Pitch, Bruno: Crystal Garden

Bruno started playing heavy rock guitar in bands in the south of France in the late 1980s, going to music school in 1993. He gave up the guitar entirely in 2004 to concentrate on the Chapman Stick, an instrument much beloved of prog aficionados.

He met drummer and percussionist Guix Huré in 2007 and along with bassist Boris Nicolik they formed the instrumental funk band Magic Street. Bruno and Guix decided a couple of years later to record a progressive rock album dedicated to the stick, and with the addition of Coumarin Breme on tablas and 'voices' (albeit tonal and instrumental) they released Crystal Garden in 2010, although we here at S of T only got to hear about it last year. Blame the writer for tardiness in not signing off on the review earlier. I do admit to enjoying this quite a lot. It's got a lovely languid vibe that will please lovers of the Chapman Stick (don't expect, though the darkness of Levin era King Crimson) and those who enjoy more upbeat prog. Fans of the Flower Kings, Moon Safari, Kaipa and Scandinavian prog in general will I'm sure enjoy it.

There's psychedelia, fusion, eastern soundscapes and rockier stuff and each of the tracks explores different vibes. "Dual Sphere" is perhaps the most rocking-est foot tapper of the tunes on offer, and will find fans amongst followers of Spock's Beard and Rush perhaps.

The title track will float the boat of many a Yes fan, and has some early It Bites about it too.

It's a mellower close out, on "Neverlove", and at album's end one can only marvel at the talent of the players, particularly of course Monsieur Pitch. He is, as my dad would have said, a talented lad.

It's an album that deserves to be listened to by progressive rock fans, and can be legally streamed free of charge of course on Bruno's bandcamp site. The entire album is but 6 euros to buy, not a lot for some amazingly accomplished, melodic and symphonic prog played by three guys at the top of their game.

All in all, a highly recommended album of instrumental progressive rock.

Track listing:
1. Solarium 05:43
2. Dual Sphere 03:58
3. Friendships 05:37
4. Le Château 03:51
5. Karachi 07:54
6. Crystal Garden 05:58
7. Neverlove 04:43

Added: February 2nd 2012
Reviewer: Brian Watson
Score:
Related Link: Artist Website
Hits: 2318
Language: english

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