Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. The Kettle
2. Elegy
3. Butty's Blues
4. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice
5. The Valentyne Suite - January's Search/ February's Valentyne/ The Grass Is Always Greener
6. Arthur's Moustache
7. Lost Angeles

Disc 2:

1. Jumping Off The Sun
2. Lost Angeles
3. Elegy
4. Butty's Blues
5. Rope Ladder To The Moon
6. Bolero
7. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice
8. The Grass Is Greener

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6942 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .24 pounds
• Running time: 89 minutes

Customer Reviews

Simply outstanding
Having owned the album since its first release, I can confirm that Valentyne Suite just edges their other albums to be Top Dog. This is primarily because of the Suite itself which took up the whole of side two of the vinyl version.
To have seen musicians of the calibre of these performing the Valentyne Suite, both back in the early Seventies, and more recently until the most untlimely death of Dick Heckstall-Smith (we miss you, Dick), was a privilege.
The double disc version comprises the original UK album plus two Top Gear recordings, and the "The Grass is Greener" US album compiled from tracks that were recorded as soon as Clem Clempson joined the band.
Please avoid the Essential remastered single disc release of 1998. It was incorrectly mastered with one channel of the stereo mix populating both channels. This was corrected for the Castle release of 2000, CMAR631.

Pure bliss
In 1969 (when some other guys were doing something trivial like landing on the Moon) Colosseum's Valentye Suite stood out head and shoulders above everything else being played - quite magnificent!

The Valentyne Suite (when I were a lad) only had 5 tracks - but is almost perfect. Hiseman's drumming is astonishing, Dave Clempson's guitar playing on a par with Clapton, along with the incredible Dick H-S (RIP) on sax - and the swirling organ from Dave Greenslade.

The Tracks
1. Kettle - Roaring start to the album. Everything a jazz-rock track should be, but with that special, distinctive, Colosseum magic.
2. Elegy - just beautiful, with delicate strings. Tears to the eyes.
3. Butty's Blues - Yes, it's a Blues piece with great sax
4. Machine Demands A Sacrifice - Hiseman's drums tear along and then a VERY strange ending - never did work out what was going on...
5. Valentyne Suite - The best bit on the album - three movements that showcase the entire band (including some wonderful phased drums), and some spine-tingling organ from Mr. Greenslade.

Brit-jazz goes rock
I'm only familiar with the original issue of this album, so can't comment on any extra material included herein, but if it's up to the standard of the main attraction then you need not worry too much. Originally released right at the end of 1969 as the first LP on the spiral Vertigo label, this is Brit-jazz beefed up for a late-60s rock audience. It's mostly instrumentals, and these are the best cuts: the 16-minute long title track allows everyone to, uh, stretch out (man) without descending into noodly pretension. Heavy on the Hammond and tenor sax, with a top-notch rhythm section propelling the whole show along: live, this lot must have been pretty hot.