Show You (4:34)
A2. a. Don't Give Up (7:46)
       b. Come Hear It
       c. Anthony Beechum
       d. Here It Comes
       e. Combinations
A3. a. Another Bad Year (3:53)
       b. Anastasia
       c. Please Stand By
       d. I've Had Some Time
B1. a. The Wizard of Menlo Park (5:26)
       b. Get the Phone
B2. It's Gonna Take Time (2:29)
B3. 42nd All Star Review (2:08)
B4. Halfway (2:11)
B5. I Wouldn't Bet on You (Dina Divina) (2:45)

Musicians:

Arranged By [string and woodwind arrangements] – Carl Marsh, David Beaver

Backing Vocals – Jackie Cook (tracks: A6), Reni Crook (tracks: A8)

Bass – Steve Spear (tracks: B1, B2, B4)

Bass, Other [Max vol] – Tommy Cathey

Clarinet – Rudy Garner (tracks: A8)

Drums, Acoustic Guitar [12 string] – Joel Williams

Fiddle – J. A. Spell (tracks: A1, B5)

Guitar – Jimmy Tarbutton (tracks: A2, B1, B2, B4)

Guitar, Vocals – Paul Allen Taylor (tracks: B2)

Lead Vocals – D. Beaver (tracks: A2, B1, B4), David Mayo (tracks: A8), Jimmy Jamison (tracks: A1, A4, A6, A7, A10, B5)

Pedal Steel Guitar – Leo LeBlanc (tracks: A2, B6)

Piano [tack piano and piano], Organ, Clavinet, Synthesizer [arp], Accordion, Arranged By – D. Beaver

Piano, Backing Vocals [background] – David Mayo (tracks: B1, B2, B4)

Produced by – D. Beaver (tracks: A1 to A10, B3, B5, B6), Jimmy Jamison (tracks: B1, B2, B4)

Recorder, Oboe, Bassoon [octave and regular] – Carl Marsh

Vocals – Jimmy Jamison (tracks: B6)

Memphis based progressive rock band lead by keyboardist David Beaver, formed from the ashes of another obscure group called Edgewood. Combinations is supposedly a more progressive effort (based on what I've read). Beaver's group sounds like so many of the albums coming from England at this time, especially acts found on the Dawn or Neon labels. This isn't hyper complex progressive rock, definitely more song oriented, but with plenty of variety in the instrumentals (violin, harpsichord) and song structures (there are 16 tracks including intervals). I also hear distinct references to bands such as Flash and Morgan. The only other album I own on TMI is Washrag, a fun little bit of instrumental soul/funk.

Michael Bass ‎– Parchesi Pie (1978, LP, Usa)

Tracklist:
A.  Sound Of A Chair Knocking Down  (18:52)
B.  One You Can All Clap Along To  (19:31)

Musicians:
Composed, Mixed, Edited By – P.D. Pop
Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Voice – Glenn Wiser
Lacquer Cut By – Pete Helffrich
Percussion, Piano, Organ, Voice, Trombone – Michael Bass
Woodwind, Percussion, Voice – Dave Newhouse

Note
Recorded December 1975 – June 1977 at various and sundry locations. Mixed and edited April to December 1977.

Michael Bass And His Moderately Sized Orchestra ‎– Painting By Numbers (1979, LP, Usa)

Side A
A1. In Case Of Rain (A Few Suggestions) (8:48)
A2. Painting By Numbers (9:14)
Side B
B1. Give That Dog A Bone (7:29)
B2. The Cardiac Arrest Polka (6:40)
B3. Blutgeld (7:25)

Musicians:
Alto Saxophone – Dave Newhouse (tracks: A2, B1)
Alto Saxophone [Alto Saxophone Solo] – Tom Scott (tracks: A2)
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Dave Newhouse
Bass – Billy Swann (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
Clarinet – Bob Toltan (tracks: A1, B2, B3), Tom Scott (tracks: A1, B2)
Drums – Mike Bass (tracks: A1, B1, B2), Paul Sears (tracks: A2)
Flute, Piccolo Flute – Nancy Collier (tracks: A2, B2), Norman (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
Guitar, Bass – Steven Feigenbaum (tracks: B1)
Piano, Vibraphone, Mallets Percussion, Percussion – Mike Bass
Trombone – Doug Elliott
Trumpet – David Kappler (tracks: A1, A2, B2), Larry Elliott (tracks: A1, B1, B3)

Composed By, Arranged By – Michael Bass

Parafulmini ‎– Tenere Fuori Dalla Portata Dei Bambini (2017, CD, Italy)

Tracklist:

1.  Intro: Il Professor Magnifizio  (1:36)

2.  T'Arraffo E T'Arruffo  (2:39)

Parafulmini Suite

3.a  Allegro Un Po' Troppo  (1:29)

3.b  Andante Al Mare Con Ruspe  (1:07)

3.c  Allegro Siberiano  (1:11)

3.d  Finale Cacciucco  (0:21)

4.  Stati D'Alimentazione Progressiva  (3:13)

5.  Dunque?  (2:45)

6.  Spavento  (4:21)

Idraulici In Vacanza

7.a  Acqua A Pedale  (3:39)

7.b  Pedale Ad Acqua  (3:22)

8.  Intemezzo Con Zampironi (0:14)

9.  TFDPDB  (3:59)

10.  Il Clan Dei Pappianesi  (3:01)

11.  Miracolo A Vecchiano  (2:45)

Una Settimana di Bontà

12.a  Dentista  (3:06)

12.b  Gitarella  (2:14)

12.c  Polpetta  (3:39)

13.  No, Grazie  (2:37)

14.  Cornacchiaia  (3:41)

Musicians:

Electric Guitar, Bass – Stefano Masoni

Featuring, Baritone Saxophone – Riccardo Zini

Featuring, Bass Saxophone – Filippo Brilli

Featuring, Electric Bass – Alfonso Capasso, Luca Cantasano

Featuring, Electric Guitar, Instruments [Aggeggi Spaventosi] – Fabrizio Bondi

Featuring, Keyboards – Patrizio Fariselli

Recorded By, Mixed By – Riccardo Andreini

Tambura, Percussion – Marco Bigliazzi

Written-By – Marco Bigliazzi (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 10, 12 to 14), Stefano Masoni (tracks: 4, 11)

PARAFULMINI [Lightning Rods] – Tenere Fuori Dalla Portata Dei Bambini – Keep Out Of Reach Of Kids

The first album by Marco Bigliazzi (drums) and Stefano Masoni (guitars), founders of
Parafulmini (Lightning Rods), that they define as a “Prurf Band”, Prurf meaning from prog to surf
rock and everything in between: punk, alternative, jazz – you name it. Tenere Fuori Dalla Portata
Dei Bambini (Keep Out Of Reach Of Kids, Lizard Records & Parafulmini, 2017) lasts 51 minutes
subdivided in 20 tracks, some of wich grouped into suites, such as Parafulmini Suite in four
movements, and however all linked each other by a cheap, absurd sci-fi sort of story : Parrucchieri
all’Ultraspazio (Hairdressers From Outer Space).

Tenere Fuori Dalla Portata Dei Bambini is mainly an instrumental album, made of a wide variety
of meters, melodies and harmonies, with some special guests: above all Patrizio Fariselli, of the
avant-garde group Area, on piano and electronic keyboards on two polyrhythmic tracks, and other
fellow musicians on electric bass, bass and baritone sax and additional metal guitar.

Parafulmini, born in Pisa (Italy) some years ago, are now ready to bring abroad their original
music with their new bassist Riccardo Zini and have new material almost ready for the next new
album, that may be titled PRURF.

Blank Manuskript ‎– Krásná Hora (2019, CD, Austria)

Tracklist:
1. Overture (6:49)
2. Foetus (6:10)
3. Achluphobia (15:35)
4. Pressure Of Pride (3:38)
5. Shared Isolation (9:55)
6. Alone At The Institution (9:21)
7. Silent Departure (3:37)
8. The Last Journey (8:34)

Musicians:
Peter Baxrainer / acoustic, Classical & electric guitars, vocals
Dominik Wallner / piano, electric piano, synthesizer, organ, clavinet, celesta, Mellotron, vocals
Jakob Aistleitner / saxophone, guitar, bass, flute, glockenspiel, percussion, vocals
Alfons Wohlmuth / bass, flute, bottles, vocals
Jakob Sigl / drums, percussion, vocals
With:
Antonia Sigl / viola
Wolfgang Spannberger / samples

Founded in Salzburg, Austria in 2007
Blank Manuskript is an ArtRock project from Salzburg, Austria. Typical long songs ornamented with a high level of symphonic density and elaborate polyphonic structures as well as extended improvised sections lead their audience through an entire musical adventure. Their compositional approach seeks to combine all sorts of different styles and traditions needed to serve the initial concept of their works. Hence, the arrangements are carefully structured with complex rhythmical patterns and establish a sound-scape that can hardly be found in music nowadays. The lyrical elements are picturesque with a worked out mystic touch and though at a first glance arcane, they always address current social issues in an implicit way. As the music always follows the narrated concept, one might label it contemporary rock program music.

The band was formed in 2007 with the aim of working on fully-fledged concept albums without the pressure of having to follow a certain musical style. Blank Manuskript's first publication was the concept album Tales from an Island - Impressions from Rapa Nui (2009). The album deals with the formation of society and culture in the example of Easter Island, and culminates in a fictional love story wrapped around the famous Birdman Cult. Their second album A Profound Path (2013), which is often described as being of a much darker nature than its predecessor, is a musical journey from hell to heaven and is loosely based on Dante's Divinia Comedia. In 2015, Blank Manuskript released "The Waiting Soldier", dealing with the loss of identity in human beings. The story is set in an undetermined time and can also be applied to modern day life. (progarchives)

Orquesta Metafisica ‎– Hipnotizados (2019, CD, Argentina)

Tracklist:
1. Anestesia (4:43)
2. Amnesia (2:06)
3. Bastardos Cósmicos (6:35)
4. Hiromy (3:10)
5. Estrujamientos (6:10)
6. Los Ojos (6:22)
7. La Salamanca (6:38)
8. Abre (3:17)
9. Manada Hipnotizada (1:21)
10. La Catedral (3:50)
11. Elevación Primaria (2:05)

Musicians:
Sebastian Volco: piano, keyboards, mini Moog, Fender Rhodes
Sebastian Rosenfeldt: bass, bass cello, Chapman stick, programming
Silvio Ottolini: drums
Miguel Yanover: saxophones
Pablo Nemirovsky: bandoneon
Clement Janinet: violin
Yaping Wang: yangqin
Robby Marshall: tenor saxophone, clarinet
Pablo Gignoli: bandoneon
Salvador Toscano: drums (4)
Andrea Pujado: violin (5)
Ysandre Donoso: bandoneon (1, 4)
Pablo Nemirovsky: bandoneón (1, 2)
Verónica Votti: cello
Andrea Pujado: violin
Anne Le Pap: violin
Romain de Mesmay: viola

This new opus comes as a follow-up to 7 Movimientos, an instrumental album in which the band narrated a story about liberation of the spirit.

In HIPNOTIZADOS, it develops the topic of public opinion manipulation via the mass media, suggesting that people in all societies succumb to the same discourse which aims at generating fear, obedience and mistrust.

​As HIPNOTIZADOS unwinds, instrumental compositions are interspersed with medleys of real political discourses pronounced by public personalities and with recordings of Tweets written in reaction to those discourses, exalting patriotism, security, religion, consumerism, new technologies or xenophobia.

ORQUESTA METAFISICA proposes original instrumental music, rich in influences, with an atypical choice of instruments: piano, bass, drums and saxophone married with classical strings, bass cello,  stick and world music instruments, including the mythical bandoneon of Argentinian tango and the traditional Chinese yangqin, all that combined with electronics.

Glenn Phillips ‎– Swim In The Wind (1977, LP, Usa)

Tracklist

A1 Sex Is So Strange (2:23)

A2 Vanity (2:34)

A3 Druid Hill (3:03)

A4 Sleeper (3:22)

A5 Lies (3:50)

B1 Sunspoon (2:08)

B2 Creeper (4:08)

B3 Xmas Song (3:06)

B4 Josh (2:09)

B5 My Name Is Time (2:22)

B6 Lenore (3:05)

Musicians:
Bass – Bill Rea
Drums – Doug Landsberg
Guitar – Glenn Phillips
Keyboards – Sant Ram Singh Khalsa

Not quite the mindbomb his solo debut "Lost At Sea" was (posted here a few months back), this second solo album from ex-Hampton Grease Band axeman Phillps is still a pretty sharp set of power trio prog jams. The best bits here touch on a sorta Phil Manzanera/801 vibe and, on "Vanity" even glance off Hugh Hopper "Hoppertunity Box" territory, though the limpid and dewy pastoralism present in passing on "Lost At Sea" takes a more central role here, as do the occasional (gulp) good time-y moves. Don't let that put you off, though. There's some decidedly choice bits tucked away in these grooves. (Mutant Sounds)

Space Circus ‎– Fantastic Arrival (1979, LP, Japan) Re-up!

Tracklist:
1. Heavy Duty Space Dragon (5:43)
2. Demon Blast (5:50)
3. Acryl Dream (7:40)
4. Pot People (6:13)
5. The Dawn of Aquarius Age (10:23)
6. Arcadia (4:48)
7. Fantastic Arrival (10:00)

Musicians:
Okano Hajime / bass
Ogawa Yoshikazu / drums
Sano Yukinao / guitar
Takashi Toyoda / keyboard, violin

Musica Mu(n)ta Orchestra ‎– Annìnnìa (1986, 2xLP, Italy)

LP 1
1-1. Annìnnìa Part 1  (23:06)
1-2. Annìnnìa Part 2  (23:41)
LP 2
2-1. Annìnnìa Part 3  (22:52)
2-2. Annìnnìa Part 4  (21:22)

Musicians:
Composed By [Music Composed By], Music By – Paolo Damiani
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Gianluigi Trovesi
Bass – Paolo Damiani
Bassoon, Oboe – Lindsay Cooper
Guitar – Claude Barthélémy
Percussion – Pierre Favre
Piano – John Taylor
Trombone – Paul Rutherford
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Paolo Fresu
Voice – Lauren Newton, Lucilla Galeazzi, Norma Winstone, Tamia

Directed By [RAI Broadcast Director] – Pasquale Santoli
Recorded At – Rumori Mediterranei Festival
Edited At – Audiologic (Roma)

Musica Mu(n)ta Orchestra was a one-night band at the Italian Music Festival in 1985. Filled with top jazz musicians, they shot four long compositions, Annìnnìa Part 1-4, each with over 20 minutes each. Improvisation, free jazz, avant-garde. It is a completely forgotten jewel of the European music scene. Originally released as 2 LPs, in 1994 reissue 2 CDs. And who was involved in the recording? Four avant-garde singers. Englishman Norma Winstone, French Tamia Valmont, Italian Lucilla Galeazzi and American Lauren Amber Newton. The bassoon and oboe was played by the great Lindsay Cooper (1951-2013). Furthermore, the Italian trumpeter and flugelhorn player Paolo Fresu. On percussion Swiss Pierre Favre (recorded with Jiří Stivín album Trips 1982), Italian saxophonist and clarinetist Gianluigi Trovesi, French guitarist Claude Barthélémy, English pianist John Taylor, Italian bassist and composer Paolo Damiani and Englishman Paul William Rutherford, trombone player. The album is absolutely fantastic.. (kali-music.cz)

Chêne Noir ‎– Aurora (1971, LP, France)

Tracklist:

1 Arrivée de la terre et de ses enfants : L'aurore (7:33)
2 Le bonheur (4:35)
3 La vieillesse et la mort (5:27)
4 Le conte de la terre et de ses enfants (7:25)
5 La fascination des enfants de la terre (5:54)
6 Vivre (5:12)

Musicians:
Gérard Gelas / direction, drums, gongs
Nicole Aubiat / vocals, cymbals
Bénédicte Maulet / vocals
Pierre Surtel / flutes, alto saxophone, vocals
Guy Paquin / violoncello, trumpet, vocals
Daniel Dublet / guitar, vocals, gongs and bongos
Jean Marie Redon / flute, vocals

As one might guess from this band's full name, Théâtre du Chêne Noir d'Avignon, Chêne Noir was a troupe of musicians and actors from the city of Avignon in southeast France. Avignon in fact is famous for its numerous theater companies and the name refers to both the performance group and the ancient chapel where they are headquartered. Many similar groups -- such as Principal Edwards Magic Theater, Grand Magic Circus, and Floh de Cologne -- in the early '70s throughout Europe blended rock with theater, but Chêne Noir, more avant-garde than most, deserves special note for its blend of improvised jazz and rock, spoken word, dance, and theatrics. Musician and writer Gerard Gelas founded Chêne Noir in 1968 as a way to create ceremonies to release the full potential of humanity and push the performers physically and psychological to the limits. Though occasionally the troupe put on material by Molière, Alfred Jarry, and other more obscure French writers, their main focus was on original material by Gelas and the others in the group. In 1971, the legendary experimental jazz label Futura released the group's first album, Aurora, recorded from a May 1971 performance of a piece in their repertoire since September 1970. Whereas on this debut, Chêne Noir was a seven-piece and by the late '70s when they released a couple more albums, Chant pour le Delta la Lune et le Soleil and Orphee 2000, on their own label, they had filled out to ten members. Meanwhile, the physical theater itself provided a performance space to other acts over the years; in 1972, both Magma and Steve Lacy performed there and for Lacy, it was the very first of his many solo concerts. The Chêne Noir company has continued to perform throughout the last several decades into the new millennium, either at the chapel or on tour to other parts of France, Moscow, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Algeria, and even Canada.

Patrice Sciortino ‎– Chronoradial (1970, LP, France)

Patrice Armand Yves Marie Sciortino is a French composer/ musician, born 26 July 1922 in Paris. Although classically trained as a pianist, and composer of some ballets and orchestral works, he's mostly known for his more experimental music (after an internship at the GRM) as issued on library LPs since 1967 which often featured prepared instruments, percussion and electronic manipulations / sound projection.

In the world of sound library and production music French Avant-garde composer Patrice Sciortino is both unique and universal. His astounding late 1960s and early 1970s recordings for the prestigious Musique Pour L’Image and PSI labels receive their first serious reissue and reappraisal here. Cellos growl and twist with an air evocative of Bernard Hermann, choirs hiss and howl like Alessandro Alessandroni’s ‘I Cantori Moderni’ and the whole thing is as dexterous and playful as Ennio Morricone at his very best. But really Sciortino is his own beast, percussive and jarring one moment, soothing yet unsettling the next.

Crucis ‎– Crucis (1976, LP, Argentina)

Tracklist:
1. Todo Tiempo Es Posible (4:33)
2. Mes (4:54)
3. Corto Amanecer (2:55)
4. La Triste Visión Del Entierro Propio (5:00)
5. Irónico Ser (4:06)
6. Determinados Espejos (6:54)
7. Recluso Artista (6:45)

Musicians
Pino Marrone / guitar, vocals
Anibal Kerpel / Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Arp Solina String, Moog, piano
Gustavo Montesano / bass, lead vocals
Gonzalo Farrugia / drums, percussion
Charlie Garcia / Moog programming