by RaynaMon40 | Nov 16, 2024 | DJs
Jef Bek is a multi-instrumentalist/composer that has received 17 awards and nominations composing and performing original music for theatrical productions. As a young composer, Jef was inspired by the great Progressive Rock masters of the early 70’s. Jef began his career as the drummer for the Chicago based Prog-Rock band Dot Dot Dot which included Thymme Jones (which morphed into Cheer Accident). Jef then discovered his niche, providing live original music for theatrical productions. Jef’s first venture into this realm was with John Cusack’s New Crime Productions and served as their resident Musical Director for 7 years. Productions included FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and METHUSALEM (Joseph Jefferson Award for Original Music). Among Jef’s many theatrical collaborations included the American Premiere of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE at Steppenwolf Theatre.
In Los Angeles, Bek was a founding member of Zoo District Theatre. Shows included THE MASTER AND MARGARITA (L.A. Weekly Award for Original Music) and NOSFERATU…ANGEL OF THE FINAL HOUR (Ovation Award, Garland Award for Original Music). Bek wrote the music, lyrics and book for the world premiere of EVEL KNIEVEL THE ROCK OPERA which received critical acclaim and was nominated for Musical of the Year.
Jef’s latest progressive rock album, DISTANT STARLIGHT, has received rave reviews, world wide airplay and has been named a 2024 IndeProg Album of the Year Award Finalist by Friday Night Progressive.
jefbek.com
by RaynaMon40 | Apr 16, 2023 | DJs
Scott grew up in the suburbs of Tampa, Florida, in the 70s and 80s, immersed in music from multiple genres all at once. His mother was a classical music and jazz lover, while his father appreciated folk music and tiki-influenced exotica sounds. Of course, AM radio at the time played so many different styles, one minute country, the next pop, the following rock. He became a musician in this timeframe, going from learning the keyboard to then drums, guitar, and bass.
Hanging out with fellow musicians in high school, he was schooled in progressive rock from the greats: Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Rush, and so on. Simultaneously, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal washed over American shores, attuning his ears to metal and forcing an exploration of the classic metal masters. All bets were off, however, the day he picked up a vinyl copy of Dream Theater’s When Dream and Day Unite. This new burgeoning genre of prog metal became a passion, and he found a local “tribe” who helped fire his interest in it.
Scott’s intention for Metal Mischief is to explore the prog metal genre, while paying loving (if not mischievous!) attention to other adjacent genres that overlap with the sound of “heavy metal thunder.”
by RaynaMon40 | Nov 14, 2022 | DJs
What happens when an 8-year-old kid in 1972 gets his first transistor radio and his first musical loves on WABC-AM and WWRL-AM in New York are classic R&B, the symphonic soul of Barry White and his Love Unlimited Orchestra, and the “pop Prog” of Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra? Then, some new friends a little later in jr. high introduce him to ELP, the virtuoso Southern Rock of the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Molly Hatchet, and some more “pop Prog” by the Alan Parsons Project? Then, sprinkle in some symphonic disco love on New York’s WBLS radio, and then the discovery of New York’s WRVR jazz radio, and then college in downtown Manhattan literally right next door to the J&R Music World Jazz Outlet, and where does it all lead? Why to Jazz, Rock/Jazz Fusion, and Prog, of course…the genres where all that love of complex, well played and arranged long form music come together! But wait, there’s more: Fold in the quite-accidental discovery of the great Japanese fusion band T-Square in 1988 and seeing them live at NYC’s Bottom Line, and then learning about the whole J-Fusion subculture, and the fixation is complete…for the next 35+ years!
Hope you enjoy the “Fusion Plus w/ Dave”, program, the culmination of 5 decades of “all that jazz”.
by RaynaMon40 | Sep 21, 2022 | DJs
GFREEDOM TEAM / PROG n ROLL
GFreedom Team consists of 2 people; George and Nihal, both located in Athens, Greece. George was a DJ in various Rock Clubs and Rock bars for almost 15 years and he is an experienced DJ and a record/music collector. Nihal dealt with Rock music since her teenage years, and she is more open-minded than George when it comes to music.
In our own words…
More than 10 years ago, we started the online radio show Prog n Roll, mostly for fun and because we wanted to experience something new. During those 10 years, the show has evolved and it has gained a very dedicated audience from many countries around the globe. Also, we experienced the honor and the pleasure of having great many musicians as our “guests” while presenting a rather long list of albums. Some of them loved the show so much that they joined our audience as regular listeners, and more often than not, grown to be our friends.
After 10 comfortable years at the same radio station we felt that we needed to step out of our comfort zone; for a new challenge if you like, and we have found our way to www.progrock.com. We believe that our listeners will follow us here and merge harmoniously with the existing audience on ProgRock.com.
We hope that we will offer something new to ProgRock.com while putting in our best effort in entertaining you.
Some of our most beloved albums are (without any order):
GEORGE:
Studio albums:
BIG BIG TRAIN: English Electric 1 & 2
LOVE: Forever Changes
GENESIS: Nurcery’s Cryme
PINK FLOYD: The Wall
MARILLION: Script for a Jester’s Tear
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR: Still Life
THE BEATLES: Revolver
DAVID BOWIE: Ziggy Stardust
JETHRO TULL: Songs from the Wood
RENAISSANCE: Scheherazade and Other Stories
Live albums:
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST: Live Tapes
PROCOL HARUM: In concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
GENESIS: Live
NIHAL:
BIG BIG TRAIN: English Electric 1 & 2
DAVID BOWIE: Ziggy Stardust
THE BEATLES: Abbey Road
THE KINKS: The Village Green Preservation Society
STRAWBS: Hero and Heroine
MADRUGADA: Industrial Silence
PINK FLOYD: The Wall
ELOY: Dawn
THE MOODY BLUES: Days of Future Passed
WISHBONE ASH: Argus
by RaynaMon40 | Feb 20, 2022 | DJs
Ian Carss is an Englishman living in Boston. Grew up in the 70’s and 80’s listening to Pink Floyd, Yes, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and the like. Since the explosion of the internet has become a fan of the edgy, the dissonant and the experimental from Rehearsal Intensive Avant, & Rock In Opposition through Brutal Jazz, Minimalism and the like. Always on the hunt for new music. An attendee at multiple Rock In Opposition, Nearfest, Big Ears & ProgDay festivals. The plan for the show is to explore those areas outside the normal definitions of prog but of interest to fans of the genre.
Favorite albums
Henry Cow – Western Culture
Univers Zero – Ceux Du Dehors
King Crimson – Larks Tongues In Aspic
Mike Oldfield – Ommadawn
Cardiacs – Sing To God
by Rayna Monforti | Feb 28, 2021 | DJs
Hello listeners! I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s on a strict diet of radio-friendly Pop, Rock, and R&B and then one day I learned Peter Gabriel was in Genesis, and my listening life changed forever. I grew to love progressive music and the community of fans that supported it. One thing I realized very early on in my music exploration was that all my favorite bits didn’t have any singing: I prefer when the music speaks for itself, whether that was prog or funk or metal. I went looking tor a radio show or podcast that featured the instrumental music liked, couldn’t find one, and so the good folks at progrock.com said I could have a go.
Before No Words Music, I was a co-host on the podcast Tabletop Genesis for 5 years. I am a Jersey Girl that lives in Philly, working in global healthcare analytics by day and dreaming of another Phillies World Series win in my lifetime by night.
