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Gentle Giant

Gentle Giant was a British progressive rock band with strong classical influences that emerged from Simon Dupree and the Big Sound[?] in 1970 and existed continuously until 1980. Their music is described by one critic as "an unlikely mix of dissonant 20th-century classical chamber music[?], medieval vocal music[?], jazz and rock."

Gentle Giant stands as a very representative example of the 1970s progressive rock movement, as it embodied all of the aspects that defined the movement in a text-book fashion:

Rapid, frequently changing tempo
Complex melodies, frequently constrasting harmonies with disharmonies
Grand arrangements, featuring unusual instruments
Unconcentional use of classical instruemnts
Multi-part vocal harmonies
Concept albums, long songs (often limited only by the 22 minute capacity of an LP side)
Complex lyrics

Personnel

Derek Shulman
Phil Shulman (1970-1972)
Ray Shulman
Gary Green
Kerry Minnear
Martin Smith (drums 1970-1971)
Malcolm Mortimore(drums 1971-1972)
John Weathers (drums 1972-1980)

Discography

Gentle Giant (1970)
Acquiring The Taste (1971)
Three Friends (1972)
Octopus (1972)
In A Glass House (1973)
The Power And The Glory (1974)
Free Hand (1975)
Interview (1976)
Playing The Fool (1977, live)
The Missing Piece (1977)
Giant For A Day (1978)
Civilian (1980)

The album The Power And The Glory received the highest critical acclaim; however, according to fans, Playing The Fool provides the best introduction to the works of Gentle Giant..

One Gentle Giant album listed a total of 46 instruments in the musician credits.

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