What happens when you mix Gentle Giant, 42 musicians, and the Internet? The answer is Giant Tracks: a 2-CD tribute album of Gentle Giant compositions arranged and performed by artists from four countries. GG fans are likely to recognize many participants' names:
...and many more musicians from On-Reflection, the Internet's Gentle Giant fan network.
Most pieces on Giant Tracks are significantly different from the originals, but are dedicated to the same spirit of experimentation, compositional attention, and humor that were Gentle Giant's trademarks. For example,
Reviews are available.
Two pieces on Giant Tracks are original and previously unreleased. Kevin Gilbert's Suit Canon - Fugue of the A&R Staff is a multi-part vocal performance (fugue) in the style of On Reflection. Gustavo Matamoros's In Memory of Gentle Giant is a 20th-century classical work based on bits and pieces of Gentle Giant themes.
Track | Title (Click for liner notes) | Artist (Click to email) | Listen |
1 | Suit Canon - Fugue of the A&R Staff | Kevin Gilbert | ![]() |
2 | Spooky Boogie | Phil Beane | ![]() |
3 | Cogs/Aspirations | Steve Hahn | ![]() |
4 | No God's a Man | Mike Keneally | ![]() |
5 | BITB | Advent | ![]() |
6 | Pantagruel's Nativity | Jeff McClelland | ![]() |
7 | Heroes | .com | ![]() |
8 | Talybont | Ian McGrath | ![]() |
9 | Minnear Medley | Richard Hilton | ![]() |
10 | Raconteur Troubadour | Alberto and Enrico Minetti | ![]() |
11 | Funny Ways | John Hagewood | ![]() |
12 | In Memory Of Gentle Giant, Part 1 | Gustavo Matamoros | ![]() |
Track | Title (Click for liner notes) | Artist (Click to email) | Listen |
1 | Just The Same | Glass Haus | ![]() |
2 | I'm Turning Around | Arlo West | ![]() |
3 | Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It | Alan Wiseman | ![]() |
4 | Wreck | Pangaea | ![]() |
5 | River | Rob Rosen | ![]() |
6 | Thank You | Glen Burg | ![]() |
7 | Give It Back | Eclipse | ![]() |
8 | Two Weeks in Spain | Bug Choir | ![]() |
9 | Number One | Dan Barrett | ![]() |
10 | In Memory of Gentle Giant, Part 2 | Gustavo Matamoros | ![]() |
Can you identify every piece in the collage?
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Excerpts from all Gentle Giant tracks |
Special thanks to Tom Dubé, Mike Fink of Chrysalis Songs, The Harry Fox Agency, Geir Hasnes, Kerry & Lesley Minnear of Alucard Music, On-Reflection, Marc Ostrow, Bob Parker, Jon Rubin and the Estate of Kevin Gilbert... and all the members of Gentle Giant.
Giant Tracks is dedicated to Kevin Gilbert.
Mike Keneally appears courtesy of Immune Records.