With the band Greenslade breaking up in 1976, band leader & keyboard maestro Dave Greenslade took to a solo career, with Catus Choir being his first and released later that same year. Taking many of the qualities of the Greenslade band, Cactus Choir is a lovely little prog rock album, mostly instrumental save for for a few vocals from Steve Gould and one from the leader himself. Former bandmate Tony Reeves is along playing bass on a few tunes, as is Dave Markee & John Perry, with drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips, flute/clarinet player Bill Jackman, and Procol Harum guitarist Mick Grabham appearing on one cut. With super Roger Dean cover artwork, Cactus Choir just screams progressive rock through and through.
Opener "Pedro's Party" is a vibrant, lively prog/fusion piece, with Greenslade's vast array of A.R.P. synthesizer, clavinet, Solina String Ensemble, and Fender Rhodes Piano fully on display over some intricate rhythms. Gould lends his melodic vocals to the proggy pop of "Gettysburg", a charming song again featuring some splendid keyboard work and classy rhythms, while track three here on this Angel Air reissue combines both "Swings and Roundabouts-Time Takes My Time" into one long 10-minute epic. The first part is daring prog, Markee & Phillips digging in really deep over which Greenslade's Hammond & Moog provide the theatrics. Things get a little jazzy & bluesy on the second half of the piece, as Dave & Lissa Gray share a little vocal duet over talk box, electric guitar from Grabham, and acoustic piano. Along with just Phillips, Greenslade pulls out his Mellotron, A.R.P., Hammond, Solina string ensemble, vibraphone, and clavinets for the haunting "Forever and Ever", a lovely little instrumental, and the three-part title track is just a gem of '70s symphonic rock, Dave's Hammond organ the star of the show alongside more powerful vocals from Gould. "Country Dance" has a daring jazz-fusion feel, with stabbing Clavinet & Fender Rhodes passages over tricky rhythms reminding of classic Return to Forever or The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The regular part of the album climaxes with the endearing "Finale", a full-on symphonic prog piece featuring Greenslade's entire arsenal of keyboards and backed by an Orchestra conducted by Martin Ford and arranged by Simon Jeffes. The short piece "Gangsters" is included as a bonus, a song that Greenslade wrote for the BBC series of the same name, and features Chris Farlowe on lead vocals. It's a decent enough busy prog rocker, though Farlowe's over the top vocals will either be a 'love it or leave it' affair for some.
As always, Angel Air has done a great job with this reissue of a long overlooked album in the discography of keyboard legend Dave Greenslade. Those into '70s keyboard dominated prog who didn't investigate this one after the breakup of the Greenslade band should definitely take advantage and do so now.
Track Listing
1. Pedro's Party
2. Gettysberg
3. Swings and Roundabouts - Time Takes my Time
4.Forever and Ever
5. Cactus Choir
a) The Rider
b) Greeley and the rest
c) March at Sunset
6. Country Dance
7. Finale
8. Gangsters (bonus track)
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
