Record Reviews

HARDIN & YORK ~ CAN`T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN: THE ANTHOLOGY GRAPEFRUIT 089 (Barcode: 5013929188907) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 - 1974 Released: 2021 This wonderful 6CD Box Set compiles the recorded legacy of the British duo Hardin & YorkFind albums by this artist, comprising of keyboardist / vocalist / composer Eddie HardinFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter YorkFind albums by this artist. It includes the five albums recorded by the duo: “Tomorrow TodayFind albums with this title” (1969), “The World`s Smallest Big BandFind albums with this title” (1970), “Hardin & York LiveFind albums with this title” (A German bootleg from 1970), “For The WorldFind albums with this title” (1971) and “Hardin & York With Charlie McCrackenFind albums with this title” (1974), as well as a plethora of studio outtakes, live recordings and radio broadcasts. Hardin and York met as members of the legendary British Pop / Rock outfit Spencer Davis GroupFind albums by this artist, which they left together to pursue more ambitious musical plans. Both participated on dozens of album by other British artists and released many solo projects. Hardin & York was a highly unusual undertaking, producing music by just two musicians with only occasional help from guests or studio musicians. They combined elements of Rock, Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion into a superb amalgam typical of the period, with Hardin in charge of writing most of their material. Hardin, who passed in 2015, was one of the greatest British Rock keyboardists, especially a superb Hammond organ player of the class of Brian AugerFind albums by this artist or Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, as well as an outstanding composer and excellent vocalist. York, still with us at the time of writing, is a highly skilled and sensitive drummer, esteemed by his peers, with a unique approach and musicality. Together, as a duo, they were able to create music often richer and more complex than ensembles with much bigger lineups. Strangely Hardin & York achieved much more success on the continent, especially in Germany, than home, and they were of course not the only band that experienced that phenomenon. Overall, this Box Set is a sublime time capsule preserving the incredible versatility, creativity and “out of the box” musical thinking, which characterize this unique period in British music, and which left such vast legacy, never to return. For fans of early British Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion this Box Set is an absolute must of course, especially since it presents so much previously unreleased material and excellent remastering. What a jewel!

Updated: 21/12/2021Posted: 21/12/2021

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

HARDIN & YORK ~ THE WORLD`S SMALLEST BIG BAND ESOTERIC 2090 (Barcode: 5013929719026) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2008 2nd album by the great British duo: keyboardist / vocalist Eddie HardinFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter YorkFind albums by this artist. Hardin was a superb keyboards player and his abilities were often compared to those of Steve WinwoodFind albums by this artist (whom he replaced in the Spencer Davis GroupFind albums by this artist) and even Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist. His vocal abilities and his songwriting skills were also second to none. York, a Jazz influenced drummer (also from the Spencer Davis Group), was a perfect partner for Hardin´s extended keyboards (mostly the Hammond organ) explorations and the Jazzy atmosphere, which prevails throughout the album, which was recorded with just the duo and a string section. In retrospect this album stands against the tides of time perfectly, sounding today every bit as good as it did at the time of its recording, emphasizing the greatness of the British Prog and early Jazz-Rock Fusion in the late 1960s / early 1970s. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

HARDIN & YORK ~ TOMORROW TODAY (EXPANDED EDITION) RPM 518 (Barcode: 5013929551824) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2005 Debut album by the great British duo: keyboardist / vocalist Eddie HardinFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter YorkFind albums by this artist. Hardin was a superb keyboards player and his abilities were often compared to those of Steve WinwoodFind albums by this artist (whom he replaced in the Spencer Davis GroupFind albums by this artist) and even Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist. His vocal abilities and his songwriting skills were also second to none. York, a Jazz influenced drummer (also from the Spencer Davis Group), was a perfect partner for Hardin´s extended keyboards (mostly the Hammond organ) explorations and the Jazzy atmosphere, which prevails throughout the album, which was recorded with help from friends and studio musicians including a brass section (Mel ThorpeFind albums by this artist on trombone, Rex MorrisseyFind albums by this artist on sax and Ron HillsFind albums by this artist on trumpet). In retrospect this album stands against the tides of time perfectly, sounding today every bit as good as it did at the time of its recording, emphasizing the greatness of the British Prog and early Jazz-Rock Fusion in the late 1960s. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

	EDDIE HARDIN ~ WIZARD`S CONVENTION 2 ANGEL AIR 009 ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Eddie Hardin is one of the most important UK rockers and a very respected and admired rock personality. This 1995 recording is of course a sequel to the famous `Wizard Convention` recorded in the 70s and Eddie is accompanied on this one again by a stellar line-up, including John Lawton, John Entwistle, Snowy White a.m.o.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend