ETTORE SALATI

This month's Artist in Spotlight is Ettore Salati from Italy. Ettore is a sought after session guitarist by many prog musicians not just in Italy but all around the world. He started playing piano at a very young age (mostly classical music) but when he became a teenager and discovered the world of Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Genesis and 70's rock in general, he was immediately fascinated by guitar... more

KAT EPPLE (Emerald Web)

KAT EPPLE, flautist and composer, is our interview guest this month. She has won 8 Emmy awards, was nominated for a Grammy and she has released 18 albums internationally. Most of you know her as the other half of the legendary ambient/new age duo EMERALD WEB. She has a very large collection (over 200) of flutes that she gathered from all around the world during her travels. Kat composes original New Age/Jazz/World/orchestral music and has produced film scores and television soundtracks for National Geographic, Nova, CNN, Carl Sagan, Another World, The Travel Channel, Turner Broadcasting System, History Channel, HGN, The Guiding Light, PBS, and NASA among others, and was Music Director for the feature-length film, Captiva Island. She also owns a record company and works on both sides of the music industry as a musician and as a business woman... more

New Grass Revival / On The Boulevard

New Grass Revival are one of the pioneers of progressive bluegrass. Formed in 1971 by Sam Bush (mandolin/vocals), Curtis Burch (guitar), Ebo Walker (bass) and Courtney Johnson (banjo), they immediately got the attention from the industry both in a good and bad way. First of all, they were often told that their music was not bluegrass, and they knew it wasn’t “bluegrass” in its traditional sense, and it wasn’t what they were trying to achieve anyways. They were blending rock, soul and blues rhythms with the traditional bluegrass music. They were not wearing suites, but instead they had a more casual style along with long hair... more

CANVAS / DIGITAL PIGEON

Signed to "CP Radio" which is none other than Canvas Productions 2007 release. The vocals are shared by Greg Lounsberry, Tom Mattern, Bruce Smith & Zach Olah. Chris Cobel on all keyboards. Drums mostly by John Swope - a track each by Matt Sweitzer & Vince Simon. Other musicians Brian Pierce, Brad Cotner, John David Thornton, Orlando Blanco, Heather McPherson.

There is A LOT of music on this CD, coming in at just under 77 minutes. Their unique sound really stands alone, but the opening track "Dark Side of the Sun" has a definite Alan Parson influence, but something more is underneath, very inviting. Perhaps it's the Giles, Giles & Fripp vocal qualities I am hearing or the switch to a jazz-rock feel (a la Chicago) in the third track "Spiders". At times a bit too commercial for my tastes, but the feeling doesn't last long as the musical landscape is always set to change. Like when a different vocal style is thrusted upon the listener by Tom Mattern on The Spectacle, with it's sweeping flutes, superb keys and a bridged time change that's very cool.

By the 4th track "Ghost Town", I was thoroughly impressed with the fantastic mix. These guys are no slouches, I could easily identify the influence of Pink Floyd in the styled intro. The vocals remind me of Jethro Tull... I only drop these names as a reference point, please understand that Canvas hold true to their own sound, not an easy task when nothing is new under the sun.

My least favorite track of the album, "Armchair Voyager" has a guitar piece that sounds an awful lot like Eric Clapton or Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, that's not to say that is the reason I find it my least favorite - I just simply feel it is less inventive as the rest of the album. Of course the band at times can suffer from being over-produced to the point of deadening the track (like on "A Reptile Dysfunction"). Also some elements tend to be added that made me question if the song would be better without it, like the Mannheim Steamroller sounding keys on "Calmsy Downsy". I tried to be objective at this point, thinking that maybe I'm being a bit harsh only because there is so much music to choose from, but I think after an hour of listening, finding some of the faults (as few as they may be) is a natural occurrence.

Canvas has obviously discovered the value in spicing up a completed project with different levels of input. Zach handled arrangement of the 7th track's "You" and it made for a pleasant shift. The combination of spirtual lyrics and jazz esque compositions reminds me of the Sweet Comfort Band. Tom is introduced on vocals for the 8th track and does an outstanding job executing an unconventional style. "On Second Thought" hearkens back to Eloy with it's catchy bass line and solid arrangement. "Catwalk" is a Commodores meets Steeley Dan progchild. "Funk Shui" is an exciting exploration into Space Rock, while "Teen Town" is an interpretive Latin piece with more great bass parts.

The last track, "Move the Earth" is the most progressive song on the album and is a stirring last hoorah for the project. I also found myself enjoying "Lost In Transit" for it's irresistible way of drawing me in, as if I walked in on a very private rehearsal and caught the band with eyes closed as if in musical transcendence, it's a very moving and easy song to get caught up in.

Put this CD at the top of your list of indie prog CDs to get a hold of. Get it directly from them at www.canvasproductions.net

DALE JUDAY