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avestin 
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 Posted: April 28 2006 at 01:39 |
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Heloo rec' people.
I recently got this album:
 An English psychedelic rock band that released this album in 1969.
A nice enjoyable psych album with the usual underproduced sound of such albums in which the drums sound as if they recorded from the adjacent room, hence the blurry, unclear sound. So do some of the guitars.
They have clear and soft vocals. THe overall music is beautiful and typical of albums of this period and genre. I did not find much on them, they seem to be pretty unknown.
Track listing :
I found this page about them in Spanish: http://www.mentesdeacido.com/discos/re-pussy.html
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avestin
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Posted: April 28 2006 at 09:44 |
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I posted this also in "What's in your cd right now" threads, but I think it should be here as well.
I got many things today and this week. One of them is this album I had before on my pc and now on original cd. I am listening to this right now:
  THe following is taken from : www.alexgitlin.com/ npp/titus.htm
Personnel: Titus Groan (Dawn DNLS 3012) 1970 Titus Groan, the book, formed the first part of Mervin Peake's imaginative, haunting "Gormenghast" trilogy, one of post-war Britain's finest literary achievements.  Titus Groan, the group, arrived some 20+ years after its first publication, and embraced, in music, some of the novel's gothic atmosphere while adding their own slice of English progressive rock. By 1970, at least two divisions of underground music had emerged. One included the likes of Family, the Pretty Things and Traffic; groups whose pedigree stretched back into beat and rhythm'n'blues. In their wake came a succession of newer bands whose histories were neither as long nor as detailed but who welcomed the new music as an opportunity to stretch. In common with several labelmates, Titus Groan first came to prominence at the Hollywood Pop Festival of the weekend beginning May 23rd 1970. Here, the Red Bus Company, a London Agency, masterminded three days of "love, peace and music" on a site near Newcastle Under Lyme with a bill which included Ginger Baker's Airforce and the British concert debut of the Grateful Dead. The happening, however, is better recalled as the launching pad for Mungo Jerry, whose brand of goodtime skiffle was apparently received with wild enthusiasm; so much so that it carried their subsequent single into the charts. From there it soared to No.1 and became a multi-million seller, in turn providing their record label, Dawn, with its biggest success, a fact which was something of a paradox, as it was set up by Pye as an "alternative" outlet, on par with Harvest, Vertigo and RCA's Neon. Mungo Jerry were handled by Red Bus, as were several of the acts who appeared over the three days including Mike Cooper, Demon Fuzz and Titus Groan, all of whom were either already signed to Dawn, or would be in the post-"Summertime" euphoria. Indeed, the first, most immediate plan was to compile a double set, "Live At Hollywood", which was to feature part of the live sets from each of these groups and Loudmouth (?), but was cancelled, possibly, when permission for inclusion by non-Dawn acts, such as Family, wasn't forthcoming. Instead they began recording, and in October that year, Dawn announced a major release package with albums and/or maxi-singles by Demon Fuzz, Comus and Heron, as well as the collection in question here, Titus Groan. However, as an added bonus, we've also included the three tracks which made up the Groan's only single, none of which has previously been on an LP. The top-side was "Open The Door, Homer", a Bob Dylan song also known as "Open The Door, Richard", which the Groans may have picked up from the "Great White Wonder" bootleg. They do a nice folksy-cum-rock interpretation, emphasising the chorus in the hope of the hit it deserved to be, while anticipating the kind of feel the group Coulson Dean McGuinness Flint would find on the same kind of interpretation (on their own album, "Lo And Behold"). "Woman Of The World" continued an acoustic-mixed-with-rock perspective, sounding close to something Lindisfarne might have come up with, but the real meat of the single was "Liverpool", a driving slab of pseudo-R&B with a horn and organ passage mirroring that of the Graham Bond Organisation and some "S.F. Sorrow"-styled vocal harmonies thrown in for good measure. It provided the perfect taster for what was one of Dawn's most exciting and eclectic albums. "Titus Groan" was released the same month as their maxi-single. Consisting of a mere five tracks, it was abundantly clear that the group intended to continue the progressive aspects found on "Liverpool". They were extremely powerful instrumentally, Stuart Cowell's guitar and keyboard work combined perfectly with Tony Priestland's sax, flute, oboe and assorted woodwind, creating, and indeed suggesting, the mock-medieval textures also found in Jethro Tull (albeit, heavier), while John Lee and Jim Toomey provided the supportive bass and drums, particularly on the album's epic, "Hall Of Bright Carvings". Taking its title from the opening chapter of the novel which gave the band its name, it's here Titus Groan come closest to their inspiration as they wage a way through an ambitious, multi-part composition. The repeated theme adds a continuity as the piece shifts in mood, embracing a further Peake reference, "The Burning" on the way. The second side doesn't slouch either, Lee and Priestland offer contrasts on "It Can't Change" and "Fuschia", while "It's All Up With Us" is a collective offering. "An interesting, listening format... effective in live performances... a promising first album" - such remarks contained in the relevant 'NME' album review can only be echoed here. The reference to an in-concert prowess was indeed pertinent. The Red Bus Company had undertaken an ambitious project to promote, not only "Titus Groan", but the other corresponding Dawn releases. Between November 3rd and 26th, Demon Fuzz, Heron, Comus and the Groan played at ten venues, including the Marquee, for the princely sum of one penny. Dubbed, unsurprisingly, A Penny Concert, it was an ambitious promotion, not just fiscally, but musically, and offered a remarkable sweep of styles; the Afro-rock of the 8-piece Fuzz, Heron's warm country/folk and the imaginative multi-layered rock of the other two participants. Not only that, but it made Decca's "Nova Evening" at the London Lyceum, which showcased their new progressive acts, seem positively expensive. They charged a whole six shillings. The collective project officially ended on January 3rd 1971 when the four groups performed in-concert on Radio 1. Sadly, however, it was to mark an end to more than this cooperative atmosphere. Of the four, Heron managed to maintain something of a profile, (hear for yourself on SEECD242) but the remaining trio found the going in the New Year somewhat tougher. Titus Groan just seemed to slip from the tentative prominence they'd achieved, despite the obvious potential of the music enclosed here. Of the four members, Jim Toomey cropped up in several groups, and drummed in one of Larry Wallis' post-Pink Fairies exploits, while the rest, unfortunately, appeared to keep up a less active profile. It was an unfortunate and undeserved demise, its suddenness belied the individuality and imagination on offer here. Dinnes Cruickshank Taken from the CD reissue of "Titus Groan": "Titus Groan… Plus", See For Miles, SEE CD 260, 1989 |
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avestin
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Posted: April 28 2006 at 11:17 |
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In one of the previous pages I asked for info about a German band called Out Of Focus. Only Jimbo and Glass House told me something about them.
I bought two of their albums and below I attached some imfo about them:
Out Of Focus - Wake Up
  The following is taken from here:
Wake Up (Kuckuck 1970) Overview:
The debut album by this rock fusion band. With a blend of rock, jazz and a splash of psychedelia, Out Of Focus created an inventive album of varied songs full of excellent vocals and extended guitar, flute and sax workouts. The tracks show a band whose compositions are tightly knit but which still have a spontaneous feel. Anyone who enjoys listening to energetic and exciting rock music could do far worse than listening to this album, and the good thing is, Out Of Focus got even better on later albums! I would say the English band Raw Materials at their best and the German group Thirsty Moon are the closest comparable bands in sound to Out Of Focus. [Review by himdimthesim] Musicians: Remigius Dreschsler - Guitar Hennes Hering - Organ, Piano Moran Neumuller - Tenor Sax, Flute, Vocals Klaus Spori - Drums Stephan Wischeu - Bass |
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avestin
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Posted: April 28 2006 at 11:18 |
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The following link may interest Krautrock lovers: A database about bands from this genre.
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avestin
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Posted: April 28 2006 at 13:19 |
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For those who wonder why I post this also here as well as in the what's in your cd threads - There it will be lost in the haze of time, and I hope here it will remain more accessible to people who will hopefully watch this thread as it is sticky.
Now to another cd purchsed this week long due: East Of Eden - Snafu  This is taken from : http://www.eastofedentheband.com/
When East of Eden's 2nd Album 'Snafu' was released in early 1970 Rock music was coming to the end of it's most creative decade. For some people this album has been regarded as an indicator of what was to come - Jazz/ rock Fusion, elements of Ska & Reggae, Classical and Folk, plus free improvisation within a Rock format. The three original founder members - Ron Caines (Saxophone), Dave Arbus (Violin), and Geoff Nicholson (Guitar) started recording again in 1997, returning to the influences that first inspired them, and have released 2 albums since that date, KALIPSE (Transatlantic TRACD303) and ARMADILLO (Talking Elephant TECD015). Their new album GRAFFITO (due for release later this year) continues their development of ideas pursued more than 30 years ago when they were at the forefront of new directions in music.
Snafu (Eclectic Discs ECLCD 1013)
The 2nd album released in 1970 now remastered with bonus tracks Track listing 1. Have to Whack it up BONUS TRACKS Jig-a-Jig |
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Man Erg
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Posted: April 28 2006 at 16:47 |
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^^^
Dave Arbus is an under-rated and an amazing violinist.I saw him playing with East of Eden supporting Rory Gallagher. Other than Jig-A-Jig (East of Eden's hit) his biggest claim to fame is the violin solo on the Who's Baba O'Riley. 
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Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
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avestin
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Posted: April 29 2006 at 13:25 |
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Paulieg recommended here a while back a band called 35007 from Les Pays Bas or The Netherlands or Holland, depends on who you ask.
Anyway, I was thinking of adding them to PA.
Now, Paulieg said they were space/psych prog, and from the two albums I heard (Phase V and Liquid) I think this is more in the Post / Experimental rock field. There is also a trace of alternative rock in it. And glass house told me they were originally a stoner rock band. SO obviously this is a band that progresses with ewach album and changes styles (unless we are talking about different bands
 ).Anyway, this a band worth seeking out. I hope the Rec' team here will voice out their opinion as well, since I think they all "should" know then by now.
Here are some links about this band:
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ANDREW
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Joined: November 21 2005 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 3064 |
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Posted: April 29 2006 at 20:55 |
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What a great band!!!
I think "Snafu" is their masterpiece.
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avestin
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Posted: April 30 2006 at 13:36 |
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TILES
American rock band. Creates beautiful songs that are more than simple rock tunes but full of emotions, complexity and great musicianship. They have so far 5 albums to their record:
Tiles - 1994
Fence The Clear - 1997
Presents Of Mind - 1999
Presence in Europe 1999 - 2000
Window Dressing - 2004
Presents and Window are both excellent pieces of modern rock. This music I got into quite easily and at first listens. Their vocalists has a good voice, and he is backed up by his capable band mates. They are technical, but not emotionless, playing a heavy brand of rock, with soft touches in it.
Highly recommended!
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avestin
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Posted: May 01 2006 at 04:36 |
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A forum member named Notch suggested we add the band Pure Reason Revolution.
Here is his thread: Pure Reason Revolution
This is quite a find. In their album Cautionary Tales for the Brave they have some good plain rock songs (In Aurlia) along some longer more sophisticated and proggier songs (The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning - the name is probably not a coincidence). They play some powerful rock in their simpler songs. In their proggier moments the songs are more space rock in nature. The album as a whole is very enjoyable, and quite easy to get into.
Pure Reason Revolution - Cautionary Tales For The Brave
 Here is what The Hairless Heart Herals had to say about this album and band:
"
Causing a stir in the 'prog' World, Pure Reason Revolution are fast becoming everyone's favourite new band, and if this keeps up, they should be a household name within a year. If you happen to have a spare thirty minutes, then this is the album to fill it. What you get is four tracks, all complex and layered with nice musical movements, and dripping with influences such as YES, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Renaissance to name a few, then the modern splashes of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters add extra spice to this recording.
Opening track In Aurelia has the Porcupine Tree/Floyd type spacey type sound, and in places has a Hawkwind type feel also. Add the harmonies say of Fleetwood Mac with a near Manchester drum beat such as Stone Roses and this is what you get. The keyboard sounds give the song a nice lift too, but all in all, a nice opening song which fades into the next track. Now, twelve minute make up this masterpiece The Bright Ambassadors Of The Morning, which also was a single in April 2005. Twelve minute singles would never see the light of day on Top Of The Pops, but at least it shows the band are not afraid of doing something as good as this! Starting off in the moody Floyd Meddle period, complete again with harmonies before the big bombastic four part vocal kicks in. The Zeppelin type riff plods away as the vocals wrap in and around the music, then the middle part of the song changes! It changes into a pleasant instrumental with a guitar sound again Floyd like but Wish You Were Here period style. This then breaks down before the power riffs which have to me the Ten Years Gone feel from Zeppelin sound, plus the four part vocals Fleetwood Mac/YES style move in presenting the title of the song. This for me is the highlight of the album. Next, a two-part track, Arrival and the second part The Intention Craft which is to be their next single. Again in the Floyd/Porcupine Tree vein with harmonies, powerful riffs that just flow by. Final Track is another two-part song, He Tried To Show Them Magic and Ambassadors Return, which basically puts the final coat of paint on the opus. This again flows and changes with many influences, harmonies and styles, but on the whole, a classic touch of old 70's prog with a modern feeling. So, there you have it! The first album, albeit a mini one, but on the strength of this, their next opus in my opinion will be again be well composed, and should establish them further onto world-wide status. This offering is just overflowing with musical magic and class, well recommended for all prog fans and lovers of fine musicianship. "
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bamba
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Joined: June 08 2005 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 368 |
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Posted: May 01 2006 at 11:33 |
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I recommend Rachel's excellent post rock band, also stereolab great band
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Learning Flute [Amigo de Manticore y Memowakeman] (primo)[IMG]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2187/2437702285_fbb450500d_o.jpg
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Rorro
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Joined: December 31 2005 Location: Uruguay Status: Offline Points: 508 |
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Posted: May 01 2006 at 16:05 |
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I was Just Kidding with the Christina Aguilera reccomendation, but there's no need to bring TFK up to discussion.
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avestin
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 09:42 |
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Hello again, fellow proggers.
For today I have several things, so I will divide it into several posts.
First of all, the Italian band Triade.
The following is taken from : www.italianprog.com/ a_triade.htm
Vincenzo Coccimiglio (keyboards) A trio formed in Florence in the early 70's by keyboardist Vincenzo Coccimiglio along with bass player Agostino "Tino" Nobile, that had previously played in Noi Tre, a legendary band that also included guitarists Franco Falsini of Sensations' Fix and Paolo Tofani that was in Area and later known as Electric Frankenstein. Signed to the Derby label, the group only released an album and a single in 1973, and had a good live activity supporting the likes of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Premiata Forneria Marconi and even playing some dates on their own (like a couple of memorable concerts at Pierlombardo in Milan). 1998: La storia di Sabazio includes a totally instrumental first side with strong classical influences (much in the ELP direction) and a three-track second side with vocal parts, the result is a good album but a bit disjointed and not completely representative of the genre. The group disbanded not long after the album release, due to some internal friction and little interest by their management.
Very rare and expensive in its original issue, 1998: La storia di Sabazio was housed in a nice mirror golden foil gatefold cover, and is very hard to find in perfect condition due to the delicate design. As many other albums at the time, 1998: La storia di Sabazio was also released on cassette tape and 8-track versions, the last one carrying the date 1974.
A conversation with Vincenzo Coccimiglio, by Augusto Croce, march 2003 1-How was Triade formed? I used to go at the Space Electronic in Florence, where many foreign bands like Canned Heat and Van der Graaf Generator played, and I met Tino Nobile there, who had played with Noi Tre. He was 24 at the time, and I was just 18, but we played together and we liked the material each of us had written and decided to form a band. 2-Who was the main composer in the group? Both me and Tino, we were credited as composers for all the tracks on the album, but it was me who wrote the suite on the first side, while the songs on side 2 were written by him, and I just did the arrangements. 3-How did the deal with Derby and the album come out? We were contacted by producer Elio Gariboldi and in just three days we had a recording deal. They had thought to contact Crepax [popular italian comics designer, who also made the cover for Nuda by Garybaldi] to make the cover, but in the end it was designed by Giorgio Sorano's wife Florinda. It was a very expensive cover, with that golden foil. 4-How come the musicians' names don't appear on the cover? I don't know, it was probably the record company's decision, but me and Tino appeared as composers for all the tracks. 5-Did you promote the album with concerts? Yes, we played many support dates to Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, and these were very good, every time we were called for an encore. We even supported PFM, I don't remember where, and played with some other artists at Pierlombardo in Milan, I just remember Battiato among them. 6-What happened after the LP release? One of our managers left us, and another wanted to take us abroad, in Germany, to play a more commercial kind of music. There were contrasts in the band, so after a while we decided to split. Someone asked me to join Dik Dik who were looking for a keyboardist at the time, but I didn't accept and Joe Vescovi [from The Trip]was taken in. 7-What have you done after Triade? I never gave up playing, I graduated at DAMS [University of Bologna, the Arts and Music Department] and worked as a teacher for some years. Then I became a professional piano bar musician, and played all over the world, just like I know Tino Nobile has been doing. 8-Any plans of reforming Triade? Well, I've been contacted by Giorgio a couple of years ago, and even Tino asked me many times if I wanted to do it, but I don't think we'll ever do something again.
Many thanks to Vincenzo Coccimiglio for the precious information given and to Enrico Rosa (http://www.enricorosa.com) from Campo di Marte, whose good memory helped us to unveil the musicians' names after a long research. |
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avestin
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 09:45 |
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2nd part:
Xhol Caravan (soul caravan) - Electrip
The following is taken from http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue15/god03.html
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avestin
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 10:01 |
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The third recommendation is Israeli band Sympozion whi released their album Kundabuffer in 2005.
A young band showing much talent (members born in the early 80's). Quite soft symphonic prog, mostly instrumental, with soft voices when they appear.
I will hopefully publish on PA an interview I'll do with them soon.
SYMPOZION biographyA new and unexpected blend of everything that was good in the 20th century plus a secret ingredient.The band was started in 2000, by two young composers - Arik Hayat and Elad Abraham. Spending a lot of time playing and experimenting together led them to forming the first two compositions which was the basis for all that followed (one of them was Grapefruit, which survived the years through to the album). The music slowly evolved and more instruments were needed to perform it. After a ...A new and unexpected blend of everything that was good in the 20th century plus a secret ingredient. The band was started in 2000, by two young composers - Arik Hayat and Elad Abraham. Spending a lot of time playing and experimenting together led them to forming the first two compositions which was the basis for all that followed (one of them was Grapefruit, which survived the years through to the album). The music slowly evolved and more instruments were needed to perform it. After a long period in which many talented musicians took part in the ensemble, the current line-up was formed and the band began performing on stages throughout Tel-Aviv. In 2003 work on the debut album "Kundabuffer" began, together with musical producer and sound artist, Udi Koomran. After more than a year the album was completed, and a label company was needed to release the album. The search was conducted by Raya Kosovsky, the band's manager. The rough situations in the music industry lead to the decision that the album was to be released independently by the band. The music on "Kundabuffer" has an undefined range of styles. There are no main criteria for the emergence of a specific influence in the music. The most important thing is the overall harmony of influences, moods and characters. As long as everyone can live happily together - everyone is welcomed. Here is a short list of bands and artists that influenced the music on this album: Gentle Giant, Frank Zappa, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Erik Satie, Olivier Messiaen, Igor Stravinsky, Yannis Xenakis, Pierre Boulez, Joe Pass, John Coltrane and many more. SOURCE: http://cdbaby.com/cd/sympozion Track listing
1. Patterns (3:34) 2. Happy War Holiday (8:05) 3. Bird (3:41) 4. Grapefruit (8:49) 5. Six (4:07) 6. Zona (8:06) 7. Too Much (4:54) 8. Grapefruit Variations (10:56) Total Time: 52:12 Line-up - Arik Hayat / keyboards, vocals - Elad Abraham / guitar, recorder - Ori Ben-Zvi / guitars, guitar solos - Dan Carpman / bass, vocals - Boris Zilberstein / drums Guest musician: - Ilan Salem / flute (1, 3 & 4) |
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ANDREW
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Joined: November 21 2005 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 3064 |
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 12:43 |
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"La Storia Di Babbazio" is a very good album, well played and conceived, with quite a few references to classical music. The only flaw is maybe the singer's voice, but keyboards and piano are both very professional.
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avestin
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 13:21 |
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In case you need more recommendations today, here's another one:
Willowglass' debut album from 2005. WILLOWGLASS is solo artist/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Marshall who lives in Yorkshire, England.
The album contains 10 instrumental pieces of pure symphonic style prog. The mellotron factor is high with this one. There is also some folkish tunes in this. Influences range from Genesis (track 5) to folk like music (track 2), Camel and Yes and some others as well. It is like a 70's symphonic prog album album, only recorded last year.
Willowglass
You can hear samples in the official site:
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 16:46 |
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Perfect call, Avestin, I own this wonderful debut CD since a few months and it has turnd into a favorite Mellotron-drenched album of mine, along BJH Live and Spring!
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Tuzvihar
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Posted: May 02 2006 at 19:05 |
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I'd like to introduce Czeslaw Niemen: 
I made a thread about him in the past but maybe more people will see it here. Here's an article about him: Why has Czeslaw Wydrzycki, better known by his artistic name Niemen, become a living legend in Poland? His biography has become part of the political history of Poland under communism, and his behavior and style of dress have become part of pop culture. This personality is matched with music composed and performed by Niemen, music that has always differed from the stereotypical songs heard on the radio. The artistic path he has followed can be compared to that of the Beatles. Put simply, Niemen revolutionized singing in Poland. He has gained enormous popularity and has always sought more difficult forms, even when some listeners found them difficult to understand. He has limited his public appearances to focus on composing pieces far removed from the world of commercial production. Niemen was born in Stare Wasyliszki, village that lies in territory that is now Belarus. In 1958 he found himself in Pomerania as a repatriated Pole from Poland's pre-World War II eastern territories. He went to musical high school in Gdansk, and it was there that he started his career performing in the To Tu cabaret. Niemen's first recordings, which showcase a high, pleasing, warm voice, met the expectations of that time. In the late 1950s and early `60s, Latin American songs were popular in Poland, and other styles didn't gain official approval. For example, the first rhythm and blues band was dissolved by the communist authorities because it provoked audience reactions that were considered too spontaneous. Jazz was also deemed suspect, as it was imported from America. "I sang that [Latin American] music because I liked it, and I didn't know any other music yet," says Niemen. "Besides, I had an appropriate, `sweet voice' for it. Later, when I became fascinated with Ray Charles, I changed [my technique]." Niemen says that his efforts to sound more like Ray Charles resulted in a "hoarse, seasoned" voice, which he has used ever since. "Today I would not be able to sing anything in a smooth and sweet way," he says. In 1962 Niemen became one of the soloists in the Niebiesko-Czarni band. From then on, his career developed at lightning speed. He recorded his first hits, "Wiem, ze nie wrуcisz" (I Know You Won't Be Back) and "Czy mnie jeszcze pamietasz?" (Do You Still Remember Me?), the latter of which was performed by Marlene Dietrich in 1964. A year later at the Rennes festival, he won two prizes, and as a result, he recorded with Michel Colombier's orchestra. One of the songs, titled "Sen o Warszawie" (A Dream of Warsaw) was a hit in 1966. At that time, Niemen founded his first band, Akwarele. His breakthrough came with his performance of "Dziwny jest ten swiat" (Strange Is This World) at the festival in Opole. "Dziwny jest ten swiat/ gdzie jeszcze wciaz/ miesci sie wiele zla/ i dziwne jest to/ ze od tylu lat czlowiekiem/ gardzi czlowiek" (Strange is this world/ which still holds/ so much evil/ and strange is it that/ for so long a man/ has despised another man) he sang to critics who disliked his singing, clothes and long hair. The song was the first in Polish rock to be so sincere and thought-provoking. Niemen shocked listeners with his means of expression, which verged on shouting. And Niemen was shocking in other ways, too: In Opole, he performed in flower-patterned trousers and a striped jacket. In the late 1960s, big beat, the Polish version of rock, was an innocuous style, very different from that of The Rolling Stones or Jimi Hendrix. Polish bands sang banal, optimistic texts, musicians wore suits, festival organizers ordered performers to wear their hair short, and pseudo-folk was promoted. "My style of working has from the very start been linked with my behavior and manner of dress," said Niemen in 1974. "I did indeed wear extravagant clothes because I felt best in them... I hate convention." It's not surprising then that Niemen came to be idolized by youth and that Dziwny jest ten swiat was the first album in Poland to go gold. The artist made further strides in 1970 when he recorded Niemen Enigmatic, which included a monumental, nearly 15-minute piece "Bema pamieci zalobny rapsod" (A Mournful Rhapsody in Memory of Bem) with lyrics based on a poem by one of the most important and inventive Polish poets, Cyprian Kamil Norwid. The song can be compared to great works by Western bands. Its sound, according to music expert Wieslaw Krуlikowski, brings to mind the ambiance of Pink Floyd's "A Saucerful of Secrets" or Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." Due to his originality and innovation, Niemen, who was formerly perceived as a rebel, became a subject of Polish classes in schools. "Jednego serca" (Of One Heart), based on a poem by another outstanding Polish poet, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, reveals a turn toward jazz. Even more clearly, a jazz influence, with elements of free jazz, can be seen in the albums by Grupa Niemen. These albums were recorded with well-known Polish instrumentalists, including double-bass player Helmut Nadolski and trumpeter Andrzej Przybielski. In the same period, Niemen also worked with famous violinist Michal Urbaniak. In 1972 and 1973 Niemen was linked to the CBS (now Sony) label, with which he recorded three albums. It was even rumored that he was to become the singer in the renowned group Blood Sweat & Tears. In 1974 he recorded Mourner's Rhapsody, an album with Jan Hammer and Risk Laird from John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. Years later, asked about his rather unsuccessful attempts to win over the Western market, Niemen said, "I was quite stubborn; I didn't want to bend to overly commercial offers. And later I thought, why should those abroad bother with some guy named Niemen from Poland when they have thousands of their own [Niemens]?" In 1971 Niemen bought his first, very basic, synthesizer. Two or three years later he already was creating loops, the repeated musical sequences that today are the basis for techno music, as well as other styles. In the mid-1970s he concentrated on composing illustrative music for theater plays and films and started to perform with electronic instruments. In 1981, when martial law was introduced in Poland, Niemen suspended his concerts and only returned to the stage four years later. Despite infrequent appearances, he has spent the last decade working laboriously. He recorded Terra deflorata, an album with lyrics inspired by Norwid's poetry and overall sound inspired by Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Although it was not promoted, the album has sold more than 100,000 copies. Niemen also reworks his earlier recordings on the computer; the series Niemen From the Beginning includes six albums so far. "Dziwny jest ten swiat" was the main musical motif of Solidarity Election Action's election campaign in 1997. The artist is also working on new music, including a piece titled "Piekny jest ten swiat" (Beautiful Is This World), that he would like to release on the album whose working title is Swiat nieodkryty (The Undiscovered World). Niemen has become an unquestioned authority in the Polish music community. His music has run the gamut from catchy hits to avant-garde, and he has pioneered the use of computers and electronic instruments. He was a youth idol who, in time, moved away from superficial popularity. He rarely has performed on the radio, and he has appeared on TV even less frequently. He has become the Great Absentee, somewhat forgotten in these times of video clips and hit charts. However, one thing is sure: The release of Niemen's new recordings, which have been 10 years in the making, will be marked not only as a musical event but also as a sociological phenomenon. Anna Kosowska-Czubaj "The Warsaw Voice" Sadly, Czeslaw Niemen died two years ago... 
Here are the details of the mentioned album Niemen Enigmatic: 
Label: Muza Catalog#: XL 0576 Released: 1969 Credits: Chorus - Romualda Miazgi Drums - Czesław 'Mały' Bartkowski Flute - Michał Urbaniak Guitar - Tomasz Jaśkiewicz Guitar [Bass] - Janusz Zieliński Organ [Hammond] - Czesław Niemen Photography - M. Sanecki Producer - Z. Gajewska Saxophone [Alto] - Zbigniew Namysłowski Saxophone [Tenor] - Michał Urbaniak , Zbigniew Sztyc Sound Operator - Z. Złotkowski Vocals - Czesław Niemen Vocals [Group] - Alibabki Music written by - Czesław Niemen Tracklisting: 01. Bema Pamięci Żałobny - Rapsod (Threnody In The Memory Of Bem) Text written by - C. Norwid 02. Jednego Serca (One Heart) Text written by - A. Asnyk 03. Kwiaty Ojczyste (Flowers Of My Country) Text written by - T. Kubiak 04. Mów Do Mnie Jeszcze (Keep Speaking To Me) Text written by - K. Przerwa - Tetmajer Highly recommended! 
BTW, he definitely should be here! |
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"Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent."
Charles Bukowski |
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Takeshi Kovacs
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Joined: September 27 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2454 |
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 17:28 |
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Signs of Change by After The Fire. Please someone listen to it and let me know I'm not mad in loving it, thereby reaffirming my belief in Prog!
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 Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/ |
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Paulieg wrote:
Xhol Caravan started out as Soul Caravan in 1967, and released the 'Get in High' LP in that same year on the very prominent CBS label. With two black American vocalists and a Motown-influenced bassist, this work was undoubtedly true to the 'soul' moniker. As the band went through several lineup changes and revised their sound, Xhol Caravan (later to be shortened to just Xhol) quickly became one of the most innovative bands in all of the world, not just in Germany. With 'Electrip' (CD 045, 1969), they bridged the gap between jazz and rock in a similar way as contemporaries like the Mothers and the Canterbury bands (e.g., Soft Machine) and I can only think that they were tremendously important for forwarding the avant garde approach to music-making all across Europe. (A prominent TV performance alongside Zappa, Amon Duul, Tangerine Dream, and others demonstrates that the band was well-known. Sadly, although this video still exists in good condition, its release seems blocked by legalities…a damn shame.) Led by a pair of saxophonists (Tim Belbe and Hansi Fletcher), Xhol Caravan manufactured a crazy mix of psychedelic rock and highly syncopated jazz that was way ahead of its time. Sound experiments and counterpoint melodies abound in the album's five compositions in a stunning display of craftsmanship. "Electric Fun Fair" is bouncy, fun, and eclectic in a way that I always thought Dave Stewart (Egg, Hatfield) and colleagues created a year or two later. The 18-minute "Raise Up High" continually reinvents itself over and over - very inspiring! The GoD CD (improving greatly upon the old Germanofon boot) adds in a rare 7" single from the Soul-Xhol transition period. 'Electrip' is a fantastically important album in Krautrock history, and I predict it will become amongst the top two or three sellers for the label. I can't say enough good things about this album. I'm looking forward now to their followup 'Hau-RUK,' a soon-to-be GoD reissue, attributed to Xhol. 