Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Valentyne Suite

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Released
  
November 1969

Length
  
34:46

Release date
  
November 1969

Genres
  
Rock music, Jazz

Recorded
  
Spring and Summer 1969

Artist
  
Colosseum

Label
  
Vertigo Records

Producers
  
Tony Reeves, Gerry Bron

Valentyne Suite wwwprogarchivescomprogressiverockdiscography

Valentyne Suite (1969)
  
The Grass Is Greener (1970)

Similar
  
Colosseum Live, Those Who Are About to Die Sal, Daughter of Time, The Grass Is Greener, Tomorrow's Blues

Colosseum valentyne suite 1969 full album


Valentyne Suite was the second album released by the band Colosseum. It was Vertigo Records' first album release, and reached number 15 in the UK Albums Chart in 1969.

Contents

Though the song "The Kettle" is officially listed as having been written by Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman, a credit which is confirmed by Hiseman's liner notes for the album, bassist and producer Tony Reeves later claimed that it was written by guitarist and vocalist James Litherland.

Colosseum the kettle valentyne suite 1969


Reception

Allmusic derided the first three tracks, referring to "The Kettle" and "Butty's Blues" as, "tarted-up 12-bar blues", and claiming that "Elegy" was beyond James Litherland's abilities as a vocalist. They were more approving of the rest of the album, and described Dave Greenslade's solo on "The Valentyne Suite" as, "something to offer a challenge to vintage Keith Emerson, but with swing." They were critical of Litherland and Reeves's playing on the song, however, and concluded, "In retrospect this might not quite the classic it seemed at the time, but it remains listenable..."

Track listing

  1. "The Kettle" (Dick Heckstall-Smith, Jon Hiseman) – 4:28
  2. "Elegy" (James Litherland) – 3:14
  3. "Butty's Blues" (Litherland) – 6:46
  4. "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice" (Litherland, Heckstall-Smith, Pete Brown, Hiseman) – 3:53
  5. "Valentyne Suite Theme One: January's Search" (Dave Greenslade) – 6:25
  6. "Valentyne Suite Theme Two: February's Valentyne" (Greenslade) – 3:33
  7. "Valentyne Suite Theme Three: The Grass is Always Greener" (Heckstall-Smith, Hiseman) – 6:55

Valentyne Suite was originally written with "Beware the Ides of March" as the final movement, but since "Beware the Ides of March" had already been released in the UK on Those Who Are About to Die Salute You, "The Grass is Always Greener" was substituted for the final movement in the UK release. Compact Disc issues of the suite follow the track listing of the UK release.

Colosseum

  • Dave Greenslade - Hammond organ, vibraphone, piano, backing vocal on "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice"
  • Dick Heckstall-Smith - saxophones, flute on "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice"
  • Jon Hiseman - drums, machine on "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice"
  • James Litherland - guitars, lead vocals
  • Tony Reeves - bass guitars

    • Guest musicians

  • Neil Ardley - conductor on "Butty's Blues", string arrangement on "Elegy"

    • Songs

    1The Kettle4:29
    2Elegy3:15
    3Butty's Blues6:47

    References

    Valentyne Suite Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA