Description
Colosseum – Valentyne Suite / Sanctuary Audio CD 2006 / SMBCD386
UPC 5050749238627
Product Details:
Description:
Valentyne Suite was the second album released by the band Colosseum. It was Vertigo Records' first album release, and reached number 15 in the UK Albums Chart in 1969.
Though the song "The Kettle" is officially listed as having been written by Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman, a credit which is confirmed by Hiseman's liner notes for the album, bassist and producer Tony Reeves later claimed that it was written by guitarist and vocalist James Litherland.
Editorial Review:
Tracklist:
1. The Kettle
2. Elegy
3. Butty's Blues
4. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice
5. Valentyne Suite
a, Theme One: January's Search
b, Theme Two: February's Valentyne
c, Theme Three: The Grass Is Always Greener
Bonus:
6. Arthur's Moustache (live 1969)
7. Lost Angeles (live 1969)
| 1 | The Kettle
Written-By – Heckenstall-Smith, Hiesman |
4:29 |
| 2 | Elegy
Featuring, Soprano Saxophone – Dick, Written-By – Litherland |
3:14 |
| 3 | Butty's Blues
Conductor, Written-By [String Quartet Arrangement] – Neil Ardley, Written-By – Litherland |
6:47 |
| 4 | The Machine Demands A Sacrifice
Written-By – Heckstall-Smith, Litherland, Hiesman, Brown |
3:54 |
The Valentyne Suite
Written-By – Greenslade, Hiesman |
(16:56) | |
| 5.a | January's Search
Featuring, Organ, Vibraphone [Vibes], Piano – Dave, Written-By – Dave |
|
| 5.b |
February's Valentyne
Written-By – Dave |
|
| 5.c | The Grass Is Always Greener
Written-By – Dick, Jon Hiseman |
|
| 6 | Arthur's Moustache
Written-By – Heckstall-Smith |
6:31 |
| 7 | Lost Angeles
Written-By – Reeves |
8:37 |
About the Band:
Colosseum are a pioneering English progressive jazz-rock band, mixing blues, rock and jazz-based improvisation.
This is one of the pivotal progressive bands that emerged in the second part of the Sixties. Unfortunalety the progressive world was more impressed by The NICE and KING CRIMSON, so in my opinion COLOSSEUM is a bit understimated progrock band. In '68 the founding members were drummer Jon Hiseman, tenor sax-player Dick HECKSTALL-SMITH and bass player Tony Reeves, later joined by Dave GREENSLADE (keyboards), Dave Clempson (guitar), Chris Farlowe (vocals) and Mark Clark, he replaced Tony Reeves. COLOSSEUM made three studio albums: "Those Who Are To Die We Salute You" and "Valentyne Suite" (both from '69) and "Daughter Of Time" ('70). The music is a progressive mix of several styles (rock, jazz, blues) with lots of sensational solos and captivating interplay. In '71 the band released their highly acclaimed live album "Colosseum live", a proove of their great skills on stage but also showing that at some moments the compositions sounded a bit too stretched.
After COLOSSEUM was disbanded in '71, most of these members formed or joined known groups like HUMBLE PIE (Clem Clempson), ATOMIC ROOSTER (Chris Farlowe), GREENSLADE (Dave Greenslade re-united with Tony Reeves) and COLOSSEUM II (founded by Jon Hiseman). In '91 the label Castle Communications released the comprehensive compilation CD entitled "The Time Machine".
The second album "The Valentyne Suite" is considired as their best. It sounds mature and varied with the epic titletrack as the highlight: it's build up around a mindblowing solo on the Hammond organ by Dave Greenslade and great guitarwork by James Litherland. And if you like brass (I don't!), Dick Heckstall-Smith delivers stunning tenor-saxophone work.
- Liner Notes [July 21st 1969] – Jon Hiseman
- Producer – Gerry Bron, Tony Reeves
