Instrumental Progressive Rock
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=46907
Printed Date: August 09 2025 at 09:47
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Instrumental Progressive Rock
Posted By: Easy Money
Subject: Instrumental Progressive Rock
Date Posted: March 07 2008 at 11:40
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I already have a huge collection of jazz-fusion records, but there is a similar style that I would like to know more about.
A good name for this style might be mostly instrumental progressive rock that mixes jazzy improvisational sections with more melodic composed sections. Some bands that come to mind are early Santana, Ozric Tentacles, Quiet Sun, Phil Manzenera and some of Focus. Some related albums would include, Passport's Doldinger, Soft Machine III, Crimson's Great Deceiver and McLaughlin's Devotion. Some related songs would include, Girl so Fine and 3rd Stone by Hendrix, Wot Gorilla and Los Endos by Genesis, Bullfrog, When the Apple Blossoms ... and Tank by ELP. Can anyone recommend some more music like this? Please don't give me a long list, 3 or 4 albums would be fine. Also, if someone recommends an album that you agree with let me know. Multiple recommendations are what I am looking for here. I already know I need to check out more National Health and Gong. Can anyone recommend a Gong album that doesn't have so much silliness. Also I am very interested in hearing about bands from Italy and South America. Thanks ------------- Help the victims of the russian invasion: http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28523&PID=130446&title=various-ways-you-can-help-ukraine#130446 |
Replies:
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: March 07 2008 at 12:09
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Since you mentioned my fair country, I can't help but recommend Area's Crac! (widely held as their masterpiece), which is mostly instrumental. The jazzy component is the most evident, but - since they were Italian after all - there is also some melody to be found. Other good recommendations of this kind would be Hatfield and the North's two albums, the self-titled debut and The Rotters' Club, and of course National Health (which you have already mentioned). Both their albums are of exceptionally high quality. |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: March 07 2008 at 12:16
| I don't want to sound like a "one trick pony" but if you particularly enjoy 'Wot Gorilla' and 'Los Endos', and want exciting instrumental prog with a jazzy edge, try Kenso's FABULIS MIRABILIBUS. They don't come better than that. Also, there's a great band from France, very much in the tradition of the Hatfields and Soft Machine III: Forgas Band Phenomena. |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: March 07 2008 at 13:10
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Thanks a lot guys, I will definitley check out those suggestions. Area is a band I keep hearing about, so that is a good sign. I used to own some Hatfield and the North, it was probably purged during one of my always regrettable collection purges.
------------- Help the victims of the russian invasion: http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28523&PID=130446&title=various-ways-you-can-help-ukraine#130446 |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: March 07 2008 at 13:22
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John, I think it may have to do with the number of posts in the thread... Just a wild guess, though. Perhaps you'd better take the issue up again, so that it doesn't repeat itself. Edit: the thread was moved to the Prog Recommendations section, which usually doesn't appear on the front page. So, that seems to be the reason. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 01:36
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Raff's suggestions are perfect, I would second National Health (Of Queues and Cures or the 'Complete' set), and Area (I have AreaAzione which I like very much, didn't like Caution Radiation Area as much).. I would add Thirsty Moon, D.F.A., Rainbow Theatre [some of this has vocals], and you might like some Bo Hansson |
Posted By: WalterDigsTunes
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 01:43
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Another vote for National Health. In addition, if you're looking to try out South American bands, Crucis is a perfect starting point. Both their albums are usually available on a one CD set ("Cronologia" or "Kronologia," depending on which label you find it). The second album is the one that boasts the most instrumentals. One track bears a strong fusion flavour ("Pollo Frito"), while the other two are longer and more epic in scope. "Los Delirios del Mariscal" offers a lumbering psychedelic riff before giving you two minutes of chaos, while "Abismo Terrenal" is one of the ballsiest prog songs ever... the energy never fades during its 12 minutes and each member throws in a raucous solo. Crucis... its a heck of a band, and well worth your time. |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 02:22
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The first three or four Gryphon albums were instrumental too.
-------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Avantgardehead
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 02:26
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Has anyone said PFM - Stati di Immaginazione yet?
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Avantgardian |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 02:34
You'll be needing the Pierre Moerlen led version of Gong, who were jazz-rock rather than Canterbury/Space Rock of the Daevid Allan led version and devoid of silliness.
1976 - Shamal
1977 - Gazeuse! (aka Expresso)
1978 - Expresso II (there is a compilation featuring tracks from these three albums called Wingful of Eyes)
...and albums after this date that are titled Pierre Moerlen's Gong. ------------- What? |
Easy Money wrote:Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 04:45
Excellent recommendation Dean!
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 04:56
^ why, thank you sir 
I forgot to mention that Alan Holdsworth appears on Gazeuze! and Expresso II, and Mike Oldfield makes a guest appearance on later PM's Gong. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 07:47
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Thanks again for the suggestions guys, all of them are great.
David, I like Hanson's Lord of the Rings a lot. Is there another Hanson album you would recommend. ------------- Help the victims of the russian invasion: http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28523&PID=130446&title=various-ways-you-can-help-ukraine#130446 |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 07:55
"Attic Thoughts" and "The Magician's Hat" -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 13:13
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Soft Machine - Fourth, Fifth, Seven
Bo Hansson - Sagan om Ringen, Ur Trollkarlens Hatt, El Ahrairah
Gong - Shamal (Not entirely instrumental, but almost), Expresso II
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior
Hatfield and the North - Rotters Club (Not entirely instrumental eiter, but about 80-90% of it is, i think)
Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
Fläsket Brinner - Fläsket (Not entirely instrumental eiter, but about 95% of it is, i think)
Älgarnas Trädgård - Framtiden är ett svävande skepp, Förankrat i forntiden (Not entirely instrumental eiter, but about 95% of it is, i think)
Kebnekaise - II, III
Camel - The Snow Goose (Don't know if it's entirefly instrumental, but i think it is)
That's about all i can think of for now. Enjoy!
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Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 13:18
not entirely; there are passages were they go "aah-haah" and "da, da, da"; but those vocals are used in an instrumental way ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Figglesnout
Date Posted: March 08 2008 at 13:25
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Though not entirely prog in the sense I think you're speaking of, and more post-rocking than anything, Omega by The Cancer Conspiracy is a great instrumental album, as far as I'm concerned (though it does have some mild flaws...).
Listen http://www.myspace.com/thecancerconspiracy - here . ------------- I'm a reasonable man, get off my case |
Posted By: magnus
Date Posted: March 09 2008 at 14:33
Or perhaps an infant wrote the lyrics!   ------------- The scattered jigsaw of my redemption laid out before my eyes Each piece as amorphous as the other - Each piece in its lack of shape a lie 
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Posted By: moreitsythanyou
Date Posted: March 09 2008 at 14:38
I second this recommendation. It might be exactly what you are looking for. -------------  <font color=white>butts, lol[/COLOR] |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: March 09 2008 at 16:07
From France, I also like JADE (Jazz*Afro*Design*Electric). Very nice, understated, "reined-in" guitar-dominated instrumentals. Hecenia's good for keyboard action. Several of Philippe Besombes' albums, like Cesi est Cela, are great. Oh, and then there's Heldon! RE: Kenso. Yes, everything by Kenso is essential. One of the best bands out there! ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 09 2008 at 16:16
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Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: March 10 2008 at 17:03
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Since no one has mentioned it yet, and since I just listened to it, I recommend Rick Wakeman's "The Six Wives of Henry The Eighth"
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 10 2008 at 17:07
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Sorry if I'm not replying what you asked for, but if you don't know the Krautrock scene I recomend you if you're looking for instrumental stuff, okay perhaps not jazzy, but still really good.
If you want jazzy, I really don't know except for Fusion of course but you said you already had.. |
Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: March 12 2008 at 10:41
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Here are three favourites I can think of Offhand : Guru Guru - Dance Of The Flames
Jan Akkerman - From The Basement
Laszlo Benko - Omegamix
Laszlo Benko is the keyboard player for Hungarian band Omega. This is an entirely instrumental keyboard album with some guitar which goes on for about 50 minutes nonstop and features themes from Omega songs from 1962 - 1982. Pretty interesting symphonic stuff especially if you are already familiar with Omega`s music. ------------- |