Heaven-Brass Rock 1 (1971)

Heaven was a British band that created a visceral mix of styles ranging from blues to progressive rock, with doses of R&B, rock, and more pastoral sounds. They had a strong tendency towards improvisation and enjoyed their five minutes of fame when they performed at the legendary Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, on the very last day, alongside Jimi Hendrix, Leonard Cohen, Free, Donovan, Jethro Tull, and The Moody Blues. Formed in late 1968, this band can be considered an initial project that didn't continue beyond a single album. Due in part to its large size, the group had great difficulty touring and primarily focused on studio recordings. As the name of their debut album, “Brass Rock 1”, suggests, their music is what you'd expect from a five-piece band playing various wind instruments (saxophones, trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, etc.), along with piano, drums, guitars, and bass, not to mention vocals. With a rather diverse style, Heaven played energetic rock where guitars and drums were the dominant instruments, backed by a furious horn section. “Brass Rock 1” was released as an ambitious double album with a lavish gatefold sleeve by CBS Records, who envisioned them as a next big thing in the vein of Chicago Transit Authority or Blood, Sweat & Tears, both of whom were on the same label. Despite positive critical acclaim, the album had little commercial impact, selling only a few thousand copies, and the band subsequently disbanded.