The O Band

Gap Band albums from 1986 and 1988, originally released on the Total Experience Records label. ‘Gap Band 8’ features the UK Top 5 hit single ‘Big Fun’, also a US Top 10 R&B chart hit. This BGO package includes bonus tracks. At the end of the 1990s, The Gap Band stopped recording and Charlie Wilson embarked on a solo career. Digitally remastered.

The British group the Parlour Band sounded slightly like a much more mainstream, less art-rock-inclined Yes on their sole LP, 1972's little-known Is a Friend. Several members later played in A Band Called O, also sometimes referred to as O Band. Parlour Band's only LP is progressive rock-tinged mainstream early-'70s British album-oriented rock, competent but no more than that. Both keyboard and guitar parts take a strong role, and there's a bit of the multiple tempo changes and classical-tinged organ burble of bands like Yes in songs like "Forgotten Dreams." Some other songs steer well clear of art rock, though, "Pretty Haired Girl" coming across like prototypical early-'70s mellow California harmony rock. Even when it doesn't sound as Californian, though, the album's a pretty laid-back affair and, though it's agreeable, it's lacking in both power and first-rate songs.

This 56 track box set contains the first four studio albums recorded by The Glitter Band during the heyday of Glam, 1974-76. Disc 1 is the Glam Rock masterpiece 'Hey!' which spent three months in the UK National Charts, eventually peaking at No.13. It features the hit singles 'Angel Face' (UK No.8, Germany No.8, Australia No.2) and 'Just For You' (UK No.10, Germany No.35) plus a bonus non LP B-side. The second CD is the 'Rock N Roll Dudes' LP which hit No.17 in the UK in May 1975. The hit singles 'Let's Get Together Again' (UK. No.8, Germany No.19) and 'Goodbye My Love' (UK.No.2, Germany No.32) are included alongside two non LP B-sides. 'Listen To The Band' is Disc 3 and it includes the hit singles 'The Tears I Cried' (UK. No.8, Germany No.35, Australia No.5), 'Love In The Sun' (UK No.15) and 'People Like You And People Like Me' (UK No.5, Germany No.14) as well as the USA Top 100 'Makes You Blind' and the non-charting 'Alone Again'. The final CD is 1976's 'Paris Match' album which includes the singles 'Look What You've Been Missing', 'Lay Your Love On Me' and 'She Was Alright'.

The brief biographical note duplicated in each of the three booklets (these CDs were previously available separately and were recorded over several years) tell a rather sad tale of yet another famous and successful composer destined to die young, in debt, and unmourned by a hard-hearted public. That he was a close friend of none other than Mozart for twenty years of his short life draws the parallel still closer. It is too easy to see the post J.S.Bach period as one consisting of a gap followed by Haydn and Mozart. In fact the sons of Bach included several very fine musicians indeed; Johann Christian is one, with the other most significant being Carl Philipp Emanuel. These two have only to be heard to alert the listener to their importance. Sons of Bach they may have been, but clones they were not.

These splendid performances from Anthony Halstead directing the Hanover Band from the keyboard are appealingly fluent, full of flair and vitality… His solo playing is very persuasive and the result is delightfully intimate.

The German label CPO, consistently dedicated to underappreciated music, has brought along many recordings of unfamiliar works ranging in status from central to the literature to wholly unworthy of revival. One of the most distinguished, and consequential, projects that CPO has undertaken is its recording of the complete Symphonies Concertantes of Johann Christian Bach as performed by the Hanover Band under Anthony Halstead.

A 4 CD box set which chronicles the band's history and recording career from their first recordings up to the present day. Features a total of 78 tracks, including rare and unreleased items, and a lavishly produced booklet with in-depth notes by official Blues Band historian Roy Bainton, plus loads of memorabilia care of Tom McGuinness All tracks digitally remastered!