Richard+sinclair

A good concert by Richard Sinclair and Caravan of Dreams, recorded in Genova, Italy in 1993 with a stunning and satisfying audio quality. A pleasant mix of Caravan, Hatfield and the North, Matching Mole classics and then new songs by Richard Sinclair. Originally released by Mellow Records, now rare.

Richard S. Sinclair is an English progressive rock bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who has been a member of several bands of the Canterbury scene (Caravan, Hatfield and the North, The Wilde Flowers). R.S.V.P. was released in June, 1994 and with the exception of Andy Ward and Jimmy Hastings, all the participants were new: Didier Malherbe, the sax player from Gong, Kit Watkins, the fabulous keyboard player from Happy The Man and later Camel (where he met Andy Ward), Tony Coe (famous jazz clarinet player, from Canterbury, whose father used to play music with Sinclair's), drummer Dave Cohen, a friend from the States who had played with the band on their late 1993 European tour, not forgetting older friends, Pip Pyle (who contributed lyrics to the opening song, the great "What's Rattlin'?") and Hugh Hopper (who played bass on a beautiful improvised piece with Tony Coe on clarinet)…

Richard Stephen Sinclair is an English progressive rock bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who has been a member of several bands of the Canterbury scene (Caravan, Camel, Hatfield and the North, Camel…). Caravan of Dreams were a British progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene. On their first album, Caravan of Dreams (1992), the band consisted of Richard Sinclair (guitar, vocals, bass on studio tracks), Dave Sinclair (keyboards), Jimmy Hastings (flute, saxophone), Andy Ward (drums), Rick Biddulph (live bass), Michael Heupel (flute) and Alan Clarke (harmonica).

Joan Sutherland first sang the role of Alcina in 1957 and continued to sing it until 1983. The role allows her to display her technical agility, the breath control on long phrases and her stunning trill. It must be admitted that her diction is not clean – but what glorious singing. Teresa Berganza as Ruggiero is Sutherland's equal throughout the entire opera. Her approach is less overtly spectacular but her "Verdi prati" is an object lesson in classic vocalism. With a glorious contralto voice, Monica Sinclair attacks the role of Bradamante with gusto. The three octave scale which concludes her Act 1 aria is not stylistic, but it is exciting. In the shorter roles Mirella Freni and Graziella Sciutti are excellent. Freni was at the beginning of long and glorious career. The male roles are of less importance in this opera but they are very well sung by Luigi Alva and Ezio Flagello.

Recorded in April and May 1981, this album contains some of Alan Gowen's last sessions (he died in 1982). Different in many ways than the core corpus of the Canterbury progressive rock movement (Soft Machine, Caravan, National Health), this quartet album moves deeper into jazz - jazz by rock musicians, yet not blatantly jazz-rock. Jazz has always been part of the Canterbury essence, in Richard Sinclair's melodic basslines and in Phil Miller's blues guitar background. Gowen continues to explore the dreamy mood exposed in Two Rainbows Daily, his collaboration with Hugh Hopper dominated by sad, subtle Moog melodies…

Recorded in 1967, the recording features Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti at the high-noon of their careers! Pavarotti, with great charm and humor, tosses off endless high notes in a barnstorming performance. Sutherland easily tackles the great vocal demands and gives an effortlessly stunning performance. No other recording of this opera has come close to surpassing this classic for vocal beauty and sheer thrills!

Superb 21 track, 2 CD anthology of one of the most innovative, progressive bands of the late sixties/early seventies and leading lights of the famous Canterbury scene. Features a chronological guide to their career from the first album through to their latest work…