JAN SCHELHAAS
Crossover Prog • United Kingdom
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Born on the 11th March, 1948 in Liverpool UK, Jan Schelhaas has a wide and varied career, having played both in Caravan and Camel over the years. His music can be described as a perfect blend between the two bands and his talent on keyboards makes him highly regarded as a musician. His main contributions to Camel were for the, I Can See Your House From Here and Nude albums as well as some live Camel releases. In terms of Caravan, he was influential on the excellent Better By Far album in 1977 , the belated Cool Water release from 1995 and The Unauthorised Breakfast Item in 2004. He was also a member of the group Thin Lizzy in the early 70's and again between 1980 and 1985.
In 2008 he released the solo album, Dark Ships, under the Esoteric record label and the music has all the ingredients of a Camel/Caravan hybrid sound with a popular edge to the music ably supported by his keyboard work and production skills. Jan Schelhaas has in recent years turned down requests to rejoin Caravan but contributors to his solo work include Doug Boyle and Jimmy Hastings both from Caravan
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JAN SCHELHAAS discography
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JAN SCHELHAAS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
3.03 | 12 ratings
Dark Ships 2008 |
3.20 | 5 ratings
Living on a Little Blue Dot 2017 |
3.09 | 3 ratings
Ghosts of Eden 2018 |
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JAN SCHELHAAS Reviews
Showing last 10 reviews only
Jan Schelhaas Crossover Prog
Review by
kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer
It is hard to imagine that this is a recent album, as this has far more in common with the laid-back Seventies sound of sanitised rock which, although it does have some similarities with The Moody Blues at times, has little with which I would normally associate progressive rock. This is straightforward relaxing middle of the road soft rock which is gentle, never threatening, and consequently it is something which I cannot really see me often returning to as in many ways it is just too sickly sweet. That he is an excellent keyboard player and pianist is never in doubt, but this is not for me.
Jan Schelhaas Crossover Prog
Review by
SouthSideoftheSky
Special Collaborator Symphonic Team
Keyboard player Jan Schelhaas is mostly known from being a member of Caravan in the mid to late 70's and then Camel in the late 70's to early 80's. Like other reviewers have pointed out, this first (and to date only) solo album of his can fairly be described as a fusion of Caravan and Camel. It has that distinct "whimsical" Canterbury feel characteristic of Caravan which also infected Camel when members of Caravan migrated to Camel in the mid 70's. Other members of Caravan even contribute to this album including Jimmy Hastings on flute and saxophone. However, Schelhaas is very accurately placed in the Crossover Prog category as the music present here is a very streamlined and laid back take on the Caravan style. Bands like The Moody Blues and Alan Parsons Projects are equally accurate comparisons. The track True Blue even reminds a bit of The Beach Boys!
Overall, Dark Ships features a pleasant set of songs. The mood is mostly relaxed and the music has a soft feel and generally slow tempo. I enjoy listening to it, but it hardly takes me by storm. The highlight is the opening title track which features very nice guitar work.
Good, but hardly essential
Jan Schelhaas Crossover Prog
Review by
octopus-4
Special Collaborator RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams
I was digging in the various CAMEL lineups to see if anybody had released anything new and I have found this album. The opener and title track is for me the best of the album. I can hear echoes of CARAVAN in the vocals, the electronic ambients of the late PETER BARDENS and a generic Canterbury flavour. Good guitar solos and a captivating melody with light jazz moments.
"Red Sky At Morning" wants to be evocative. A soft keyboard base with "seagulls" and Hastings flute above. Two minutes reminding of "Breathless". This track fades into "Sails In The Sun", a song in a CARAVAN late 70s style.
Keyboards again for "True Blue". If I forget the vocals and think to the instrumental part only, it makes me think to Nude. The seagull of the second track appears here for a short while, too.
Things are better with "Holy Voices". The musical line of this song is non-trivial even though it's very melodic. It's one of the album's highlights. The central section is something that will appeal CAMEL and CARAVAN fans.
"Nothing On Earth" is a mellow song good for a drink after dinner in a quiet environment. This is one of the characteristics of this album and it's true for "Goin' To Shangai", too. The sounds used by CARAVAN, and sometimes by CAMEL in the 70s where still a bit acid. Replacing them with the mellow keyboards and a better production has caused it to sound too chill-out.
"The Voyage of Doby Mick" is almost identical to the previous song, melodic and chill-out with a tone of Caravan in the vocals. "Silent Solos" seems to be another version of the same song. I think a shorter album would have been better. However this last one is good enough.
"Dolphins and Oceans" is a terrible title. After all this chill-out a title like this is scaring. Taking alone this song is not bad, like the others, but all this "sugar" can cause a diabetes.
"Soon Be Dreaming" interrupts this sequence of "honey and sugar" with a jazzy piano piece. Unfortunately too short. Ususal seashore at the end.
"The Coast of Peru (Away Santiago)" is an interesting song even if in the mood of the previous "oceanic songs". Let's just say that Santiago is not in Peru, I think. But there's a lot of towns called Santiago in South America so I could be wrong.
A two minutes closer and the album is gone.
Have I been right in suggesting Jan Schelhaas ? I think yes in general, but this addition didn't bring any masterpiece to the PA.
3 stars to the career
Jan Schelhaas Crossover Prog
Review by
Chris S
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator