KING PROGRESS

Mr Gruff - Lee Jackson, and his post-Nice outfit Jackson Heights. More of an abhorration of The Nice, than anything. Jackson opting for a Folky, Soft-Rock direction, only lightly hinting at anything Progressive. Indeed, the (almost) footnote of the sleevenotes read - For Lee to 'go acoustic' is rather like a writer taking up the quill after years on a typewriter.... I say that the writer should've stuck with the typewriter in this case.... I prefer Lee playing his Left-Handed 'Teardrop' Cello Bass thingy, rather than Acoustic Guitars and Harmonica, but that's just me. There are moments here that are worthy, like the 7min minor- key 'Since I Last Saw You', beautifully haunting and pastoral - the tranquil guitar lines are quite memorable, the almost Psychedelic and late-60's sounding 'Sunshine Freak', and, for interest's sake, the lengthy, 'armchair' version of the track 'Cry Of Eugene', originally a pleasant piece by Emerson and Co., transcribed perfectly for Jackson's acoustic setting. As for the rest of the tunes, Doubting Thomas features Drummer/Percussionist Tommy Slone's 'Abdominal Percussion', adding an original whimsy to the proceedings, and the album opener 'Mr Screw' is indicative of this 'new' path Lee has chosen to pursue. Fortunately, Lee improved upon his formula for the next release. This album is just for the curious, tracking routes of their favourite artists (Who ?? Lee ???).

JACKSON HEIGHTS were a four-album English band, named after their founder member Lee Jackson, the group's lead singer and guitarist and a former member of The Nice. Jackson Heights also happens to be the name of a multi-ethnic neighbourhood (or ghetto) in New York City. Jackson Heights' first album "King Progress" (1970) on the Charisma label failed to make much progress up the album charts and generated about as much interest as special guest appearances by Justin Bieber & Ariana Grande at a classic Prog-Rock concert. Hoping for a change of fortunes, Lee Jackson signed with the Vertigo label and put together a new line-up for the following three albums:- "The Fifth Avenue Bus" (1972); Ragamuffins Fool" (1972); & "Bump 'n' Grind" (1973). Jackson Heights never quite managed to reach the heights of success during their brief time in the spotlight and following the disbandment of the group in 1973, Lee Jackson went on to form the one-album band Refugee with keyboard wizard Patrick Moraz and renowned drummer Brian "Blinky" Davison. "Blinky" was another former member of The Nice power trio alongside Lee Jackson, and of course, the legendary Keith Emerson, who became almost as well-known for his knife-wielding stage antics as his masterful keyboard displays with the Prog-Rock supergroup ELP.

"King Progress" opens in bright and lively style with "Mr Screw", a song with an upbeat uptempo Funk-Rock groove to it. The "Mr Screw" of the title refers to the British slang for a prison officer, and the angry prisoner (singer) sounds like he has an axe to grind about prison conditions, although they can't be nearly as bad as sitting through an entire series of Prisoner Cell Block H. That really would be cruel and unusual punishment. The song has an underlying air of menace about it, a bit like the kind of underlying air of menace you might experience if you walked into a Las Vegas Casino run by Robert De Niro, while in the backroom, Joe Pesci is busy beating some poor unfortunate gambling cheat's face into a bloody pulp, just before putting his head in a vice and then taking him for a long midnight drive out into the desert..... Well, maybe "Mr Screw" is not quite as menacing as that.

It's time now to light up a joss-stick and chillout to the far-out psychedelic vibes of "Since I Last Saw You", a song with a dreamy and laid-back mellow groove. This song is as cool, calm and collected as Bono from U2 with his wrap-around shades and slicked-back hair, although if Bono really IS that cool, why did he name himself after a dog biscuit, and why does he wear sunglasses at night!? ..... Anyway, "Since I Last Saw You" is a song that floats along melodiously on a wispy purple haze of swirling smoke from a middle-eastern hookah or shiska pipe. It's the kind of tripped-out psychedelic music you might have heard playing in the groovy Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco back in the "Summer of Love" year of 1967. If you're in the mood for crossing your legs in the lotus position in preparation for a long laid-back session of transcendental meditation - or even tantric sex if you're feelin' really adventurous and have a willing partner - then this is the song for you.

The weather outlook is sunny and warm for our next song..... If you're a sun worshipper, then you might just be a "Sunshine Freak", because that's the title of the third song on the album. If you've ever wanted to experience the lovely feeling of a warm Summer Breeze making you feel fine, and blowing through the jasmine of your mind, then you can do it right here from the comfort of your armchair with this glorious burst of radiant Sunshine Pop. You don't even need any Warp Factor 7 suncream to enjoy this song and there's absolutely no risk of going red in the sun like the B-52's "Rock Lobster". This vibrant Folky Pop number is flying high like the Byrds, only without the jangly sound of Roger McGuinn's twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar, and if you're lucky enough to be listening to "Sunshine Freak" while the sun is shining outside, then throw open the patio doors and Let the Sunshine In during this present-day Age of Aquarius.

And now we arrive at the title track: "King Progress". It's an old-fashioned, plaintive Folky ballad with a somewhat melancholy air (aren't all ballads melancholy by their very nature!??), featuring gently lilting guitar strings, mournful cellos and sweeping violins. The music has something of an Elizabethan feel to it, which could be down to the sound of a crumhorn. It's the kind of medieval madrigal that might have been played at some great merry-making banquet in Elizabeth 1's or Henry VIII's time. Yes, this charmingly sweet ditty is a real feast for the ears. Picture the lavish scene where copious amounts of food and wine have already been consumed and half-eaten chicken legs are being carelessly thrown over the shoulder, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass, as empty wine glasses are thrown into the blazing hearth fire with gay abandon. Not to mention lusty wenches who are ready, willing and able to be bedded down for the night to the accompanying sound of creaking rusty bedsprings. Well, one always lives in hope.

There's no doubt about it, the fifth song "Doubting Thomas" is a rompin' stompin' Folk-Rock knees-up from beginning to end, in the best traditions of some of Bob Dylan's livelier Folk-Rock numbers, and as an added bonus, the song features a Dylan- style harmonica solo too. This uptempo country-tinged melody bounces along merrily on its way for over four minutes. It's hardly the kind of authentic country music you might hear played at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, but then again, these are country boys from the back streets of London, England. The playfully silly lyrics leave one in no doubt that "Doubting Thomas" is not to be taken too seriously:- "Is this another tale of Doubting Thomas?, Very devious man is he, Keeps his goldfish in the bathtub, His sister's strange, a sight to see, Fight for territorial waters, He has a bit tiny taste of ass, His wife is frying him piranha, We think they're smarter with the bass." ..... As you can see, the lyrics make no sense whatsoever, but it's all jolly good fun at the end of the day and the party atmosphere sounds like a wonderful time was had by all involved.

If you've ever suffered from sleepless nights, then you'll certainly be able to relate to the next song: "Insomnia". This dreamy downtempo number with its spaced-out laid-back ambience might even help you drift off to sleep and "trance-port" you to a land of blissful sweet dreams. Just kick off your shoes and lie back and think of England as you listen to this marvellous piece of music from a bygone era a half-century ago, when up-and-coming British bands like Jackson Heights were recording albums of this high calibre on a regular basis. In fact, comparing this gorgeous slice of musical nostalgia with some of the mindless Pop we hear played regularly on the radio today, is a bit like comparing an exotic ride on the Orient Express from London to Istanbul with champagne and caviar, to a British Rail cattle-class trip from London to Scunthorpe with bread and water. It's really no contest at all.

And so, alas dear friends, we've reached the seventh and final song on the album: "Cry of Eugene", an absolutely beautiful album highlight. This is a classic case of saving the best song until last, so get ready to experience eight minutes of musical magic and sheer delight with the echoing sound of a guitar soaked in reverb, bathed in a virtual aurora borealis of vibrant psychedelic colours. This calming and hypnotic music is a hauntingly beautiful psychedelic relic from the sixties and a true lost album treasure in the wonderworld of prog. This moody and magnificent piece of music reminds one somewhat of some of the early classics from the Moody Blues, only without the haunting sound of the mellotron. This is what REAL music sounds like, unlike much of the instantly forgettable Pop of today (Britney Spears or Justin Bieber, anyone?), which is about as interesting to listen to as hearing the latest BBC Radio 4 Shipping Forecast for the state of the sea at Dogger Bank.

Jackson Heights have risen from the ghetto and made a very impressive entrance onto the world stage with "King Progress", an awesome album that stands out as much from some of the mediocre music of today as the magnificent Taj Mahal palace in Agra (not the local Indian restaurant) would stand out in the ("grim up north") mining town of Barnsley in South Yorkshire.