Oxford English dictionary definition: “a work of art of supreme quality, or the greatest work produced by a particular artist”
Sometimes, rarely, a musician or band will create a masterpiece; a song or musical piece that transcends time and musical genres.
Joni Mitchell created Blue in 1971, in Hollywood, pretty much all by herself, except for an engineer (Henry Lewy) and musical contributions on a small number of tracks by James Taylor (guitar) Ross Kunkel (percussion), Stephen Stills (bass and guitar on 1 track) and a beautiful example of ethereal slide guitar on a couple of tracks by notable session musician “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow.
Few would argue that Tubular Bells, this timeless masterpiece, was created by a hugely talented artist who was still a teenager at the time of its conception.
In The Court of the Crimson King was a debut album by a brand new band, an album which was to become one of the most influential and memorable progressive rock albums in the history of the genre.
A new album by Pink Floyd was always something to be savoured. Right from the early days I marvelled at the magical album titles that this band came up with, A Saucerful of Secrets and Piper at the Gates of Dawn both triggered images of far off lands populated by far-out people and, although they did not entirely deliver on the promises made by the title, they were good - bloody good.
