Who? (1973)

After a decade of generally intriguing recordings, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim really found his own voice by the early '70s. His lengthy solo set from February 18, 1973, was released as a pair of Sackville LPs (Sangoma and African Portraits). One selection apiece from the two albums have been grouped with the previously unreleased "Salaam Peace" to form this disc. Ibrahim is heard on three lengthy medleys; best are "African Portraits" and "Fats, Duke & the Monk," although Fats Waller (who is only represented by a brief "Honeysuckle Rose") gets short shrift on the latter. Ibrahim's passionate solos (which are sometimes joined by his verbal cries) are picturesque, episodic, and utterly fascinating on this set even if Ancient Africa actually gets the edge.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the first studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman as a solo artist, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry VIII. Wakeman decided on the concept in 1972 while he toured the United States with the progressive rock band Yes. As he read a book about the wives on his travels, melodies he wrote the previous year came to him and were noted down. Musicians from Yes and Strawbs, who he performed with prior to Yes, also play on the album.

At this point, the band was best-known as a British blues unit. Slowly but surely the band was becoming more acclimated with a production style that was reminiscent of the California pop sound. With the majority of the blues and psychedelic behind them, Mystery to Me finds Fleetwood Mac in a more ruminative vein. American guitarist Bob Welch established that path. Despite the all-encompassing ethos, Welch's songwriting skills made him walk a fine line between the mystical and the silly…

This delightful release, from the Indian Summer of Bernard Herrmann's recording career, always got neglected by its potential audiences, ignored by Herrmann's fans in favor of his recordings of his film music or his own classical compositions (or more conventionally familiar works such as The Planets) and missed totally by jazz listeners of a historical bent. The material contained herein is distinctly symphonic or – perhaps more accurately – concert hall jazz, the work of established composers coming to grips with and using the then-new music in their own idiom…

It was designed to be a blockbuster and it was. Prior to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John had hits – his second album, Elton John, went Top 10 in the U.S. and U.K., and he had smash singles in "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel" – but this 1973 album was a statement of purpose spilling over two LPs, which was all the better to showcase every element of John's spangled personality…

Riff Raff (1973). British progressive rock band's folk and jazz oriented debut album little bit similar to Igginbottom's Wrench. Featuring Tommy Eyre on keyboard who has been actively involved with numerous bands including The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Juicy Lucy and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
Original Man (1974). The second album released by Britain's Riff Raff was a further study in the textures of jazz-rock as they had been articulated not only on the band's issued debut, but also with Tommy Eyre and Pete Kirkley's stint with Mark-Almond. Here are seven rather extended forays into keyboard-drenched rock that carried a jazz sensibility in its beak and dropped it thoroughly onto blues-based progressive rock.