| # | Artist | Song (click to play) | Album | Year | CD label |
| 1 | Gerard | La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta | Live in Marseille | 1999 | Musea |
| A great instrumental keyboard tour-de-force. This is the best of all the Gerard albums that I have heard and the best introduction to the band. Very much in the vein of Ars Nova, but, without the dark overtones. | |||||
| 2 | Grovjobb | Gaddans jakt | Vättarnas Fest | 1999 | Garageland Records |
|
A great new instrumental Swedish band. The music is very easy to listen
to and beautiful. They sometimes sounds like early Jethro Tull, circa
_Stand Up_. There is also a strong element of folk music. I am often
reminded of Kenny Hakansson's rockified version of Swedish folk music.
This is Grovjobb's 2nd album. Both are excellent.
Grovjobb's Official Homepage grovjobb@telia.com | |||||
| 3 | Tryo | Grieta | Patrimonio | 1999 | Cantera Producciones |
|
This Chilean band was unknown to me until last week when I saw their incredible
shows at the Baja Prog Festival. They started out very unassuming with a
quiet reflective set of music on acoustic guitar, cello, and marimba.
Then, they put down those instruments and proceeded with a assault of
heavy Crimsonish instrumental music. I loved everything they played. This
group is quickly becoming a favorite. Patrimonio is their 3rd release.
Tryo homepage tryo@iname.com | |||||
| 4 | Ozone Quartet | Mazeppa | Nocturne | 1999 | Flat Five Records, Inc |
|
Ozone Quartet hails from North Carolina. They play a sometimes intense
and sometimes subtle instrumental progressive fusion. The violin of
Hollis Brown is key to the sound of the band. Ozone Quartet was my
favorite musical act during the ProgDay weekend last year. Their set
was sublime with a complex web of melodies unfolding between the violin,
guitar and Chapman stick. This is a band that you must see live.
The violin comes across a little thin sounding on CD compared to
the way it sounds live, but, it is excellent none-the-less. This,
their second album, is more refined than their first. Both are
recommended.
Ozone Quartet Homepage info@ozonequartet.com | |||||
| 5 | Erehia | Burlezke | Manuzk Ritos Ze | 1999 | Smogless Records |
| Erehia is a duo featuring the bass player from the legendary group Nazca. The instrumentation is mostly electric guitar and bass, with some drum machine. The album would be much more effective with a real drummer. The music is instrumental and complex in a RIO vein. | |||||
| 6 | Anekdoten | From Within | From Within | 1999 | Virta |
|
This is Anekdoten's third studio release and quickly becoming my favorite.
Overall, this album seems more refined with less of the hard-edged Crimson
attack of the earlier albums, and dripping with Mellotron. Recommended for
fans of Landberk and King Crimson.
Anekdoten Homepage anekdoten@anekdoten.se | |||||