Search - Dick Heckstall Smith :: Story Ended

Absolutely stunning...

Steven Cain | Temporal Quantum Pocket | 06/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This really is a masterpiece from one of the most talented musicians ever to walk the Earth. Sadly, Dick passed away at the end of last year, but he left us with so many beautiful moments to savor, many of them captured on this stunning album.



While I was aware of him from his work with John Mayall, it was his exquisite sax work with John Hiseman's Colosseum that really got me on board as a lifelong DHS fan. The ghost of Colosseum permeates this solo album in a very positive way, partly due to the evocative soloing by Dick, which often harkens back to his many classic Colosseum solos (Valentyne Suite being a breathtaking showcase for his and John's genius).



John Hiseman did an excellent job in the Producer's chair, vacating it to play on the album's mind-blowing epic The Pirate's Dream, originally a DHS/Dave Clempson song from Colosseum days, which John helped the boys develop into the work of genius it became, as you will see here. One of the many wonderful things about this album is the inclusion of a devastating 'live' version of Pirate's Dream as one of three Bonus Tracks and two previously unreleased Manchild recordings.



If you are a Colosseum fan, this is an essential purchase, or if you just love good music, likewise.



Did I mention that it was absolutely stunning?

"