at Ravinia on Father's Day
with special guest Procol Harum
"A great evening with some tremendous music from many a person's youth, and great weather too"
Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc
review by Ed Vincent
The opening act for Jethro Tull was
Procol Harum, and doing their first tour since 2003. Gary Brooker is
the singer-songwriter, and pianist who started the band Procol
Harum. Like many bands and groups from years ago, they have seen
members come and go and some die. Procol Harum reformed 1991 with Brooker, Fisher, Trower
and Reid. Gary Brooker was appointed a Member of the
Order of the British Empire in 2003 for his generous work for charities.
It was a great thrill to hear Procol Harum play some of the newer ballads and also several of their award-winning and best-selling hits from the past. It was a wonderful evening, the vocals and musical quality were great. The great staging of the concert, with fog machines, great lighting, was transmitted around the park with large beautifully clear televised high definition sets.
Procol Harum were just phenomenal, the Gary Brooker on piano and Josh Phillips on organ were grand enough by themselves to get a five star rating on their work alone. Geoff Whitehorn playing the guitar and Matt Pegg on bass were another five stars themselves. The drumming by Geoff Dunn was strong and powerful, at a moments perhaps six stars....
Procol Harum also play a song entitled "Wall Street Blues" which Gary Brooker was proud to say was a premonition good for five years before the the debacle of the Wall Street failure. I should have listened to their music with more attention being paid to the market.
Their playing of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Conquistador"
two of their most popular songs from the past, had fans standing in the isles and wanting more. It was time now for the headliner, Jethro Tull.
It was a great thrill to hear Procol Harum play some of the newer ballads and also several of their award-winning and best-selling hits from the past. It was a wonderful evening, the vocals and musical quality were great. The great staging of the concert, with fog machines, great lighting, was transmitted around the park with large beautifully clear televised high definition sets.
Procol Harum were just phenomenal, the Gary Brooker on piano and Josh Phillips on organ were grand enough by themselves to get a five star rating on their work alone. Geoff Whitehorn playing the guitar and Matt Pegg on bass were another five stars themselves. The drumming by Geoff Dunn was strong and powerful, at a moments perhaps six stars....
Procol Harum also play a song entitled "Wall Street Blues" which Gary Brooker was proud to say was a premonition good for five years before the the debacle of the Wall Street failure. I should have listened to their music with more attention being paid to the market.
Their playing of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Conquistador"
two of their most popular songs from the past, had fans standing in the isles and wanting more. It was time now for the headliner, Jethro Tull.
Procol
Harum discography
Studio albums
Procol Harum (1967)
Shine on Brightly (1968)
A Salty Dog (1969)
Home (1970)
Broken Barricades (1971)
Grand Hotel (1973)
Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974)
Procol's Ninth (1975)
Something Magic (1977)
The Prodigal Stranger (1991)
The Long Goodbye (1996)
Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About (1997; as Liquorice John Death)
The Well's on Fire (2003)
Studio albums
Procol Harum (1967)
Shine on Brightly (1968)
A Salty Dog (1969)
Home (1970)
Broken Barricades (1971)
Grand Hotel (1973)
Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974)
Procol's Ninth (1975)
Something Magic (1977)
The Prodigal Stranger (1991)
The Long Goodbye (1996)
Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About (1997; as Liquorice John Death)
The Well's on Fire (2003)
Procol
Harum 1967 "A Whiter shade of Pale"
Ian Anderson,
groups founder and flautist.
Jethro Tull in
2008
Martin Barre and John O'Hara
David Goodier and Doane Perry
Jethro Tull, the British rock
group, or folk rock, classical rock, or
hard rock poet group formed in 1967. They were know soon to cover a broad range of music styles and subjects. They had interesting lyrics, and their standout uniqueness was Ian Anderson
and his flute work. What Jean-Luc Ponty did for rock with an electric violin, Ian Anderson was doing for the flute. There have been many changes in the members of the band since its start but Ian Anderson and guitarist Martin Barre have been a team since 1969.
hard rock poet group formed in 1967. They were know soon to cover a broad range of music styles and subjects. They had interesting lyrics, and their standout uniqueness was Ian Anderson
and his flute work. What Jean-Luc Ponty did for rock with an electric violin, Ian Anderson was doing for the flute. There have been many changes in the members of the band since its start but Ian Anderson and guitarist Martin Barre have been a team since 1969.
Jethro Tull was more than incredible with their musicality, their instruments, the playing was just top notch, and if you heard the music as a kid--you were younger for a few moments. You could hear some of the age on Ian's voice, if you compared his work with recordings of the past, but the live performance was a big plus.
The visual effects with lights and fog, were enhanced as the sun set and the stage drew even more attention with the physical antics of Ian Anderson. Anderson jumped and leapt from here to there and with facial theatrics to please even the most ardent opera fan.
The concert was a fun event for all, as the music was right on the mark and Jethro Tull explored the music from a dead King and some new tunes comprised of work with Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi Shankar, while touring in India in 2008.
The song by Henry VIII ("Pastime with good company" written by the King of England 500 years ago LYRICS) has been performed by a number of different groups over the centuries but Tull's version did have some new life infused with a nice beat.
Anoushka Shankar and Jethro Tull composed a song that was played the help of another woman on stage. There were standing ovations throughout the show, and all for good reason.
Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" Live some years ago.
Ian
Anderson speaks on the Recording of Aqualung
Ian
Anderson with Ann Marie Calhoun
and the Symphonette Raanana
and the Symphonette Raanana
Ian
Anderson and Michael
Barre of Jethro
Tull in 1973 playing in Chicago.
If
you came to see the other Jethro Tull pictured above you came to the
wrong show. That Jethro Tull died in 1741, and was an
English agricultural pioneer who developed new hoe designs helped rid
farmers of weeds, not smoking them.
"Ravinia is wonderful place to enjoy some of the world's best
entertainment. You can relax on a blanket and gaze at the sky while
listening to wonderful tunes, ballads, or symphonic splendor brought
to you by one of the world's finest ensembles...the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy a picnic, eat at one of the fine dining establishments
and then take your seat at the Pavilion or enjoy the show from the lawn.
The performances cover every taste imaginable and class is left out of
none. Even the hot weather is better at Ravinia." Suburban Journals
of Chicago Inc. Oak Park Journal , Forest Park Journal