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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Edgar Winter Entrance Review by Gary Hill This was Edgar Winter's first solo album. It was released in 1970. It's nearly all progressive rock, with the exception being Winter's take on "Tobacco Road." There is plenty of jazz here, along with some classical music and more. It's a solid release that seems to get better the further along the road you take it. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2018 Volume 3. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2018.

Track by Track Review

Entrance Keyboards open this with an intriguing motif as percussion provides some accents. The musical concept is very prog rock like as this works forward. The vocals come in with a bit of a jazz meets psychedelia approach. This cut evolves through several shifts and changes in a very progressive rock like arrangement. I can make out hints of both Todd Rundgren and Frank Zappa links on this cut. The track segues into the next one.

Where Have You Gone A bit bouncy and quite jazz like, this is an intriguing number. The break on the piece really reinforces that jazz thing, but it shifts to more pure prog rock and even some jam band stuff later. Again, this seems to connect directly to the next song.

Rise to Fall This comes in with an off-kilter symphonic prog approach. It is high energy and tastefully weird. It's also very dramatic. There is a jazzy segment mid-track, though. We're taken into quite a classical journey later in the piece, too.

Fire and Ice Progressive rock, fusion and even space rock merge on this energized piece. We're taken into more pure jazz later in the piece, but then it gets into some seriously freeform stuff as it marches onward. There is some pretty awesome jamming in the extended instrumental sections. This is one of my favorites here. It's so cool.

Hung Up Fast paced jazz based progressive rock is the order of business on this screaming hot number.

Back in the Blues A killer combination of jazz and rock, I love this fast paced tune. It has some great saxophone work built into it.

Re-Entrance Jazz prog drives this cut through a number of shifts and changes.

Tobacco Road Now, this one isn't a prog rock piece. It's a jazzy blues take on the old chestnut. This has some great textures, and is a powerful jam. The vocal performance is screaming hot, and the cut has some killer guitar fills.

Jump Right Out A killer fast paced tune, I dig the wah pedal guitar work on this thing. The tune has plenty of jazz at its core. I love the movement mid-track with the killer walking bass line.

Peace Pipe Bluesy rock and jazz merge on this high energy piece. Scat singing soars over the top. There is some killer guitar soloing when that drops away.

A Different Game A powerhouse house jazz rocker, this is energized and so cool. I love the dropped back instrumental section. It really rises up toward space rock.

Jimmy's Gospel This instrumental is a smoking hot jazz rocker. It's incredibly cool. It's a great choice to close the set.

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