Jefferson Starship - Across The Sea Of Suns
	Released: 2001 Label: Zebra Records / Lightyear Cat. No.: 44024 Total Time: 51:24 / 47:14
	Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, July 2003 This two-hour-plus double-CD live set is the latest version of Jefferson Starship. Recorded in clubs and theaters from dates ranging from January 1999 to June of 2001, the sets consists of tracks from the Jefferson Airplane albums Surrealistic Pillow and Volunteers and the Jefferson Starship albums Dragon Fly and Red Octopus. More obscure songs from the bands' catalogs are included as well, including songs from Paul Kantner and Marty Balin's solo recordings. Marty Balin is over sixty years old now; considering his age and the fact that he is a rock singer, he has held up quite well. He sounds a bit rough around the edges, but it comes as no surprise after all these years toiling as a front man with different versions of the Airplane and Starship. Paul Kanter is getting up there in age too, but still sings and plays well. Let me tell you, these old foxes are smart enough to surround themselves with some of the better younger talent available in the business today. Slick Aguilar (electric guitar, vocals), Prairie Prince (drums and percussion), Diana Mangano (vocals), Chris Smith (piano and synthesizer) and John Ferensic (organ) mix well with the wily veterans. Slick Aguilar plays some smokin’ guitar to give the older material from the bands’ catalog that necessary ‘60s psychedelic rock sound and Diana Mangano sounds like a Grace Slick clone. Speaking of the lovely Ms. Slick, she provides some insightful and colorful (as usual) commentary about several of the tracks. She sure has a way with words. I read her biography a few years ago and found it fascinating. It is nice to see that Kanter and Balin have kept the ship afloat after all these years and are still playing live to audiences that appreciate all of the great music they have recorded from the ‘60s and beyond. I certainly enjoyed listening to both CDs. This is all music I have always enjoyed hearing. I also had the opportunity to hear tracks that I had never heard before, so even after all these years there was something new for me to enjoy. This two CD set was cleverly packaged to keep the longtime fans satisfied with some oddities and it is all played well enough to garner some interest from younger fans that may have never been exposed to their music before. Rating: 4/5 More about Across The Sea Of Suns: Track Listing: Disc One: Caroline (5:21) / She Has Funny Cars (5:09) / When The Earth Moves Again (4:11) / Good Shepard (5:42) / Today (2:47) / Dcba-25 (2:41) / Eskimo Blue Day (6:54) / How Do You Feel (3:37) / Miracles (7:09) / Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? (7:37) / Embryonic Journey/Starship (6:16) Disc Two: There Will Be Love (4:51) / Hearts (9:11) / Hey Frederick (5:56) / When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves (5:08) / Hyperdrive (7:06) / You're Bringing Me Down (2:35) / The Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil (10:24) / Mexico/Wooden Ships (8:46) / Somebody to Love/Volunteers (9:21) / Bonus Tracks: You're My Best Friend (2:51) / JPP McStep Blues (3:05) Musicians: Paul Kanter - 12-string guitar, vocals Marty Balin - vocals, acoustic guitar & percussion Slick Aguilar - electric guitar, vocals Prairie Prince - drums and percussion Diana Mangano – vocals Chris Smith - piano and synthesizer John Ferensic - organ Contact: Website: www.jeffersonstarshipsf.com/ Note: will open new browser window Discography Jefferson Airplane: Takes Off (1966/2002*/2003*) Surrealistic Pillow (1967/2001/2003*) After Bathing at Baxter's (1967/2003*) Crown of Creation (1968/2003*) Bless Its Pointed Little Head (1969) Volunteers (1969) The Worst of Jefferson Airplane (1970) Bark (1971) Long John Silver (1972) Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (1973) Early Flight (1974) Flight Log (1966-1976) (1977) The Best of Jefferson Airplane (1980) Radio Special, Vol. 19 (1982) Rock Galaxy (1983) 2400 Fulton Street: An Anthology (1987) Collection (1988) Jefferson Airplane (1989) White Rabbit & Other Hits (1990) Jefferson Airplane Loves You (1992) Live at the Monterey Festival (1995) Journey: The Best of Jefferson Airplane (1996) Surrealistic Pillow/Volunteers (1996) Feed Your Head: Live 1967-1969 (1996) Live at the Fillmore East (1998) Hits (1998) The Best of Jefferson Airplane (1999) Love Songs (2000) VH-1 Behind the Music: The Jefferson… (2000) Somebody to Love (2000) Live in Monterey (2001) The Roar of Jefferson Airplane (2001) Best of Jefferson Airplane (2001) Ignition (2001) Greatest Hits (2002) Platinum & Gold Collection (2003) Jefferson Starship: Dragon Fly (1974) Red Octopus (1975) Spitfire (1976) Earth (1978) Freedom at Point Zero (1979) Gold (1979) Modern Times (1981) Winds Of Change (1982) Nuclear Furniture (1984) A Retrospective (1993) At Their Best (1993) Virgin Sky (1995) Collection (1995) Deep Space (1995) Miracles [live] (1997) Live: Miracles (1998) Greatest Hits: Live at the Fillmore (1999) Windows of Heaven (1999) Extended Versions: The Encore Collection [live] (2000) Across The Sea Of Suns (2001) Deeper Space/Extra Virgin Sky (2002) Then & Now (2002) Platinum & Gold Collection (2003) The Definitive Concert (1983/2002) (VID/DVD) Starship: Knee Deep In The Hoopla (1985) No Protection (1987) Love Among The Cannibals (1989) Starship's Greatest Hits: Ten Years Of Change (1991) The Best Of Starship (1993) We Built This City: Greatest Hits (1997) Greatest Hits (2003) Starship Greatest Hits (2003)
	[Review Index]  [Home]  [Top] © Copyright 2003 ProgressiveWorld.net/Keith Hannaleck