Third Ear Band (UK)
-A Radioshow-
Third Ear Band has a unique sound and for being a band with acoustic foundation they therefore they deserve a separate page here. Their style is raga inspired a kind of chamber music like improvisation with very recognisable oboe on a somwhat repetitive rhythm. The repetitive part is often compared with Riley. The music has basic elements of raga music but with a medieval touch. Like this their style is sometimes called acid-raga chamber music.
The group featured Glenn Sweeney (percussion), Paul Minns (oboe), Richard Coff (violin, viola), Ursula Smith (cello). The Third Ear Band, under the direction of Sweeny (the one constant member) were a regular feature of the free Hyde Park gigs in the late 60's /early 70 's, sharing the bill with other musicians and groups from the Harvest label.
Third Ear Band were formed in 1968, from members of the psychedelic group Hydrogen Juke-Box, and were first managed by Blackhill Enterprises, but then went over to the Harvest label. Much later in the nineties they had a come back with new releases in Italy.
More information about the group on the net at :
Another Webpage : http://www.geocities.com/nlabropoulos/ThirdEarBand.html
Japanese site : http://www.skydogsite.co.jp/rocks/third.html
Full discography : http://petit.sebastien.free.fr/thirdear.html
Russian page with biography and discography http://www.musiclab.ru/a_enc/person/third_ear_band/article.htm
Third Ear Band at Isle of Wright festival, 1969 : http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/iow1969-thirdear-prog.html
Third Ear Band live at the Hyde Park in 1969 and in 1970 http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/hyde-park-6-7-69.html and http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/Hyde-park-7-18-70.html
THE RADIOSHOW
and the included releases with extra links
1. Drop Out Rec.
Third Ear Band : Alchemy (1969)****'
Third Ear Band : Alchemy (1969)****'Tr.2, "Ghetto Raga" 6 minTr.3, "Druid One" 10 minTr.5, "Stone Circle" 4 minTR.8, "Lark Rise" 3 minFull cover details : http://www.collectable-records.ru/groups/third_ear_band/alchemy.htm
French review at http://www.multimania.com/sleep/texte/artzero/thirdear.htm
On this album were also brief appearances by DJ John Peel (jaws harp) and violinist Dave Tomlin.
2. BlueprintThird Ear Band : Hydrogen Jukebox (1969)*
Third Ear Band : Hydrogen Jukebox (1969)*Tr.5,"Behind The Pyramids" 7 min
Much more pop influenced, some trance pop. Mediocre singing. Not progressive. Quit modern and hard to believe this is recorded in 1969. Here the band were 6 members : G.Sweeney, M.Cartner, B.Diprose, L.Dobson, N.Black and ?
Information at http://www.voiceprint.co.uk/voiceprint.php/Catalogue/Search/third%20ear%20band/BP283CD
French review at http://www.ifrance.com/traversesmag/chroniques/thirdearband.htm
3. BGO Third Ear Band (1970)***°'
Third Ear Band (1970)***°'Tr.2, "Earth" 10 minTr.4, "Water" 8 min Very raga like music based upon the concept of the "elements". I especially like the "Earth" part, a bit Medieval dance raga and the "Water" part, very flowing and relaxing raga music ; "Fire" is more turbulent and somewhat innerving. But also "Air" is hypnotic and highly original and enjoyable. This is a very interesting and unique release. It reminded me at the 4 elements concept of the Japanese Trembling Strain (on "Four Seasons"), not for its music, but there they had a comparable thinking over translating the mood of the four seasons into accoustic music.
Full cover details : http://www.collectable-records.ru/groups/third_ear_band/same.htm
4. Blueprint Third Ear Band : Abelard and Heloise (1970)**°
Third Ear Band : Abelard and Heloise (1970)**°Tr. 1-322 min
22 min Soundtrack for German Television. Floating raga lwith medieval touches. Nice.
Members at this release : Glenn Sweeney (drums), Paul Minns (oboe), Richard Coff (violin & vila), Ursula Smith (cello).
More information : http://www.voiceprint.co.uk/voiceprint.php/Catalogue/Search/third%20ear%20band/BP310CD
French review at http://www.ifrance.com/traversesmag/chroniques/thirdearband.htm
PS. "Necromancers of the drifting west" = the book which includes this soundtrack
-reissue on Voiceprint-5. BGO Third Ear Band : Macbeth (1972)****°
Third Ear Band : Macbeth (1972)****°Tr.1,"Overture" 2 min
Tr.3,"Lady Macbeth" 2 min
Tr.4,"Inverness : Macbeth's return/The preparation Fanfare/" 3.32 min (first 2 parts)
Tr.8,"Court Dance" 4 min ?
Tr.7,"At the Well/The Princess'Escape/Cornonation/
Come Sealing Night" 3 min
Tr.9,"Fleance" 4 min
Tr.11,"Bear Baiting" 2 min
Tr.13,"Going to bed 048 (part 1)85
The unique style of Third Band is most worked out here in shorter tracks, more and brighter ideas. Most beautiful (and an absolute classic) is the song sang by a boy,"Fleance" and the bird song like passages, like "Court Dance", and the medieval inspired like passages. Oboe sound again most beautiful. A few passages are more experimental. Within the rest of the music full of clarity these little parts are not easy. This release is the music for the Roman Polanski film.
The album was originally issued on the Harvest label, it was reissued on BGO and later with a different cover on Voiceprint.
first release6. Blueprint Third Ear Band : (New Age) Magic(al) Music (1997)*°
Trance pop influences in first track, but mostly very trance dreamtrip-like, consistent in style. A bit more addition of (interesting use of) electric trance guitars.
Tr.2, "Flight of the oven" 6 min (fragment)
Webpage of this item :
Other Third Ear Band releases :
"Live Ghosts"
"Brainwaves"
"Third Ear Band Live"
"Hymn to the Sphynx", 2001
Some releases (beside the Voiceprint releases) at the Italian label at http://www.matson.it/html/cat2000.asp
Simular Music Tracks :
7. Emma Myldenberger : Tour De Trance (1978)****°
Tr.3, " Lenya's Fantasie " 7 minTr.4, " RAA " 9 minTr.5,Wassensteyn's Hochzeitsnacht" 5 min All tracks on Emma's music have Third Ear Band influence. Her style is more acid folk with medieval, folkrock and chamber music touches.
More information at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/Germanprogfolk.html
8. Artis Rec.Franco Battiato : Sulle Corde di Aries (1973)****°
Franco Battiato : Sulle Corde di Aries (1973)****°Tr.3, "Aria di Revoluzione" 7 minTr.4, "Da oriente ad Occidente" 7 min Last track is very much like Thir Ear Band
This album at http://www.battiato.it/discografia/anni70/aries.htm
Discography from label : http://www.btf.it/ita/battiato/franco.htm
blabla label : website removed
More Battiato links at http://progressive.homestead.com/ITALIAPROG.html
9. ReR Secret Service Project (Viola Kramer) (1991)***
Secret Service Project (Viola Kramer) (1991)***Tr.2,"Braut", "Daily Blue" 7 minTr.4 (,5) "Male and Female Brainhouse" 6 min Similarities with Third Ear Band like music, but with more electronics, tape experiments, as a kind of light avant garde project. Interesting, beautiful.
http://members.aol.com/VioKramer/1SSP.html from Viola Kramer WebSite :
Other page : http://www.vergemusic.com/old/rockk2m.htm#KRAMER
oboe : peter scholtyssek
PLayed by left over time :
10. HeresieTrembling Strain : Tower (1998)***
Trembling Strain : Tower (1998)***Tr.2,"Towers of Silence" 10 min (fragment)A track like "Air" from Third Ear Band, but without the oboe.
Trembling Strain page http://www2.inforyoma.or.jp/~sory/Trest.html
Anyone knows other tracks that remind at the Third Ear Band ? Please inform me.
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There also exist 3 small recordings between 3 and 7 minutes of the earlier group before Third Ear Band, called National Balkan Ensemble. “Cosmic Trip” is very much like early Third Ear Band, only with some dissonance in improvisation and is described on a mini-lp as “freely expressive, mainly dissonant, constant instrumental interplay, occasional rhythm changes, featuring violin, cello, oboe, percussion”. Second more upbeat happy track, “Jason’s trip” is similarly early Third Earband styled. “Deil Weed”, another improvisation with simple handpercussion and violin/cello improvisation lead is related and fits well.
On 2005-08-17 Glenn Sweeney died. He had been unwell for some time but died peacefully.
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page updated 2003-11-17
