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" one of the best ballads ever composed IMO )       but an awesome bass player as well

 

 

 

and a WICKED horn section James Pankow (greatness), Lee Loughnane (greaness) and Wlater Parazaider (greatness 

 

 

 

  

 

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!

"Beginnings" is one of the greatest prog songs of all time!