JON ANDERSON and THE BAND GEEKS Announce First Two Legs of 2024 North American “YES EPICS, CLASSICS, AND MORE” Tour

Following the overwhelming success of their 2023 tour, Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks today announce the first 22 shows of the 2024 “YES Epics, Classics, and More” tour. The tour begins on May 30th at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ.  Like the 2023 tour, the set list will contain numerous YES songs from all stages of the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career that feature Jon as their lead vocalist and songwriter. The tour also promises the introduction of new material created by Jon and The Band Geeks.

Jon and the Band Geeks are currently putting the finishing touches on a brand new nine track cd set for release in late summer with a first single and video targeted for release in late June. Tour dates below

Tour dates:
5/30/2024 - Thursday - New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre
6/1/2024 - Saturday - Englewood, NJ - Bergen PAC
6/3/2024 - Monday - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center Theatre
6/6/2024 - Thursday - Albany, NY - Hart Theatre
6/8/2024 - Saturday - Hammondsport, NY - Point of The Bluff Concert Pavilion
6/13/2024 - Thursday - Chicago, IL - Copernicus
6/15/2024 - Saturday - St. Louis, MO
6/18/2024 - Tuesday - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theater
6/20/2024 - Thursday - Hershey, PA - Hershey Theatre
6/22/2024 - Saturday - Concord, NH - Capitol Center for the Arts
6/25/2024 - Tuesday - Boston, MA - Shubert Theatre
6/27/2024 - Thursday - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
7/21/2024 - Sunday - Patchogue, NY - Great South Bay Music Festival
7/24/2024 - Wednesday - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*
7/27/2024 - Saturday - Peachtree City, GA - Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheatre
7/30/2024 - Tuesday - Camdenton, MO - Ozarks Amphitheater*
8/2/2024 - Friday - Bonner Springs, KS - Azura Amphitheater*
8/4/2024 - Sunday - La Vista, NE - The Astro Outdoors*
8/7/2024 - Wednesday - Waite Park, MN - The Ledge Amphitheater*
8/10/2024 - Saturday - Denver, CO - Paramount
8/14/2024 - Wednesday - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
8/16/2024 - Friday - Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center
*w/Special Guests The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

For more information:
Jon Anderson’s official website: www.JonAnderson.com
Band Geek official website: https://richiecastellano.com/bandgeek/

Jon Anderson YES Epics and Classics:
Website -  http://jonandersonyesepicsandclassics.com/
Facebook - Jon Anderson YES Epics & Classics - https://www.facebook.com/jonandersonyesepicsandclassics/
Twitter -  @JonYesEpic
Instagram - @jonandersonyesepicsandclassics
TikTok - @JonAndersonYESEpic
YouTube -  Jon Anderson YES Epics & Classics - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIvSkw_3SAs1Yy2Ro68GzLw

Management:
Larry Mazer
Entertainment Services Unlimited
One Echelon Plaza, 227 Laurel Road, Suite 106
Voorhees, NJ 08043
P - 856.751.2223
C- 856-816-2820

AGENT:
Steve Schenck | TKO
141 Halstead Avenue | 4th Fl.  Mamaroneck, NY 10543
PH: 914-346-8938
email: steveschenck@tkoco.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Markus Reuter & Stefano Castagna To Release New Collaborative Album “Sea of Hopeless Angels”

An unexpected concerto. The streets of Berlin. Nourishment and exhaustion. The celestial, moving among us. All of these things might describe (or, more accurately, permeate) Markus Reuter’s latest project – a spontaneous collaboration with Stefano Castagna.

From a strictly Reuterian perspective, “Sea of Hopeless Angels” could be seen as a reaction to Markus’ furious and abrasive work with the free-rock improvisation quartet Anchor & Burden, one of his central priorities during 2022. At the same time, it stems directly from that project (having emerged in the heart of actual band time) and also serves as an intentional sequel-of-sorts to the “Anchor and Burden – Musica 2021” album which, while consisting of solo soundscapes, served as a conceptual introduction to the band. An understanding and acceptance of music as being both fundamental and stabilizing, while also being a grave and sometimes disruptive weight, underpinned both band and solo recording; and also eventually left its imprint on this new work.

The seeds of what would become “Sea of Hopeless Angels” were several unedited “live-in-the-studio” electric touch guitar solos by Markus, recorded at Castle Studios, Germany, 26 July 2022 (during day two of a three-day recording session for the Anchor & Burden band’s ‘Kosmonautik Pilgrimage’). Unusually – especially considering the ferocity of his recent work – Markus mostly selected clean instrumental tones, feeling that after much previous experimentation he’d finally found a way to speak through them musically. From there, the solos ended up in the hands of the album’s mixer, Stefano, and it was there that they underwent a new transformation.

Although Stefano’s connection with Markus goes back to the recording of mixing of Markus’ “TRUCE 2” album in 2021 (and his mixing wizardry also helped to hone the “Mata Atlantica” album), this is the first time that the two of them have collaborated on composition. From his own Ritmo&Blu studios in Pozzolengo, northern Italy, Stefano has created and produced recordings of Italian indie music, film and television soundtracks, dance music and performances for theatre, ballet and visual art exhibitions. However, his true roots are at that point where 1980s art rock intertwines with jazz, Mediterranean music and experimental sound (something reflected in his Flos project with Luca Formentini, with its mixture of invented instruments, found sound and avant-pop songcraft). It is this nexus of inspirations which drives his sympathies with Markus. It informed their work together on “TRUCE 2”, and drew Markus into the same year’s “Mask of Confidence” project (a collaboration between Stefano, Fabio Trentini and Jeff Collier, which hearkens back to the keystone art-pop work of Mick Karn and Japan).

Inspired to bring out his own palette of sounds, Stefano took on this set of Reuter solos and produced instinctive counterpart work, gradually building up to become a sympathetic one-man orchestra. “Listening through, I perceived a very free and sinuous narrative, undulating between some slow meditative sections and some faster, rhythmic moments. I have tried to support this narrative throughout, keeping his performances always in the foreground, highlighting the most outstanding parts, adding sounds and instruments when needed (my own vocals, samples, bass or synth sounds and electronic variations added in the mixing process). It's just as if I let Markus tell his story and let it guide me throughout, without too much thinking.

“As I listen to the final result, I realize that I was playing out the lesson I learnt from two records that were pivotal in my artistic education, Fripp/Summers’ ‘I Advance Masked’ and Eno/Byrne’s ‘My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts’, famously conceived and brought about by a duo rather than a band.”

Markus concurs with this particular connection, adding, “the vibe quite strongly reminds me of the instrumental half of David Sylvian’s ‘Gone to Earth’ album.”

The music on “Sea of Hopeless Angels” is also directly inspired by Wim Wenders’ celebrated “Damiel and Cassiel” films – “Der Himmel über Berlin” (“Wings of Desire”) and “In weiter Ferne, so nah!” (“Faraway, So Close”) – in which angels hover above pre- and post-unification Berlin and are gradually, inexorably and transformatively drawn towards the lives of its human inhabitants. Although the chosen titles of several of these pieces refer directly to characters from the films, the music remains mysterious; and reluctant to draw a straightforward picture.

Stefano’s initial responses and reactions to the music also informed the selection of the album’s visual component – although, as opposed to his instinctive musical choices, the choice of cover art in particular was much more deliberate and considered.

All of the pieces on “Sea of Hopeless Angels” feature video accompaniment drawn from the Italian painter and video-artist Aldo Grazzi archives, with two of them (including the currently viewable title track) also accompanied by live-in-the-studio footage of Markus’ original performances.

Markus: “What I love about this record in particular is that it is the marriage of spontaneous creation and considered composition. The video that shows me playing in the studio is wondrous because of that. It would be impossible to play like I do if it was pre-planned/composed.”

Track listing:

1 Damiel 5:30
2 Comfort and Trust 4:37
3 Sea of Hopeless Angels 5:44
4 Angels Fall 6:48
5 Blood Gold 8:27
6 Ghost World 4:42
7 Cassiel 5:59

Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars® S8, Live Looping

Stefano Castagna: Synths, Samples, Bass, Voice, Percussion, Treatments

Markus’ parts recorded by Arno Jordan at Castle Studios on July 26, 2022
Stefano’s parts recorded and album mixed at Ritmo&Blu Studios, Dec. 2022 - Jan. 2023
Mastered by Lee Fletcher
Produced by Markus Reuter and Stefano Castagna
Video art by Aldo Grazzi, 1983
Cover design and layout by Bernhard Wöstheinrich
Distributed by Flatiron Recordings

To purchase: https://markusandstefano.lnk.to/seaofhopelessangels

For more information:
markusreuter.com / ritmoeblu.com

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Rock Guitar Hero STEVE STEVENS Explores The Dark Side Of Progressive Rock On New Single “Darkest Hour” With Supergroup THE PROG COLLECTIVE, Preview Haunting New Album!

Album features performances by Steve Morse, King Crimson violinist David Cross, GnR guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and keyboard legend Patrick Moraz plus members of Weather Report, Utopia, Angel, Soft Machine, Gong, and more!

Los Angeles, CA – As longtime guitarist and co-writer for the powerhouse rock hitmaker Billy Idol, Steve Stevens is widely celebrated as a master of composing forceful, electrifying rock melodies that balance their intensity with an undeniable mainstream appeal. It’s that melodic sensibility matched with an impressive technical mastery that has made Stevens one of the most sought after collaborators in music today. Recently, Stevens accepted an invitation to contribute to the new album from The Prog Collective and the result is one of the purest expressions of Stevens’s creativity ever captured.

For the uninitiated, The Prog Collective, founded and helmed by producer/multi-instrumentalist and famed bassist for Yes Billy Sherwood, has united some of the finest musicians of rock, jazz, metal, pop and everything in between since its founding in 2012. The group’s newest studio effort, entitled Dark Encounters, takes a deliberate turn toward a more brooding and melancholic musical path, filled with haunting ambience and eerie melodic passages. All of this makes Stevens the perfect partner for an exploration into the darker side of prog rock. Check out the album’s first single and the album’s leadoff track, “Darkest Hour,” which is released today on all music platforms.

Stream/download the track: https://orcd.co/tpc_darkesthour

Dark Encounters is set for release on March 29 and includes contributions from a number of notable musicians and creative geniuses from the legendary Steve Morse, violinist David Cross, and guitar wizard Bumblefoot to keyboardist Patrick Moraz, Utopia’s Kasim Sulton, Gong’s Steve Hillage, and more!

Order CD/Vinyl: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=the+prog+collective+dark+encounters&post_type=product
Pre-order/pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/tpc_darkencounters

Track List:
1. Darkest Hour with Steve Stevens
2. Ominous Signs with Steve Morse
3. At The Gates with David Cross
4. Dark Days with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Patrick Moraz & Omar Hakim
5. Lonely Landscape with Kasim Sulton
6. The Long Night with Frank Dimino & Marco Minnemann
7. The Quasi Effect with Billy Sherwood
8. The 11th Hour with John Etheridge
9. Between Two Worlds with Steve Hillage & Gregg Bissonette
10. Distant Thunder with Todd Sucherman
11. Dark Money with Joe Bouchard
12. For All To See with Pat Mastelotto
13. Beyond Reason with Chad Wackerman
BONUS TRACKS [CD ONLY]
14. I Saw the Light - Todd Rundgren with Rick Wakeman
15. I'm Not In Love - Nektar with Rick Wakeman

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, INC.
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1831 Pontius Ave
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com

Keyboardist Larry Kutcher To Release Second Album “Vertical Realms” Inspired by Lifelong Odyssey on the Spiritual Path

Featuring a mix of Symphonic Prog, Electronic Prog, lyrical acoustic guitar, solo piano, Jazz/World Music, and an ambient soundscape meditation.

Larry Kutcher is a pianist, keyboardist, and composer. From New York originally, he now resides in Los Angeles. He began his musical odyssey with the study of classical violin at the age of six. He moved on from there to the drums and guitar, eventually settling on the piano, with which he could more fully realize and express all the music flowing through him.

Influenced by Surrealism, The Beat Poets, The Firesign Theatre, and Frank Zappa, in particular. Larry also developed theatrical and comedic skills. This led him to recording and performing with Zappa alumni, guitarist Steve Vai. You can hear Larry’s stream of consciousness performance art piece “Little Pieces Of Seaweed”, on Steve Vai’s CD “Flex-Able Leftovers”.

An aficionado of Prog Rock as well, Larry helped co-write “The Emperor’s Clothes” with Alan and Neal Morse of Spock’s Beard, for their 2010 CD release of Spock’s Beard X.

Larry’s extensive musical explorations throughout the years have helped him become very well versed in a variety of genres including classical, jazz, progressive rock, ambient soundscapes, musical theater, and film scores. He is best known for his powerful and intensely personal solo piano work, balancing technical virtuosity with raw emotional expression.

In March of 2023, Larry released his long-awaited debut album for solo piano entitled “Kindred Souls”. His follow up album entitled “Vertical Realms” was released in March of 2024.

Says Larry, “The album title, ‘Vertical Realms,’ and the music created for it, was inspired by my lifelong odyssey on the Spiritual path and how the fruit of these experiences have so beautifully informed matters of the heart, mind, and soul for me. My Spiritual walk is the most important thing to me in this life and music is the gift I was given to express it!”

Unlike his first album “Kindred Souls,” which was a work for solo piano, this time out stylistically there is a mix of Symphonic Prog, Electronic Prog, lyrical acoustic guitar, solo piano, Jazz/World Music, and an ambient soundscape meditation.

Each piece represents and expresses a particular spiritual exploration and its effect on me internally, whether it be Native American Shamanism, Zen Buddhism in its various forms, Hinduism particularly represented by the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda, and ultimately Larry’s chosen path of Christianity.

Larry explains, “One example would be my piece ‘The Shaman’s Path.’ It was directly inspired by my apprenticeship with a Native American Indian Shaman in the California desert. I was a young man at the time and honored that this 80-year-old Medicine Man would want to teach me his ways. Another example is my piece ‘The Narrow Way.’ It was inspired by the Grace and teachings of Jesus Christ, of whom I am a follower. Especially in the areas of loss and forgiveness.”

Larry wrote, played, recorded, mastered, and produced this album in his recently upgraded home studio.

“My best work happens when I get out of the way of the Creative force, if you will, and allow the music to flow through me instantaneously,” says Larry. “Most of the tracks were written in this way, some almost completely realized at the outset.”

Album Tracks:
1. Once We Loved
2. The Sleeper Awakens
3. Synth Wind
4. Contemplation
5. Dawn Beckons
6. The Shaman's Path
7. The Lotus Garden
8. The Harvest
9. The Heart Of Winter
10. The Narrow Way
11. The Last Embrace

Larry Kutcher’s “Vertical Realms” is set to be released first on Bandcamp February 23rd. It will then be released on all the major streaming platforms like Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, YouTube, etc. on March 1st.

Purchasing links:
Bandcamp: larrykutcher.bandcamp.com
Apple Music/iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/larry-kutcher/1675694188
Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B00434W2FK/larry-kutcher

Social Media Links:
Website: https://larrykutcher.com/
Bandcamp: https://larrykutcher.bandcamp.com/
Facebook Music Page: https://www.facebook.com/LarryKutcherMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larrykutchermusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LarryKutcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarryKutcher
Spotify Artist Page: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mPk6d6l3Wd0xXvM48ZSWf

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Ensemble Circuline Releases Official Video For “Tempus Horribilis”

Prog ensemble Circuline’s 2024 “C.O.R.E.” Virtual Tour began Friday, January 12th, 2024, and will consist of 57 events in 48 weeks, with Single releases, Lyric videos, Official videos, “Behind the Scenes” videos, and Livestream Q&A events where the band is able to connect with their fans around the world.

Says keyboardist Andrew Colyer, “With this international virtual tour, we have two goals: 1.) We want to get our music exposed to as many people as possible, to continue to grow our fan base worldwide. 2.) We want to deepen our relationships with the fans who are the most passionate. Releasing singles, lyric videos, and Official Videos accomplishes the first goal, and by doing these in-depth, ‘Behind the Scenes’ videos, we accomplish the second goal. Packaging everything together into a single 12-month celebration of the new album will hopefully capture more attention for future opportunities for live performing and touring, with this fantastic new lineup. For this first Official Video for “Tempus Horribilis” since it’s the lead single off the album, we really wanted to present ourselves in a new way, as a reinvigorated band, with new members and a new sound. We simply wanted people to see who we have evolved into. Producing this cinematic performance music video was the best thing that we could think of, so that fans, industry professionals, booking agents, and festival promoters could see us in a new light.”

Watch:
“Tempus Horribilis” Official Video: https://youtu.be/E1rQyWs3KyI
“Tempus Horribilis” Lyric Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEKcoiPXccQ
“Story Behind the Song” [Season 3, Episode 1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1XV8xPR9Ro
“Gear Behind the Music” [Season 3, Episode 1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmsr4C9LPys

Says Andrew about the new video, “I had worked with Don Chaffin of DCity Productions twice before, with the progressive metal band Awaken. Don and his team are amazing, so I knew that they would do a great job of capturing our personalities, as well as the intensity of our music, and translate that with the editing into something cinematic that we could be proud of. We got the entire band here for a week in August 2023, and shot six Official Music Videos in five days! For this particular video, we chose to shoot outside in an industrial area, and it was super hot and sunny in the middle of the afternoon, and right when we were filming and sweating it out, a big storm appeared, with tons of wind and clouds, and we thought that nature was going to overtake us! Luckily it created a really dramatic background to go with the song and the music. The rest of the videos for this 2024 CORE Virtual Tour are being produced in other creative ways. We’ve had so much fun creating all of the videos for this Virtual Tour - we’ve been ‘on location; in train stations, on rivers, in parking lots, and on soundstage studios.   This has been a lot of work, and a ton of fun! We hope the fans enjoy it. Please watch the videos, like, and comment! We want to hear from you - what do you think? If you like it, please share across your own social platforms. We hope to see you on the Livestream Q&A calls!”

Six years in the making, Circuline’s new album “C.O.R.E.”, released on the Inner Nova Music label on Friday, September 20th, 2024, will be available as an album of eight tracks available in a gatefold digipak CD, with an eight-page booklet of lyrics and liner notes. The album explores themes in romantic relationships, surviving abuse, finding one’s own personal power, and the turbulent times in which we live.

Circuline has a new lineup, with new band members Shelby Logan Warne (Kyros) on bass and vocals, and Dave Bainbridge on guitars (Strawbs, IONA, Lifesigns). Guest Artist Joe Deninzon (Kansas, Stratospheerius) on electric violin. Keyboardist/vocalist Andrew Colyer (Robert Berry’s 3.2 Band, The Tubes), drummer Darin Brannon (Downing Grey, Surface Tension), and lead vocalist Natalie Brown (Evita, Rocky Horror Picture Show) complete the band’s lineup.

Number #1 in Portugal. Top 10 in Japan. Prog-Award Nominated. Global Music Award Winning. With sales in 23 countries, Circuline’s fan base is growing daily. The band has toured with Glass Hammer, repeatedly co-headlined the three-day Sonic Voyage Festival, and toured England opening for IO Earth. Circuline has performed at the International Rites of Spring festival (RoSfest), Philadelphia's Liberty Music Fest, Chicago’s Progtoberfest, New Jersey’s ProgStock, and England’s Harmonix Festival.

CORE Virtual Tour Dates:
Friday, February 9th - Song #1 - Official Video
Friday, February 16th - Song #1 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, February 18th - Song #1 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, February 23rd - Song #2 - Single Release
Friday, March 1st - Song #2 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, March 8th - Song #2 - Lyric Video
Friday, March 15th - Song #2 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, March 22nd - Song #2 - Official Video
Friday, March 29th - Song #2 - Behind the Official Video
Saturday, March 30th - Song #2 - Livestream Q&A  (Sunday is Easter)
Friday, April 5th - Song #3 - Single Release
Friday, April 12th - Song #3 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, April 19th - Song #3 - Lyric Video
Friday, April 26th - Song #3 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, May 3rd - Song #3 - Official Video
Friday, May 10th - Song #3 - Behind the Official Video
Saturday, May 11th - Song #3 - Livestream Q&A  (Sunday is Mother’s Day)
Friday, May 17th - Song #4 - Single Release
Friday, May 24th - Song #4 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, May 31st - Song #4 - Lyric Video
Friday, June 7th - Song #4 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, June 14th - Song #4 - Official Video
Friday, June 21st - Song #4 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, June 23rd - Song #4 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, June 28th - Song #5 - Single Release
Friday, July 5th - Song #5 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, July 12th - Song #5 - Lyric Video
Friday, July 19th - Song #5- Story Behind the Song
Friday, July 26th - Song #5 - Official Video
Friday, August 2nd - Song #5 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, August 4th - Song #5 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, August 9th - Song #6 - Single Release
Friday, August 16th - Song #6 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, August 23rd - Song #6 - Lyric Video
Friday, August 30th - Song #6 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, September 6th - Song #6 - Official Video
Friday, September 13 - Song #6 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, September 15th - Song #6 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, September 20th - Album Release Day!
Friday, September 20th - Song #7 - Single Release
Saturday, September 21st - Album Release Livestream
Friday, September 27th - Song #7 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, October 4th - Song #7 - Lyric Video
Friday, October 11th - Song #7 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, October 18th - Song #7 - Official Video
Friday, October 25th - Song #7 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, October 27th - Song #7 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, November 1st - Song #8 - Single Release
Friday, November 8th - Song #8 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, November 15th - Song #8 - Lyric Video
Friday, November 22nd - Song #8 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, November 29th - Song #8 - Official Video
Friday, December 6th - Song #8 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, December 8th - Song #8 - Livestream Q&A

Watch the album launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ckt6SKkIoM

To purchase: www.CirculineCORE.com

For more information:
Website: https://circulinemusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CirculineMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circulinemusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/circulinemusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CirculineProgRock

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1 (828) 350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Emerson, Lake & Powell “The Complete Collection” 3 CD Box Available April 12, 2024

Spirit of Unicorn Music are proud to announce the release of Emerson, Lake & Powell “The Complete Collection,” a 3 CD box set which pays a fitting tribute to the power and creativity of this all-too-brief powerhouse collaboration.

In the early 1980’s, many of the established progressive rock artists were experiencing a rough ride. The musical landscape was changing. The arrival of punk rock and new wave meant that for many, the grand, creative indulgences which were de rigueur throughout the 1970’s, were fast becoming outdated. During a time of rapid change, bands had to adapt to survive. By 1979, Emerson Lake & Palmer, one of the biggest bands in the world during the 1970’s, were struggling and quietly called time on their once supergroup status band.

Having both explored solo careers, come 1984 Keith Emerson (The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and Greg Lake (King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer) were considering their next move. Carl Palmer (PM, Asia, Emerson, Lake & Palmer) was busy enjoying enormous success with Asia. Thus, the legendary Cozy Powell (Rainbow, Whitesnake) stepped in to occupy the drum stool.

“When Cozy came in, he really dazzled us. We didn’t intend to put the group back together but he was such a good technical drummer and such a good performer, we thought it might be a good idea to go back out with a new version of the band,” Greg Lake told the LA Times back in 1986. And so, Emerson, Lake & Powell came to pass.

This 3 CD box set includes the band’s one and only studio release: “Emerson, Lake & Powell,” featuring 3 bonus tracks. Also included is their live album, “Live In Concert” and a CD of rehearsals, “The Sprocket Sessions,” which has previously only been released as a bootleg.

All material included in the box set has been re-mastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce. It is also presented with an enhanced booklet with sleeve notes written by Prog Magazine editor, Jerry Ewing.

If you are a fan of ELP, you cannot afford to have this part of Emerson and Lake’s history missing from your collection.

The last word goes to Ewing, who says “Savor the music. We’re unlikely to ever see their like again.”

Pre-orders for Emerson, Lake & Powell can now be placed via Cherry Red Records: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/emerson-lake-and-powell-the-complete-collection-3cd-box/

Emerson, Lake & Powell were:
Greg Lake: guitar, bass and vocals
Keith Emerson: keyboards
Cozy Powell: drums

Track list:
DISC ONE: Emerson Lake And Powell
The Score
Learning To Fly
The Miracle
Touch And Go
Love Blind
Step Aside
Lay Down Your Guns
Mars, The Bringer of War
BONUS TRACKS
The Loco-Motion - B-Side
Vacant Possession - B-Side
The Score - Single Edit

DISC TWO:  The Sprocket Sessions
The Score
Learning To Fly
The Miracle
Knife Edge
Tarkus
Pictures At an Exhibition
Lucky Man
Still, You Turn Me On
Love Blind
Mars Bringer Of War
Touch & Go
Pirates

DISC THREE: Live In Concert
The Score
Touch & Go
Knife Edge
Pirates
From The Beginning
Lucky Man
Fanfare For the Common Man
Mars, The Bringer of War / Drum Solo
Medley
Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression)
America
Rondo

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

An Evening with Robert Fripp & David Singleton, Englishmen Abroad, California Tour Dates Announced!

An evening with Robert Fripp & David Singleton, Englishmen Abroad, is an opportunity to ask the questions that get us out of bed in the morning...

Where does Music come from? What does it take to survive the music business? When does the impossible become possible? Can Music change the world? Why did Fripp put on a tutu and dance to Swan Lake at the end of his garden?

Englishmen Abroad is touring California before Spring 2024. May the embers of Burning Questions now be gently fanned!

Friday, February 23 - Santa Cruz, CA - Kuumbwa Jazz Center - tickets
Saturday, February 24 - Sacramento, CA - Sofia Theater - tickets
Sunday, February 25 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel - tickets
Tuesday, February 27 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Cuesta PAC - tickets (soon!)
Thursday, February 29 - Agoura Hills, CA - Canyon Agoura - tickets
Friday, March 1 - Santa Barbara, CA - ETC at the New Vic - tickets (soon!)
Saturday, March 2 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House - tickets
Sunday, March 3 - Santa Monica, CA - McCabes Guitar Shop - tickets
Monday, March 4 - Los Angeles, CA - The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever - tickets

Robert Fripp is a founding member of King Crimson, contributor and collaborator with Brian Eno, David Bowie, Daryl Hall, David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel, Posh Poppers Toyah Willcox and Simon Darlow, and a lot of other totally excellent people. Originating director of the Guitar Craft and Guitar Circle program.

David Singleton established DGM with Robert Fripp in 1993 and has reluctantly managed King Crimson since 2018. David is King Crimson's producer and author of The Vicar Chronicles.

For more information: https://dgmlive.com/news/englishmen-abroad-2024

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

British Prog Keyboardist Benjamin Croft To Release New Single “Wrestling With Plato” From Forthcoming Album “We Are Here To Help”

New Album Featuring Simon Phillips, Marco Minnemann, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm, Jeff Scott Soto, Greg Howe, Mike Stern and Frank Gambale!

Benjamin Croft is a British Prog keyboardist, music producer and songwriter. He will be releasing his new single “Wrestling With Plato” on February 2nd. The song features Lynsey Ward (Exploring Birdsong) on vocals and virtuoso drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats).

“Wrestling with Plato” is a tragic love story told over the lifetime of two people. A song about elaborate excuses; in the case of our protagonists, these are far reaching…

From a very young age, Benjamin developed a strong interest for music. At the age of 7, Benjamin began piano and trumpet lessons. “Around age 17, my life was forever changed after hearing the album ‘Close to the Edge’ by the band Yes. I quickly developed a love for progressive rock. Keyboard players such as Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson inspired me to practice for up to 8 hours a day,” says Croft.

At 19, he won a scholarship at Leeds College of Music. After graduating, he completed several contracts on international cruise lines, travelling and performing. He lived and played in the US, and toured the world twice, working with artists as diverse as Belinda Carlisle, Leslie Garrett, The Temptations and The Platters. “One night I was playing country, the next musical theatre and then jazz or rock.”

Benjamin relocated to London in 2012 and quickly began to make a name for himself. In 2018, he recorded for Beautiful South founder Dave Hemingway’s latest project ‘Sunbirds,’ and worked as a session musician, composer and arranger. He recently joined the progressive rock band The Gift.

While keeping up with a busy schedule performing and recording, Benjamin started composing his own music and released his first album “10 Reasons To...” on 33Jazz Records in March 2019. 12 original compositions blending jazz fusion, classical and progressive rock.

His second album, “Far and Distant Things,” was recorded throughout 2020 and released in the summer of 2021 on Ubuntu Music. It features some prestigious guest musicians such as Randy Brecker, Allen Vizzutti, Frank Gambale, Barry Finnerty, Mike Miller, and Chad Wackerman.

Both albums have been critically acclaimed in the UK, US and Europe.

Benjamin spent the last 2 years making his latest album, “We Are Here To Help,”. “It has been a great honour to record with legendary musicians including Simon Phillips, Marco Minnemann, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm, Jeff Scott Soto, Greg Howe, Mike Stern and Frank Gambale.”

“We Are Here To Help “ is an epic project with a heavier blend of progressive rock and metal, pushing further the boundaries of creativity, musical mastery and sonic excellence. The album also marks the launch of his record label "Galactic Receiver". It is due for release in 2024.

“Benjamin Croft is a force to be reckoned with, and I can’t wait to hear what he comes up with next.” – Sea of Tranquility

“Wrestling With Plato”
Produced, written and arranged by Benjamin Croft
Lyrics by Marsha Swanson
Lynsey Ward - Vocals
Benjamin Croft - Keyboards
Per Nilsson - Guitar
Dave Marks - Bass Guitar, Additional Guitars and Percussion
Marco Minnemann - Drums
Recorded at:
Sleeper Sounds
Engineer - Marcus Locock
Greystoke Studio
Engineer - Andy Whitmore
Mixed by Stephen W Tayler at Millside, Real World Studios
Mastered by Barry Grint At AIR Studios, London
Art Direction, illustration and design by Hugh Syme
Music video directed by Sam Chegini
A selection of analog keyboards have been used on this track including Yamaha CS-80, Roland Jupiter 8, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Oberheim ob-xa, Mellotron M4000, Hammond Organ and Steinway.

To pre-order: https://orcd.co/wrestlingwithplato

For more information:
Website: https://www.benjamincroftmusic.com/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BenjaminCroftMusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BenjaminCroftMusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/benjamincroftmusic?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@benjamincroftmusic8126?si=vPQwYyHhEPJOAoNY
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeVaKVED/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Rick Wakeman’s “The Prog Years: Redux” 32-Disc Box Set Available February 23, 2024!

Here is some exciting news for those who pre-ordered Rick Wakeman’s “The Prog Years 1973-1977” CD+DVD box set: the expansive collection will now include 17 discs’ worth of never-before-released concert material totaling 300-plus minutes – or a whopping five hours – of live recordings all previously unreleased.

Now known as “The Prog Years: Redux,” the 32-disc box set is back in production, with a brand-new list of content and a new release date of 23rd February 2024. Explaining the decision to overhaul the collection at the 11th hour, compiler Rob Ayling says that he had a duty to do it for the fans:

“Totally out of the blue came a wave of previously unreleased concert recordings. I couldn’t believe it when I discovered them. I generally know what was recorded and what wasn’t – and then to find entire gigs from the 70s that had never before been released… I simply couldn’t ignore them! Especially if they got released later, the fans would rightly ask the question, why weren't these recordings in the ‘Prog Years’ ?

“It was a really tough decision to make, to stop a box set in full production. But it was also a no-brainer to remove releases which have already been available in different formats over the years  and replace them with a trove of music no one will own.

“My feeling is that the true fans will already have most if not all of the previously planned ‘Prog Years’ content, like the Winterland Ballroom and Hammersmith Odeon shows. They have been officially available for years. Yet how many fans have Rick Wakeman’s full 1975 concert from Boston Music Hall, or the opening night of that year’s Japanese tour, with the orchestra, or the Montreux concert from 1979?

“The newly discovered material will replace these recordings in what we’re calling ‘The Prog Years: Redux,’ which now boasts over five hours of previously unreleased music! That, to me, is a game-changer. I know it means fans will have to wait a little longer to receive the box but given that it will contain these newly unearthed gems, I hope everyone will understand why I had to make this decision. I am convinced that everyone will enjoy the gigs as much as I do.

“I also want to thank everyone who has pre-ordered the release for their patience, and promise that it will be worth the wait when ‘The Prog Years: Redux’ lands on your doorstep!”

The previously unreleased discs are:

1). The Six Wives… alternative versions
2). The Three Wives: Radio session, 27 February 1973
3). Boston Music Hall, Massachusetts, 10 October 1975, Part 1
4). Boston Music Hall, Massachusetts, 10 October 1975, Part 2
5). Missing Pieces and interviews
6). Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, 7 May 1976
7). Koseinenkin Hall, Osaka, Japan, 21 January 1975, Part 1
8). Koseinenkin Hall, Osaka, Japan, 21 January 1975, Part 2
9). Nakano Sunplaza, Tokyo, Japan, 16 January 1975, Part 1
10). Nakano Sunplaza, Tokyo, Japan, 16 January 1975, Part 2
11). Live in Anaheim, 11 November 1975, Part 1
12). Live in Anaheim, 11 November 1975, Part 2
13). Reflections Of Winter (White Rock sessions), Part 1
14). Reflections Of Winter (White Rock sessions), Part 2
15). White Rock Original soundtrack music and FX soundtrack
16). Live From London 1979
17). Live at Montreux 1979

Previously released:

18). Live in Melbourne, 4th February 1975, Part 1*
19). Live in Melbourne, 4th February 1975, Part 2*
* this concert was previously released but in an edited form to fit on one CD. We are releasing the full concert, now fully remastered.

To purchase: https://www.musicglue.com/rick-wakeman-the-prog-years/

US Purchase link: https://www.popmarket.com/the-prog-years-redux-1973-1977-27cd-5dvd-box-set/5056083212941

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Progressive Jam-Fusion Supergroup PAKT Featuring Brand X Bass Legend Percy Jones Heading To West Coast USA Tour To Promote New Album “No Steps Left to Trace”

PAKT, a true super group of master musicians merging & colliding new music in the realms of progressive rock, electric jazz, experimental, ambient, psychedelic and beyond, is an experience as much as a musical project. An IMAX film for the ears, PAKT takes its listeners on an improvised sonic voyage with no preconceived destination, minimal pre-planning and little use for forms and conventions. Rare is the musician who can thrive in such a spontaneous environment but Percy Jones (fretless bass guitar), Alex Skolnick (guitar), Kenny Grohowski (drums) and Tim Motzer (guitar and electronics) are all up to the task. Armed with enough tastefully used effects to stock a small music store, Motzer and Skolnick create sounds so atmospheric and ethereal that one might not guess their source is a guitar. Meanwhile, Grohowski and Jones approach their instruments in textural manners that seamlessly intertwine with each other and the quartet as a whole. The music runs the gamut from highly sensitive to intense, with all four musicians’ listening skills so strong that their collective playing is as cohesive as it is unpredictable. Welsh bassist Jones (now a New York resident) is known for his tenure in the legendary jazz fusion group Brand X (whose classic lineup included drummer Phil Collins, yes that one) and extensive studio work (especially with Brian Eno). Skolnick is a diverse improviser whose jazz and world playing and instrumental associations (including bass virtuosos Stuart Hamm and Michael Manring) forms a Jeckyll & Hyde dynamic with his high profile as lead guitarist of the metal band Testament. Grohowski's many recent associations include John Zorn, a reincarnated version of Brand X and masked avant-metal outfit, Imperial Triumphant. Motzer has a long background in free improvisation, including the bands Bandit65 (with fellow guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel) and Orion Tango, plus many other recorded collaborations for his 1k Recordings label.

Before this album, all of PAKT’s releases had been taken from live performances. This studio session took place during the band’s East Coast tour in December, 2021. Primed from several successful shows in Upstate New York (including musician Daryll Hall’s thriving venue in Pawling, NY, Daryl’s House), the band took the day off in the Catskills Mountains, where they tracked live at NRS Studios. NRS is located in the home of musician/recording engineer Scott Petito, whose studio has hosted such luminaries John Scofield, Chick Corea and James Taylor. The PAKT musicians set up in a circle, all in the same room and performed, just as they would at a live concert. This began in the late morning and continued past dusk. By day’s end, they had accumulated a bunch of material—quite a nice document of where the band was musically back in 2021.

Tim Motzer, who produced this recording as well as providing artwork, says the following: “One of the things we all realized is that this band isn't going backward...it may be fueled by what we've done in the past, but really it’s a forward-evolving band composing in-the-moment, finding new language, and discovering our music as we go along. It's in that feeling that the title, ‘No Steps Left To Trace’, came to me because our music is a continuum, and more like a journey or an experience. We are, in a sense, tunneling or boring through the musical abstract toward and through to the ‘other side’.” Skolnick adds “From the moment we did our first performance together, it was clear that this project had a special chemistry that doesn’t happen all that often. The fact that we found this chemistry in our favorite Brooklyn venue, called Shape Shifter Lab, is fitting. It being the height of the 2020 Pandemic, that first show was streamed, with no audience present. Our first studio album ‘No Steps Left to Trace’, is a return to us just playing to each other, only this time, we have a number of live shows and touring under our belt, recorded in a high-quality studio. It’s a great document of PAKT in 2021.”

Live, of course, they have an audience that takes the ride with them. It is a real shared experience in that regard. Motzer curated five such journeys for the Live CD, one from Buffalo, three from NYC (Nublu), and one from Philadelphia. Adding the live album to the double release shows the growth and evolving chemistry in PAKT from the 2021 studio recording to the newer live recordings in 2023. It's a nice contrast with a lot of great interplay and listening happening from all the players. It also makes the album an excellent introduction to the band’s music for anyone new to it, as well as a fine addition to their discography.

PAKT
with
PERCY JONES - bass
ALEX SKOLNICK - guitar
KENNY GROHOWSKI - drums
TIM MOTZER - guitars, electronics

“PAKT recalls the fearless attitude and daring approach that originally defined progressive music: where the magic of the moment always triumphed over preconception. Templates be damned ... this music blazes its own path! This is truly exquisite fare, serving as a reminder to aficionados of what initially drew them to this most creative, visionary of genres.”

WEST COAST TOUR DATES
Feb 01 - Seattle, WA (Funhouse)
Feb 02 - Portland, OR (Alberta Abbey)
Feb 03 - Eugene, OR (WOW Hall)
Feb 04 - Redding, CA (The Dip)
Feb 06 - TBA
Feb 08 - Mill Valley, CA (Sweetwater Music Hall)
Feb 09 - Fresno, CA (Fulton 55)
Feb 10 - Los Angeles, CA (Baked Potato, 2 shows)
Feb 11 - Los Angeles, CA (Baked Potato, 2 shows)
Feb 12 - Costa Mesa, CA (Wayfarer)
Feb 13 - Phoenix, AZ (The Rhythm Room)

To purchase PAKT “No Steps Left to Trace” (2CD, 2LP, 24bit Download):
https://pakt-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/no-steps-left-to-trace

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Legends Happy The Man Return With New Single “Only Love” From Forthcoming Album

New single available January 15, 2024!

Prog legends Happy The Man have returned with the release of a new single, “Only Love,” on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2024. The song is from the band’s highly anticipated forthcoming album of the same name.

Stanley Whitaker, Ron Riddle, Michael Beck, and Rick Kennell have reunited and recorded a phenomenal new song promising to please fans of the band and prog fans worldwide.

Says Stanley Whitaker, “The basic concept was to not only express my frustration and sadness in the world while shedding light and awareness. In late August 2020, while in a deep meditative state, I wondered what John Lennon would say about the state of affairs in America. I craved his voice and message and prayed for inspiration. In a blast of energy, I wrote over ten pages of lyrics and spent the next two weeks editing and laying down musical ideas. Recently, our former bandmate, Frank Wyatt, passed away on January 10, 2023, and the following morning, I awoke to, ‘Now it’s time to put HTM back together.’ Gobsmacked! I called Rick, Ron, and Michael, and everyone was on board to reunite as Happy the Man. All of the music was developed remotely from our studios across the country.”

Says Ron Riddle, “My work as a film and TV composer/orchestrator and my work as a drummer has always been at odds and very separate from each other. I would say that over 95 percent of the music I’ve written had no drums at all! Stanley and Rick approached me to get the band back together, and Stanley asked me to do the orchestration and drumming. I was smitten, thrilled, and, honestly, a bit nervous. ‘Could both exist in the same song?’ I wondered. It’s like Dr. Jeckel meeting Mr. Hyde!”

Michael Beck says, “Putting Happy The Man back together and creating new music is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I could not be happier and prouder to work with these incredible musicians and friends again.”

Says Rick Kennell, “How can you not enjoy working with musicians of this caliber? What fun!”

Born out of the intensely creative and artistic art rock and fusion movements of the 70s, Happy The Man is regarded as one of the most legendary progressive rock bands of all time. Although Happy The Man only released two official albums before breaking up, their impact continues to endear the group to a cult following that has been growing ever since. With the passing of many years, Happy The Man’s music has demonstrated a timeless quality that suggests that it was ahead of its time and beyond this world.

Original members Stanley Whitaker (guitar) and Rick Kennell (bass guitar) first met in Germany. They soon returned to the US, enlisting Frank Wyatt (keyboards, saxes, flute), Kit Watkins (keyboards), and Mike Beck (drums and percussion). They created two of the most deeply admired prog-rock albums of all time on Arista Records: “Happy The Man” (1977) and “Crafty Hands” (1978), with Ron Riddle taking over drumming from Mike Beck.

“This world is on fire, my friends and we desperately need to share our love and light to heal this planet earth!”

To purchase: https://ffm.to/happytheman-onlylove
Only Love (Original Version or OV)
Only Love (Radio Edit or RE)

For more information: http://www.happytheman.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Legends Gentle Giant’s “The Missing Piece” Steven Wilson Remix To Be Released on CD, 5.1 Blu-Ray, 180g Vinyl & Limited Edition Transparent Green Vinyl on February 16, 2024

Previously unreleased bonus track “Winning (outtake)”

In 1977 Gentle Giant recorded their ninth studio album “The Missing Piece.” It was a time of change. Punk, disco and rap were altering the musical landscape and even this well-established progressive rock band were willing to explore new directions. Side one saw them experimenting with quirky pop (“Two weeks in Spain”), a grandiose power ballad (“I’m turning around’), syncopated funk (“Who do you think you are?”) and even the punky aggression of “Betcha thought we couldn’t do it.” Meanwhile the call and response soul shouting of “Mountain Time” hearkened back to the “big sound” of their Simon Dupree R & B revue days.

Normal service was resumed on side two with some of their most sublime and intricate progressive stylings to date. The breezily baroque “As old as you’re young” led into the yearningly elegiac “Memories of Old Days” with a particularly heartfelt vocal from Derek Shulman. The percussive tour de force of “Winning” then set up the blazing finale of “For Nobody,” another mind blowing complex collection of driving intertwining riffs that the band would nonchalantly thunder through with apparent ease.

It remains a polarizing effort amongst fans to this day, some bemused by its diversity, others enchanted by its versatility and sense of humor. “The Missing Piece” certainly proves that Gentle Giant could play anything they set their minds to. It was the last Gentle Giant album to chart in the USA.

Award winning producer and musician Steven Wilson continues his association with the band, remixing the album in Dolby Atmos, Stereo and 5.1 surround sound. In addition, the digipak CD/Blu-ray version also contains an instrumental mix, the original 1977 stereo mix and videos for each track. All remixes except the Atmos contain a bonus track, a previously unreleased outtake of “Winning.”

Gentle Giant's “The Missing Piece” Steven Wilson remix will be released on CD, 5.1 Blu-Ray, 180g vinyl and Limited Edition Transparent Green Vinyl variant on February 16, 2024.

Personnel:
Derek Shulman – Lead Vocals
Kerry Minnear – Keyboards, Vocals
Ray Shulman – Bass Guitar, 12 string Guitar
Gary Green – Electric and Acoustic Guitars
John “Pugwash” Weathers – Drums and Percussion

Track Listing:
SIDE A
1. Two Weeks in Spain 3:04
2. I’m Turning Around 3:58
3. Betcha Thought We Couldn’t Do It 2:16
4. Who Do You Think You Are? 3:37
5. Mountain Time 3:21
SIDE B
1. As Old As You’re Young 4:21
2. Memories Of Old Days 7:22
3. Winning 4:15
4. For Nobody 4:09
5. Winning (Outtake) 3:31 (Bonus Track)

To pre-order: https://linktree.com/gentlegiantband

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Ensemble Circuline Launches Ambitious Virtual Tour January 2024

Prog ensemble Circuline’s 2024 “C.O.R.E.” Virtual Tour begins Friday, January 12th, 2024, and will consist of 57 events in 48 weeks, with Single releases, Lyric videos, Official videos, “Behind the Scenes” videos, and Livestream Q&A events where the band is able to connect with their fans around the world.

Six years in the making, Circuline’s new album “C.O.R.E.”, released on the Inner Nova Music label, will be available as an album of eight tracks available in a gatefold digipak CD, with an eight-page booklet of lyrics and liner notes. The album explores themes in romantic relationships, surviving abuse, finding one’s own personal power, and the turbulent times in which we live. “C.O.R.E.” will be released on Friday, September 20th, 2024.

Circuline has a new lineup, with new band members Shelby Logan Warne (Kyros) on bass and vocals, and Dave Bainbridge on guitars (Strawbs, IONA, Lifesigns). Guest Artist Joe Deninzon (Kansas, Stratospheerius) on electric violin. Keyboardist/vocalist Andrew Colyer (Robert Berry’s 3.2 Band, The Tubes), drummer Darin Brannon (Downing Grey, Surface Tension), and lead vocalist Natalie Brown (Evita, Rocky Horror Picture Show) complete the band’s lineup.

Says Andrew Colyer, “With this international virtual tour, we have two goals: First, we want to get our music exposed to as many people as possible, to continue to grow our fanbase worldwide. Second, we want to deepen our relationships with the fans who are the most passionate. Releasing singles, lyric videos, and official videos accomplishes the first goal, and by doing these in-depth, ‘Behind the Scenes’ videos, we accomplish the second goal. Packaging everything together into a single 12-month celebration of the new album will hopefully capture more attention for future opportunities for live performing and touring, with this fantastic new lineup.”

Number #1 in Portugal. Top 10 in Japan. Prog-Award Nominated. Global Music Award Winning. With sales in 23 countries, Circuline’s fanbase is growing daily. The band has toured with Glass Hammer, repeatedly co-headlined the three-day Sonic Voyage Festival, and toured England opening for IO Earth. Circuline has performed at the International Rites of Spring festival (RoSfest), Philadelphia's Liberty Music Fest, Chicago’s Progtoberfest, New Jersey’s ProgStock, and England’s Harmonix Festival.

Says Andrew, “We’ve had so much fun creating all the videos for this Virtual Tour! We’ve been ‘on location’ in train stations, on rivers, in parking lots, and on soundstage studios. The ‘Story Behind the Song’ videos were done in our newly remodeled studio, with professional documentary filmmakers. The ‘Gear Behind the Music’ videos were done on cell phones. The ‘Behind the Official Video’ series utilizes B-roll shot on location, with band members doing over-the-top commentary. This has been a lot of work, and a ton of fun! We hope the fans enjoy it.”

CORE Virtual Tour Dates:
Friday, January 12th - Song #1 - Single Release
Friday, January 19th - Song #1 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, January 26th - Song #1 - Lyric Video
Friday, February 2nd - Song #1 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, February 9th - Song #1 - Official Video
Friday, February 16th - Song #1 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, February 18th - Song #1 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, February 23rd - Song #2 - Single Release
Friday, March 1st - Song #2 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, March 8th - Song #2 - Lyric Video
Friday, March 15th - Song #2 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, March 22nd - Song #2 - Official Video
Friday, March 29th - Song #2 - Behind the Official Video
Saturday, March 30th - Song #2 - Livestream Q&A  (Sunday is Easter)
Friday, April 5th - Song #3 - Single Release
Friday, April 12th - Song #3 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, April 19th - Song #3 - Lyric Video
Friday, April 26th - Song #3 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, May 3rd - Song #3 - Official Video
Friday, May 10th - Song #3 - Behind the Official Video
Saturday, May 11th - Song #3 - Livestream Q&A  (Sunday is Mother’s Day)
Friday, May 17th - Song #4 - Single Release
Friday, May 24th - Song #4 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, May 31st - Song #4 - Lyric Video
Friday, June 7th - Song #4 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, June 14th - Song #4 - Official Video
Friday, June 21st - Song #4 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, June 23rd - Song #4 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, June 28th - Song #5 - Single Release
Friday, July 5th - Song #5 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, July 12th - Song #5 - Lyric Video
Friday, July 19th - Song #5- Story Behind the Song
Friday, July 26th - Song #5 - Official Video
Friday, August 2nd - Song #5 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, August 4th - Song #5 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, August 9th - Song #6 - Single Release
Friday, August 16th - Song #6 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, August 23rd - Song #6 - Lyric Video
Friday, August 30th - Song #6 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, September 6th - Song #6 - Official Video
Friday, September 13 - Song #6 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, September 15th - Song #6 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, September 20th - Album Release Day!
Friday, September 20th - Song #7 - Single Release
Saturday, September 21st - Album Release Livestream
Friday, September 27th - Song #7 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, October 4th - Song #7 - Lyric Video
Friday, October 11th - Song #7 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, October 18th - Song #7 - Official Video
Friday, October 25th - Song #7 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, October 27th - Song #7 - Livestream Q&A
Friday, November 1st - Song #8 - Single Release
Friday, November 8th - Song #8 - Gear Behind the Music
Friday, November 15th - Song #8 - Lyric Video
Friday, November 22nd - Song #8 - Story Behind the Song
Friday, November 29th - Song #8 - Official Video
Friday, December 6th - Song #8 - Behind the Official Video
Sunday, December 8th - Song #8 - Livestream Q&A

Watch the album launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ckt6SKkIoM

To purchase: www.CirculineCORE.com

For more information:
Website: https://circulinemusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CirculineMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circulinemusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/circulinemusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CirculineProgRock

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1 (828) 350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Bill Nelson’s “Starlight Stories” Now Available!

Bill Nelson’s “Starlight Stories” is an album comprising a mixture of song based and instrumental material issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 1000 copies, and available digitally.

Despite being recorded during the same 2022 recording sessions that produced the “All The Fun Of The Fair” album, “Starlight Stories” has a wholly different atmosphere and intent.

Wistful and melancholic, the album contains dreamy meditations fed through the filter of Bill Nelson's contemporary musical sensibility.

“The inspiration for many of the songs came from my memories of a set of children’s story books, published in the 1920s, that my Mother had owned when she was a child in the early 1930s. She had kept these books and would read to me from them when I was an infant in the early 1950s. They were thick, heavy bound books with embossed covers and had titles such as ‘The Golden Wonder Book For Children’. They were brilliantly illustrated by artists who displayed a combination of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. The books contained stories by famous authors such as HG Wells, Miguel De Cervantes, Homer, William Blake and others, plus poems by various poets, both classical and contemporary to those times. I was entranced by the wonderful stories and illustrations they contained. They had an aura of magic and mystery about them, with fairy tales and evocatively British poetry, filled with seasonal and rustic imagery. A treasure trove of fantasy and adventure, which I loved.

‘Starlight Stories’ doesn’t attempt to directly portray those old books but it does try to capture some of their atmosphere and manifest my nostalgia for them. Consequently, the songs on this album have a softer, melancholic quality about them, albeit with some distressed, patina-like textures that evoke the scent and feel of those old books. They are dreamy meditations, wistful reveries fed through the filter of my contemporary musical sensibility. I hope they will, in some small way, connect you with your own lost story books, as well as with mine.” - Bill Nelson 2023.

TRACKS:
01) A Wide Open Window (With A View Of The Stars)
02) Sailing Through Skies Of Blue
03) Antoria
04) My Signal Light
05) Goodbye Golden Sands
06) Everything Is Ancient Now
07) Standing In A Starlit Room
08) Slow, Slow, Slow
09) Meanwhile, Elsewhere
10) Ghosts Of Ancient Houses
11) Celestrum
12) Starlight Stories
13) The Land Of Lost Dreams
14) The Doctor Was An Alchemist
15) Ian’s Radio Is On

To order:
“Starlight Stories” is available for purchase at the Dreamsville Store: https://www.billnelson.com/starlight-stories
and Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/store/billnelson/bill-nelson_starlight-stories_cd

Also available, Bill Nelson “All The Fun Of The Fair”: https://www.billnelson.com/fun-of-the-fair

Available as both physical CD (from Burning Shed) or as a digital download (from Bandcamp).

For more information: www.billnelson.com

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Ensemble Cymbalic Encounters To Release “Incandescent Spirits”

“Incandescent Spirits” features a mixture of prog-vocal and instrumental songs that are in the tradition of  the experimental side of Cymbalic Encounters.

Drummer/Composer, Mark Murdock says, “These works are considered to be the sister album of my recently released title “Electricus.” Rather than releasing a double album, it was necessary to split the tracks.”

Album Tracks:

1. Exploring Minds in the Vastness of Possibilities
2. Electro-Luminescence Pulse
3. Incandescent Spirits
4. Voltaic Currents
5. A Surge in Electricity
6. Random Reaction
7. Electrolytes
8. Electrical Permittivity
9. When Sparks Ignite
10. The Disappearing Future

Mark Murdock/drums/synthesizer/fretless bass
Tim Pepper/vocal on 1, 3, 5 & 10
Joe Berger/lead guitar
Dave Juteau/guitar on 1 & 4
David Rambeau/guitar on 5
Preston Murdock/lead guitar on 9
Charles Lambiase/fretless bass on 9

*Song 3 is dedicated to the memory of drummer Ron Howden (R.I.P.) of the band, Nektar, who presented Mark with his Paise Flat Ride cymbal used on this song.

“Incandescent Spirits” Cymbalic Encounters
Music and Lyrics composed by Mark Murdock
Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Mark Murdock at OffShore, Tokyo and  BEAM Audio, NYC
Copyright 2023

Available on digital platforms:
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/incandescent-spirits

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1 (828) 350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Family “It’s Only A Movie” 2CD Remastered Expanded Edition Released January 26, 2024

• A NEW EXPANDED 2CD EDITION OF THE CLASSIC FINAL ALBUM BY THE LEGENDARY FAMILY.

• NEWLY REMASTERED FROM THE MASTER TAPES.

• FEATURING AN ADDITIONAL 19 BONUS TRACKS DRAWN FROM SINGLES, STUDIO OUT- TAKES & BBC RADIO SESSIONS.

• INCLUDES AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET WITH A NEW ESSAY.

Recorded in Somerset utilizing a mobile studio and at Olympic Studios in the Summer of 1973, “It’s Only A Movie” was the final studio album by Family featuring yet another line-up of the band. Vocalist Roger Chapman, guitarist John “Charlie” Whitney and drummer Rob Townsend recruited new members Tony Ashton (keyboards) and Jim Cregan (bass, guitar). Released in September 1973, the album closed a chapter on one Britain’s most unique bands.

This new two-disc edition of this classic album has been newly remastered from the master tapes and also includes 19 bonus tracks drawn from singles and previously unreleased studio out-takes along with a bonus CD of BBC Radio sessions from 1973, including a superb In Concert performance and a final Session for the Top Gear show. This release also features an illustrated booklet with a new essay and is a fitting tribute to a much-treasured band.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE
“It’s Only A Movie” – Remastered
1 It’s Only a Movie
2 Leroy
3 Buffet Tea for Two
4 Boom Bang
5 Boots ‘n’ Roots
6 Banger
7 Sweet Desire
8 Suspicion
9 Check Out
Bonus tracks
10 Stop This Car (B-side of single)
11 Drink to You (B-side of single)
12 Boom Bang (early version)
13 Suspicion (early version)
14 Stop This Car (early version)

DISC TWO
BBC Radio Sessions 1973
BBC In Concert January 1973
1 Burlesque
2 Sat’dy Barfly
3 Top of the Hill
4 My Friend the Sun
5 Buffet Tea for Two
6 Children
7 Glove
8 Ready to Go
9 Holding the Compass
10 Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu
BBC Session May 1973
11 Boom Bang
12 Buffet Tea for Two
13 Check Out
14 Sweet Desiree

To pre-order: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/family-its-only-a-movie-2cd-remastered-expanded-edition/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Italian Prog Legends Acqua Fragile Release New Album “Moving Fragments”!

Legendary Italian prog ensemble Acqua Fragile, fifty years after the first album by the same name in 1973, comes out with a brand new work, an album with totally original songs, entitled “Moving Fragments”.

Confirming the salient characteristics of A F style - vocal harmonies, odd tempo signatures, romanticism, aggression, theatricality, and research - some new features and significant developments embellish this new album.

The three original members of the band Piero Canavera (drums, percussion and vocals), Franz Dondi (bass), Bernardo Lanzetti (lead vocals, guitar and Glovox), are joined in by Stefano Pantaleoni (keyboards), Claudio Tuma (guitars) and the vocalist Rossella Volta, all previously together on stage in live adventures, over the past two years.

Nine songs of which five in English, one instrumental and three in Italian. Developing the mode experimented in Aqua Fragile’s previous work, “A New Chant”, released In 2017, there are numerous guest musicians including one British and one American.

In three songs, Bernardo Lanzetti's creative motor is fueled by the contribution of keyboardist and composer Stefano Pantaleoni. The production is entrusted to Dario Mazzoli, already a partner of Lanzetti in various adventures in the recording studio, including his latest solo album “Horizontal Rain” (2021).
In detail, here’s the CD track list. Naturally for the vinyl, with sides A and B, the order is different:

1. “Her Shadowʼs Torture” (S. Pantaleoni/B.lanzetti). Guest Gigi Cavalli Cocchi
on drums but also produced the cover and the band’s brand new logo
2. “White Horse On Dope” (B. Lanzetti). Guest guitarist Stef Burns
3. “Moving Fragments” (B.Lanzetti)
4. “Malo Bravo” (B.Lanzetti). Guests Brian Belloni/guitars and Sergio Ponti
(drums)
5. “I A - Intelligenza Artificiale” (S.Pantaleoni/B.Lanzetti). Guest Davide
Piombino (7 string guitar)
6. “Black Drone” (B.Lanzetti). Guests, Gigi Cavalli Cocchi (drums) and David
Jackson (sax and flute)
7. “DD Danz” (S.Pantaleoni). Instrumental
8. “Il Suono Della Voce” (B.Lanzetti)
9. “Limerence Ethereal” (B.Lanzetti). Guest Sergio Ponti (drums)

All guest musicians have militancy or knowledge of the Progressive Rock genre. The presence of Stef Burns who, in a concert with his Rock Trio, did positively strike Bernardo, is quite interesting. Of course, famous for his collaboration with Italian Big Star Vasco Rossi, Stef mentioned a previous period of research very close to Prog.

“White Horse On Dope”, the song featuring Mr. Burns on electric guitar, could be described as “Hard Rock in odd time” on which vocal harmony, in pure Acqua Fragile style, produces an eerie effect. “Black Drone” makes use of the total contribution of the horns of David Jackson, legendary player with Van Der Graaf Generator and frequent visitor to Italy. Once taken in all parts of the arrangement submitted by Bernardo, David went so far as to perform EVERYTHING!

Among the songs in Italian it is worth mentioning “IA Intelligenza Artificiale”, where the vocalist Rossella has two short solo parts, as the song was written three years ago, before the topic became so every day.

To purchase:
https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Fragments-Acqua-Fragile/dp/B0CKWN1FLW/ref=sr_1_1
https://maracashrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-fragments

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com