Relationships and chance encounters is the background for the formation of US act VISUAL CLIFF. Rob Perez (guitars) had become aquainted with Rick Mals (drums) in the 80's, and in the early 90's with Rob Klan (keyboards). In both cases circumstances saw to it that they drifted apart though, but in 1999 Perez sought out Rick with some ideas in mind in terms of creating music together, and a chance encounter with Klas in a restaurant and then later in the year hooking up with Eric Fuller (bass) resulted in a band forming - more or less. A demo was made at first, but as Fuller had an education to finish, as well as getting married, concrete results didn't appear until 2003, with the release of Visual Cliff's debut album "Lyrics For The Living", and it wasn't until one year later that Fuller could join the band in earnest, for the recording of the second album "Key To Eternity".Both albums were pretty succesfull, and are currently on their second print run. For their third album Perez decided to contact vocalist Shane Lankford of Orphan Project, who made quite an impression on Perez, and asked if he's like to hook up with Visual Cliff for vocal duties there as well. He was positive, and in 2005 "Freedom Within" was issued, to great success. The album is currently in it's third pressing, after selling out the first two.In 2007 "Into The After" saw the light of day, and this time around Lankford's vocals were given more place than on their 2005 album. Line-up / Musicians Rob Klan/keyboards Rick Mals/drums,bass Rob Perez/guitars Discography(Album) Lyrics for the Living 2003
1.Piercing the skies (Psalm 33) 2.The endless generation (Psalm 49) 3.Spirit filled (Psalm 96) 4.Conquering mind (Psalm 118) 5.Leap ff faith (Psalm 115) 6.For all she is 7.Wisdom's call 8.Rapture
The short-lived band named Asterix was a direct precursor of the better-known Lucifer's Friend, having in fact the same exact lineup of vocalist John Lawton, guitarist Peter Hesslein, organist Peter Hecht, bassist Dieter Horns, and drummer Joachim Rietenbach when they recorded their sole, eponymous album, in 1970. A single called "Everybody" (b/w "If I Could Fly") had actually been released earlier that year while the group was still working with one George Monroe as singer, but it was obviously Lawton's presence that catalyzed their evolution into Lucifer's Friend, whose classic eponymous album would soon emerge through Phillips and signal the retirement of the Asterix moniker. Line-up / Musicians Peter Hecht/keyboards Peter Hesslein/guitar Dieter Horns/bass George Monroe/vocals Joachim Rietenbach/drums Discography(Album) Asterix 1970
1.Look Out 2.Gone From My Life 3.Broken Home 4.Time Again 5.Jump Into My Action 6.Open Up Your Mind 7.Corner Street Girl 8.Chance In You 9.Morning At My Dawn
Canadian brass rock band LIGHTHOUSE were formed in Toronto 1969. Unusually, the band leader Ronn "Skip" Prokop (born 13 December 1946 in Ontario) was a drummer, he has played previously with artists such as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana and Al Kooper before forming his first band THE PAUPERS. Of these, the Kooper connection is probably the most significant, as the music of Lighthouse is based around a solid brass section and big arrangements, similar to those of BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS and CHICAGO (TRANSIT AUTHORITY).Prokop's ambitions were made clear from the outset when the first line up of Lighthouse had no less than 11 members. The were quickly picked up by RCA Victor, who release the bands self titled debut in 1969. Further albums followed quickly, but the punningly titled "Peacing it all together", their third release, would see the end of their relationship with RCA. The move to GRT records coincided with the recruitment of vocalist Bob McBride, whose contribution to the fourth album "One fine morning" proved to be a commercial turning point for the band. The album spawned the bands first two hit singles, including the striking title track. Prokop's penchant for jazz/fusion and classical music led to a number of live collaborations with orchestras which, when combined with the band's appearances at a number of high profile pop/rock festivals (they declined an offer to appear at Woodstock though), meant Lighthouse's fortunes continued in the ascendancy. Perhaps realising letting the band go had been a touch premature, RCA quickly put together a compilation of the material they still owned in 1971, in the form of the rather cheekily titled "One fine light" compilation. The following year, the band's first live album, the superb "Lighthouse live" was released, becoming Canada's first platinum selling album. Singer Bob McBride would leave the band after the release of the "Sunny days" album, a time which in retrospect was the beginning of the end for the band in both commercial and creative terms. Despite the fact that it was on reality his band, Prokop left in 1974 after the next album "Good day". The rest of the band soldiered on for a while, but the soul of the band had gone, and they eventually bowed to the inevitable and split in 1976. Line-up / Musicians Dick Armin/cello Ralph Cole/guitar,vocals Don Dinovo/viola Paul Hoffert/keyboards Keith Jollimore/vocals,wind Bobby McBride/percussion,vocals Pete Pantaluk/trumpet Skip Prokop/guitar,drums,vocals Howard Shore/saxophone Larry Smith/trombone,vocals Louis Yacknin/bass Discography(Album) One Fine Morning 1970
1.Love Of A Woman 2.Little Kind Words 3.Old Man 4.Sing Sing Sing 5.1849 6.One Fine Morning 7.Hats Off (To The Stranger) 8.Show Me The Way 9.Step Out On The Sea 10.Sweet Lullaby
Museo Rosenbach’s Zarathustra is usually considered as one of the best examples of the genre to come from outside England. Yet the band was not so successful at the time, even having problems for their supposed right-wing inclinations coming from the all-black cover, the Mussolini image in LP collage, the Nietzsche-inspired lyrics.The group, initially named Inaugurazione Museo Rosenbach, was created around 1971 from the fusion of two late 60's bands from Sanremo, La Quinta Strada and Il Sistema, and their first line-up included future Celeste member Leonardo Lagorio on sax and flute, and singer Walter Franco. The only recordings Il Sistema ever made were released on LP and CD by Mellow in 1991-92, while La Quinta Strada was just a cover band.The tracks for Zarathustra were ready at the end of 1972, when the band were suddenly contacted for a recording deal by Ricordi, who were interested in promoting new progressive groups such as Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Reale Accademia di Musica and the album was released in April 1973.The long Zarathustra suite on side one is probably their best effort, with slight classical influences and keyboards in evidence as in the best Italian prog tradition, but side two with three shorter tracks has some great moments. Vocalist "Lupo" Galifi has a very distinctive voice and keyboard player Pit Corradi adds a touch of originality to the band sound.Museo Rosenbach had a short life, splitting soon after the album and some good concerts in the summer of 1973, and the two posthumous CD's released by Mellow let us understand what a great band they were. Drummer Giancarlo Golzi experienced a great commercial success with his later band Matia Bazar, still lasting today.A new 10-track album, Exit, has been released in 2000 by original bassist Alberto Moreno and drummer Giancarlo Golzi along with new members, in a more commercial direction than their brilliant debut album.The most recent product by the new line-up is an appearance on the Kalevala 3-CD box set by the French label Musea, dedicated to the finnish traditional epic, with a song called Fiore di vendetta.Singer "Lupo" Galifi formed new group Il Tempio delle Clessidre, that often plays excerpts from Zarathustra in concert. Their eponymous album has been issued in 2010 by Black Widow (BWR 123).In 2012 a new line-up of Museo Rosenbach featuring original members Galifi, Golzi and Moreno with guitarists Sandro Libra and Max Borelli, keyboardist Fabio Meggetto and bassist Andy Senis issued a CD containing a remake of their 1973 classic, entitled Zarathustra - Live in studio. In 2013 this line-up has issued a new studio album entitled Barbarica and played in Japan, for a concert released as a double CD, Live in Tokyo. Line-up / Musicians Giancarlo Golzi/drums,vocals Alberto Moreno/bass Enzo Merogno/guitar,vocals Pit Corradi/Mellotron,Hammond Stefano Lupo Galifi/vocals Discography(Album) Zarathustra 1973
1.Zarathustra a) L'Ultimo uomo b) Il re di ieri c) Al di la del bene e del male d) Superuomo e) Il tempio delle clessidre 2.Degli Uomini 3.Della Natura 4.Dell'Eterno Ritorno
The roots of VITAL SCIENCE can be traced back to former bands, the Latvian Distant Light and Estonian Shadow Cry, who united their powers in the year 2008. And it was worth it ... The result is an impressive mixture of complex progressive arrangements paired with orchestral symphonic elements, hard-hitting metal riffs, melodies with catchy character, and - not to forget - the remarkable instrumental skills of each individual musician. Everything will led by an extraordinary and matchless voice which perfectly contributes to the total work of art. Assuredly "Imaginations On The Subject Of Infinity" will be one of the first Progressive Metal highlights in 2014! For fans of Symphony X, Nevermore, Redemption and Dream Theater as well as best choice for each music lover who prefers tech savvy Progressive Metal with top-notch instrumental passages. Line-up / Musicians Alexey Boykov/Vocals Sergey Boykov/Keyboards Aleksandr Volpert/Guitars Vladimir Mihailicenko/Guitars Stanislav Kilmasov/Bass Rustam Guseinov/Drums Discography(Album) Imaginations On The Subject Of Infinity 2014
1.Overture 2.Bridge Of Sorrow 3.The Last Trail 4.Endless Sky 5.Truth To Be Told 6.Fallen From Grace 7.Black Judgement Day 8.Dream Survive 9.Prayer To Survive 10.The Curtains Fall
Association P.C. was founded in 1969 by Dutch keyboarder Jasper van't Hof along with the Dutch drummer Pierre Courbois and the German guitarist Toto Blanke. The bassist was sometimes the Dutchman Peter Krijnen, sometimes the German Sigi Busch. Association P.C released their first record "Sun Rotation" in 1971. The band produced a synthesis of jazz, rock and avantgarde music reminding sometimes Soft Machine and was highly acclaimed at the Berlin Jazztage of 1971."Eighty percent of Association P.C. was electronics", Jasper recalls.In 1972 the band released their second record "Erna Morena", the last with Jasper van't Hof who left the band to form Pork Pie with Charlie Mariano and Philip Catherine.On the 1973 release "Rock Around The Clock"he was replaced by German pianist Joachim Kühn. The record moved away from the Canterbury oriented sound and integrated free-jazz elements. Their last record "Mama Kuku" (1974) contained live recordings from 1973, on which the band was joined by American flute player Jeremy Steig. Association P.C. continued to tour until 1975. Line-up / Musicians Pierre Courbois/Drums Toto Blanke/Guitar Jasper Van't Hof/Piano Peter Krijnen/Bass Siggi Busch/Bass Discography(Album) Earwax 1970
1.Spider 2.Hit The P. Tit 3.Elsen 4.Earwax 5.Round A'bout Nine 6.Jazzper
CMU, also known as CONTEMPORARY MUSIC UNIT were an UK band active in the early 1970's. They were fusing various aspects of art-rock, jazz-rock and folk with a nod to the psychedelic rock.A unique (at the time) characteristic of the band was a combination of female and male vocals, making an interesting blend. The male vocalist was James Gordon (who was also participating with percussion in the band),the female vocalist being Larraine Odell (later of RED EXPRESS, still active in various jazz projects nowadays). Other members were keyboardist Terry Mortimer (who also played some violin), Ian Hamlett (guitar, flute), Ed Lee (bass) and Larraine's husband Roger Odell (on drums).The band released their debut 'Open Spaces' for Transatlantic in 1971. The record is an unpretentious mixture of psychedelia and blues, with some bizarre sonic patches here and there. The opener "Henry" is one of the better tracks, based in a nice melody and with tasteful, atmospheric arrangements consisting of piano, guitar, bass, drums and some almost inaudible flute. "Voodoo Man" sounds like something Arthur Brown could have done, and the heavy chorus in the middle introduces the raspy voice of James Gordon, who together with guitarist Ian Hamlett is the main reason for the bluesy touch of this album. Hamlett really proves that point on the instrumental "Slow and Lonesome Blues" that is actually a bit faster and more energetic than what you would expect from such a title. "Chantecleer" starts slow, dark and moody with some haunting pairing of vocals from Odell and Gordon, but builds quickly up to a fast, organ-driven and almost funky tune where an influence from Arthur Brown again can be detected.The second side opens with "Japan", an attempt at traditional Japanese folk music that sounds surprisingly authentic, especially when considering that the band just used their usual instruments. "Clown" is a lightweight and whimsical tune, but catchy enough to be worthwhile, and Gordon's vocals has an unusual operatic twist here. One of the most best melodies on the record can be found in "Mystical Sounds", a ballad dominated by Hamlet's flute and Odell's voice. The title-track is a lengthy, mystical and atmospheric journey with lots of dreamy, wordless vocals from the two singers, and keyboardist Terry Mortimer also contributes with some spooky violin here. They changed their line-up drastically for the following album: instead of Mortimer, Gordon and Lee, the band hired Richard Joseph on acoustic guitar (and vocals), Steve Cook on bass and Leary Hasson on keyboards (Hasson came from MARSUPILAMI, which was also on Transatlantic label).Reinforced with new members, and a moderate shift in their sound (the presence of Mellotron and spacey synthesizers), the band released their second (and last) album titled 'Space Cabaret' in 1973. This effort was much more elaborate, complex and original. Line-up / Musicians Jim Gordon/vocals,guitar,keyboards Ian Hamlett/guitar Larraine Odell/vocals Leary Hasson/keyboards Richard Joseph/vocals,guitar Roger Odell/drums Ed Lee/bass Discography(Album) Open Spaces 1971
1.Henry 2.Voodoo Man 3.Slow & Lonesome Blues 4.Chanticleer 5.Japan 6.Clown 7.Mystical Sounds 8.Open Spaces
