Gerard - Visionary Dream (2011)

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Gerard - Visionary Dream (2011)

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No, GERARD is not only a French-flavoured first name ! It's also the name chosen by the Japanese keyboards wizard Toshio EGAWA (NOVELA, SHEHERAZADE, EARTHSHAKER…), at the time he created his own band at the beginning of the Eighties. The beginnings of the band were marked by an elegant and elaborated symphonic music relying on the Progressive rock played by YES, GENESIS and friends during the previous decade. Issued in 1983, the eponymous album was the leader of the remarkable Japanese Progressive rock movement, that was about to start. GERARD's fame got bigger with "Empty Lie, Empty Dream" in 1987, and stronger with "Irony Of Fate" four years later. The omnipresent impressive and skilful keyboards have become a specific characteristic of their music since the co-founder Yukihiro FUJIMURA (Future author of the fabulous aggressive guitar parts in VIENNA) left the band. "Save Knight By The Night" was initially issued in 1994 under the pseudonym Toshio EGAWA'S GERARD. This was the occasion to discover a completely different group, largely influenced by EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and U.K., giving an explicit meaning to the term "power-trio" ! The prevailing bass with guitar accents of Atsushi HASEGAWA and some amazing drum parts courtesy of Masahiro GOTO contribute to give that unique music an impact usually found in the best hard-rock bands ! The instrumental band features from time to time Canadian singer Robin SUCHY. "The Pendulum" was issued in 1996, and "Pandora's Box" the following year. "Meridian" (Mostly tracks from the first period revisited in 1998), "Live In Marseille - Battle Triangle" (GERARD was invited to perform in France during the Year of Japan in July 1998), "The Ruins Of A Glass Fortress" (2000) and "Sighs Of The Water" (2002) will follow. Entitled "Power Of Infinity", the 2005 release features Italian singer Alex BRUNORI, former member of the Progressive rock band LEVIATHAN. Veterans Toshio EGAWA and Atsushi HASEGAWA are joined by drummer Kenichi FUJIMOTO and singer Yasuo SASAI, for the excellent 2010 rendition, "Ring Of Eternity". And GERARD completes the circle with "Visionary Dream" (Musea, 2012), an album peformed by the current line-up, made of titles played by the original band. These seven epic titles from 1984 to 1994 show another dimension, that should appeal to any Japanese Progressive rock fan out there. One may remember that, at the end of the Second Millenium, GERARD invited its female alter-ego ARS NOVA to jam on some famous themes composed by some of the big names of the international Progressive rock scene. "Keyboards Triangle" was paying tribute to EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, Rick WAKEMAN, BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO or TRACE. Some years after, Toshio EGAWA and his accomplices decided to add another milestone, under the moniker GERARD alone. "Keyboards Triangle - Volume Two" was dedicated to three major bands of the genre: EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, U.K. and KING CRIMSON. Only published in Japan in the year 2002, "Keyboards Triangle - Volume Two" is now internationally available, thanks to the Musea label. And as the tradition has it, the five original tracks are completed by a bonus-track, the fabulous "In The Dead Of Night". Here's an essential band, for every Progressive rock lover…

~ Editorial Reviews, Amazon

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Gerard - Visionary Dream (2011)

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Gerard - Visionary Dream (2011)

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Gerard - Visionary Dream (2011)

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