PROGDAY 2001

4.5 stars. This is my favourite "Festival" recording right here. Simply put this is a joy to listen to. "Progfest 95'" would be my runner up. This one held as usual at Story Book Farm in North Carolina was recorded in 2001 and is unique from all the other Prog festival recordings i've heard. More on that later. ProgDay continues to be the longest running international Progressive music event in the world. ProgDay 2000 wasn't very successful and ProgDay founder Peter Renfro had decided to call it a day but a group of fans were unwilling to see this event die and decided to take over the event and run it by committee. Peter came back lending his expertise and ProgDay 2001 became a resounding success both financially and musically. So this was the first ProgDay to have the lineup of bands chosen by a committee.Two headlining bands who played at this festival but who aren't on this double disc are PAIN OF SALVATION and THE FLOWER KINGS. According to Peter Renfro both agreed to have their music used for this recording but their record label Inside Out who both bands were signed to said no. For me that's not such a bad thing. I love both of those bands but what makes this recording unique is how heavy it is in the Jazz / Fusion style. Usually there is a lot of variety which for me means hits and misses.This one is all hits.The other interesting thing for me was that I had never heard three of the six bands on here and yet I came away from this recording a big fan of all three bands. Every band on here plays what I call adventerous music that is very left of center.

First up from Texas is YETI. I have their second album but the music here is from their out of print debut which I don't have. So yes these two songs here mean so much to me to be able to finally hear something from the debut. By the way these guys are freaking monsters. I can't believe they are from Texas. I would guess France by their Avant-garde, heavy and dark music.Think NEBELNEST, GUAPO and so on.This is an incredible performance that is both menacing and very powerful. Next is SIGMUND SNOPEK III with cello and sax. By the way the sax is by none other than Dick Parry from PINK FLOYD's "Dark Side Of The Moon" ! He puts on a show but then so does the whole band.The first track they do is actually five songs without a break and then they follow that up with "Flight Of The Frees" before ending it with an eight song display that like the first one is uninterrupted. I never heard these guys before this but man I was impressed. Next is THE MUFFINS so that's three American bands on disc one and they are all challenging."Miliary Road" and "East Of Diamond" are the two tracks we get from THE MUFFINS and both are so enjoyable.

Disc two starts with POLYDACTYL a band I never heard of. Steve Sly and Peter Renfro gave me some valuable info about them.They are made up from two bands called CLOUD NINE and OZONE QUARTET. POLYDACTYL had played here in '95 & '97 and also at several Friday night pre-shows.This for me was the most eye opening performance on here. My God ! They don't even have an album out which is a tragedy when you hear these guys play.They have three tracks on here. I'm not sure even who to compare them too. Maybe MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA but darker. ONE SHOT came to mind at times.The drummer is insanely good which makes me think of the great Fusion bands and they employ atmosphere to great affect.The end of "Route 666" sounds like TOOL, especially the ryhthm section. I just can't say enough about these guys. Incredible ! Next up is AZIGZA another unknown to me. An Amercian band who play a World music flavoured Jazz style.Violin, mandolin and percussion along with those female vocal melodies really give it that World flavour.There are ethnic instruments too.They have three tracks on here and lets just say i'll be ordering their two studio albums soon because I was so impressed. Adventerous and interesting as well. ARS NOVA from Japan ends the recording with three tracks filled with hammond organ, mellotron etc. A trio of ladies with two keyboardists and a drummer. One of the keyboard players does play violin at times.

This was a special event. The human spirit of Prog fans who would not let this festival die by working hard and giving financially,along with the stunning performances made this one of the best ProgDays ever. Fans of adventerous music out there should really track this down.You won't regret it. This is our music !