Genre: Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock, Fusion

Media: CD

Disc (release) country: South Korea

Publication year: 1976 (2022)

Publisher (label): Merry Go Around

Part Number: MGRC-0004

Country of the performer (group): Australia

Audio codec: FLAC (*.flac)

Rip Type: tracks+.cue

Duration: 1:14:47



Tracklist:

01 Kolour Kode 6:46

02. If I Knew 7:12

03. Kryptonite 7:54

04. Make me 4:32

05. Flowers 2:56

06. End Of Play 6:35

07. Step Up Behind 6:09

08. Cumulus (improvised solo) 8:02

Bonus tracks:

09. Charred Ducks 7:24

10.Floatin 4:35g

11. Sille Song 6:17

12. Wooly's Song 6:25



Personnel:

Arranged By – Stepps

Alex Ditrich / Electric and Acoustic Pianos, Sythesizers

Bernadine Morgan / Vocals, Congas, Percussion

Ian Hildeband / Electric and Classical Guitars

Michael Vidale / Bass, Guitar

Ralph Cooper / Drums, Gongs



“The only album by the Australian progressive rock band Snakes Alive, re-released several years ago, aroused the interest of record collectors not only because of its outstanding musicianship, but also because of the fact that it was long buried in the memory of listeners after its printing. in 1975 on an obscure private label in a meager edition of 50 copies in a simple paper sleeve without any decoration. Surprisingly, the members of Snakes Alive repeat the same(?) again during their existence as a band with the new name Stepps. Again, only 50 copies of the magnificent musical material were privately printed and for this reason buried in the ashes of time. If there is a difference, then this time it is about creating a cover of an unsuccessful marketing ploy (as they say now) ...

The genealogy of two musicians - keyboardist Oleg Dietrich and bassist Michael Vidale - began in 1973 with the group Aragorn and continued further in the form of the following chain: Bedtime Story - Snakes Alive - Original Steps - Stepps - Stepps 2 for about five years. In this short period of time, the band's name changed six times, and musically, the style changed from Progressive Rock to Jazz Rock via Canterbury. Surprisingly, all of the above groups left behind good quality recordings. This was possible because at the time Michael Vidale was a trainee sound engineer at his father's recording studio, Clover Studios, and shortly thereafter at EMI Sydney Studios. We are very fortunate to be able to fully experience the evolution of the band's musical interests and their growth through these recordings.

Those who started out as Progressive Rock band Aragorn added jazz-rock elements to Snakes Alive, creating a more complex and powerful sound. However, two years later, the Stepps album "Waltz for Tiger Joe" offered here was completely devoid of the former dark and heavy sound that is inherent in prog rock, and turned into a light and sophisticated sound. The sound they created is similar to the technical and experimental European jazz-rock. In particular, the part where an elegant tall female stingray is added, at first glance reminiscent of the Belgian group COS (although COS vocalist Pascal Son is very different from Bernadine's clear voice due to her flirtatious and provocative singing style).

The above description of the Stepps' style, reflected in the music they play, is very typical of the Canterbury Sound, the British Experimental Jazz Progressive genre.

In particular, the main features such as the electric piano quartet with the center as the main instrument, the unexpected development of the technical ensemble, the refreshing female voice, coincide with the things of representatives of Canterbury-style groups such as Hatfield and the North and National Health. In particular, Ian's guitar solo and Oleg's synth arp solo in the second half of "Step Up Behind" are a good example of the tones and mannerisms of Canterbury Sound."