Robby Steinhardt from Kansas' Not in Kansas Anymore, A Prog Opera, 2022 [FLAC limited time only]

 

OK so I'm guessing most of us grew up with Kansas: all we are is dust in the wind, etc.

I certainly didn't know this gentleman was their violinist, from the earliest days (1974 or before).  I was even more ignorant, this time intentionally so, of the fact he released this album recently in the same style as the original band and believe it or not it's quite good and worth checking out.  It turns out, it's his only solo work. As you'd expect it's a mixed bag, with progressive alternating with ordinary music and songwriting, and some electronic noodling and so on.  

Nonetheless, I will go so far as to say the track called Rise of the Phoenix is about as perfect a prog epic one could hope for in this day and age, and I thank him for that:

And that's not the only one like that, there's more for you to explore.

His bio is as follows from discogs:

Robby Steinhardt (born May 25, 1950 – died July 17, 2021) was an American rock violinist and singer best known for his work with the group Kansas (2). He was co-lead singer along with keyboardist Steve Walsh, from 1973 to 1982 and from 1997 to 2006.

Therefore he passed away some years back and no longer plays with them (except in spirit I guess).

For those curious about these things, he died of pancreatitis.  One thing I was not too pleased about was that he rehashed Dust in the Wind on this record. Note as well:

Posthumously released.

With guests: Ian Anderson, Pat Travers, Steve Morse,

Bobby Kimball, just to name a few.

I'll throw in an online review that is a little too enthusiastic to my taste, but at least describes it half decently:

The songs on Not in Kansas Anymore rock out, but they also showcase the proggy twists and turns (and flights of virtuosity) that characterize the genre. And Steinhardt’s arrangements put the focus upon memorable melodic lines, too, adding up to a well balanced album that ticks most all of this reviewer’s boxes.  Befitting a work by a strings player, the album is filled with rich orchestration, featuring the real things as opposed to modern keyboard equivalents. The Bösendorfer piano is real, too, and sounds like it. Listeners who approach the album expecting it to sound like Kansas will find some stylistic cues in common, but Steinhardt’s solo muse led him in some directions that might not have fit neatly into the aesthetic/format of his old band. That said, the emphasis is squarely on accessibility throughout the album’s 11 tracks. And in a nod to his former group, Steinhardt inserts bits of his signature melodic lines from “Dust in the Wind” into “Prelude.”

Oddly, though that tune doesn’t open the album; it’s the sixth track, preceding a new recording of – you guessed it – “Dust in the Wind.” The new version is lovely, though it doesn’t really add much to the original, and its inclusion here elicits a shrug. Far more interesting are the album’s other tracks, like the classically-tinged (and aptly/playfully titled) “Pizzacato.” (That’s not a typo.)  The tiny (5-point or so) type in the CD’s liners make sorting out who-plays-what an exercise in futility, and the same is true for the lyric sheet. The lyrics to “Downtown Royalty” won’t be to some listeners’ tastes – they’re a bit histrionic and overwrought – but the tune itself is nice enough. In any event, most listeners will likely gloss over the lyrics – perhaps focusing instead upon the sonic quality of the massed vocals throughout – and luxuriate in the arrangements and instrumental breaks.

Plans were afoot for a tour in support of the album, but Steinhardt’s passing last July put an end to those. His collaborator on the project, producer/arranger Michael Franklin, shepherded the album to completion and release. And Not in Kansas Anymore stands not only as a fitting way to remember Steinhardt, but as a worthwhile listening experience.

Jean-Philippe Rykiel [Waterfalls in Space with Tim Blake 1979, Shambala with Verdeaux, and ST 1982]

 

Discogs: 

French composer, arranger and keyboard player. He has been blind since his birth in 1961. Son of French designer Sonia Rykiel.

Recall he was responsible for the lovely synth tracks from Malherbe's Fetish album, posted back here.

I thought those were beautifully composed.  So I went back to see if there was something I was missing in the rest of his output.

From 1979's Waterfalls in Space, with the famous Tim Blake (Gong, Hawkwind), the lovely swirling synth sound of Lighthouse 79:

The next album, Shambala from 1981, was even more basic drony electronic, which makes sense because it was a collaboration with Cyrille Verdeaux (Clearlight, etc.).

Then the ST from 1982, which is again basically cosmic electronic music, nicely written, similar to so much in this vein, played of course entirely by Jean-Philippe.  As an ex., Step by Step:

A really beautiful cover graphic again for the 1982 LP, typical of these French records.

More fusion by request from the great Ceccarelli: Structure (1970), Synthesis (1976), Working Progress (1975), Human Egg (1978)

 

Brilliant cover art, as is often the case with French LPs from back in the day.

Information for Monsieur Ceccarelli here, again.  He was involved in tons of albums in general, but these fusion works are particularly impressive, along with the Troc stuff.  Recall I posted other stuff back here long ago.

First up is the 1970 Structure record:

In 1970, the AFA label asked flautist Bernard Wystraëte to register a “pop” album after the worldwide impact of progressive bands like Aphrodite’s Child and Jethro Tull. Wystraete recruited some of his friends who were professional musicians and Structure was born. He wrote a collection of songs influenced by progressive rock, jazz and Brazilian music. The Pop Music album was recorded live in the studio to give a “live show” feel. It was released later that year/ The band even toured across France and several countries at the same time that Bernard and other Structure members started backing famous French singer Marie Laforêt live. After the good reception given to the album, another label asked Bernard to record a 2nd Structure 45, viz. Structure (8), Bernard Wystraëte Avec La Participation De Luc Donat - Dilatation / Escale. It was released in 1971 under a new line-up.

The bizarre Sexonomie:

The absolutely brilliant fusion album 1976 Synthesis, a one-off LP:

Members:  André Cazalet, André Ceccarelli, Annie Wystraete, Chantal Alexandre, Chantal Curtis, Christian Lété, Didier Lockwood, Francis Cournet, François Jeanneau, Frédérique Gegembach, Guy Khalifa, Hamid Belhocine, Ivan Jullien, Jacques Bolognesi, Kako Bessot, Marc Chantereau, Marc Steckar, Marianne Mille, Paul-Jean Borowsky, Paula Moore, Philippe Briche, Raymond Gimenes, Tony Bonfils

City Life really highlights Ceccarelli, electric violinist of course is the formidable Lockwood:

Jeanneau on saxes, flutes.  Unbelievably warm and lovingly energetic music.  I love it when fusion uses vocals too in such a rich environment.  Wonderful funky driving rhythms.  For me this one stands out as such a strong work, with every single track top notch and worth hearing: all killer, no filler.

Succinct description for Working Progress, another of my favourite fusions from France:

One of many 1970's French fusion bands featuring drummer André Ceccarelli.

Scratch my Stone:

Human Egg, from 1978, has no description.  Very similar to Troc in general, but with some late 1970s influences of course (discoish, funkish). 

First track, the only really progressive piece, called Egg:

Incidentally, some of these tracks appeared as bonus on the 1977 French Atlantide CD (with the famous Yes-copied guitar riff opener) presumably because it's the same band?  Yet I don't see Massiera credited on Human Egg.  Anyways, it's not as good as the previous work, or other stuff by him.

One last comment, this particular rip of Synthesis is just crystal clear and wonderful to hear, highly enjoyable, because of the clarity of all the sounds. Because I remember hearing this for the first time decades ago from an old LP rip.

The rip of Working Progress, on the other hand, is my own, from the LP I bought about 15 years ago, still circulating around online I note. So thanks to me for that beauty.

Chez Jean-Claude Petit, from 1974 (Library)

 

A library from him which is exactly as you'd expect, that is, more along the same lines as the ST J-C Petit from 1975 just posted, perhaps not quite as strong in the compositional sphere.

Databased here.  The track called Guitar's Revolution has such an utterly bizarre riff it's difficult for me to say if I like it or not, and that's almost never happened before:

What do you think of it?

La  religieuse d'Haiphong reminds me so much of the early 1970s April Orchestra French compositions posted so long ago now:

If you listen closely note that combination of synthesizer oboe melody, digital strings, and digital horn later on over an odd piano chord progression at the halfway mark, followed by the solo grand piano.  This one really foreshadows the brilliance of his 1980 masterwork.  At once bizarre and enthralling I'd say.

Jean-Claude Petit in The Best of all Possible Worlds from 1980 [strongly recommended!]

What a request!  Not the kind of thing that pops up often, not anymore, after we've scraped the bottom of the prog and fusion barrel, this is the best of all possible worlds of prog fusion, advanced jazz-rock, whatever kind of progressive music you want to call it.  And totally unknown, for myself and for most of you I'm sure, who were never aware of the existence of this thing.

Evidently a soundtrack composer responsible for the music for some pretty famous French films (Manon, Cyrano, etc.), he started off with what looks like standard issue easy listening albums in the 1970s, then in this most musically unpromising year of 1980 he put out an incredible synthesis of progressive funk, fusion, and just plain masterpiece music.  If you follow this blog it's a lot like the German Peter Wolf's Tutti album with the mix of incredibly creative composition on a fusion / orchestral basis (though in actuality there is no orchestra, just keyboards).  Reminds me a bit too of my often mentioned favorite, Arif Nardin's astounding 1974 Journey.  Another similar lost masterpiece would be Michel Colombier's ST 1979 fusion work once posted here.

Database for this album can be located here.  I could sample any of the tracks and likely you'd be blown away, so I'll just start with the first one, Stones of Law, and emphasize that it continues from there in the same unforgettable vein:

Note the really strange oddity of the female chorus shouting out politicalish slogans which shows up on almost every song. (Though in this case the words are from Brit poet William Blake.)

Insane musical sounds though, right?  Note our old fave Ceccarelli plays drums.  And I really love the high energy pulsing to the beats throughout, with no ballad-like track to detract from the high-intensity musical propulsion.

From the verso, it looks like this might have been a ballet?

And what about the title, ironic reference to Voltaire's Candide?

Notes:

A Fauves-Puma Production

Synthetic Program engineered at Beaunougat Studio Paris, France.

Jean-Claude Petit uses the following:

Synthesizers: Prophet 5, Korg 3300 with Korg PS3010, 3020 

Keyboards: Korg MS20, ARP Odyssey, Oberheim Expander Module

Sequencers: ARP Sequencer; Sequential Circuits - model 800

Keyboards: Piano Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano Clavinet Hohner, Grand Piano Steinway, Hammond Organ

I added in the 1975 ST album, which is just easy listening mostly with simple compositions, and cover versions of Un Homme et une Femme and (god forbid!) My Way.  From that one, note the beautiful soundtracky Reve [Dream] which kind of starts off like the famous theme from Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris (by Gato Barbieri):

Also, the bio:

French composer, arranger, and conductor, born 14 November 1943 in Vaires-sur-Marne. Worked as a record arranger and TV conductor prior to turning to film composing in the 1980s.

Many many thanks for suggesting this album!