Vytas Brenner - “Hermanos” [1974] @256 Essential South American Prog, Highly Recommended

Vytas Brenner, was a Venezuelan in his heart although he was born in Tubingen, Germany in 1946. His parents emigrated to South America in 1948 and he studied in the famous Emil Friedman School, an institution dedicated to form composers and performers since an early age. In 1958 he travelled to Italy and Spain and there he formed several juvenile bands like Vytas Brenner Quartet, Brenner’s Folk or The Pic Nics. In 1967 he went to USA to study electronic music in Tenesee Conservatory and later in Nashville College where he graduated with honors in 1972. That year he went back to Venezuela and started a long relation with Venezuelan folkloric music, an influence that permeates all his posterior works. At that time he was also obviously influenced by the electronic kraut scene (specially Cluster and Tangerine Dream) and devoted himself to the possibilities of synthtizers and the potential of the fusion of modern electronic sounds, progressive rock and acoustic aboriginal and folk elements.

The unique and marvellous results was edited in 5 albums, with his band “Ofrenda” (Offering) at the time the most important prog rock outfit of Latin America, with great albums as “Hermanos” , “Jayeche", and others including the spectacular “En Vivo” (Live).

In all of them one finds a dizzying connection bonding afrolatin percussion, Venezuelan cuatros and maracas, frantic Joropo and Golpe rhythms, abstract pre ambient noise, natural effects, all that seasoned with rock combo of bass, electric guitars and drums.

Although he could have followed the path of other latin musicians as Santana, or even go to join the Fusion army that plagued vinyl industry at the time, he choose to stay on the symph-prog and art side of things. Nevertheless he was very successful in Venezuela and achieved certain local fame in Latin America.

Sadly the political and economical situation of the country after the currency crash in 1983 (The Black Friday) , obliged Vytas to leave to Europe. He never achieved there the success he had in South America and preferred to stay in the shadow, semi retired and managing a recording studio, although he visited Venezuela briefly during the 90’s and gave a free concert at Plaza Morelos with a simpler line up: only his keyboards and percussionist extraordinaire Nené Quintero.

His last two works where the suite Oro Negro, Performed by Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra in 1989 (Oro Negro means Black Gold, an obvious refrence to the Venezuelan richness in oil) and later the aboriginal ethnic-new-agey “Amazonia" (1995)

Sadly Vytas’s untimely death caused by a heart attack in 2004 took from us a great musician, which I believe was about to give us more surprises. Life seems truly absurd at times.

Eventually I will post all his albums

Ladies and Gentlemen, prog fans or not, it is an honour to give you, Vytas Brenner.

Keep Listening…!!!

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Vytas Brenner - Madrugada...

Jukka Tolonen - "Tolonen!" [1971] @ 192 (Finnish Jazz Fusion)

It was Kinda hard to find info about this album, so I had to take what I could get. This review came from a translation of a German website: http://tinyurl.com/m64w9

Jukka Tolonen took up this first solo plate already 1971, at hardly 20 years old. The exclamation mark behind the name is absolutely justified: Here the Finnish exception guitarist put the foundation-stone for his large career, which he already began few years before with Tasavallan a Presidentti and also Wigwam. And it made an important contribution with this album to set Finland on the musical map of the world.

The pieces work remarkably matured; ” Element: Earth, Fire, Water, air “about convinces as Suite with four different topics and tendencies. Beautifully also the lyric” Mountains “, only with Pekka Pöyry (ss). Besides still Pekka Pohjola and Heikki Virtanen (B), Reino Laine and/or Ronnie Österberg (dr) and Jukka Gustavsson (org) for Groove and tension ensure. Tolonen plays idea-rich and flinkfingrig; its technology, particularly the left hand makes its sound already here absolutely unmistakable. One of the completely important year 70's from Finland. (tjk)

Highly Recommended!

Track 1 - Elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air......

Performers:
All Tracks : Jukka Tolonen (g, p, spinet)
Tracks 1, 4, 5: Pekka Pohjola (b)
Tracks 1, 2: Reino Laine (dr)
Tracks 1, 2, 3: Pekka Pöyry (ss, as)
Tracks 2: Heikki Virtanen
Tracks 4, 5: Ronni Österberg (dr)
Tracks 5: Jukka Gustavson (org)

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Tangerine Dream - "Tangram" [1980] @ 224 (Electronic Ambient Prog)

I saw there was a request for some Tangerine Dream, so here it is!

In 1980, at the dawn of a new decade, and with a new lineup, Tangerine Dream pumped out more freaky fuel for intrepid inner-space explorers, in the form of TANGRAM. The title track takes its name from a Chinese puzzle that requires a square to be divided into five triangles, a smaller square and a rhomboid, which are then shifted to create different shapes. Long-term member Peter Baumann had departed, and been replaced by Johannes Schmoelling, who fit in well with Edgar Froese and Chris Franke, and made the transition painless and almost undetectable for this longstanding fan.

This is one of the trio's better 80s efforts, beyond a doubt. As befitted the new era, the band's sound was somewhat updated, clear, and fresh, but retained more than enough of the old mystic magic to please their devoted followers. All of the essential TD elements, from gently drifting spacey parts, to more rhythmic sequences and almost frightening sections, can be found here, along with an increased focus on melody (which would only grow in the years to come). This manifest desire to augment the beauty of the music may not have met with universal approval, but -- for me, at least -- it contributed to the group's overall depth, and breadth of appeal.

The shorter, upbeat, almost danceable numbers that were to come, had yet to surface at this stage -- the disc is composed of two "side long" suites. "Tangram Set 1," in classic TD fashion, draws upon a rich and varied palette of tones and emotions, and the diverse sections of this musical "mind puzzle" flow and meld smoothly together in a unified whole. "Tangram Set 2," despite its similar title, is thematically independent, yet, for my money, every bit as interesting and good as its forerunner.

This engaging electronica, as with all of TD's extensive oeuvre, is not suited to all tastes. Still, for those who occasionally enjoy music that soothes, and invites flights of fancy (rather than bludgeoning the listener into submission with rapid-fire, grandstanding riffage), TANGRAM can provide an ideal aural ambiance for pleasurable pursuits from reading to reverie, romancing and reposing. A must for the committed Tangerine Dreamer!

Think 'electronic tubular bells' and you won't be far from a good description of the music on this album.

--- http://www.progarchives.com

Highly Recommended!

Seeing as how this album is just 2 long suites, there won't be any samples, they would be too big. Sorry!

Keep Listening!!!!

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Jan Hammer - The First Seven Days 1975 @ 320 (electronic ambient jazz)

This is another release on the Nemperor label (see Jerry Goodman & Jan Hammer in the May archive) and is a far cry from fast and heavy Mahavishnu Orchestra for whom Hammer provided his considerable keyboard skills.

This is a concept album, the subject matter being obvious and is instrumental. I'm pleased to say that Hammer is not being a creationist here, he refers to the concept as being valid whether a day is 24 hours or a hundred million years, I go for the latter!

Almost all the instruments are played by Hammer, with exception of violin from another ex-Mahavishnu, Steve Kindler and congas. It is evokative and beautiful, full of lovely melodies.

Even though the abum had a major label backing, it sank, from memory, without a trace. pity as it deserves recognition. Just listen to the sample, a good guide to the album as a whole.

Hammer went on to write music for crap TV programmes before dropping out of the music industry completely some years ago.

I recommend this album as a forgotten jewel.

Darkness-Earth In Search Of A Sun


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Stanley Clarke - Children Of Forever 1973 @320 (modern jazz)

Many think that the mighty "Stanley Clarke" on Nemperor records was the great bassists first album, not so, this is in fact the first and what a different beast it is!

It comes from a time when Clarke was a member of the first Return To Forever, the band that fearured Joe Farrell, Aitro, Flora Purim, not to mention Chick Corea. Note that he is referred to as "Stan" on the cover.

Thus the music does have similiarities with that fantastic band, after all Chick Corea plays on this album as well. However the most startling difference is the use of vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and the wonderful Andy Bey. I'm not sure it all works as well as Clarke had hoped. It is good, nonetheless. the standout track is the last one, a 16 minute opus, "Sea Journey", featuring drummer Lenny white and guitarist Pat Martino.

I must say that this is vastly better than some of his later fusion work, the stuff that gave fusion a bad name!

In commenting on this album, it would be an oversight not to mention that Clarke is one of the few musicians who can honestly say that they have transformed the role of the electric bass.

Enjoy!

Bass Folk Song

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Abdel Aziz El Mubarak - Straight From The Heart 1989 @ 320 (World)

A complete change of pace. nothing like a change! Abdel Aziz El Mubarak is Sudanese and plays a popular music like no other.

I will not comment much about this album as I am not sure what to say, sufffice I first heard it on a cover CD for Songlines and was smitten. After months I tracked down the CD and was not disappointed, intense, joyful, danceable all at once.

This album was voted by the world music magazine, Songlines, a few years ago as one of the greatest world music albums ever released.

Who am I to argue?

Just listen to the sample to be convinced.

Ya A'Asaal


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Le Orme - "Verità Nascoste" [1976] @ VBR 224 (Excellent Italian Progressive Rock)

Excellent 70's Italian progressive trio (still around today) with classical stylings, featuring keyboards to the fore and a unique dreamy/powerful style. Le Orme was one of the three major Italian groups, the other two being PFM and Banco. This band is usually considered as the Italian ELP and even Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso by the Italian singing. Its music is based upon organ developments and soli reminding Seventies groups which works are essentially built upon keyboards parts.

Verità Nascoste is an excellent album recorded in London and released by Le Orme in 1976, after the previous and more commercial Smogmagica, which has its interesting moments, yet. Now Tolo Marton is gone, replaced by other guitarist Germano Serafin who stayed with the group until 1982. He sadly passed on in 1992. Electric guitar takes now its own place, a more appropriate and right equilibrium with the mythic keyboards of Toni Pagliuca. Verità Nascoste signed the most high point of glory for Le Orme in Italy.

The opener is the strong 6 mns piece titled Insieme al Concerto (Together at the Concert). It starts with the usual soft acoustic guitar and is well conducted and played to a more strong melodic-prog way from the 2nd minute. ”People has already gone away…what a marvellous full-moon evening…”. In Ottobre is a 6:43 long track, another favourite of mine, speaking about the time the group spent in London to work on this good release. They commenced October the first and finished October the 31th. Great rhythm session here, one of the best tunes of the album. Verità Nascoste is a soft and acoustic gem within very nice strings, presage of what would have appeared later, with the excellent 1979 album Florian.

Vedi Amsterdam… is the true highlight, in my honest opinion! “Mothers don’t know why their sons go to Amsterdam…Never-crying-Venice…”. Great keyboards parts, very good drums and bass, it reminds me of Contrappunti album! Regina al Troubadour is another good 6:44 long piece with soft opening vocals: “Queen of the Snow, we’re sitting besides you, why you cannot say no? You give to each one the Most Near Good…easy, so easy!”. Radiofelicità is an interesting song, not at the level of the previous tracks, though. Radio frequencies acting during the song…some more commercial keyboards. Salmoni is an awesome arranged track with funny lyrics telling all the risks and the dangerous life of these fishes during their river-climbing. Il Gradino Più Stretto del Cielo is another excellent track in a very similar Contrappunti vein!

-- http://www.progarchives.com

Highly Recommended!

Track 2 - In Ottobre.............

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Oregon - Roots In The Sky 1979 @320 (modern acoustic jazz)

There was a request for Oregon, following the Larry Coryell post, so here they are.

Oregon have an original sound, totally their own. The band evolved from the Paul Winter Consort and in particular, "Icarus" and the live album, "Road". Soon after leaving Winter, the core members formed Oregon, which still plays today, with a few forced personnel changes.

This album features all original members:

Ralph Towner - guitars, piano
Colin Walcott - percussion
Glen Moore - bass
Paul McCandless - wind

They are more of an ensemble than a group with a soloist, they perform very much as one. Towner, as you can here on the sample and the Coryell album, adds colour and rhythm on 6 and twelve string guitars, solos are sparse and often finish before you realize they have started, Walcott seems to have in infinite range ot rhythms, Moore just has a beautiful tone, whilst McCandless is ever inventive and as he does not play the usual jazz instruments, his sound is totally orignal. The whole sound is more important than individual musicians.

Throughly recommended


June Bug

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Jorge Reyes & Antonio Zepeda : “ A La Izquierda del Colibrí” [1986] @256 Electro Ritual Aztec Proggresion

Jorge Reyes and Antonio Zepeda are two Mexican experimental percussionists that have been working with pre Columbian instruments for more than a decade, mixing these ancient sounds with electronic sampling and processing, all kind of synths and rhythm boxes, and even electric guitar.
The use of modern technology doesn’t take any of the ancient mystic mood to their music. Actually they re-create the Aztec rituals in all their splendour and all their darkness. Let’s not forget that this was a culture which worshipped death and believed in a dusty, gloomy, and eternally nocturnal underworld in where feathered snakes, sinister humming birds, and dog-headed people dwelled, hunted and wandered. They were also very keen of human sacrifice. (The favorite way of performing the sacrifice was taking out the heart of their victims while still beating, specially the heart of enemies captured in battle).

So, among smoking mirrors and other peyote induced visions Zepeda and Reyes recreate for us the ritual side of a still very much misunderstood culture. The album has a flavor of jungle, of primitivism, atavism and aboriginal hopes and fears.

It goes from the luminous “Caña” to the terrifying “A La Izquierda del Colbrí” ("To the left of the Hummingbird”)

Ancient ritual gone Modern and Progressive.

Recommended, indeed…

Keep Listening…!!!

Jorge Reyes & Antonio Zepeda - Caña ...

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England - "Last Of The Jubblies" [1977] @ VBR 207 (British Progressive Rock)

Yes, England, the band that released that marvellous album Garden Shed in 1977. The tapes for the first, Japanese re-issue of that very rare LP, was taken from a heavily worn vinyl version, thus with a lot of irritating clicks. I think Robert Webb, keyboard player, got hold of a copy, realised there was still a lot of interest in the music, and thought it was time to get the master tapes out of his files and re-issue the disc properly. I still thank him for that.

Another result of this, probably, was that some time ago, Last Of The Jubblies was released, a collection of unreleased tracks, including some demo recordings. The CD is under forty minutes, which is a shame, but of course, it could be all of the recordings the band ever made.

England are known for their very Genesis-influenced style. However, there are some differences. England, for example, paid more attention to the music than the lyrics. But when it comes to singing, I think England are more diverse in lead vocals as well as harmony vocals. Well, I am not talking about charisma, of course...

Most of the music is not as good as the songs on Garden Shed (so, a good choice what to put on that album, then...). A bit more song-structured tunes and less of the good bits with many things going on at once. For example, A One-Day Legged Tale (nine minutes) is not as interesting as thirteen-minute Three-Piece Suite from Garden Shed.

But there's still some really good stuff here. Tooting Bec Rape Case contains a great gutar riff, and would have been great on Garden Shed. Mister Meener lacks the genius that marks Garden Shed, but still is a good, and original song. The middle section contains strange keyboard sounds that can be heard on Paraphernalia as well. The last track, Nanogram, contains something that reminds me of a track on Garden Shed, and is closest to that LP than any of the other songs on this CD. This is actually the best track. Er, wasn't this the B-side of the one and only single the band released?

I know, I compared a lot of this CD to England's original LP. But let's face it, there's nothing else to compare it to. If there are any, I would love to hear some live recordings. This CD is not as essential as Garden Shed, but if you really like that album, you should get this one as well. It is available from Vinyl Tap Records, 1 Whitecloth Hall, Leeds LS1 7BR, United Kingdom.

--- reviewed by Jerry van Kooten @ http://www.dprp.net

Track 1 - Creepin' Instrumental.......
Track 6 - Nanogram........................

Keep Listening!!!!

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Larry Coryell - The Restful Mind 1974 @ 320 (Jazz guitar)

Having posted Coryell's "Spaces" recently, it seemed wise to add this excellent example of Coryell's craft. On this occasion, he is joined by most of the acoustic group, Oregon. Ralph Towner on guitar, Glen Moore on bass and Colin Walcott on tablas and congas.

Towner maybe be familiar as the 12-string guitarist on Weather Report's "I Sing The Body Electric" and, in additional to Oregon, has many releases on ECM.


This is an intense album, full of invention and powerful soloing from Coryell. Just listen to the sample below, you'll get the idea.
In contrast is Ravel's "Pavane For A Dead Princess", played for solo acoustic guitar, forshadows the series of albums containing classical interptetations that he would put out much later. Wonderful.

For me, the success of this album rests with the choice of the Oregon members for a backing band. They are never less than magnificant and they appear to inspire Coryell to new heights. One of the best albums in his large body of work.

Improvisation On Robert De Visee's Menuet II


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Joe Farrell - Super Session 1970 @320 (Jazz)

I'll again start by listing the personnel:

Joe Farrell - saxes
John McLaughlin - guitar
Chick Corea - piano
Dave Holland - bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums

This is not an all out blowing session by a bunch of greats, just great modern jazz at its best. Also note that most of the the tracks feature combinations of the musicians, rather than the full band.

If you thought the the leader, Farrell, is the weak link in this star band, then you'd be wrong. He is, however, the only member of the band who was not at some stage in one of Miles Davis's electric bands. Just listen to his playing on the first two Return To Forever albums. He would be better known if it had not been for the fact that he died at the age of 49 in 1986.

This is an odd CTI release in many ways, it does not have any of Creed Taylor's CTI overproduction nor the addition of brass or strings, just unadorned tracks brilliantly performed, thankfully!

The sample track says it all.

Follow Your Heart


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