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Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia", and "Ashes Are Burning". They developed a unique sound, combining a female lead vocal with a fusion of classical, folk, rock, and jazz influences.〔Snider, Charles (2007). ''The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock'' (1st ed.). Chicago: Strawberry Bricks. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-615-17566-9〕 Characteristic elements of the Renaissance sound are Annie Haslam's five-octave voice, prominent piano accompaniment, orchestral arrangements, vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser, and versatile drum work. The band created a significant following in the northeast United States in the 70s, and that region remains their strongest fan base. The nucleus of the first line-up was composed of former members of The Yardbirds, Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, who intended to put "something together with more of a classical influence".〔Romano, Will (2010). ''Mountains come out of the sky: an illustrated history of prog rock'' (1st Ed.). Montclair, NJ: Blackbeat Books. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-87930-991-6〕 Renaissance was born, and the band released a studio album in 1969, and another in 1971. Subsequently, there was a period of high turnover of musicians until the "classic line-up" of Haslam, John Tout, Michael Dunford, Jon Camp, and Terry Sullivan was established, although none of them were in the original band. They were assisted with lyrics on many songs from Cornish poet Betty Thatcher-Newsinger. From 1972 to 1979 Renaissance released seven successful studio albums, toured extensively, and sold-out three nights in a row at Carnegie Hall with Tony Cox conducting the New York Philharmonic.〔Snider, Charles (2007). ''The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock'' (1st ed.). Chicago: Strawberry Bricks. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-615-17566-9〕 The 80s were a lean time for them, with personnel changes, and two relatively unsuccessful studio albums, leading to disbandment in 1987. Two different offshoots of Renaissance existed at the same time at one stage in the mid-90s. The band re-formed in 1998 to record ''Tuscany'', which was eventually released in 2001; however they disbanded again the next year. 2009 heralded a new line-up for Renaissance, led by Haslam and Dunford, and since then the band has continued to record and tour. They were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Dunford in November 2012. Later, Haslam stated that the band would continue touring. The current line-up is not as English as the band's early period with five U.S. born members, and one English born member who lives in the U.S. In April 2014 Renaissance released the studio album ''Symphony of Light''. ==Original incarnation (1969–70)== As The Yardbirds were transforming into The New Yardbirds, and then Led Zeppelin in 1968, departing members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty formed an acoustic duo called Together. They released "Henry's Coming Home" b/w "Love Mum And Dad" as a single on Columbia Records in November, without chart success.〔(Allmusic Together biography. ) Retrieved 25 October 2014.〕 In January 1969, Relf and McCarty organised a new group devoted to experimentation between rock, folk, and classical forms. In his book ''Mountains come out of the sky: an illustrated history of prog rock'', Will Romano quoted McCarty as saying: "Toward the end of the Yardbirds we wanted to do something a bit more poetic, if you like, not so heavy. A bit more folky... We had had enough of heavy rock."〔This quintet—Relf on guitar and vocals, McCarty on drums, plus bassist Louis Cennamo, pianist John Hawken, and Relf's sister Jane as an additional vocalist—released a pair of albums on Elektra (US) and Island (UK-ILPS 9112), the first one, titled simply ''Renaissance'', being produced by fellow ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith.〔 〕 The band had begun performing in May 1969, before recording had begun for the debut LP, mostly in the UK, but with occasional forays abroad, including festivals in Belgium (Amougies, October 1969) and France (Operation 666 at the Olympia in January 1970, and Le Bourget in March 1970, both in Paris). In February 1970 they embarked on a North American tour, but that month-long trek proved only marginally successful. Because of their Yardbirds credentials, they found themselves paired with bands such as The Kinks and their new classically-oriented direction did not always go down well with audiences. Beginning in the late spring of 1970, as touring began to grind on them, the original band gradually dissolved. Relf and McCarty decided to quit performing, and Cennamo joined Colosseum.〔 Hawken organised a new line-up to fulfil contractual obligations and complete the band's second album, ''Illusion'', which was left unfinished. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Renaissance (band)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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