Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Greatest Show On Earth - Horizons (1970 uk, superb prog brass jazz rock, 2012 remaster)



The Greatest Show on Earth were originally formed in 1968 by guitarist Garth Watt-Roy and his bass-playing brother Norman. Also featured in the original line-up were organist Mick Deacon, drummer Ron Prudence and three horn players, Dick Hanson, Tex Phillpotts and Ian Aitcheson. The band's first vocalist was black American Ozzie Lane but he returned to his native New Orleans a year later and was replaced by Colin Horton-Jennings, not only a strong gravel-voiced singer but also quite adept on the guitar, bongos and flute. 

The group's mixture of R'n'B soul, jazz and prog-rock brought them to the attention of EMI's progressive label Harvest Records, who signed the band and issued, in February 1970, the single, "Real Cool World"/"Again And Again" (HAR 5012) which, though not a hit in the UK, gave the band a medium-sized hit across Europe where they were also an in-demand live attraction. Both tracks featured on their March 1970 debut LP, "Horizons" (SHVL 769) which was housed in a distinctive sleeve designed by Hipgnosis and coincided with a Radio One session for Mike Harding on which they played three new songs: "Border Line", "Mountain Song" and "Time". 
Tracks
1. Sunflower Morning (Colin Horton Jennings, Mick Deacon) - 4:56
2. Angelina (Colin Horton Jennings) - 4:07
3. Skylight Man (Colin Horton Jennings, Garth Philip Watt-Roy) - 4:31
4. Day Of The Lady (Colin Horton Jennings, Roger Saunders) - 4:10
5. Real Cool World (Garth Philip Watt-Roy) - 4:49
6. I Fought For Love (Colin Horton Jennings, Garth Philip Watt-Roy) - 4:24
7. Horizons (The Greatest Show On Earth) - 13:59
8. Again And Again (Garth Philip Watt-Roy) - 4:04

The Greatest Show On Earth
*Mike Deacon - Keyboards
*Dick Hanson - Horns
*Colin Horton-Jennings - Vocals, Guitar, Drums
*Tex Philpotts - Sax
*Ron Prudence - Congas, Drums
*Garth Watt-Roy - Vocals, Guitar
*Norman Watt-Roy - Vocals, Bass

1970  The Greatest Show On Earth - The Going's Easy (2012 remaster)

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