Prosper - Broken Door (Garden of Delights) 1975

Biography Prosper was born in Bottrop, a town situated in the northwestern part of the german Ruhrgebiet which is dominated by an eponymous coal mine. The band's story began 1973 as Prosper I with heavy line-up changes. Jürgen Pluta (keys) was a co-founder but soon went to Wallenstein to play the bass. Evert Brettschneider (guitar) and Matthias Geisen (bass) were early members to form a constant line-up and to reduce the name to Prosper. They were later followed by Friedhelm Misiejuk (drums, percussion), Fritz A. Frey (guitar, vocals) und Ernst Müller (keys). This five musicians finally produced the self-released, very professional and diversified debut 'Broken Door' from 1975. Prosper's sound is a typical mix of different styles. Jazz rock respectively Fusion are having a dominant role but there are also psychedelic parts to point out. Composed with a versatile structure the eight songs contain many instrumental parts interspersed with e-piano, mellotron, moog or nice twin guitar work. Brettschneider, also known as a member of the band Contact Trio, often provides the jazzy attitude inspired by John McLaughlin or Gary Boyle. Unfortunately the current line-up didn't manage to record other releases afterwards. Some member changes occured and Prosper became less important until 1979 when the band tried to make a new start. Only bass player Geisen remained and he gathered some other musicians to record new material. Finally in 2006 some songs of this rehearsals were digged out and released as a vinyl named 'Second Running - The Basement Tapes' with music similar to Doldinger's Passport. More other songs are in a waiting position and therefore Prosper's story might not be closed yet. progarchives

Tracklist

01.Beginning 7:19

02.Burning in the Sun 2:04

03.Broken Door 3:24

04.Dance of an Angel 6:56

05.Your Country 5:40

06.Birds of Passage 4:56

07.Master's inspiration 1:32

08.Where the Sun touches the Water 7:54

Line-up

Evert Brettschneider - Electric & Acoustic Guitars

Fritz Fey - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals

Ernst Müller - Fender Rhodes, Mellotron, Mini-Moog, electronics

Matthias Geisen - Bass

Friedhelm Misiejuk - Drums, Percussion

History of Rock in 15 Minutes mixed up!

 

Eternity's Children - Timeless (Rev-Ola) 1968

Biography Eternity's Children's second and last LP, oddly, was only released in Canada. After working with Curt Boettcher and Keith Olsen for their first album, they switched to another renowned California producer, Gary Paxton. Surprisingly, perhaps, Timeless is yet more happy-go-lucky than its predecessor, with weaker material, though it retains a chipper male-female sunshine pop harmonic base. The songs are upbeat, though the blue-eyed soul of "Get Outta Here" is an exception (one is even titled "Sunshine and Flowers"), but forgettable even if much effort clearly went into the vocal and instrumental arrangements. There are a couple of unlikely obscure Byrds connections here in songs co-written with Jan Paxton by both Gene Parsons ("Christina in My Dreams") and Clarence White ("Nature's Child"), while the "Nature Boy"-styled Jan Paxton-Ben Benay composition "Gypsy Minstrel Man" provides the sole change of pace from the relentless cheerfulness. This mighty rare album is included on the Cherry Red CD compilation Eternity's Children, which also includes their first album, also titled Eternity's Children, and some tracks from non-LP singles. allmusic.com

Tracklist

01.I Wanna Be With You 2:09

02.Nature's Child 2:12

03.The Other Side Of Me 2:03

04.Look Away 2:18

05.Christina In My Dreams 2:19

06.Sunshine And Flowers 2:56

07.Till I Hear It From You 2:08

08.Get Outta Here 2:38

09.Gypsy Minstrel Man 2:34

10.The Thinking Animal 2:48

Line-up

Linda Lawley - Vocals

Charles Ross - Vocals, Bass

Mike "Kid" McClain - Vocals, Keyboards

Roy Whittaker - Drums

Bo Wagner - Drums

Banco - As in Last Supper (Victor Entertainment Japan) 1976

Biography The 1976 release As in a Last Supper marked a pivotal point in the career of legendary Italian prog rockers Banco. The previous year, the band put out its first album targeted at English-speaking audiences, on admirers Emerson, Lake & Palmer's own label, Manticore. (Fellow Italian proggies PFM were already part of the Manticore roster.) But that self-titled release was a hodgepodge of earlier tracks with newly recorded vocals in English, plus some new material. As in a Last Supper was the first "proper" Banco album targeted at the Anglo audience, the first to be conceived as a self-contained piece for Manticore. During this period, they were also going by the simpler Banco outside Italy, as opposed to their full name, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, though they'd eventually use the shorter moniker worldwide. The band's prog rock peak had arguably come with its last "original" album, 1973's Io Sono Nato Libero, and before long Banco would begin adopting a less progressive approach, with shorter, simpler songs, but As in a Last Supper still finds them turning out complex, captivating pieces. At some points, you can hear things just beginning to take a turn toward a more direct, visceral approach, but Last Supper is nevertheless a sumptuous art rock feast for the ears. Keyboard-playing brothers Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi lead the way as usual, with their kaleidoscopic whirl of synth, organ, and piano lines creating an elegant, artful framework, over which Francesco Di Giacomo's bold, soaring voice glides powerfully but gracefully, and guitarist Rodolfo Maltese alternates between cunning counterpoint and cutting lead lines. As with the band's previous Manticore release, the band's original Italian lyrics (intact on the Italian version of the album) were re-cut in English. While it's probably more aesthetically pleasing to hear Di Giacomo delivering lyrics in his native tongue, he does a fine job with the English version, and his singing retains more than enough of its dramatic appeal to make up for any aesthetic incongruities occasioned by the linguistic shift. allmusic.com

Tracklist

01.At Supper, For Example 6:19

02.The Spider 4:56

03.John Has A Good Heart, But... 3:34

04.Slogan 7:25

05.They Say Dolphins Speak 5:52

06.Voila' Midae! 5:52

07.When Good People Counsel 1:53

08.The Night Is Full 4:11

09.Towards My Door 4:30

Line-up

Francesco "Big" Di Giacomo - vocals

Rodolfo Maltese - electric and acoustic guitars, trumpet, backing vocals

Vittorio Nocenzi - organ, synthesizers, electronic strings

Gianni Nocenzi - piano, clavinet, synthesizer

Renato D'Angelo - bass, acoustic guitar

Pierluigi Calderoni - drums, percussion

Scott Finch & Gypsy - Haze Of Mother Nature (Akarma Records) 2001

Biography Original blues/rock power trio that ingeniously construct their own identity and style. When you open this gatefold (4 parts) CD and album, you will find a glorious tribute to Scott Finch & Gypsy. If you continue to read you will also find that Jimi Hendrix and the 60's psychedelic period of music is the entire focus of this project. I really have come to appreciate the genius of Hendrix as time passes. I also realize for the short time that he was on this earth that he left us with some of the most incredible blues rock that we have ever heard, or may ever hear again. Scott Finch & Gypsy got together in Wisconsin back in the eighties to form a compelling and authoritative trio that reawakened our senses and re ignited our interest in that important period of rock music. Horizon Records (Akarma) recognizes the significance and the value of the music, and how the music buying public have become increasingly receptive to guitar oriented blues based rock. With all of those thoughts in mind, I proceeded to give this music an intense overview with my ears and mind. I had to wonder if this CD/LP was going to live up to the elaborate critique that was so convincingly described by Jo Anne Green in the intense liner notes. The story foregoing the recording is quite fitting to be sure. I found out immediately that this was not merely another Hendrix impressionist. Scott Finch (guitar, vocals), Joe Steil (bass, vocals) and Gregg Slavik (drums, percussion, vocals), are an original blues rock power trio that ingeniously construct their own identity and style. Finch plays and sounds like Jimi often enough during the course of this larger than life release that you may find yourself thinking that it's actually the man himself back from the grave for one more jam session. They readily summon images of the master at several points during the course of the entire 76 minutes found on this generous rock excursion. In its entirety, this music is like watching several points of light coming together to create a supernova. Finch mentions in the liner notes that musical nirvana is the ultimate goal that the group strives to achieve. I think it's safe to say that musical nirvana is obtainable. Just listen to this music.

Tracklist

01.Gypsy - Flowers In The Jungle 3:25

02.Gypsy - Gypsy Waltz 3:55

03.Gypsy - Dream Of The Dove 2:53

04.Gypsy - People From The Darkside 4:36

05.Gypsy - Little Bird 3:33

06.Gypsy - The Goddess 5:35

07.Gypsy - The Race 2:40

08.Gypsy - Can't Live Without It 4:28

09.Scott Finch - Dragnet 1:56

10.Scott Finch - Godora 5:28

11.Gypsy - Acid Joe 4:54

12.Gypsy - Time Keeps Rolling On 5:10

13.Scott Finch - Pipe Dream 4:37

14.Gypsy - Haze Of Mother Nature 3:14

Hendrix Medley

15.Bluehand - I Don't Live Today 3:57

16.Waltzing Tunas - Love Or Confusion 3:25

17.Waltzing Tunas - If 6 Was 9 4:34

18.Bluehand - Little Wing 3:23

19.Scott Finch - Bend The Stone 4:30

Line-up

Gypsy

Scott Finch - Guitar, Vocals

Joe Steil - Bass, Vocals

Gregg Slavik - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Bluehand

Scott Finch - Guitar

Peter Alt - Lead Vocal, Guitar

Mike Haasch - Bass

Gregg Slavik - Drums

Waltzing Tunas

Scott Finch - Guitar

Peter Alt - Vocals

Mike Kashou - Bass

Gregg Slavik - Drums

Scott Finch

Plays all instruments, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Hammond Organ, Electric piano and Sitar

Midnight Flyer - Midnight Flyer (2013 Airmail Archive) 1981

Biography If any band can lay claim to a seat on the should-have-been shuttle, it's Midnight Flyer, the greatest rock group you've never heard of. This extraordinarily talented quintet comprised veteran artists hailing from a myriad of notable bands Stone the Crows, Whitesnake, and Foghat among them. Lead singer Maggie Bell, an ex-Crow and regular winner of a U.K. "Best Of" readers' polls, was the linchpin of the project, piecing together a new group even as her solo albums were receiving rave reviews. Midnight Flyer was everything she hoped for, as it was for most of the other members, each looking to spread wings too often clipped in the past, and all contributed songs to this set. The group inked a deal with Swansong, to whom Bell was already signed as a solo act, with Bad Company/Mott the Hoople's Mick Ralphs brought in as producer. So this set should rock hard and it does, although the transfer to CD has somewhat flattened the sound. But keep turning up the volume, and when the roof starts shaking you can finally hear the intrinsic power captured on the original vinyl. The remastering does a fine job of pulling John Cook's keyboards up in the mix; unfortunately, it's at the expense of the guitars, another drawback. Yet so potent is the music that even these flaws can't soften the set's potency. And nothing can blunt Bell's edge, as she struts and strolls, wails and rails across the CD. In the end, this is her showcase, as she steals every song out from under her hard-rocking bandmates. She's a star, and there's no eclipsing her. However, this did not prevent the band from dying of benign neglect. In the aftermath of John Bonham's death, labelhead Peter Grant allowed Swansong to drift into free fall. Bad Company and Midnight Flyer consequently suffered the same fate, each drifting on rudderless for a couple of years before calling it a day. Flyer's members went their separate ways, yet each continued to play in a dizzying array of bands and further stamped their own imprimaturs on the U.K. scene. This superb album captures them all at some of their rockingest heights. allmusic.com

Tracklist

01.Hey Boy 3:25

02.Love Games 3:37

03.French Kisses 4:02

04.In My Eyes 4:14

05.Over And Over 2:46

06.Last Resort 3:51

07.Do You Want My Love 3:23

08.Sweet Loving Woman 3:29

09.What Ever I Want 3:31

10.Midnight Love 3:32

11.Rough Trade 4:04

Bonus Tracks

12.Rock 'N Roll Party 3:55

13.Waiting For You 3:16

Line-up

Maggie Bell (ex-Stone the Crows) - vocals

Anthony Glynne - guitar

John Cook (ex-Mungo Jerry, Stretch) - keyboards

Chris Parren - keyboards

Tony Stevens (ex-Savoy Brown, Foghat) - bass & vocals

David Dowle (ex-Chapman-Whitney Streetwalkers, Whitesnake) - drums

Revelations - The Revelations (Schema Records) 1971

Biography The story of “The Revelations” is part of a fruitful and unique period of Italian Discography. A moment of great creativity and innovation, when the boundaries between music, cinema and television were uncertain. A story of great orchestras, film directors and inspired composers which were endlessly producing in a country getting back on its feet after the Second world war. “The Revelations”, released in 1970, is a gem that emerged from this period. A record amongst many that although relatively unknown, remains highly sought after by record collectors world over.Adventurous is probably the most appropriate word to describe those fantastic years that we fondly remember for famous film scores and the birth of the Italian pop scene.Help!, the Rome based record label which released “The Revelations”, was the first music business run by the young producer Gianni dell’Orso. Conceived by Dell’Orso, appearing here under his alter ego Proluton, and his brother Giacomo, “The Revelations” LP was produced as Library Music for television and manufactured in a very limited number of copies. It was a peculiar recording within the label context, with musical intuitions that sparked great interest in this release which in turn has made it both valuable and highly collectable. The LP blends diverse inspirations and heterogeneous moods, since its aim was to offer many options to television producers. Giacomo Dell’Orso, musician, composer and orchestra director, signed most of the tracks under the moniker Oscar Lindok. His music takes the listener into a journey through cinematic atmospheres and funk influences with a beat background – a world of moving melodies and strong grooves. Giacomo’s life is an example of dedicating one’s existence to music for we can’t avoid the underlying connection of his private life, music and cinema without also remembering his marriage to Edda Sabbatini – better known as Edda Dell’Orso, Ennio Morricone’s favourite singer. The musicians featured on this record are great session men with glorious careers: Silvano Chimenti, Giovanni Tommaso, Enzo Restuccia and Mario Scotti – all famous for their work on film scores and as featured musicians who enjoyed great Italian Pop success as well. “The Revelations” arrives back on record store shelves in this remastered version – a must-have for all Library Music lovers and vinyl collectors.

Tracklist

01.Sweet Daniela 2:21

02.Dedicated To J. Hendrix 2:42

03.Good Morning Mr. Gleen 2:16

04.Blue 1971 3:07

05.Lively 2:30

06.Memory Of Brasil 2:36

07.Soul 111 2:52

08.Old Wa Wa 2:03

09.Spanish Theme 3:37

10.Drops 2:31

Line-up

Gianfranco Coletta - Guitar, Voice

Piero Tudini - Guitar

Fabio Pignatelli - Bass

Giorgio Grassi - Drums

Easter Island - Easter Island (Belle Antique Japan) 1979

Biography Easter Island was originally formed in 1973 by guitarist Mark Miceli. They were easily one of the best US prog bands to have recorded during the 1970's. The music places emphasis on excellent mini-moog and Mellotron work as well as guitar, like most prog bands from the mid-'70s seemed to do. Their original and progressive music has its roots in the compositional techniques of King Crimson, Yes, and ELP. Musically their new opus recalls latter-day King Crimson mixed with heavy doses of world music (in the rhythms) and some modern rock sounds, too. Maybe a little Genesis creeps in here or there, but the majority of this album really recalls no one in particular. If you want good songwriting and original arrangements done in a fresh way, this is for you. If you want a retro 70s sound, buy their first album! Their first album, ''Now and Then'' was released in 1979 in vinyl and re-released in 1991 in CD-format, with Rick Bartlett (vocals), Park Crain (bass & pedals), Mark Hendricks (drums) and Ray Vogel (keyboards) along Miceli (guitars, vocals, Gato drum and synthesizers), who was the only remaining member in the 1999 sophomore release ''Mother Sun'', then joined by Alfred Collinsworth (bass, guitars, vocals), Richard Streander (electronic guitars, vocals), and Bob Chapman (electronic drums and percussion). Miceli has also been making solo albums since 1990, with the last one in 2010. progarchives

Tracklist

01.Face To Face Including Wonderer's Lament Intro 10:10

02.Genius Of The Dance 4:19

03.Solar Sailor 6:21

04.Winds Of Time 6:46

05.The Alchemist Suite A: Prelude 5:31

06.The Alchemist Suite B: Life Celebration 4:18

07.The Alchemist Suite C: Telesterion 5:31

08.The Alchemist Suite D: Resurrection 5:52

09.Summerland 4:49

Bonus

10.Now & Then 1:43

11.Face To Face Live 7:30

12.Solar Sailor Live 6:53

Line-up

Park Crain - Bass Guitar, Synthesizer, Percussion

Mark Hendricks - Drums

Mark Miceli - Guitar, Vocals, Drum, Synthesizer

Ray Vogel - Synthesizer, Hammond C-3, Mini Moog, Piano, Mellotron

Rick Bartlett - Vocals