BURNIN' RED IVANHOE

Chronologicaly BURNIN' RED IVANHOE have to be the first progressive rock band from Denmark,as they were formed in 1967 and by 1969 they had already released their debut ''M144'',an album which came like an hybrid between rock,blues,soul and jazz with folk touches.Weirdly their second release carried the band;s name as a title and was published a year later.

Their sound had now a more specific orientation and they added also some good doses of psychedelia for good measure.At times BURNIN' RED IVANHOE like to rock,as the music is led by the excellent bluesy riffs helped by Ole Fick's fantastic voice.Soon their sound turns into a psychedelic form dominated by jazzy solos and light improvisations,based on superb saxes and flutes...and there is also some harmonica playing in the game,making the whole thing even closer to psych/blues.Drummer Bo Andersen handles also some nice percussion and the music goes straight to its folkish side.The whole result is absolutely unique,regarding that this is 1970 and the prog thing had not yet fully developed.''Burnin' red Ivanhoe'' is among the best early jazz/prog album I've heard and certainly in the top-10 of all 1970 prog-related works.An essential find!...4 solid stars!