Various Artists – To Cry You A Song – A Collection Of Tull Tales (1996)

Can a “tribute” performance be a masterpiece?

I doubt it. It actually could be, but there must be well-defined criteria to consider a certain tribute album as a masterpiece. Reason being, actually I want to rate this tribute compilation as masterpiece. But, never mind with a four-star rating as long as you get my true message that this is a great compilation of Jethro Tull’s music performed by great musicians. If you are a fan of Jethro Tull, it’s a must collection. Well, actually this is not truly a tribute compilation as there are two songs: “Tull Tale” written by T. Gardner of Magellan and “Cat’s Squirrel” written by M. Abrahams.

The compilation album is opened beautifully with “Tull Tale” (2:35), an instrumental track written specifically for this tribute, featuring Stan Johnson on flute. Containing pieces of “Bouree” and other Tull classics, it serves as an introduction to Magellan’s excellent cover of “Aqualung”. It starts off with a great piano intro, then it goes into an industrial music combined with metal guitar sound on the verses. The guitar solo is played on a slightly different chord progression, but it sounds really well. “Up The Pool” is performed wonderfully with great acoustic guitar work and unique vocal by Roy Harper. Really good. The great song “Nothing Is Easy” (4:17) is performed remarkably well by John Wetton on vocals. It’s so rewarding when I listen this song – it’s like King Crimson meets Jethro Tull.

“Mother Goose” (4:23) is performed by Lief Sorbye (of Tempest) in a great arrangement. Well, overall I don’t see any track that is performed worse than the original version – all of them are great arrangements. But if you force me to mention the best of the best performance is the one performed by Glenn Hughes on track 9: “To Cry You a Song”. As you may have known that the vocal timbre between Ian Anderson and Glenn Hughes is totally different and you might have imagined that Glenn Hughes voice only suitable for Deep Purple or Trapeze. But what hhappen here is truly a fabulous combination of energetic music with organ solo (reminds us to Jon Lord?) and rocking and funky voice of Hughes. The result is Deep Purple meets Jethro Tull kind of music. I especially like when Hughes sings his high register notes under chorus lyrical part: “It’s been a long time .!!”. Wow! It’s a wonderful voice man!

In summary, if you are a die hard fan of Jethro Tull, this tribute is a compilation that will definitely satisfy you. Production and sound quality are to notch. Highly recommended. Keep on proggin’ . (Gatot)

Personnel:
Mick Abrahams (guitar on 04., 08., 09., 10. – 12.)
Rob Armstrong (drums, percussion)
Robert Berry (keyboards on 04., 05., 08., 09., 10. + 13. guitar, bass, drums on 05., all instruments + vocals on 06.)
Clive Bunker (drums on 04., 08., 09. 10. – 12.)
Duncan Chisholm (fiddle on 11.)
Glenn Cornick (bass on 04., 09., 10. – 12.)
Ivan Drever (guitar on 11.)
Stuart Eaglesham (vocals on 11.)
Keith Emerson (keyboards on 12.)
Trent Gardner (keyboards on 01. 02, vocals on 02.)
Wayne Gardner (guitar, bass) on 02.)
Roy Harper (guitar, vocals on 03.)
Glenn Hughes (vocals on 09.)
Stan Johnson (flute on 01.)
Brett Kull (guitar, whistling, background vocals on 07.)
Adolfo Lazo (drums)
Phil Manzanera (guitar on 04. + 10.)
Ian McDonald (flute on 04. + 10.)
Michael Mullen (violin on 13.)
Charlie Musselwhite (harmonica on 08.)
Jay Nania (bass on 13.)
Colm O’Sullivan (keyboards, effects on 03.)
Roger Patterson (percussion on 01., drums on 02.)
Dave Pegg (guitar, vocals, mandolin)
Matt Pegg (bass on 14.)
Paul Ramsey (drums on 07.)
Derek Sherinian (keyboards on 09. + 11.)
Lief Sorbye (vocals, mandolin, flute,mandola on 05., bodhrán on 06., vocals, flute on 13.)
Robby Steinhardt (violin 0n 10.)
Mike Summerland (bass on 08.)
Derek Trucks (slide guitar on 08.)
Mike Varney (guitar on 05.)
Ray Weston (bass, vocals, piano on 07.)
John Wetton (vocals on 04.)
Rob Wullen (guitar on 13.)

Tracklist:
01. Magellan feat. Stan Johnson: A Tull Tale (Gardner) 2.33
02. Magellan; Aqualung (Anderson) 8.09
03. Roy Harper: Up The ‘Pool (Anderson) 3.01
04. John Wetton: Nothing Is Easy (Anderson) 4.18
05. Lief Sorbye: Mother Goose (Anderson) 4.23
06. Robert Berry: Minstrel In The Gallery (Anderson) 5.22
07. Echolyn: One Brown Mouse (Anderson) 3.15
08. Charlie Musselwhite: Cat’s Squirrel (Traditional) 5.52
09. Glenn Hughes & Mick Abrahams: To Cry You A Song (Anderson) 5.10
10. Robby Steinhardt & Phil Manzanera: New Day Yesterday (Anderson) 4.00
11. Wolfstone: Teacher (Anderson) 3.59
12. Keith Emerson: Living In The Past (Anderson) 3.21
13. Tempest with Robert Berry: Locomotive Breath (Anderson) 4.32
14. Dave Pegg & Matt Pegg: Life’s A Long Song (Anderson) 2.45

*
**

Roy Harper – HQ (1975)

Released in 1975 (and known in the U.S. as When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease), HQ was the eighth solo album from Roy Harper, and a high-water mark for him commercially and critically (as well as a personal favorite). Harper was already coming off two stellar efforts in Lifemask (1973) and Valentine (1974), which marked yet another artistic peak and his introduction to American audiences. Previous settings of acoustic guitar and orchestration were supplanted by Harper’s formation of Trigger, a relatively straightforward hard rock trio anchored by ace guitarist Chris Spedding and former King Crimson/Yes drummer Bill Bruford. (The unit disbanded after this album, however.) Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones are among the other all-star contributors on this album, which gets off to a rousing start with “The Game”‘s multi-part critique of modern society and features some hard-hitting guitar passages. “The Spirit Lives” upholds yet another long-running Harper theme of critiquing Christianity and its premises. “Hallucination Light” and “Forget Me Not” maintain the brooding romanticism associated with Harper’s earlier work, but it’s the last track that should stick longest with listeners. Harper’s understated, elegaic ode to life’s departures gains power from a blend of string and brass band lines; it remains one of his finest, most enduring compositions. Commercially, Harper’s profile remains that of a cult artist, but he surely deserves wider recognition on his own merit. If you only know Harper as an associate of the ’70s English rock aristocracy or the shadowy subject of Led Zeppelin’s “Hats off to Harper,” make this album one of your first starting points. (by Ralph Heibutzki)

US frontcover

Personnel:
Bill Bruford (drums)
Dave Cochran (bass)
Roy Harper (vocals, guitar)
Chris Spedding (guitar)
Ray Warleigh saxophone)
+
Steve Broughton (drums on 01.)
David Gilmour (guitar on 01.)
John Paul Jones – bass on 01.)
+
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band (brass on 07.)

Tracklist:
01. The Game (Parts 1–5) 13.41
02. The Spirit Lives 4.15
03. Grown Ups Are Just Silly Children 2.53
04. Referendum (Legend) 3.46
05. Forget Me Not 2.24
06. Hallucinating Light 6.21
07. When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease 7.11
+
08. The Spirit Lives (early mix, 23 March 1975) 4.36
09. When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease (live in Exeter, 31 October 1977) 7.50
10. Hallucinating Light (single version) 7.32

All songs written by Roy Harper

*
**