JAZZ ROCK/FUSION

This is Hermeto Pascoal's debut from 1972. Miles Davis once said that Hermeto was one of the most important musicians on the planet. Hermeto played on "Live Evil" a Miles Davis release and he composed the three tracks he plays on. Airto Moriera calls Hermeto Brazil's best arranger and that's what kept coming up was that Pascoal is a genius at arranging music. He is an accomplished guitarist, flautist and keyboardist without formal training. Heck Ron Carter, Joe Farrel and Don Butterfield are on here and more and this is Hermeto's debut!

The music is best reviewed on a Jazz site not a Prog site as this is traditional, acoustic sounding Jazz with one track departing to more of a latin feel. I believe they had a Conductor here as they more or less sat around the stage in a circle. This is on me as I didn't do my homework before buying this. I was hoping for a "Slaves Mass" type record which is Hermeto's 1977 release and my favourite. I'm really surprised with this one but this just isn't my music but if your into this style you need to check this out.

— First review of this album —

Emisfero Boreale come from Milan and their roots date back to 1977 when a musical and cultural project named Collettivo di Iniziativa Musicale was created. The band took form from it in 1978 and had been active until 1993 playing live on a local level. Their sound, inspired by the Italian prog masters of the seventies and by the Canterbury scene with bands such as Gong, Hatfield And The North, Caravan or National Health, was then considered out of date and it's no wonder that they never had the chance to properly release an album during their early years of activity although they recorded some demos. In 2019, after a long hiatus, the band reunited recording old and new compositions and in 2022 finally self-released an official debut album entitled "Pulsazioni" with a line up featuring Pasquale Petrossi aka Banana Joker (guitar, keyboards), Alberto 'Pep' Petrossi (bass), Enrico Ferraresi (drums), Nicola Calegari (sax) and Chus Fernandez (bass) plus the guests Chiche Sosa (guitar), William Marino (guitar), Teodoro Romero Escudero (percussion) and Amerio Pace (acoustic guitar). It's a completely instrumental album that in my opinion is really worth listening to...

The excellent opener 'La rottura della sfera di cristallo' (The breaking of the crystal ball) alternates dreamy atmospheres and raging solos with sax and electric guitar in the forefront backed by pulsing bass lines...

'Nuova civilt' anno zero' (New civilization year zero) starts softly with a strong Oriental flavour, then the rhythm takes off leading to new horizons, from Mediterranean shores to America and return...

The lively title track, 'Pulsazioni' (Pulsations), is full of bright melodic lines and positive energy while the following 'Emisfero boreale' (Boreal Hemisphere) is more delicate and relaxed with its slow pace and nocturnal mood. It could be a perfect score for some scenes of a romantic movie...

The title of the spacey epic 'Arkonis' seems to refer to an imaginary solar system described in the Perry Rhodan series, a German space opera franchise, named after its hero which started in 1961 and has been ongoing for decades, written by an ever-changing team of authors. It's a long piece that goes through many changes in rhythm taking you on a ride across the universe towards far stars, mysterious worlds and new musical adventures'

Next comes 'Lockdown' that brings you back to Earth with a slight sense of nostalgia and darker colours... Then 'Hasta la vista amigos' (See you later friends) ends the album with some sparkling variations on the main theme of the title track...

On the whole, a very pleasant work!

Another Magna Carta project was born when Alex Skolnick teamed up with bassist Michael Manring and Primus drummer Tim Alexander to form Attention Deficit in the late 90's . I had a very difficult time trying to get into this one back in the day. As much as I love the musicians it's just too strange for me and I usually like experimental stuff but after some time, it totally got me. The magic and chemistry of these three musical giants are very evident.I feel this band brings out the best in Alex. His creativity and technicality are just turned up a notch. Being a well-rounded guitarist is very demanding in its own right though, just because someone can play super fast shred licks doesn't mean they can pull out a lyrical solo over some slow chords going by, Manring's bass playing is truly captivating and ethereal. Tim really shines through the whole record. What can i say more? This is ear candy prog fusion recommended for all those who appreciate instrumental music

The third LP from Toronto's Lighthouse, Peacing It All Together was released in 1970 according to Discogs, not in '69, the same year as their first two (although, of course, that sort of ambition has been seen as successful elsewhere). Forming in '68, the year of the first most popular(?) boom of Jazz-Rock, unsurprisingly, this only occasionally bears resemblance to the two biggest players at the game then, Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. My memory has always served in Lighthouse's favor, thinking on their debut and second albums (self-titled and Suite Feeling, respectively). Couldn't help but feel at least optimistic here.

We start off with "Nam Myoho Renge' Kyo / Let The Happiness Begin", with a positive-sounding repetition of the title of the former part (later picked up as "The Chant") seemingly betrayed by a dark turn with the introduction of the horns [This minor-key element is utilized to break up the chorus going into the second verse]. But all the same, as the name does imply, the song is bright and sunny in disposition. At the turn of the decade, no surprise hearing this kind of unabashed "Happiness", and they certainly will convince you it's genuine, too. Overall, some really nice compositional elements, though the majority is basically for the Flower Children. Up next, we have a classical interpolation of Beethoven's... Uhhh... Ok, well... you know it. I don't ever expect to know the actual names of these pieces, famous as they are. I was just a little frustrated I couldn't convincingly find the answer. This solo piano gives way to full-band triumph as "Every Day I Am Reminded" truly begins. The solo and group vocals are pretty spectacular, appealing to my love of Vocal Sunshine Pop (not so much like the Beach Boys, but maybe like the Gary Usher-associated studio groups of the late-60s, Sagittarius or its offshoot Millennium). The track has a soft lilting rhythm to it, and the overall effect is pretty moving to me. Best time as ever to mention the lower quality recording that I have at my disposal here; it's a bit weak, with the vocals taking great (and sole) priority over anything, but most notably the horns and drums.

Thankfully the drums are back in full here on the upbeat, self-explanatory "The Country Song", a folksy number in Country-Western ballad style, sitting at the crossroads of our of-the-time vocal Pop. Certainly an interesting one. I guess for fans of the Byrds. I quite like it, but its ability to stick here is probably pretty wanting, to give a strong guess. "Sausalito" is another poppy number, introducing more Americana elements, mostly from Folk. Of most interest here will be the bridge section, as we approach minute 2. This is brief, but did add some magic touches. We get a small kick of Rock, right in the ass, with "The Fiction of Twenty-Six Million". There are things I like here, but it's a bit hokey (and definitely aged). The lead guitar work here is notable, though! And really, compositionally/instrumentally speaking, I feel it's the shiniest thing so far, so I'm conflicted (wish I liked the weaker elements more? haha). I wasn't sure how I'd feel, but the aforementioned "The Chant" is up next, the return of our opening section of the first track, so... a reprise? I get it, I guess, but it's a very 'Whatever' kind of moment on the album. And honestly a ding against it.

"Mr. Candleman" is yet another with truly American idioms (and therefore Canadian?) at the fore. The vocals also sound as though resembling Bob Dylan--accompaniment rootsy and dancey enough to be Dylan with The Band--for God's sake! And violin is used predominantly as a solo instrument. Even so, its bridge section, likewise as brief as the last mentioned, has some real nice things to offer. The instrumentation is great, and, in great part due to the violin, "Candleman" is a surprise Classical Crossover track, too(!). "On My Way To L.A." is a dark Psych-Jazz-Rock! Right off the bat, I feel, this is the first I was truly excited about. The vocals are once again one of the strongest elements (we know it, their producer knew it), but everyone is bringing their A-game here. And finally, a worthwhile instrumental bridge which is treated with the respect it deserved. This opens into a guitar solo, which again is very welcomed in the case of Lighthouse's own Ralph Cole. If it's 'Crossover' here as well, it's a dark and Modern-Classical present; praise be. A near-essential, by my estimation.

The monstrous juxtapositional gap between "On My Way" and "Daughters and Sons" to follow is really something, but I'm mostly just happy to see it. This song is a soft-textured, folksy ballad. Paul Hoffert provides a lead role on vibraphone. In a big surprise (from what my expectations would be and certainly were), this is one of the strongest tracks of the whole. Approaching the close, we return to sunny disposition on "Just a Little More Time". Not in love with the verses (the first, specifically), to say the least, but the chorus has more tasty morsels. Overall, a worthwhile track to check out, in my poptimistic opinion; little to offer Prog fans as 'Prog' (let alone 'Fusion'). And finally we have the forward-driving "Little People", closing with our "Chant" (for better or worse?) [I didn't care by the end, and they barely included it anyways]. I'm into it! [At first, at least.] These aren't the 'little people' of TLC's beloved, likely-not-at-all-problematic programming, but of course the average human person? I still feel condescended somehow haha.

I will say in closing, the sonic production issues of certain tracks in the first half were not detectable by the middle of the album. That still doesn't help the mystery of those less fortunate tracks. Generally, I look forward to further digging into Lighthouse. This, though, was a bit of a lull. If my personal tastes were all I was going off of, this album might stand at a solid 3.0 (after adjusting for its obvious and most regrettable sins haha), but instead... [a certainly still rounded-up...]

True Rate: 2.75/5.0

Chicago is one of the great enigmas in the history of music and after three brilliant albums and a super worthy fourth volume, in the middle of 1973 they turned their direction to more commercial waters, at a time when winds of condescension or leveling down had not yet blown. That special concoction made of rock, soul, funk, psychedelia, jazz, classical and contemporary American music plus the plus of three good and diverse voices made the first two volumes a revolution in a time full of revolutions everywhere. Chicago III further deepens that direction, where that special feeling that they did what they wanted regardless of the companies continues, and they do not one but three suites, where we remember classic American composers like Aaron Copland. Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm and Terry Kath they sing and their voices provide the roughness and the velvet according to each moment of the record. These guys knew how to write, the powerful horns layered with Kath's throbbing guitar jamming until the fingers drop...and the ears! Even a political position regarding Vietnam and also the issue "Progress?" where with the winds they simulate noise pollution, the constructions that make skyscrapers that precisely... Are they progress? Testimony of an era, how from an evocation of country airs a la Crosby, Stills and Nash in "Travel Suite - Flight 602", to something of an atonal nature in "Free", also from the Travel Suite. Above all I highlight the progress in the cohesion between one part and another, the composition of the bridges creating -as if it were chapters of a book- introduction, middle and outcome.

"Huascaran" is arguably the most balanced Fermata album. It's not their most ferocious one but their compositional skills improved and the same goes for tasty composition development. Dedicated to the deadly expedition by a Czechoslovak mountaineering group of whom nobody survived the avalanche in the mountains. You wouldn't judge this by listening to the music apart from the last two minutes of the last track with nature sound and a slow heartbeat that could correspond to an end. New bass player emerged in the line-up - Laco Lucenic - untypical choice for a progressive bass player - but his handling his duties well although leaving soloing to the keyboards/guitar and rhythm decorations to the drums.

The first track is quite symphonic with moderate upbeat tempo and perfect keyboard layers (moog, synths, piano during the great acoustic exchange with cello). We have an emotional vocal part not far away from Argentinian folk- inspired prog bands at that time. Around 10:30 comes the first storm - a Latin-driven Santana meets McLaughlin before settling in a more funky rhythm and guitar/keyboards working in tandem.

"80000" starts on a sombre reflective Moog note transferring from steady fusion-friendly beat to a hard-rock territory reminding me of a "Blue Effect" style but escalating to a cymbal-heavy fusion with actually Lucenic' bass being one of the lead instruments.

The third track, "Solidarity" has the catchiest motive starting from the beginning and interesting prog drum pattern with mainly keyboard solos. Not much happening on the development side of the track, it's about exploring keyboard/guitar alongside the same rhythm.

"Huascaran II" is pretty intensive from the beginning disclosing its main motive at the early beginning. Important to highlight the slap bass playing well seconded by the Hohner Clavinet groove.

Highly recommended to any fan of instrumental prog and fusion.

4.5 stars. KROKOFANT are a guitar/sax/drum trio out of Norway and this is album number four from 2019. I had actually decided to get off of the KROKOFANT bus with their third album just feeling that maybe they had gone as far as they could with this format. Than I heard ELEPHANT9's incredible keyboardist Stale Storlokken and Haker Flaten an incredible bass player would be playing on this one and I had to check it out. So a five piece even though the two previously mentioned musicians are guests here, and this is their best yet!

Adding two musicians of their quality is such a great move by this band but also the guitarist relates that this is their most written album yet. Everything including the solos is done with intent, whereas in the past they always combined the composed with the improvised. The liner notes are done by David Fricke and what a wonderful read it is. He relays that he feels the more explosive parts on this album are like early seventies Miles Davis and MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA along with late sixties Ornette Coleman groups. And also the avant leanings of "Third" and "Fourth" by SOFT MACHINE and the 73/74 KING CRIMSON.

Fricke says that Flaten mentioned to the band he wouldn't mind playing with them. He didn't have to ask twice. The guitarist describes this album as being "...like Jazz in the sense that you play the theme, and each of the guys gets a solo, taking a different path. Then a riff sneaks in, we play around with that, and it builds to the climax." Just under 44 minutes we get three long tracks along with that second 6 1/2 minute one that is my favourite although the third song is right there too. This is consistent and challenging. So rewarding and innovative like 8 minutes into that second track. It's the emotion on that second tune that draws me in and it's something I've not felt before with this band. Some Rypdal sounding guitar on the opener before 4 minutes.

The music here isn't as difficult as the first two, more melodic for sure but still challenging. I just really looked forward to spinning "Q" each time it came up.

Certainly, there is a recurrent morning feel, not just in the lyrics, but also in the sound of Spinetta, and that trait is particularly prominent in Alma De Diamante, the debut album with his fabulous fourth band, Jade.

The melodic material is truly complex, but it's also played as the whistling of an early morning walker, so light and so sharp it sounds. The harmony is elaborated and personal, and even so, it flows organically, communicating a sense of relaxed immersion in that atmosphere. The crystalline production allows every instrument and voice to shine and breathe in its own space, without any friction or interference with each other. Yet, even within that clarity, a room remains for a darker shade and a deep sense of drama underpinning the proceedings, as it shows, for example, in the last track, Sombras En Los Álamos.

The best known members of this band, if you follow Luis Alberto's career, are the drummer of his previous band, Invisible, Héctor "Pomo" Lorenzo, and Spinetta himself on guitar and vocals. The others are, nevertheless, extraordinary in their own right: both keyboard players, Juan del Barrio and Diego Rapoport, sustaining the multi-layered sonic textures with jazzy fuel, and exchanging solos with each other and the guitar, and the bassist Beto Satragni, from the incredible fusion band Raíces, who makes grow his fat lines as if they were living beings made of sound.

The title track and Dale Gracias are probably the best loved tracks of this set, but, to be honest, the entire album projects an irresistible sense of flow, so, please, don't try to avoid the impulse of listen to it entirely at once, because you'd be missing something.

A masterpiece can only be absorbed complete.

Review Nº 685

Prog rock is a genre that emerged in the late of the 60's and that became very popular in the 70's. It was essentially a British phenomenon in those days. However, it was also a phenomenon that appeared, widespread and that grew up in many other European countries. Probably, the best example was Italy where a great amount of bands with great quality appeared, a phenomenon that still exists today. But, we can say that in almost all European countries appeared bands with great quality. So, the Scandinavian countries weren't an exception. Soon, many bands with great quality appeared in all those countries. However, the Danish prog rock scene has always been quite small and unknown, especially in comparison to their neighbours. Still, there are some names that deserves a special mention in the Danish prog rock scene in the 70's, such as, Ache, Alrune Rod, Blue Sun, Burnin' Red Ivahoe, Culpeper's Orchard, Day Of Phoenix, Dr. Dopo Jam, Fleur De Lis, Midnight Sun ex Rainbow Band, The Old Man & The Sea, Secret Oyster and Thors Hammer.

Thus, Midnight Sun was a Danish progressive rock band that was founded in 1969, but under the name Rainbow Band. The group was a kind of super group, as it included former members of the Danish bands Young Flowers, Maxwells and The Beefeaters. In 1970, the band released their self-titled debut studio album under the name of Rainbow Band. Shortly thereafter, the group had to change their name because a band from Canada had copyrighted the same name. So, Rainbow Band became Midnight Sun. Their self-titled debut album under this new name was released in 1971. The band released two more albums before breaking up in the mid 70's "Walking Circles" in 1972 and "Midnight Dream" in 1974.

So, "Walking Circles" is the third studio album of Midnight Sun ex Rainbow Band and that was released in 1972. The line up on the album is Frank Lauridsen (vocals and harmonica), Peer Frost (guitars), Niels Bronstad (piano), Bent Hasselmann (winds), Bo Stief (bass guitar) and Carsten Smedegaard (drums).

"Walking Circles" is a good instrumental album with some good ideas. I didn't really like the album at a first listen. Still it grew up on me with time. It feels a lot like Chicago, though not as an exciting imo. Although I might never have been the biggest Chicago fan, the way Midnight Sun infuse some heavier prog and psych rock moments might gives that style just the kind of kick in the pants it needed. However, it's a bit unbalanced. The album could be jazzier, or funkier or more folk, or they could rock more. But, the album doesn't exactly fit in these categories. They touch in everything, but the music isn't equally distributed. It hasn't really bad songs, and overall, the instrumental breaks are often passable.

Musically, "Walking Circles" doesn't necessarily really offers any significantly different music in relation to the previous studio album of the band, "Midnight Sun", despite another change in the line up, the presence of another vocalist after Lars Bisgaard on "Rainbow Band" and Allan Mortensen on "Midnight Sun". In the liner notes, the group's music is aptly characterized. The compositions on Midnight Sun would be at home somewhere between Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Soft Machine. But, I think they are best comparable to the music of the first incarnation of Colosseum. I have nothing to complain about it in this classification. Here we have a bluesy-jazzy rock with a sax component is made by Midnight Sun, dominated by the excellent piano playing by Niels Bronstad and also the virtuoso electric guitar performance of Frosts, who is between earthy sometimes and others that are banal rockers like "Can You Hear The Music Play?", "The Way Of Zen", "I've Got A New Mind", "Winds Gonna Blow" and "I'm Living A Dream" and a filigree of more complex jazz rock numbers like "Country Song", "A La Turca" and the title track, "Walking Circles" that here sway a bit more. There are jazzy skillfully orchestrated instrumental passages in all pieces, but the powerful vocals of the new singer Lauridsen usually provide for the bluesy musky rock (pop) elements that were so trendy at the time.

As happened with the previous album of the band, the cover of the Midnight Sun's second work is also adorned with a painting by Roger Dean, even a rather strange one. A human skeleton, with a spine elongated into a tail, sitting on an icebergand using it as a third leg, so to speak. I think this is one of the most original and strange covers made by him.

Conclusion: "Walking Circles" is a little less sophisticated, more simply knitted, earthier and significantly more poppy than "Midnight Sun". There are noisy strings as well as some occasional folky-bluesy harmonica interludes. In contrary to the claim in the cover text of the album that "Walking Circles" would represent a step forward for "Midnight Sun", from a merely progressive point of view, I really don't think so. "Walking Circles" isn't a well balanced album. It didn't impress me much. It's a summary of many and too much varied styles that go from psychedelic, jazz, folk and rock. But it doesn't fits very comfortably in none of those styles. The album has some good music moments and I think it can grow. There's nothing great here but nothing really bad, either. I really think that "Walking Circles" is a step backwards, a departure into more commercial realms. Still, as a whole, we really cannot say that we are in presence of a bad work.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Blues For Salvador is Carlos's solo album from' 87 with assorted musicians not part of his usual Santana band. This is a well produced and expertly played record with Carlos displaying all his signature traits unique to his playing style.The album is largely dedicational "Bella" is a sublime ode to his daughter, "Trane" a nod to "John Coltrane" one of Carlos' main influences, likewise, "Mingus" -a reference to Charlie Mingus and the "Blues for Salvador" is for his son. Overall, he dedicated the album to his wife, Deborah. The only flaw on the album is too many 80s synths, especially when they are combined with the Latin sound and relaxed atmosphere. Overall, "Blues for Salvador is decent and probably the most enjoyable 80s Santana work.