Gryphon - Gryphon Live - A Sonic Tonic

by Zena Grieg

published: 1 / 2 / 2025

Label: Talking Elephant
Format: CD

Fascinating musical journey on double CD and first ever live album from medieval folk/progressive rock band Gryphon which has been together for over five decades

Review

Entertaining audiences for over five decades, Gryphon are celebrated by loyal followers for their own unique blend of medieval folk and progressive rock. ‘Gryphon Live - A Sonic Tonic’, recorded at different venues during a 2023 50th anniversary tour, is the first live album of the band. The double CD is a mix of the old and new from their expansive catalogue, representing the original set list in the concerts they performed, most songs recorded from The Junction Cambridge show in November 2023. The first CD takes the listener back to the band’s self-titled debut album in 1973, before bringing things up to date with songs from their most recent release, the 2020 ‘Get Out Of My Father’s Car’. The music is an eclectic sound tapestry, featuring a colourful, diverse array of instruments including crumhorns, bassoons, melodica, soprano saxophone, piccolo and sweetheart fife; in the words of founding member, drummer Dave Oberle: “I think It captures the true spirit of GRYPHON – exceptional musicianship and our own brand of humour”. Songs to listen out for in the sixteen-track collection include: the opener, the timeless band classic and first song ever recorded by the band ‘Kemp’s Jig’; the vibrant instrumental ‘Dumbe Dum Chit’, highlighting the violin play of Clare Taylor; the idiosyncratic, jocular ‘A Brief History Of The Bassoon’; crowd favourite ‘Normal Wisdom From The Swamp’ with its madrigal-style vocals, its range of instrumentation a musical jaunt across the ages; the rousing, Celtic-tinged ‘Sailor V’ with its expressive guitar solo; the mellow, jazzy ‘Forth Sahara’; 2018 epic nonsensical ‘Haddocks’ Eyes’ (after a poem from ‘Through The Looking Glass’ by Lewis Carroll) with its free-form saxophone; the heart-warming ballad ‘Parting Shot’; and the encore closer, a barnstorming rendition of medieval-rock ‘Estampie’, described by the band as “13th century Slade”, ending the concert and CD on a high. A captivating kaleidoscope of sound, ‘Gryphon Live – A Sonic Tonic’ is a fascinating musical journey.

Track Listing:-

1 Kemp's Jig
2 The Astrologer
3 Dumb Dum Chit
4 A Bit of Music By Me
5 Th Brief History of a Bassoon
6 Norman Wisdom from The Swamp
7 Sailor V
8 Reduced Krum Dancng
9 Hospitality At A Price
10 Christina's Song
11 Forth Sahara
12 Unquiet Grave
13 Haddock's Eye's
14 Red Queen Medley
15 Parting Shot
16 Estampie