Renaissance

[avalonrick]

How about some music from Renaissance mk I featuring Jim McCarty and Keith Relf, John Hawken, Jane Relf and Louis Cennamo- Bullet perhaps? Face of Yesterday, Island or even Past the Orbits of Dust?

They were and are a genuinely progressive band in the truest sense of the word.

[Lady Roxelle]

I like Renaissence, but I don´t know too much of them. So I know this first album...very good stuff

[mossy]

Thank you, avalonrick!

The original Renaissance line-up split very early on and formed the band Illusion (not to be confused with the Renaissance album Illusion), with the above members.

Illusion only produced two albums, the first of which, Out of the Mist in 1977, is almost Fairport Convention-y in flavour, tinged with early Christine Perfect era Fleetwood Mac. Someone described it this way in the amazon blurb and it's a pretty good take on it.

Face of Yesterday is a great suggestion. Unfortunately amazon doesn't have a sound clip of it, but check out "Beautiful Country" and "Roads to Freedom" for a listen to Jane Relf's incredible pre-Annie voice.

[avalonrick]

Saddly yes the original Renaissance did breakup in during the recording of their 2nd album. Touring was just too much for Jim McCarty who sadly had not fully recovered from his days in the Yardbirds. Jim and Keith would go on to record a very Renaissance like album soundtrack in 1970-71 that remains unreleased to this day and features the lovely voice of Jane Relf. Jim did stay on behind the scenes writting songs for the new Renaissance group before starting his own prog like band in 1973 called Shoot. Illusion was very good band live and featured the lead guitar work of John Knightsbridge. In 2001 Renassiance (the original band sans Keith Relf) reformed and released an album under the name Renaissance Illusion. John Hawken mentioed that another project is not out of the question but recently annouced his touring plans with the Strawbs who will perform their land mark Heroine album this summer.