The Open Window ~ USA

---Nov 2005

The Open Window is truly an oddball album (on the truly oddball label Vanguard). Very arty, with three non-percussion artists. Apparently Peter Schickele is known in avant-garde circles and has a full blown website (he's PDQ Bach as it turns out). This album is barely mentioned, probably a blemish on his record (as far as he's concerned). There's some fuzz organ here which I was drawn too.

---3/19/11

Perhaps the original avant progressive album. Despite featuring a psych album cover, the group clearly has an academic pedigree, while the music is rooted in both classical and jazz. Basically a trio of three keyboardists, with organ (some wonderfully fuzzed out and compressed), electric piano, acoustic piano, electric harpsichord, and clarinet. There are some oddly placed vocals, that give it a offbeat rock feel. Chamber jazz avant classical? Yea, I don't know how to describe it either.

---4/6/26

I had totally forgotten about this album. I sold off the copy above about a decade ago. Then found it again recently in a local record store's buck bin. I can't let it sit there for that price! I had also forgotten my notes prior, but it becomes clear from the above the album is almost unclassifiable. It's progressive for 1969, but not really progressive rock. And one feels compelled to throw a psychedelic tag on it, especially given the cover art. Stanley Walden's organ playing is the standout for certain. Or perhaps the sound rather than the technique. There is a bit of an early Soft Machine feel here, though I think it's coincidental. I was glad to revisit this title, and appended a +1 while at it, but still not something that is necessary to keep.

I never added this to the CDRWL, probably concluding it was out of scope. No matter, as in 2015 it was reissued anyway with bonus tracks.

Former ownership: 1969 Vanguard (LP). First acquired in 2005. Reacquired in 2026.

11//05 (notes); 3/19/11 (review); 4/6/26 (update / new entry)