Favorite sax solo in prog - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Cactus Choir wrote:

February's Valentine from Colosseum's Valentyne Suite.

Not normally a big fan of saxophone solos as I find they can be a bit raspy but this one from Dick Heckstall-Smith is a corker. Starts off lyrical and gets more frenetic with some great back-up from Jon Hiseman's drums and Dave Greenslade's mighty Hammond. Thumbs Up

do not know if you know it, but i would also recommend Heckstall-Smith's solo album-"A Story Ended"-unfortunately overlooked,but very endearing music with some other Colosseum musicians in the mix

VDGG - Sleepwalkers (already mentioned)
Roger Waters - Go Fishing (the sax solo just makes that song)

Edited by enigma - July 15 2010 at 14:40

presdoug wrote:

Cactus Choir wrote:

February's Valentine from Colosseum's Valentyne Suite.

Not normally a big fan of saxophone solos as I find they can be a bit raspy but this one from Dick Heckstall-Smith is a corker. Starts off lyrical and gets more frenetic with some great back-up from Jon Hiseman's drums and Dave Greenslade's mighty Hammond. Thumbs Up

do not know if you know it, but i would also recommend Heckstall-Smith's solo album-"A Story Ended"-unfortunately overlooked,but very endearing music with some other Colosseum musicians in the mix

Heckstall-Smith (RIP) was a genius.

The Colosseum track with my favourite sax is "Beware the Ides of March".

This track was originally composed as the 3rd movement of the Valentyne Suite and is a beautiful counterpoint to February's Valentine. Influenced by the same Bach theme as "White Shade of Pale" Heckstall-Smith's beautifull lullaby slowly descends into a maelstrom of noise driven by Hiseman's insane drumming before finally emerging in a triumphant reprise,

This original version of the Valentyne Suite is available on vinyl on the US version of "Those about to die". Quite simply this is one of the greatest tracks of all time. Unbelievably, it is not available on CD.

Agree with many listed previously, but need to also add a personal favorite, "One More Red Nightmare".

ten years after wrote:

Definitely get A Story Ended. It is the next best thing to a Colosseum album. Not as fresh as Those about to Die or in the same class as Valentyne Suite (not many albums are) but it is as good as Daughter of Time IMO.

Hiseman, Mark Clarke, Greenslade, Chis Farlowe and James Litherland all feature prominently on the CD and Clempson co-wrote side two of the album. Graham Bond provides some excellent keyboards.

A Pirate's Dream is 11 minutes of pure Colosseum (in fact it was part of their live show).

Okay you've sold me. The 2009 reissue is going on the next Amazon order!

"And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!"

"He's up the pub"