Blacks In PROG?
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Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11587
Printed Date: December 04 2024 at 12:24
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Topic: Blacks In PROG?
Posted By: KEVO
Subject: Blacks In PROG?
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:38
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Hi! I'm KEVO of Dark Victory. We are a hard rock/prog band. I'm the lead singer and play keys. I am of African descent (by way of Pennsylvania!) and was surprised to see that David Sancious and Tone were not included in the A - Z list of prog acts. I am the first to admit that there doesn't seem to be a lot of black prog acts around. I dunno why. I grew up listening to Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis and me and my other proggy black friends would listen to and discuss how great these bands were. Yes is still my all time favorite band. Check out Dark Victory at ampcast.com/darkvictory.
------------- Claim YOUR Victory! |
Replies:
Posted By: pogoowner
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:42
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Doug Pinnick of King's X is the only person I can think of off the top of my head, though some here would argue that King's X is not prog. ------------- And it might as well be raining, 'cause the sunlight hurts his eyes, And his ears will never hear the children's cries |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:44
Who cares if King's X is prog or not,they are really good,I enjoy their music.That's all that counts. -------------  |
pogoowner wrote:Posted By: Ben2112
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:47
^^ 
Yeah I'm predictable. 
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Posted By: Kohllapse
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:48
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weather report threshold http://www.thresh.net/ - http://www.thresh.net/
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Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 21:49
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------------- |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:03
Speaking of Prog Bands that have an 'X' Planet X Guitarist- cant think of his name right now.....anyways- love seeing black dudes in bands- I think it kicks ass. (im white)
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Posted By: KEVO
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:09
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Okay. thanx everybody for your posts. has anyone out there heard of David Sancious and Tone? David is a great keyboardist and guitarist. he was the first keyboardist for Springsteen's E Street Band and then went on his own. ------------- Claim YOUR Victory! |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:13
| No I havent- tell me about them........... |
Posted By: RaphaelT
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:15
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Blacks are wonderful musicians and are welcome in progressive rock, unless of course they won't start creating progressive hiphop or progressive reggae. Well as long, as hiphop or reggae are not dominant tone... About David Sancious And Tone not being included - maybe it waited for you to fill that gap and make an article about them. We will be glad to know if they are any good - the more good prog acts the better!! ------------- yet you still have time! |
Posted By: KEVO
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:18
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Rafe, you are of course KIDDING about the hip hop thing...at least I hope you are. here are a few of the albums from the 70's.
------------- Claim YOUR Victory! |
Posted By: Arsillus
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:27
Yes, hahaha! King's X is awesome and prog. |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:36
| There has got to be more than ones we've listed.....surely |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:39
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Many incarnations of Zappa's band?
------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: The Ryan
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 22:54
Why is race even an issue? |
Posted By: KEVO
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:31
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Trust me when I tell you that I have a lot more problems with blacks than whites when it comes to the music i listen to. it's an issue for me because as a prog lover I have to deal with people who don't believe that I should be into it. Since you probably don't have to deal with these issues, it's not a problem for you.
------------- Claim YOUR Victory! |
Posted By: Jangoclone666
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:33
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Unfortunately,you're right about the low number of blacks in this particular genre,unless you count a handful of members in Zappa's band over the years.And as another poster suggested,we're represented in all the classic fusion bands.And to me,fusion is just another form of prog anyway.Because it's not "jazz" enough for jazz snobs and it's TOO "jazzy" for many rock-n-rollers.But that's a whole 'nother rant... You've got me very curious about David Sancious and Tone.I'll have to check their stuff out. But the race thing doesn't really bother me too much.I'm proud of my fish-outta-water status... ------------- Switchblade stings in one tenth of a moment Better get back to the car |
Posted By: samhob
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:38
Then we must convert the singer of thin lizzy to prog |
Posted By: KEVO
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:41
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Welcome to the party Jango! I'm proud of being what and who I am and I love my prog; always have and always will! Besides being the lead singer of Dark Victory I also am pursing a solo career here in St Louis (not exactly a prog hotbed!). Do you know of a place I can post a couple of my more proggy original pieces? the following albums are probably the best of David Sancious and Tone...
 |
Posted By: Gianthogweed
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:42
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Chester Thompson was in Zappa and Genesis. Victor Wooten and his borther Roy (Future Man) Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones have played in various prog related projects. Some of the soul singers in Pink Floyd were black. I can't think of any others. |
Posted By: KEVO
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:42
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Samhob you are sharp cookie! ------------- Claim YOUR Victory! |
Posted By: Jangoclone666
Date Posted: September 15 2005 at 23:57
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Hey,Kevo- Thanks for the leads.I'm gonna look for this stuff.
As for where you can strut your proggy stuff,I'm not too sure.Maybe Myspace Music... Ah!I forgot- there was Carley Coma,who used to vocalize for Candiria.And then there was ex-Traffic bassist Rosko Gee,who played with Can for a short while(along with percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah- check out their Saw Delight album). Phil Lynott fronting a prog band woulda been CRAZY outasight(not that I don't love Thin Lizzy). ------------- Switchblade stings in one tenth of a moment Better get back to the car |
Posted By: Odysseus
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 00:05
The africans created a genre which helped define prog and is also the genre (besides prog) I play the most on my guitar  . Yeah, I'm talking about Jazz.
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Posted By: dropForge
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 00:17
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I was wondering about that, myself. Forest Of Feelings, Just As I Thought and Transformation–The Speed Of Love are fantastic albums. True Stories took it down a couple of notches, unfortunately, but those three albums ably demonstrate Sancious for the virtuoso he is.
Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy and Doug Pinnick of King's X (two of my favorite bands, right there, in hard rock or any genre) have already been referenced. The Wooten brothers have been mentioned. Additionally, the one act I've read of that was considered a black prog act, down to the Mellotron and requisite side-length epic, is Mandrill. Mandrill went much more commercial after just a few years, but I understand the first several albums are straight-up prog (certainly the first, with the epic). |
Posted By: Littlewashu5
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 00:18
| One of the members of Mars Volta is black.... |
Posted By: dropForge
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 00:21
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Oh: one of my favorite guitar players, Mike Henderson of Djam Karet! They have another spectacular new album, Recollection Harvest; street date is next Tuesday, but Cuneiform's already shipping! http://www.djamkaret.com - http://www.djamkaret.com http://www.cuneiformrecords.com - http://www.cuneiformrecords.com Six clips from the new album: http://www.djamkaret.com/index3.php - http://www.djamkaret.com/index3.php Check 'em out! |
Posted By: SlipperFink
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 02:31
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Alphonse Mouzon. The drumming on Patrick Moraz's "I" is so friggin'
brutal it's a joke... Too bad the mix is a unmitigated disaster. It's funny... "Da Kullad Kidz" never made a big dent in Prog. I always found it bizzare and inexplicable. I remember having a conversation with Anthony Jackson back in the early 80's and finding out Genesis was one of his favorite bands!!!! Anyhoo. I played in a local prog band back in the mid-seventies with a young black guitarist named Mike Robinson. He was astounding. His dad was a church organist and minister and had about 3 different Hammonds kicking around the various rooms of his house.... Basically... All the models we couldn't afford... An old "A", a B3 and a C3 with a full pedalboard. We had an M3, which was the same basic tone generation as the big ones... But the manuals ran out before ya got to the 'money" low keys... So, being the teenage knuckleheads we were... We used to wait until his parents split to visit the relatives for a day or two... set up the band in his living room and wildly flail on all the classic ELP and Triumvirat stuff till the neighbors called the cops. Ahh me. The folly of WhaddYaCallit. SM. |
Posted By: the icon of sin
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 02:41
| Planet X's Tony MacAlpine (who plays anything, and well) and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta. And it's good to see people liking King's X - i think they're really underrated. |
Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 03:17
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Posted By: paulindigo
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 03:40
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Jimmy Jackson, who played keyboards with German bands Embryo
and Amon Düül II and Noel McCalla, the vocalist on Rutherford's Smallcreep's Day |
Posted By: Cluster One
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 03:47
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I was just gonna say WHAT ABOUT JIMI?!?? (But then Eetu came through with a pic of the master on the last post!) Miles Davis (Bitches Brew) deserves a mention as a Jazz/prog masterpiece (more jazz than prog?). Miles as a musician is without peer. I think the fact that Prog is/was born in the UK and flourished/flourishes predominantly in Europe in more modern times means/meant that not many black (i.e. American) artists explore(d) the genre. A similar thing can be said as to why jazz is predominantly a black American creation and so few others outside of the US were influential in its initial heyday. All the very best Jazz artists hail predominantly from the US! (Big generalizations here I know, but in essence they are true) Ironically Jazz and Prog have much in common with their weird time sigs, elite musicianship and improvisationism! ------------- Marmalade...I like marmalade. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 03:58
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Malcolm Mooney, the first singer of Can, was black. Andy Anderson (drums), Joe Blocker (drums), and Curtis Robertson (bass), who all played with Steve Hillage, are black. also of course the Yoruba Dun-Dun Orchestra, who play on a few records of Embryo. those are ones that immediately come to my mind -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: paulindigo
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:02
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I don't know if it counts, Ritchie Havens sang on two tracks of Steve
Hackett's Please Don't Touch. On the fusion side, Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra) |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:08
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Gerald Luciano Hartwig of Karthago, Guru Guru, Embryo and the Roman
Bunka Band, seems to have a black parent (I suppose father; it was not
uncommon in post-war time in Germany). he seems to be a brother of 70s
soccer player Jimmy Hartwig too; they look quite similar and have the
same name
-------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:21
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The drummer of German band Exmagma: Fred Braceful, he's a very talented musician too and Exmagma is a very good band... I've said before that when I'm going to start reviewing albums here I'll start with the both albums of Exmagma. ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Nazgul
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:21
blacks can't play prog, and white can't play basketball
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Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:23
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So Wrong ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Nazgul
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:28
Yes a few white can play basketball Oh... come on dont be so serious |
Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:30
there seem to be alot of great black bassplayers tho...but i cant think of a black composer wich i like and isiah owens is a great black mellotronist btw ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:32
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Kevo - I am really pleased to hear that there are black people interested in prog. Good on you and I hope that there become more. I would also suggest Jimi Hendrix. He is not prog but he was surely at the roots of prog as well as the roots of heavy metal. He is a hero. In fact, he is the only artist from the 1960's that I can bear to listen to. It amazes me to think that it was a black guy that started it all so why didn't many blacks follow his lead in rock? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10"> 
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Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:32
I'm not so serious but it's wrong... totally. Though african americans are way better in prog than caucasians playing basketball for sure. ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:33
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How about OSIBISA? At least they had covers by Roger Dean...
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Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:35
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Yeah, with those flying elephants and stuff ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Nazgul
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:41
Ha ha . Ok I dont know more about this theme. Maybe You recomend me some music about this please  |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:43
since you mention Embryo: Maria Archer, singer on "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" and "Live", was black too ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: jackinthegreen
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:44
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I think Osibisa also played on Uriah Heep's Look At Yourself.
One more black guy: Hassan Bah, percussionist of the swedish progband Kebnekaise. ------------- I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away. |
Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:44
The kraut band Exmagma having 3 members and the african american drummer Fred Braceful is super, this is stoned jamming craziness and not for everyone... but I love it ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Nazgul
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:59
Ok I'm listening this one now, and I like it  |
Posted By: Frasse
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:59
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Matt Eiland played bass Boud Deun. I really need to put Astronomy Made Easy in the CD player. Must been ages since I listened to it last time. Also Mark London Sims of Dark. But of them I know nothing... |
Posted By: krauthead
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:00
Sounds cool mate ------------- *Dancing madly backwards on a sea of air* - Captain Beyond |
Posted By: Frasse
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:06
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Damn, how could I forget about Hassan? Kebnekaise is an old favourite. He was the percussionist. Most black prog-musicians seems to play in the rhytm section... Ljus från Afrika (Lights of Africa) och Elefanten (The Elephant) is as far a I know African music inspired albums by this wonderful group. Kebnekaise is most known of making prog rock of traditional swedish folk music. |
Posted By: jackinthegreen
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:08
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In fusion there must be many - for example Stanley Clarke. ------------- I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:11
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Rebop Kwaku Baah: percussion, vocals, polymoog Rosko Gee: bass, vocals, Fender Rhodes, Flange bass both members of Can for a while ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:13
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I have 'Woyaya' it's an excellent album! ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:21
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Anyone heard of 'The Rotary Connection'??? I've liked this band for years. From Chicago, they formed in the late 60's they were a rock/soul fusion band described as having elements of progressive psychedelia on some albums. Their lead singer was Minnie Ripperton. They never achieved the commercial success they deserved, as the black community rejected them for their rock element, and a lot of the rock community couldn't dig their 'soul' side. They had a cult following and I think they deserve a mention. Read all about it!.. http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/norway/119/rotaryconnectio n.html - http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/norway/119/rotaryconnectio n.html BTW: if anyone can find a download of a RC song called 'I am the black gold of the sun' then check mit out. It's f***in' brilliant! ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:33
Have to say it: with statements like that you isuggest you don't get around enough. From Scott Joplin to Duke Ellington to Marsalis brothers to Steve Wonder to Arthur Lee to Muddy Waters (Mr Morganfield) , to Robert Johnson to Bo Diddley to Howlin' Wolf (Chester Burnett) to Willie Dixon (regular source of unacknowledged tunes played by LZ).
And what about New York's Black Rock Coalition, which included Living Colour..................... |
Posted By: Politician
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:44
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What about JULIAN JAY SAVARIN? He made two superb albums of
symphonic progressive, one with his band JULIAN'S TREATMENT and one under his own name, before going on to become a very famous science fiction author. HAWK (later JOBURG HAWK) were a multiracial South African band who cut a few proggy tracks, including a couple of side-long epics. And the German band WITCHDANCE PROJECT fused neo-prog and soul, with a black female singer. |
Posted By: jackinthegreen
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:46
Balladen om björnbär och nätmelon... (Hi, there, I'm a Franzén and a Frasse too). ------------- I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 08:20
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That could be a bit tricky. |
Posted By: RaphaelT
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 09:43
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KEVO, of course I was joking with hiphop and reggae and it was just a stupid stereotype that every black is a rapper or rasta. They are brilliant musicians on every instrument and they are not sparse in progressive world, even among greatest bands (see "A Great Gig In The Sky") Phil Lynott went prog once. Just listen to Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds". It's definitely prog, although it was very popular in discotheques in late 70's. ------------- yet you still have time! |
Posted By: DEzerov
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 10:43
There was a Manticore artist in the 70's named Junior Hanson who later
became Junior Marvin after joining the Wailers (after
Marley's passing). Jean Roussell (played with Cat Stevens) played with
him and both were black. Now Hear This liner notes even thanked Keith Emerson for the use of his mini-moog.   ------------- The moon is made by some lame cooper and you can see the idiot has no idea about moons at all - Nikolay Gogol |
Posted By: Frasse
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 10:48
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I only have that song (from Kebnekaise III) on vinyl, but I don't have a vinyl record-player (It seems I always meet another Frasse where I hang around |
.Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 11:42
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You beat me to it again, BaldJean! Robert Wyatt and Mike Oldfield have both collaborated with African musicians, and of course Peter Gabriel has a long standing friendship and occasional collaboration with Youssou N'Dour. Captain Beefheart had the best take on the whole issue: 'Everybody's coloured. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to see them.' ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: chromaticism
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 12:14
| Perhaps the most prominent African-American figure in prog, especially jazz-rock fusion, is Stanley Clarke. |
Posted By: con safo
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 12:27
Well frankly those people are ignorant sacks and don't desrve your time if they think like that. Just love prog for the music, race is no factor. ------------- 
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 13:29
I already suggested to add these albums but there was no echo. The first one is typical jazz-fusion, the blue one is a more mellow album, leaning more towards soul, with vocals by Alex Ligertwood (Santana, Dixie Dregs), the last one is a more diverse album featuring an epic that sounds as if it were written for UK during their 'Danger money' sessions (it features another excellent black artist on the first track, TM Stevens, a bassist who later joined Steve Vai on 'Sex and religion'). This album is one of my favourite jazz-fusion albums. David Sancious is clearly a prog artist, he is fond of classical, blues, and jazz and these influences are all present in his music. I can cite some liner notes of the "blue" album : "those who associated Sancious with the E street band were surprised to hear that many of his late 70s recordings had more in common with ELP, Genesis, PF and Yes. But embracing progressive rock made perfect sense to Sancious, an eclectic keyboardist, guitarist and composer..."what I liked about progressive rock was its blend of classical harmonies and modern rhythms" explains Sancious..."
That's enough to include him in the archives, no ? ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 13:39
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How about Stanley Clarke and Lenny White from Return to Forever? George Duke with Zappa, Chester Thompson with Weather Report, Zappa and Genesis? To name a few ------------- 
"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 13:41
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There was an incredible come back to jazz-fusion of these two monsters of fusion in the nineties with the release of VERTU, an album that featured also the hard-rock guitarist Ritchie Kotzen. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: MoodsWings
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 19:04
The site wouldn't load for me. I've learned quite a bit from this thread. |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 19:24
| Anybody caught the recent DVD which pairs brass rockers Chicago and brass funkers Earth Fire & Wind ( Black Americans plus a Russian guitarist!!) together. When the two team up and play each others numbers, a sort of syngerism happens. |
Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 19:43
Tony McAlpine! |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 19:45
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Sounds interesting! Does Dawayne Bailey play guitar for Chicago on this?
-------------
"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: Biggles
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 20:11
Actually, I believe the singer you're referring to is Claire Torry, who happens to be white. She has the powerful black soul voice, but she's definitely white. All the renowned super virtuoso and hugely influential saxophonists seem to be black (Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Coleman Hawkins, Cannonball Adderley). The only exception I can think of to this is the great Stan Getz. ------------- The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. http://www.last.fm/user/sbonfiglioli/?chartstyle=red"> 
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Posted By: Biggles
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 20:13
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The three most influential guitarists of the 20th century (Robert Johnson, Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix) were also black. Coincidentally, all of them left a massive legacy that would forever change popular music and died soon thereafter at a tragically young age. ------------- The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. http://www.last.fm/user/sbonfiglioli/?chartstyle=red">
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Posted By: DallasBryan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 22:39
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Herbie Hancocks - Headhunters and Billy Cobhams - Spectrum are two of the best Progressive Rock albums to be made in the 1970's. May not fit the UK definition of Prog, but they had a major influence on many of the lesser musical recordings made during the Canterbury scene in the mid to late 70's.
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Posted By: dropForge
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 22:59
| Yeah, those are awesome. Spectrum has Jan Hammer on keyboards, which is reason alone to own it! |
Posted By: Jangoclone666
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 00:22
I would also agree that Hendrix was a progenitor of prog("1983",anyone?)as well as early Mandrill. As to why more blacks didn't follow Jimi's path,there are a number of reasons.One:There's only ONE Jimi,baby. Two:Generally speaking,the majority of blacks tend to be musically conservative,and many preferred to "play it safe"and stick to their guns of blues,soul,jazz,&r&b(which ironically,Jimi embodied ALL of),which leads me to Three:Many blacks at the time felt alienated by Jimi's music- just because it was fulla distortion and wild and tripped-out,they felt his music was too "white".Which is ridiculous,because anyone who digs into his music will agree that his music was blacker than midnight. Also,it's likely that most black musicians at the time who were inspired by him were discouraged by their fellow blacks.You know,"Whatchu wanna play that WHITE music for?"That attitude carried well on into the 80's. But for every black musician who was discouraged from following his or her own muse,you had great players like Sonny Sharrock and Pete Cosey... ------------- Switchblade stings in one tenth of a moment Better get back to the car |
Posted By: Jangoclone666
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 00:28
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Ah,I also forgot Dave Brown- Santana's first bassist. ------------- Switchblade stings in one tenth of a moment Better get back to the car |
Posted By: Philrod
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 03:09
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Well... imagine this power trio: Guitarist:Jimi Hendrix Drums: Billy Cobham Bass: Victor Wooten
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Philrod/?chartstyle=Geldropdown-small"> 
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Posted By: Big Ears
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 06:21
| Jimi Hendrix influenced a lot of progressive rock musicians in his fast guitar playing, extended solos, experimentation with a variety of instruments, imaginative production and showmanship. I could go on and on. |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 06:26
Michael Brecker has his moments, and probably hold the Guiness Record for most session appearances. And the late Bob Berg - and what about the white saxophonists Miles Davis employed........because they had already been working in jazz rock in the mid 60's? |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 09:33
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I think Johanne James from Threshold is a great drummer.... ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: Biggles
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 13:17
I don't think Hendrix would be able to keep up with those two, to be honest! Hendrix was a blues guitarist above all, and while he did do a few jazzy things here and there, I seriously doubt that he would have been able to play harmonically complex jazz in the same way that people like John McLaughlin could. ------------- The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. http://www.last.fm/user/sbonfiglioli/?chartstyle=red">
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 13:20
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Many of Zappa's musicians were black, most prominently: George Duke Ironically, I think Ray White was also black. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to: 
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Posted By: horza
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 13:23
I thought this was a joke thread!! Who cares what colour the band member is!!  What next I wonder? Women in prog ------------- Originally posted by darkshade: Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 13:27
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^ yes, there are some threads about women in prog also. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: tedfromtoe
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 14:22
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I'd like to concur with KEVO by putting in another high recommendation for David Sancious. This guy is like Eddie Jobson & Kit Watkins rolled into one (as amazing as Kit was, I hear obvious influences from both Jan Hammer & David Sancious). Sancious is also a great guitarist - he could even play guitar to mimic Allan Holdsworth as evidenced on his album, Just as I Thought, which is overtly influenced by the first U.K. album and features Jeff Berlin on a track or two). I have all the Sancious albums and all are worth owning. I even got hold of a CDR of his unreleased album, Dance of the Age of Enlightenment a couple of years ago. I would recommend starting with Transformation or True Stories. True Stories has a lot of soulful vocals from Alex Ligertwood, and Transformation is all instrumental I believe. This stuff is some of the best prog/fusion I've heard. I'm white and I got turned onto Sancious by a black aquaintence of mine way back in the early 80's. He was mainly a jazz-head, but he liked fusion. I turned him on to the Dregs and Bruford, and he turned me on to Weather Report and David Sancious. Yes, it's silly (as some have posted) to talk about race as if it matters, which it doesn't. But it's just natural to explore uncommon cultural observations. I once heard that Sherman Helmsley (who played George Jefferson on The Jefferson's TV show) was a huge fan of Yes. If sharing information like that helps to confound and erase preconceptions, then that's good. |
Posted By: approximate7
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 15:21
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Here's a short list George Duke---Zappa.., keys/vocal Billy Cobham--Mahavishnu-solo LPs...drums Alphonso Johnson-Weather Report, solo LPs---, bass Napolean Murphy Brock-Zappa, ----sax/vocals Ray White-Zappa----guitar/vocals Vernon Reid---Living Color Ike Willis-Zappa,----guitar/vocals Stanley Clarke-Return to Forever---bass Ndugu-George Duke albums----drums Lenny White-Return to Forever---drums Jaco Pastorious-bass..(come on, tell me he wasnt black!) |
Posted By: texasron
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 16:53
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It would indeed be crazy, as Phils been dead a few years now |
Posted By: marktheshark
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 17:21
There's a story that's been floating around for decades that Jimi and John jammed together somewhere around 1969 when John was doing the Bitches Brew album with Miles. Whether it was recorded or not, only Eddie Kramer would probably know that. |
Posted By: The Gent
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 21:28
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David Sancious also played and toured with Peter Gabriel. And, outside of Prog, he started a group called the E Street Band. Some guy came in and sort of took over and he left. Wonder whatever happened to that group? ; ) When Steve Hackett left Genesis the first touring replacement, having already recruited Chester Thompson from Weather Report, was Alphonso Johnson from the same band. I remember reading that Alphonso wasn't comfortable playing standing up (from an interview he gave for Armando Gallo's book on Genesis) and he recommended Darryl Stuermer. ------------- May God Bless you in all that you do. |
Posted By: Nipsey88
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 22:45
I agree King's X is awesome, but may not be 100% prog (but certainly a case could be made...). Have seen these guys live numerous times over the years, and they are one of my absolute favorite bands to go see. Great songs, great playing, and genuinely warm and friendly guys that so obviously still get a kick out of what they are doing. Why they never got much radio exposure (at least here in D.C.) is beyond me. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Nipsey88/?chartstyle=myspace02" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: RaphaelT
Date Posted: September 17 2005 at 23:32
what a mistaka I maka (like Cpt. Bertorelli said in "Allo Allo") with Claire Torry. My only explanation is that I saw her only on black and white photo. ------------- yet you still have time! |
Posted By: DallasBryan
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 00:51
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David Sancious is one of the best 5 black artists to
take on PROG!
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Posted By: Simkim
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 01:27
| The great Billy Cobham, for example, although he is more a jazz drummer. There are actually not many black people, not only in prog rock, but in all rock and metal. |
Posted By: rokmebaby
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 02:41
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As
a long-time David Sancious fan, I am glad to see that others know about
his splendid musical talents. There is one more album the prog
community should know about and that is David's very first: David
Sancious and Tone "Forest of Feelings". I suppose if you were to
get your hands on only one the first two, then "Transformation: Speed
of Love" is the way to go. His guitar playing is as impressive as
his keyboard chops. I am a "brother" who has been digging the prog scene since I first heard "In the Court of the Crimson King" as a freshman at Michigan in 1972. It's bad enough you don't see many of us at rock shows. Throw in the prog factor and there are even fewer. Good thing that superb music trumps race. Thanks to all who send in recommendations and ratings for old and new music. Prog fans can truly appreciate what it's like to hear something new to our ears that tingles the spine, makes one want to dance, or just plan touches one in that special place. See you at the show... ------------- Where is Klaatu when you need him? |
Posted By: Nipsey88
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 02:49
I knew it, great music knows no racial boundries... I'm just a simple Polock, but in addition to prog, I'm a HUGE fan of P-Funk, EWF, James Brown, Coltrane, Mingus, Miles, McCoy Tyner, Delfonics, Temptations, etc... Here's to music as the great force that brings people of different ethnicities together. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Nipsey88/?chartstyle=myspace02" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: WillieThePimp
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 02:58
THANK HEAVENS SOMEONE MENTIONED COBHAM!!!!! ------------- You can't possibly hear the last movement of Beethoven's Seventh and go slow. ~Oscar Levant, explaining his way out of a speeding ticket |
Posted By: dropForge
Date Posted: September 18 2005 at 03:00
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I recall mentioning it on the first page of this thread.
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