Contenido de esta entrada:
Siguiente artículo de Gryphon: 1974: Los hongos de medianoche de Gryphon
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| Portada del primer álbum homónimo |
Sitio oficial de Gryphon: The Gryphon Home Page (gaudela.net)
En este artículo traemos los comienzos y primer álbum de la banda Gryphon.
Gryphon es un grupo de rock progresivo británico formado en Londres a principios de 1972 conocido por su uso de instrumentos y melodías de la música medieval y del renacimiento. Comenzó con una formación de cuatro miembros: Graeme Taylor, Richard Harvey, Dave Oberlé y Brian Gulland.
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| Gryphon |
Harvey (multinstrumentista) y Gulland (vientos madera) fueron compañeros en el Royal College of Music de Londres. Cuando se graduaron formaron un dúo acústico, utilizando sus antecedentes de formación clásica para interpretar una mezcla de música folclórica inglesa, rock contemporáneo, música medieval y renacentista. Al dúo se unieron el guitarrista Graeme Taylor y el baterista Dave Oberlé poco después, convirtiéndose así en la primera formación de Gryphon. Pronto firmaron un contrato de grabación con el sello folk Transatlantic Records y aseguraron a Nick Wright como su manager.
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| Grifo |
El nombre de la banda, gryphon (grifo) hacer referencia a la criatura mitológica, cuya parte frontal es la de un águila gigante, con plumas blancas, pico afilado y garras poderosas. La parte posterior es la de un león, con pelaje amarillo, patas musculosas y cola larga.
La banda floreció brevemente en el apogeo del rock progresivo de principios de la década de 1970, y luego se retiró a otras actividades musicales antes de reformarse para una reunión única en 2009. Posteriormente, Gryphon tocó algunos conciertos en 2015, presentados en el Cropredy Festival en 2016, y en 2017, una invitación a un festival ProgRock en Portugal, y en el Reino Unido, el NewDay Festival cerca de Canterbury. El primer nuevo disco de Gryphon en 41 años fue lanzado en 2018.
El primer concierto en vivo de la banda tuvo lugar en la Iglesia Parroquial de Stone en Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, promovido por el club musical Friars de la ciudad. Su publicista Martin Lewis describió su sonido: "Imagina a Enrique VIII en una banda de rock'n'roll, piensa en Gryphon".
En junio de 1973, Transatlantic lanzó el álbum debut homónimo de Gryphon, grabado en el ático del ingeniero Adam Skeaping. Marcó una expansión de su sonido con la adición de guitarras eléctricas, teclados y varios instrumentos de viento como el fagot y el krumhorn, un instrumento renacentista, que se usaban poco en la música rock en ese momento. La portada muestra un grifo, aludiendo al nombre de la banda.
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| Portada del primer álbum homónimo |
Enlace al álbum completo: Gryphon 1973 Edit 1992 Japan
Enlace a la lista de reproducción del álbum completo: Gryphon (1973) gryphon
Lista de pistas
Lado 1
Lado 2
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| Contraportada del álbum |
Créditos
- Clavecín, órgano, guitarra, voz – Graeme Taylor
- Crumhorn [Bajo y tenor], Fagot, Voz – Brian Gulland
- Batería, Percusión, Glockenspiel, Voz – Dave Oberlé
- Flauta dulce [Descant], flauta dulce alto [agudos], flauta dulce soprano, flauta dulce tenor, crumhorn [soprano, alto y tenor], guitarra clásica, mandolina, órgano, clavecín, armonio, glockenspiel – Richard Harvey
- Dirección de Arte – Ana Sullivan
- Ingeniero – Adán Skeaping, Nick Glennie-Smith
- Ilustración – Dan Pearce
- Fotografía por – Roger Perry (4)
- Productor – Adán Skeaping, Lawrence Aston
- Tipografía [Quill Pen] – Lawrence Marks
Resumen del álbum
El álbum es esencialmente folk-rock progresivo, elementos de jazz y swing ("Over the Rainbow" incluso aparece incluida en el arreglo de uno de los temas) yuxtapuesto con canciones populares tradicionales ("The Unquiet Grave" basada en la canción popular "Dives and Lazarus"), obras atribuidas a Enrique VIII y originales de estilo folk. El fagot, el krumhorn y las flautas dulces de Brian Gulland y Richard Harvey son los instrumentos dominantes. Las pistas instrumentales tienden a abrumar al pequeño puñado de números vocales, cantados por Gulland, el guitarrista Graeme Taylor y el baterista David Oberle.
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| Interior de la carpeta del álbum |
Mi opinión sobre el álbum
No suelo incluir grupos folk en mi blog, porque es un estilo que se basa en la utilización de instrumentos musicales tradicionales y no usan teclados electrónicos habitualmente. En este caso, enriquecieron su sonido con teclados, por lo que me he decidido incluirlos. La música de este álbum es predominantemente folk medieval, así que solo es recomendable para los amantes del género.
Videos
Reediciones
El álbum fue reeditado en CD por primera vez en Japón en 1992 y en el Reino Unido y Estados Unidos en 1994.
Letras
Sir Gavin Grimbold
High on mountains and low between the trees
Sir Gavin Grimbold rode out one day
He saddled, he bridled and booted rode he
And home came his good horse but never came he
Out came his mother dear greeting so fair
And came his bride drying her hair
Meadows lie green the corn remains unshorn
But Gavin Grimbold will never return
He saddled he bridled and gallant rode he
A plume in his helmet a sword at his knee
Down came his saddle all bloody to see
And home came his horse but never came he
Three Jolly Butchers
It's of three jolly butchers
As I've heard many say
They were going to some market town
Their money for to pay
They rode together for a mile or two
And a little more besides
Said Johnson unto Jipson
"Stop I heard a woman cry"
"Then stop I won't" said Jipson
"And stop I won't" said Ryde
"Then stop I will" said Johnson
"For I heard a woman cry"
So Johnson he alighted
And viewed the place around
And saw a naked woman
With her hair tied to the ground
"How came you here?" said Johnson
"How came you here?" said he
"Two highway men have robbed me
That you can plainly see"
Then Johnson being a valiant man
A man of courage bold
He took the coat from off his back
To keep her from the cold
Then Johnson being a valiant man
A man of valiant mind
He sat her up upon his horse
And mounted up behind
And as they rode along the road
As fast as they could ride
She put her fingers to her lips
And gave three piercing cries
Out sprang ten bold highwaymen
With weapons in their hands
They strode up to young Johnson
And boldly bid him stand
"Stand I will" said Johnson
"As long as ever I can
For I was never in all my life
Afraid of any man"
Then Johnson being a valiant man
He made those bullets fly
Till nine of them bold highwaymen
All on the ground did lie
This wicked woman standing by
Young Johnson did not mind
She took a knife all from his side
And stabbed him from behind
This day it being a market day
And people passing by
They saw this woman's dreadful deed
And raised a hue and cry
Then she was down to Newgate brought
Bound down in irons strong
For killing the finest butcher
As ever the sun shone on
The Unquiet Grave
Cold blows the wind to my true love
And gently drops the rain
I only had but one true love
And in Greenwood she lies slain
I'll do as much for my true love
As any young man may
I'll sit and mourn along her grave
For a twelve-month and a day
When the twelve months and one day was past
The ghost began to speak:
"Why sit thou'st here along my grave
And will not let me sleep?"
"There's one thing that I want, sweetheart
There's one thing that I crave
And that is a kiss from your lily white lips
Then I'll go from your grave"
"My lips they are as cold as clay
My breath smells earthy strong
And if you kiss my cold clay lips
Your days they won't be long"
Go fetch me water from the desert
And blood from out of stone
Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast
That a young man never had known"
'Twas down in Cupid's Garden
Where you and I would walk
The finest flower that ever I saw
Is withered to a stalk
"The stalk is withered and dry, sweetheart
The flower will never return
And since I lost my one true love
What can I do but mourn?"
"When shall we meet again, sweetheart?
When shall we meet again?"
"Where the oaken leaves that fall from the trees
Are green and spring up again"
The Astrologer
It's of a bold astrologer
In London town did dwell
At telling maidens fortunes
There's none could him excell
There was a nice young serving girl
A-living there close by
She went one day to the astrologer
All for to have a try
"I hear that you tell fortunes sir
Would you tell me mine?" said she
"Of course, my dear, without a doubt
If you'll come upstairs with me"
"To come upstairs with you, kind sir
I fear I am afraid"
She spoke it in such modesty
As if she was a maid
"To come upstairs with me, my dear
You need not be afraid
Knowing it was but the other day
You with your master laid"
Then she began to curse and swear
She would her master bring
As witness for both him and her
That it was no such thing
"My pretty maid don't swear and curse
You'll make the deed the worse
For the crown piece that he gave to you
You've got it in your purse"
"Oh indeed you can tell fortunes, sir
You've told me mine" said she
Then out she pulled the crown piece
"Good morning, sir" said she
The Devil And The Farmer’s Wife
There was an old man
Who lived near Hell's gate
What happened to him
I soon will relate
The Devil he called
Upon him one day
"Tomorrow one of your family
I must take away"
This put the old man
In terrible fright
But good Mr. Devil
Soon put him quite right
"It's not your eldest son I crave
But that damn scolding old bitch
Of a wife you have-a"
So the Devil he carried
Her off on his back
Just like a bold scotsman
Carrying his pack
The Devil he brought her
Close to Hell's door
"Get along in
You damn scolding old whore"
She saw some young devils
All hanging in chains
She ripped off her mittens
And dashed out their brains
Some more little devils
Looked over the wall
"Take her back, daddy
She'll murder us all"
So the Devil he canted her
Over Hell's wall
She fell on her arse
One hell of a fall
Which proves that women
Are worse than the men
If they go to hell
They get thrown out again
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