Zingale (from the word 'sing'. Many people thought that they were named after the Hebrew slang word for a 'grass joint') was formed in 1974 by David Bachar and Yonathan Stern. They joined in Barak, Tamir and Shanan who were session/studio musicians. This line-up recorded in 1974 two tracks (tracks 10-11 from the CD) that were presented to the radio but received no attention at all. The group realized very soon that the musicians had a real chemistry between them. Jacob Bachar who was the manager thought the group had a real international potential and he got 'Kolinor Studios' in Israel and 'Decca Records' in Europe (who's president was personally interested and involved) to invest in the group. Two new members joined - Brower and Weiss. The group started working on an English LP. By the end of 1975 the recordings were completed and the group was preparing to go on a European tour to be sponsored by 'Decca.' Unfortunately a message came in that Decca's president had a heart attack and the whole process was postponed. In the meantime, the group had started working on new Hebrew material and was signed by ;Hataklit; in Israel. During 1976 and 1977 they had recorded new tracks in Hebrew, some of which were sent to radio stations (tracks 12-15). By that time the group had given up hope of an international career, and they decided to release their English record in Israel. In 1977, 'Peace' was finally released. The LP was released in a small edition and had become an extremely rare & expensive collectors item around the world. Soon after the release of the LP, the group had split up due to arguments on the recordings and mixes of the Hebrew album (which were never actually finished) and due to the fact that Stern and Tamir had left the group in favor of their growing interest in religion. (http://www.proggnosis.com/)


Israeli progressive rock band from the 70's, hailing from Tel Aviv & Ramat-Gan. They managed to complete only one (English-sung) album, called "Peace", in 1975. The band disbanded due to low sales in Israel and no international interest in their music. ZINGALE's chief talents were Tony Brower (violin) and Adi Weiss (keyboards), but also Udi Tamir's bass is worthy of mention. The lyrics were inspired by the painful memories of the Israeli "Yom Kippur" war in 1973 (some of the band members fought that war, and lost relatives & friends), and are concerned with the importance of global peace.
ZINGALE's album has been reissued on CD in 1992, with some Hebrew-sung bonus tracks that were intended for their next Israeli album. There's also a later digipack version of that same reissue. The sound quality is below average, since the master tapes were not found at the time. There are rumours of a planned remaster using newly found master tapes, but it hadn't materialized it.

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=1427http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=6790

1. Heroica (4:19)
2. Help This Lonely World (3:51)
3. Carnival (5:59)
4. Love Song (6:11)
5. 7 Flowers Street (2:54)
6. One Minute Prayer (0:47)
7. Lonely Violin Crying For Peace (3:12)
8. Stampede (5:35)
9. Soon The War Is Over (7:53)

Bonus Tracks:
10. Why I Didn't Win The Lottery (4:28)
11. Everything Will Be OK (3:20)
12. Genesis (4:37)
13. Good To Be Together (4:39)
14. Party Inside (2:55)
15. Green Scooter On The Way To Asia (6:18)

Total Time: 66:58

Line-up
- David Bachar / vocals, harmonica
- Yonathan (Johnny) Stern / vocals, 12-string guitar
- Ehud (Udy) Tamir / bass
- Efrayim Barak / guitars
- David Shanan / drums
- Ady Weiss / keyboards
- Tony Brower / violin, mandolin
- David (Doody) Rosenthal / synthesizer, percussion & effects


10. Why I Didn't Win The Lottery ...

Thanks to Adar for the rip & info

link in comments ....

hola a todos :) umm here is the copy/paste: Born in the beginning of the 70’s, this Latin fusion folk formation has delivered impressively original items in a rather discreet commercial success. The albums feature enchanting, warm female vocals, some prog arrangements and acoustic, classical training guitar style. Their first, published in 1973 and “III” represent fine examples of achieved, mythic, dancing and mysterious compositions in popular, South America music. In the absolute songs’ structure is very closed to Peruvian, Bolivian, Argentinean ballads, boleros, milongas…Very refined and surely the best Latin folk vibe.(review taken from progarchives) one of my fav.

LiNks in commenTs & kEep Listening!!

TeMa de Anacrusa..

Ersen was one of the leading Turkish rock groups in the 70's. His debut album Dünden Bugüne is a very sought after album by psychedelia collectors in all the world, and contains Arabesque flavoured psych-rock with complex drumming and some great fuzz assaults.(freakemporium)

keEp ListeniNg & LiNks iN coMmentS..

DeRmaN buluNmaZ..

Founded in 1984, has been one of the mainspring of the Breton music’s revival. This period is essential because of the great work made by the musicians in order to safeguard the traditional music in Brittany, an heritage in peril then. Youenn LE BIHAN tried in this context the experiment of a group by invinting two teachers (violin and accordion) from the Conservatoire of traditional music of Ploemeur, such as the guitarist Gilles LE BIGOT. SKOLVAN was born with its first “Fest-Noz” (Gathering of dancers and musicians) on the 14th of April 1984. Youenn LE BIHAN created at the same time his famous “Piston”, inspired by the baroque oboe, that counts largely in the originality of the SKOLVAN “sound”.

In 1994, after three albums, SKOLVAN released "Swing & Tears" which was elected album of the year in France, in the United Kingdom and in Portugal.
Among the guests was Dominique MOLARD, a percussionist, who finally joined the group in 1996, developping thus the palette read more here

tRiP to VaLse..

LiNkS iN coMmEnTs...

((PS. another band that i like to listen is Duo Bertrand..well it released in 2002 the album name "fleur de sel" umm it is new to post here..but you may find/buy if you like..search for it ;) ))

L'argent Qui Qrûle & Le Moulin..

((PS2. Armute i am very happy for your mail..waiting the book..in a hurry to read it..tesekkur ederim :) ))

This Heat were an experimental British band widely considered a missing link between progressive rock (especially krautrock) and such later experimental genres as post-punk, post-rock, and noise rock.
Free of clichés, the music blends politics and intelligence, steering clear of artifice. Austere, brilliant and indescribable.
This Heat - Horizontal Hold:

Bioghraphy

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Review

What's up?!, today I would like to offer you a fresh breeze of super well crafted pure pop folk, so relax and enjoy.

Review Taken from Othermusic:

Offbeat fusion-based prog from Quebec. Stadaconé starts off very jazzy and gradually gets more and more complex as the album progresses.


Reviews

For Further Information

Link






Sloche - Stadacone:

Review taken of Hai Karate

Image:

Robin Street-Morris. Frog Spirit I. 2006. Watercolor and pastel

http://www.streetmorrisart.com/wildlifeartgalleryIII.html

Les Cycles de Thanatos is a dark-sounding album integrating rock, jazz, and neo-classical elements. Probably the most dominant feature on the album is the dark brooding neo-classical rock, sounding not unlike Univers Zero or Art Zoyd. In addition, there are Zeuhl-ish jazz rock passages that remind me of Zao, Moving Gelatine Plates, instrumental Zappa, and Potemkine. An excellent album of typical French avant-garde/underground music. (Gnosis)


Link in comment. Enjoy!

..so please meet THE MONKS...!!!!

(before I change my mind or switch to any other "best band ever" mood)



Thist post is dedicated to all my fellow prognotfroggers and specially to Algarnas who "discovered" The Monks for us all.

And...!!! ..Ladies and Gentlemen..!!!

Believe it or not... filmed just two weeks ago somewhere in Minessotta..!!!




Be alert for the upcoming "Tribute to The Monks", including covers of The Monks songs by Faust, The Fall and many others.

It is Monk Time!!!

Keep Dancing...!!!

Tarancon is one of the first who make a mixture of Latin American music with Brasilian way & melodies. 30 years of being active on the scene with 9 recorded albums. It started as a band who made popular folclórica music of Latin America. Some instruments used in her albums: bambu flute, pan,violin, charango, acoustic/bass guitar... This one is for those who would like to hear easy listening melodies with latin energy & spirit. Her album may make you feel that what you would like to feel.

Boquita de Cereza..

links in comments..

The band themselves claim that the music in this album is not “as optimistic and happy as it used to be”, but the listener should not expect mournful and/or languid music. Everything remains as colourful and exciting as always, only more tense more aggressive and more charged – that’s where the inner tension comes from, mainly. There is also a decreased number of folly chanting, and that may be another hint of the lack of happiness in the album, a lessened desire to sing and hum. Regarding the repertoire itself, it’s perfectly even in its richness and sense of surprise, all the time demanding a lucid awareness from the listener. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the opening track displays an impressive mixture of polka and jazz rock, with some Frippian guitar and Zappaesque extravagant chord progressions in the keyboard parts.)

Zamla Mammaz Manna - Five Single Combat:

Eider Stellaire was founded in 1980 by drummer Michel Le Bars which played in Offering. The group had a previous incarnation under the name of Astarte, in which were 3 members of Eider’s lineup – Michel Le Bars (drums), Patrick Sinergy (bass) and Jean-Claude Delachat (guitar). This lineup existed for 3 years. They separated in the beginning of 1980 and reformed at the end of that year as Eider Stellaire with several new members. Pierre-Gerard Hirne (piano, organ) was able to perform on piano the new musical ideas they wanted to develop. Veronique Perrault joined in as a vocalist. This line up along with Marrie-Anne Boda (flute, vocals) and Michel Moindre (saxophone) as guests, recorded their first and excellent self titled album. This album had the sound they were after but several more lineup changes occurred. Pierre Minvielle entered as the keyboards player, Ann Stewart (Shub Niggurath) became the vocalist, Frank Coulaud joined forces with Le Bars as percussionist and finally Marie-Anne Le Bars played the flute. This lineup recorded the second album released in 1986 and also named Eider Stellaire (therefore it is referred to as Eider II). Though perceived as more accessible than the first one, those two albums define the unique sound of Elder Stellaire: The Zeuhl influence from Magma (prominent bass and drums parts) spiced up with fierceness, only not as theatrical and somewhat similar to Eskaton’s approach, and with a generous amount of jazz-rock. They recorded their third and last album called Eider III in 1987. Their albums have not yet been released on CD and the vinyl records are hard to come by and expensive. The first two albums are highly recommended for Zeuhl fans, especially those into Eskaton.
Like a number of excellent French progressive rock releases from the 70s, Eider Stellaire’s self-titled debut is an album that has criminally gone without CD issue since its original vinyl release. The style here is Zeuhl, and you all know what that entails; growling bass, thunderous drums, heavenly Fender Rhodes, organ and synthesizer motifs. Still, Eider Stellaire present a style that is perhaps more infectious and melodic than that of their forbearers, Magma, aligning themselves closer to the Eskaton interpretation of straight up ass kicking.

Eider Stellaire - Onde:

Line-up

- Walter Maioli / arabic oboe, wooden flute, naj, bass flute, maranzano, bass harmonica, reeds, whistles, bells
- Daniele Cavallanti / Soprano saxophone
- Antonio Cerantola / acoustic guitar, balalaika
- Lino "Capra" Vaccina / maroccan bongos, koborò, african drums, tabla, gong, xylophone, whistles, cymbals, musical bow, percussion
- Otto Corrado / Soprano saxophone, flute, bells
- Attilio Zanchi / acoustic guitar
- Marjon Klok / harp, Tamboura, bells
- Trilok Gurtu / tabla, snake drums, maroccan bongos, cymbals, xylophone, cow bells

Following the same path as Third Ear Band in England, Aktuala tried to mix together the western musical tradition with african and asian instruments, rhythms, cultures, with a result that can hardly be described as "progressive" in the classical sense of this word, and falls more in the psychedelic or avantgarde field.

During the early 1970s, most aspiring jazzers on the Continent were chasing the voodoo down, or running the noonward race. The (largely) Italian group Aktuala pursued a fusion of a different sort. Aside from Oregon, Aktuala was one of the first bands to craft a coherent, gimmick-free hybrid of improvisational jazz sensibilities with a pan-cultural approach to ethnic music. Led by multi-instrumentalist / composer Walter Maioli, the band (circa 1974) also included percussionist Trilok Gurtu (who went on to play with John McLaughlin, Oregon and Jan Garbarek, to name a few), saxophonist Daniele Cavallanti, guitarist Attilo Zanchi (both now well-established members of the Italian jazz scene, w/numerous recordings on the Spla(s)ch label), saxophonist Otto Corrado, guitarist Antonio Cerantola, and harpist Marjon Klok. A violinist (Maurizio Dones) and a cellist (Marino Vismara) guest on one track each. La Terra, the group's second LP, contains four extended instrumental tracks that combine Indian percussion, strains of American jazz and blues, and Mediterranean and North African ethnic musics. Like Oregon and John McLaughlin's Shakti, Aktuala works exclusively with acoustic instruments. However, Aktuala's music is much more loosely conceived than that of Oregon or Shakti - the tracks on La Terra are long and rambling, with simple melodies and lots of room for extended soloing. This music has an air of dreamy darkness and mystery that I find especially appealing.

Aktuala - Sar:

Link? in comments.

As a frequent visitor to the "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees Forum", a message board where any and all types of rock music are discussed, fought over, and generally hyped, I tend to dismiss those fans who continually rant "I think this band is great!" or "that group was the best ever!", as examples of their own personal taste. As a lifelong fan of rock & roll I've either heard the music of those artists and long ago made up my mind whether such claims are worthwhile, or, if I haven't actually heard them at least I know of their existence and to which branch of the tree of rock & roll those artists belong, along with a basic understanding of their importance in the scheme of things.

So my interest was aroused by several recent forum posts regarding The Monks, their 1966 album "Black Monk Time", and the recent reunion of the band in New York City after 32 years apart. The Monks? Who were The Monks? Here was a band I had never heard anything about before. Zip! Zilch! Nada! Nil! I made a mental note to check this group out sometime in the future.

As luck would have it, while browsing my local cd store the following weekend, I found a copy of "Black Monk Time". The original album cover was a simple and stark design, completely black and displaying only the band's name and album title. On first impression it instantly reminded me of "The Beatles", the 1968 release better known as "The White Album".

I should mention here that The Beatles are my favorite band and I consider myself quite obsessed with them, having read numerous books about their history and making my own pilgrimage to Liverpool and London to see the sites for myself. Many of these books make the claim that The Beatles were the first to release an album with a completely blank cover, and while technically true, I can't help but wonder if this idea was not first used on The Monks "Black Monk Time", preceeding The Beatles by two years!

The back cover had a series of b&w pictures of the band in various shots, some of them playing their instruments, some of the group just fooling around, but one in particular caught my eye. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT GUY'S HEAD? Why has he got a huge patch on the top of his head shaved clean? What's that all about?!!".

Curiosity got the better of me.

I bought it.

I played it.

"IT'S MONK TIME!" "IT'S MONK TIME!" "IT'S MONK TIME!"

I have not been the same since!

I have been changed!

Not since The Sex Pistols 1977 "Never Mind The Bollocks..." has an album so utterly shaken my view of what rock & roll was, and is, all about!!!! I could not believe what I was hearing. Was this really 1966? Impossible! This music was ten years, at the least, ahead of its time. This album sounds like something that could have been released in the late '70s or early '80s. Hell!!! This album sounds like something that could have been released today!!! Here was rock & roll like I'd never heard it before. It was scary! It was wacky! It sounded so fresh, so vital, and so full of energy. And my God, what energy! Energy at times angry, sometimes bordering on rage, but most of all this music screamed FUN!!!

A big smile crossed my face, the kind of smile you get
when you discover a new pleasure that you've never experienced before. Here was a long lost gem buried in that mountain of Rock. Here was a forgotten treasure. The Monks "Black Monk Time" may be THE BIGGEST SECRET IN THE HISTORY OF ROCK & ROLL!!! But the word is now out, and spreading quickly! (Hey, if a Cheesehead from the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin found The Monks it won't be long until the rest of the world does too!)

Opening the cd gave me another surprise. There, staring back at me, was the group photo of The Monks, all dressed in black, with white rope ties around their necks, and EACH ONE WITH A BALD PATCH SHAVED OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD!!! WHOA! I would later discover that such a haircut is called a "tonsure", usually done as a sign of entrance into a monastic state. Well, that fit. Here was a group image that went far beyond The Beatles moptops, or anybody else that I can recall from 1966. A radical group "look" that was unequaled thematically until perhaps the 1974 debut of KISS. Again, The Monks were ahead of their time.

But what really matters is the music.

AND HERE THEY ARE, THE ANTI-BEATLES!!!

I find it interesting that both The Beatles and The Monks honed their musical skills at some of the same notorious nightclubs of Hamburg's Reeperbahn red-light district. I have often wondered what The Beatles music would have sounded like had they not surrendered to becoming suit-and-tie wearing MopTops, and instead kept to their Hamburg beat group roots as a pill-popping, hard-drinking, band of black-leather-clad teddy boys. Listening to The Monks "Black Monk Time" gave me a small peek at what I've always imagined that "beat music" might have been like. But any similarities end there.

Perhaps the nearest The Beatles could have come to The Monks "sound" would have been if "I'm Down" had been played like "Helter Skelter". The frantic beat and distortion on "Black Monk Time" at times reminds me of The Stooges, The Ramones, and The Sex Pistols. The sometime quirky song arrangements bring to mind The B-52's and Devo, while the ping-pong choruses are reminiscent of The Cars. And yet, nothing I have heard before sounds anything like The Monks! The Monks are unique! The Monks "sound" is proto-Punk! New Wave is definitely neo-Monks!

By 1966 The Beatles were adding more and more layers of instrumentation to their already complex recording technique. The Monks, calling themselves "anti-Beatles", took a minimalistic approach to their music, stripping away most of the melody and precision, and instead replacing it with a heavy drum beat and massively distorted rhythm. MY GOD! YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE THE DISTORTION!!!! THIS CANNOT BE 1966! Heavy distortion on the guitar and the bass. THE BASS!!! And why not add a banjo too? WHAT?!! A BANJO??!! Yep, that's

right! In their search for a more primitive and simplistic sound not only did The Monks strip down the drum sound to an incredibly raw pulsating beat, but in an effort to double that rhythm effect they added a banjo too! IT'S INSANE!! WHO WOULD EVER HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT?!! The Monks, that's who! It works BRILLIANTLY! It was GENIUS! Finally, bubbling up, over, down, and underneath this huge mass of distorted guitars, clacking banjo, and thud

ding drums is a wonderfully frenetic organ. Top it off with great sounding vocals and ,all in all, I have rarely heard anything so fantastic as The Monks "Black Monk Time"!

While The Beatles were beginning to lead the rest of us toward 1967's "Summer Of Love", expressing a utopian message in 1965's "The Word" and escapism in 1966's "Tomorrow Never Knows", The Monks set their sights firmly upon reality. No peace, love, and understanding from these guys, they were going to tell it like it really was (and still is)! The Monks lyrics reverberate with ANGER!!! These guys are pissed off!!! No further proof is needed than the album's opening song, "Monk Time", in which the band defiantly declares its stance, "....you know, we don't like The Army, what Army?, who cares what Army!, why do you kill all those kids over there in Viet Nam?, mad Viet Cong!, my brother died in Viet Nam!".

But here is the strange thing, far from alienating you, in some strange way The Monks wacky song interpretations perfectly describe what a crazy world we all live in, then and now. It's that unspoken recognition that you feel, that "you too know what they know", that this world may be insane but with the music of The Monks this world can also be FUN!

That realization will bring a smile to your face! (Either that, or you've listened to The Monks "Cuckoo" one too many times!)

''Lard Free''[1973]
Lard Free's debut is stunning, full of energy and deeply enjoyable. If you can picture Sabbath's Geezer Butler (first two albums) playing with King Fripp, Brian Eno and maybe a less virtuoso Bruford making an album , you might have an idea of what this album sounds like. Sometimes the Eno/Fripp influences are overpowering the rest of the influences but this is relatively minor. Those long instumental tracks rolling around a superb bass and repetitive drumming is simply fascinating, may sound to some as jams but not quite as this is more to do with minimalism.

Hartman's group is along with Heldon one of main bands that drew heavily on Krautrock to the point that they are often categorized as such although both bands/projects are French. So if you are into Krautrock, you know what you have to do!(Hugues Chantraine)

''I'm Around About Midnight''[1975]
Lard Free's second album is very different of the debut and really adventurous mood! With this sophomore album, the feel is definitely towards German influences although the Fripp/Eno ones are still very present.

One cannot help to think of minimalism German master Faust when listening to the Alambic track with their repetitive synths and Tangerine Dream phasers in the background leading you with no definite boundary into the Bakestan track where an Oldfield-like piano and flute take over. Still with no clear track ending we are now lead by a sonar noise (much like Floyd in Echoes) into Taktooz and haunting ambiances lead you in Pale Violence with its booming bass. the CD finishes off with an
eastren-sounding piano-led track.(Hugues Chantraine)

''Spirale Malax''[1977]
Once again, Lard Free presents another very different facet compared with the preceding ones and sadly this was to be their last one. But this album is clearly in the continuity of their previous Midnight album, taking the Krautrock presented there a step further almost to reach Tangerine Dream.

If I mention Tangerine Dream, I am speaking of a cross between the Zeit/Atem era and the Phaedra/Rubycon era. But the main difference would be that there are a lot more instruments ouside of KB , least of all is that searing Frippian guitar work that the successor of Pinhas (it was him in the Midnight album) , Baullieret would go unnoticed (you could swear it was Pinhas in here too) if it was not for his credits! As always the Fripp/Eno influences in Lard Free albums is overbearing!

Side 1 is a side-long track Spirale Malax (so imposing it gave its name to the album , but the album was originally entitled III) that is so remiscent of Tan Dream mixed with influences of minimalist Terry Riley (Thanks Philippe) that you will check again to see if you have the right disc in the deck! Slowly evolving music but definitely more eventful than T D. The other track on side 2 is divided in three sections according to the Spalax CD and four in the information above (this is often a problem with Spalax label products, the track listings on the booklet do not agree with the music on the discs). Anyway Synthetic Season is another awesome track!

Since I had to write my review in two days since this track confusion thing, I could read my reviewing colleague Philipe asking you not to take into account Tangerine Dream influences into account, he might well re-listen to the four albums I mentionned above come back to me with his new impressions!(Hugues Chantraine)

Lard Free - 12 ou 13 juillet que je sais d’elle:

Lard Free - Warionbaril:

Links in comments.

Frog Mrs. Darter & The Wahoos (Southamerican Dart-Poison Frogs) Acrylic on Linen Canvas Painting by Lawrence Raymond (Lary) Mckee

http://www.larymckee.com/


Latin American Map taken from the website of CHILDHOPE, an organization that helps childreen in economical disadvantage, all around the world.

PICCHIO DAL POZZO are considered to be one of the very few "Canterbury" inspired bands that emerged from Italy's fertile 1970's progressive rock musical scene. The sextet known as "Picchio dal Pozzo" surges forth via romantically melodic overtones, swiftly implemented time signatures and jazzy interplay in concert with the proverbial peaks, valleys, knotty twists and circuitous turns. "Camere Zimmer Rooms" is a must for all those enamoured of both Italian prog as well as the Canterbury music scene. Essential for their fans, as well as fans of groups like CARAVAN, HATFIELD & The NORTH, HENRY COW, SOFT MACHINE & FRANK ZAPPA.
''Picchio Dal Pozzo''[1976]@320
Picchio dal Pozzo carries on in a tradition paying (rocking) homage to Zappa and the Canterbury scene with an extremely soporific quality that almost makes it seem as if it comes to you from underwater in slow motion. It's a super-swank moving album replete with blurbs and tidbits that bubble to the surface calmly and then release into an ether above the brow, a heady adventure

Soft machinations of a fluid nature begin the capitulation in the middle, howling with dreamy massed vocals beckoning your wispy attentiveness. Robert Wyatt-style gentleness comes in to further capitulate the daze. Open up a general field and lie in it. The passing shapelessness of the clouds may take you on over this way. Before I can get enough and decide to park, it's over and I hardly blinked. Did it really happen!?

''Camere Zimmer Rooms''[1977~1980 recordings]@224
Album released in 2001 "Camere Zimmer Rooms". It is a demonstration sound source made from 1977 to 1978. Only the fourth tune is recorded in 1980. The member is almost the same as the second work. A straight performance is comparatively done in this work. It is an Electric jazz with power. A melodious performance with a lot of repetitions is the main. It is different in the Canterbury sound and it is unique. Excellent article that makes effect sound of good and "La Citta" that exchanges scat lucid and is delightful. It is unquestionable for tone quality. All tunes are unpublished tunes.

Picchio Dal Pozzo - Seppia:

As the progressive movement was making more and more adept in La Belle Province, more and more groups got contracts and as Celebration record lost Harmonium to CBS , they offered a contract to OPUS-5 . This band can be seen as a good cross in between HARMONIUM and MANEIGE or SLOCHE. Some GENTLE GIANT and JETHRO TULL influences are also evident. Their first album is full of delicious melodies with soft yet incisive vocals and great flute passages all on 5 superb compositions by five superb musicians. Unfortunately , their record label went bankrupt just as the recording of their second album was finished . That album will have to wait until 89 to see the light of day. Part of the band will form CONCERT that will release one album in 60 as the disco tsunami had swept everything in that part of Canada.

Opus-5 can be highly recommended to fans of the above-mentioned bands but also everyone who enjoy calm folkish fusion.(Hugues Chantraine)
''Volume 1: Contre Courant''[1975]@192
The title says it all Contre Courant - against the flow (mainstream).

“Contre-Courant” is a very expressive album with all 5 members adding vocalization throughout and is delivered with great emotion. Quite different than other Quebecois band but just as incisive in contents , here the singing is of crystal- clear French without the typically local accent and it is refreshing, but it does take some mastering of the languages to fully grasp how good this album is. Those texts on top of it are politically engaged, mind-challenging, thought-provoking, environementally-conscious and socially oriented. The music is accompanying such superb vocals and texts is in the same vein: Food for thoughts. Just like your cereal breakfast (and just as indispensible as that first meal) it just crackles, snaps and rocks and will nourish your body and feed your brains so well that even your asshole boss cannot screw-up your day.

Mosts of the numbers present long instrumental passages only slightly interrupted by very on-the-dot lyrics (Les Saigneurs instead of Seigneurs). Absolutely 100% essential.

''Volume 2: Serioux Ou Pas''[1989]@192
Opus-5 's second album has an unfinihed feel to it and also an odds & ends touch. This is quite normal knowing that their record label Celebration (Harmonium had released their first two albums on that label) went bankrupt during the recording of this second album, so the recording got abruptly stopped , probably got seized as asset in the bankruptcy and this might explain why this did not get released until the very late 80's and probably released with not too much production job other than what was on tape at the time. I don't know for sure the exactitude of my reasoning but I must not be far from the truth.

Serieux Ou Pas has much shorter numbers than Contre Courant and while it has some very good moments, it does not have any epic of the style of Les Saigneurs or Temps des Piussenlits. Some of the numbers (the two super short numbers) were apparently recorded as inside jokes - probably not meant to be released (see my remark on the production) but those are not able to hide some of the more brilliant numbers that brings back memories from their debut. I may embroider the facts but I would like to trhink that some of these numbers were meant to be assembled together to make some longer tracks in the spirit of their first album.(reviewed by Hugues Chantraine)

links in comments.

Mezquita's 'Recuerdos de mi Tierra' is, IMHO, the definite masterpiece of Flamenco oriented prog, and most certainly, one of the highlights of Spanish prog in general. From the beautiful city of Córdoba, Mezquita managed to elaborate a prog style firmly rooted in the Flamenco traditions, and watered by the influential flows of 73-75 Yes (with less meandering), the melodic side of KC, the fire of Rush, and some hints to classic hard rock. The result is simultaneously powerful and exuberant, since the four musicians' skills are top notch. The fluency of the interactions between the guitars and the keys is simply awesome, and so is the precision with which the rhythm section lays the proper foundations for this intrincate, energetic material. The opening title track is per se a manifesto of Mezquita's personal style. The following three tracks are the most explosive ones, full of tempo changes, pyrotechnics (never reaching at a gratuitous level) and genuine enthusiasm (oh!, that chanting/clapping passage right before the end of 'Ara Buza', that is special gypsy magic of Flamenco at its purest) - a special mention goes to the opening instrumental section of 'Desde que Somos Dos', my personal fav. Track 5 is more somber, due to the dark solemnity of the subject (a massive suicide), but still manages to capture the intense magic of South Spanish folk, as well as the band's punchy swing. The fusion touches that were somewhat moderate in previous tracks, emerge more clearly in the instrumental closure - once more, a superb number. The occasional use of a guest string quartet enhances the Arabic air of some compositions (string quartets are very recurrent in Moroccan folk tunes), making the exotic thing compatible with the rock side of Mezquita's music. Well, let me finish by reiterating that this is a Spanish prog gem that should not be missed in any good prog collection.(Review by Cesar Inca/progarchives)

liNks in commenTs..

el biZco de LoS PAtiOs..

Sometimes we all need to slowdown a bit and find the peace innerself..you know i call this kind of albums "candy,sweet,a box of chocolate..." not only a few tracks but also most of the tracks very sweet in this album..i couldnt find a good information on the net.i wish you enjoy it..happy listenings!

linKs in commentS..

jUnI..

This is one of the best album of the genre. it's inspired by historical tales about ancient living heroes of romanian people. This five songs "Lasa, lasa" are witty couplets. The song "Mica Tiganiada" is about old lifestyle of gipsy people. "Mugur de fluier" is ispired by Jethro Tull's "A Christmas Song", but the lyrics are very beautiful. "Muzica si muzichia" it's a mery song, short but very funny. Try to find and listen this album, you'll never regrete!(reviewed by mgionescu,taken from progarchives)

LiNKs iN commEnts..

oChii nEgRi. ..

A very obscure and difficult to locate album produced in Germany in the early-70's. This is a dreamy progressive folk album that appears to be a duo augmented by sessions musicians (in the manner of Witthuser + Westrupp but with vocals sung in English). The album does venture out into a tougher rock sound at times while at others it will float on a bed of mellotron sound which hazily recalls the sound of early King Crimson or The Moody Blues. A very interesting and rare album which is well worth a listen.(freakemporium)

liNkS iN cOmMeNtS..

InDiaN ImPreSSioN..

One of my favourite album from iceland scene..Einar (songwriter) and Jonas (singer) came from Iceland to Sweden, where this album was made ca 1970..you are welcome to share knowledge/reviews in comments. Gypsy women! the real heartbreakers ;)

liNks iN commeNts..

gYpsY qUeEN..

Well not my type..as i know this one reissued with a name "The Mod Sound Of The Arkay IV" this album introduced in one of 1001 collector's dreams series..for me its good to listen it (some songs really sweet) and worth adding this to your collections..i am sure some will like it..happy listening Fred! and you all.

Links in coMMents..

i'll kEEp oN Tryin..

An interesting album..i searched for an info.there are some confusion on release date
of the album..you are welcome to share reviews/knowledge..keep lintening

LiNks In CommeNtS..

[Edit]: i fixed the link..

bAck tO fLayin AGaIn..

Pavlos Sidiropoulos(1948 – 1990) began his career in 1970 in Thessaloniki where together with Pantelis Delliyannides he founded the rock group “Damon and Fidias”.It was through this group that Sidiropoulos first experimented with combining Greek and rock music. In 1976 Pavlos Sidiropoulos together with Spiropoulos brothers, he founded the music group “Spiridoula”, they created the album "Flou", considered by many the most important album in Greek rock music, with nice guitars, horns,listener can find elements from progressive ,psychedelic and jazz rock ,”Flou” came to a season that greek rock was in it’s worst period ,for this record Pavlos Sidiropoulos didn’t sign a contract but a “paper” that he must refuse the earnings from the sales of the record, Spyridoula sing a contract as players for 4 % . From 1978 and after “Flou” is a measure for the greek rock scene, unfortunately this record stands insuperable further for his creator, its not accidental that the radio stations after 28 years from the birth of “Flou” are playing still this record.

Pavlos Sidiropoulos – singer. percussion

Spiridoula :
Vassilis Spyropoulos – electric & acoustic guitar
Nikos Spyropoulos - electric & acoustic guitar, piano, synth ,flute
Tolis Mastrokalos – bass
Andreas Mouzakitis – drums

Guest Musicians : Tasos Fotodimos – drums, Andreas Gavogiannis - trombone, Makis Papatheodorou – tenor sax, Giannis Fanariotis – alto sax, clarinet, Dimitris Leontaridis – trumpet ,Nikos Politis – bass, slide guitar, Dimitris Politimos – piano, Dimitra Galani – female voice, Giorgos Maglaras – violin

To '69 Me Kapoio filo..

links in comments.

Den Za Den - ''Den Za Den''{Yugoslavia}[1977]@256(vinyl rip)
This Yugoslavian obscurity could easily have been outtakes from the second or third Iceberg album, the pulling together of extreme virtuosos on keys, guitar, drums, and bass to perform a pyrotechnic jazz rock of great vigor.

The album has great production for that time, but, unfortunately, that time was the boom of punk and new wave, so the band stopped very quickly after recording this album.
Great Album!

Den Za Den - Svadba:
L'Orchestre Sympathique - ''En Concert a La Grande Passe''{Canada} [1973]
L’OS (as they are frequently known) is a group that has roots into such ancient bands as Lasting Weep (early 70’s and where Maneige also originated) but for some reason never managed to secure a recording deal. So sick of this situation that they decided to produce their own album themselves by organizing a concert where the entrance fee gave you the right to a copy of the album once it was released. Their contempt for the recording industry is well shown by depicting the Grammophon label and the famous His Master’s Voice spoof cover. And on the inside sleeve was marked all of the co- producers of the album, most namely the name of everyone that attended the concerts (4 in all)>> this was certainly an original way to get their album done.

And what an album this baby is!!! Clearly this debut album certainly rivals with Maneige’s best works both in their early style of les porches and the later style of Libre Service. Citronnade (lemonade) is an amazing showcase for François Ricard’s flute talents and Vanasse’s superb Vibe playing. Houmalaya is the first part of their fabled Tibetan philosopher (you get plenty of far-eastern influences) and this track alone was worth the price of admission to the concert: grandiose!! Even the obligatory drum solo is good and certainly not overstaying its welcome. Their jazz-rock is always on the verge of classical, ethnic, jazz and rock music >> true fusion if I ever heard it.

The second wax slice side is more of that superb same and is a feast for your ears. Lacs is a scorching beauty, with Vanasse’s vibes taking the cake with Richard’s flute being the icing. Stolow’s funky-jazz bass is also at the forefront on this track. At the halfway mark of the track, they suddenly drop a stunningly quiet interlude sounding like the Swiss quartet Circus on Movin’ On’s Dawn, before suddenly picking up again: awesome is the word. Vanasse’s playing is reminiscent of Circus Fritz Hauser. Perpetual Balouba is a very moody track traveling up and down the chilled-out spine – this track will get a much harder treatment in their following album. The album is closing on the absolutely delightful Biplane.

Certainly one of the more stunning debut album in jazz-rock around that tilme, this album is simply a must, especially if you love Maneige’s best works. This album got a recent released by the excellent label ProgQuebec and strongly deserves encouragement by you buying this incredible album.(reviewed by Hugues Chantraine)

National Health - ''Of Queues and Cures''{UK}[1979]@260VBR
Reduced to a quartet, the lineup is nearly identical to Hatfield but for bassist/vocalist John Greaves (ex-Henry Cow), filling the Richard Sinclair role (he even sounds a bit like him on “Binoculars”).

Musically, this is a whole other animal from Hatfield, even if it’s clearly built on the same foundation. I find it amusing that Stewart left due to complaints that the music had come too close to “jazz fusion”, as this is by far the most orchestrated National Health album, with brass, woodwinds and cellos imparting dense symphonic textures to pretty much all the tracks.

For me, this is the apex, the pinnacle of all things Canterbury. There’s not a wasted moment on the entire disc, and the guys were really at the top of their game here. Well done!(reviewed by...)
Of Queues and Cures is currently held as the third best record ever (of 53,000 candidate records) on the Gnosis web site.

Of Queues and Cures is one of my top 5 albums.

National Health - Square for Maud:

Links in comments.

To put simply, it's a mind blower. The most obvious comparison would be to fellow Frenchmen Magma. (magma's music: Wagner-esque grandeur with Eastern European rhythms and melodies, Germanic-like chanting (keep in mind that MAGMA sang in a made-up language), and almost ritual-like repetition. (slowly building grooves to a frenzy) In fact, imagine Magma with much of the superfluous stuff stripped away, less experimental, with French female vocals, and perhaps a more accessible, consistently ass kicking approach, and you might have a good idea of what Eskaton sounds like. Indeed, taken on a purely musical level, it rivals the best of Magma's classic middle period. Of course, it doesn't have that same ground breaking experimental attitude, and the originality factor could certainly play into the individual mileage of any listener. Still, I'd have a hard time believing any Magma fan who didn't at least dig the album on a visceral level. I mean, the record smokes from beginning to end. There are no weak moments at all throughout the album, no filler. Pop it in, turn it up, and simply revel in growling bass, crushing drum rhythms and utterly intense synthesizer flourishes. The band builds into explosive, thundering climaxes that literally send shivers up and down my spine. The lead vocalists certainly help differentiate Eskaton from their influences. All the lyrics are in French, and a male counterpoint a la Klaus Basquiz is absent. Both female vocalists are tremendous however, though I have a hard time differentiating between the two. Their eerily melodic contributions factor heavily throughout all of the album's compositions.

The opening of "Attente", with its thick synthesizer riff, just before the band falls into thundering march with a chant of "Soleil!", has to be one of my favorite moments. "Ecoute" has bass riffs so menacing, and a climax so overpowering that it drove my colleague Mike Prete to "prog orgasm", as he so eloquently put it. "Le Cri" changes the pace of things at the very end of the album, slowing things down and presenting a fantastic extended synthesizer solo. Mesmerizing.(reviewed by Greg Northrup.)

Eskaton - Eskaton:

Link in comments.

This week we avoided working around any particular musical subject on purpose. We'll do this from time to time because it is important to free-associate music from different places and different moments, so our Ariadne's Thread this week will be just intuition and mood.

Anyway, I have chosen a bunch of great songs that I think that the public of this show (yes, that's you) deserve to listen to.

Starting with the expriment done by Jocelyn Pook for the most disturbing scene of the movie "Eyes Wide Open" to the inner world of Patrick Wolf, an incredibly interesting young singer author from Great Britain.

We'll also listen to the cinematic musical puzzles of Mr. Stan Ridgeway, followed by the exquisite voice of Anja Garbarek and the spacey and trippy sounds of Spiritualized, among several other surprises.

There's o0ne thing, though, that I will ask of you. I'd like to get some more comments and suggestions. I see that dozens of people download the show every week but I barely get any comment, or critic. After al,l I do this show for all of you and some feedback would be great. I'd really like to know how many followers this show has and I am eager to listen to suggestions to make more people get hooked to The Voice of The Moon.

Meanwhile, enjoy and as usual,

Keep Listening...!!!

This stunning group from mid-Northern Quebec is yet another one of relatively unknown groups that help Quebec’s progressive rock revolution in the 70’s. Mainly an instrumental jazz-rock group, but when actually using their vocal powers (both in scatting and in actual singing) , they actually reached peaks of beauty that makes you regret this quintet did not sing more.Their music tends to be a bit more bombastic that their aforementioned fellows, while keeping a similar fusion-oriented vein as Maneige; meanwhile, the dual keyboard layers provide a symphonic feel every now and then. The fusion facet is clearly influenced by Return to Forever and Weather Report, albeit less pompous than the former and a more uplifting than the latter. I observe some Kerry Minnear and George Duke influences on both keyboardists, but generally speaking, it must be stated that Sloche never gets derivative. The optimistic spirit that is generally spread all throughout “J’un Oeil” allows the complex compositions receive a certain air of catchiness, and also gives a frontal freshness to the musicians’ intricate interplaying - structural sophistication and warmth, all at once. These guys were incredibly tight-playing and were obviously well collaborating with each other as the songwriting is fairly well-shared (a track each except for drummer Chiasson giving space to bassist Hebert a second track) and the sound is still quite up to date some 30 years later.

As equally superb (but vastly different at will also) as Maneige, Conventum or Opus-5, Sloche is one of those groups that must be investigate by every proghead, dead ort alive. Astounding and outstanding.

Sloche - C'Pas Fin De Monde:

Sloche - Algebrique:

Link in comment.

One of the keenest Folk Prog group to come from Germany, Parzival should appeal to most progheads especially those looking into medieval music as a main influence. Organized around a guitar-bass-drums trio (the bassist being multi- instrumentalist from KB to violin) with an added instruments ranging from the cello, flute to the oboe.

It isn't acid /psych folk music as the compositions offered by other germans as Emtidi, Carol Of Harvest but it is very closed to Ougenweide and their Pagan, traditional folk. The result can (mentaly) lead you to have the feeling that you go back to the past. Each track of the album has its very special mood, sometimes written in a plaintive tone (the delicious Wall Bungalow accompagned fo the piano, the pastoral song Empty land), epic (Marshy legend), dark & melodic. Despite that the instrumentation is essentialy acoustic and the "roots" are in traditionnal folk music, a few rock ingredients are mixed with the ensemble, creating original musical sequences and progressive harmonies.

This album is not at all basic folk music and really defines what prog folk is. Moreover it is made in a very emotional mood, the musical qualities are always present in favor of fixing the attention of the listener. A deep musical journey in the past! It can easily be conceived as the legendary adentures of Parzival put into music!

Parzival - Empty Land:

Link in comment.

Back in the mid 70s, the almost fully instrumental quartet Skryvania came from the union of a bunch of French teenage prog-heads - still in high school - who wanted to emulate their musical idols: Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd. While doing their first gigs as a prog cover band, they started to create their own ideas, and by the end of 1977 they had enough original material to fill a long-play: by that time, original keyboardist Henry-Jean Aubin had been replaced by Harold Bazobka. Their low budget didn’t allow them to have the benefit of a solidly professional recording studio, although a famous local radio presenter and sound engineer was in charge of the production of the band’s sole recording. Maybe this was the factor that helped the resulting record to sound the best it could under these circumstances. The band’s obscure status was very much due to the fact that the album’s promotion was almost inexistent: the foursome’s inexperience led them to focus exclusively on playing gigs without leaving some room for promotion in radio programs or magazines. All in all, the sound quality is not terrible (compared with the demo selection of early Corte Dei Miracoli material in “Dimensione Onirica” or Arachnoid’s album), and it doesn’t prevent the listener from appreciating the level of compositional inventiveness and.. read more here.

keep listening & links in comments..

rAid..

You can download anawa - korowod('71) from here.

Toubabou was formed in 1974 when percussionist Michel Séguin and vocalist Lise Cousineau, founding members of Ville Emard Blues Band (VEBB), were asked by the Québec government to organize the final concert of the Superfrancofête youth festival, on the Plains of Abraham in Québec City. Séguin and Cousineau had ties to French African musicians with whom they had played in 1973. These same musicians had given Séguin the title "Toubabou-djembe-folla" (bambara expression meaning "stranger playing skins"). They invited several artists from Mali and Senegal (including the renowned Doudou N'Diaye Rose) to join them for a show combining traditional African music with adaptations and original compositions by Toubabou. Others VEBB members completed the group, including Robert Stanley (guitar), Michel Dion (bass), Yvan Ouellet (keyboards), and Denis Farmer (drums). On August 24, 1974 this event was recorded on two-track reel-to-reel tape before 55,000 spectators. From these tapes, Toubabou released a live album in November of that year, entitled "Le Blé et le Mil". The album includes somewhat raw live versions of two instrumentals to be featured on the band's subsequent studio album, as well as "Yama Nekh", a VEBB favorite. A highlight is the opening track "Oasis", a sublime 10-minute voyage skillfully navigating between '70s cool jazz and FM radio rock. ... read more here

j'fReAk AssEz..

Keep Listening & Links in comments..

In 1844 Dr Henry Jekill invented a potion that was able to transform him into another man, a man deeply different to him in every possible way.

More than a century popular musicians used a similar process. One band can become another totally different band. Monsters of all kind started to appear everywhere in the sonic spectra.

Today's show is about covers. The magic of transformation. The art of rebuilding a song.

There are many way of covering a song. Some try to keep things safe and go for the fully respectful cover or even the blatant copy. They are the ones that use similar instrumentation and try to mantain the original mood of the song.

Others prefer to throw in a personal touch to the covered songs or add "their band's style to the original style".

In other cases covers become the result of a complex process of deconstruction and total reconstruction of a song.

As you can see there are no simple rules. And the results of the Art of Covering are never guaranteed. I must say that, sadly, in most cases, covers are no better than the original, (and I must also admit that in many cases the results are awful), but it must be said also that getting a better song is not always the cover's goal. Sometimes a song is covered just for the fun of playing it, or as a tribute done out of pure admiration, with no pretentions at all.

I love covers. I believe that even in the worst cases, it is always interesting to listen to the consequences of the travel of one band's song into the realm of another one.

This show is dedicated to those happy interactions.

I hope you like the selection.

Enjoy, be well, and...

Keep Listening...!!!

This is probably their most accessible work, as it is their most 'fusion sounding work' with extremely strong soloing from violinist Didier Lockwood, but it in no way compromises their vision.

The music of this album is actually atypical for what many remember the band: martial, relentless rhythm stomps, operatic howling, bombastic horn races. Here, they expose more fully than on any previous release their jazz-rock backgrounds, and subtle, masterful musicality. The first disc is mainly comprised of one of their great long works, Kohntarkosz. Beginning with the cry, "Hamatai!", the band launches an epic with many movements, colors, and moods. Perhaps most surprising is their ease with flowing, impressionistic soundscapes. Vander has stated that when artists in the mid-70s (such as Mike Oldfield) began to borrow his ideas, he was forced to come with a new type of music. Kohntarkosz was the fruit if his new labors, and the version on this album is definitive. Great melodic, eclectic prog, with hints of fusion as well.

Track listing:

Zünd 1 (40:09)
1. Köhntark (Part One) (15:45)
2. Könntark (Part Two) (16:14)
3. Ëmëhntëht-Rê (Announcement) (8:10)

Zünd 2 (46:02)
1. Hhaï (9:20)
2. Kobah (6:36)
3. Lïhns (4:55)
4. Da Zeuhl Wortz Mekanïk (6:14)
5. Mëkanïk Zaïn (18:57)

Magma - Mekanik Zain:

Link in comment. Enjoy!

The idea of recording a Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and The Wolf rock version was developed by clarinet player Jack Lancaster and keyboard player Robin Lumley around 1976. Lumley and Lancaster had belong to a band called “Soul Searchers” which later would become the fusion act Brand X. Peter and the wolf is the first of two albums that Lancaster and Lumley released together (the second is Marscape from 1977)

The goal with Peter and The Wolf, was to make a version of this musical fairytale that could appeal to younger audiences.

To achieve this plan the followed Prokofiev’s original idea of assigning each instrument a role inside the frame of the tale of Peter, the hero that saves the day by hunting down a horrible wolf that threatened his village.

In the original version, for example, we had the duck represented by an oboe, but here the oboe is substituted by Chris Spedding dizzying wah-wah electric guitar. The wolf itself is re-created by Brain Eno and his menacing synthesizers. The hunters become rock drummers.

To make things clear let’s check the incredible line-up of this album:

Narration Viv Stanshall (The same guy that presented the instruments in the original Tubular Bells)
Peter. Manfred Mann (keyboards)
Bird Gary Brooker (synths)
Duck : Chris Spedding & Gary Moore (guitar)
Cat: Stephan Grapelli (Violin)
Wolf (eno (synths)
Pond : Keith Tippett (Piano)
Grandfather: Jack Lancaster (clarinet)
Hunters and Villagers: Phill Collins, Bill Bruford, Cozy Powell, Jon Heisman, Alvin Lee, Julie Tippett and the English Chorale.

Most of the songs are Prokofiev original score, subtly and smartly arranged by Lancaster and Lumley. The rest are original songs inspired in the classic work. Obviously this is the typical over ambitious album that many rabid critics of progressive rock tend to hate.

And yes, it was very pretentious but it had indeed some great moments. Listen carefully to the “cat” bluesy and jazzy dance and you’ll understand what I mean.

Although Peter and The Wolf is part of the agonic years of Classic Progressive Rock, it is nonetheless and album that shouldn’t be missed in any serious collection.

And hey… it is pretentious yes, but let’s not forget that it is also a child’s tale, so it is also funny and fresh, with a nice happy ending.

Enjoy it and...

Keep Listening…!!!


From Peter and The Wolf - Cat Dance...

Independent Musicians Associated (MIA) was a group of musicians, technicians and drawers gathered together by Lito and Liliana Vitale's parents. They produced their own records and concerts in an independent way. Their music is a complex symphonic rock with definite Argentinean/latin folk influence with multiple corals and vocals beautifully contrasting with the keyboards and a great guitar sound upon a strong rhythmic section.

The increase of the musical energy functions as a crucial factor for this album’s impressive caliber, although it retains much of the bucolic flavour that had clearly appeared two albums; it’s just that this album’s repertoire goes to far more places. Meanwhile, Lito Vitale’s role on keyboard becomes more prominent in the mix, and that means that the multicolored sonic sources that the band so majestically combines in their prog style are given an extra intensity thanks to the augmentation of the orchestral feel in many passages of “Cornonstipicum”. The symphonic stuff sounds more grandiose than ever, the jazzy sections sound more exuberant than ever, and the weird stuff receives an air of magical flamboyance – this is a very powerful album, indeed, one of those gems from faraway countries that could make the day for sensible prog collectors. (reviewed by Cesar Inca)

MIA were a unique musical ensemble with a definite progressive ethic.

MIA - Cornonstipicum:

Link in comment. Enjoy!

It is still one of those few masterpieces never re- released on Digital format. I think that this is true for all but two of Maneige's albums. so i posted a vinyl rip.

MANEIGE is probably the Quebec band that epitomizes best the Quebec Prog boom from 74 to 79.
Except for this lone LP where one number is sung, Maneige is an instrumental group that lets you know right from the start that they will take full advantage of this and will not allow you one second of inattention. The group mixes acoustic and electric instrument with such dexterity that they make it look easy and sound simple. NOT SO! Although people will classify this group in the fusion section , this is only partly correct as ther is some jazz & folk, but there is an uncommon percentage of classical music but nothing stolen from the historical composers. This album and the debut as well as the recently released live 74-75 are highly undiscribable melange of all sort of academic musics. Maneige's sound is a cross between Univers Zero and Gentle Giant for the construction complexities but Maneige is so much more melodic and harmonious to your ears, that GG is rather distant cry from them.

Les porches de Notre-Dame, a glorious mixture of Bergeron's delicate flutes and Yves Léonard's contrapunctual bass, and an intense blend of Baroque and progressive folk. As piano gradually takes over, and strings build up, it comes as a surprise to hear the mournful vocals of guest Raoul Duguay execute a passage of passionate pain on Désouverture, which is the fifth segment of the track; it is followed by a superb trombone solo and an all-out rockish jam that is actually my favourite bit of Maneige music ever.

La Grosse Torche is a short lively Baroque instrumental lasting just over a minute, so the rest of the album is essentially the 16 minute excursion entitled Les aventures de saxinette et Clarophone xylophone introduces an exuberant electric piano driven form of jazz-rock that's topped off by the sax and clarinet (as one would expect given the title of the track) ... it's all quite Canterbury in fact. Until that is a vicious biting riff that would make Gentle Giant proud takes over at the 4 minute mark the percussive jam that follows is quite superb, and while the track goes through a number of further mutations it is sax and percussion that occupy centre stage. I must say though that the ending is a tad cheesy. The final track Chromo is a propulsive flute-driven percussion-heavy bit of jazz-rock that foreshadows some of the music on Ni Vent Ni Nouvelle.(compiled from progarchives)

absolutely masterful and orgasmic music.

Maneige - Les Porches:

Link in Comment.

Merhaba. Barış Manço was one of the most influential Turkish musicians of all times. In his early career he and his bands contributed to the Anatolian rock movement by combining traditional Turkish music with rock influences, which is still one of the main trends of Turkish popular music.

His visual image characterised by his long hair, mustache and big rings softened the reaction of otherwise conservative Turkish public opinion regarding the marginal visual appearances.

His experimentation with electronic instruments in the late 1980s contributed to the 1990s sound of Turkish popular music.

His lyrics with diverse themes, mostly following a somewhat modernized version of the "aşık" (wandering folk poets) tradition were heavily marginal in the popular music scene... read more here Keep listening & links in comments.

Barış abi yerin kalbimizde.

BaYkocA dEstAnI..

(ps. this album reissued in 94 with poor sound quality and wrong tracks..thanks to my friend Oguz for supplying the vinyl to me)

I havent got a top 10 list..but if i had one,this band surely be in this list..sorry busy with phd exams..help yourselves for the review.keep listening.

Links in comments..

sUtA pO tiSic. ..

I am re-posting The Voice of The Moon # 001 and # 006 by kind request of Carlos, from Brazil. (please see the comments below): Muito Obrigado amigo.

I also want to use this post to thank, on behalf of the ProgNotFrog Team, all the listeners of The Voice of The Moon, and the visitors of the site, specially those who have left here very nice and really encouraging comments.

Thanks indeed. We'll do our best to keep pleasing you all.

I also want to invite our visitors to go back in time and to check the archives. I am sure that you'll find many musical recommendations that will please your ears.


We hope you enjoy our job as much as we enjoy doing it.

Those of you who visit us often surely have read our annoucements regarding improvements and experiments that are being currently carried out on this site.

We're working to make ProgNotFrog a better place for the encounter of cultures, art expression and freedom of speech and thought. Recommend PNF to your friends. Feel free to quote us, copy us, link to us, etc, etc etc.

And... as usual...


Keep Listening...!!!

Hello friends! a few weeks ago i found an album of manduka (1972)..in this album (manduka '72) there was a song called "Entre Y Sale" i like it very much..Altough i am not more into jazzy things i love the voice and singing style of Flora Purim..and in this song a lady sings the song with flora's style..i asked myself "may this singing lady be Flora?" "this singing style is very characteristic..i met this singing style many times in albums from Brasil..was this style of singing have name?" i did a net search..couldnt find any valuable results..then i asked my friends from Brasil..Thanks to Isabel, she gave me many smilar names and informations..(i will share my researches in future posts) and Eduardo said he has own vinyl rip of manduka(1979)..i downloaded from him..after listening it i said wow!! i like the album very much till i downloaded, i become addict of some songs..you know what kind of a copy/paster i am..Altough Manduka have many albums,works with los Jaivas i couldnt find a good review in english..some reviewers tells the albums like: you may feel like you are listening the album when reading..i am not like them. so you gonna listen and you gonna rate them for your own :) please feel free to write informations/reviews in comments..one of my favorite..KeEp liSteNinG!

Thanks to mr.melody for sharing this great viny rip with us.

LiNks iN CommEnts..

jAndirA..

This one may make happy those who like to listen dutch folk..one of my favourite..you are welcome to share infos/reviews in comments..happy listening :)

LiNks iN coMmeNts..

tHomas mAas..

faithful visitors may understand how i am addicted on galicia folk..this one is one of them..your welcome to share information/reviews in comments..keep listening

LinKs in cOmMenTs..

feStA de LooR..

Well, the subject of this week is love. Why Not? Love and music have been connected for centuries. According to some scholars the idea of romantic love in the western world was created during the middle ages inside the poetic frame of wandering trovadours. Before that, couples were “constructed” by alliances based on convenience or simply by availability. The deep emotional bonding that happens between a man and woman, became the subject sung by trovadours and was made legend by raconteurs around the XII century…

I am not so sure if that is true, but if minstrels invented love as we know it, then the history of love is also the history of music.



Anyway, we all know that love has many sides. The bright side of it, is possibly the deepest emotional experience a human being can have. Is you ask around you’ll find that for most people, happiness seems unreachable without true love. On the other hand love can be cruel, the loved person can be stolen, lost or horribly simple, that loved person might not love us back.

The romantics took love to its next level. During the secons half of XVIII Century, Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe invented Death by Love, in his novelette “Werther” and with that he also conceived Heart Breaking. We suspect that he also invented blues that same day but I have been unable to prove it.

Anyway, love has inspired artists for centuries. We are surrounded by all kinds of love stories. Some heroic, some sad, some fantastic, some tragic.

Since then History of Love has also been the History of Aching, Despair.
No other feeling can be so sublime or so harmful.

This show compiles some love songs that aim to please the most demanding ears… and hearts.
Our companions in this dangerous adventures will be Peter Hammill, Nick Cave, Craig Armstrong, Swans and some others. Be ready for a few surprises.

That’s all I wanted to write about today’s show.

May your love life be happy.

If it is not, well get deep into this show. I guarantee that after listening to it you will feel a heavier heart pounding inside your chest. Tears will follow. Enjoy being alive and,

Keep Listening…!!!