US AOR band Spy, 1980

A similar band to Head East, but not quite as strong.

These guys made one album in 1980. As discogged:

Short lived rock band, formed in New England, MA. In an attempt to maintain his position in the AOR movement due to Kansas losing their popularity, Don Kirshner put together a group of studio musicians and regional talent, resulting in the release of one studio album for his Kirshner label. After the album was unsuccessful, the band split up, and its members went back into studio and production work.

The album is quite straightforward with not much to hold on to.

One interesting track:

Head East's Flat as a Pancake, 1975 [with flac]

Happy July 4th / Independence Day!

I wasn't so impressed with these guys, who played basic pop-rock / AOR, but I absolutely adore the song Never Been any Reason:

I mean for anthem arena rock songs to play out loud, preferably while drivin' down the highway, who can beat that song? Despite the opinion of most others on rym, I felt the first album was their best with most of the singable songs on that one, the remainder slightly less catchy.  Looking at the photos of the band, it's not surprising the subject of lyrics is about losing your virginity, drinking, sex with random unknown unnamed girls, etc. "you and me and a bottle of wine... down at Jefftown Creek..."

I always find it so highly amusing that folks can't agree on these things, different reviewers on rym suggest the fourth album, the second, the third, etc. are by far the best albums. And one reviewer even has the inanity to say there are progressive elements on one of the LPs: actually, there are none.

Then again when I hear pop music from today and people tell me how much they love it, it's obvious there's no understanding tastes in music...

Discogs:

US hard rock, A.O.R. band from East Central Illinois. Initially they were called the TimeAtions, before changing their name to Head East in August 1969. Their first recording was released in early 1975. In early 1980 the band fell apart, with two members leaving and one member being fired. After that they came back together in several different formations. They continue to tour.

The great Clive Stevens in multiple releases, in particular Language of Secrets Hearts, 1992

 

From discogs:

British international recording artist/composer/producer Clive Stevens was born in Bristol, England. Passed away unexpectedly on 24th Jan 2019. After studying saxophone with Eddie Jackman and Ronnie Ross (English baritone saxophonist) he left for the United States to study music composition/arranging/improvisation at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Later he studied flute/composition at the San Francisco conservatory of Music, Guildhall school of Music (London), US Naval Academy of Music, and private saxophone studies with Lee Konitz and composition with William Allaudin Mathieu.

Stevens has traveled extensively world wide including UK/Europe, India, Canada/USA, Central and South America (Brazil) and throughout the Caribbean, living in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Rio De Janeiro and recently Miami.

He has released eight studio albums on Capitol Records, Voo Livre/EMI Records (Brazil), Guerilla Records, Frog/EFA Records, Metalimbo/EFA Records. Planet 8 Records has internationally released his CD “Invisible Intelligence” under the studio name of Mandorla, a modern mix collection of ambient lounge cuts featuring international artists called “Pan Global Electro Lounge Vol. 1”, and “The Greatest Hits of Mr X / Clive Stevens”.

Stevens’ instruments includes saxophones, flutes, WX7 MIDI wind controller, synth keyboards and percussion. He has also published a book of poems and lyrics called “Stardust Transmissions”.

As usual in these cases I was listening to his two early fusion albums which are called Atmospheres and which everyone probably is familiar with as they are truly beyond brilliant for anyone who is a fan of progressive energetic electric fusion, and was wondering if such a great composer might have made more interesting work.  Well you can see that in the 80s he worked with (smooth fusion band) Brainchild and made two much more commercial, lighter, nonprogressive, albums (exactly as you'd expect). Nothing quite as good as the 70s works.

Then in 1992 came this one, discogged here, which I note has the following information:

Printed in the booklet:

"The first three songs are a trilogy dedicated to the great Afro-American musician/singer - Marvin Gaye. This music collection represents the continuing saga of stories from the human heart. The words try to speak about our present struggle to live with each other on both personal and impersonal levels. Reincarnation, the need to dream fantasy, the relationship between men and women, dark and light, good and evil. The difficult process of planetary co-existence. The stories of love, hate, peace and war. This music draws inspiration from multiple genres and I hope continues the evolving internationalization of modern music. Love to all my creator friends."

Melodie D'amour is the stunning composition that starts this work:

I find it's so interesting, full of thought and feeling.

It was so nice to encounter this one.

Unfortunately the album that came out in 2000 called Millenium Jams was not as interesting.

Comox and Friends, from Canada 1974

 

Gotta love that cover drawing, so reminiscent of the times.

This is folky acoustic singer songwriter stuff, quite rare, quite enjoyable in places. Not quite progressive but nonetheless interesting and occas. surprising.  There are 2 artists here, James Papp and Paul Stephens together called Comox, and this is their only release it seems.

The last track a suite called Sunrise, Sunshine, Sunset, is quite entertainingly different, though not out of the ballpark, quite a good run:

Christy Doran and Fredy Studer in Half A Lifetime (1977 to 1994)

Many luminaries are playing on these tracks along with the great Cristy Doran, eg Dauner, Schoof, Mariano, Van't Hof which are compiled from different sources. 

As indicated here, on the discogs page:

Recording dates and locations:

1-1: April 25, 1994, Radio Studio Zürich, Switzerland

1-2: July 8, 1989, Pilatus-Festival, Luzern, Switzerland

1-3: March 11, 1994, Altes E-Werk, Göppingen, Germany

1-4: October 28, 1979, Limmathaus, International Jazz Festival Zürich, Switzerland

1-5: October 27, 1985, Volkshaus, International Jazz Festival Zürich, Switzerland

1-6: April 21, 1979, Gemeindezentrum Meierskappel, Switzerland

1-7: May 30, 1989, Soundville Recording Studios Luzern, Switzerland

1-8: August 31, 1989, Festhalle, International Jazz Festival Willisau, Switzerland

1-9: January 15, 1993, Jazzclub Allmend, Oberengstringen, Switzerland

1-10: August 27, 1977, Festhalle, International Jazz Festival Willisau, Switzerland

1-11: June 27, 1992, Glass Slipper Club, International Jazz Festival Vancouver, Canada

2-1: January 21, 1984, «CaBaRe»-Club, Zürich, Switzerland

2-2: June 5, 1982, «Mohren», Willisau, Switzerland

2-3: January 15, 1993, Jazzclub Allmend, Oberengstringen, Switzerland

2-4: August 12, 1985, «Sedel» rehearsal room, Luzern, Switzerland

2-5: August 31, 1989, Festhalle, International Jazz Festival Willisau, Switzerland

2-6: October 18, 1992, «Schüür», Luzern, Switzerland

2-7: April 26, 1993, «Stadtgarten» Köln, Germany

2-8: January 31, 1994, «Jazzclub» Hannover, Germany

Most of the music is experimental, advanced, complicated and/or improvised music, with not so much to cling to in the hopes of regularity, familiarity.

The last track, called Quasar: