ATMOSPHERA - Crossover Prog • Brazil

Atmosphera biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1009)

ATMOSPHERA's style combines Brazilian popular music with smooth progressive rock. Predominantly instrumental, their material is delicate and refined with frequent melodic passages on flute and violin, combined with outstanding acoustic guitar as well as interesting bass and drum parts (the few vocals are sung in Portuguese). The band consists of Sergio Vicencio on bass, Edu Lima on drums, Cale Luis on vocals and guitar, Sandro Premmero on keyboards and Rogerio Bacceli on guitar.

Their only album to date, entitled "Fogo e Ar" (1998), also features a few elements of fusion and jazz; but it is the wonderful melodies and the variety of themes and ambiances that are the highlight of the album, at times reminiscent of QUANTUM, ROUSSEAU or TEMPUS FUGIT, at other times ERIS PLUVIA, CLARION or CAMEL (for the melodic guitar passages). As opposed to the gentle melancholy of Scandinavian bands, ATMOSPHERA'S material is sunny and bright. The type of prog that's perfectly suited to a late afternoon break sitting under a coconut tree, sipping a nice cool marguerita.

Recommended if you like prog with a pleasant, smooth Latin atmosphere and not in the least disturbing.

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

1998 - Fogo e Ar

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ATMOSPHERA - Symphonic Prog • Israel

Atmosphera biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1531)

ATMOSPHERA, not to be confused with a Brazilian art-rock band with the same name, is an Israeli progressive rock band from the late 70's. They recorded two long, epic pieces for an album with English lyrics (Shakespeare & Lord Tennyson), but the album was too far-out for the small Israeli music industry, so the master tapes were archived and the album was never issued on vinyl. 25 years later, a small collectors' label, MIO records, gathered all the tapes, videos and information on the lost band, and issued the album on CD, with bonus tracks and a videoclip. 

ATMOSPHERA's style is "mainstream prog" - heavily influenced by YES's symphonic style. The music is melodic, classical and well-arranged. The band lineup consists of Efrayim Barak on vocals, Moti Fonseka on guitar, Alon Nadel on bass, Yuval Rivlin on keyboards, and Ami Lipner (later re-named himself to Mi El-Ma) on drums. Mi El-Ma, the drummer, is influenced by Bruford's style, Nadel, the bassist, emulates Squire's sound, the keyboardist, Rivlin, uses some of Wakeman's tricks, and even soloist, Barak, sounds very much like Jon Anderson. YES fans will find delight in this highly-capable group of musicians, who offer virtuoso abilities and solid compositional skills.

The double album boasts three major highlights: "Lady of Shalott", "Cuckoo - Alternate Version" (new remix with added Mellotron and digital effects), and the avant-garde "Catharsis" by a different, later line-up called ISTOPY. In 2002 a double CD was released with the debut tracks and some bonus tracks, live renditions, video clips and VCD material with new packaging. 

: : : Uri Breitman, ISRAEL : : :

Lady of Shalott

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FREEDOM CALL - Germanys premier Melodic Metal band

Freedom Call is a German power metal band formed in 1998. Freedom Call's frontman Chris Bay's vocal talent was more or less inherited from his grandfather, an opera singer with the Berlin State Opera, and his mother, who was a sought-after chorus singer. When only seven he began to play the guitar and by the time he was ten had tried his hand at the piano. Having played in various local rock bands, Bay moved to Hamburg in 1990 and got his first serious gig when he worked with Zed Yago. From 1993 to 1996 Chris was a member of former Victory guitarist Hermann Frank’s band Moon Doc, with whom he recorded the albums "Moon Doc" (1995) and "Get Mooned" (1996). In 1998 Chris Bay and old friend Daniel Zimmermann formed Freedom Call during an off-period for the latter's main band, Gamma Ray. The two had started writing songs together towards the end of 1997. They eventually completed a six-song demo Freedom Call with well-known producer Charlie Bauerfeind, who offered the tape to several record companies.

At the same time, the Freedom Call line up was completed by Ilker Ersin on bass guitar and Sascha Gerstner on guitar. In 1998 Chris and Dan had seen Sascha playing in a cover band. Freedom Call's debut album, Stairway to Fairyland was released on 18 May 1999 by NTS Records. Stairway to Fairyland would sell over 35,000 copies. On 25 May 1999 Freedom Call made their live debut during a tour of France as support band for Angra and Edguy. At the end of August, Freedom Call commenced recording of the five-track mini LP Taragon. Taragon featured new songs, a cover version of Ultravox's "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes", a new version of "Stairway to Fairyland", a new version of "Tears of Taragon" with Biff Byford, singer with Saxon narrating the "Tale of Taragon" on it. There was also a bonus track for Japan called "Kingdom Come". By the end of 1999, Freedom Call had entered the studio again to record their second album Crystal Empire, this released on 22 January 2001. Crystal Empire was promoted as the logical musical continuation of Stairway To Fairyland.

1999 - Stairway To Fairyland

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Erasmo Carlos - MPB Rock (Brazil)

Erasmo Carlos (Tremendão) is a singer, songwriter, multi - instrumentalist musician and Brazilian writer. In the 1970s, Erasmus signed with Polydor Music. The first half of the decade shows Tremendão in a very different style from Jovem Guarda. Influenced by hippie culture and soul, he releases Carlos, Erasmo in 1971. The album, which opens with "De Noite a Cama", written by Caetano Veloso especially for him, brings a controversial ode to marijuana (Maria Joana).

Existentialism continues in his other LPs of the 70's: Dreams and Memories, Projeto Salva Terra and Banda dos Contentes. "I am a Child, I Do not Understand Nothing", "Cachaça Mecânica" and "Filho Único" are some outstanding songs in the period. Ipanema's Esquinas, his LP of 1978, includes an impressive song that denounces man's disregard for ecology: "Ecological Panorama".

A Pescaria (1965)

Carlos, Erasmo

Alternative Link

Erasmo Carlos Convida (1980)

Ao Vivo (2001)

CD1

CD2

Erasmo Carlos em Espanhol (2002)

Erasmo & Amigos (2002)

Raridades (2002)

Santa Música (2004)

Erasmo Convida II (2007)

Rock ‘N’ Roll (2009)

Art Sherrod Jr. - Smooth Jazz

When you take a smooth jazz approach to some of gospel music's greatest songs, the result is saxman Art Sherrod Jr's newest CD project titled Intervention, which also features the soulful sound of Incognito's lead vocalist, Maysa Leak, on a very funky arrangement of Edwin Hawkins' Oh Happy Day. This project has 13 spiritually enriched tracks that highlight Art's roots in Gospel, Jazz, R&B and Funk. By no means is Intervention your ordinary gospel jazz project as it features some untraditional songs like Frankie Beverly's I Wanna Thank You and Sam Cooke's A Change Gonna Come in addition to some traditional gospel songs like It Is Well, He Looked Beyond My Faults, My Soul Has Been Anchored and a funky horn section infused arrangement of Walter Hawkins' Going Up Yonder. The contemporary side of Art is revealed as his interprets Vashawn Mitchell's Nobody Greater and William McDowell's I Give Myself Away, Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God featuring guitarist Alan Scott, How Excellent featuring world renowned bass guitarist, David Dyson and Donnie McClurken's mega hit Stand. Make no mistake about it, Intervention appeals to all audiences so you will not be disappointed. Art Sherrod Jr truly poured his heart and soul into this one.

Intervention (2016)

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Alan Parker & John Cameron - Afro Rock

African rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, rock inspiration, and a motherlode of funky sound library grooves from two of the best British maestros working in the business! The album's an early 70s gem from the KPM catalog -- one of the most sought-after records ever issued by the label -- and like the rest, never really made for public sale back at the time! Despite that humble origin, though, the grooves here are right up there with the funkiest work coming out from that side of the Atlantic at the time -- a brilliant post-colonial blend of acoustic percussion, electric keyboards, and a fair bit of fuzzy guitar -- all presented with a stripped-down, no-nonsense approach to the rhythms that's often funkier than work by some of the bigger names in the genre.

Alan Parker and John Cameron come together to compose this album that has become one of the most desireable KPM library albums. For once, the hype that surrounds this album is justified. From the opening "Heavy Water" to the close we are treated to 15 tracks of thumpin' afro rock rhythms and more percussion than you can shake a drumstick at. The pick of the tracks has to be the very famous "Swamp Fever" - a fantastic beaty pop track with heavy afro percussion. This track has been featured on many library compilation albums, once you hear it, you'll know why! Also, if you like "Swam Fever", check out "Safari So Good" and "Survival" - both definitely cut from the same cloth.

Afro Rock (1973) (KPM 1130)

MAHTRAK - Jazz Rock/Fusion • Brazil

Mahtrak biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4770)

Mahtrak is a jazz-rock ensemble, born in 2001. The band's material sounds very original but at the same time true to the genre, yet mixing in a generous dose of progressive rock. On Panorama, their debut CD, recorded in 2004, they explore the vintage sounds of Hammond organ, Mellotron and Fender Rhodes, assimilating influences from such seminal artists as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Caravan, Soft Machine, Jeff Beck, Return to Forever and Weather Report.

 Panorama

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