Appaloosa-Appaloosa (1969)

Appaloosa's only album was one of the most understated examples of baroque folk from the late 1960s, a style that was widespread at the time and perfectly described a fusion of folk and symphonic classical music. Emerging from the Boston folk scene, the group consisted of guitarist and vocalist John Parker, who was also the main songwriter, bassist David Raiser, and string players Robin Batteau and Eugene Rosov. For a time, the band focused on small gigs at Cambridge University in Boston and even opened for Tim Hardin on occasion before moving to New York. There, they connected with Al Kooper, who, after hearing them, offered them a contract with Columbia Records to record an LP. Released in 1969, the self-titled album was produced by Kooper himself, who also played several instruments on the recording, along with other session musicians from Columbia's New York studios. The eleven songs included epitomize the folk-rock of the Boston area, with certain similarities to the work of Earth Opera or James Taylor. The opening track, "Tulu Rogers", is a delightful piece of country folk with Bach influences; "Pascal's Paradox" follows in the same vein, while the nostalgic "Yesterday's Road" and the jazzy "Thoughts of Polly", "Billy-Weekly", and "Now That I Want You" bear the unmistakable stamp of Al Kooper. "Rosalie", for its part, is a folk song with hints of country. Despite the incredible quality of this album, it went largely unnoticed, although its legacy would remain as a model for some later baroque folk artists.

Foreigner-Head Games (1979)

In 1979, Foreigner released their third album, considered one of their masterpieces and also one of their most elaborate works. In this new release, the band led by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones achieved another remarkable work that climbed to number five on the US Billboard charts, with sales exceeding five million copies. In addition to Lou Gramm (vocals) and Mick Jones (guitar and vocals), the rest of the band consisted of bassist Rick Willis, guitarist and keyboardist Ian McDonald, drummer Dennis Elliott, and keyboardist Al Greenwood. Recorded during June and July of 1979 at Atlantic Studios in New York, the album was released in early September of that same year. While it's clear that "Head Games" loses some of the raw energy and instinct of their two previous albums, it also features some truly outstanding tracks, such as the catchy "Love On The Telephone", the energetic "Dirty White Boy", the boogie-rock anthem "Women", the captivating hard rock track "Seventeen", the AOR title track "Head Games", the exquisite ballad "Blinded By Science", and the addictive mid-tempo "Do What You Like". In all of these, Lou Gramm's sublime vocals and the outstanding instrumental work of the rest of the band shine, along with the superb production by Roy Thomas Baker and Mick Jones.

Andrew Lloyd Webber-Varations (1978)

“Varations” is a highly grandiose and pretentious piece of music by the renowned composer, arranger, and instrumentalist Andrew Lloyd Webber, inspired by the famous “Guitar and String Quartet” by the 17th-century Italian composer Niccolò Paganini. For the complex recording of this work, Webber enlisted a number of highly acclaimed musicians, including his brother Julian, a virtuoso cellist, whose instrument is central to the music presented here. The rest of the ensemble consists of members of the progressive jazz-rock band Colosseum II: Gary Moore on guitar, Don Airey on keyboards, and their captivating jazz rhythm section comprised of Jon Hiseman (drums and percussion) and John Mole (bass). Also contributing are the legendary Rod Argent on keyboards, Herbie Flowers on bass, Bill LeSage on vibraphone, Phil Collins on drums, and Barbara Thomson on wind instruments. The end result is a brilliant classical piece that transforms into various styles ranging from blues and hard rock sounds to jazz and symphonic progression, all without losing any coherence, making this work one of the greatest achievements and a milestone in uniting classical and rock music in such an overwhelming and anthological way.

The Outlaws Blues Band-The Outlaws Blues Band And The People (1968)

The Outlaws Blues Band (not to be confused with the Southern rock band The Outlaws) were another leading blues-rock band of the late 1960s, direct rivals of contemporaries like Canned Heat. Despite this, they were forgotten for decades and are now being rediscovered by blues and jazz fans. Formed in Los Angeles in the early 1960s by drummer Victor Alemán, bassist Joe Francis Gonzalez, and guitarist Phillip John Diaz, they were influenced by blues, R&B, and soul greats like Sam Cooke and Muddy Waters, to which they added sounds from the British Invasion. Later, as they began to build a solid reputation thanks to their dynamic live performances, the band signed a contract with Bluesway Records, a subsidiary of ABC, and recorded the albums "The Outlaw Blues Band and The People" in 1968 and "Breaking In" in 1969, both with legendary producer Bob Thiele. Their debut album opened with a particularly funky version of the greasy blues track "Tobacco Road", followed by a bluesier side with "Tried To Be A Good Boy", featuring jazzy sounds thanks to tenor flute by Joe Whiteman. Meanwhile, the band showcased their eclectic style with the soulful blues of "How Bad Love Can Be", the scorching "Lost In The Blues", and the chaotic eight-minute instrumental "Death Dog Of Doom", where they perfectly blended blues, rock, jazz, funk, and soul with Latin influences and a wild edge. A silky, smoky version of B.B. King's "Sweet Sixteen" and the cacophonous "Two Trains Running" closed out a memorable album a vibrant and unique mix of blues, rock, jazz, and soul, with multiracial compositions and a profound influence from the sounds of Electric Flag, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Santana, and The Allman Brothers Band.

Pride And Glory-Pride And Glory (1994)

Zakk Wylde rose to international fame in the mid-1980s when he replaced the late guitarist Randy Rhoads in Ozzy Osbourne's band. While still with the "Prince of Darkness", he formed a side project called Pride and Glory with bassist James LoMenzo and drummer Greg d'Angelo. In 1994, this powerful trio released their first and only album on the Geffen label, a record marked by Southern rock sounds and classic 1970s hard rock. Echoes of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and Led Zeppelin permeate the grooves of this work. Songs like the swampy "Cry Me A River", exciting ballads like "Sweet Jesus", powerful cuts with vintage seventies sounds like "Horse Called War", "The Chosen One" and "Losin' Your Mind", nostalgic country rock like "Lovin' Home" or dusty hard rock with a southern flavor like "Horse Called War", "Shine On" and "Harvester Of Pain", constitute a magnificent work that would continue with his first solo album "Book Of Shadows" two years later or with his subsequent career at the front of his band Black Label Society, with whom he has released more than a dozen albums.

Black Cat Bones-Barbed Wire Sandwich (1970)

"Barbed Wire Sandwich" was the only recording by Black Cat Bones, a British band formed in 1966. For a time, they served as the backing band for several veteran American bluesmen who experienced a resurgence in England thanks to the blues revival, particularly Champion Jack Dupree. The original Black Cat Bones lineup included guitarist Paul Kossoff, drummer Terry Sims, vocalist Paul Tiller, bassist Stuart Brooks, and his brother, guitarist Derek Brooks. Some time later, drummer Simon Kirke replaced Sims. Thanks to Blues Horizon label owner Mike Vernon, they secured a role as the backing band for Champion Jack Dupree on a UK tour. After the tour, Simon Kirke and Paul Kossoff left the band to join Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser in forming the core of Free. With a new lineup featuring Brian Short on vocals, Rod Price on guitar, drummer Phil Lenoir, Stu Books on bass, and rhythm guitarist Derek Brooks, Black Cat Bones entered the studio to record their debut album, which would be released by Deram Records, the progressive rock division of Decca Records. "Barbed Wire Sandwich", released in 1970, is an album built on a series of compositions with simple yet effective and irresistible structures. Price's guitar work is commendable, with a sound that is simultaneously refined, sharp, raw, and saturated, featuring heavy and powerful riffs. From the opening track, "Chaffeur", a robust heavy blues number, followed by the superb "Death Valley Blues" and the dense "Save My Love" and "Good Lookin' Woman", Black Cat Bones displays enviable consistency and a solid synergy among all its members. However, the psychedelic "Four Women" and the acoustic blues "Sylverrster's Blues" differ considerably from the rest of the album, detracting somewhat from the coherence and balance of the final result. Even so, "Barbed Wire Sandwich" is one of the most interesting British heavy blues albums of the late 60s, and despite its horrendous cover (one of the ugliest ever made), its legacy has endured as the seed for many subsequent bands and those nostalgic for an era they never experienced.

CCS-CCS (1970)

CCS, short for Collective Consciousness Society, was a major and influential British brass rock band of the early 1970s. This enormous group, both in terms of its quality and the number of members, was the brainchild of one of the fathers of British blues, Alexis Korner. He, along with singer Peter Thorup and arranger John Cameron, sought to emulate the sounds of American bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears, while incorporating elements of British hard rock and blues rock. This big band, which also functioned as a supergroup, featured several distinct sections: the pure rock band and the horn section. To achieve this, John Cameron and producer Mickie Most selected a roster of musicians from among the best in those genres playing in the UK at the time, beginning with a rhythm section comprised of members of the band Blue Mink: Herbie Flowers (bass), Alan Parker (guitar), and Barry Morgan (drums). To further strengthen this section and give it a heavier, more powerful sound, they also recruited bassist Spike Heatley and Tony Carr as a second drummer, who at the time was playing in Donovan's band. On top of this rock foundation, a horn section was formed, much like a big band, starting with a trumpet section composed of Greg Bowen, Les Condon, Harold Becekktt, and Henry Lowther. The latter two were replaced on the second album by Tony Fisher and Kenny Wheeler, who at the time was a young, experimental musician and who, a few years later, would become one of Britain's most prominent trumpet players, thanks to his recordings for the German label ECM. This section was joined by three trombonists: Don Lusher, Bill Geldard, and John Marscall. Marscall would later be replaced by Brian Perrin. Rounding out the horn section was trumpeter Neil Sanders. As for the woodwind section (saxophones, clarinets, and flutes), they recruited some of the most brilliant musicians on the British jazz scene, such as Harold McNair, Pete King, Danny Moss, Bob Efford, and baritone Ronnie Ross. In 1970, CCS released their self-titled debut album, “CCS”, on Most's own label, Rak Records, and distributed internationally by EMI/Columbia. It featured compositions by Cameron, Korner, and Thorup, as well as covers like Jethro Tull's “Living in the Past”, the Rolling Stones' “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction”, and Led Zeppelin's “Whole Lotta Love”, and a frenetic version of the traditional “Vade in the Water”, a true classic of Black spiritual music. Musically, this album is one of the gems of early 1970s jazz-rock, with a complex and intricate structure of compositions focused on brass rock, featuring heavy and energetic sounds that, to some extent, lend a progressive edge to their style. However, the track that propelled them onto the British charts was their cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". A year later, they released their second album, "CCS II", and in 1973, their third and final album, "The Best Band in the Land". However, shortly afterward, due to contractual obligations of many of its members with their respective bands or solo projects, as well as the financial difficulties of maintaining such a large group, the band dissolved in early 1974.