Show 170 - Return of the Ed Show, Always Almost, Gamalon

[Rick and Roll]

This week we'll combine three things...

The first is more music from my good friend Ed Stephens. Way back on show 27 I think, I played three hours of killer fusion from Ed's collection. He's a jazz collector and part-time Nearfest slumlord Every once in awhile he likes to culture me on fusion that I have missed throughout the years. It has always been a favorite genre, and it's good to play some of the more obscure stuff, along with some known tracks. We won't hear all of it this week, just about a third of what he sent me.

Isotope - Golden Section
The Renegades - Sculpture of Limitations
Colosseum II - Desperado
Uncle Moe's Space Ranch - Dad's Speakers
Joe Satriani - Flying In A Blue Dream
Steve Weingart - Night Visitor
Jean-Luc Ponty - King Kong
Bill Bruford - Five G
Ivan Smart - Spanish Sunset
Companyia Electrica Dharma - Ball Llunatic-Toc

I would go into some of these in more detail, but I will as there is a demand...it's been a long week already.

Here's Ivan...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJXsZ9Pr6wk

and here's Steve Weingart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXiS9ZIX_nE


Always Almost - God Pounds His Nails (1997)

After the marketing debacle by Sony, ruining one of the greatest efforts ever made (As The World), Brett Kull/Paul Ramsey/Ray Weston of Echolyn formed "Still", which released a disc called "Always Almost". This was pretty heavy and bluesy (Chris Buzby formed Finneus Gauge about the same time). The next year under the name "Always Almost", they released this disc. It incorporates many different styles, and I've had the good fortune to see them do a lot of these tracks. Here's a fine review...

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=485

and here's the songs:

Pretty Fine Day
Tread On
Silence and Rumor
Bitter
React Me
In Need of Shaking
Greater Sea
Bye Bye Dreary Kitty
West Point
While I Was Away
Now I'm A Stranger
Five Doors
Airs and Envy
Aspirations

Yes, that's a nine and a half minute version of the GG classic...some fun music here. I figured with Echolyn's return to the festival scene this would be a good play.

Gamalon - Gamalon (1987)

Billy's Saloon
Ooh...Babe
The King
Black Licorice
Cabin # 14
Souvenirs
Jungle Fever

Twenty years ago, I was in a record store in Baltimore called the "Record Theater". They would give you stamps when you bought discs, like a little booklet. One day they were blasting this CD. I was totally shocked. It was like nothing I'd heard. The only other time I'd bought a record first heard like that was Thin Lizzy's "Live and Dangerous". After being absorbed in this and their follow up "Aerial View", I had the chance to see them in 1990. George Puleo and Bruce Brucato traded solos all night, and Tom and Ted Reinhardt laid down solid beat after solid beat. A miserable night outside, but one of the best musical experiences. They're still around, in Buffalo, but have undergone many changes since then. But this debut remians a classic. A shout out to Quantum Jo, the number one Gamalon fan.