CLEARLIGHT - INFINITE SYMPHONY - 2003

I bought this album one year ago and after a single listen I fell immediately in love with it. But before putting my full score rating I wanted to be completely sure whether it's really passing the test of time. What shall I say? It did greatly, since then I listened to it countless times and my fascination did not lose one bit. Like their first masterpiece "Clearlight Symphony" it's for me one of the very few really great albums in classically inspired symphonic rock. There are (or were) not that many bands being ever able to blend elements from classical, jazz and rock music so perfectly and to involve that many different instruments like flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin and piano in addition to the standard rock outfit to create a true symphonic sound. Actually only CARPE DIEM or MANEIGE come to my mind.

The compositions on "Infinite Symphony" represent the final part of the KUNDALINI OPERA, an extensive work that Cyrille Verdeaux has been working on since a long time and have been released as well under the title "INNER PEACE CONCERTO" within this series. But there he realized them solo on the Kurzweil 2600 synthesizer performing every part to create a modern electronic orchestra. This project consists of seven albums each of them representing one Chakra. On their website it's described like this: "By joining the mystic nature of the Chakras with the poetry of music the opera blends all of the aspects of human existence with blessed nature.towards nirvana". I still did not listen to the rest of the catalog but the few samples I listened to sounded like a mixture of ethnical, electronic, classical and jazz music. Maybe not so much fitting here on this site, nevertheless quite interesting at least for people who are a bit into New Age, meditation and yoga.

This record here which can be listened to without knowing Verdeaux's other work is subdivided into six movements. For maximal enjoyment it should be listened to in one piece of course. Although being mainly keyboard orientated numerous guest musicians like GONG soloist Didier Malherbe, Trevor Lloyd or Cory Wright to name just a few contribute to the sound on multiple instruments. The final result is a unique piece of progressive music that should apply to anyone loving classical AND jazz AND rock music. In addition this record is a part of the legacy Shaun Guerin (passed away July 2003) left to us by adding a touch of Genesis with his voice and playing the drums.
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