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Icarium View Drop Down
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Points: 34086 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: How inventive was ChicagoTransit Authority
    Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:04
I just wonder, becouse it is said to be that .
 
But what do you think make that album stand out from the time it was released in 1969
 
I think that album realy is a gem and a statement of sofistication and ambition and an urge to do somthing different to rock`n`roll. I think it is a genuinly progressive rock album only with stronger american influence, but incorporate also some Britishness (Beatleesque and other British Invation influence)
 
that it is a double album make just as special
 
the level of musicianship of all seven members are also incredible for a rock band
 
Robert Lamm one of the true songwriter talents and a solid piano/keybord/rhodes and classicly trained player who new the way around the keys but playd mostly laidback (also as melodic as Tony Banks). dare I say he is Underrated (especally today in some cercels) and a terrific vocalist.
 
Danny Seraphine - the most underrated drumer I know of (I will dare everyboddy to focus on the drums wilre listening to Chicago)
 
Terry Kath (rip) great singer, great great guitarplayer, solid songwriter, (together with Hendrix and Trower pinoeers in heavy psych rock guitarplaying and soloing)
 
Peter Cetare - mostly known as a ballad composer (one of the best in game, i have a soft spot for " Glory of Love"Embarrassed one of the best ballads ever composed IMO EmbarrassedEmbarrassed)Ouch       but an awesome bass player as well
 
 
 
and a WICKED horn section James Pankow (greatness), Lee Loughnane (greaness) and Wlater Parazaider (greatness 
 
 
 
  


Edited by aginor - September 21 2010 at 15:07
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Padraic View Drop Down
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Points: 31169 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:07
The classic Chicago lineup was great, absolutely fantastic musicians.  I think they did make a big impression with their debut album.
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Points: 34086 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:20
well it was (as I have read) a realy bold move for a white group (a rock band at that) to include a horn section as a part of the unit, but not play full out jazz but combine the jazz with the rock and some classic music and pop (they managed to sound fresh, relaxed and catchy)

Edited by aginor - September 21 2010 at 15:22
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Points: 18149 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:26
Hi,
 
I always thought that both CTA (Chicago 1) and Chicago 2 were massive and deserve some attention. However, because it has horns, not synthesizers, it can not get the distinguishing attention as important or as progressive.
 
I have those 2 albums in my collection ... and I can play them right after or before "In the Court of the Crimson King" and ... they stand up fine ... very fine ... really fine, in fact!
 
As I have said before, there is not enough understanding, discussion  and impressions or writing about "progressive" anywhere else ... and America had 4 different progressive scenes at the very least ... the hard part of which was that the music companies were more interested in hit singles than they were "music" ... check out the DVD on Tom Dowd ... it's why a lot of American Black music disappeared all of a sudden in the 50's and 60's ... to make a return later! And it took th elikes of a Miles Davis to cross the boundaries of color to get the music heard by others ... and even then, it was mostly because there was a very large appreciative audience for his work in Europe ... which tells you a lot about the music and the fact that these were not jingles or just songs for hit radio! ... and even though Chicago did have a hit here and there, all in all, their music in those early days was NOT about the hits at all ... and pretty much all the way to Chicago 7, they always did long cuts and some very nice things ... but we were stuck on synthesizers and could not appreciate progressive music in different idioms ... we still are!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Points: 34086 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:26
Poem 58 is realy a gem, just rocks and a true prog rock track which oooze class
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Points: 5482 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 15:28
"The ladies love Cetera, so by default, I love Cetera"
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Points: 29607 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 21 2010 at 16:24
I only got the first couple of Chicago albums a few years ago but they are now very lovely additions to my collection. Always loved 25 or 6 to 4 (name of the track came from the time of the morning that it was written).Bass drum work to seriously drool overClap
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Points: 8458 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 29 2010 at 11:44
Progressive in that they were sticking their necks way out there--with instrumentals, long songs, a double album, horns, more than one--or two!--vocalists, covers of recent R&B hits ("I'm a Man") and a whole, long song dedicated to one very experimental guitar solo. Not really so progressive in terms of doing anything really earth-shattering musically, though. 
"Beginnings" is one of the greatest prog songs of all time!
Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/
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Points: 29630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 29 2010 at 13:47
They were 5.5.
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 29 2010 at 15:15
Oh man...Poem 58 dominates.
Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?
I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance.
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Points: 363 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2010 at 18:12
Definitively the two first albums are pure golden prog and I'm sure will be forever remembered. I'm sure these are two of the 100 best prog albums ever. Clap
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Points: 5482 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2010 at 19:17
Originally posted by Slartibartfast Slartibartfast wrote:

They were 5.5.
Wow.  I never knew they were that short.
Trust me. I know what I'm doing.
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Points: 5502 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 01 2010 at 20:56

Chicago rules, superb music, one of the first progressive rock bands, fusing jazz/big band with rock, and being the best at it in their time.
I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT
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