Alan Shorter

Gravedigger by Janus finds the band playing in a psyche-tinged style of early progressive rock still entangled in the genre's roots in the 1960s underground - and emerged just as that style of prog was going out of fashion, to the band's misfortune…

Jaco Pastorius was a meteor who blazed on to the scene in the 1970s, only to flame out tragically in the 1980s. With a brilliantly fleet technique and fertile melodic imagination, Pastorius made his fretless electric bass leap out from the depths of the rhythm section into the front line with fluid machine-gun-like passages that demanded attention. He also sported a strutting, dancing, flamboyant performing style and posed a further triple-threat as a talented composer, arranger and producer. He and Stanley Clarke were the towering influences on their instrument in the 1970s.

Following the Grammy-nominated 'Distances' comes the eagerly awaited second ECM album from the British-German-Italian trio fronted by singer Norma Winstone, with pianist Glauco Venier and reedsman Klaus Gesing. Alongside their own pieces, the musicians play songs from Mexico's Armando Manzanero to Armenia's Komitas, to Wayne Shorter. Textures, colours and rhythms are drawn from scattered, surprising sources. (Source: amazon.co.uk)

Born in Switzerland, Moraz studied music at an early age and would eventually join Yes for the Relayer album in 1974. From there he embarked on a solo career that would have him release some classic progressive albums in the 70s. When progressive music started on a downturn in the 1980s Moraz joined the Moody Blues for a few albums. His new album, Change of Space, is his first album in five years and fifteenth overall. Apparently Moraz wanted to show his progressive side with this album. The question is did he succeed?