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Andrea Cortese 
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
 Posted: June 23 2008 at 16:35 |
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^^^
I've added the video at the bottom of the homepage of this site. Edited by Andrea Cortese - June 23 2008 at 16:35 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 23 2008 at 16:39 |
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That is the best Italian move I have seen this week, Andrea
 !But seriously, it is the visual highlight of Prog Andaluz and I am still very moved when I watch that video, also because Jesus De La Rosa died in 1983.
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Andrea Cortese
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
Posted: June 23 2008 at 16:41 |
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err....... the album is by Medina Azahara, obviously, Erik and you've already reviewed it.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 25 2008 at 13:27 |
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Thanks to PA wizard Angelo my collection of My Favorite Gigs & Pictures
on Progwalhalla has been extended, see:
Edited by erik neuteboom - June 25 2008 at 13:29 |
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Norbert
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: October 20 2005 Location: Hungary Status: Offline Points: 2506 |
Posted: June 25 2008 at 13:55 |
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The good old Thijs Van Leer. I would not recognize him without subtitles.
Three necked Rickenbacker of Chris Squire-always nice to see, and hear of course.  |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 25 2008 at 14:10 |
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Norbert, NOSTALGIA RULES
 And now I am going to watch Turkey against Germany, if Turkey wins it will be party time here in The Hague, at this moment many parts in the city are red coloured, so many Turkish people in The Hague and they all seem to love football, I hope they win or at least will be able to compete the strong German side but in fact it is injured David against healthy Goliath
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 26 2008 at 08:37 |
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Because of the flood of David Bowie, The Move and prog metal reviews
I would like to ask attention for this new wonderful, overlooked blend of modern prog and folk:
 Neo Progressive (Studio Album, 2008) Avg: 4.52/5 from 7 ratings BELIEVE — Yesterday is a Friend Review by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom) Special Collaborator Symphonic Prog Expert
Two years after their debut CD Hope To See Another Day (2006) the Polish formation Believe (featuring guitarplayer Mirek Gil, known from Collage and Satellite) has delivered a second effort with the nostalgic title Yesterday Is A Friend. To me the 9 songs (between 2 and 9 minutes) sound as a very pleasant blend of modern progrock and folk with an important role for the sensitive guitarwork and intense violinplay (reminding me of Japanese proggers Outer Limits). From the very first song Believe their music carries me away, it sounds as a ‘warm bath’: in general changing from dreamy with twanging acoustic guitars, violin and flute to compelling with moving electric guitar, at some moments you can enjoy a propulsive beat that contains fiery guitar. I am delighted about the contrast between the violin and the electric guitar, also the fair amount of emotion in the vocals (with that distinctive melancholical Polish undertone) gives the music an extra dimension. The short but wonderful final track Together brings acoustic Led Zeppelin (like on III) on my mind. The role of the keyboards is limited to beautiful pianowork in some songs, only in the track Mystery Is Closer the guest musician Adam Milosz shines on synthesizers and organ. Gradually Poland turns into a prolific progrock country, after bands like Collage, Quidam, Riverside, Satellite, Osada Vida and Nemezis, here it is Believe that succeeds to make impression, especially the fans of modern progrock with folky elements will be pleased. |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 27 2008 at 15:20 |
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Last week I have received two interesting items from Progwalhalla orders,
I hope to write reviews very soon in this thread:
 This CD (recordings from 1966) features legendary flamenco guitarplayer
Sabicas and 20 year old bass player ... Tony Levin!
 This DVD features drummer Mike Portnoy playing the Rush covers 2112, Cygnus X-1, Hemispheres and YYZ/Drums Solo, see:
Edited by erik neuteboom - June 27 2008 at 15:38 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 30 2008 at 14:11 |
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Here's an update with interesting new non PA bands that are described on Progwalhalla:
CRONICO – Delirium Room (****) - This is a Mexican formation that was founded in 2004 by the youth friends Daniel G. Köppen and Gabriel Eguiluz. They started to make a demo CD and then presented their music on a festival in the capital and during several cultural activities. In 2007 Cronico released thier debut CD entitled Delirium Room as an own production. - From the very first listening session I was delighted about Cronico their exciting blend of symphonic – and neo-prog: lots of fluent songs featuring a lush, varied and modern keyboard sound, pleasant female vocals (some in Spanish, most in English) and wonderful work on acoustic – and electric guitars. The 10 compositions deliver many tasteful and captivating moments, from a compelling atmosphere with howling guitar (Long Way), a psychedelic sounding organ solo (Delirium) and an intense guitar solo with volume-pedal (Without Reasons) to exciting interplay between organ and guitar (Mood Swing), flashy synthesizer flights (Floating, Delirium, Don’t Be Afraid and When I Try) and a sensational blend of lush organ, fat synthesizers and propulsive drums in the final track Intrepid Nightmare, goose bumps! The band also treats us on some mellow moments (with twanging guitar and warm vocals or acoustic rhythm-guitar and sensitive piano) and lots of tension and dynamic by changing the moods from dreamy to compelling and mid-tempo to bombastic like in the highlights Delirium, Without Reasons and especially When I try (breathtaking final part with strong interplay between moving guitar and lush organ). Again Latin-America has succeeded to deliver a great new progrock band, after Tarkus from Brazil, William Gray from Argentina and R-U Kaiser from Chile, now we can enjoy Cronico from Mexico, I am sure we will hear more from this promising new band! MOONRISE – The Lights Of A Distant Bay (****) - This is a musical project by Polish multi-instrumentalist Kamil Konieczniak and singer Lukasz Galeziowskiejo (with that typical Polish melancholical undertone but his vocal contributions are very limited). - The sound of Moonrise is firmly rooted into the neo-prog tradition in the vein of IQ and Pendragon. The 8 compositions are very tastefully arranged with some strong breaks, lots of flowing shifting moods, a pleasant variety, a beautiful and modern keyboard sound and splendid guitarwork, from sensitive, fiery and howling runs to propulsive riffs. My favorite moments on this CD are the intense guitar sound and soaring keyboards in the opener The Island, the alternating Help Me I Can’t Help Myself (intro with wonderful interplay between Grand piano and mellow keyboards and then strong work on guitar and keyboards), exciting guitarplay in In The Labyrinth Of The Dream, a spectacular break during Antidotum and a beautiful build-up with piano and keyboards to a compelling final part featuring howling guitar runs, goose bumps! - I am sure this strong debut-CD will please many neo-progheads! NEMEZIS – Nemezis (***1/2) - Nemezis is a new Polish five piece band that delivers wonderful neo-prog on her eponymous debut-CD: from mellow with twanging guitars, soaring synthesizers and warm female vocals to compelling and bombastic with varied keyboards and beautiful, often Steve Rothery-like guitarwork (many times he carried me away to Marillion’s Fish era). My highlights are the moving guitar solo in Unknown Tomorrow, the exciting interplay between a church-organ sound, guitar and drums in With No Return, a spectacular synthesizer solo in Somewhere In Time and the long final piece The End (more than 12 minutes) that succeeds to generate a lot of excitement: a dreamy intro with warm vocals, piano and soarin gkeyboards, a wonderful part with intense orchestral keyboards, beautiful piano with longing vocals, sensitive guitarplay in a slow rhythm, a mid-tempo with propulsive drums, a long and harder-edged guitar solo (like Steve Rothery at his pinnacle) and a quite mellow conclusion with piano and again that excellent female voice. - So it goes on and on with those strong new Polish progrock bands (from Riverside to Osada Vida) and now we have Nemezis, highly recommended, especially to the neo-prog fans! BAROQUE PROJECT – Misteriose Voci (***1/2) - I prefer to listen to Italian progrock bands with vocals in their native language, just listen to the difference between Banco and PFM their music in Italian and in English vocals! So I am glad that new Italian four piece formation Baroque Project sing in Italian and their singer does a good job with lots of emotion. - Baroque their sound on the debut CD entitled Misteriose Voci (2007) is accessible, melodic and a bit dated because of the frequent use of the Hammond organ (swirling solos in Odio, Premonizioni and especially Gentile Direttore). The colouring and interplay by the guitar (lots of sensitive runs) and keyboards (from wonderful Grand piano to sumptuous organ and fat synthesizer flights) is very tasteful. In the more mellow pieces Baroque Project reminds me of Italian musicain Angelo Branduari and in the more compelling symphonic rock parts I notice elements of Dutch keyboard driven trio Trace like in the long composition Premonizione and in the final song Un Altro Mondo (beautiful conclusion with a moving guitar solo and lush keyboards). Recommended to the many Italian progrock fans. MASS MEDIA – Criptoidea (****) - Italian formation Mass Media made music in the Seventies but they have reunited because the label Electromantic invited the band to make a new album, the current line-up features three original members. The CD Criptoidea contains 13 songs, four have (Italian) vocals, the rest is instrumental. The music often delivers swinging and fluent jazzrock (echoes from Mahavishnu Orchestra and Brand X) with lots of guitar and Fender Rhodes electric piano (along Hammond organ and synthesizers) and a very adventurous, often propulsive rhythm-section. I am impressed by the musicians their skills and interplay, it’s obvious they are very experienced and know each other very well in musical terms. I am delighted about the parts in which the guitar is supported by strings/ a propulsive rhythm-section and the duels between guitar and keyboards, what an energy. The final composition Suite Del Ringraziamento is a tribute to some classical composers and keyboardists Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson. It is recorded live in the studio and contains short renditions of compositions by Bach (Badinerie and Preludio), Mozart (Rondo A La Turca), Bernstein (America), Brubeck (Blue Rondo A La Turk), Copland (Hoedown) and Wakeman (Catherine Howard). We can enjoy sparkling piano and fiery guitar and great interplay between guitar and keyboards, remarkably is the fiery electric guitar in Hoedown instead of the fat synthesizer sound. I am sure this CD wil please many jazzrock fans, what a stunning band and what an exciting CD!
BREATHING SPACE – Coming Up For Air (***1/2) - Originally this was a solo project by Mostly Autumn keyboarplayer/composer Iain Jennings but after his first eponymous debut album, he founded his own band, started to tour and so the formation Breathing Space was born, including Mostly Autumn background singer Viola Sparnenn. - During my first listening session I noticed that Iain has made a very good choice to turn Olivia into a lead singer, what a voice! She has an important role in the ten varied, accessible and modern sounding compositions. In the more mellow songs her warm voice matches perfectly with the wonderful dreamy piano sound and the sensitive electric guitar runs. In the more dynamic tracks Olivia delivers a powerful voice that can compete with the bombastic keyboards and fiery guitar like in the opener Coming Up For Air (nice mix of rock guitar and electronic sounding synthesizers), When I Hold On To You (bombastic organ and guitar) and The Senses (tight mid-tempo with powerful saxophone solos). I am very pleased with the the beautiful songs Don’t Turn A Blind Eye (wonderful twanging acoustic guitar and strong slide guitar sound), Searching For My Shadow (dreamy piano and strings and warm vocals along howling guitar) and especially the exciting and alternating final pice entitled Turn Of The Tide: from mellow with twanging acoustic guitars like early Genesis to a compelling atmosphere with dramatic vocals and lush choir-Mellotron). I am sure this tasteful, varied and professional sounding album will please the Mostly Autumn fans and the fans of modern prog, I just read that Hans has listed this album #4 in his Album Top 5 of 2007! MIND FURNITURE – Hoop Of Flame (****) - This is an USA progrock band, two members also play in Metaphor (they made 3 albums between 2000 and now). Mind Furniture their debut CD was released in 2000 and this successor Hoop Of Flame in 2007 so the band had some time to spend on their music. I had never heard of Mind Furniture but during my first listening session with Hoop Of Flame I got excited very quickly, what a well balanced and varied album with exciting work on keyboards and guitar and strong vocals. The album contains two long epics, both divided into five parts. - The Trial (23.25): It starts with a slow rhythm and we can enjoy the excellent vocals, accompanied by fiery guitar runs and a lush organ sound. Then an accellaration with propulsive guitar riffs, blended with wonderful Hammond and in the end a wah-wah drenched guitar solo. Suddenly a militairy snare drum, cynical vocals and finally a choir. The atmosphere changes into first dreamy with acoustic rhythm guitar and warm vocals and then in compelling with beautiful work on keyboards and emotional vocals. The final part of this first composition contains a melancholical cello sound, fragile acoustic guitar and a choir, culminating in a compelling ‘grand finale’ with sumptuous organ and a sensitive electric guitar solo. - Hoop Of Flame (29.40): The titletrack opens with twanging acoustic guitar and melancholical vocals and cello, after a few minutes a wonderful strings-sound joins. When the atmosphere has changed into a slow rhythm, we can enjoy a Gilmour-inspired guitar solo with howling runs in a hypnotizing climates that evokes the very distinctive sound of Seventies Pink Floyd. Then a piece with acoustic rhythm-guitar and pleasant vocals and ‘out of the blue’ an accellaration featuring very tasteful duo acoustic guitar play. After spacey keyboard layers, the music turns into a catchy beat with modern sounding keyboards and propulsive guitar riffs, culminating into an exciting final part with a fiery guitar solo. Part four is very alternating and elaborate with beautiful Grand piano work, a Kansas-like cello sound and strong vocals. In the final part the focus is on howling, very intense guitar runs in moods that shift from dreamy to a catchy beat, very dynamic and it erupts in a great build-up, quite fiery guitar solo, loaded with wah-wah, goose bumps! - Mind Furniture needed seven years to make this successor but the result is there, what an excellent, often captivating and exciting album! ALMA – Sobre Fantasias - After their splendid new studio album Perpetuum Karma, several Nexus members decided to deliver solo projects: Lalo, Luis en Lito founded the trio Subliminal (album Limbo) en guitarplayer Carlos Lucena invited Roxana Truccolo (vocals and keyboards), their project is named Alma and their debut CD entitled Sobre Fantasias. - The album has a very lush instrumentation: Carlos on acoustic -, classical – and electric guitar (along bass and programms) and Roxanna on acoustic – and electric piano, harpsichord and organ (along Spanish vocals), the colouring of the 11 (often a bit laidback) compositions is wonderful and varied. I like Roxanna her warm voice, it matches perfectly with Carlos his sensitive guitar sound, the best examples are the tracks Before The Day (slow rhythm with howling guitar runs), Silent Witness (compelling with beautiful interplay between guitar and keyboards), the dreamy Dawn (again howling guitar runs and the sound of the Fender Rhodes electric piano along a guest musician on violin) and the rocking final piece Storm featuring fiery guitar and a propulsive rhythm-section. I am delighted about the two songs Greys Of The Afternoon (delivering warm play on classical guitar and Grand piano) and Elf that contains wonderful interplay between harpsichord and acoustic guitar, the electric guitar halfway reminds me of Mike Oldfield. - I am sure this beautiful mellow album will please the progheads who love a blend of prog with classical and folk music.
Edited by erik neuteboom - June 30 2008 at 14:22 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: June 30 2008 at 17:46 |
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Today I received a promo CD from Finland: The Dream Of Cecilia by Progression. I have sent a PM to jazzrock specialist Dick Heath to add this band to PA, what an awesome jazzrock: often groovy rhythms, splendid interplay, an adventurous rhythm-section, great dual guitarwork, swirling violin and exciting work on Fender Rhodes electric piano and synthesizers, if you like Mahavishnu Orchestra, JL Ponty and early Al DiMeola, check out Progression, see: www.progression.fi
My latest PA review:
 Symphonic Prog (Studio Album, 1977) 3.90/5 (10 ratings) ZOMBY WOOF — Riding On A Tear Review by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom) Special Collaborator Symphonic Prog Expert
Zombie Woof is an extremely overlooked German progrock band from the Seventies, their name is derived from a song by Frank Zappa and his Mothers Of Invention. But their music has hardly anything to do with Frank Zappa, it's mainly keyboard driven, 24- carat symphonic rock, quite original with only some hints from Eela Craig and early Camel. The nine compositions from the original album (1977) sound pleasant and melodic featuring flowing shifting moods and lots of wonderful vintage keyboards: a sparking Grand piano with wonderful string-ensemble waves in Introduction, a beautiful blend of string-esemble, Hammond organ and mellow choir-Mellotron in the varied titletrack, lots of swinging Hohner D6 clavinet in Requiem - Part I, exciting interplay between fiery electric guitar and swinging clavinet and a splendid build- up guitar solo in the jam- like song Dora's Drive and an exciting, long synthesizer solo (with echoes from Peter Bardens) in Walking Through the Woods. One of the most beatiful tracks on this CD is Walking Through the Woods: a short intro featuring warm twanging acoustic guitar, then a slow rhythm with fluent synthesizer flights, the atmosphere becomes lush symphonic delivering great interplay between sparkling piano and senational synthesizer. The English vocals on this album sound often pleasant and warm with a slight German accent. The CD release features four bonustracks including two alternate versions from the album and two previously unreleased tracks (studio rehearsals, no more or less than fine Zomby Woof music). THIS IS WONDERFUL, VERY MELODIC AND PLEASANT PROGRESSIVE ROCK FROM GERMANY, LOADED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF VINTAGE KEYBOARDS!!
Edited by erik neuteboom - June 30 2008 at 17:51 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 01 2008 at 05:18 |
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I just received back a pleasant PM by jazzrock specialist Dick Heath about
the sensational new Finnish band Progression, he is willing to look for
a possible addition, here's my review about their debut CD:
PROGRESSION – The Dream Of Cecilia (****)  - This week I noticed a parcel from Finland in my mail box, a further investigation revealed that it was send by the Finnish band Progression. Perhaps they were inspired by other Finnish band Mist Season because I have written reviews about them on the Internet. Progression was founded in 1976, they made a demo, did a few gigs and twenty years later they were refounded by original member Harri Nokso with “new members and new ideas”. And Progression even has her own ‘rock-jazz event’ entitled Fusion (once featuring fellow Finnish band Mist Season). In 2007 Progression released her instrumental debut CD The Dream Of Cecilia, finally! - On this CD the band describes her music as ‘groovy jazzrock’, influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham and John McLaughlin. In the 9 melodic, mainly swinging compositions I hear elements from Mahavishnu Orchestra, Al DiMeola and JL Ponty, played very energeticly: an adventurous, often propulsive rhythm-section, powerful dual-guitarwork, sparkling violinplay and some songs contain keyboards, it sounds fluent and exciting, what a band! The only mellow song is Bright Light From High featuring dreamy work on acoustic – and electric guitar and a sitar-like sound. But in general Progression indeed delivers ‘groovy jazzrock’ with strong interplay and cascades of solos on guitar (in almost every song fiery work by the two guitarplayers, in some songs dual guitarwork like in Nightmare and Hyperactive Games), on violin (swirling in Nightmare, Gansta Race and Mental Activity) and on keyboards (swinging Fender piano in the titletrack and spectaculair synthesizer fights in Bright Light From High, Hyperactive Games and Little Confusion). - To me this album sounds as a splendid tribute to the Seventies jazzrock, highly recommended to the jazzrock aficionados! Edited by erik neuteboom - July 01 2008 at 15:44 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 01 2008 at 15:53 |
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I digged up more interesting non PA bands from Progwalhalla:
HOBSON’S CHOICE – New Horizons (***1/2)
- This is an USA one-shot-band that made their one and only album entitled New Horizons in 1996. Hobson’s Choice their sound is rooted in the Seventies prog like Genesis, Yes and Pink Floyd but this band is not a clone. Within a few listening sessions I started to appreciate this album very much, the seven alternating compositions sound melodic and pleasant with a tasteful colouring by the varied keyboards and frequent, quite powerful guitarwork 1. Raging Sun 6:40 : After a spacey intro we can listen to Tony Banks inspired organ runs and mellow vocals, then a slow rhythm with bombastic keyboards and flowing guitar , a wonderful start! 2. Procession 7:05 : This instrumental song contains beautiful interplay between electric guitar and keyboards (lots of Hammond organ) and many shifting moods and breaks, from dreamy or soaring with synthesizer flights to compelling or an accellaration with an unp-tempo featuring fiery guitar, powerful organ and fluent synthesizer flights, what a lush keyboard sound! 3. Passages 8:41 : Another instrumental, this one delivers a dreamy climate with wonderful strings and sensitive electric guitar. Then a fe accellarations with sparkling piano, strong interplay between organ (lots of Hammond) and guitar, the final part is dreamy with piano and strings, it sounds like a ‘warm bath’. 4. Steps Of Eight 8:27 : After a mellow part with vocals, piano and strings, a slow rhythm follows with a fiery guitar solo, in the end we can enjoy fragile work on the piano. 5. Jan In E Moll 3:55 : In this track the opening is by tanging acoustic guitar, soon blended with piano and mellow keyboard layers, a wonderful dreamy atmosphere. 6. Size Of It 7:35 : First a ‘keyboard-Heaven’ with Hammond and synthesizer flights, then a fluent rhythm with strong interplay by guitar and keyboards, the build-up towards a climax with a guitar solo and organ waves is great. 7. New Horizons 8:40 : This final track contains a fluent rhythm witch vocals and synthesizer flights, then sensitive guitar runs with floods of organ, followed by a synthesizer solo. The final part delivers lush keyboards and a fiery guitar solo, I love it! What a wonderful album but what a pity that Hobson’s Choice belongs to the vaults of progrock history! SIGNS OF ONE – Innerlands - This is a Canadian five piece band (featuring several guest musicians on flute, clarinet, violin and percussion), in 2003 Signs Of One released their debut album entitled Here And There, Now And Then, followed by the demo Outlines that contains 3 songs from this new album, released in 2007. - More than 70 minutes we can enjoy a varied sound that has a lush instrumentation, from electric – and acoustic guitars (including 12-string) and piano to clarinet, violin and acoustic – and electric percussion. The atmospheres in the 14 songs change from dreamy with soaring keyboards, flute, acoustic guitar and sensitive electric guitar to fluent rhythms with pleasant keyboard work and howling guitar runs. Two tracks even contain some progmetal (guitar riffs and drums like in Legend Live and I) and also interesting is the tango-like rhythm that is blended in the catchy Rainbow Elves (from sparkling piano to moving guitar). And the final composition Fate has another climate: mellow with violin and twanging acoustic guitar, wonderful! Three band members deliver the vocals (including lead vocalist David), at some moments the vocals could have been a bit more powerful in the more heavy and bombastic parts but this is not really disturbing. - If you don’t have a problem with very varied prog and many changes in atmosphere and tempo, Signs Of One will please you with their new, very elaborate album Innerlands. YESTERDAYS – Holdfenykert (***1/2) - This is a Hungarian band with mainly Rumanian musicians, the current line-up features 10 band members including 3 women. Yesterdays is rooted in early 2000 and has already made a demo tape (entitled Come Dream With Me from 2002), a serie of CD’s and even a DVD. During the first part of this CD their sound is pleasant and folky inspired featuring lots of acoustic guitar and flute along a wonderful female voice with echoes from Annie Haslam. I am delighted about an acoustic guitar duet )twangin gand solo) and the omnipresent violin-Mellotron waves. The second part of Holdenfenykert delivers a way more symphonic rock sound featuring fluent Moog runs and again beautiful Mellotron work. But we can also enjou pure folk and I was very pleased with a duet from acoustic guitar and harpsichord, that distinctive vintage keyboard. My highlight is the long and alternating song entitled Seven: it starts with a fluent rhythm, Moog flights and Mellotron waves and mellow parts with warm female vocals, then a compelling piece with sensitive guitar and lush Mellotron. The final part begins with a flute solo and howling guitar runs and finally a sumptuous eruption with a swirling Hammond solo. To me this sounds as a wonderful blend of folk and symphonic rock, very tasteful, this band will please both the prog-folk – as the symphonic prog fans. Edited by erik neuteboom - July 01 2008 at 15:54 |
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Angelo
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13244 |
Posted: July 02 2008 at 02:34 |
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Good to read those reviews again, Erik. Can't wait for saturday - I hope it's going to be a fun meeting (and not too freaking hot at Hans' place).
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ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 02 2008 at 04:21 |
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Thanks, fellow Dutch proghead
I am looking forward to our Progwalhalla evening this Saturday too, I will bring with me 3 Freud inspired progrock cartoons about covers from Genesis, Pink Floyd and Marillion, this is one of my secrets sides, be prepared
 ... !I just visited Avestin his thread about Alquin, noticed also a post by you, I agree about Mountain Queen as their best. By the way, it was my first ever progrock concert, I was 13 years old and witnessed it by coincidence on a schoolparty in Scheveningen, how lucky I was
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 02 2008 at 09:40 |
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Hans (Progwalhalla owner) will keep the following items so I
can make reviews in the forthcoming weeks:
CD's:
- Moth Vellum : Same
- Relayer : Facade - Willowglass : Book of Hours - Il Bacio Della Medusa : Same + 2nd CD - Mostly Autumn : Glass Shadows - Nosound : Lightdark - Kalevala 3 CD - After
- Unifaun (Genesis-inspired) see: http://www.unifaun-music.com/
- Kansas : Two For The Show Remastered
DVD's:
- Par Lindh Project : Live In Poland
- Oliver Wakeman : Coming to town - Spocks Beard : Live So lots of interesting and new progrock bands
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 02 2008 at 13:56 |
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Today I published a review about a Sabicas album in the Prog Andaluz thread but
in my opinion it deserves to be mentioned here too because it's unique prog:
SABICAS – Rock Encounter With Joe Beck
- In my eternal quest to Prog Andaluz music, I stumbled upon this unique and very interesting musical project from 1966, probably the first musical encounter between flamenco and rock music! - In those days Joe Beck was a respected composer and rock guitarist, he had played in symphonic orchestras and performed with the top names in rock and jazz (from Tim Hardin to Steve Gadd). After making the album Middle Eastern Rock with Oud player John Berberian, Joe’s producer Harvey Cowen suggested Joe to do the same with flamenco and rock. He succeeded to recrute flamenco guitar legend Sabicas (1912-1990, thanks to Sabicas his brother Diego because he wanted Sabicas to scout the musical boundaries. Now Joe decided to assemble the best New York era musicians: drummer Donald McDonald (in The Satyrs he had jammed with Frank Zappa, Ritchie Havens and Jimi Hendrix), 20 year old bass player Tony Levin (introduced to jazz and rock by Steve Gadd, later he joined Peter Gabriel his band and King Crimson, playing on the distinctive Stick) and keyboardplayer Warren Bernhardt (he has accompanied singers like Donald Fagen, Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Ritchie Havens and Liza Minelli), wow, what an awesome line-up! 1. Inca Song (5:15) : The first and final part deliver the jaw-dropping art of the flamenco guitar, from twanging and rhythm to speedy runs (‘picados’), very exciting! Halfway an accellaration featuring a powerful rhythm-section, howling electric guitar and an organ solo. This is the typical 1966-1969 Sixties rock sound and it’s captivating to hear the blend of passionate flamenco guitarwork and raw rock. 2. Joe's Tune (3:49) : This track contains a Morish atmosphere with flamenco guitar, jazzy piano and again howling electric guitar, culminating in an exciting duel between wah-wah drenched electric guitar and speedy flamenco guitar runs. 3. Zapateado (9:36) : This word means ‘tapping with the shoes’, it’s all about speed and control in a cheerful climate. The first part contains pure flamenco with guitar and ‘zapateado’, the second part sounds like Jimi Hendrix inspired rock, two different worlds but very enthralling! 4. Zambra (4:02) : The ‘zambra’ is the most Morish influenced flamenco rhythm and Sabicas is a master in playing the ‘zambra’ (my recommendation: the DVD Sabicas: King Of The Flamenco). You can also enjoy the ‘tremolo technique’ (imagine the guitar piece Recuerdos De La Alhambra by F. Tarrega), wonderful! Then rock with organ and fiery guitar, very powerful with that warm undertone of The Sixties. 5. Handclaps (0:31) : In the flamenco it is named ‘palmas’, a very distinctive part of the flamenco. 6. Flamenco Rock (7:25) : Halfway this album the bands starts to rock, in a bluesy climate we can enjoy a blend of Hammond organ, howling electric guitar and exciting flamenco guitar (from picados to tremolo), this is great Prog Andaluz! 7. Bulerias (7:25) : This track contains vocals in the flamenco tradition (very emotional), it fits perfectly with the compelling work on Hammond organ and sensitive electric guitar, the blend of flamenco and rock sounds like early Triana, goose bumps! 8. Farruca (4:45) : The first part contains the art of the flamenco guitar (beautiful tremolo), then a slow rhythm with swirling Hammond organ, powerful drums and bass and Paco De Lucia-like flamenco guitar runs, again goose bumps, what a hot session! - The circumstances in the recording studio were not easy: it was hard to communicate between the Spanish guitarist and the English musicians and it’s still very difficult to amplify an acoustic guitar and also quickly overshadowed rock instruments like the drums, bass, guitar and organ. Sabicas was not really satisfied about the result (“I did it for my brother”) but in my opinion this album contains lots of captivating and exciting musical moments. And especially from the song Flamenco Rock the musicians seem to have reached a kind of chemistry, it sounds like ‘embryonal’ Prog Andaluz. Highly recommended to all Prog Andaluz aficionados, fans of progressive folk music and adventurous progheads! And I would like to ask attention for this artist:
Jean Pierre Louveton - Retrospective Volume I:
 My review on PA:
erik neuteboom SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Symphonic Prog Expert 
In my mission to support lesser known and unknown new progrock band and artists on this site, I would like to focus on monsieur JP Louveton, guitarplayer of the exciting and acclaimed new French progrock band Nemo. In 1987 he discovered the guitar and taught himself to play on it. Soon JP started to write many compositions, playing in several bands and he made 3 solo albums, this brandnew compilation CD Retrospections is his fourth. In the booklet of this CD I read that JP wrote lots of material between 1991 and 1997, he has decided to put this on CD, along with two new compositions from and the final part of Extreme Stress/ Décompression from 1995 is also written in 2007. In two of the 12 tracks JP sings, the rest is instrumental. On Retrospections Volume 1 we can enjoy varied and tastefully arranged songs, featuring a strong rhythm-section and JP with often powerful guitarplay but also more mellow and moving work: from swinging with powerful guitar runs and wah-wah drenched solos in Silence Dans La Salle and Extrême Stress / Décompression and a blend of jazz and funk in No Comprendo (including a ‘slap’ bass solo, inventive keyboard arrangements and again wah-wah drenched guitarplay) till dreamy with twanging electric guitar and fine use of the volume pedal in Loins, a slow rhythm with fiery guitar runs and wonderful classical orchestrations in Cathedrales and two songs with warm French vocals and pleasant twanging acoustic guitar ( Soleil D’Hiver and En Un Clin D’Oeil). My favorite is the composition Du Temps De Louis delivering fluent piano flights and powerful guitarplay, blended with exciting guitar riffs and organ waves, in m y opinion the only song that sounds like his band Nemo. In the final song Au Revoir, A Jamais (swinging bass work and delicate Fender piano play) I trace his appreciation for guitar hero Steve Vai, what an exciting heavy guitar sound. If you like prog and guitar, this is music to check out, on JP Louveton his website you can listen to samples of his four solo albums. My rating for this latest effort: 3,5 stars. Edited by erik neuteboom - July 02 2008 at 14:23 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 06 2008 at 04:45 |
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Again we had a great Progwalhalla evening, it was pure fun and nice to meet my PA friends Dirk, Karin and Angelo (thanks for the tapas
). From Hans I received a lot of interesting CD's and DVD's to review like:DVD's:
Ainur - Children Of Hurin (inspired by Tolkien)
Coming To Town - Oliver Wakeman
Par Lindh Project - In Concert : Live In Poland
Jane - Tribute To Peter Panka
CD's:
Don Airey - A Light In The Sky
Il Bacio Della Medusa - first and second album
Unifaun - Same
Kalevala - 3CD featuring bands like Simon Says, Moongarden, Magenta, Mad Crayon, Malibran, Germinale and Aardvark.
Combination Head - Progress?
Willowglass - Book Of Hours
Moth Vellum - Same
Relayer - Facade
From my Dutch PA friend Angelo I got the albums La Primavera Dei Sordi by Pennelli Di Vermeer and Celluloid by Sonra to review and I was able to purchase the CD Waking The Dead Live In Japan 2005.
You will hear from me soon!
Edited by erik neuteboom - July 06 2008 at 08:10 |
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Angelo
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13244 |
Posted: July 06 2008 at 06:12 |
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Eh señor Erik, why didn't I see that JPL review before, I just put on the copy I bought yesterday evening.
I can add to what you just wrote that Sonar was well received by the Space Rock fans yesterday evening - and thus worth investigating. Once I found the distribution channel I'll keep you posted. |
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ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: July 06 2008 at 08:14 |
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Angelo, I am delighted about that new JPL album, very powerful and varied guitar-oriented prog
This afternoon I start with listening to the huge pile of new progrock albums, first Moth Vellum, then Willowglass, Il Baccio Della Medusa and Combination Head, later this evening I hope to have time for the new Par LIndh Project and Jane Tribute DVD's
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Dirk
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 11 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 1043 |
Posted: July 11 2008 at 10:55 |
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Very nice meeting as ever, got CD's from japanese bands Gerard and Ars Nova, like them both. I'm a bit surprised that i didn't listen to them before. The latest MA release Glass shadows is also quite good, recommended to all who like classic rock since there's not too much prog on this CD.
Sonar sounded great indeed, hope the CD becomes available soon. ^Angelo, how did you like Crucis? Your recommendation Karcius-Kaleidoscope sounds great. |
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