RIP Dave Kulju (1970-2013)

I have just learned of the passing of a great musician. Multi-instrumentalist Dave Kulju is not a household name, but his music has touched me like no other, and I have had the pleasure of introducing his "oeuvre" to listeners through my humble radio show. His music, mostly instrumental, was magnificiently constructed and nuanced.

I discovered his music by browsing the internet and stumbling on his website. I immediately bought Notes in the Margin after hearing a sample, finding the mix of his music and with lyrics by Australian poetess Amanda Joy sublime. Dave would have turned 44 this coming January. He was working on a new project and had posted some samples on his website. It sounded promising, even surpassing some of the music already out there.



I invite listeners and visitors to this website to keep his music alive by visiting his website and purchasing his music. A great musician is gone, but his music will live on.

Dave Kulju discography:



With Electrum:
Frames of Mind (1997) - Out of print
Standard Deviation (2002)



Solo work:
Abstract Expression (2007)
Notes in the Margin (2010)

Dave Kulju website: http://www.davekmusic.com/index.php

What Are Your Top 10 Prog CDs of 2013?

It's that time of year again where I ask you for your lists of top 10 of 2013.

As I did last year, I will compile the list and post it on this site at the end of January 2014. there will also be a special episode concerning this list... and mine.

Since most lists come out in December and releases dating from November and December are mostly left out, eligible albums for this list are albums released between December 2012 and November 2013.

Write down your list here as a comment, or send an email at: progrockshow(at)hotmail.com.

As a reminder of some eligible titles from last December, here is a small list (others may be eligible):

Phillips, Anthony "Private Parts & Pieces XI: City of Dreams"
Antonius Rex "Hystero Demonopathy"
Apogee "Waiting for the Challenge"
Argos "Cruel Symmetry"
Earthling Society "Zodiak"
Lickerish, Francis "Far and Forgot"
HellHaven "Beyond the Frontier"
Jeseter "Proměna"
Durant, Jon & Colin Edwin "Burnt Belief"
Karfagen "Aleatorica"
Kharmina Buranna "Seres Humanos"
Majestic "V.O.Z."
Shadow Circus "On a Dark and Stormy Night"
The Far Meadow "Where Joys Abound"
The Minstrel's Ghost "The Road to Avalon"
The Room "Open Fire"
Yleclipse “Songs from the Crackling Atanor”
Zerothehero "Nowhere"

North Atlantic Oscillation's Sam Healy Releases Solo Project

 

North Atlantic Oscillation are currently hard at work on their third album, which is scheduled for release in 2014. Meanwhile, the band's vocalist Sam Healy has released Sand, his debut solo album, on NAO's label Kscope.

 

NAO fans will recognise elements of the Sand sound (including the vocals, of course!) but there are marked differences too. The solo record "has a more intimate and personal feel" than the band's material, Sam says.

 

Sand has already received high praise from fans and critics (including an unprecedented 10 out of 10 from Phill Hall of Borderline Press) and is featured on Kscope's latest podcast: http://www.kscopemusic.com/2013/12/02/2823/

 

Stream or download the album track Clay for free here: http://sandtheband.bandcamp.com/track/clay

 

Buy the album on CD: http://bit.ly/IEveIt

Download the album from Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/18eSEOg

Download the album from Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1eLSMFU

 

http://www.sandtheband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sandtheband

Nektar to Tour Europe in January 2014

Hot on the heels of a successful US tour and the release of their critically acclaimed new album Time Machine, UK prog legends Nektar are preparing to tour Europe in early 2014! After a bit of an absence from European stages, Nektar is sure to be a treat for concert-goers who will be fortunate enough to catch one of the shows!

Nektar founding member Roye Albrighton (guitars/lead vocals) says, “We can promise you high quality performances wherever we play. I know I speak on behalf of the band when I say we are all looking forward to it.”

Nektar, featuring Albrighton, drummer/vocalist Che Albrighton, keyboardist/vocalist Klaus Hentasch and bassist Tom Fry, although mostly British were formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1970. Their early albums featured a heady, exhilarating mix of progressive, experimental rock sounds that soon caught on worldwide at the height of the international prog-rock boom. Touring the world behind numerous album releases throughout the ‘70s & ‘80s helped to cement the band’s reputation as an influential prog-rock legend. Having undergone a variety of personnel changes over the past decade or so, the band now boasts its strongest lineup in years and is ready to prove so yet again to its many fans throughout Europe. 

 

Nektar’s new album, Time Machine, featuring the band’s first album of new original material in several years, was released on Cleopatra Records in the USA on June 18, 2013.

 

Nektar Tour Dates:

Jan 8 – UK, London - Borderline http://www.seetickets.com/event/nektar/borderline/747392

Jan 9 – Germany, Dortmund - Piano Bar http://musiktheater-piano.de/wordpress/tickets-bestellen/

Jan 10 – Germany, Bonn - Harmony http://www.bonnticket.de/suchergebnisse/seo/NEKTAR%20Konzert%202014_679324_details.html?eventid=679324&pkey=1002.679324.0&eventtitle=NEKTAR%20Konzert%202014&cHash=5cfe47f448f3103aff8bb1971b84f8b5

Jan 11 – Germany, Frankfurt - Das Bett http://www.rangeins.de/frankfurt/nektar-2014-01-11-20-30-frankfurt-das-bett/

Jan 12 – Germany, Berlin - White Trash

Jan 13 – Germany, Hamburg - Marxx

Jan 14 – Denmark, Copenhagen - tbc

Jan 16 - Austria

Jan 17 - Austria, Ried Kik

Jan 18 - Austria, Greifenburg Kultursaal

For Further Information:

Nektar facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nektar/198355536955655

Nektar website: http://nektarsmusic.com/nn/home/home_new.asp

Christiaan Bruin's The Black Codex in 2014

Christiaan Bruin (Sky Architect, Chris, Nine Stones Close) announces a musical series The Black Codex, starting January the 5th 2014.

Having just released his latest album Chris - Days Of Summer Gone and the new Sky Architect album, Christiaan Bruin is back with a brand new ambitious project: a 1-year musical series: The Black Codex.

Its concept is a unique one: during the course of a whole year, subscribers receive by email, a newly composed and recorded piece of music every week, together with illustrated lyrics, drawings, and many other bonus features. These weekly episodes will culminate in one epic storyline, with many characters, intrigues, adventures and much more.

"The Black Codex can be compared to a TV-series with weekly episodes, but in this case the story is told through music, lyrics and illustrations. Each week there will be lots of surprises, but also an element of familiarity and continuity. Musically, there's lots of freedom and room for spontaneity.

There's certainly a very adventurous journey ahead, as this has never been attempted before in a similar way, and this is my most ambitious project to date. It's like a concept album-deluxe." - Christiaan

 

Christiaan Bruin is a young dutch composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Since 2009 he has released five albums with his solo-project Chris.

He is also a founding member of the progressive rock band Sky Architect, which has recorded three albums since 2010. Furthermore he is a member of the avant-garde metal band Adeia, the progressive rock band Nine Stones Close and the cinematic pop orchestra Mayra Orchestra.
Watch the trailer:

The Black Codex will take off on 5 January the 2014, and continue for the rest of 2014.

Membership costs are 4 euro each month.

For more information, visit: www.theblackcodex.com