Not to forget Volaré from the US.
Not to forget Volaré from the US.
I figured somebody would mention them sooner or later, but to be honest, I thought the musicianship was kind of subpar (at least on the debut, which is the only one I've heard). It was one of several albums I was disappointed with when I first learned of prog's "resurgence" and went on a bit of a mad buying spree. Just one guy's opinion and as always, ymmv.
Rayuela from Argentina had strong Caravan influence, Pataphonie and Rhesus O from France as well as the first Magma album.
Kultivator from Sweden, Musica Urbana's first album Om from Spain too, Dedalus first album and Rocky's Filj, Zingale and Sheshet from israel, Pantheon - Orion
Vangelis - Dragon, Cornocupia, Wolfgang Dauner, Eilif, Annexus Quam, Zao, Clearlight, Joel Dugrenot Ame Son, Secret Oyster and Lagger Blues Machine
I always thought of Zao & Kultivator as more zeuhly than Canterbury-ish. Secret Oyster are more jazz fusion aren't they?
Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-a...re-happy-hour/
Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
I blame Wynton, what was the question?
There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.
As for Belgian Canterburians, it all comes pretty much together with the sole Abraxis album from 1976 - featuring folks from Waterloo, Cos, Pazop, Placebo, Kandahar and Esperanto:
(note: I wouldn't usually post an entire album from YT, but this one is a BITCH to get by in "real" life, so here it goes)
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I would add TRAVELLING "Voici La Nuit Tombée" (France) and PAZOP's only record (from Belgium,already mentioned) is a true Canterbury masterpiece.
I thought the Vorticists first album 'Show' was very Caravan like:
https://thevorticists.bandcamp.com/track/organism
I really like that one, although it DOES tend to get a bit too Wyatt'y in places, just like the Cocktail album by Forgas. Like that one too, tho'.
Of Italian bands, Picchio dal Pozzo are the top ace example; their debut being the most overt 'Canterish' (although Abbiamo is actually one of my very fave albums overall). But there's also the Maad record, the wonderful Gramigna and not least the first Dedalus, all displaying different aspects and levels of *some* Canterbury influence.
I rather enjoy The Uncertainty Principle by Volare´. Spanish band Amoeba Split display some 'vintage Canterbury' influence as well.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Sloche has that NH vibe, at least to my ears. Possibly also Edition Spéciale, who had a Canterbury connection via vibes/marimba player Mireille Bauer (ex-Gong), who had an extended guest appearance on their third album.
Glad to see someone else mention Kultivator. They were one of the first bands to spring to mind (alongside Supersister, Brainstorm, MGP, PDP, etc.).
Where are people hearing “zeuhl” in the Kultivator album? It’s so totally Hatfield! (with some Swedish folk sounds thrown in.)
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
Also Shampoo, from Belgium.
no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone
Well right now 'Hatfield & The North' is probably my favorite band of all time if I had to pick one, and so there is nothing quite like them, but a few that venture into Canterbury territory:
the new Thieves' Kitchen (Clockwork Universe) is very much in that vein and very enjoyable
Island - Pictures, at times. They had moments of meh, but even more moments of brilliance on that album, particularly in the title track. Not quite Canterbury, but... close
Mr. Sirius - Barren Dream. 'All The Fallen People' is about the best Canterburyesque tracks not from the UK I've ever heard.
Some hints of it in Ske, perhaps even Kenso, and the aforementioned Sloche.
Zao's later albums has a very pronounced Soft Machine vibe, I never saw Kultivator as Zehul they are clearly more influenced from Hatfield, than let's say Magma.
As for Secret Oyster their first album sounds very much like early Nucleus, they played jazz-rock but never fusion.
Another one I forgot to mention is Eberhard Weber in paticular his Colors era.
There was never anything quite like Hatfield. IMO they were The Beatles of the Canterbury sound. They are one of the very, very few bands I ever heard that hit hard instantly and then just endured in head & heart. I'll never tire of them, and they never cease to amaze, surprise or teach me anew. The concept of "working on multiple levels" has attained such an aura of clichè about it, but with HatN this is the exact case.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Not sure where Mars Everywhere fits into this discussion.. they were one of those bands when I found the album (Industrial Sabotage) I simply took one look at the cover and said.. "This looks interesting".. Never have found that album in CD format...
cover.jpg
I went to a party on Saturday given by one of the main guys in Mars Everywhere. He's my oldest friend who I still sometimes see (Ernie Falcone).
They were part of the DC scene and Ernie was a part of Random Radar, but there's no Canterbury in their sound what-so-ever. (imo)
You never found it on CD because it was never released on CD.
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
I see that people are debating whether some zeuhl bands are actually canterbury, which makes me wonder-
Am I the only one that considers most of the first Magma album as canterbury?
Although you can easily discern the Soft Machine influence at play, I'd say they were more akin to a European C.T.A. than really 'Canterbury'. Of course, stuff like "Stoäh" already had the Zeuhl machine running.
The first Vortex album was far more of a Canterbury-wannabe record than the debut Magma, IMO. The second Vortex leaves terra firma altogether, though.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Agreed 100%... and losing count of how many times I've listen to the first H&tN - I had it on a few months ago on a walk - it hit me in the head AGAIN... holy shit is this stuff amazing. It was like I'd never heard it before - An strange mood I was in from the weather that day? Anyway... very few albums are able to come at you from so many subtle angles.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
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