Progradar

Tag: John Wenlock-Smith

  • Review – The Emerald Dawn – To Touch The Sky – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – The Emerald Dawn – To Touch The Sky – by John Wenlock-Smith

    ‘To Touch the Sky’ is the fourth and latest CD from The Emerald Dawn following on the heels of their earlier albums, ‘Nocturne’ (2019), ‘Visions’ (2017) and Searching for the Lost Key (2014). I have not heard these previous albums, which is something I really should rectify! The Emerald Dawn are a four-piece group who…

  • Interview With Marc Bonilla – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Interview With Marc Bonilla – by John Wenlock-Smith

    In this piece I talk to Marc Bonilla of The Keith Emerson Band about the recently released Tribute concert cd/DVD set celebrating the music of Keith Emerson, the composer and musical innovator. John Wenlock-Smith (JWS): Good day to you Mark, I trust you are keeping well in these strange times Marc Bonilla (MB): Hello John,…

  • Review – Nad Sylvan – Spiritus Mundi – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – Nad Sylvan – Spiritus Mundi – by John Wenlock-Smith

    When  I was growing up there was no internet, we used to have to use encyclopaedias and other forms of reference books to find out about things. Nowadays, of course, it is all there waiting to be delved into and discovered for yourself. It is a whole different ball game now, although there was a…

  • Review – Spirit – Son Of America Reissue – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Last year I spent a lot of the time rediscovering and collecting music by the legendary Californian Band Spirit who had been very successful in their early days notching up a string of classic albums such as ‘Spirit’, ‘The Family That Plays Together’, ‘Clear’ and ‘Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus’. Their initial run of success…

  • Review – John Holden – Circles In Time – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – John Holden – Circles In Time – by John Wenlock-Smith

    ‘Circles in Time’ is the third, and latest, album from John Holden who has, over a period of just 4 years, written and created three quite different albums that are all rooted in his love of progressive music by the likes of Yes, Genesis and many others. John lives about 5 miles from me, on…

  • Review – Sanguine Hum A Trace Of Memory – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – Sanguine Hum A Trace Of Memory – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Oxford’s finest sons make a very welcome return after quite a lengthy absence. After 2018’s ‘Now We Have Power’ this new album is a little different to what has gone before, allow me to explain, if I may. Firstly, ‘A Trace Of Memory’ was recorded during the first lockdown period in the UK. As a…

  • Review – Stewart Clark – Let’s Go There – by John Wenlock-Smith

    I first came across Stewart Clark via a link on his Facebook page on which he stated that he had recorded ‘Lets’ Go There’ during lockdown following his earlier album ‘And Then There Was Me…’ I contacted Stewart and he kindly offered to send me both CD’s for a possible review on Progradar, I then…

  • Q&A With Jon Davison of Arc of Life – by John Wenlock-Smith

    John Wenlock-Smith partakes in a Q&A with Jon Davison about the new Arc of Life project for which Jon is the vocalist. 1/ Arc of Life is a new project, how did to come into existence While on the road with YES a few years back, Billy and I found a mutual inspiration to start…

  • Review – Lifesigns – Altitude – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – Lifesigns – Altitude – by John Wenlock-Smith

    Here it is then, after a long wait from 2018’s ‘Cardington’ comes this masterpiece, for there is no other word that can capture the magnificence of ‘Altitude’, Lifesigns’ third album, replete with another 8 pieces of sublime brilliance. Still entirely and fiercely independent, this recording has been realised by the faithful supporters of the band…

  • Review – Arc of Life – S/T by John Wenlock-Smith

    Review – Arc of Life – S/T by John Wenlock-Smith

    Lockdown in the UK, and indeed across the world, has brought significant change to all of us. It has also decimated musicians from being able to perform live and has cost them in funds they would have expected to earn from touring and the merchandise sold at shows around the globe. This has meant that…