Patrick Godfrey's Ancient Ships of Canada from 1979

Wow -- Look at that gorgeous cover drawing! [credited to Miro Malish]

Who is Patrick Godfrey?   Evidently a very talented keyboardist from Toronto, Canada.  Musically this reminds me a lot of Sandy Owen but given its release in the seventies, it's highly imbued with the spirit of experimentation and progressive ideas that was so magically a part of those long ago days.  (There's even a purely percussive track.)  His later record from 1982 doesn't look quite as interesting but someday when I have a surplus in the account I will check it out to make sure.  Even a comparison of the covers indicates the deterioration in inspiration as we stepped over that evil lintel from seventies to eighties.

A terrible, almost criminally mono rip was circulating around heretofore, please upgrade with this crystal clear sounding perfect little keyboard gem.  Notice the amazing harpsichord invention he gets going on 'For Gail' and the superb employment of tritones on the descending chord pattern:





Now that's the kind of intricate, one of a kind music I like to hear!

The last track, which is the title track, builds up a beautiful dramatic crescendo with some the wonderful addition of organs and other instruments, all presumably played by Patrick.  Wonderful stuff, and look out for it.