The Wait of Glory (CD - 2006)

Proto-Kaw: Jake Livgren (vocals, guitar, alto saxophone, percussion); Lynn Meredith (vocals); Kerry Livgren (guitar, piano, keyboards, percussion, background vocals); John Bolton, Jr. (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Dan Wright (organ, keyboards); Craig Kew (bass guitar, background vocals); Mike Patrum (drums).

Additional personnel: Daryl Batchelor (trumpet, flugelhorn).

Former Kansas member Kerry Livgren was responsible for penning the group's two best-known tracks (which remain standards on classic rock radio): "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind." But by the early 21st century, Livgren had put his Kansas days behind him and launched a new outfit, Proto-Kaw. 2006 saw the release of their third release overall, The Wait of Glory, which shows that Livgren is still an admirer of bombastic hard rock, with prog rock tendencies. The difference between the tracks on The Wait of Glory and the aforementioned Kansas hits are that those two aforementioned tracks possessed tight arrangements and were hook-heavy. The tracks here are simply not as immediately hard-hitting (as evidenced by such selections as "Relics of the Tempest"). There are a few surprises, however, such as the hard rockers "When the Rains Come" and "Physic," which are both led by horns (rather than the patented guitar/keyboard interplay that Kansas popularized). If prog rock with heavy ties to the genre's '70s heyday (not to mention being played by what sounds like expertly skilled session musicians) is your bag, then Proto-Kaw's The Wait of Glory should fit in well with your copies of Kansas and Leftoverture. ~ Greg Prato minimize