Innovative Tunisian oud virtuoso Anouar Brahem presents this highly-acclaimed album of typically Middle Eastern music, recorded in 1999 with a trio that had been his first priority for several years. The improvisational exchanges between Brahem, clarinettist Barbaros Erköse and percussionist Lassad Hosni are exceptionally fluid and the atmospheres they create here are by turns mysterious, hypnotic and dramatic.
Madar is an album by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek featuring Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem and Pakistani tabla master Ustad Shaukat Hussain recorded in 1992 and released on the ECM label in 1994. On this CD Jan Garbarek (doubling on tenor and soprano) is accompanied only by Anouar Brahem on oud and Ustad Shaukat Hussain's tabla. Garbarek shows off his distinctive tones and lyricism on a set of gradually developing group originals, two of which are based on traditional Norwegian melodies. It may take some time for listeners to get into this music and notice the fire beneath the ice but the close communication between the players is apparent from the start.
Tetragon, successor of Trikolon, were founded in Osnabrück (Lower Saxony) in the spring of 1971. They released their first and only LP, "Nature", in that very year. The band did not conform to any predetermined musical style: they played whatever they pleased, as long as it included groovy Hammond organ and very trippy, flanged wah-wah guitar, in various taut jamming modes that favored jazz/rock fusion à la Miles Davis with a small dose of classical music (adapting a Bach fugue along the way). The result is a bouquet of lush instrumentals, with elements of Egg or the Nice, and quite a bit of T2 to boot…
Gilgamesh (1975). Esoteric's 2011 remastered reissue of Gilgamesh's 1975 eponymous debut recording provides a 21st century opportunity to investigate a fine group that emerged during the waning days of Britain's Canterbury scene. These Canterbury stylists were formed in 1972 with the core of the band built around Alan Gowen on keyboards and Mike Travis on drums. At various times, the line-up included former Caravan and Hatfield & The North member Richard Sinclair, Mont Campbell (formerly of Egg) and Neil Murray. Gilgamesh is a classic of the Canterbury style and is sure to be a much sought after release by all aficionados of the genre…
Formed as soon as 68 under the name psychotic reaction, this band evolved in two different era, the group changed their name to Missus Beastly (from the Negro doll Mistress Beastly) but was among the first of the jazz-rock progressive group in Germany, but folded after just one album recorded (soon bootlegged with a totally different artwork) in early 70 with a nascent groundbreaking jazz-rock. It must be said that the happy-go-lucky feeling of that era had the group evolve from the standard prog quartet to a sextet and even a heptet within months, obviously not too worried about financial matters, which soon brought the band to an end. The group even managed to have their names stolen from them and an usurping group managed to release a few albums under this name…
Virus, from the Bielefeld area in Westphalia, were the best and most famous local progressive group there in the early seventies. In 1970, they won the well-known competition in the Recklinghausen Vestlandhalle - still under their old name of Man’s World. The first prize: Recordings for their first own LP, under the direction of sound magician Conny Plank. That LP, “Revelation”, was released in 1971 and is partly reminiscent of the early Pink Floyd, e.g. in the final part of “Endless game”. On the CD edition on Garden of Delights, the two songs of the first Virus 7” single have been added as bonus tracks. The second and final Virus LP, 'Thoughts', was recorded with a different line-up, again under the direction of Conny Plank, and it was released on the legendary Pilz label at the end of 1971…
Beautiful collection of 13 tracks by Tunisian composer Anouar Brahem. The album spotlights Brahem's solo oud pieces, which range from the meditative ("Sadir") to the propulsive ("Ronda"). This solo work is nicely augmented by stellar contributions from violinist Bechir Selmi and percussionist Lassad Hosni; Selmi is featured on the transcendent "Barzakh," while Hosni figures prominently on "Souga" and "Bou Naouara." The three musicians come together for the joyous dance number "Parfum de Gitane." Throughout Barzakh, Brahem and the others forge an appealing mix of Middle Eastern sonorities and jazz phrasing, an intimate sound perfectly suited to the clean and spacious ECM recording style. This is a great title for fans of both international music and jazz.
Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen, a musician who has released a notable catalog of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his "ambient house" then "arctic ambient" styles, and his use of music loops and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His track "Novelty Waves" was used for the 1995 Levi's ad campaign. His 1997 album Substrata is generally seen as one of the all-time classic ambient albums…
Shadow Gallery is a progressive metal/rock band, which formed in Pennsylvania (USA) in the 1980's. Their name is taken from the graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. They have a reputation among fans for complex song structures and virtuoso musicianship and have been compared to contemporaries Dream Theater and Queensrÿche. Vocalist Mike Baker, only 45 years old, passed away on October 29, 2008 of a heart attack. Several members of Shadow Gallery have made their contribution to other projects like MullMuzzler, Ayreon, Explorers Club and Star One.
The band released their first album in 1992, with copies being sold in Europe and Japan aswell. In late 1993, the band recruited a new musician to their course - keyboardist and guitarist Gary Wehrkamp, and in 1994, added another virtuoso to their palette, drummer Kevin Soffera…