Record Reviews

GARY HUSBAND ~ DIRTY & BEAUTIFUL VOLUME 1 ABSTRACT LOGIX 027 (Barcode: 700261307053) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is the first of two albums by British drummer / keyboardist / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist recorded with a host of friends, all of which are superstars of British and international Jazz, Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, like guitarists Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, Steve HackettFind albums by this artist and Steve ToppingFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, violinist Jerry GoodmanFind albums by this artist and bassists Jimmy JohnsonFind albums by this artist, Steve PriceFind albums by this artist, Mark KingFind albums by this artist, Laurence CotileFind albums by this artist and Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. The various lineups perform twelve pieces, seven of which are original compositions by Husband and one is co-composed by him. The music, as expected after reading the lineup, ranges from Rock via Fusion to Jazz, presenting a coherent picture of musical virtuosity and compositional elegance. In contrast to many other similar projects based on the same idea of recording an album with many superstars, which usually fail miserably to achieve any substantial musical value, this attempt works wonderfully from start to finish with no dull moments to spare. The stylistic variety and the different atmospheric vistas present a superb collage of intelligent and fascinating music, which is a pleasure to listen to. As expected, the album is full of exceptional soloing. Husband keeps it all together with his dynamic and powerful rhythm drive, contributing a few keyboard solos on the way. The main point here is the mutual respect these stellar musicians have for each other, putting any competition and ego trips out of the way and concentrating on the final result. Husband turns out to be a wonderful catalyst here, able to create ad hoc lineups that sound as if they were playing together for ages. In short this is not only Fusion heaven, but a comprehensive overview of the genre in the most open minded approach possible, which encompasses everything between Rock and Free Jazz. Husband´s openness towards similarly remote sub genres was always one of his most remarkable qualities. This is definitely a must for all Fusion lovers, but every connoisseur of good music should be able to enjoy this immensely!

Updated: 06/07/2016Posted: 06/07/2016

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GARY HUSBAND ~ DIRTY & BEAUTIFUL VOLUME 2 ABSTRACT LOGIX 033 (Barcode: 700261344836) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the second of two albums by British drummer / keyboardist / composer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist recorded with a host of friends, all of which are superstars of British and international Jazz, Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, like guitarists Allan HoldsworthFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, Ray RussellFind albums by this artist, Wayne KrantzFind albums by this artist, Neil TaylorFind albums by this artist, Alex MachacekFind albums by this artist, Jimmy HerringFind albums by this artist and Mike SternFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Sean FreemanFind albums by this artist and bassists Jimmy JohnsonFind albums by this artist, Teymur PhellFind albums by this artist, Mark KingFind albums by this artist, Laurence CotileFind albums by this artist and Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. The various lineups perform eleven pieces, five of which are original compositions by Husband and one is co-composed by him. The music on this set is less diverse stylistically and explores mainly the various possibilities of the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom, with accents and variations influenced mainly by the presence of the different guitar players on these tracks. Each and every guitarist contributes his very personal stylistic nuances, presenting overall a wonderful kaleidoscope of guitar Fusion pieces. The melodic themes of all these pieces fit very well together, which turns this seemingly unconnected collection of pieces into a coherent album, which is a thrilling listening experience. As on its predecessor, Husband plays drums and keyboards on the various pieces, always with great taste and his usual virtuosity. His drumming approach is another solidifying element of this entire collection, which again manages to sound like a complete pre-planned album as opposed to a random collection of tunes, in spite of such diverse lineups taking part in the proceedings. As usual this is Fusion Heaven, not only because of the incredibly high level of individual performances, but mainly because it is all about music and not individual ego trips which often haunt Fusion to its death. Therefore I can only wholeheartedly recommend this album to all Fusion lovers, especially since really good Fusion albums are so incredibly scarce these days. Hats off, Maestro!

Updated: 09/07/2016Posted: 09/07/2016

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ROBIN TROWER ~ GO MY WAY REPERTOIRE 4921 ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000 This is the 15th solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with keyboardist Paul PageFind albums by this artist, bassist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist and drummer Alvino BennettFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, all of which are originals by Trower. The album was recorded following a three-years break since the preceding album “Semeday BluesFind albums with this title”. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 20/10/2023Posted:

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ROBIN TROWER ~ NO MORE WORLDS TO CONQUER PROVOGUE 76242 (Barcode: 810020502176) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the 26th solo studio album by legendary British Rock guitarist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded mostly in an intimate trio setting with vocalist Richard WattsFind albums by this artist and drummer Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist. Trower plays both guitar and bass guitar. Occasional organ is played by Paddy MilnerFind albums by this artist and occasional bass by Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original songs, all by Trower. As the title appropriately points out, Trower has absolutely nothing more to prove and his over five-decades long recording career, both with Procol Harum and as a solo artist, established his position as one of the greatest British Rock guitar players of all time. The songs on this album continue the style of his late solo albums, soaked with deep Blues feel and spiced by the spectacular guitar playing, which sounds as good as ever. His abilities remain completely intact and his album are as reliable as sunrise and sunset. Overall, this is another gem of an album in the long list of his solo albums, which happily for us he keeps delivering in regular time interviews. For his many followers, getting this album is absolutely a no-brainer.

Updated: 01/05/2023Posted: 09/06/2022

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ROBIN TROWER ~ ROOTS AND BRANCHES MANHATON 2030 (Barcode: 5038787203029) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the 20th solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / bassist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with bassist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist, drummer Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Luke SmithFind albums by this artist. Bassist Richard WattsFind albums by this artist replaces Brown on two tracks and sings vocals on four tracks and harmonica player Paul JonesFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. The album presents eleven tracks, most of which are, as the title suggests, Trower’s takes on classic Blues and Rhythm And Blues songs, and a few are original tunes composed by him. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 08/05/2023

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ROBIN TROWER ~ THE PLAYFUL HEART REPERTOIRE 1142 (Barcode: 4009910114223) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the 19th solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / bassist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassists Glenn LetschFind albums by this artist or Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist (on three tracks only) and drummer Pete ThompsonFind albums by this artist. Davey PattisonFind albums by this artist is the vocalist on five tracks and Trower on all the rest. The album presents eleven tracks, all of which originals by Trower. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 18/05/2023Posted: 18/05/2023

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ROBIN TROWER ~ TIME AND EMOTION MANHATON 2047 (Barcode: 5038787204729) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the 23rd solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist and drummer Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original tunes, ten composed by Trower and one co-composed with Brown. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 01/05/2023Posted: 29/04/2023

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ROBIN TROWER ~ UNITED STATE OF MIND MANHATON 2054 (Barcode: 5038787205429) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2018 Released: 2021 This is the 25th solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with vocalist Maxi PriestFind albums by this artist and bassist / keyboardist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians were involved in the recording, including drummer Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist and brass / string players. The album presents nine tracks, all of which are co-credited to Trower, Priest and Brown. Despite the different instrumentation and production team effort, the music stays faithful to the Blues-Rock idiom, albeit this time the sound is more mellow and slightly more Pop oriented. Priest is an excellent vocalist and his presence dominates this album more than any previous vocalists that worked with Trower. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 11/08/2023Posted: 11/08/2023

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ROBIN TROWER ~ WHAT LIES BENEATH REPERTOIRE 5243 (Barcode: 4009910524329) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 This is a remaster of the 18th solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with organist Roger CottonFind albums by this artist, bassist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist and drummers Sam Van EssenFind albums by this artist or Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist (on three tracks only). Some string arrangements are also present. The album presents eleven tracks, all of which are originals by Trower. The album was recorded following a four-years break since the preceding album “Another Days BluesFind albums with this title”. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 10/06/2023Posted: 10/06/2023

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ROBIN TROWER ~ WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO MANHATON 2043 (Barcode: 5038787204323) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the 22nd solo studio album by the legendary British Rock guitarist / bassist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo / trio format with bassist Livingstone BrownFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only - Trower plays bass on all remaining tracks) and drummer Chris TaggartFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original tunes, all composed by Trower. Following his departure from the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, Trower pursues a solo career since 1973, with dozens of albums to his credit. He manages miraculously to stick to his own formula of creative Blues-Rock, which he follows in the sixth decade of his career. His guitar playing is still sharp and clear-cut and his vocals are still as powerful as always, and he does not need to reinvent himself or search for any new avenues, doing what he does best. His many fans love his music, and that’s what matters the most. There are very few Rock personalities of his statue and legacy still standing today and every new album he releases is an unmistakable blast, on which he definitely takes, as usual, no prisoners. Overall, this is an excellent Blues-Rock album, with beautifully melodic tunes, solid vocals and sensational guitar playing, which has but a few contenders. Trower’s many followers need no encouragement of course and some of the self-proclaimed new guitar aces would be wise to take a listen. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 01/05/2023Posted: 01/05/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend