RAINBOW THEATRE

This excellent Aussie band was formed in 1973 by guitarist Julian Browning with Ferg McKinnon on bass and Graeme Carter on the drums. They would add keyboard player Mathew Cozens and Steve Nash on sax, clarinet and congas, being followed by Frank Graham on trumpet and Don Santin trombone plus Keith Hoban as new vocalist. What started as a three-man rock band went out of their hands and ended being an absolutely complex symphonic project of eight members and if you add the fact that for the recording of their debut album 'The Armada' in 1975 they hired The Victorian Opera Company Choir. This was probably the most ambitious Australian band ever.

The next year (1976) they released the even more ambitious 'Fantasy of Horses' with the addition of Keith Hoban (organ). (He was only vocalist in the debut), Ian Relf on trombone, Tricia Shevenan on flute, Chris Stock on oboe, - Karin McGechie, Stephen Daunt and Nya Murray on violins, Rowan Thomas on sax and Sara Glenie on cello, it was almost an orchestra, and the album had a really high musical quality. After this second release they decided to take a short sabbatical but for unknown reasons they never joined again, in the meanwhile Julian Browning got interested in classical music and decided to write a symphony, so he studied composition and conduction in Latrobe University fulfilling his dream and composing eight symphonies. Both Rainbow Theatre albums have been reissued on Aztec Music.

Members

Julian Browning (guitar/mellotron/keyboards), Ferg McKinnon (bass), Graeme Carter (drums), Mathew Cozens (keyboards), Steve Nash (sax/clarinet/congas), Frank Graham (trumpet), Don Santin (trombone), Keith Hoban (vocals/organ) Ian Relf (trombone), Tricia Shevenan (flute), Chris Stock (oboe), Karin McGechie (violin), Stephen Daunt (violin), Nya Murray (violin), Rowan Thomas (sax), Sara Glenie (cello)

SINGLES
''The Darkness Overture / Petworth House'' 1975 Clear Light Of Jupiter Australia

ALBUMS

'The Armada' 1975 Clear Light Of Jupiter
'Fantasy of Horses' 1976 Clear Light Of Jupiter

References

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2006