The artist behind veteran prog band MYSTERY should not be an enigma for followers of progressive rock. Michel St-Père is a superbly talented guitarist as well as head of Unicorn records, based in the province of Quebec on the outskirts of Montreal. Starting back in1996, the band has built up a resounding discography over the years, releasing at a regular pace excellent melodic prog recordings, each one a pearl in a large oyster, 2023’s Redemption being the latest. I have seen them in concert three times and, as fans in Germany and Netherlands will attest, they are truly one of the finest concert acts out there. ( Note: JS Goyette is an animal on drums especially in a live setting, and singer Jean Pageau has a velvet voice and showmanship to boot). Michel St-Père has played as guest guitarist on many albums as well as helping fellow Quebecers HUIS , who are also fantastic musicians in their own right. As we await the next mysterious chapter in their ongoing legacy, we have a solo album of instrumental covers, with only one proggy one , a piece by Steve Hackett that needs no introduction. Some will wonder if there is a potential controversy with this decision, but I am the Prog Rogue and just like Michel, I frankly don’t give a damn if the shoe does not quite fit the sacrosanct borders of opinion. Its music, nostalgia and its fun… Having the incredible Jonas Reingold on bass and the super talented Jimmy Keegan on drums, surely provides some serious seals of crimson-waxed approval .
“Star Trek” theme is universally (excuse the pun) known throughout the galaxy and as such provides the boldness to venture into the darkness of space. Follow that with a tongue in cheek version of “Peter Gunn”, often the first riff learnt on an electric guitar (with Smoke on the Water). Like I said, a trio having fun, in a world that has often forgotten to be happy. The Shadows wrote “Apache” in 1960, some boomers will recognize this in a heartbeat. Rock guitar with a Western feel. “Sleep Walk” is 1959 piece written in the middle of the night, same story, boomers a year older will know this as well.
Ennio Morricone ring a bell? Spaghetti-western? Clint ? Tribute time !“The Man with a Harmonica “ is a gun-slinging affair that has stood the test of time, here given a torrid veneer. Reingold and Keegan add even more horsepower. Since we can see towering mesas on the horizon, “Farewell to Cheyenne” has the Morricone horse gait down pat, with another clear blue sky, cactus-infested rocky crag cavalcade. A loving extended version of “Once Upon a Time in the West”, a melody for the ages, a guitar swoon that sinks deep into the heart. A testament to the recently departed maestro.
Surf time with the Ventures and their guitar-centric Hawaiian hula hoop “Pipeline”, another gem from the 60s that still played today on many beaches around the globe. It’s fast, furious, wavy and let the good times roll…An instrumental version of ”Ebb Tide” is as classic as a slow dance one could ever imagine, the number of babies born with this playing, from the Righteous Brothers, is legendary. Good clean 1965 fun … McGarrett said : “Book ‘em, Dano” and its Hawaii 5-0 , the theme from a cop show that had volcanoes, aloha girls, car chases and sun shirts. As cool as late-night breeze, a perennial hummer , back in the day.
Ok, enough wistful recollections of the 60s, let’s jump into 70s prog with the Steve Hackett classic “Shadow of the Hierophant”, still played today by the master British axeman in concert, and rightly so, a melody THAT beautiful needs to be forever venerated. 9 and a quarter minutes of exaltations, goosebumps, tension-laden perspiration and emotion, followed by an ambient passages that is the very definition of symphonic splendour. Michel has his own timbre while paying reverential homage to the original, its that sacred! Jonas has played this piece so often with Hackett on tour , he could probably do it in his sleep. Sheer unadulterated explosive brilliance.
Taking on Joe Satriani is not for the faint-hearted as the US guitar wizard is quite the master technician. “Always with Me, Always with You” requires an immense amount of tactile precision, note bending and picking, often at breakneck speed, yet chock full of feeling. Not an easy walk in the park.
I obviously know this track inside and out, even though I never liked the movie “Grease”. But ‘ I must admit I saw the Bee Gees live in concert, and I humbly will admit they were simply amazing, the vocal control being off the charts. Michel’s instrumental tribute to disco which contrary to the rock/prog/jazz purists, had some incredible musicians among them: Moroder, Chic, Donna Summer etc… is fully deserved.
“Space 1999” was a space television series that featured two illustrious members of Mission: Impossible (a theme Michel could have easily chosen as well) , Barbara Bain and Martin Landau. It was a particular favourite of mine, mainly due to this astral score, and spooky feel.
Another epic, a classical piece from Holst “Mars the Bringer of War” which was played also by both King Crimson as well as ELPowell, has all the attributes of an orchestral powerhouse, with complex shifts, variations, twists and turns, sturm und drang and pastoral insertions. It’s a demanding epic that requires a whole lotta of love, devotion and surrender (as Carlos once stated).
So, there you have it, a seasoned musician handling three extensive progressive pieces , and then having fun with his remembrances of youth and the influences that shaped his career path. Bien joué, Michel
4.5 family matters