Colosseum Valentyne Suite CD

Recorded between 1969 & 1971. Includes liner notes by Shaun Stallard.

Progressive rockers Colosseum's 1969 release features five tracks including the three-part title suite.

One of England's prime jazz-rock -- or, more accurately, rock-jazz -- outfits, most of the members of Colossuem had apprenticed in blues bands, and it shows very strongly on some of the material here. Both "The Kettle" and "Butty's Blues" are essentially tarted-up 12-bar blues, although they work well in a grander context; in the latter case much grander, as a brass ensemble enters for the last part, drowning out everything but the guitar, an indication that this recording is in dire need of remastering. "Elegy" is a fast-paced, minor-key blues that stretches guitarist James Litherland's vocal abilities. Things do get far more interesting with "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice," which offers solo opportunities to organist Dave Greenslade and sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith before re-emerging in what can only be called a proto-industrial style, all heavily treated clattering percussion. The album's real joy comes with "The Valentyne Suite," which takes the band out of their bluesy comfort zone into something closer to prog rock. Bandleader Jon Hiseman is a stalwart throughout, his busy drumming and fills owing far more to jazz than the studied backbeat of rock. Greenslade proves to be a largely unsung hero, his only real solo in the suite something to offer a challenge to vintage Keith Emerson, but with swing. As to criticism, bassist Tony Reeves has very little flow to his playing, which severely hampers a rhythm section that needs to be loose-limbed, and Litherland's guitar playing is formulaic, which can be fine for rock, but once outside the most straightforward parameters, he seems lost. In retrospect this might not quite the classic it seemed at the time, but it remains listenable, and for much of the time, extremely enjoyable. ~ Chris Nickson

This double-CD anthology offers a healthy cross-section of Colosseum's work from across the five albums they cut on the Bronze label between 1969 and 1971 -- in that regard, it is a more expansive alternative to An Introduction to...Colosseum, released a few years later, and many of the tracks do overlap, including all of the obvious ones, such as "Walking in the Park" and "Valentyne Suite." Where this set departs significantly is in its use of mono mixes on several of the tracks in place of the more familiar stereo versions, sacrificing some clarity and instrumental components in addition to the channel separation. In addition to providing an explanation for this, one also wishes that the producers had assembled the material in chronological order. Instead, the tracks are jumbled up between the two CDs, and this is a particular problem where the vocalists are concerned -- with all due respect to James Litherland, his singing is just nowhere in a league with that of Chris Farlowe, and the Litherland-sung numbers suffer in juxtaposition to the Farlowe tracks. Add the fact that they were two very different bands, one more jazz-oriented and the other a strange (and powerful) mix of prog rock and blues, and the effect of this collection is more confusing than enlightening. On the other hand, there's no denying the sheer power of all of this music -- this was a group that, in two separate incarnations, could easily have crossed swords with both Cream and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and track for track this is still a potent (if flawed) overview,

UK reissue of the progressive rock act's 1969 release. Sanctuary. 2004.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Includes liner notes by Jon Hiseman.

Colosseum: Chris Farlowe (vocals); Dave Clempson (guitar, background vocals); Jim Roche, James Litherland (guitar); Dick Heckstall (saxophone); Dave Greenslade (organ, background vocals); Mark Clarke (bass, background vocals); Tony Reeves (bass); John Hiseman (drums).

Colosseum: Jon Hiseman (drums); Dave Greenslade, Dick H