Haircut 100's debut album, Pelican West is a widely uneven concoction of lite funk and jazzy new wave pop. Although the group's music was frequently so light it virtually disappeared, they did record a pair of classic new wave singles with the effervescent "Love Plus One" and "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)." Although much of the record lacks the hooks of those two tracks, there's a handful of enjoyably breezy pop songs on Pelican West, such as "Fantastic Day" and "Snow Girl," that makes it worth investigating for new wave fetishists. Still, there's no denying that Haircut 100's material was often inadequate – a situation only emphasized on the American edition of the album, which places the singles at the front – and that the record sounded like a period piece just a few years after its release. [This edition features three B-sides and two 12" mixes as bonus tracks.]
Claus Zundel, also known as The Brave is a German composer, songwriter, producer and pianist. He has created several worldwide successful musical projects, most notable Sacred Spirit and B-Tribe (sold 20 million. copies combined), as well as more Indie projects such as "Moroccan Spirit", "Classical Spirit", "Divine Works", Ancient Spirit and his latest project "Tango Jointz". His music style is usually called as "The Brave Sound" as it considers a large number of music styles mixed in his special way. He often collaborates with musicians and singers from around the world and creates "The Brave Sound" projects with them.
German synthpop outfit And One formed in Berlin in 1989. DJs/producers Steve Naghavi and Chris Ruiz first met the previous year in a local dance club, bonding over their mutual affection for early ebm acts like Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb and borrowing their subsequent dual synthesizer and beatbox aesthetic from Depeche Mode. Upon signing to the fledgling Machinery label, And One issued their 1990 debut single, "Metal Hammer," a significant club hit that set the stage for their first full-length effort, Anguish, completed with contributions from newly added third member Alex Two.
Since One for All were first organized in 1997, the all-star sextet has had a solid core with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, drummer Joe Farnsworth, and trumpeter Jim Rotondi, though trombonist Steve Davis and pianist David Hazeltine have appeared on most of the band's CDs. This 2001 session mixes standards, timeless jazz compositions, and solid originals by individual bandmembers. It's hard for any band to compare to the famous version of Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" (which featured Bill Evans, Eric Dolphy, and Freddie Hubbard in addition to its composer), though One for All's interpretation is full of potent solos that aren't derivative of the landmark recording. The bold brass and reed harmonies round out a tight, fresh arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark," while the driving chart of "Street of Dreams" showcases Alexander well…
With a career spanning more than three decades, composer and multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen has firmly established himself worldwide as driving force in progressive rock. While best known for his rock opera project Ayreon, the multi-talented Dutchman also regularly embarks on musical side projects such as Ambeon, Guilt Machine and Star One. These projects all explore different aspects of Lucassen's musical personality. Lucassen strives to keep a consistent cast of vocalists for Star One rather than mixing it up with the ever-changing vocal line-up that characterizes Ayreon. For "Victims of the Modern Age" he reunited the stellar cast of lead vocalists from the first album, “Space Metal” (2002): Russell Allen (Symphony X), Damian Wilson (Headspace, Threshold), Floor Jansen (ReVamp, ex-After Forever), and Dan Swanö (Nightingale, Second Sky, ex-Edge Of Sanity)…
Demon Records are delighted to announce the release of Pelican West 40, a celebration edition of Haircut One 100’s much-loved debut album, released with full cooperation of the band. A 54-track extravaganza that celebrates the bright, burning, brief career of Haircut 100. The group moved from being London underground darlings to chart sensations in less than six months, and within a year had disappeared into pop’s ether, leaving behind one memorable album and four Top 10 UK singles.
Acclaimed sextet One for All makes its much-anticipated return with BIG GEORGE, its first release in seven years and its 17th. The album reunites Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth, who are joined on three tracks by a very special guest saxophonist, their mentor and hero, NEA Jazz Master George Coleman.
Singer/ songwriter Cindy Ryan wanted to release her first solo album in 1997 after sometime performing in her native Sydney, Australia. But after working with studio musicians Genevieve Maynard (guitar), Bowden Campbell (guitar) Raph Whittingham (drums) and Pat Hayes (bass), something clicked. Deciding to scrap the solo career, Ryan instead formed Stella One Eleven with the players she worked with; resulting in the release of "Mr. Big Car" the following year.