Subject Esq - Subject Esq (Reissue) (1972/2003)

SAHARA is a mid-70's act that produced two albums, but prior to that they'd worked and released another as SUBJECT ESQ. The music is rather typical early 70s proto-prog with elements of JETHRO TULL (for the flute-guitar interplay), early YES, and the occasional saxophone riffs remind of early VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. There are some spacier and/or symphonic parts that recall NEKTAR, GENESIS (around "Trespass"), and maybe early ELOY. With the arrival of ex-OUT OF FOCUS Hennes Henring on keyboards, the band continued under the new name SAHARA after this album. Sunrise has been a minor classic , especially for its sidelong epic title track. Their second album, "For All The Clowns", is straighter with an overdose of progressive influences, notably FOCUS / YES and CARAVAN and a potpourri styles.