Aquila were a five-piece progressive rock band from Wales who, in their time together during that wonderfully creative and burgeoning prog scene of the day, sadly left us with only one 1970-issued, self-titled release on RCA. The band were the brainchild of Blonde On Blonde guitarist, Ralph Denyer, who wrote and composed all the music and songs on the album.
Flute, sax, and the venerable Hammond augment the classic bass-drums-guitar bedrock, affording a jazz-inflected sound not too dissimilar to the output of the Neon, Dawn, and Transatlantic labels at that time—think Raw Material, Diabolus, Tonton Macoute, or Hannibal..Why Aquila broke up after just one album is a mystery. It sounds very competent against some of the other albums of the time, not least for the careful production work of Patrick Campbell-Lyons from Nirvana UK fame.
by Sébastien Métens, April 24, 2015
Tracks
1. Change Your Ways - 5:16
2. How Many More Times - 6:18
3. While You Were Sleeping - 5:23
4. We Can Make It If We Try - 4:32
5. The Aquila Suite First Movement - Aquila - Introduction / Flight Of The Golden Bird - 8:27
6. The Aquila Suite Second Movement - Cloud Circus / The Hunter / The Kill - 8:48
7. The Aquila Suite Third Movement - Where Do I Belong? / Aquila - Conclusion - 8:55
All compositions by Ralph Denyer
Aquila
*Ralph Denyer - Vocals, Electric, Acoustic Guitars
*Phil Childs - Fender Bass, Piano
*George Lee - Flute, Alto, Soprano, Tenor, Baritone Saxes
*Martin Woodward - Hammond Organ
*James Smith - Drums, Timpani, Various Percussion
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