Scheherazade and Other Stories in Bloomington, MN

This album was the group's magnum opus in the perception of many onlookers and fans, and it still plays well, though its flaws are more evident than they were at the time. The "Song of Scheherazade," really a suite for the group supported by the
London Symphony Orchestra
and a chorus, started with guitarist-composer
Michael Dunford
, who had a personal fascination with the medieval literary work Tales of 1,001 Arabian Nights, and was realized by
Dunford
and his composing partner
Betty Thatcher
, with bassist
Jon Camp
and pianist
John Tout
. The piece, really nine sections assembled together, was one of the more ambitious works to come out of the progressive rock boom -- it fits together nicely and does have some gorgeous passages and many lyrical, powerful sections, although it also seems slightly repetitive, overstaying its welcome somewhat; additionally, it never uses the orchestra quite as effectively as one senses it might have, for anything except embellishment. Less ambitious and more completely successful are "Ocean Gypsy," "The Vultures Fly High," and "Trip to the Fair" on side one, all relatively unpretentious pieces which feature extraordinary singing by
Annie Haslam
. ~ Bruce Eder