PROGRESS

Michael Giles recorded 'Progress' in 1978 (even so the record was only released in 2002) mainly with the help of musicians from the Canterbury scene in particular multi- instrumentalist Geoffrey Richardson ('Caravan'), who is also the only musician playing on all the tracks but the two track where Giles plays all instruments . Among the other musicians playing on the various tracks are Dave Mc Rae, Jimmy Hastings, John G.Perry and Ray Warleigh, a Who's Who of the Canterbury scene influencing obviously the sound. BTW there is an interesting paralelle to Perry's solo record, 'Sunset Wading'with a similar athmosphere.

The record opens with 'Sunrise' a short athmospheric track for piano and guitar followed by 'Departure' a funky up-tempo track featuring Giles on hi-hat and Cymbals over an E-piano pattern and some distorted guitar by Richardson. 'Rolling' remains in the funky area with a trademark crash cymbal counterpoint that Giles used already in th KC times and an overall mood that reminds KC with a funkier edge featuring a treated trombone solo by Blakesly and an E-piano solo by Mealing. .seguing into the short 'Daydream' a beautiful rubato track for E- and acoustic piano, bass an flute.

'Moving' another funky track featuring Giles on vocals over brother Pete's driving bass line and a great instrumental passage for bass , drums and e-piano that reminds 'RandomHold'. 'Midsummer Day' a duet for Giles & Richardson with both musicians playing guitar, a nice repetitive pattern with a great flute melody on top and moody vocals by Giles reminding 'Camel' and again the crash cymbal on counterpoint : the most original track on the record. 'Progress' a heavy funk featuring a horn section reminding Carla Bley again with a pile driving bass-line by Peter Giles and aggressive vocals by Michael reminding again 'Random Hold'.

'Sunset' starts with a great neo-classical piano intro followed by a short beautiful flute theme, doubled on vocals by Catherine Howe, establishing a delicate jazzy tune not unlike some 'Caravan' tunes, especially when Richardson enters on viola : the most beautiful theme on the record. On 'Shunter ' Giles plays all the instruments himself , a repetitive piano pattern with a lead synth sound on counterpoint against a walking bass-line : another great track with stunning dynamics.

'Rocking' another heavy funk introduced by Giles on clavinet with a funky horn section and a Klezmer like clarinette melody on top. 'Nightdream' the second solo effort by Giles for percussion , not really necessary and leading with a crash cymbal stroke into .. 'Arrival' the end of the journey, driven by a rolling rhythm with a trumpet melody on top again doubled beautifully by Catherine Howe on vocals, over a great fat bass line by Peter Giles and a short guitar solo by Richardson leads into the melody sung this time by Howe and ending and outstanding Canterbury record.

In an interview done with Michael Giles at the time of the release of King Crimson`s "Epitaph" live album, done in 1997, Giles was asked about why this album, which was recorded in 1978, was still unreleased. He said that he was not satisfied with the album, and that he even looked for a record contract with a label but he didn`t get it then. He liked the songs but he thought that he still had to re-work some of them. Five years later, in 2002, this album was finally released, but I don`t know if he re-worked some of the songs. In fact, I think that the album was released as it was originally recorded, but I really don`t know.

With a list of tracks with titles which maybe suggest a "concept" on which a man goes on travel from the sunrise until he arrives to another place at night (I could be wrong, but even the cover design shows Giles waiting for a train with his packed drum kit), this is a very good album which fortunately was finally released in 2002. Even the main melody from the first proper song ("Departure") is reprised in the final song from the album ("Arrival") which also suggests a "concept", a cycle or a theme in this album. This album is very Progressive in some places (particularly in the title song "Progress", which is maybe the best from this album) and sometimes with a lot of influences from Jazz-Rock music. This album is more related to the "McDonald and Giles" album from 1970, sometimes sounding very close to that album, not only because of Giles`s very good drums playing, but also with the use of the saxophones and other wind instruments. There are also some influences from the original King Crimson, of course, but most of all this album shows how important was Giles in the original line-up of that band, not only for being the drummer, but also as part of the original sound of the band. In that interview he says that in King Crimson he mostly was an arranger and a composer of some parts of songs, suggesting some rhythm changes, and he also was one of the backing singers in that band. But, as I wrote before, this album is more related to his work in the "McDonald and Giles" album with Ian McDonald, another very important musican from the original line-up of the band, showing how influential were both musicians in that band. Greg Lake also said in one interview that when both left the band he did not want to continue with King Crimson because he considered that both musicians were very important for that band (this despite Lake and Giles appeared in the second album of the band more as guests or sessions musicians in a band which became mainly Robert Fripp`s band after that).

Giles in this album appears as a multi-instrumentalist, playing keyboards, a bit of guitar, and also singing very good vocals. And his drums and percussion playing is very good, of course. He even plays a drums and percussion solo in "Nightdream".

A very good contributor to this album is bassist Peter Giles, playing very good bass guitar parts with his very personal style and doing very good parts playing along with the drums. Both Giles brothers are very good musicians, but both remained in their musical careers playing and recording more as session musicians, with Michael appearing in a lot of albums from other musicians particularly during the seventies.

This is a very good solo album from Michael Giles which also shows that he also is a very good composer. The songs are played and linked one after the other with good continuity, and even some of them are "introduced" by the sound of cymbals and other percussion instruments. These "sound effects" work very well giving a very personal "identity" to the album.

4.5 stars. Michael Giles is most known for being the original drummer for KING CRIMSON, but his musical relationship with Robert Fripp began before that, with the band GILES, GILES & FRIPP. And the other Giles is of course his brother Peter who plays bass. Sometime in the second half of the seventies Michael Giles decided to make a solo album. He enlisted the help of a dozen or so musicians, many from the Canterbury Scene to fulfill this dream. Funny thing was that he wasn't completely happy with it. Not so much with the actual music, although there was some of that, but he was concerned that this style of music wouldn't be well received in 1978. So why throw your pearls to swine.

Into the vaults it went, but thankfully not forgotten as I consider this essential for those who are into Canterbury. Two years prior to "Progress" being recorded Michael was the drummer for that John G. Perry album "Sunset Wading" and Geoff Richardson was a big part of that as well. I mention that because Richardson is like his left arm on this album, the most active musician on here besides Michael. John G. Perry also plays on this album adding bass to a couple of tracks. Geoff Richardson plays guitar for the most part, but he also adds viola, flute, and bass on one track.

Peter Giles is the main bass player, and besides his incredible performance, I have to add Michael's punchy drum work, and also the electric piano, which is on half the tracks as being the big draw for me here. I love upfront bass, electric piano and drumming like this. These three things push this album up to that five star rating. This is a recording I can't wait to put on. And very consistent. And speaking of electric piano, Dave McRae is on here adding some class. The man was with both MATCHING MOLE and NUCLEUS. John Mealing plays most of the piano on here though. But yeah, Jimmy Hastings is here and some other horn players. Michael takes care of the vocals and I like his voice. He also has Catherine Howe singing on a couple of songs. And she's great.

I spent time with this record over 5 years ago and I have to admit this just keeps getting better. No weak links, which is huge for me being an album guy. This seems like a concept album, in the sense if you read the song titles it's like a day in the life. Ten tracks and over 42 minutes. There's a couple of one minute pieces including the opener "Sunrise" a mysterious and subtle soundscape. The other is "Daydream" which I like better. It's hard for me to even keep it to a top five with the eight remaining songs, that's how much I'm into this album.

It's interesting that my top three are the three longest ones, all around 6 minutes in length. So lets start with those. First is "Midsummer Day" which has a unique sound to it with Michael playing a naive guitar it's called. It's played throughout and is the main sound. Michael sings and only gets help from Richardson here as he adds flute, guitar and bass. My third favourite tune on here. Just original sounding.

The title track is incredible. Three horn players plus guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Peter's bass sound is off the charts good but there's so much going on with this tune. It's pretty intense after 2 minutes with the horns and bass leading. And the drumming? Don't ask! Final top three is the closer "Arrival" with again three horn players but with a female singing during the second half, but it's the drums, bass and electric piano that kill. How about "Rocking"? The one track with Hastings on it, but also two more horn players. A theme here. And it's the one track where Michael adds clavinet. Thankyou! A punchy drum led tune.

Funny but "Moving" reminds me of KING CRIMSON from the early eighties. Even though this is the late seventies. The vocal style reminds me of Belew. Such a catchy tune. "Rolling" is another one that stands out. Punchy and funky with Michael singing. The bass is again so good, and it's John G. Perry this time. "Departure" the second song, but really it's the opener after that one minute intro piece. And it's worthy of being the opening track with that electric piano from Giles especially standing out, yes Michael Giles. McRae adds a piano solo here as well.

Lastly I'll mention "Shunter" because it's all Giles, but unlike the other "all Giles" tune "Nightdream", this isn't all drums and percussion or just one minute long. He adds keyboards to great affect along with his drum and percussion work. It's really good. Yes I'm bumping this one up!