BEGGAR JULIA'S TIME TRIP

Ekseption produced some very interesting material in the early 70's. Their style is somewhat reminiscent of The Nice - full of rock adaptations of classical music of the romantic, classical, and baroque periods. Therefore, do not expect any very sophisticated melodies, rhythms or harmonies - this is pure European tidyness. This record in particular is a great showcase of what these Dutch prog-rockers were able to do. Ekseption consisted of drums, bass, organ, and a horn section - sax and trumpet. This line-up gave them great versatility, which you can hear on this record. "Beggar Julia's Time Trip" is a beautifully twisted mix of classical baroque music, dry, up-beat rock tempos, and excellent, authentic bebop passages, featuring great instrumental abilities from all of the band members. "Italian Concerto" also perfectly presents that and is in my opinion the highlight of the album. You can forgive not the best recording quality and that "dry" factor in the mix. Rick Van Linden is an excellent keyboard player, whose abilities should be put among the greatest - Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Tony Banks, Dave Stewart or Jon Lord. All of the band members present a great technical know-how and classical training. The record, however, as fun as it is to listen to, has not aged gracefully, sounding very dated, cheesy, and, at times, even commercial. 3 stars is a good rating. It is still recommended!