Connections

On 13 January 2017, Swedish band Pain of Salvation released In the Passing Light of Day, a concept album based around the true story of bandleader Daniel Gildenlöw hospitalization due to a deadly streptococcal infection, and the reflections it created in him.

I’m always careful about overpraising a relative new release, but in this case I can say without any doubt that it is one of their finest.

Besides his work with Pain of Salvation, Daniel Gildenlöw was also recording and touring with Swedish Symphonic (Prog) rock band “The Flower Kings” between 2002 and 2004.
The Flower Kings was formed by guitarist Roine Stolt in 1994, together with Änglagård, Anekdoten & Pär Lindh Project, re-creating the Swedish prog scene in the 90’s.

From 1995 to 2013 The Flower Kings have released 12 studio albums.

Daniel Gildenlöw left “The Flower Kings” because he would not travel to the USA for a tour, as he refused to submit to the USA government’s requirement for finger printing and the “wars on terror” paranoia at the time.

In 1974 the then 17 years old Roine Stolt became a member of progressive rock band Kaipa working with them on their three 70’s albums, today recognized as some of the finest early Swedish Prog.

Stolt also co-founded Transatlantic, with Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard), Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater).

In 2014 Roine Stolt met with original Yes lead vocalist Jon Anderson during Progressive Nation at Sea, which inspired the formation of Anderson/Stolt, they released Invention of Knowledge in 2016. So far the only outcome of their collaboration, as far as I know there haven’t been any tour.

Besides his massive fame from his work with Yes, Jon Anderson has made a series of good album with electronic music pioneer Vangelis, as Jon and Vangelis.

Jon Anderson has also done 14 solo albums in latest Survival & Other Stories from 2011.
Without doubt his most famous solo album was his first, Olias of Sunhillow from 1976, a must have album for any prog devotee.

In 1980 his 2nd solo album, Song of Seven was released, containing 9 new songs some leftovers from the Yes “Tormato” sessions. The album is blessed with contribution from a lot of famous musicians, Ian Bairnson (The Alan Parsons Project), Clem Clempson (Colosseum), Morris Pert (Brand X), Dick Morrissey (If) and others.

Most prominent of all Jack Bruce of British supergroup Cream fame, playing Bass on “Heart of the Matter”.

Jack Bruce was a founding member of Cream, a trio formed back in 1966 with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. The band had huge commercial success, and is considered very influential upon the British hard rock scene that would evolve in the early 70’s with Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.

Due to tension between Bruce and Baker the group would disband in 1969 after just four albums. After the breakup Bruce and Clapton would form Blind Faith with Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech, to create just one album – a rare gem of excellence – but that is another story.

After Cream, Bruce released his first solo album “Songs for a Tailor” and soon after joined “The Tony Williams Lifetime” a Jazz Rock outfit including the later so famous John McLaughlin (Miles Davis – Mahavishnu Orchestra)

Jack Bruce playes bass on John McLaughlin’s “Are You the One? Are You the One?” from McLaughlin’s fifth solo album Electric Guitarist released in 1978.

McLaughlin is the founder of Mahavishnu Orchestra one of, if not the most well-known and influential jazz-rock/fusion band ever. Mahavishnu was formed in New York City in 1971. Besides McLaughlin the original lineup was drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Rick Laird, keyboardist Jan Hammer, violinist Jerry Goodman.

Jerry Goodman also was playing on Electric Guitarist.

Before joining Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jerry Goodman was a member of The Flock, a Chicago-based band. The band made two albums in 1969 and 1970 before Jerry Goodman was hire to join Mahavishnu. The music is hard to pinpoint with a nice but rather weird mix of Jazz Classic and Rock.

The Flock reunited in 1975 to create their third album “Inside Out”, now without Goodman.

Over the years Jerry Goodman have toured with and played as session musician a lot of different artist, from Dixie Dregs to Toots Thielemans, Hall & Oates to Styx.

One of his recent contributions was on Dream Theater’s 2009 studio album Black Clouds & Silver Linings, where he plays a very beautiful solo on top of Jordan Rudess keyboard at the opening section of “The Best of Times”.

The Special Edition of Black Clouds & Silver Linings included a bonus disc of cover songs. Jerry Goodman plays the violin in Robert Fripp’s “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two” origination from King Crimson’s 1973 classic masterpiece.

As they say, every road leads to something Fripp.