Iliad ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Sapphire House (1978)

A stunningly beautiful album. I've already written about the debut Distances, but Sapphire House takes everything to a new level. Piano remains the primary instrument, and the music is a mix of deep grooves, high flying jazz fusion, and melancholic atmospheric numbers with oboe and wordless female vocals. 'Beyond the North Wind' is a jaw dropper - a sixth dimension type of composition that will leave you speechless in wake of its beauty. This is an album still awaiting its discovery and audience. There's enough breaks and grooves here, that even the DJ crowd would find plenty to latch onto.

Ownership: 1978 Northern Lights (LP). Acquired in 2016.

11/8/16 (review / new entry)

Distances (1976)

Lead by keyboardist Sandy Owen, Los Angeles based Iliad present a fairly mellow and relaxed symphonic progressive album. At times the tranquil piano and flute give off a proto New Age feel. Features a couple of rockin' rave-ups, as well as an extended jazzy improvisation on the familiar Beatles chestnut Norwegian Wood. The mixed classical-progressive-jazz-new age style recalls Minnesota's Sailor (1974) in many places. Two groups from completely different regions drawing a somewhat similar musical conclusion.

According to Owen's website, the album release is clearly set to 1976 (there's absolutely no date to be found anywhere on the LP proper). 

Ownership: 1976 Northern Lights (LP). Textured. Acquired in 2015.

No reissues exist for either album as I update this post (3/12/26).

2009; 2/22/15 (review / new entry); 12/29/24