(Symphonic Prog / Progressive Rock) Black September - Black September - 1994, APE (image+.cue), lossless

In 1992 keyboard player Michael West released his solo album "God Sex Money", produced by Bill Berends from USA 'power-progrock' band

MASTERMIND. Two years later that collaboration between Bill and Michael led to the production and release from the eponymous debut CD

by BLACK SEPTEMBER. This four piece formation featured Micheal West on keyboards, Jason Harper on violin, bass and lead vocals, Jon

Wilson on drums and percussion and Freddy Lutz on saxophone, bass and backing vocals. Later in an interview in the late Nineties Bill

Berends revealed that he was not pleased with the choice from Michael West to release the BLACK SEPTEMBER album on the Italian progrock

label Mellow Records.
BLACK SEPTEMBER their music is often bombastic featuring dazzling keyboard work (with strong echoes from KEITH EMERSON and RICK WAKEMAN

but modern sounding), a dynamic and propulsive rhythm-section, swirling violin play and some fiery saxophone.

Behind a ghastly artwork (this album has therefore been banished from my living room), there are some nifty, nice symphonic prog.
ELP and Keith Emerson springs to mind after a couple of minutes. So does Magellan. It is pretty obvious that both bands is a good

reference source, although Magellan had just started out back in 1994 and was probably not even started when the music at this album

was being written. Saga too is another good reference. The music here is symphonic with an 1980s and 1990s feel to it. Bombastic as a

tonne of bricks. The music calms down after a while and we even get a power ballad here in the form of Forever Winter. Remember, this

was the early 1990s and obscene abnormalities like power ballads was in fashion. Forever Winter is not bad so this band is almost

forgiven. It is though an AOR track and is out of tune with the rest of the album. AOR is something this album is touching base with

too often on this album. I am not a fan of Ekseption and to my displeasure; I find a lot of their type of symphonic prog in this album.

Add Trace too and you get the picture. There is a lot of cheap jingles like melody lines here. For me; the music on this album is not

sophisticated. It sounds too commercial for sake of commercialism. This was the age of the TV series Miami Vice, remember. The music

here fits nicely into that concept. The vocals is pretty dire too. The addition of violin and saxophone is pretty good though and a

redeeming feature. The mastermind behind this music was not totally lost. Far from it.
I think this is a rather good synth based symphonic prog album. It has it's big flaws, yes. But it also have some good music. The

standard in symphonic prog was set very high by the likes of PFM, Genesis, The Nice, Kansas, Yes and ELP. Black September is not in the

same standard. But it is a good album. Consider a purchase if you are into American symphonic prog or ELP like prog. Shame about the

artwork, though.
In 1992 keyboard player Michael West released his solo album "God Sex Money", produced by Bill Berends from USA 'power-progrock' band

MASTERMIND. Two years later that collaboration between Bill and Michael led to the production and release from the eponymous debut CD

by BLACK SEPTEMBER. This four piece formation featured Micheal West on keyboards, Jason Harper on violin, bass and lead vocals, Jon

Wilson on drums and percussion and Freddy Lutz on saxophone, bass and backing vocals.
The music on the six compositions (between 6 and 13 minutes) is often bombastic featuring dazzling keyboard runs and a dynamic, very

propulsive rhythm-section. My highlights on this CD are Floodgates (Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman inspired keyboard flights and a

fiery saxophone solo) and Beast In Plain View (super-bombastic climate delivering swirling electric violin play and an ELP/Ars Nova

atmosphere with amazing keyboard work). Despite the obvious hints from ELP and Ars Nova the sound from Black September is modern but at

some moments a bit too much focussed on the sensational keyboards and power rhythm-section, I tend to loose my concentration during

some parts. But in general this album contains lots of exciting, keyboard driven progrock. Unfortunately this album turned out to be

their swansong, yet another good one shot band!

- Michael West / keyboards (Yamaha KX-88, TX802, Korg M1, Roland D-110)
- Jason Harper / electric violin, bass, lead vocals
- Jon Wilson / drums, percussion
- Freddy Lutz / saxophone, bass, backing vocals