OLIVER WAKEMAN

Collaborations ELFLOCK RECORDS A reminder of Wakeman junior’s skills and the power of partnership.

Through his family connections, stints at the keyboards with Yes and the Strawbs, various side-projects and running his own band for many years, Oliver Wakeman must have an enviable contacts book. This three-disc collection celebrates two of his more notable collaborations bundled together with a couple of previously released albums and an additional disc of live tracks.

The 3 Ages Of Magick saw Wakeman creating an instrumental album with Steve Howe in 2001, each track inspired by tales from English folklore. The compositions range from the delicate understatement of The Forgotten King, via the celtic influence of Standing Stones, to the more obvious proggy band numbers such as Mind Over Matter. Fans of Howe’s guitar work should fast forward to the latter half of Hy Breasail where he applies real fretboard wizardry to an acoustic.

Released to wide acclaim in 2013, Ravens & Lullabies has Wakeman teaming up with Gordon Giltrap. The album largely alternates between songs with a full band (the “Ravens”) and lighter piano/guitar instrumental duets (“Lullabies”). The latter tend towards the quasiclassical and folk that showcase both artists’ prodigious talents.

Those hankering for tracks with a harder edge should head straight to Credit Carnival and Giltrap’s ravishing electric guitar soloing.

The third disc in this set is particularly interesting. Built from recently unearthed live tracks and other recordings already in Wakeman’s possession, it’s a wonderful synthesis of the character and compositions from Wakeman and Giltrap’s back catalogues. Joined by Paul Manzi on vocals, the pair produce a rich sound and complement each other’s playing with taste and skill. Stripped of unnecessary technology and recording trickery, it adds a dimension to some of the tracks from Ravens & Lullabies missing from the studio versions. Alongside the remastered original albums (courtesy of Karl

Groom) with bonus tracks, this live disc is a very tempting added extra.