The follow-up to 2010's "Between the Darkness and the Dawn" was released on March 27th as a deluxe CD (with two extra tracks) on Amazon and CD Baby and as a download album at iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, et al. A much more guitar-oriented offering, "Aquarius in Retrograde" features Daniel Crommie (vocals, flutes, keyboards, electric dulcimer) and Jade Warrior alumni Glyn Havard (bass & vocals), David Duhig (lead guitar), Colin Henson (guitars) and Allan Price (tablas) and rocks more fiercely than the debut. This collaboration also features Eldon Hardenbrook (bass & piano), Jon Davis Miller (guitars), Michael Maldonado (tenor sax), Keith Hatfield (congas), Bruce Hazen (electric guitar), James Havard (electric guitar) and Leslie Gray (viola) and has Colin Henson & Eldon Hardenbrook co-writing two instrumentals with Daniel Crommie. The global right-wing agenda and their attempts at reversing the socio-political advances gained in the turbulent 1960's/1970's is a recurring theme starting with the opener "Can You Feel the Change" (sung by Glyn) and ending with "It Takes a Hurricane" - the closing vocal song of the album. Several instrumental excursions give respite to the proceedings including the beautiful track ("An August Elegy") written by Colin Henson and featuring his classical guitar skills. David Duhig’s guitar positively screams on a few songs, particularly the "swap solo" showcase "Primitive Future" which also features Bruce Hazen trading guitar solos with David Duhig. This deluxe digipak CD package includes complete lyrics and individual track credits.
"Between the Darkness and the Dawn" was the first collaboration between Daniel Crommie (Group Du Jour, Saturnalia Trio) and Glyn Havard (Jade Warrior). Art-pop songs and atmospheric excursions inhabit this adventurous collection started after the two became aquainted online in early 2009. The project had its gestation as a side project Daniel started with Leslie Gray (Saturnalia Trio) showcasing electronic pieces infused with violas and flutes – and quickly morphed into two album projects when Glyn accepted an invitation to participate. Daniel sent Glyn (who lives in Wales) MP3’s of sketched-out songs and Glyn sent back vocal and bass parts along with a few of his own pieces to get additional production treatment (flutes and keyboards, etc.) Jon Miller played most of the guitars (acoustic & electric) while Paul Evans (Saturnalia Trio) and Michael Maldonado played saxes, Larold Will played Theremin, Leslie Gray played violas, Paul Parker (Group Du Jour) played electric guitar and fretless bass, Bo Parker (Group Du Jour) played tongue drums and Brian Davis (Pink Martini) whirled a bull roarer. A second album of all-instrumental material from these sessions (minus Glyn) was released in 2011 titled “Direct Current”.
Daniel Crommie is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (mandolins, buche, balalaika, recorders, flutes, synthesizers, etc.) and producer who has released over two dozen solo albums, several albums with Group Du Jour, four with Echo System and four with Saturnalia Trio over the last 25 years on the New Weave label. Not content to adhere to any singular flavor or color, Daniel Crommie's musical palette includes forays into medieval, techno-pop, folk, electronic and experimental genres using a wide variety of acoustic and electronic instruments. A founding member of Group Du Jour, Echo System, Continuum and most recently Saturnalia Trio, Daniel's music has been critically hailed as far afield as Yugoslavia, England, Russia and Japan, and has been featured in several French & American television documentaries. Daniel resides in Portland, Oregon.
Glyn Havard is the vocalist, bass guitar & guitar player and lyricist with Jade Warrior from 1970-1973 and again from 2005 - present. Jade Warrior released five albums on the Vertigo label before downsizing (minus Glyn) and releasing four Island Records albums and several others throughout the 80's & 90's before reuniting with Glyn in the early 2000's. In the years following his departure from Jade Warrior Glyn worked with London-based new wave band The Edge, who became Kirsty McColl's backing band - releasing a couple of singles. The Edge also was the backing band for Jane Aire & the Belvederes. Glyn also recorded and toured in new wave band The Yachts. In 2002 Glyn joined with David Duhig, Allan Price (both former Jade Warrior members) and Brian Imig and Dave Lewis to record "Off Planet" as The Dogstar Poets. Glyn lives in Bryn- Mawr, Wales.
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