Accolade / Accolade (1970)

United Kingdom

Folk Rock, Progressive Folk, Progressive Rock

ACCOLADE were a short-lived band (1969-1971) that focused on combining light jazz/fusion arrangements with idyllic English folk lyrics and sensibilities, with a musical emphasis adorned with acoustic instrumentation. They released only two albums and a single in their short life, but they managed to spend most of their active musical life touring. The original band consisted of Brian Cresswell, singer/guitarist Gordon Giltrap, drummer Ian Hoyle and guitarist Don Partridge.

The band's debut album featured a cover of Nature Boy, a still and complex folktale-like song first recorded by Nat King Cole, with arrangement by American bassist Eden Ahbez (also known as George Aberle and Eden Abba). This piece has been covered more than seventy times, including by MILES DAVIS, HARRY CONNICK JR, CELINE DION, JAMES BROWN, JOSE FELICIANO, GATHERING's Annie Haslam, and most recently, Greek psychedelic group WILL-O-The WISP.

Poole left the band due to a problem with Partridge during their tour of Sweden in late 1970. Just before entering the Graphic Design business, he takes a short tour with the Colosseum. Guitarist Wizz Jones is included in the band's second album, released only in the UK, but even that doesn't prevent the band from breaking up.

Accolade is one of the quality bands that failed to become popular despite the talented musicians in the group.

Members

Eden Abba (double-bass), Brian Cresswell (saxophone, flute), Gordon Giltrap (guitar, vocals), Ian Hoyle (drums), Don Partridge (guitar, vocals, vibraphone), Malcolm Poole (double-bass)

Track Listing

01 - Maiden Flight Eliza

02 - Starting All Over

03 - Prelude to a Dawn (Instrumental)

04 - Never Ending Solitude

05 - Nature Boy

06 - Gospel Song

07 - Calico

08 - Ulysses

09 - Go On Home

YANDEX