Yes-Talk (1994)

Yes's fourteenth album featured the same lineup that had recorded "90125" and "Big Generator", both released in the mid-1980s. This lineup consisted of Jon Anderson (vocals), Trevor Rabin (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Alan White (drums), Chris Squire (bass), and Tony Kaye (Hammond organ). Due to pressure from Atlantic Records' subsidiary, Victory Records, guitarist Trevor Rabin took on the responsibility for production and almost all of the songwriting for this new recording. He also handled much of the keyboard work, programming, and the use of the most advanced recording technology of the time. Rabin, in collaboration with Anderson, crafted an album full of catchy, AOR-influenced songs with accessible progressive elements, giving the final result the true essence of the classic Yes sound. Classic rock, steeped in great keyboard and guitar interplay, is present in songs like "The Calling", "Real Love", "State Of Play" or "Walls", while instrumental complexities appear in the epic "Endless Dream", undoubtedly the most progressive track since the "Drama" album era (1980), or in the brilliant "Where Will You Be".

Stan Webb´s Chicken Shack-That´s The Way We Are (1978)

Chicken Shack was a British band primarily remembered for its keyboardist, Christine Perfect, who left to join Fleetwood Mac. While not a leading band, Chicken Shack was quite popular in the late 1960s, placing two albums in the top 20 of the UK charts. However, their frontman wasn't Christine Perfect, but rather the fantastic guitarist Stan Webb, who thrilled audiences by mingling with them during concerts thanks to a guitar cable that measured approximately 30 meters. In the mid-1960s, he formed this blues-rock band, and they have been releasing albums for over 50 years. Chicken Shack made their debut in 1967 alongside Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac in Windsor, during the National Jazz and Blues Festival of Great Britain. The group was the second most successful artist on the Blue Horizon label, second only to Fleetwood Mac. Chicken Shack's first two albums, "40 Blue Fingers Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve" and "OK Ken", were quite successful, partly because the presence of a woman as keyboardist and vocalist was significant and unusual in those years, a scene largely dominated by men. "That's The Way We Are" (1978), the band's tenth album, features a selection of original songs and covers, characterized by soulful guitars, powerful blues rock, and even boogie rock. From the opening, forceful tracks "The End" and "It Wasn't Me", the album reaffirms a band that sounds very tight and powerful, yet also includes quieter moments, as in the melodic "Emily". Chicken Shack is one of those bands that never usually appear in historical rock lists, but whose legacy deserves to be given its due, as one of the great milestones of British blues.

Uriah Heep-Live (1973)

The 1970s were undoubtedly the era that saw the release of some of the greatest and most legendary live albums in rock history. This period showcased the instrumental and stage prowess of hundreds of bands, and "Uriah Heep Live" is one of those iconic double live albums. Recorded with the band's classic lineup in Birmingham in early 1973, while touring in support of "The Magician's Birthday", it presents Uriah Heep at their creative and artistic peak, demonstrating that they were a perfectly oiled machine of progressive hard rock. The live performance features Mick Box's fiery guitar riffs and his powerful interplay with Ken Hensley's Hammond organ, Kerslake's frenetic drumming, and the breathtaking vocals of an apotheosis of passion from David Byron, alongside the vocal and instrumental excellence of bassist Gary Thain. Classics like "Easy Livin' ", "July Morning", "Traveller in Time", "Gypsy", and the majestic "Circle of Hands" feature reworked versions that are longer than the original studio recordings, yet retain their distinct identity. "Uriah Heep Live" is one of the essential live albums in history, a true classic that perfectly captures the essence of the legendary band Uriah Heep on stage.

Schicke & Führs & Fröhling-Symphonic Pictures (1976)

This is one of the finest examples of the brilliant German symphonic rock of the 1970s. Created by the trio of drummer Eduard Schicke, guitarist and keyboardist Heinz Fröhling, and keyboardist Gerd Führs, it not only achieved a landmark in German rock composition but also commercially, selling over 10,000 copies in just a few weeks. In this debut album, the trio showcased a stunning instrumental performance brimming with Mellotrons, electric keyboards, and synthesizers, underpinned by the subtle nuances of pastoral guitars and effective drumming. Beautiful melodies, grand stage presence, and superb musicianship transport the listener on a timeless journey through atmospheric soundscapes that blend classical music, cinematic soundscapes, and the haunting, hypnotic sounds of many tracks on this extraordinary album.

Passport-Infinity Machine (1976)

In the mid-seventies, the German band led by saxophonist Klaus Doldinger was at its creative peak, having already left behind a series of prestigious jazz-rock/fusion albums such as "Second Passport", "Hand Made", "Looking Thuru", and "Cross Collateral", all brimming with catchy sounds that fused funk, R&B, rock, and progressive jazz. In 1976, they released their sixth album, "Infinity Machine", in which the German group comprised of Doldinger (saxophone, keyboards, and vocals), Curt Cress (drums), Wolfgang (bass, guitar, and harmonica), and Kristian Schulze (keyboards) created another fantastic record of the best avant-garde jazz. Tracks brimming with funk vibes, like "Ju-Ju-Man", alternate with ambient atmospheres in "Contemplation", energetic fusion pieces in "Morning Sun", refined romantic compositions in "Blue Aurora", space-fusion-oriented tracks in "Infinity Machine", and avant-garde sonic experiments in "Ostinato". For many, this album marked the end of the band's most progressive era, ushering in a more conventional period with a jazz sound geared towards mainstream appeal.