THE GARY BROOKER ENSEMBLE WITH CHOIR & STRING QUARTET
''WITHIN OUR HOUSE''
RECORDED LIVE AT ST. MARY AND ALL SAINTS CHURCH
1998
58:52
1 Intro: Revd. Geoffrey Willis 0:56
2 Pastime with Good Company
Henry VIII, King of England 1:27
3 Mattachins 1:21
4 Linden Lea
Ralph Vaughan Williams 2:56
5 Holding On
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 4:12
6 A Salty Dog
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 6:02
7 Hide and Seek 3:42
8 Within Our House
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 5:11
9 Steal Away
Traditional 3:41
10 Gospel Train
Traditional 1:30
11 Peace in the Valley
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey 3:29
12 Nothing But the Truth
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 3:28
13 The Long Goodbye
Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Keith Reid 4:29
14 Jesus on the Mainline
Traditional 4:50
15 Psalm for St. Mary
Gary Brooker 4:52
16 A Whiter Shade of Pale
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 6:48
Gary Brooker/Vocals, Piano
Robbie McIntosh/Acoustic Guitar
Michael Bywater/Church Organ
Dave Bronze/Bass
Mark Brzezicki/Percussion
Featuring Chameleon Arts Chorus & Chameleon Arts String Quartet
REVIEW
By William Ruhlmann
Procol Harum singer and pianist Gary Brooker organized a benefit concert at and for his local church, St. Mary's and All Saints, in Surrey, England, on September 28, 1996, and released a recorded version on his own mail-order label Gazza Records. Now picked up by the German Repertoire label, the album presents the unplugged, five-piece Gary Brooker Ensemble, whose members include former Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki, accompanied by a chorus and string quartet playing a combination of classical pieces, gospel adaptations, and songs from Procol Harum's catalog. (The title song is a newer one written by Brooker and his lyric collaborator Keith Reid.) The result is a charming chamber work with wonderfully detailed sound that illuminates the roots of Procol Harum's music in its classical antecedents. Neatly marking the 25th anniversary of the group's popular album Procol Harum Live in Concert with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, it manages to define the inevitable closing song, "A Whiter Shade of Pale," as part of a tradition including Vaughan Williams and even that noted composer Henry VIII.
BIOGRAPHY
By William Ruhlmann
Singer/songwriter/keyboardist Gary Brooker is best known as the leader of Procol Harum. Brooker's first group was the Paramounts, all of whose members turned up in the later group. Procol Harum launched in 1967 with their biggest hit, the U.K. number one/U.S. Top Ten "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which featured Brooker singing the lyrics of Keith Reid over an adaptation of a Bach cantata. Procol Harum went on to release ten albums through 1977, then broke up. Brooker launched a solo career with No More Fear of Flying in 1979, followed by Lead Me to the Water (1982), and Echoes in the Night (1985). He also played in Eric Clapton's backup band. Procol Harum reformed for a new album, The Prodigal Stranger, in 1991.
''WITHIN OUR HOUSE''
RECORDED LIVE AT ST. MARY AND ALL SAINTS CHURCH
1998
58:52
1 Intro: Revd. Geoffrey Willis 0:56
2 Pastime with Good Company
Henry VIII, King of England 1:27
3 Mattachins 1:21
4 Linden Lea
Ralph Vaughan Williams 2:56
5 Holding On
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 4:12
6 A Salty Dog
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 6:02
7 Hide and Seek 3:42
8 Within Our House
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 5:11
9 Steal Away
Traditional 3:41
10 Gospel Train
Traditional 1:30
11 Peace in the Valley
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey 3:29
12 Nothing But the Truth
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 3:28
13 The Long Goodbye
Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Keith Reid 4:29
14 Jesus on the Mainline
Traditional 4:50
15 Psalm for St. Mary
Gary Brooker 4:52
16 A Whiter Shade of Pale
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid 6:48
Gary Brooker/Vocals, Piano
Robbie McIntosh/Acoustic Guitar
Michael Bywater/Church Organ
Dave Bronze/Bass
Mark Brzezicki/Percussion
Featuring Chameleon Arts Chorus & Chameleon Arts String Quartet
REVIEW
By William Ruhlmann
Procol Harum singer and pianist Gary Brooker organized a benefit concert at and for his local church, St. Mary's and All Saints, in Surrey, England, on September 28, 1996, and released a recorded version on his own mail-order label Gazza Records. Now picked up by the German Repertoire label, the album presents the unplugged, five-piece Gary Brooker Ensemble, whose members include former Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki, accompanied by a chorus and string quartet playing a combination of classical pieces, gospel adaptations, and songs from Procol Harum's catalog. (The title song is a newer one written by Brooker and his lyric collaborator Keith Reid.) The result is a charming chamber work with wonderfully detailed sound that illuminates the roots of Procol Harum's music in its classical antecedents. Neatly marking the 25th anniversary of the group's popular album Procol Harum Live in Concert with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, it manages to define the inevitable closing song, "A Whiter Shade of Pale," as part of a tradition including Vaughan Williams and even that noted composer Henry VIII.
BIOGRAPHY
By William Ruhlmann
Singer/songwriter/keyboardist Gary Brooker is best known as the leader of Procol Harum. Brooker's first group was the Paramounts, all of whose members turned up in the later group. Procol Harum launched in 1967 with their biggest hit, the U.K. number one/U.S. Top Ten "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which featured Brooker singing the lyrics of Keith Reid over an adaptation of a Bach cantata. Procol Harum went on to release ten albums through 1977, then broke up. Brooker launched a solo career with No More Fear of Flying in 1979, followed by Lead Me to the Water (1982), and Echoes in the Night (1985). He also played in Eric Clapton's backup band. Procol Harum reformed for a new album, The Prodigal Stranger, in 1991.
