HOWE DOES HE DO IT
One could suggest it’s all cashing in on the ASIA reunion success, but when it comes to Steve Howe, commercialism is not the point – and releasing two albums at the same time makes no financial sense anyway. For the fans, though, that’s going to be a feast. Those who find pleasure in listening to the three volumes of “Homebrew”, the veteran’s sketch-book recordings, will surely love his new outing, “Motif”. Subtitled “Volume 1”, this, as Howe describes it, “is the first part of a collection that will cover all my solo ‘one man’ guitar tunes. Several solos have premiered on group CDs, or live CDs. There seemed no one place to go to reference this most enjoyable aspect of my work. This was to build up a complete overview of my solo guitar music, afresh in the studio. I’ve occasionally changed the style of guitar used on previously released tunes, and recorded the first studio versions of others. All are solo performances, no overdubs”. So now the origins of the tunes that were included into such albums as “Pulling Strings” and “Not Necesserily Acoustic” will be revealed. For additional pleasure, there’s four new pieces on the album, plus Chet Atkins’ “Trambone”.
1. The Golden Mean 2. Intersection Blues 3. Corkscrew 4. Trambone 5. Devon Blue 6. Clap 7. Australia 8. Part & Parcel 9. Sketches In The Sun 10. Second Initial |
11. Concerto in D 2nd Movement 12. Diary Of A Man Who Vanished 13. Cat Napping 14. Ram 15. Provence 16. Winter 2nd Mov’ 4 Seasons 17. Meadow Rag 18. Heritage 19. Bareback 20. Dorothy |
“The Haunted Melody” is a different proposition as it comes from THE STEVE HOWE TRIO and is a live recording from May 2007, akin to the one made by Howe’s ELEMENTS which also featured Steve’s son Dylan on drums. The combo, rounded off with Ross Stanley on Hammond, plays more jazz than prog rock, and that gives famous YES’ compositions a new twist.
1. Kenny’s Sound 2. Mood For A Day 3. The Haunted Melody 4. Siberian Khatru 5. Blue Bash 6. Momenta 7. Laughing With Larry 8. Travelin’ 9. Dream River 10. Close To The Edge 11. Sweet Thunder |
HIS DAWN SURPRISE
On May 14th, the great Jack Bruce, long may he sing, celebrated his 65th birthday. Not that Bruce’s new live album, the BBC three-disc collection and a new record with Robin Trower were tied to this, yet “Can You Follow?”, a six-CD retrospective, out on June 2nd, surely is. Marking the glorious date, the collection features pieces from Jack’s solo career – from his sensational debut, 1969’s “Song For A Tailor”, to his latest studio work, 2003’s “More Jack Than God” – and his stint with CREAM, including previously unreleased mono mixes, as well as Bruce’s collaborations with the likes of Manfred Mann, Tony Williams’ LIFETIME and Frank Zappa. Now, there’s no need to track down rare tracks, now it’s all in one deluxe place accompanied by a 68-page booklet with an exclusive interview.
CD 1:Alexis Korner’s BLUES INCORPORATED |
CD 2:MANFRED MANN |
CD 3:Jack Bruce |
CD 4:WEST, BRUCE & LAING |
CD 5:Jack Bruce |
CD 6:Jack Bruce |
PILGRIMS’ PROGRESS
After another successful DVD, BLACKMORE’S NIGHT are ready to present the medieval-minded folks with a new album. “Secret Voyage”, that’ll be released on June 30th, seems to be much more funny than the band’s previous studio works which didn’t reflect Ritchie Blackmore’s wicked sense of humor. Now, though, the tone-setter is “God Save The Keg”, and there’s two covers for the old fans – RAINBOW’s most gentle “Rainbow Eyes” which 30 years ago was closing the “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll” LP, and Elvis’ tearjerker “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. Must be a treat…
1. God Save The Keg 2. Locked Within The Crystal Ball 3. Gilded Cage 4. Toast To Tomorrow 5. Prince Waldeck’s Galliard 6. Rainbow Eyes 7. The Circle 8. Sister Gypsy 9. Can’t Help Falling In Love 10. Peasant’s Promise 11. Far Far Away 12. Empty Words |
GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT, GONNA MAKE YOU GROOVE
There’s no deficit in LED ZEPPELIN tribute albums, but almost all of them, even “Encomium” featured Robert Plant himself, are extremely boring, as it’s quite difficult to do their songs justice, especially if it’s a heavy metal band that run for cover or the mockers such as DREAD ZEPPELIN. Successes in the field are rare, then, and renditions like Lizz Wright’s soulful take on “Thanks You” are thing on the ground. Still, recently released “Led Box – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute” is really good – with the hard and prog rock elite re-imagining the classics. Here’s who they are:
CD 1:
1. Good Times, Bad Times – Eric Bloom, Brian Robertson, Tony Franklin, Doane Perry
2. Houses Of The Holy – Pat Travers
3. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Joe Lynn Turner, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Tony Franklin, Doane Perry
4. When The Levee Breaks – Artimus Pyle, Jimmy Hall
5. Dazed & Confused – Jack Russell, Bruce Kulick, Tony Franklin, Doane Perry
6. Whole Lotta Love – Pat Travers
7. You Shook Me – Artimus Pyle, Jimmy Hall
8. Immigrant Song – Manny Charlton
9. Ramble On – Rick Derringer
10. Rock And Roll – Steve Lukather
11. D’yer Mak’er – Albert Lee
12. Stairway To Heaven – Dweezil Zappa
CD 2:
1. Fool In The Rain – Rick Wakeman
2. Dancing Days – John Wetton, Geoff Downes
3. Heartbreaker – Steve Morse
4. Black Dog – Keith Emerson
5. All My Love – Billy Sherwood, Tony Kaye, Alan White
6. Kashmir – Paul DiAnno
7. Misty Mountain Hop – Taime Downe
8. The Ocean – Jani Lane
9. Houses Of The Holy – Joe Leste, John Corabi
10. The Rover – Marq Torien
11. Dancing Days – Kelly Hanson
12. Nobody’s Fault But Mine – John Corabi
bonus Buddha Lounge track
13. Stairway To Heaven – The West 52nd Street Buddha Lounge Ensemble