Here’s a second mention in this issue for cult 70s prog band England (the first was in our review of The Samurai Of Prog’s album).
Webb was their keyboardist, and he’s enjoyed a varied career since as a performer, composer and musical director. This colourful collection of his solo pieces proves he’s a talented man with a progressive musical mindset. Most of the songs were recorded on his beloved Revox multitrack machine, giving him free rein to explore his imagination. He’s versatile too. Along with keyboard instrumentals (the art rock Moog Fugue, Alan Parsons-esque _The Journey By Came_l) comes a none-more-proggy rock opera treatment of O Fortuna from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. He’s been capable of a mean pop hook over the years too, with his band Merlin (in another world, Why Oh Why is on heavy rotation on Oldies FM), as MD for singer Jenny Darren (12-stringer Grand Canyon Of My Dreams is slinky) and solo too. Recorded last year, Limoncello is a refreshing, fun piece of vintage prog, while his reggae take on Bach’s Flute Sonata BWV 1035 In E might well make a baroque scholar saw their harpsichord in half in disgust. That would make this assortment all the sweeter…
