Listener’s Corner - a round up of some of the recent material taking a spin in the CD player at TWR HQ.

First up is a first for me, an album by the current enfant terrible of Prog Rock; Steve Wilson. Grace For Drowning is Steve’s second solo album proper after the acclaimed Insurgentes album back in 2009. Suitably intrigued by comments in the music press and recommendations from fans of his work, what sealed the deal for me with this one was the presence on the album of one Stephen Richard Hackett. Musically there are echoes of several of the major players in Prog here including Pink Floyd and above all the intimidating presence of King Crimson which isn’t too surprising given Wilson’s recent work on that band’s back catalogue. The album certainly covers a lot of ground over its two discs and is one which will grow on you the more you listen to it - it is certainly growing on me!

Steve Wilson - Grace For Drowning K Scope Records K Scope 177

Next up we continue the theme of following some of Mr Hackett’s recent collaborations with this, the new live album by Hungarian Jazzers, Djabe. The title is incredibly lkng-winded: In The Footsteps Of Attila And Genghis (that’s Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan to you!) the kind of title you would expect on a Rick Wakeman album. The music is a million miles away from that however. Slick, polished and melodic throughout this will come as a surprise to many. Steve’s contributions are liberally spread over both the discs including enhanced video footage from several festivals that Steve has appeared on stage with the band as well as several audio performances of classic Genesis and Hackett material which will make this one of interest to his fans. Buy it for the experience of hearing Djabe themselves though, because I think you may be pleasantly surprised - I was!

Djabe - In The Footsteps Of Attila And Genghis Gramy Records GR 094