Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Brenner's Offering




Vytas Brenner and his band, Ofrenda, released this lp in 1975. Jayeche was an amazingly progressive record for mid 70s in terms of instrumentation. Vytas is playing his usual array of electric pianos and synthesizers, but there is also a string ensemble in the mix as well as a digital sequencer. Guitarist Pablo Manavello has added guitar synthesizer to his mix of guitars and mandolins, and drummer, Iván Velásquez, is playing moog drums. Jayeche is a mix of Prog/Jazz fusion and Venezuelan percussion. Bassist Carlos Acosta and percussionist brothers, Chu and Nene Quintero, complete Ofrenda.

Jayeche

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Cosmic Keys


Here is one of my favorite records from Jean-Pierre Decerf. He recorded 2 promotional lps for Pema Music, which is a Chicago 2000 sub, in 1978 and 1979. This was the first. As with most library releases there is no info on musicians who contributed their talents (substantial on this one) to the recordings. The main sound on Keys of Future is synthesizers. There is also some splendid drumming and the occasional Floydian guitar.

Keys of Future

Monday, December 21, 2009

Happy Birthday Cesare!



Sinceri auguri di buon compleanno! Here's some "tropical" music for you against the cold! (just looked it up and it seems like you are still having 12° Celcius down there : )
Discofil's Petr and Pavl Orm are collaborating with singers Kamelie and the outcome is some sweet and at times pretty cheesy disco and some more progressive tracks. It's not really easy to resist their charms.....

Tropic

Cheers, Basso

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Minus 11° Celcius finally


February Faves by Fasso

This one's from earlier this year when it was still cold.
Heard it this morning and it felt alright.
Cheers!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Space Racer





1981 and it's time for another go at solo Mythos. This time Stephan Kaske is fully on his own. The sound on Grand Prix has drifted into synthpop territory but still with a spacey edge. Pretty much an even mix of vocal and instrumental tracks and we get another robot themed song with Robot Secret Agents. Kaske is playing synthesizers, flute, tenor sax on one song and covering vocals, some with vocoder. And this time the drums are fully automated. Gentlemen, start your engines . . .

Monday, December 14, 2009

Space Waves




Mythos became a solo project with the release of Quasar. Last two records before this were by a quartet and the two before that by a trio. Stephan Kaske was always in the band playing multiple instruments including flute, guitar and synthesizers and usually vocals on vocal tracks. Kaske added vocoders to the list with this release which often gets scathing reviews from Prog Purists who accuse him of adopting a new wave sound. The sound is very different but to my ears better than the 2 predecessors. As usual he is playing flute and guitar but the main sound seems to be Moog, Arp, Roland and Korg synthesizers. Spacier than most of the new wavers of the time; more SpaceWave. Markus Worbs played drums and percussion on Nurse Robot and the last four tracks on side b. Stephan Kaske used a drum computer for the rest.

Quasar

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar tonight!!



Tonight 20.00 GMT (21.00 Paris-Berlin) - the three kings from the east provide a mix in 3 parts (Myrrh, Gold and Frankinsense) praising Disco Jesus and his Cosmic Connections on deepfrequency.com

Have fun!

If you missed it - check the archives - there's such a lot of beautiful music!

To prove that I'm not a secretist, but a lazy swine
Myrrh:
Wolfgang Dauner, Martin Kolbe & Ralf Illenberger - Fun Tango
Roland Bocquet - Paradia
Ramuntcho Matta - Zoique
Ralph Lundsten & Andromeda All Stars - Lifetide
Neil Ardley - Towards Tranquility

Gold:
Latul - New Morning
Black Blowing Flowers - Funky Waltz
Djamel Allam - forgot the name but it's on the white foldout one
Stephan Witwer - Der Rechte Weg
Velvet Universe - Enigmatic Night
Connie Schnitzler - Tanzen im regen
Shoc Corridor - Travelling By Hand
Miha Kralj - Odyssey
Fra Lippo Lippi - First track A or B on the LP on Uniton. Their first.
last one is from some US private folk lp that i don't remember the name or whereabouts in the chaos ... too much frankinsense in my youth

Frankinsense:
Southwest F.O.B - The Smell of insense
Probably a recent find
Thirsty Moon – Big City
Between – Katakomben
Jeff Liberman -Transformation


Cheers, Basso

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Dark Side of Von Deyen











































First time a friend played this lp for me I thought I was hearing some newly discovered set of lost tunes from the Floyd circa '71 or thereabouts. But this was a newish session recorded by Adelbert Von Deyen in 1981. Uwe Johannsen's guitar has such a Gilmouresque quality and Von Deyen's vocals fit the Pink Floyd mold as well as Gilmour, Waters, or Wright's. The lyrics lean toward the darker side; sounds like Adelbert wasn't happy with the direction society was moving. 1981; who can blame him?
Von Deyen: Keyboards, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, vocals and sound effects
Uwe Johannsen: Electric Guitar
Zabba Lindner: Drums and percussion

Eclipse

Monday, December 7, 2009

Boulevard In Space



I have a soft spot for everything grotesque and Ralph Lundsten's music suits me more than just fine. Love it love it love it. The mix of fairytale and horror illustrated by lovely synths and laidback drums is pure heaven IMO. Hope you'll enjoy it too! Here's Alpha Ralpha Boulevard from 1979. Don't forget to have a look at the master's studio here.

And if you like that kinda stuff - check out Cosmic Connections on DeepFrequency.com this thursday ; ) Cheers, Basso


Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Dimensions






















Some cosmic synth action from 1982. Age were a Belgian band who released 2 lps on Gamm Record. Dimension was their second. Brothers Marc Vachaudez on drums and percussion and Guy Vachaudez playing synthesizers, and Emmanuel D'Heayere also on synths. The music is similar in style to Peru and Future World Orchestra with a bit of a La Düsseldorf sound in places.

Dimensions

Expansion






















This lp was released in 1979 on Jeff Fuller's Quandrangle Records label. Guitarist Tony Purrone is now listed as leader on this date though the sleeve notes with the record make the point that there is no leader on this session. All three members are leaders and each contributed 2 compositions. With three composers the music gets around and covers styles as diverse as neo bop, psyche funk, jazz rock fusion, and modal jazz.
Personnel:
Tony Purrone - Guitars
Jeff Fuller - Basses
Frank Bennett - Drums

Expansion