Lancelot Flemme

Rick Wakeman's third solo album is among his best, as he employs his vast array of keyboards to their full extent, musically describing the characters pertaining to the days of King Arthur's reign. With orchestra and choir included, although a little less prevalent than on Journey, he musically addresses the importance and distinguishing characteristics of each figure through the use of multiple synthesizers and accompanying instruments…

The Video Vault, as the title suggests, is a boxed set of six DVDs covering a number of performances and concerts that had been gathering dust in the Wakeman vaults. As a gift for the ultimate Wakeman fan, this boxed set of DVDs would be an ideal gift. As a collector the box also gathers together a number of key concerts and performances from Rick’s long and varied career…

The Valerie Dore project was started with the voice of Dora Carofiglio, the vocalist of Novecento. She sang "The Night" but the song was promoted by Monica Stucchi and Valerie Dore became the stage name of Monica Stucchi only who sang, with Novecento, the following two hits "Get Closer" and "It's So Easy". Monica Stucchi was discovered at age 20 by the Italo producer Roberto Gasparini, who launched her solo career and give her the stage name Valerie Dore to improve her international appeal. Dore's first single, "The Night" (1984) arranged by Lino Nicolosi, "Get Closer" and "It's So Easy", released in 1984 and 1985, respectively. During this time, the Italian music news publication TV Sorrisi e Canzoni ("Smiles and Songs") gave Valerie Dore the Best New Artist of the Year Award. She also finished second at Festivalbar and performed on the TV show "Azzurro" and on German TV.

This live performance presented by the King Biscuit Flower Hour is an above average production of Wakeman's best-loved tunes. King Biscuit appropriately keeps the concert full-length, without any splicing, so that the songs are enjoyed exactly as they were during the staging. Wakeman electrifies San Francisco's Winterland Theater with stunning versions of "Lancelot and the Black Night" and "Merlin the Magician," two of this album's finest cuts. Particular attention is given to "The Forest," a track rarely played live from Wakeman, but placed fittingly in the middle of the eight selections here. Recorded in 1975 at the height of progressive rock's glory days, Wakeman's attentiveness and passion can be felt from the opening keyboard surge.