Well,in this blogspace I will try to introduce most of you to non-listed material here on progarchives,which in my opinion is of significant interest for progressive rock fans.Most of this material is trully rare and has come in my hands through really hard searching  over these years and great friends from all around the world...I own some of this great albums,but I also have some of them only in digital form,but I'm after them by buying all these material through well-known internet stores...

 

I will open this section with:

 

 

 

Criminally overlooked US band with a very rich and elaborated sound and it's really a question,why this band's works remained and still remain in the shadows for so many years.They released two studio albums to my knowledge,a self-titled in 1975 and the follower ''Another kind of space'' one year later.FLYING ISLAND were led by violinist Fred Fraioli,featuring also well-known keyboardist Jeff Bova and later drummer Bill Bacon would also join the band.FLYING ISLAND were lucky enough to sign a 5-year contract with Vanguard Label and in 1975 they released a self-titled LP.Offering some really adventurous musicianship,the album presents an all instrumental effort of 10 short tracks,based on Fraioli's excellent violin work, which ranges from leading up-tempo parts to weird complicated passages.Bova delivers some trully great keyboard work both on Hammond organ and electric piano,this time starting from a supporting role to end up in obscure soundscapes,doubled by Fraioli's violin.The tight playing of Thom Preli on bass and the confident drumming of Bacon gives the band another extra point.Finally,guitarist Ray Smith prooves to be a hidden ace for FLYING ISLAND's sound with a personal style consisting of good breaks and gear-ups.I honestly tell you,this work should be spread all over the world for the different moods and professional arrangements it offers.Especially fans of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA,BRAND X or DIXIE DREGS will love it to death.Absolutely essential for your collection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another little-known band from Holland,who's rare works "Gamma" (1972) and "Darts" (1974) definitely worth a spin.They were formed in 1970 by their leader organist/pianist Paul Poulissen and actually they worked more like a session group than a full-time band,as Poulissen is the only musician presented on both of their albums.Their first release,entitled ''Alpha'',came out in 1973 and GAMMA's music can be defined as a mixed bag of brass rock and soft orchestral prog rock,bringing to mind bands like EKSEPTION (for the dominent horn section) and FOCUS (for the flute-driven classical-inspired passages).The musicianship is very nice,showing a band with talent and potential,but what actually spoils the whole effort are the unbearable vocals of Frans Te Spenke,who sings like if he was a singer coming out of a low-budget musical.Fortunately the album is mostly instrumental,ranging from brass-rock parts with horns and saxes and jazzy inteplays with piano/bass/drums on the front and JAN AKKERMAN-like guitars to classical soft instrumental themes with great flute work and and the awaited early 70's sound of slight psychedelic doses.''Alpha'' won't blow your mind,but it is certainly an decent but lost progressive work of the Dutch scene,which will definitely reward your efforts to purchase it.

 

 

 

I say this one should be here.

Great local band

 

You may be interested in my  http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63544 - Québécois' Progressive Music blog.

 

 

 

 

Among the well-known bands emerging from the huge progressive movement in Quebec,Canada, there were some ''smaller'' names,which didn't achieved the huge success or big promotion of their native groups.Such kind of a band were SOLSTICE,an intially four-member group found in mid-70's by guitarist Daniel Lafrance,bassist Daniel Mathieu,clarinet player Michel Marineau (ex-member of another obscure group from Quebec,''Nebu'') and drummer Gilles Dozois.For their first album, entitled ''Mirage'' and released back in 1978,the main composer was Daniel Lafrance.So it is reasonable the album to have many guitar excursions and solos around and Lafrance has done it very well on his section...but do not expect an explosive sound or massive interplays.''Mirage'' maintains a generally soft atmosphere throughout met in early WEATHER REPORT or even UK jazz rockers NUCLEUS,but it holds also a great introduction to the use of clarinet by Marineau,as he has a lot of space in the album for improvisational solos and smooth interplays with the rhythm section.It is quite surprising that SOLSTICE do not use any keyboards at all,yet their jazzy proposal has a deep and mature sound.The funky bass lines of Mathieu reminds me these of fellow compatriots UZEB,while drummer Gilles Dozois insists on a consistent yet steady playing without any dynamic changes.The result is a typical example of good-executed jazz rock with no risks but a qualitive performance overall.Recommended and strongly aiming on the jazz/fusion-rock audience.

 

 

 

Review it here or review it after adding it on CRUCIS' page?...We'll see...

Widely unknown jazz rock band from Turin,formed in mid-70's by ex-Circus 2000 drummer Roberto “Johnny” Betti.Another former member of Circus 2000, guitarist Marcello ''Spooky'' Quartarone participated also in the original line-up.Their first album was released in 1975 on Betti's newly established Shirak Label with no names of the band's members,except the main composer Nijo Tibet,who has to be Betti under a fake pseudonym. Fortunately the album was re-released by Mellow Records on CD in 1995.''Let: from experience to experience'' is mostly an instrumental album of soft and progressive jazz rock with some ethnic overtones here and there.Unlike many bands dealing with this path,LIVING LIFE choose to balance the album between free impovisational forms and well-arranged compositions,always filled with massive flutes, perscussions and saxes.For example the first two tracks are beautifully composed progressive/jazz tracks with a fair amount of melody and a slight Canterbury feeling (mainly the first).However the two followers, ''Time'' and ''From Marocco'' are an obscure blending of free improvisation and ethnic tunes created by saxes,while those tracks include heavy use of percussions as well.''Ciopi ciopi'' is a relaxing instrumental entirely based on Piercarlo Bettini' piano,while the closer ''Straight down'' is the more balanced composition,where Bettini's piano meets Quartarone smooth solos meets Walter Negri's improvisational saxes and Savarro's fantastic bass lines.A combination of KRAAN, WEATHER REPORT, RETURN TO FOREVER with some AREA's softer music would be a good description.All in all the album is really satisfying with some trully good moments and a hidden energy on the background. Generally recommended,but not to be missed by fans of progressive rock,who want heavy doses of jazz in their music.

 

 

 

 

TALIS are a new band formed in the new millenium by fellows keyboardist Steffen Conrad and guitarist Michael Kohlmannslehner.The duo was joined by six more musicians in order to create their first album ''Cities'' in March,2006,not much longer after their formation.''Cities'' is a mixed bag of sounds,influences and instrumental musicianship,always under the progressive rock approach.Additionally the album contains a variety of vocal lines,from monotonic male to multi-vocal parts to ethereal female ones...so one think is for sure:''Cities'' will appeal to a great mass of progressive rock fans.Speaking of influences is hard with so much diversity in their sound.Some parts of the album are close to a modern version of PINK FLOYD,especially in the vocal section,the spacey melodic guitars and the atmospheric keyboards.But this is just a short part of the album.Other moments contain heavier guitar parts,always with a touch of melody, accompanied by trully weird electronic effects in an obscure combination.This is actually a unique mix of modern neo prog with electronics.I should notice also that plenty of vocals in this one are sometimes distorted making the album even more spacey,atmosopheric and modern-sounding.In the longer cuts I can also detect additional ibstruments like violins,cellos and even some sitar to complete a nice modern progressive rock obscurity...I really don't know if this combination is always succesful but ''Cities'' is a grower,which definitely deserves a wider promotion,as this German duo seems very talented,trying to establish a personal style among their influences...and it seems that even today German bands try to create the most obscure progressive works.

 

 

 

 

After the demise of the folk rock group LA FAMIGLIE DEGLI ORTEGA,three of their members moved on to form a new folk-oriented band.So,ASSEMBLEA MUSICA TEATRALE were born in 1975 in Genova with Bruno Biggi,Alberto Canepa and Gianni Martini being the more experienced members,having played with LA FAMIGLIE DEGLI ORTEGA.As with the later,the band included a large number of musicians and released their first LP ''Dietro le sbarre'' in 1976 on Dischi Dello Zodiaco.

 

The album is mostly in the typical Italian singer/songwriter style with plenty of vocals and a relaxed atmosphere,not far from the sound of ANGELO BRANDUARDI and MAURO PELOSI.A more careful listening though,will provide your ears with obscure moog synths and orchestral strings,among the familiar acoustic melodies of the album.It's these weird music moments where the band closes enough to avant-gard than folk.Also in a couple of moments electric guitar,bass and drums seem to take over offering some minutes of proggish folk.Don't get very excited as most of the album follows the tradition Italian folk tunes,but some of the material in here is really interesting.

 

The band released two more albums,''Marylin'' in 1977 and ''Il songo di Alice'' two years later,before officially disbanding in 1981.This later stuff is said to be more in the vein of commercial pop/folk with little prog interest.However ''Dietro le sbaree'' should easily appeal to fans of folk/psych/prog rock.

 

Magnificent US prog band,recording and performing between mid-70's and early 80's.They recorded three albums as far as I am concerned:''Flight'' (1975),''Incredible journey'' (1976) and ''Excursion beyond'' (1980).The first two are considered as one of the best examples of artistic progressive jazz rock,the latest is said to be in a much more commercial vein.The one I can talk about is their self-titled debut,featuring Pat Vidas on trumpets/vocals,Jim Michael Yaeger on keyboards,John Ray on acoustic & electric basses,Russell Dawber on drums and Ted Karczewski on electric and acoustic guitars.This one is progressive jazz rock at its best for sure.Compositions are really fast,complex and intricate,offering tons of adventuruous interplays and a very rich sound.However,FLIGHT are not your average band,delivering long improvisated parts or jam sections.The compositions are mainly short with a great developing structure and also featuring often humurous vocals of somekind of late-60's pop style.Pat Vidas present a wide variety of catchy trumpet parts,supported by great electric piano,moog synths and a touch of mellotron and even some fantrastic solos by guitarist Ted Karczewski.The funky bass lines of John Ray try to create a more relaxed atmosphere...but instrumental parts are trully mind-blowing,reminding me of GENTLE GIANT and actually if you can imagine a cross between GG and NUCLEUS you are very close to FLIGHT's unique sound.Energetic brass rock in battle with complicated jazzy prog with also some hints of classic progressive rock.This band deserves a lot more than this limited fame they earned.A must-have for ages!

 

 

 

 

Very good jazz rock band from Ojebyn,Sweden,formed in 1974,which released 3 LP's between 1975 and 1979.All members had a good background mostly in pop music,until they got tired and decided to choose a more demanding music path.This decision led them to the release of their self-titled debut in 1975,which is their strongest effort for many prog/jazz rock collectors.The band consisted of Stefan Nillson on piano/synths, Stefan Björklund on guitars, Sten Forsman on bass/cello, Allan Lundström on saxes, Åke Sundqvist on drums/percussions/vibraphone and Johan Engström on flutes/acoustic guitars.

 

The tracks can be split in three categories: These into fast and furious grooves with great guitar solos and powerful interplays,these into flute-driven calm jazzy prog with a slight Canterbury feeling,while the third category includes compositions in a free jazz from,dominated by improvisational saxes and nice work on bass/contrabass by Forsman.All of them are of very high quality without exception,which shows the band great talent and perfect collaboration.I can also make an honourable reference to the awesome electric piano work of Stefan Nillson,who also had an underground personal career in the 80's,releasing 3 personal LP'S.Very decent work,highly recommended to jazz rock lovers!

 

 

 

 

With a name like that you cannot expect anything else than symphonic-oriented rock music loaded with keys.SECOND MOVEMENT existed since 1971,when they were formed in Coburg,Bavaria.They had some very ambitious plans as a band,otherwise it can't be explained that they started as an eight-piece band and even performed a rock opera named ''Jack Y'',regarding a soldier in Vietnam,reportedly a friend of the band's members.By mid-70's the band was shortened to a sextet,featuring Harald Kesselhack on vocals, Siggi Zeidler on keys,Thomas Mockl on guitars,Manni Greiner on bass,Matthias Helk on drums and Manni Bierbach on flutes/saxes.This line-up recorded the debut ''Blind man's mirror'' in 1976,released on Castle in 700 copies.

 

The album includes a total of five tracks,four of them being over 9 minutes.SECOND MOVEMENT try to keep the balances with some safe playing and alternating vocal/instrumental passages.Obviously they deliver a fair amount of keyboard parts with classical leanings at moments,featuring nice work on moog synths,organ and clavinet by Zeidler.Compositionally the band is in a good level,offering classic symphonic prog in the vein of NOVALIS,early E.L.P. and WALLENSTEIN,with some rock outburst being also present.The tracks contain also plenty of acoustic guitars,while vocals are accented and a bit pale with some GREG LAKE influence.Instrumental parts are the reason why you should search for this album,despite being not that coherent.Melodies are quite strong and will please any fan of the genre.

 

The band had some line-up changes through the following years and moved on to a second album in 1981,entitled ''Movements'',which I have not listened.The following year they disbanded once and for all,at least leaving one memorable album with plenty of good moments.

 

 

 

well,this is not a suggestion thread actually or if you want just a suggestion thread...Read carefully my introduction,this is just a personal space where I can sum,organize and place historical info and reviews around bands that are not listed in progarchives,but deserve fully to be called prog IN MY OPINION ONLY...The main reason is for people taking notice of unknown prog bands (one more,just in my opinion) existed mainly  in the past...suggestion comes second by a small note at the end of the post and I could simply remove it if that is the problem of making this topic a suggestion-related one.

 

All the best

 

Apostolis

 

 

Among the first jazz rock bands in Norway,VANESSA were found in 1971 by flautist/saxophonist  Sven Undseth.They played numerous times in Club 7 in Oslo,while the recordings of their first album were finished in 1973.For unknown reasons the album saw finally the light two years later on Polygram.The line-up included Sven Undseth on flute/sax/clarinet , Knut Værnes on guitars , Jan Erik Pedersen - bass on bass, Frank Aleksandersen - drums, percussion with guest musicians on keys being Håkon Graf  and Brynjulf Blix,later to be found on the Moose Loose line-up.

 

The album follows much of the style of ECM jazz,blending nicely rock music with jazz improvisations and funky lines.The years of the recordings somewhat reflect on the overall sound with dominant clarinet and sax solos throughout.The rhythm section is rather simple,with Pedersen offering funky playing and Alexandersen having a rather steady playing.Værnes is there to deliver a couple of interesting solos in the vein of the greatest jazz guitarists of the past.In general the album is rather smooth,but it also contains plenty of intricate moments in an accesible way.

 

The band went on to produce one more work a year later,entitled ''Black And White'' with a very different line-up,before disbanding.

 

 

 

Different sounding than most of the bands around the same time,Toronto-based TERRACED GARDEN were the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Carl Tafel,who was a member of heavy sounding rock bands Ex Libris and Cardboard Brains.He began recording tracks for the band's debut in 1981 with the help of by drummer Peter Weeks,woodwind player Ian Colvin (from Ex Libris) and violinist Simon Jacobs.Tafel run out of money,the project stayed in hiatus for sometime,before returning the next year with Phil Dewhurst  this time on drums and finishing the recordings and mixing of the album.Around Christmas 82' ''Melody and menace'' was finally released.

 

The album is a fantastic journey through the different streets of the progressive rock world with a band delivering a mixed but captivating bag of sounds.Sometimes I wonder if GENTLE GIANT or HAPPY THE MAN were formed in the 80's,how they would sound like?Perhaps ''Melody and menace'' is the answer.Filled with piano,mellotrons,violins,acoustic guitars and flutes,most of the tracks explore the sounds of symphonic music,jazz tradition and relaxed acoustic folk in one package.You can add the soft and ethereal multi-vocal harmonies and background choirs to the mix to get a soundscape of unmet beauty.On the other hand the band can play also some really intricate and dynamic guitar-based rock with an obvious fusion breeze,supported by the powerful drums and the pounding bass lines with nice keys on the background.Short tracks with fine interplays,dreamy vocals and adventuruous blend of instruments,sounding very modern until today.Can you ask for more?

 

TERRACED GARDEN went on to produce two more albums in the 80's,''Braille'' from 1984 and ''Within'',which are reputed to be less challenging,maintaining though the high quality of the compositions met in ''Melody and menace''.Unfortunately this album never got a CD-reissue and propably that's a good reason why it remained in obscurity.Recommended to all prog fans who love KING CRIMSON,GENTLE GIANT,HAPPY THE MAN and ECHOLYN.

 

 

 

A very unique band to present,QUASAR was an Australian trio recording and performing from mid-70's to early-80's.Information are hard to come but to my knowledge they were formed in 1974 in Brisbane and featured a keyboard and trumpet player in their early years along with the standard bass/guitar/drums instrumentation.Sometime after their formation they moved to Melborne for about a year,before returning in Brisbane now as a trio with brothers Trevor and Barry Tiplady on drums and bass respectively and Len Henderson on guitars.

 

''Nebular trajectory'' came out in 1979 on ACR Records in a small amount of 500 copies and this was a very hard listening for the time.Actually it still remains one of the most complex stuff I've ever heard.A totally instrumental complicated release,offering trippy jazz/prog with ultra-complex guitar work and a freaky rhythm section.While I am often reminded of KING CRIMSON listening to this album,this is even more experimental music to my ears using KING CRIMSON's influence only as a guide.Henderson is the man here,delivering obscure soloing and heavy parts with his guitar with Trevor Tiplady being a monster behing the drum kit,often having his solo moments.His brother Barry plays the bass in a more varied style,flirting here and there even with funk.A few keyboard effects can also be heard at the starting moments on a couple of tracks.Compositions sound sometimes too abstract,but the overall performance is very professional and could be a nice example for the trully technical side of prog.

 

A second album in a similar style entitled ''Man coda'' was the QUASAR's sophomore document before disbanding for good.For anyone who wants to explore what trully experimental prog means,I recommend this album highly.For the non-mystified,prepare for an unmet painful experience.

 

 

This unknown Dutch band was found by ex-Sandy Coast keyboardist Ron Westerbeek in 1974.The band featured also John Lagrand (from Livin' Blues) on harmonica,Boris Farberow on bass,Allaert Troost on guitars,Peter Voogt on drums and Jan van Dijk on flutes.Debra Wokaty helps on female voices.The first album came out a year after their formation on Phillips.

 

40 minutes of music divided in 9 short tracks with multiple influnces.''Holiday'' is a nice little folk tune with nice vocal lines,while ''After the ball'' has a soul atmosphere along with a flute-driven instrumental break.On ''You are older know'' shines Van Dijk's harmonica,a number with psych and funky influences.The same feeling characterizes ''Night about four'':flutes and harmonica on front with a light soul/funky edge throughout.''All around your temble'' is a decent Deep Purple/Burnin' Red Ivanhoe combination,nice heavy/psych rock with funky bass lines.''Come and seahe day'' follows the same path,though most smooth with good piano and harmonica work and Westerbeek's best vocal performance.''Okinavasta'' mixes a Gentle Giant-like musicianship with commercial vocals,while on ''Follow me'' the Zeppelin-like guitars combine with a funky rhythm section and multi-vocals.The eponymous track closes the album in a ballad style with strong female vocals,acoustic rhythms and synths to the front.

 

The next year the band would release a second and last album,entitled ''Damburst'',an effort which is said to be more in a prog vein.Half-nice,half-weak, ''The second day'' will please fans of prog who doesn't mind a strong soul flavor in their music menu.