Home Articles posted by Ekreader (Page 12)

Exploring the Music of Mostly Autumn

Mostly Autumn – Folk Prog – United Kingdom                     Update: Since I wrote this post in 2014, Mostly Autumn has released six new albums. I have only listened to two of those albums. First Sight of Day released in 2017 and then 2019’s White Rainbow, White Rainbow even became a soundtrack for one of my runs. After listening and writing about Karnataka, whose music is similar to Mostly Autumn’s, I’m looking forward to listening to Mostly Autumn latest release Studio 2. As well as, other albums in their discography. Dressed in…

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Exploring the Prog Rock of the UK’s IQ The Road of Bones!

The other day I saw an interesting album on Progstreaming IQ’s The Road of Bones. I went to Spotify put the album on,  listened to a few minutes of the opening track “From the Outside In” really liked it and quickly downloaded the album  to the iPhone. I had a chance to listen to the album more fully this morning, and I love it. I see after reviewing band information at both IQ’s website and ProgArchives that IQ is a neo-prog band from the United Kingdom. IQ was formed in 1981 and seem to tour mostly in the UK and…

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Exploring the Prog Rock of the UK’s IQ The Road of Bones!

The other day I saw an interesting album on Progstreaming IQ’s The Road of Bones. I went to Spotify put the album on,  listened to a few minutes of the opening track “From the Outside In” really liked it and quickly downloaded the album  to the iPhone. I had a chance to listen to the album more fully this morning, and I love it. I see after reviewing band information at both IQ’s website and ProgArchives that IQ is a neo-prog band from the United Kingdom. IQ was formed in 1981 and seem to tour mostly in the UK and…

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Gandalf’s Fist A Forest of Fey

There have been some changes in the Neo Prog rock band Gandalf’s Fist, since their last release A Day in the Life of a Universal Wanderer. The new release  A Forest of Fey, is Gandalf Fist’s first release as a four-person band! What hasn’t changed is the stellar progressive rock delivered by the band! Gandalf’s  Fist was formed in 2005 and was originally a creative collaboration between multi-instrumentalist Dean Marsh and lyricist/vocalist Luke Severn. The name Gandalf’s Fist, which conjures up images from J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, actually  originated, when a friend of theirs invented the name to try to impress a…

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Brian Lynch Unsung Heroes Vol. 1 and Vol. 2!

  Today I am reposting a post from December 12th of last year Brian Lynch Unsung Heroes Vol.1 and Vol.2. It was written shortly after I discovered the great jazz trumpet of Brian Lynch. I am reposting it today, because over the last week or so I have listened to Brian’s new release, Question Answered,and maybe this post will force me to write about Brian’s great new release featuring the piano of Emmett Cohen!! Here’s last year’s post…. The other day I was reviewing the Weekly Jazz Chart   and there at No 19 just below Dr Lonnie Smith was…

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Flying with the Super band Flying Colors’ Album Second Nature!

One of the albums that I’ve been listening to over the last month or so is the second release from Flying Colors Second Nature. Flying Colors is a band composed of  a terrific group of musicians. Here’s the story about the genesis of the band. From the band’s website… It started with a simple idea: virtuoso musicians and a pop singer joining to make new-fashioned music the old fashioned way. A band followed, evolving into Flying Colors: Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Dave LaRue (bass), Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals), Casey McPherson (lead vocals), and Steve Morse (guitar). Together, they create a unique…

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Exploring the Music of Jazz Pianist McCoy Tyner

Today Jazz Piano great McCoy Tyner celebrates his 76 th birthday, Happy Birthday, McCoy. So let’s celebrate his birthday by exploring the music of this great jazz pianist McCoy Tyner!  From his biography at Facebook, It is not an overstatement to say that modern jazz has been shaped by the music of McCoy Tyner. His blues-based piano style, replete with sophisticated chords and an explosively percussive left hand has transcended conventional styles to become one of the most identifiable sounds in improvised music. His harmonic contributions and dramatic rhythmic devices form the vocabulary of a majority of jazz pianists. Here’s some…

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Jazz Guitar Great Wes Montgomery Goes “Pop”!

  Wes Montgomery Plays “Windy”   Wes Montgomery was a great jazz guitarist, but his most successful album A Day in the Life, and single  “Windy”  were more “Pop” than jazz. However, back in 1967 and ’68, when I was listening mostly to rock and pop music, it was through Montgomery’s albums on A&M records, that I discovered the incredible jazz guitar of  Wes Montgomery. Wes recorded three  albums for A&M, A Day in the Life, Down Here on the Ground, and  Road Song.  All of the albums contained Montgomery covering pop songs of the day,  like “Windy” and “A Day…

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Flying with the Super band Flying Colors’ Album Second Nature!

One of the albums that I’ve been listening to over the last month or so is the second release from Flying Colors Second Nature. Flying Colors is a band composed of  a terrific group of musicians. Here’s the story about the genesis of the band. From the band’s website… It started with a simple idea: virtuoso musicians and a pop singer joining to make new-fashioned music the old fashioned way. A band followed, evolving into Flying Colors: Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Dave LaRue (bass), Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals), Casey McPherson (lead vocals), and Steve Morse (guitar). Together, they create a unique…

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“Into the Morning” with Kenny Barron and Dave Holland Part 1 – “Billie’s Bounce”

So over the last few days, I have listened to the new album from Kenny Barron and Dave Holland The Art of Conversation and I will try to write about it tomorrow. But for now let’s go “into the morning” with a video of Kenny and Dave performing “Billie’s Bounce” and for folks like me, here’s a little about the song… from Wikipedia… “Billie’s Bounce” (also known as “Bill’s Bounce”) is a jazz composition written in 1945 by Charlie Parker in the form of a 12 bar F blues. It was dedicated to Billy Shaw by the Yardbird. The original…

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