COCOON

Peter Jones is one of the new superstars of modern progressive rock. Though he'd been writing and performing pop music for a decade, he emerged with a wallop on the prog scene with his 2014 album Tiger Moth Tales "Cocoon". This was rapidly followed up with 2015's "Story Tellers - Part One" and a new band project, Red Bazar, and an album called "Tales from the Bookcase" in 2016. To add to the momentum, Peter Jones sings and plays saxophone and clarinet on the recent release by the Colin Tench Project and joined Camel earlier this year and set off straight away for the Japan tour.

Peter Jones is a remarkable talent. He can write songs and sing like he should be with Genesis. He can play piano and guitar like he could belong to any prog band with an established name for itself. His music covers Genesis-inspired songs, blazing metal guitar, soothing piano and acoustic guitar, lively and bouncy prog rock. On his first prog release, Peter includes four seasonal tracks that include duck quacks, fireworks, and Christmas bells and as well, the album begins and ends like a cassette tape being played. In between is a remarkable collection of music.

Listen to the tale of the three witches who inhabit an island in the Arctic Sea and who battle the wizards who are audacious and bold enough to think they can wrestle the island away from the "three indomitable females". The first two minutes showcase Peter's wonderful story-telling voice, and then the music takes us on a 9-minute journey with some unpredictable twists and turns. "Tigers in the Butter" begins with an eastern flavour with sitar before turning into a mad dream and then some beautiful modern guitar prog. One would be excused for thinking that some new upstart band had re-invented classic Genesis, and then even more so on the sublime "A Visit to Chigwick". "The Merry Vicar" is a rollicking humorous song with heavy prog and prog metal tendencies but nothing to split your eardrums. "First Lament" includes some lonely woodwind an melodic guitar and piano.

There is such a feast of sounds for the ears here and it's almost mind-boggling to think that this music, which sounds as though it was composed by a band of talented musicians and songwriters, was done entirely by one man. For Peter Jones is credited as "all instruments". Stunning work!

As for me, I've got Red Bazar on order and I will soon try to get the other Tiger Moth Tales album ordered as well. Three cheers for the merry vic, er, no. For Peter Jones!