Discography

Ceccarelli (78) Andre Ceccarelli (81)

Reviews

With a lineup that included Didier Lockwood (Magma, Zao, etc.), Jannick Top (Magma), Christian Escoude, Francois Jeanneau (Clearlight) and a host of other illustrious French jazz and progressive musicians, I really expected great things from drummer Andre Ceccarelli's first solo record (released in the US on the Inner City label). While Ceccarelli does have flashes of progressive fusion greatness (check out the all-too-brief instrumentals "Ded'Circus" and "Space Out"), it is a real mixed bag. There are a lot of vocals (mostly by Alex Ligertwood, who was between gigs with Brian Auger and Santana) and most of the music is a very skilled copy of the popular US R&B band Tower of Power, with very funky bass (Jannick Top really shines!), and lots of tight horn section work. There are some brief sections that sound distinctly Magma-oid ("Life is Real Only Here", penned by Top), but this one is for the die-hard Magma completist only, unless your tastes run toward the funky. Andre Ceccarelli is a great drummer who has gone on to play and record with Sting, Bireli Lagrene, and countless others. -- Dave Wayne

Discography

Principe di un Giorno (76, also known as Celeste) II (91, recorded in 1977) I Suoni I Una Sfera (92, recorded in 1974) Second Plus (94, re-release of II with additional tracks)

Reviews

Only in print in Japan is Celeste's Principe di un Giorno or just Celeste as its released in Japan. A heavily atmospheric work like very mellow Per Un Amico era PFM, Celeste's lone release is a beautiful album with great sax and flute and is one of those dreamy albums that is perfect to doze off to at night.

An absolutely stunning band out of Italy. They only have three release to my knowledge, Celeste (also called Principe di un Giorno), Celeste II, and a soundtrack that I cannot recall the name of ... yet is available from Syn-Phonic. This is a band that will not overtake you with virtuousity or dramatic statement ... rather they will overtake you with beauty. Celeste is a record full of subtlety and exture ... a very rich dreamy quality. Definitely with the symphonic range. Vocals are in Italian but they do not detract ... rather they fit as merely one more instrument.

Celeste's first album, Principe di un Giorno (aka Celeste), is one of the most beautiful and pastoral Progressive albums to come out of Italy, ranking right up their with PFM's monumental Per Un Amico. For those of you who want the gist of the review in the first couple of sentences: get this album. The opening strains of lovely Mellotron washes hint at the beauty about to unfold when acoustic guitar, violin and piano join in with soft vocal melodies to create a timeless elegance heard far too little in Progressive Rock. Songs range from a brief one minute closer to eight minutes in length for two songs. The closest comparison is to fellow Italians PFM and their classic Per Un Amico during the quieter moments. But where PFM venture off on moog solos, the four members of Celeste prefer to use the Mellotron, violin, acoustic guitar, xylophone and flute to create stunning pastoral passages of aching beauty. Another quality that should be addressed is the Italian vocals. Often, Prog fans complain of the "harshness" of Italian singers. Though I can understand this complaint for a few singers, vocals for Celeste and PFM are very soft and quite enjoyable. If you think all Italian singers are "harsh" you haven't heard these bands. This album should be a part of anyone's collection.

Principe di un Giorno is a real "classic" of Italian symphonic rock. Its particularity is that the attributes are, not virtuosity but beauty, softness and subtlety of the music. Arrangements usually feature acoustic guitar, keyboards, flutes, bass, percussions and vocals. Mellotrons and flutes are used generously with sprinkles of saxophone, violin, xylophone and horn. Despite a very delicate sound, the music holds mysterious powers, definitely celestial. -- Paul Charbonneau

Celeste's Principe di un Giorno was one of my first Italian prog purchases -- and for good reason. When I first learned of the 1970's Italian scene I kept reading about this release, and when I finally got to listen to it I realized that everything I had read about it was more than true. I have heard every 70's Italian prog album from a pool of over thirty cool bands and I would have to put at #2 on my list right behind Locanda Delle Fate's Forse Le Lucciole. (To see my personal top 20 list intermingled with other Italian prog fan's lists go to http://www.rockprogressivoanos70.hpg.ig.com.br/discos_lpvita2.html). Without a doubt this release is the masterpiece of all pastoral music ever written. Each track unfolds with incredible beauty. There are seven tracks and within the whole length of the album I have counted a total of 26 different melodies. If you want to hear how the Mellotron truly inspires get this recording ASAP. I truly believe that every massage therapist should have this album handy as opposed to the nature / waterfall new age music many of them use to relax their patients. The Italian scene produced some other excellent light classically influenced prog bands such as: PFM, Alusa Fallax, Errata Corrige, Il Paese Dei Balocchi and Apoteosi. -- Clayton Self

Celeste's Principe di un Giorno (CD Vinyl Magic VM 039) is the crowning glory of the lyrical and atmospheric aspirations of 1970s Italian progressive rock. Actually, "rock" is somewhat misleading a moniker for the album's lightly jazz-tinged mixture of folkish melodicism, acoustic-heavy instrumentation and some of the most stylish and elegant use of synthesizers and Mellotron on record. Only the conventionally gallant title-track has something approaching a regular backbeat - most of the time drummer Ciro Perrino eschews the drumkit in favour of Mellotron and all kinds of tuned percussion used for melodic ornamentation along with flutes, acoustic guitars and pianos. Because of this and the dearth of any self-consciously busy or "complex" instrumental passages, the album may strike the more rock-minded progressive fans as dull. Others can marvel its frugal yet extremely rich symphonic sound - truly symphonic in that the instrument palette is deployed in contrasting and overlapping sections and layers, not just in thick blocks of chords - and its incomparable mood that is airy and pretty, yet has its sombre streak. These two sides are best exemplified by the limpid piano-led section of "Gioche nella Notte" that pretty much flows across the boundaries of classical, folk and jazz with liquid ease, and "Favole Antiche"'s moribund Mellotron-backed middle chorale. The fact that the music creates its dynamics mostly through subtleties of arrangements and composition rather than volume or brawn is all the more impressive. Even the second-hand Romanticism with obscure longing and florid carpe diem metaphors in the spare lyrics delivered by rather whispering vocals is for once in tune with the fairytale impressionism of the music. The album was recorded nearly two years before its release - an earlier version with female vocals reputedly still exists in the archives - and like many of the first major works of Italian progressive, it carries the detectable influence of In the Court of the Crimson King. It is not even second-hand or filtered through later acts' use of the album's ideas (e.g. Genesis' Trespass or PFM's Storia di un Minuto): a string-line during "Favole Antiche"'s intro contains a virtual quote of "Court of the Crimson King"'s landmark Mellotron riff. Yet Celeste are no more mere copycats than Genesis or PFM were. It is more a case of reverse-engineering the delicate symphonic formula of King Crimson's original and incorporating it as a part of their own distinct style. Hence Principe di un Giorno is not, much like Locanda delle Fate's Forse le Lucciole Non Si Amano Piú a year later, a trendsetter, but the culmination of one musical trend. Celeste's two further, posthumous releases certainly were no usurpers of their predecessor's throne. II (LP M.M./Mellow MAC 1001) was cobbled together from home recordings and studio rehearsal tapes made in 1977 before the band's dissolution. Hence the sound quality of its four long tracks ranges from below average to just acceptable. With a more conventional rhythm section, the group swerve jazz-wise, taking several cues from Soft Machine circa 1970. "Setteottavi", for example, sets up an unflinching 7/8 rhythm, briefly states a lyrical theme and then spends the best part of ten minutes on what is essentially a sax solo over a fairly static harmonic background. The richness of the string-synthesizer backing and the melodic tightness of the saxophone work keep this from plunging into a complete improvisatory limbo. "Un mazzo di ortiche" inserts a vocal section, a second tune and generally has more variation, range and appeal that even the tentative performance cannot wreck. Unfortunately, the two later tracks are really nothing more than unfinished jams swirling and eddying from jazz to symphonic to stretches of improvisation led by Perrino's tuned percussion. They are more like glimpses at the creative process of the band rather than the finished results of that process. With its questionable sound quality and manifest incompleteness, II bears only passing resemblance to Principe di un Giorno in style and quality. Only slightly better is the album's CD version Second plus (Mellow Records MMP 154), which includes nearly half an hour's worth of bonus tracks, some probably recorded later than 1977. Most hand out more of the same jazzy broth, only with a smaller ladle, but three songs recall some of the spirit of Principe di un Giorno, if only traces of its vigour and grandness. The archetypally romantic lyricism of "Il giardino armonico" and "Bassa marea"'s almost Medieval sound of growling Mellotron choirs and ponderously stomping percussion come across as brief, austerely realised sketches that lack the final finesse and depth of the first album. Only the short symphonic gem "Lontano profondo" stands out: its elegiac melody, realised through a sumptuous combination of flute and synthesizers, is the kind that should evoke emotional response in all but the most cynical and the most comatose. Unfortunately, it's also far the worst recording on the album - you can get better results with a Walkman in the privacy of your own chest freezer. I Suoni in Una Sfera (CD Mellow Records MMP 113) is an obscure film soundtrack recorded in 1974 and released in 1992 to exploit Celeste's inflated demand among Japanese and American collectors. Its nine short tracks return to the intimacy of Principe di un Giorno, but concentrate to its mellow atmosphere to a point of almost forsaking its more complex aspects. For example, the dreamy sax melody, the warbling synthesizer effects and the breezy, impressionist piano accompaniment of "The Dance of the Sounds" might just as well create associations with the wide-open sonic vistas of Windham Hill's New Agey releases as well as with some of Popol Vuh's works. This is not to disparage the song or the album, which actually contain a lot to appreciate, but to note that those expecting the dramatics, technical complexities or extended structures of the more "conventional" progressive rock are unlikely to get much out of them. Certainly "Hymn to the Spheres"' earnest chorale backed by spare piano chords and synthesizer, the soft symphonic strains of "To Embark on a Love Affair" and the bittersweet keyboard march of the Ennio Morricone pastiche "Last Flight of the Mind" are very enjoyable musical morceaux. You can hear snatches and templates of Principe di un Giorno's songs in them. To underscore this, the CD also includes early versions of two songs from the album, as well as one that later appeared on Second Plus. Lacking vocals and some instrumentation (most notably the Mellotron), these rough-around-the-edges recordings don't really shine any new light on the brilliance of the original, though it's interesting to note that the most Crimson-like parts of "Favole Antiche" were only added with the arrival of the Mellotron. In short, Celeste's three album discography contains one indispensable masterwork and two sketchbook-like add-ons. -- Kai Karmanheimo

Links

[See St. Tropez | Sistema, Il]

Discography

Mercury (82) Neptune (83) Jupiter (??)

Reviews

Celluloid is not a band, but a person, one man with an army of Mellotrons backing him. Mercury has some vocals, but the definitive release is Neptune, which is entirely instrumental. It's often difficult to believe all the sounds on this album were produced by Mellotron, as there's such a tonal range to the music herein; from symphonic fanfares to all-out sound-collage freak-out. -- Mike Ohman

Jupiter may not exist, though rumors of its existence evidently persist. See links below for snippets of information from other sources. Thanks to Kai Karmanheimo for these links. -- Fred Trafton

Links

Click here for more information Click here for more information Click here for more information

Discography

Septober Energy (71)

Reviews

Released in 1971, Septober Energy is a one of a kind album. The music is composed by British pianist, Keith Tippett, and the lyrics are by his then wife, the then Julie Tippett, who is better known as Julie Driscoll for her work with Brian Auger. The album was produced by Robert Fripp. It's a big band jazz album performed by virtually everybody who was anybody in English jazz/rock in '71. Notable names among the cast of thousands: Sax: Elton Dean, Ian MacDonald, Dudu Pukwana, Alan Skidmore, Karl Jenkins, Gary Windo. Trumpet: Ian Carr, Mongesi Fesa, Marc Charig. Trombone: Nick Evans, Paul Rutherford. Drums: Robert Wyatt, John Marshall, Tony Fennell. Bass: Roy Babbington, Harry Miller, Brian Belshaw. Guitar: Brian Godding. Vocals: Julie Tippets, Maggie Nichols, Boz, Zoot Money. As you might notice, Islands-era King Crimson is very heavily represented, along with Assegai, Soft Machine and B.B. Blunder, whose Brian Godding contributes a really hot guitar solo. It's a jazz record overall, but it has lots of rock sensibility, mainly due to the fact that most of the electric bass playing on the album is done by Brian Belshaw from BB Blunder, and as a rock bassist he could only go so far into the jazz idiom. Rather than a limitation I think this works as a carefully delineated definition of what Tippett wanted. Musically, the album's closest counterpart I can think of is the Islands album by KC, not just because it has the same people but the same sensibilities, as well. The lyrics here aren't too great, as if I read them correctly they advocate nuclear destruction of most of earth's inhabitants as a sure way out of tyranny and speeding the way to a hasty rebirth of a better world. Um....yeah. Right. But the singing is quite good. Most of the record, though, consists of carefully orchestrated soloing within a pretty tight thematic structure. And most of the solos, duets, trios and the like, are very good. Nothing too bonky squeaky weird for people terrified of free music. It's all pretty straight ahead. The three drummer effect is very nice, an experiment which works. All in all, a most worthwhile album, one which most Fripp fanatics wouldn't have expected from him but there was a time, believe it or not, when he hung out with real live jazz musicians and got along with them, before he got attacked by Eno's "direct inject anti-jazz ray-gun." -- Kenneth Newman

Perhaps the only Prog "big band" ever conceived, Kieth Tippett's 55-member "Centipede" (so...it's true!) contained a cross section of Britain's prog scene (nearly all of Soft Machine, several members of Nucleus, Gary Windo, Ian McDonald, Brian Godding, Mike Patto and Boz Burrell, to name a few), many of Britain's finest jazz and avant-garde musicians (Mongezi Feza, Larry Stabbins, Alan Skidmore, Paul Rutherford, Harry Miller, and others), as well as a dozen or so musicians whom I have never heard of (...I won't name them). To my knowledge, one album was released (Septober Energy in 1974), a 2-record set produced by Robert Fripp which came out on RCA in the US. Most prog fans will be dismayed by the music on Septober Energy, as about half of it is very energetic avant-garde jazz, that is in some ways reminiscent of Sun Ra's more ambitious works. The rest of it riff-based jazz-rock, a bit like post- Wyatt Soft Machine or Nucleus, but more chaotic-sounding. Horn soloists dominate throughout. Personally, I think Septober Energy is great, but then again, I really like avant-garde jazz. Besides the jazz fans, perhaps those of you who enjoyed the really whacked-out bits of King Crimson's Lizard album might also like this. Anyway, Tippett later formed a similar aggregation (Kieth Tippett's Ark) whose sole album (Frames) was recently reissued as a 2-CD set on the British 'Ogun' label. -- Dave Wayne

Centipede was a fifty-person group organized by jazz pianist Keith Tippett, including in its host rock, jazz, and classical musicians. (Obviously, it couldn't last very long, and I'm sure was never expected to.) Robert Fripp produced the record, and the liner notes indicate that he did not play on the record because he was too busy producing. (Co-ordinating this lot must have been a hell of a task.) -- Dan Kurdilla

Links

[See Tippett, Julie | Tippett, Keith]

Melos (73)

Osanna parallel band that put out their only album, the classic Melos. Similar to Osanna or Citta Frontale.

This is a band that is very similar to Osanna (Corrado Rustici is a brother of Danilo Rustici who plays in Osanna). When the band split, Corrado Rustici went to play in Osanna and then Nova.

Cervello were an offshoot from the classic Italian band Osanna. The music ranges from heavy to spacey to pastoral and includes touches of jazz and classical influences. Instrumentation contains flute, piccolo, sax, acoustic guitar and vibraphones in addition to the usual electric guitars, synths, drums and bass. Vocals are in Italian. If you are familiar with Osanna, you'll be familiar with the sound of Cervello except I think this is a just bit more refined. Otherwise, if you like good Italian symphonic Prog with lots of heaviness (ala Osanna, Semiramis, Il Balletto di Bronzo, etc.) then you'll want to check out Cervello. Quite good and quite recommended.

[See Osanna | Nova]

Discography

Nadie En Especial (82) Suenos de Metal (83) Cintas En Directo (84) ? One more under EMI label, Mexico (85)

Reviews

Mexican progressive rock band from the early 80's, featuring keyboardist Carlos Alvarado. Purportedly their sound is a fusion of Italian Classical rock influences and Genesis.

I bought a Chac Mool cassette in Guadalajara back in 1981. From what I recall, they sounded quite a bit like the Alan Parsons Project or Pink Floyd (only with vocals in Spanish), both of whom were very popular in the US at the time. -- Dave Wayne

Most representative band of Mexican prog in the 1980s, featured Jorge Reyes in guitar/flute, Carlos Alvarado in keyboards, plus a singer/cellist, bass player and drummer, with song writing by the first four, ("sounds like Alan Parsons" said my American roommate) because of tremendous following in Mexico City in 1984 and increased commercial success, they signed with EMI Mexico, did some TV gigs, but this created dissension in the band, singer and drummer left. Reyes tried to keep band going but they disbanded in 1985. -- Manuel Arreola

Links

[See Jorge Reyes | Via Lactea]

In Concert (93), Dies Irae (94), Others?

In Concert and Dies Irae are two very different releases from Italian Paul Chain. The first CD is improvisational blues/metal while the other is dark electronics. In Concert is really beyond the realm of the GEPR but I'll cover it briefly as it is the first release on The Labyrinth label, the joint effort of The Laser's Edge in the US and Minotauro Records in Italy. The Laser's Edge catalog describes Chain as a "legendary doom metal guitarist." I suppose I have no idea what doom metal actually is because Chain's playing reminds me of many heavy metal/hard rock bands of the '70s. In fact, Chain thanks many of them and the list proves useful when trying to elucidate his style: Alvin Lee and Ten Years After, Johnny Winter, King Crimson, Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly, Budgie, Jimi Hendrix, Leslie West and Mountain, Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin and Frank Marino. Mostly I thought of Sabbath, Deep Purple, Mountain and Marino's Mahagany Rush. Basically, the Paul Chain group consists of Chain on guitar and vocals (he doesn't sing very well), Baka Bomb on bass and Eric Lumen on drums. Sandra Silver gets credit as "live entertainer," akin to Hawkwind's Stacia, I reckon. Essentially non-stop heavy guitar, Chain and Co. take off for 10-20 minutes at a whack, playing scorching (and occasionally meandering) blues-based improvisations, the same as the heavy metal heros of the '70s did.
Next comes Chain's latest release, Dies Irae. Chain has moved into an entirely different genre, a work of dark electronics. Chain plays all instruments on the eight tracks, though Sandra Silver adds vocals to several cuts. Again, he thanks the bands and artists that have influenced this work: Aphrodite's Child (666), Klaus Schulze, Cream, Kzrysztof Penderecki, Gyorgy Ligeti, Olivier Messiaen and Pink Floyd. (That can't be the power trio Cream, can it?) The 21 minute opener is a brooding amalgam of rumbling moog, sinister organ and a variety of percussion and heavy electronics processing. This is darker than Jacula's Anno Demoni, which is already quite a possessed work. From here, we descind further into the pits of the inferno, as Silver contributes weird vocals to a strange and bizarre landscape of tortured electronics and processing in the 13 minute "Presence of the Soul's Forest." The booklet says that the language used by Silver is not real but purely phonetic. Whatever the case, her delivery is half speaking, half singing and half orgasmic. "Life Down" begins as a mixture of Schulzian textures and Floydian synth leads but soon mutates through heavy processing. "The Hope" treats us to a brief stint of acoustic guitar (no electronics at all) in a vein similar to Gilmour circa Meddle and Atom Heart Mother, though not as laid back and breezy; the playing is quite heavy for finger-style acoustic guitar, in fact. The title track was penned by the above mentioned Penderecki. This piece is very cosmic; it makes me think of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey." with its haunted choral voices and deep synth textures mixed together. It's quite a stellar experience that my limited vocabulary can't describe. I'll leave the remaing three songs as an exercise for the reader, though I will say that Chain pulls out his axe for one tune.
Chain's Dies Irae is some of the darkest and gloomiest synth music I have heard. Thus, though I found it fascinating in a morbid way, I won't recommend it to just anyone. If you're into the dank and dark and gothic, this might be worth your while. If the darkest you've gotten is "Apocalypse in 9/8," I suggest you stay far, far away.

Discography

Disconcerto (93)

Reviews

US band on the Cuneiform label, so musically in that vein. If you know the Cuneiform label that is NOT a vague description. Related to The Muffins through Paul Sears.

Links

[See Feigenbaum and Scott | Muffins, The] Click here for Cuneiform Records

Chakra (79)

Pleasant symphonic prog from a Southern California band who only ever put out this one album. Very similar in style to the Syn-Phonic bands, and ought to appeal to fans of Lift, Pentwater, etc. -- Mike Ohman

One Small Chance (75)

Discography

Pure (90) Facing Gravity (92) Time Code (97)

Reviews

Great German band that is very much in the Marillion/Aragon style. Excellent Fish-like vocals. They have a single release out entitled Pure. Anyone who enjoys prog rock of this nature should have this in their collection!

Chandelier is generally touted as Germany's answer to Marillion. There is some merit to that general idea, especially between singer Martin Eden and Fish, but outside of that comparison, there are many other similarities as well. Pure is their first album, released in 1990, and is not bad for a debut album it offers although it doesn't really break any new ground. The playing is impressively tight, the songs are well written, the vocals (in English) are quite good, and the lyrics even stand on their own, it's just that they could be so much better if they were not so intent in following in the wake of others. Apparently their second album is out, but I haven't heard it yet.

One of the best of the Marillion clone bands. One release that I know of, Pure. Highly recommended to those of you who have already bought all the Marillion albums.

Warning, this is written by someone who doesn't get into Neo-prog as a general rule. I had heard from a few places that Chandelier were one of the better neo-prog bands so in my venture to become familiar with this style I decided to give Chandelier a shot. Well, the folks who claimed them as one of the better neos must also be Marillion fans. It would be very easy to think of Chandelier as the German version of Fish and Co. Being that I'm not a big fan of Marillion you would be correct to assume I'm not a fan of Chandelier, either. The emphasis is on the vocals and lyrical content both of which I rarely pay attention to. The solos are obligatory and not very exciting. The singer sounds very much like Fish though the lyrics aren't quite on par with the former Marillion front man. Within the realm of neo-prog, I have to give the nod to IQ and Jadis since they seem to be more Genesis influenced while Chandelier are obvious Marillion fans.

Once I had their third (73-minute) album in my collection. It was released by the same Steamhammer-SPV label: 1997's Time Code. As far as I remember, there were only two original members in that line-up. Although these guys had changed their usual (Marillion-like) style on this album quite radically (this time - towards the hard-edged style of Saga), this is still the same quite boring Neo Progressive. To me, Facing Gravity was even better ... no matter, though. -- Vitaly Menshikov

Discography

The Castle (91) (ProgressoR review) Virtuality (93)

Reviews

Fans of Edhels in the Still Dream period, this one will blow you away! Changing Images is the German Duo of Martin Kornberger on Keyboards and Bass and Volker Kuhn on Guitar and Guitar Synth. The music here is a blend of symphonic rock and modern progressive, with complex arrangements, tight interplay, and while the music is not "hard," there's plenty of fire. One might hear echoes of Jean Pascal Boffo or SFF in their sound, with a splash of the Enid.

Discography

A Tapestry of Afterthoughts (99)

Reviews

Chaos Code is a Baltimore-based quartet that plays very outstanding progressive music in the fine tradition of classical art rock. For those who look for elaborate bands, Chaos Code's music encompasses a rich tapestry of sounds with lots of mood shifts. Their debut album A Tapestry of Afterthoughts ranges from melodic tunes to strong riffs of guitars. It is a fine a work that stresses the idea that progressive rock lives and is an musical genre whose production seems non exhaustible and stands the test of time. The album contains classical-like themes and reminds me of Genesis and King Crimson's In the Court of ... era with the introduction of Chris Phelps' flute elements and Marty Saletta's keyboards. Such a combination could not be better. Phelps' voice is sometimes "thunderous", sometimes "mellow" and all depends of the mood and tone of the song. The seven-track CD kicks off with "The Cave", a small reflection about the danger of wasting the time in our youth, which is a reminiscent of early Genesis. As it moves along to "Heights of Time", the music gets more intensity and introduces us to King Crimson's realm. So does it question today's massive growth and long for yesterday's gone. "Antidote to Entropy" reveals clear leanings to Crimsonish atmospheres. Next, the work gets to a musical peak on "Days of Reflection", a finely extended tune that recalls our past experiences. The masterpiece, "A Silent Scream" is a sinister description of someone's unconscious state while being in coma ("The spirit and the warmth have all left me now/Silence grips me as no words pass across my lips"). "Gravy Fries" is a transition jazzy tune to the final "The Devil's Trombone". It starts with an aggressive dissonance and strong argument between the four musicians' performance followed by a calm flute part. Phelps' lyrics then harshly question someone's useless, wasted life after so many years. Chaos Code is one of the several original progressive rock bands to emerge from the Baltimore music scene. It was formed from the ashes of The Web [not the same band listed here under The Web - Ed.] in 1993. They played cover songs of Marillion, Genesis and IQ. In 1996, they began writing their original music. Finally, in 1999, they recorded their self-financed debut album "A Tapestry of Afterthoughts". The original lineup includes superb singer and guitar player Cliff Phelps, Philip Rous on bass, Dan Squillaro on drums and Marty Saletta, who's recently played with The Dark Aether Project. -- Jesús Peraza

Links

[See Dark Aether Project] Click here for info on Chaos Code on Marty Saletta's web site

Chapter Three (69), Volume 2 (70)

Early, much more progressive than Earth Band.

[See Mann's Earth Band, Manfred]

Discography

Chardo's Airlines (90) Unrealised (92) Official Bootleg 1 (94) Official Bootleg 2 (97) Data Pulsions (99) Hors Portee Vol. 1 - Instrumental Selection (06) Hors Portee Vol. 2 - Version Highlight (06)

Reviews

Chardeau Slow, contemplative chamber-jazz with pastoral leanings and calliope swirlings, led by presumably distinguished French pianist Chardeau. With many changes of mood and direction but a loose sense of discipline, Chardeau's music seems to just sit there, getting lost in its own quagmire of bottomless silt -- two hours of it if you include both volumes of his 2005 Musea release [Hors Portee]. This might appeal to ambient listeners but I don't know if I could sit through it again. Jerry Goodman plays acoustic violin on [Hors Portee] Vol 1 and electric and acoustic violin on Vol. 2. [Ex-Magma bassist Bernard] Paganotti plays basses. -- David Marshall

Links

[See Goodman, Jerry | Magma] Click here for Chardeau's web site Click here to order Chardeau titles from Musea Records

Japanese hard-fusion band with lots of pyrotechnic guitar riffs, not unlike some of Jeff Beck's better stuff.

Die Donnergötter (87), others?

Rhys Chatham is an American from New York who played mainly in France during the '80s. I have one of his records Die Donnergötter (German for Thunder of Gods) which is unique in my opinion in that six guitarists are playing at the same time (plus a bassist and a drummer) in the tune called "Die Donnergötter" (21 minutes of a thunderstorm of electric guitars with a drum solo in the background). The other side of the record, "Waterloo n°2," was written for solo percussionist, three trumpets and two trombones and keyboards, and sounds a little like Steve Reich. The album has been released in 1987 by a German publisher, Dossier Records (Prinzenallee 47b, D-1000 Berlin 65, Germany). -- Frederic Scheid

Discography

LP Discography: Vocalise in Reptid (87, Rec. '83-'85) Post-Pop Non-Pop (89, Rec. '84-'87) Meditative Music for the Decomposed Electro-organ 1 (91, Live '81-'82) Meditative Music for the Decomposed Electro-organ 2 (91, Live '82) Meditative Music for the Decomposed Electro-organ 3 (91, Live '82-'83) Practical Music Making 1 (91, Rec. '82-'85) Practical Music Making 2 (91, Rec. '84-'87) Between Spring and Autumn by Stealth (91, Rec. '86) The Green Symphony/The Ritual - Night for Voices (91, Rec. '84-'88) Border State (91, Rec. '88) The Symphony-Phonogram (91, Rec. '89) Introduction into Intuition (91, Rec. '89) Concerto Grosso #1 (91, Rec. '89) Concerto Grosso #2 (91, Rec. '89) CD Discography: Russian Mystery (91, Rec. '89) Night Pulsation (93) Film-Music-1 (93, Rec. '91-'92) Double Album with the Symphony in New Age Style 1 (93, Rec. '91-'92) Double Album with the Symphony in New Age Style 2 (95, Rec. '83-'93) Album with a Symphony (95, Rec. '82-'92) Nonconformist (96, 2CD, Rec. '83-'96) Analog Magic (97, 4CD, Rec. '79-'89) Porcelain God (97) Avoid The Desire For Cutting And Piercing Objects (99) Last Seasons (01, Rec. '98) Concerto Grosso #1 (01, w/ bonus tracks) Concerto Grosso #2 (01, w/ bonus tracks) Saturn Izdeliye N (02) FortePIANO (03) Meditative Music For A Prepared Organ, Vol. 1 (03, Rec. '79-'83) Meditative Music For A Prepared Organ, Vol. 2 (03, Rec. '79-'83) The Symphony - Phonogram, Vol. 3 (04, Rec. '80-'89) Green Symphony / Borderline State, Vol. 4 (04, Rec. '80-'88) Between Spring And Autumn By Stealth, Vol. 5 (04, Rec. '86-'93) A Pagan Suite (04, Rec. '90-'91)

Reviews

Mikhail Chekalin Mikhail Chekalin is frequently compared with Klaus Schulze, and on the surface it's not a bad comparison. In fact, some of Chekalin's music is quite reminiscent of early Klaus Schulze. Others have compared his style to Peter Fromader's dark synthesis. But even though Boheme Records calls their re-releases of Concerto Grosso #1 and Concerto Grosso #2 "Space Music", this music really lies in between Schulze or early Tangerine Dream and the more "Classical Electronic" realms of Morton Subotnik or the non-melodic early works of Wendy Carlos. Chekalin's Concertos are mostly real instruments (well, samples of them played via a keyboard) and voices, with heavy processing to distort and warp the sounds into alternate sonic dimensions. The quality of the music varies from dreamy and spacey to harsh and abrasive, and wanders back and forth from vaguely musical sections to totally non-melodic sound collages. Chekalin prefers analog tape recorders and playing the compositions by hand rather than using computer technology to sequence and record. Or perhaps he just doesn't have a computer ... or didn't in 1989 when he recorded these. The first word I would use to describe these compositions would have to be "intellectual", the second would be "avant-garde". "Progressive" or "Space Music" would be down the list a ways. Chekalin's discography is massive, but was mostly released in small quantities on the former Soviet Union's state label, Melodiya, which is why you probably have never heard of him unless you're from Russia or a CIS country. Boheme Records has now acquired the master tapes for these (and other) Melodiya recordings and has begun a re-release of Chekalin's music beginning with the two Concerto Grossos. Whether or not they release any more of Chekalin's recordings will, I assume, depend upon how much people are interested after hearing these two releases. Each of these CD's feature the full content of the original Melodiya recordings of this material, plus other "bonus" material taken from other Chekalin releases, or previously unreleased material. Excellent stuff. Personally, one of my favorite types of music is this intellectual, not very melodic electronic style, so I think Chekalin is amazing. But I would have a hard time recommending it to any but the most "hard core" of electronic avant-garde music fans. But if you're one of those, these are an incredible long-lost gem not to be missed! -- Fred Trafton Update 12/30/04: Chekalin just sent me twelve of his CD's for review, not including the two I've talked about above! Wow! It's going to take me awhile to digest those, but when I do, I'll write a long article on them for the GEPR. This should be interesting, since about half of the CD's have titles/notes only in Russian. I'll do my best to cross-reference them and obtain information on how they can be obtained, since many of them are not published on the Boheme label. Stay tuned. -- Fred Trafton Update 11/18/07: It's a daunting task to get through any twelve albums by the same artist. It's really daunting when the music is as dense, intellectual and ... well ... difficult as Chekalin's. But if you read the GEPR, I don't need to tell you that sometimes the more difficult the music, the greater the rewards when you finally get through the initial difficulty and finally "get it". There's no finer example of this than Mikhail Chekalin's music. In spite of this, you'll still need to be satisfied with an updated and clarified discography plus reviews of seven (eight, actually, since Nonconformist is a 2CD set) of Chekalin's masterworks. I'll have to save the remaining five CD's for another GEPR upload. Those are the ones where the titles and liner notes are in Russian only, so it may take me a while to tackle those ... The first thing to say is that all the stuff I mentioned above about Boheme Records no longer matters. Boheme is gone, I know not where, and all the music associated with them is either gone or trying to find a label elsewhere. I know that Chekalin is trying to find a label, and if/when it happens, I'll let you know which albums they decide to carry. For now, I've chosen to review the Volume 1 through 5 series of CD's plus two others that were released in Russia ... so far you can't get them anywhere else, but that may change soon. Meditative Music for a Prepared Organ Volume 1 and Volume 2 is a re-release of the three-LP Meditative Music for the Decomposed Electro-organ series on 2 CD's. This is a series of solo live improvisations on a "prepared" electronic organ. No synthesizers, no overdubs. Of course, since the "prepared" part of this is that the organ is plugged through various effects boxes, the distinction between this combination and a synthesizer is sort of academic. Don't let the instrumental description fool you ... this is electronic music without a doubt. These albums are where Chekalin really sounds the most like Klaus Schulze. So if you like that sort of slow, developing, spacey electronics, you should find this to your liking as well. All the more impressive for being solo live improv. The next two albums in the series, Volume 3 and 4 re-release another three albums on 2 CD's, this time "The Symphony-Phonogram" and "The Night Ritual for Choir and Drums" (doubtless a re-titling of "The Ritual - Night for Voices") on Volume 3 and "Green Symphony" plus "Borderline State" (Border State) on Volume 4. Here we are once more into the serious modern classical electronic music style I talked about in the Concerto Grosso reviews above. Chekalin mentions that these are recorded using a 4-track analog tape machine only ... no sequencers or computer editing. The instruments listed are "synthesizers, percussion and vocal", though it's largely synthesizers with a few sections of nice spacey vocal overdubs for sweetening and occasional percussion. There's a few Klaus Schulze-like moments here, particularly the later, more symphonic-oriented Schulze albums, but overall the style is more modern classical than Berlin School. You'd swear a lot of it is really symphony orchestra. This sort of music actually takes a bit of training to listen to. Since I've had that training (... seriously ... in my Electronic Music classes in college with Professor Charles Stanley, a classical composition specialist, explaining what I should be listening to as a running commentary ... it's a really ear-opening experience ... thanks, Professor Stanley!), I find this sort of thing just amazing. But you may find it a bit rough going. Give it a try ... it's really worth it once you "get it". The last in the "Volume Series" is Volume 5 which re-releases the LP Between Spring and Autumn by Stealth and also has a bonus track ... a live recording called "Concerto for Piano Synthesizer and Voice" recorded in 1993. Sonically similar to Vol 3 & 4, but "earlier" sounding ... which parts of it are and parts aren't. Also, spacier and not as rhythmical, but perhaps darker in tone. All the same comments apply as above. Good stuff, but after just listening to Vols 3 & 4, my ears could have used a rest before cracking the shrink-wrap on this one. I shouldn't try to listen to this much modern classical music in one sitting. I just start craving "normal sounding" harmonies after a while. Still, an excellent album ... just leave some time between this one and similar stuff. Nonconformist may have been released earlier than the above-mentioned series, but the music was actually written and recorded over an even longer span of time than the Volume series. The title, to my mind, is actually a bit of a misnomer. I would say that this album collects Chekalin's music that CONFORMS to western ideas of what electronic music is supposed to sound like. Less classical and more "techno", Nonconformist has a lot of fast, heavily rhythmic music (dare I say "dancable"?) and more traditional harmonies in it than the earlier albums. Actually, it reminds me quite a bit of Yello or maybe Peter Fromader's Anubis Dance. That's not necessarily bad ... I kinda like that style. But those interested in more "serious electronic music" ... or maybe I should say "academic electronic music" ... should stick to some of the other albums I've discussed above. Still, as modern techno music goes, Nonconformist has a lot to recommend it, including pepperings of off-kilter noises, interesting use of sounds as percussion, '40's private eye music and oriental flutes in addition to the Boom-Clap-Boom-Clap you would expect of techno music. I could do without some of the new-agey jazz piano sections though. A Pagan Suite was released immediately after the Volume series, however, though this album still features music composed and recorded in the early '90's, it is not a re-issue of anything previously released on LP. Instead, this is a lengthy (78:33) electronic suite in 19 movements. This album still has lots of the "classical electronic music" vibe of the Volume series, but is beginning to incorporate some heavier rhythmic elements. This makes this album a bit more accessable than the Volume series (particularly Vols 3 thru 5), though there's still enough strange noises, dissonance and scary soundscapes to frighten away your landlady, interspersed with weirdly beautiful and harmonic music punctuated by klangs, chuffs and whooshes. Though I find the Volume 1 through 5 series very stimulating on an intellectual level, A Pagan Suite speaks to me the most of all Chekalin's albums on an emotional level. It's just easier to relate to. This is the album I would recommend as a first listen to Chekalin's catalog. If you like this one, then move on into the Volume series next. Unless you're a fan of Yello and the like, in which case you might want to try Nonconformist next. I haven't been in contact with Chekalin for a while, so I don't know what he's been doing since 2004 as things get increasingly retro-political in Russia. I do know that there's a (non-Russian) label who's considering releasing some portion of his catalog for worldwide distribution at the moment. If this happens, I'll report it, plus anything else I find out. -- Fred Trafton

Links

Chekalin's web presence is currently nonexistent. That may change soon, in which case I'll supply information here.

Sever Roots Tree Dies (88)

A rather noisy sometimes dissonant and hard-rockish US band that I've seen compared to Rush in catalog descriptions. To my ears these guys straddle the line between RIO and alternative, with some rather unusual vocals and the occasional introspective piano. Interesting but not pretty.

Discography

Cheiro de Vida (84) 1988 - Vivo (00, Recorded in 1988)

Links

Click here for further info

Early 80s English Progressive band most noted for featuring Mark Kelly before he joined Marillion.

[See Marillion]

Discography

Arthur et Les Robots (82) A l'Abri des Micro-Climats (84, w/ Sophie Jausserand) Le Diapason du Pere Ubu (93) Guigou Chenevier & Les Figures (95, w/ Les Figures) Les Rumeurs de la Ville (98, a.k.a. Rumours of the City) Le Batteur Est Le Meilleur Ami Du Musicien (03)

Reviews

Guigou Chenevier Multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, keyboards, percussion, voice) formerly with the French RIO band Etron Fou Leloublan. This solo record [A L'abri des Micro-climats] from the mid-'80s postdates Etron Fou, but bears some stylistic similarities to Chenevier's former group. Saxophones and analog synths predominate, with bass (played by Christiane Cohade), and simple (and rather odd) percussion and twangy, noisy guitar (played by Guy Sapin). Vocals, in French, are by Chenevier and Sophie Jausserand (who wrote most of the lyrics). Chenevier's voice is declamatory, almost grating, yet Jausserand's vocals are almost the polar opposite: clear, sweet, and delicate. A very interesting and distinctive recording that really doesn't fall into any easy category. -- Dave Wayne

Links

[See Etron Fou Leloublan | Volapük] Click here for Guigou Chenvier's page on the Cuniform Records site

Discography

Cherry Five (74)

Reviews

Another predecessor to Goblin, and infinitely superior to the grunge-rock Flea, was Cherry Five. Influenced much by The Yes Album, with grinding organ and Squire-ish bass. But Cherry Five use a greater variety of keyboards than Yes did at that point. Also the vocals are very different. Sung in English, but not quite as "broken" as many Italian bands. Here and there, they include an occasional "freak-out" that vaguely reminds me of early King Crimson. All in all, I believe this to be yet another classic of Italian progressive, and one I'd recommend highly. -- Mike Ohman

Here's a winner for Yes fans who are sick of bands that sound like Yes. Cherry Five combines Squire-esque bass and Wakeman style keys with a subtle rock-n-roll guitar feel and yes, a vocalist NOT trying to sound like Jon Anderson (finally!!) This is quintissential progressive music, if not very original. There are enough time changes and polyrhythmic interplay to keep a die-hard progressive fan interested while it is accessible enough for the casual listener to get into after only one or two tries. I really love the "fat" Moog synth playing...perfect early seventies style. Makes me wonder why hardly anyone ever uses that sound now.

Cherry Five is an Italian band that was a one-shot spinoff from Goblin. Having never heard that band, I can't attest to any similarities. The music, however, stands well on it's own. The main emphasis seems to be on keyboards, which includes Hammond organ, electric piano, mini-moog, and Mellotron. Obviously, the band draws on many of their Italian contemporaries, but also from a wide variety of other styles including Yes, ELP, and a dash of Canterbury, but the music is blended into something quite unique. Excellent!

Another of the big 70's Italian bands to only put out one album and then bite the dust. They were heavily influenced by the first 3 Yes albums. Using Yes' style and English lyrics they created 4 extremely exciting songs : "Country Graveyard", "Picture of Dorian Gray", and "The Swan is a Murderer" Parts 1 & 2. The musicianship is real tight and I am sure Yes was impressed too. Of all the 70s Italian prog the sound quality on this one is tops- right up there with Locanda Delle Fate's first release. -- Clayton Self

Links

[See Goblin]

Chevalier (85), Tibet (86), Saarienne (87), Zantic le Jazzman (88)

Chevalier was guitarist with Magma in the Attahk through Retrospektiw period. His style is in a lighter jazz-rock vein, yet heavily influenced by the zeuhl sound. There are four albums: Chevalier/Eliard/Chevalier/Vandenbulcke, Tibet, Saharienne, and Zantic Le Jazzman. The first is the most intense and obviously Magma influenced, while the later ones further develop in the same style. All are exceptional. Start with Zantic, if only because it's on Musea and will be the easiest to find.

[See Magma]

Our Sunrise (74), Cherub Safety Match (75)

I have Cherub Safety Match. I guess I'd categorize it as light German rock/prog in the vein of Karthago, Randy Pie, Cry Freedom and the like. Like them, they include some progressive songs, like the 12-minute medley at the end and "Overture," the latter including the most keyboards (by Thor Baldursson, who has worked also with Amon Düül II, and Bo Born) alongside some decidedly un-progressive ones, like the country-rock "Catch The Train." There's also non-progressive songs incorporating progressive ideas, like the straight rock of "Adam And Eve," which incorporates a Gentle Giant-ish arrangement for recorders, and alternating bass and tenor voices. The mesmerizing "Choo Choo Train" with its droning organ and hypnotic vocal chants is the most typically German thing here. Overall pretty mediocre, nothing really makes you sit up and take notice. -- Mike Ohman

[See 2066 And Then]

Discography

Back to Square One (05) Chest Rockwell vs. The World (07) Flavor (07)

Reviews

Chest Rockwell - (not in photo order) Josh Hines (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, keyboard), Nick Rouse (drums, percussion, keyboard, backing vocals), Nick Stewart (bass, keyboard, percussion) and Seth Wilson (electric guitar, keyboard, percussion, backing vocals) A strange band from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Not your usual "prog band" by any stretch. I've only heard Chest Rockwell vs. The World, but half of their latest album, Flavor, is from ... vs. The World. Musically, an eclectic mix of '80's punk, '80's new wave, '90's indie and '70's Fripp and Eno. Lots of acoustic guitar, strange rhythms and vocals talking about odd subjects. Just about the time you think you've got it figured out, it goes off in a different direction. Simultaneously intriguing and annoying, brilliant and muddled, inventive and derivative. I can't remember an album so annoying that I keep putting it on again. Maybe Frank Zappa's earliest efforts. For whatever reason, there's just something about this album that keeps you coming back for another listen. So, despite the warts, this is a highly recommendable album that should have broad appeal to old-school proggers and youngsters looking for something different from the usual fare. One thing, though. The potato-nosed creatures on the album covers of all but their latest album don't do a thing for the band's image. Repulsive, stupid-looking and annoyingly fascinating all at once. You can do better than that, guys! What image are you trying to portray? Or maybe I'm just too old a fart to "get it". -- Fred Trafton

Links

Click here for Chest Rockwell's MySpace page.

Demos (9?)

Only heard a demo tape I had received as a dubbed copy of "Great Japanese band ranging from instrumental progressive to jazz." I have heard them compared to the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but I have never HEARD the Mahavishnu Orchestra, so I can not comment. The first piece on the demo, "Russia" reminds me of Red Queen To Gryphon Three era Gryphon for some reason, and the rest is quite jazzy and adventurous, but not in the same way that Henry Cow or RIO stuff would be; rather, it just sounds like a bunch of very competent musicians bashing out prog-jazz in a very fresh and inventive way. Oh yeah... the drummer's great. Plays a bit like Furio Chirico of Arti+Mestieri and The Trip, but a lot jazzier than the Trip stuff. He's fond of odd syncopations. Strongly recommended.

Discography

chimpan A (06)

Reviews

chimpan A - Rob Reed (keyboards, programming), Rob Thompson (guitars) and Steve Balsamo (vocals) chimpan A is a new project by the F2 guys, the label on which Magenta releases their albums. Their debut release can't be mistaken as a Magenta album, despite being co-written, performed, produced and engineered by Rob Reed. chimpan A features vocalist Steve Balsamo (he played the title role in a recent London revival of Jesus Christ Superstar) instead of Christina (though she does sing backup on at least one song), but the major difference is in the musical styling. Though there are progressive touches everywhere, it would be hard to call this a "prog album", certainly not in the sense that Magenta is "prog". This is more of a mix of progressive with alternative or post-rock and adult pop, with that odd feeling usually described as "edgy". But that's not a bad thing. The music is very emotional, crossing a wide variety of styles. It is very mature in the composition and sound quality. You'll never miss the lack of a drummer. Probably not for everyone who reads the GEPR, but if you enjoy acts like Peter Gabriel or Bjork, you will find a lot to like about this album. (If you need more "progginess", try the new Magenta album Home first ... stylistically, it's right in between this album and more "old school" prog.) But chimpan A's reworking of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" theme (yeah, the Exorcist melody) in "The Secret Wish" is worth the price of admission by itself. Oldfield would have never dreamed of this way to use that little note sequence. So what is "proggy" anyway? The more albums I review, the hazier the distinction seems to become. What I can say is chipan A is really good stuff, and you owe yourself a listen. Even if the name is dorky. Check out the samples on their web site or MySpace page. -- Fred Trafton

Links

[See Cyan | Fyreworks, The | Magenta | Othello Syndrome, The] Click here for chimpan A's web site Click here for chimpan A's MySpace page Click here for Steve Balsamo's web site

Christmas (70), Heritage (71)

Christmas developed out of Reign Ghost and was the precursor to The Spirit of Christmas. In fact, this is the core group that formed The Spirit of Christmas (minus vocalist Preston Wynn) and these guys show some of the hallmarks of the subsequent formation, including some fine drumming. Heritage was the band's second LP. The self-titled first is due out on The Laser's Edge sometime in the future and there are, I believe, plans to issue a previously unreleased live album. At more than 48 minutes, the LP was quite long by 1971 standards and the CD reissue contains an additional eight minutes in the form of two bonus tracks. Most of the songs are in the short 2-5 minute range but "April Mountain" is nearly 11 minutes and "Zephyr Song" weighs in at just over 13. Like the other two formations, Bob Bryden is the driving force as he wrote all the music and lyrics on this album. With a strong West Coast feel, you'll hear similarities to Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, early Steve Miller Band, etc; gone is the fuzz guitar. Guitarist Rob Bulger plays clean, clear, bluesy licks and even duels on occasion with Bryden's guitar. The sound is occasionally rounded out with miscellaneous keyboards, also played by Bryden. Christmas, despite their Canadian origins, would have been right at home at The Fillmore West. If you relish the hey-day of the Haight-Ashbury district, you'll do well to check out this album. Die-hard Prog fans need not apply.

[See Reign Ghost | Spirit of Christmas, The]

Discography

The Visitation (77) Alien Soundtracks (78) Half Machine Lip Moves (79) Red Exposure (80) Inworlds (81) Blood on the Moon (81) 3rd from the Sun (82) No Humans Allowed (82) Chrome Box (82) Raining Milk (83) Chronicles (84) Into the Eyes of the Zombie King (84) The Lyon Concert (85) Another World (86) Dreaming in Sequence (87) Tidal Forces (98)

Reviews

Very alternative sounding bay area band, noisy and anarchic. Lots of albums. Beware of catalog descriptions that may lead you to believe otherwise.

Noisy and harsh, with tons of feedback and a totally mind-damage overload of sound, Chrome created some unclassifiable music. As album titles suggest, sci-fi themes run throughout these works. Alien Soundtracks and Half Machine Lip Moves (available on one CD) are both excellent for those who like over-the-top noisy guitar-and-synth psychedelic industrial rock songs played at manic energy, mixed with short interludes of electronic weirdness, backwards tapes and mutant vocals and sudden jolting song transitions. 3rd from the Sun is quite good too, though a little more straightforward. After Helios Creed left in 1983, Damon Edge continued putting out albums under the name Chrome, but these are considered to be far inferior to earlier releases, so avoid. After Edge passed away, Creed reformed Chrome for Tidal Forces, which is actually quite good, with moments that almost recapture the classic Chrome sound. -- Rolf Semprebon

Live at the Whiskey Au Go Go (75), Ima Wa Toki No Subete (75), Like A Message From the Stars (77)

Offshoot from Far East Family Band; cosmic keyboards and shimmering guitar leads.

[See Far East Family Band]

The Churchills (68)

Early psych from Israel, they moved to England and changed their name to Jericho Jones, then simply Jericho. They also changed styles. The Churchills' single album is said to be a psych classic, but I found it to be too silly in the lyrics department for my tastes. Though still not great, I prefered their later work as Jericho. Fans of early psych may really go for this album, though, so check it out.

[See Apocalypse (Israel) / Jericho | Jericho Jones]

Discography

Chute Libre (77) Ali Baba (78)

Reviews

Cinelou brothers from this band joined Pierre Moerlen's Gong.

Links

Click Gong, Pierre Moerlen's Click here for further info.

Discography

Vida (Sons do Quotidiano) (77, EP) 10.000 Anos Depois Entre Vénus e Marte (78)

Reviews

José Cid is said to be the father of Portuguese symphonic rock. He founded Quarteto 1111, the first band to present a newly approach to music, with a modern line-up and instrumentation. His prolific career led him to publish several singles and albums. The only one with interest for progressive rock fans (at least, to the history of progressive music) has been 10.000 Anos ... Most of the songs, influenced by a sort of mix combining The Moody Blues and Pink Floyd psychedelia were composed by Cid, some of them with the help of bass player Mike Sargent and drummer Ramon Galarza. The pop inclinations of José Cid led him to found during the late 70's a 4 piece vocal pop group (Green Windows) in the line of Abba (they even went to Eurovision song contest!). Cid, himself kept a career as songwriter and singer (and went once again, this time by himself, to the Eurovision song contest!) -- Paulo Pereira I suggest that you include on José Cid's discography a very good piece of progressive rock launched before 10.000 Anos Depois .... I'm talking about an EP from 1977 with the title Vida (Sons do Quotidiano). The EP contains only one song of the same name. The musicians are: José Cid (vocals and keyboards); José Carrapa (guitar); Zé Nabo (bass); and Guilherme Inês (drums). -- Rui Laires

Links

[See Quarteto 1111]

Cincinnato (74)

Rare Italian quartet, in the vein of PFM. Very good.

Discography

Cinderella Search (93) Stories of Luminous Garden (01)

Reviews

Cinderella Search Cinderella Search is the title of a Marillion song, but this band doesn't really sound that much like Marillion to me. Which is fine, because I think they're a lot more interesting than Marillion, especially since the departure of Fish. They do, however, sound very British; if someone played these CD's for me "cold", I would never guess they were Japanese. I hope they would take this as a compliment, because they seem to be trying very hard to sound like a '70's U.K. progressive band ... and have succeeded very well! Cinderella Search says they were inspired by Genesis, Marillion and UK. The influence of first two are probably more clearly evident on their first, self-titled album. Here are all the trademark choral and flute Mellotrons, Steve Hackettish guitars (electric and acoustic), and Tony Banksian keyboards, (on synths and piano). But they also branch out to other styles that don't sound so derivative, and their vocalist Akihisa Nakamura sounds nothing like Peter Gabriel or Fish, but sings in a rather high register. He seems to have a unique accent, but doesn't sound at all Japanese as he croons out his English lyrics. On this first album, violinist Junko Minobe is experimenting with lots of violin styles, including Celtic, Classical and even a brief flurry of Country fiddle, but hasn't settled on a particular style yet. On Cinderella Search, the band really has a mostly quiet, layed-back sound like Camel. Some of it also reminds me of the more organic songs from White Willow. Now with their 2001 release, Stories of Luminous Garden, one can clearly hear the UK influence, due mostly to their heavy reliance on Minobe's violin parts (she also plays with Un Known and sits in with Azoth). She has now found her sound ... a lot like Eddie Jobson circa the first UK album, or perhaps a bit like Jerry Goodman. This album rocks a lot more than their first, in fact a couple of the songs, "Mon Ami Pierrot" and "Silent Fairy Dance" are so bombastic, I would almost call them Arena Rock. Don't take that as a negative ... they just sound very pompous as opposed to some of the more laid-back cuts like the almost classical "Snowfall (Reprise)" with its string quartet. Other songs feature jazzy fusion-style electric piano, new-wavy sequencers and drums, and even a musical nod to "Watcher of the Skies" at the beginning (solo string Mellotron). They never let the music get boring or predictable. Cinderella Search is known (in Japan) for their theatrical live performances like early Genesis (you can see vocalist Nakamura in a Gabriel-like mask in the photo above ... most photos I've seen of him, he's either in makeup or in a mask). Pardon the hyperbole here, but I can only say that this is one of the better '70's style progressive bands I've ever heard, and I can't recommend them highly enough. You do have one major problem ... I can't figure out where to tell you to buy these titles! They don't seem to be handled by the usual mail-order houses (Syn-Phonic, M&M, Artist Shop, etc.), so I don't have any idea how you can get your hands on these incredible CD's. The titles may be available from their web site, but if so, it will be hard for any English-speaking consumers to tell (I sure can't tell!). They clearly need some distribution channels outside of Japan! -- Fred Trafton NEWS: Guitarist Masayuki Adachi of Azoth has made Cinderella Search's latest CD available by mail-order from his web site. Click the link below. MORE NEWS: Cinderella Seach's two albums are now available from Japanese distributor Music Term, along with a number of other Japanese titles. -- Fred Trafton

Links

[See Azoth | Un Known] Click here for Cinderella Search's web site, mostly in Kanji (undisplayable in most western browsers) with some Romaji (English) Click here to mail order Cinderella Search CD's from the Azoth web site Click here to order Cinderella Search CD's from Music Term in Japan

Cinema (??)

Discography

The Seven Stories (97) Into the State of Flux (00)

Reviews

Cinema includes the keyboard player, guitarist and drummer from Fromage's final line-up, as well as bassist, violinist and a woman vocalist with operatic qualifications. On Into the State of Flux (Musea FGBG 4346.AR), they have moved away from Fromage's rather obvious neo-progressive rock sound, but they still maintain a heavy synthesizer presence, melodic accessibility and, unfortunately, a very uneven song quality. The album is at its best in guitarist Tohru Ohta's two compositions, the 19-minute "Color of Soul", where guitar and keyboards give a truly symphonic treatment to strong, at times Asian-flavoured themes, and the lush, classically-influenced "A Dayfly and a Sunflower" with an elegant string arrangement and beautiful high-register vocalise from Hiromi Fujimoto. In contrast, many of keyboardist Yushihiko Kitamura's pieces are pretty but sugary instrumentals that come closer to new age than progressive rock. Drummer Hirozaku Taniguchi's two songs are rather average, simple symphonic numbers, where Fujimoto's vocals sound a bit listless and out of place confined to a lower register and more rock-style melodies. Elsewhere there is more classical influence in the mainly instrumental compositions, but the whole album leaves an unbalanced impression, with "eureka!" mingling with "been there, done that", and the band's instrumental capabilities and vocal strengths often seem underemployed (especially violinist Tokiko Nakanishi). My main gripe with this album, however, is with the boxy and damped sound quality and the mix that seems ever in the state of flux without finding a satisfactory form. The drumming, admittedly the least impressive part overall, sounds like the drummer is hitting plastic cans, and the powdery, sparkling and swirling keyboard layers regularly jump distractively in and out of focus, blurring other instrumental lines. So if mellow, borderline-new agey atmospheres don't scare you, there just might be enough gorgeous melodies on this album to justify getting it, but even then I would definitely suggest listening to it first. There is too much room for improvement on Into the State of Flux for me to recommend it to anyone without reservations. -- Kai Karmanheimo

Links

[See Fromage | Heretic] Click here for Cinema's web site

Discography

No Ordinary Man (99) One Who Whispers (02) Elemental Forces (06)

Reviews

Cipher - Dave Sturt (studio effects and bass) and Theo Travis (flutes and saxes) Cipher is a "dark ambient" (their description) band headed by Dave Sturt (Jade Warrior's '90's albums) playing bass and sampled wierdness and Theo Travis on saxes and flutes. They have close ties to the Gong crowd, in fact One Who Whispers features Daevid Allen playing his "glissando" style guitar on 2/3 of the tracks, and the CD is being distributed via GAS (the Gong Appreciation Society). They also have ties with Porcupine Tree, since both No Ordinary Man and One Who Whispers were produced by Steven Wilson and also because Richard Barbieri (keyboardist for Porcupine Tree and Rain Tree Crow) guests on both albums. But enough of name-dropping. These guys are from the "in crowd", OK? But what does their music sound like? I haven't heard their first album, but judging from One Who Whispers, I have to say: "Dark ambient" my foot ... this is pure stoned-out space rock. Much like Daevid Allen's spacier solo works (there are no vocals on One Who Whispers) with, perhaps, a bit of Porcupine Tree's more modern "alternative" sound. Or even flirtations with house dub here and there. But this is music to get stoned to, no doubt about it. Longish (each cut is about 5 to 6 minutes), echoed-up slowly-evolving works guaranteed to spur imaginative introspections. I love this kind of stuff. Perhaps a bit on the predictable side, but very nicely done! Recommended! One Who Whispers is available from the Gong web site (see link below). No Ordinary Man is currently out of print, though the band is working on getting a second pressing done, so check their web site for latest information on this. Thanks to my friend in Uzbekistan, Vitaly Menshikov, for turning me on to this CD. -- Fred Trafton

One Who Whispers is the second album by kind of a supergroup Cipher. Their debut album, No Ordinary Man, was released in 1999. Theo Travis has also five solo albums to his credit. Here are some excerpts from the One Who Whispers CD press kit. "The new album further explores Cipher's individual sound world, mixing live flute, sax, and bass with dark soundscapes and hypnotic layers of looped instrumental atmospheres. Six tracks feature the "glissando" guitar textures of Gong's Daevid Allen. The guitar signal is heavily processed through echoes and loops of different lengths, which can then be reversed or played at different speeds. The result is a hypnotic sound that is both textural and expressive. Many of the soundscapes and samples are in fact performed by Dave Sturt's MIDI-bass, by which different notes on an electric bass trigger washes of sound, beats, or abstract noises." In fact, this music does not concern Progressive. I have written dozens reviews of truly progressive albums that bring to the listener "a healthy dose of hypnotism". Of course, where could one hide a hypnotism in those randomly built up soundscapes that dominate throughout the One Who Whispers album? (Or, maybe, I should take a "healthy" dose of LSD to feel it?) This opus is almost entirely filled with an incredibly slow and tedious music, which affects me like a real somnambulant. Maybe, this kind of hypnotism is implied in the CD press kit? Yes, each of the "whispered pieces" (a very silent sound is rather typical for this album) features also the live parts of either a flute or alto saxophone. However, almost all the solos of these wind instruments are as incredibly slow as the sound sculptures themselves, which, in their turn, are almost as inanimate as real sculptures. IMHO, there are no real compositions on One Who Whispers. The album is filled with nothing else but pushbutton music, which, moreover, would've been completely dead without the parts of real wind instruments and a few solos of bass. (Personally however, I consider all of it just a dead music, anyway. Though especially, I am curious why the pages of the best progressive magazines are occupied with positive reviews of the albums that were really just sculpted?) Music must be composed by composers, and not built up by engineers and designers. Any sugary AOR and even pop music performed by a real band is much better than all the so-called sound designs and sculptures. -- Vitaly Menshikov

Links

[See Allen, Daevid | Jade Warrior | Porcupine Tree | Rain Tree Crow] Click here for Cipher's web site Click here for Theo Travis' web site Click here for a Dave Sturt web page Click here to order One Who Whispers from the Gong web site

Discography

Meronia (94) Zopalki (96) Hissi (96) Fraten (97) Kollekt (98) Pori (98) Andexelt (99) Prospekt (00) Raunio (01, Live) Taantumus (01) Sunrise (02) Alotus (03)

Reviews

Circle - Janne Westerlund, Jyrki Laiho, Tomi Leppänen, Mika Rättö, Jussi Lehtisalo (Photo: Kalevi Rainio) Circle came together in the Finnish city of Pori in 1991, and since then have churned out a daunting number of releases on independent labels Bad Vugum, Metamorphos and their own, Ektro. Apart from the band's "democratic dictator", multi-instrumentalist Jussi Lehtisalo, their whole line-up has changed several times, but they have retained a fundamental and recognisable, yet progressively mutable style - prompting one critic to say that "Circle have been making the one and the same album for the past ten years." Their early singles established the basic style in its rawest form: single-mindedly ticking but aggressively energetic rhythms and simple distortion guitar riffs repeated ad nauseam, but also spacey synthesizer drones and almost Gregorian chant-like vocals singing in an ad hoc mixture of English, Latin and improvisatory nonsense the band initial dubbed Meronian. Krautrock and Hawkwind's space jams stood as obvious influences, Circle balancing on the same fine line between mesmerising minimalism and mindless monotony - and often trampling on both sides of it. These were later compiled, along with a few rarities, on the CD Kollekt. Their first long-play, Meronia, was a bit heavier affair, a relentless assault of heavy guitar riffs and grinding beats with the hymnal vocals and spectral synthesizer washes providing an eerie contrast. Zopalki was somewhat less monolithic, with its more substantial portions of frosty keyboards, cello, dynamics and variation on the guitar cycles making for a more polychromatic sound. Hissi (Lift) was a major departure into space, with the guitar masses and voices replaced by nebulae of digital drones, tart textures and (often cheap) effects, created with synths and processed guitars, which showed the influence of the trance-oriented electronica scene. Though now more layered and hypnotic than bludgeoning, the basic beats remained insistently repetitive, but the album left a scattered and bit aimless overall impression, an experiment that didn't quite work out. Fraten returned to the more focused guitars/drums sound, but with a cleaner, more texture-oriented approach that hinted more openly at the Teutonic monotonists Can and Neu!. The use of Stick, largely non-distorted but processed guitars and the increasing polyrhythmic complexity within still superficially simple musical framework of one riff per song also suggested a few lessons in 1980's Crimsonics. Pori was a kind of homage to the band's hometown, and incorporated a few jazzy saxophone solos into the sound on the long closer "Porin jazzjuhlat" (inspired by the annual jazz festival in Pori), but also a few more laid-back and earthier moments, such as the affably melodious somnambulation in the summer wind, "Kruunu päähä Pori kuningas" (Put your Crown on, King of Pori), and the brief but haunting, Ligetiesque cello/choral number "Seisomakatsomo" (Standing-room-only sections). Synthesizer was also more prominent as the lead instrument than before. In contrast to the spacey, largely instrumental ambience of these releases, Taantumus (tellingly, Regression) was in many places a throwback to the guitar walls and monasterial chanting of their first two albums, though one that still bore the marks of lessons learned in the years between. This rather diverse album sported one of Circle's best songs, the rolling "Valtaisa hahmo" (An Enormous Shape) whose jagged riffs and plangent vocals (in Finnish this time) evoked the spirit of another idiomatic Finnish prog band, Haikara. On the other hand, Faust was the closest association to be made with "Pelqton", seven minutes of monotonously grinding wall-to-wall guitar noise and drum splashing beyond which pearly piano sounds, jazzy percussion and the kind of gurgling that suggest a death metal vocalist accidentally swallowing his microphone distantly echoed. The live record Raunio (Ruins) had lots of Hawkwind-style one-chord jams with pumping bass lines and excessive distortion, but also employed the rather stentorian voice of keyboardist Mika Rättö (from Moon Fog Prophet, another Pori prog band) to create fascinating and sometimes frightening layers of drones on many numbers. In addition to live improvisations, it featured one song from both Taantumus and Prospekt, the album where Circle have come closest to straight-ahead, psychedelic guitar-rock. Which isn't all that close, really. It is difficult to keep up with the band's releases, and by the time you read this, they will probably have at least two or three new releases out. For the moment, their latest work is Sunrise which sees the band branching into surprising directions, especially the retro-metal style of tracks like "Nopeuskuningas" (Speed King) and "Hautain takaa" (From Beyond the Graves) which are almost like chorusless NWOBHM songs with space rock keyboards, typically cyclical guitar riffs and Rättö's absolutely lunatic vocals. On the other hand, the acoustic "Satulinnut" (Fairytale Birds) is more akin to Moon Fog Prophet on their Finnish albums, and the 15-minute hypno-motoristic jam "Lokki" (Seagull) is like driving against the traffic on the "Autobahn" with neither lights nor breaks - or as close as it is possible to get on a Finnish freeway. I find most of these albums stretch out farther than their material would warrant, but those who are fond of the repetitive grooves and eerie atmospheres of Can particularly could well be taken by some of them. Meronia, Prospekt, Pori and Fraten are all good places to start: if you prefer crunch, try the first two; if texture, the latter pair. -- Kai Karmanheimo

Links

[See Moon Fog Prophet] Click here for Circle's web site

Discography

Circus (76) Movin' On (77) All Stars Live (78) Fearless Tears And Even Less (80)

Reviews

Quoted as being close to Van Der Graaf Generator, I was eager to hear them but surprised to find out that Circus' Movin' On sounds nothing like VDGG at all. In fact the only comparison to VDGG I could try and explain would be in the way Circus are similar to Aerosol Grey Machine or Least We Could Do... period VDGG, in the quiet phases. While I would never try and lower Peter Hammill, Circus' lead vocalist (and guitars and sax) is a far more confident and less "harsh" singer than Hammill, and has a deep voice with a bluesy feel to it. The music is definitely within early Crimson realms, yet is much more innovative (IMHO) than Crimson in the early seventies (pre Larks Tongue's). For one thing, there are no keyboards and instead we have a wide array of musical instruments, from an excellent drummer/vibes player, to flute, bass, sax, and 12-string guitar. These guys were really something special, and remain at least for me, the best band to come from Switzerland. Although there seem to be no plans, I hope their 1st, third and fourth albums get similar treatment!

Let's get the negative part out of the way first: the vocals. They're excellent. For the most part, Roland Frei's voice reminded me of a cross between Freddie Mercury, George Michael, and Preston Wynn of Spirit of Christmas, a rich tenor voice that is liquid smooth and distinctive. Vocals are present for about half the album and they are a pleasure to listen to, and I don't care for vocals. Well, if they excellent vocals are the worst part, then what does that say about the music? It smokes. Tight interplay between all instruments and a great rhythmic foundation can be found in the bass and drums. Each player, including the guitar player, is definitely very proficient on his instrument. Not readily comparable to anyone else (a compliment of the highest regard), Circus weaves a musical texture that is both melodic and intense. It's dynamic, melodic, instense, laidback, a must.

Links

[See Blue Motion]

Discography

Circus (69) Listen To The Band (70) - Note: Unknown whether this should be listed here or under Cirkus

Reviews

Circus made two singles in 1967 and 1968, followed by their only album (as far as I can tell), which is about half cover versions, half original tunes written by saxophonist Mel Collins [pre-King Crimson?]. The extended instrumental sections in their version of "Norwegian Wood" have some very primitive-sounding fuzz guitar converging and entangling with the saxophone, and the clouting drums push the band to the brink of chaos in the Crimson fashion at one point. Most of their original tunes, however, are bucolic numbers with emphasis on acoustic guitar and dulcet sax or flute. There is definite jazziness to their instrumentals (e.g. their cover of Mingus' "II B.S."), but the band never really forsake the soft touch. It's all very pretty and deftly performed, but not terribly distinctive. Rather dated psychedelia bordering on the early British prog sound, though the lack of keyboards distances it from the organ-dominated mainstream. The CD re-release is by Castle (ESMCD 926). Though they apparently were darlings of the music scene for a short while, the band are now notable mainly for Collins' presence in their ranks, and under no circumstances are they to be confused with Cirkus, a completely different British progressive rock band. Or the Swiss band Circus. Or any of the other obscure Circuses waiting to be rediscovered in the desk drawers of oblivion. -- Kai Karmanheimo

Links

[See King Crimson]

Circus 2000 (70), An Escape From a Box (72)

This 70's Italian band (vocals in English) employs some unique ideas in their sound, as well as some progressive tendencies, including rapid shifts from soft acoustics to hard rocking electrified guitar jams, etc. Some folk influences are also apparent in the sound, as well as typical late sixties psychedelic folk-rock type harmonies led by lead vocalist Sylviana Aliotta.

A classic Italian psych band. Both albums are similar, though An Escape From a Box sounds a little more mature. Psych fans should be sure to give them a listen. Overall, I like them pretty well, though it depends on my mood. Sometimes they sound a little too much the same. Pretty balanced between the female vocalist and electric and acoustic guitars. It grows on you, though.

The first LP was really commercial and the lyrics in english. The second LP was much better and the voice of Silvana Aliotta is wonderful.When the band dissolved, Franco Lo Previte went to Nova and then Kim and The Cadillac.

Discography

The First Goodbye (82)

Reviews

Cirkel was a Dutch band from the mid-eighties that hopped on the progressive rock band wagon. The First Goodbye was their debut album and this Musea reissue includes two bonus songs. The first thing I noticed on my initial listening was the similarity of Cirkel's vocals to Depeche Mode. Cirkel was apparently creating a hybrid of New Wave and progressive rock that sort of works, yet they could have tried harder for some originality. The bridge in the middle of "A Song of Love and Hate" is the main riff from John Foxx's hit single "Miles Away" and the chorus from "Sea" is a direct quotation from The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin", "and I love you, oh how I love you." It is even sung with the same emotional intensity! The First Goodbye does have its moments, the best being the final track "Elfin". "Elfin" is the most inventive song on the album abounding with majestic themes, distorted vocals, and a musical tribute to The Moody Blues. If you ever wondered what it would have sounded like if The Moody Blues had been born 20 years later in Holland, you should check out this reissue.

The band members were Hans Den Hartog (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Hennie Van Mourik (bass) and Ad Struijk (drums). Van Mourik went on to play bass for Maryson and Ice. -- Fred Trafton

Links

[See Ice (Netherlands) | Maryson]

Discography

Circus (69) - Note: This is the album now listed under Circus [UK] Listen To The Band (70) - Note: Unknown whether this should be listed here or under Circus [UK] One (73) Mellissa (76, EP) Future Shock (77, as Future Shock?) 2 (The Global Cut) (94) Pantomyme (98)

Reviews

Interestingly, we have conflicting information on this band. The entry immediately following was in the original GEPR, and attributed the first 3 albums to this band, though One was listed as being recorded in 1971. Since this seems to be an odd title for a third album, I'm more inclined to go with Kai Karmanheimo's information in the next entry after that and believe that Cirkus and Circus [UK] are actually two different bands. But since I'm not sure, I've kept both points of view. Perhaps since these guys resurfaced in the late '90's again, I can get ahold of someone in the band via e-mail and ask them. If I get clarification on this, I'll add it to this entry. -- Fred Trafton

Early prog ala Cressida, Spring, Salamander, Moody Blues; Apparently changed spelling after first release; Mel Collins was in band before he joined with King Crimson.

It has been said that when the early-70's progressive boom goosed the bewildered record companies onto a signing spree to obtain some progressive artist roster, all you really needed to get a record contract was a woodwind and a Mellotron. Cirkus didn't have a woodwind, so that's probably why their album only came out as late as 1973, but they did have a Mellotron and a feel for a Moody Blues-style combination of acoustic guitar-driven English nostalgia, organ-heavy post-psychedelic pop hooks and quasi-classical orchestral bombast. The swelling "and I love you" chorus of "Song for Tavish" has "Nights in White Satin" written all over it. However, Cirkus also exhibit considerable electric guitar edge and in songs like "You Are", "Brotherly Love" and the two-part "Title Track" briskness, rhythmic vigour and string-section laced symphonic dramatics that the Moodies could never hope to match. Fans of song-based early prog should have no trouble eating up One. The CD re-release One plus (Audio Archives AACD 009) is padded with number of bonus tracks, including two short songs recorded on a 4-track in 1971. Their sound is very grainy and crackly but the music is pretty interesting, especially the silvery "The Heaviest Stone", which sounds like it has had some post-1971 overdubs. Finally, there are all three tracks from the 1976 EP Mellissa, recorded with a different singer who also plays some saxophone, finally giving the band that missing woodwind. All the songs are more straight-forward and harder-edged than the One material, though the title track (another one in the noble tradition of love songs to inflatable dolls) has some mildly interesting synthesizer work. Data on the band's later discographic manoeuvres in the seventies is inconclusive, but it would appear that in 1977 they recorded an album called Future Shock, which was based on a theatre piece that the band had been involved with. The soundtrack connection is probably why some sources list this under Future Shock, not under Cirkus (either that or the band changed their name on the way). What is sure, however, is that they reformed in the 1990s and released two more albums as Cirkus. -- Kai Karmanheimo

Disc