Kandahar-In The Court Of Catherina Squeezer (1975)

We're not going to Belgium; this band, who played a style of progressive jazz-rock, was formed in early 1973 in the city of Ghent. The lineup consisted of Jeff De Visscher (electric and acoustic guitar, sitar, and vocals), Karel Bogard (keyboards and vocals), Jean Pierre Caléis (bass), and Etienne Delaruye (drums and percussion, piano, synthesizer, strings, clavinet, marimba, and vocals). This band released two interesting albums on their own record label, both sharing a clear common denominator: the avant-garde rock of the time and jazz, with influences from the Canterbury sound and certain avant-garde touches. "In the Court of Catherine Squeezer" was their second album, which followed in the footsteps of the jazz-rock of their debut, "Long Live the Sliced ​​Ham" (1974), but displayed greater consistency, solidity, and progressive creativity, leaving behind the bizarre touch of its predecessor. The raspy vocals are the perfect counterpoint to a captivating instrumentation, where synthesizers, organ, subtle guitars, sumptuous saxophones and a precise rhythm section give this album a haunting, alluring and ambient style of the best European jazz rock.