01	Starborne						04:31
	02	Stumpy Meets The Firecracker In Stencil Forest						04:21
	03	Upon The Rainbow (Befrost)						04:38
	04	Mr. Mirror's Reflection On Dreams						08:52
	05	Carousel						04:08
	06	Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo						05:22
	07	On Time As A Helix Of Precious Laughs						05:21
	08	Hidden Moods						03:40
	09	New York Dream's Suite						08:31

Mike Beck Percussion
Rick Kennell Electric Bass
Stanley Whitaker Six and Twelve String Guitars, Lead Vocals
Frank Wyatt Saxes, Flute, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Kit Watkins Hammond B3, Acoustic Piano, Rhodes Piano, Arp String Ensemble
Honer Clavinet, Flute, Marimba

Produced by Ken Scott
1977 Arista Records AL1420
From a Japaneese release on Edison ERC 32005 (European Rock Series 28)


Happy The Man

1977
Arista

1 Starborne (Watkins) 4:22
2 Stumpy Meets The Firecracker In Stencil Forest (Whitaker) 4:16
3 Upon The Rainbow (Befrost) (Watkins-Wyatt) 4:42
4 Mr. Mirror's Reflections On Dreams (Watkins) 8:54
5 Carousel (Wyatt) 4:06
6 Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo (Whitaker) 5:22
7 On Time As A Helix Of Precious Laughs (Wyatt) 5:22
8 Hidden Moods (Watkins) 3:41
9 New York Dream's Suite (Wyatt) 8:32

Mike Beck: Percussion
Rick Kennell: Electric Bass
Stanley Whitaker: Six and Twelve String Guitars, Lead Vocals
Frank Wyatt: Saxes, Flute, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Kit Watkins: Mini Moog, Acoustic Piano, Rhodes Piano, Arp String Ensemble, Hammond B3, Hohner Clavinet, Flute, Marimba
Produced by Ken Scott

ROAD CREW
Eric Smith: Road Manager
Steven Meeks: Stage Lighting
Kenny Baily: Stage Manager
Wayne Garber: Sound Engineer
Live Sound Provided by Ace Pace
Cover Art: Mary Walsh Photo/ Dennis Luzak Illustration Back cover Photography: Mary Walsh Inner Sleeve Photo: Benno Friedman Design & Art Direction: Bob Heimall

Special thanks: Jack Anderson, Larry Aronson, David Bach, Kenna Beck, Roger Birnbaun, The Bhongers, Sue Bradbury, Meg Brenner, Mike Brigante, Fred Brown, Geri Calkins, Mary Chappell, Clive Davis, Hal Dean, Steve Durham, Dude, David Eltzroth, Our Families, Stu Fine, Andrea Fisher, Tim Flynn, Cliff Fortney, Howard Fritzson, Gary Funston, Joyce Garber, Jeff Garringer, Geroge and Dee Dee, Sally Heldrich, Mark Homes, Tom Hook, Jim Hoover, Johnny Hornberger, Johnny's Parents, Bill Hunter, Paul Ipoc, Izzy, Ed Kenestrick, Leah Kennell, Alice, Kimball, David Knapp, Bonnie Leon, Nina Levine, Marilyn Lipsius, Crain Mauck, Nancy Jo Morrissey, Tim Moses, Prof. Mota, Dan Owen, Tim Pace, Robin Parr, John Paul, Skip Pizzi, Pup, Suzy Rappold, Ron Reedy, Eddie Ross, Jo Ryle, Ed Sclafani, Donna Sholar, Barbara Smith, C. Shaw Smith, Bob Steinem, Charlie Thomas, Jody Walker, Chris Wellons, Geroge West, Ken Whitaker, Steve Witt, Mike Zirkle. Additional thanks to: Neil Graham of the Percussion and to Paul Reed Smith for the Beautiful Handcrafted Guitars.

Happy the Man: self-titled

Sean McFee:
This was the first release of perhaps America's greatest symphonic act, and the best known behind Kansas, namely Happy the Man. This band took some cues from other similar bands of the time, but were essentially an entity unto themselves. They were predominantly instrumental, and tended to alternate between two kinds of pieces. "Starborne" is an example of their slower, reflective and beautiful pieces. On the other hand, "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest" is one of their faster pieces, an intricate display of odd time sigs featuring ripping guitar parts woven into the tight ensemble playing of the band. The band whips through whimsical, serious, reflective, aggressive moods with the greatest of ease.
There are two vocals tracks here, but in general I find these somewhat less compelling. It is in the instrumental domain that Happy the Man truly shines, a fact that perhaps hurt their marketability back in the day. Had Arista not criminally underpromoted them, who knows how far Happy the Man might have gone? It's hard to say, but what is definite is that this a superior musical product that deserves all the accolades it has received.

Joe McGlinchey:
A double-whammy underdog favorite: a) they were making credible, wholly undiluted prog rock at a time when pretty much no one else was left to, and b) they were Americans. Top-notch musicianship across the board combines with impeccable craftsmanship in the writing department. Several classics can be found here. These include Wyatt's ominous and kaleidoscopic "Carousel," Whitaker's "Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo," a whimsical rhythmic trip-up reminiscent of the finest Zappa, and the Canterbury flavor of "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest". Front and center is Kit Watkins, with keyboard sleight o' hand so diabolical it'll make you glad he never became a card dealer. This album, like their follow-up Crafty Hands, are as classic an example of legitimate American prog rock as you're gonna get. Sadly, like the proverbial tree falling in the woods, for recognition at the time of its release, this largely fell upon deaf ears. But what a redwood it was!

Eric Porter:
I love these guys, period end of story. They create tremendous atmospheres, mostly instrumental music. This is keyboard based music with flashes of guitar, horns, and other instrumentation. The band appears to be able to handle everything from jazz/fusion, new age, progressive and anything else they might attempt. The material is so fresh, if released today it would still be relevant. I picked up this CD from Greg Walker at Syn-Phonic and was very surprised that it was available at all. The music on this disc covers a wide variety of styles. I think fans of Gentle Giant, Canterbury, King Crimson, and fusion would love these guys. This was originally released on Arista Records. My favorites here are "Starborne", "Mr. Mirror's Reflection on Dreams" and "Carousel". This is one band that I am sure a reunion would be very worthwhile, and not a retread, but offer great and interesting new music.




Happy the Man - "Happy the Man" (1977)
I was quite disappointed with this band, especially after all the brag I've heard for them. Don't get me wrong, this is definitively not bad. The band has marvellous instrumental skills, and the production is some of the best I've ever heard on a 70's album. The problem for me is the band's style. They play a kind of a symphonic progressive fusion that sounds a little bit too slick and modern for my taste. And most of the tracks doesn't engage me either. To be honest, I think most of the material is quite boring and lame. Too often the music just goes on and on without building up to anything. Some passages has tendencies to some good themes and interesting moods, but most of the time the album is simply just boring. And I don't understand all the fuzz about keyboard player Kit Watkins. To me he sounds like a good keyboard-player, but Keith Emerson, Dave Stewart and Rick Wakeman could play the ass of him any time. Listen before you buy!





Happy the Man [USA]
Updated 3/21/01
Discography
Happy The Man (77)
Crafty Hands (78)
Third: Better Late (79)
Retrospective (89)
Beginnings (90)
Live (94, recorded 78)
Death's Crown (99, recorded 74)


Reviews
Happy the Man - Rick Kennell, Kit Watkins, Coco Roussel, Frank Wyatt, Stanley Whitaker

HTM produced some of the most stirring, complex, melodic, and MUSICAL works I have ever heard, and although they are rather rare, they are certainly very accessible and you should be able to find their stuff on domestic cd without having to plop down $35+ for it. Throughout their existance as a functioning band (from 1974-1978) they recorded three marvelous LP's. The following musicians appear on each one of these: 1. Frank Wyatt - piano, el. piano, organ, flute, sax 2. Stanley Whitaker - guitars 3. Rick Kennell - bass 4. Kit Watkins - synths, piano, el. piano, organ, flute. Each album had a different drummer (seems the money-grubbing scum at Arista scared them away with their threats of having no commercial appeal as a band, or something like that....). The discography below shows the albums and who played drums on them: 1. Happy The Man - drums: Mike Beck 2. Crafty Hands - drums: Ron Riddle 3. Third: Better Late - drums: Coco Roussel. The first one is arguably the best of the three, although not by much as they are all truly spectacular. It was produced by Ken Scott, of David Bowie and Supertramp fame. This album defines the band's sound very well, one that endured throughout their career. For those of you who have never heard the HTM sound are missing something very special. The band claims to be influenced by Genesis, Yes, and Gentle Giant although they really do not sound anything like any of those bands. They were a band so far ahead of their time that, to this day, they still sound totally revolutionary. The compositions tend to be rather complex and challenging, but they cleverly avoid falling into that dissonant trap that so many bands fall in to when they try to write something complex (e.g. the mid-section of Yes' "Ritual"). HTM maintains a melodic approach to everything they write. On this album you will find: (I quote a suitably impressed music critic) "dazzling artistic vision, instrumental virtuosity, and imagination," "fresh, exhilarating and impossible to categorize (this means please do not try to put a label on this band like "progressive" - it will make a lot of us very mad)," "witness HTM's masterful use of dynamics, tonal colors, and counterpoint; their ability to execute finger-breaking time signatures with deft ease; the lattice-like melodies and ingenious thematic variations that surge and recede with unusual grace and power; and the fact that no matter how complex or demanding their music became, the band always sounded uncluttered and in total control." There. Couldn't have said it better myself. Each member of the band is exceptionally gifted...there is no one single dominant member. The writing is carried out by Watkins, Wyatt, and Whitaker. Watkins tends to write pieces with a lot of symphonic flourish, and you can bet your life there will be some awesome lead synth playing (usually done on a MiniMoog). I once thought Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and Tony Banks were the best around....then I heard HTM. Kit Watkins can bury those guys with his right hand alone. You have to hear him to believe it. His Minimoog settings have an unsurpassed clarity to them, and he knows exactly how to use the pitch-bending feature of the instrument at the right time. I have an old article from Keyboard magazine, around 1982, that shows the settings he used on the MiniMoog to obtain this remarkable, unique sound. Words cannot describe his technical prowess, honest.... Whitaker writes more upbeat, punchy songs, like "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest" from the first LP. Wyatt tends to write the songs with the lyrics, which were sung by Stan Whitaker. Here's what is available on CD to date: 1. Retrospective - a compilation of most of first and second lp, with some stuff from 3rd. Great place to start. 2. HTM 3rd: Better Late 3. Beginnings - features material recorded live in 2-track studio in 1974-75. Features a singer called Cliff Fortney who left the band before being signed to Arista. Very rough recording, but some really great songs. Some are not up to their usual standard of excel- lence, however. Recommended only for die-hards. Do not start with this one. 4. HTM and Crafty Hands were released on Japanese CD, but only 500 copies of each....I have never seen one myself, but I understand they sell for nearly $250 each at shows

THE best U.S. progressive, hands down! Beginnings collects from the earliest years of the band, and is supposed to be exclusively for established fans. (Can you tell I haven't heard it?) The first actual release was the self-titled LP from 1976. Showing influence from Gentle Giant, King Crimson, yet retaining an original identity, they weave an intricate, mostly instrumental tapestry with flutes, saxes, guitar and multiple keyboards. A very impressive debut. Crafty Hands is their classic LP, almost entirely instrumental, with moments of striking beauty ("Morning Sun", "Open Book") and others of hair-raising energetic prog jamming ("Ibby It Is", "Steaming Pipes"). The unbelievable "Service With A Smile" proves that great prog numbers need not be long, it's under three minutes! And "Wind Up Doll Day Wind" is their finest vocal number, with lyrics that give Peter Sinfield a run for his money. If you can find it, don't hesitate to get it! These two albums were anthologized on the CD Retrospective. The third album, recorded sometime around 1979 but not released till the mid-eighties, is the weakest of the original three, but has enough good music to make it worth completing your collection for. "Labyrinth" is as good a song as they've ever recorded, worthy of the best of Crafty Hands. "Eye of the Storm", "Run Into The Ground" and "While Crome Yellow Shine" (huh?) are other good ones. They include a couple of weak vocal tunes ("The Falcon", "Shadow Shaping") that make this one not as desirable to own, but it's not bad. -- Mike Ohman
I've have two albums by them. Beginnings and Crafty Hands. Beginnings is good, but nothing to get excited about. Crafty Hands is much better. I especially like the song "Wind Up Day Doll Wind." I kind of think of it as a cross between Genesis and Yes' "Heart of the Sunrise."
A great band that didn't make it because generally people are musically stupid. Kit Watkins, the keyboardist star of the band, went on to play on a couple of Camel albums but then drifted off into obscurity. He's still making interesting albums though. Because they got signed and apparently fronted enough money, the production on their albums is phenomenal - it holds up well today. Gentle Giant-like in complexity, the musicianship is somewhat better. Kit is an amazing keyboard soloist - a speed demon with an uncanny sense of melody. They never did get a good singer so their best stuff is generally instrumental. A lot of weird and shifting time signatures. "Cosmic" sounding.
This group has a very interesting and well developed sound, their first two albums which were recorded in the late 70s sound like they were recorded just yesterday, they were quite ahead of their time. I got Retrospective and liked the CD 10 times more the second time I heard it than the first time. Definately a grow-on-you group. Seems influenced by Gentle Giant sometimes, gets kind of new-age towards the end of the CD.
One of the best american progressive bands, years ahead of their time - the first two albums sound as fresh and innovative today as they did fifteen years ago. The music is about 90% instrumental, with strong leanings in a jazzy direction, their music is dramatic, complex and sometimes humorously quirky, with bursts of melodic color and odd-time signature explorations throughout. Retrospective is a collection of tracks from their two albums HTM and Crafty Hands (plus a few from their posthumous 3rd), and even though a few excellent tracks from those two are left off, it is still fairly representative of their best period, and a good place to start for the uninitiated. Their 3rd album wasn't released until around 83, and is overall more low-key than the first two, and far too serious - much of the humor in their music (as evidenced so well by early tracks like "Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo," "Stumpy Meets The Firecracker" and "Mr Mirror") had disappeared by the third album, and in comparison it pales, although its vocal tracks are far more cohesive than most they had done before. Beginnings is a collection of early recordings from the 75-76 period, prior to their first album. The material ranges from excellent to so-so, as does the recording quality, but may show some convincing evidence of Canterbury influences in their roots. For serious collectors only.
Excellent band from the USA, featuring Kit Watkins of Camel fame and Coco Roussell of Heldon fame. The music is strongly keyboard oriented and they had two keyboard players. There is also sax, flute, and guitar to round out the mix. The music ranges from dramatic to the sublime, always powerful. There is complex interplay between all the musicians such that it takes several listens to fully comprehend how intertwined the instruments are. The interplay will remind you of Gentle Giant. The melodic lines might remind you of Yes. The music will remind you of how wonderful truly innovative music is. I finally found Retrospective in a cut-out bin and thought I would have to be satisfied. Recently, however, they repressed Crafty Hands for either the third or fourth time. That should give you an indication of how popular it is. The album is everything everyone says it is and more. Snatch it up if you have the chance like I did. You will not be disappointed.
The edition of these 1979 recordings (3rd, Better Late...) remind us of just how regrettable the disappearance of this excellent group is. A music that defies description and a sound that isn't the least bit outdated. Always very melodic, this unique blend of symphonic rock and jazz relies on rich arrangements of keyboards, guitars, bass, vocals, drums, percussions, flute and saxophone. The sustained use of these instruments provide much richness to the sound while solid performances provide dynamic energy. Five excellent musicians that played, we now realize, ahead of their time. -- Paul Charbonneau
Arguably America's greatest progressive rock group played 4 dates in year-2000 and is on the verge of releasing a new CD. New tunes: "Barking Spiders," "A Dream of Amsterdam," "Maui Sunset". New keyboardist has replaced Kit Watkins. And a Web site, too. (see Links). -- Todd Brendan Fahey





Happy the Man
Formed 1972
Disbanded 1979
Years Active
Group Members Kit Watkins Coco Roussel Rick Kennell Dan Owen Ron Riddle David Rosenthal Stanley Whitaker Frank Wyatt Mike Beck
Genres Rock
Styles Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Tones Theatrical
Labels One Way (2), Cuneiform (2)

Often compared to Yes for their melodicism and Gentle Giant for the complexity of their compositions, Happy the Man add their own high-caliber musicianship, a sense of symphonic drama, odd time signatures, spacy sound, and occasional whimsy to their brand of art-rock. Although their largely instrumental oeuvre is rather inconsistent, Happy the Man still carry a devoted following on the prog-rock collectors' circuit. The group was formed in 1974 and features keyboardist Kit Watkins, keyboardist/woodwind player Frank Wyatt, guitarist and occasional vocalist Stan Whitaker, and bassist Rick Kennell, plus a rotating succession of drummers. Original vocalist Cliff Fortney left the band before it signed to Arista. Their self-titled 1977 debut was recorded with drummer Mike Beck and introduced each member's compositional style: Watkins possessed the symphonic grandeur, Wyatt gravitated towards songs with lyrics, and Whitaker allowed his sense of humor to come through on pieces such as "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest" and "Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo." The follow-up, Crafty Hands, featured drummer Ron Riddle and was released a year later. By the time Third: Better Late was released in 1979 with drummer Coco Roussel, Happy the Man had broken up. Kit Watkins joined Camel for two albums before fading into obscurity; some Happy the Man albums remain in print on independent labels, as well as the Retrospective collection and Beginnings, a series of early two-track studio recordings with Fortney. - Steve Huey


1976 Happy the Man One Way
1978 Crafty Hands One Way
1984 3rd: Better Late... Azimuth
1994 Live Linden Music
1999 Death's Crown Cuneiform

1995 Beginnings Cuneiform
Retrospective East Side






The wait is over... After 20+ years the long awaited Happy the Man reunion is finally here. After a few ill-fated attempts at a reunion the timing was finally right and everything simply 'lined up'.


One of America's finest contributions to the progressive rock genre, Happy the Man reformed in September of 1999 after a 20 year hiatus. Discovering they still had quite a fan base in the progressive rock music world and on the internet, Stan Whitaker moved back to the east coast from Los Angeles to reform HTM. After receiving a few offers to headline progressive rock festivals with a reunited HTM while playing with L.A. based prog group Ten Jinn, he was on the phone with the other 'happy men' and the result is a reunited Happy the Man!
The current lineup is the entire 'Crafty Hands' lineup sans Kit Watkins. Kit was interested in only doing a new album with the band but had no interest in doing any 'live' shows. For the rest of the band, playing 'live' was one of the main motivating factors in a Happy the Man reunion!

Stan Whitaker, Frank Wyatt, Rick Kennell and Ron Riddle felt the obvious choice to replace Kit was old friend and HTM fan David Rosenthal. While David was a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston he and fellow student Steve Vai had a band together called "Morning Thunder" that played HTM toon 'Knee-bitten Nymphs in Limbo'. While Steve was busy transcribing Zappa music, David was busy transcribing Happy the Man music.

Rick and Stan first met David at a niteclub in New York with post-HTM group Vision. He showed up with complete transcriptions of HTM toons and then proceeded to blow them away even more by sitting down at the piano and playing a few of them flawlessly! He has spent the past 7 years playing with Billy Joel and before that Cyndi Lauper, Robert Palmer, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malsteem, Enrique Iglesias and Rainbow just to name a few. He brings a wealth of experience and chops to the reformed Happy the Man as well as being a prolific writer.In a pure coincidence, at the same time the band was reuniting, their two classic Arista albums were about to be rereleased by One Way Records ( a New York record label specializing in 'classic' out of print progressive albums including Gentle Giant, Renaissance, Jerry Goodman, etc)

When the band found out, Rick met with Mike Kraft at One Way and, as it turned out One Way actually had in it's possession from Arista the first generation master of "Crafty Hands", which had been lost for years! Kit had already remastered the Japanese pressing of "Happy the Man" (the first album) from a non-dolby safety master. Rick immediately sent Kit the original "Crafty Hands" master and he proceeded to put his remastering touch on it. It was also discovered that the "Happy the Man" master was the same 'safety' master as the Japanese pressings that Kit had previously remastered. So, One Way went with the superior quality Kit Watkins remastered versions for thier releases.



Needless to say, both Arista albums were then meticulously remastered by Kit from the original masters and released for the first time ever in this country in their entirety on cd in September of 1999 by One Way Records. (the compilation cd "Retrospective" - East Side Digital was not
from the original masters nor were they 'cleaned up' by Kit's remastering) In February 2000 the same remasters were released in Europe for the first time ever on cd by Musea. The following "Band History" comes from the liner notes for the Musea releases.

Happy the Man is currently in rehearsals for upcoming 'live' shows and a new album. The band assures their fans that they will not be disappointed! Performing old 'classics' that sound as fresh and invigorating today as they did 20+ years ago with new 'soon to be classics', their 'live' shows promise to be more exciting than ever! Their highly anticipated new album is also in the works and will be released in the fall/winter of 2000!




Liner notes from "Happy the Man"- Musea european release
Twenty years after its initial demise, interest in Happy The Man's music is at its strongest. And with plans underway for a long-awaited and eagerly-expected reunion, the time has come for those not yet aware of its magic to finally discover the musical legacy of America's premier progressive rock band, at last available in digital format in all its sonic glory, thanks to Kit Watkins' careful remastering work.

Although Happy The Man only released two official albums during its 7-year existence, their impact was strong enough on those lucky enough to be exposed to them to durably endear the group to a cult following that has been growing ever since. And with the passing of the years, Happy The Man's music has demonstrated a timeless quality which suggests that it was not only ahead of its time, it was also, in many ways, beyond this world.

The story begins, strangely enough, at a US Army base in Germany in mid-1972. Fort Wayne, Indiana-based bass player Rick Kennell, had just got drafted and was stationed there, beginning a two-year stint in the army. Having paid his dues with teenage band Zelda, alongside drummer Michael Beck and singer Cliff Fortney, and subsequently with Monolith, still with Beck but without Fortney (who had moved on to the pre-Ethos band Atlantis), Kennell hoped to resume his musical career as soon as he'd be finished with his military commitments.

Good fortune arrived in the shape of local band Shady Grove, whose line-up included two expatriate Americans, guitarist Stanley Whitaker and keyboard player David Bach. Whitaker, whose army officer father had left Virginia for Germany four years earlier, was soon to graduate from high school, and while in Europe had become familiar with all the major progressive rock bands - Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Yes and others. Whitaker and Kennell met and jammed prior to Shady Grove's gig and discovered they had similar musical aspirations. Soon they made plans to form a band together, although obviously it would be a while until Kennell could actually take part.

Whitaker relocated to Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the autumn of 1972 to study at the James Madison University. Kennell arranged for him and Bach to meet his former musical accomplices, Beck and Fortney, who quickly moved to Virginia to start rehearsals. It was now early 1973, and Whitaker's elder brother, Ken, having elected to become the band's sound engineer, suggested the name Happy The Man, a reference from the bible and Goethe's rather than the obscure Genesis single which, at the time, nobody in the band even knew existed.

David Bach, who thought it wiser to devote time to getting his music degree than playing keyboards with the band, quickly left. Finding a replacement proved very easy. Whitaker had met Frank Wyatt in a music theory class at JMU, and both were members of the 18-piece Jazz Ensemble led by their theory instructor Dr. George West. A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Wyatt had started on clarinet, changing to sax in eigth grade (he was All-State Symphonic band first-chair tenor sax in Virginia for 3 consecutive years), but also played piano, albeit less proficiently. He later described his role as keyboard player in Happy The Man as the keyboard equivalent to a rhythm guitarist.

This wouldn't be problem for Happy The Man since, around the same time, Whitaker made another decisive discovery in the 19-year-old son of Madison university piano teacher Lowell Watkins. The young Christopher, soon known to all as Kit, had received tuition on the piano from an early age, but had only become interested in classical music - and the crucial influences of such composers as Debussy and Ravel - second-hand through the work of European progressive bands such as Genesis. Watkins had finished high school the previous year, and having dropped out of university after just one semester, was now sharing his time between a day job in a factory and a cover band, whose repertoire consisted mainly of reworkings of ELP and Genesis material. In addition to his already considerable skills on keyboards (which actually owed even more to Mahavishnu Orchestra's synth virtuoso Jan Hammer than the British masters), he'd also taken flute lessons from fifth to tenth grade.

Most of the subsequent months were spent assembling an original repertoire, although Happy The Man's earliest gigs included a few covers, notably Genesis's , King Crimson's <21st Century Schizoid Man> and Van der Graaf Generator's . The composition work was shared equally between Whitaker, Watkins, Fortney and Wyatt, although the latter would soon prove the most prolific. Typically, the group would rehearse six nights a week, from six to eight hours a day, and would painstakingly attempt to master their complex arrangements, which they would faithfully reproduce in their live performances : Happy The Man's music had no room for improvisation, and the songs were played exactly the same way every time, even down to the solos.

By early 1974, Rick Kennell was finally able to join 'his' band, and soon after his arrival Happy The Man committed their first compositions to tape. These early demos, along with some later ones, were released in 1990 on the CD. While much more derivative than the band's subsequent output, these tracks already point to key elements of its future style - the delicate melodies, sophisticated arrangements and floating atmospheres - although the complex structures lack the purity and fluidity of Happy The Man's best work.

Later that year, after about twenty concerts with the band, Fortney departed, for a variety of reasons - stagefright, as well as his inability to keep up with the technical challenges in the music. He also planned to devote more time to studying flute. His replacement was another friend of Kennell and Beck's from Indiana, Dan Owen, who stuck with Happy The Man for about eight months before deciding to leave for pastures new (becoming Genesis's touring guitar tech, which led to him singing on Anthony Phillips' album ), much to his colleagues' regret. In fact the decision to turn instrumental was taken at that point because they didn't believe they would be able to find anyone to top him.

During the period when Owen was in the band, Happy The Man embarked on possibly their most ambitious venture ever, the multimedia work , which involved a sophisticated light show and a dance troop and was only performed a handful of times. The discovery of a long-lost rehearsal tape ensured that at least the musical part (a continuous 38-minute suite divided into 11 parts) could see the light of day, on the 1999 self-titled CD. At that point, Whitaker and Wyatt were still involved in George West's jazz ensemble, and Wyatt had forged a lasting creative relationship with Eddie Kinestrick, a former University of New York theater director now working in the theater department at Madison. After HTM broke up, Wyatt and Kinestrick unsuccessfully attempted to produce an off-Broadway musical based on , but all hope is not lost - with the aid of fellow composer and friend Steve Durham, Wyatt is still hoping to stage it at some point, under a new title - - and with a more refined theme, based in shamanism and the tarot.

Owen's eventual departure proved a turning point in Happy The Man's career. The band dropped almost all of its previous material and started almost from scratch in a new direction. Wyatt's composition (titled after Kinestrick's three-legged dog) was the first step, later proving a favourite of the band's concert (although it was never included on an album because producer Ken Scott didn't like it), quickly followed by Whitaker's and Watkins' . Unlike his colleagues, who relied on collective input in rehearsals to finalise arrangements (especially in the case of Wyatt, whose demos often consisted of chord structures lacking a definite melody line), Watkins usually presented his compositions in finished form, with everyone's parts worked out.

A further demo tape was recorded in July 1975, showcasing the new instrumental-based material, before Happy The Man decided to move to Washington, D.C., with a view to gaining a larger following and securing a recording contract. In a matter of months, an hour's worth of new music was written, and the band quickly gained a loyal following, in large part because of consistent airplay and support from the Georgetown University public radio station WGTB-FM. Before long, HTM signed a management deal with the owners of The Cellar Door, a local venue where the band performed many times.

In mid-1976, the band finally managed to secure a contract with Arista. This was shortly after Happy The Man, through their manager's business connections, brought the band to the attention of former Genesis lead vocalist Peter Gabriel, then looking for a backing group. On June 28th, Gabriel came down to the band's house in Arlington for a trial session, where he presented the band with some of his newly written material, notably the song , which they rehearsed. For some reason, the singer went away with the impression that HTM sounded too much like Genesis, which was something he wanted to avoid. But there was also some reluctance from the band's point of view : although Gabriel's offer included HTM opening each of his gigs with a set of their own material, they were unsure whether this would be a viable arrangement in the long term. Happy The Man felt very strongly about their own music, and wanted to devote a hundred percent of their creativity and energy to it.

Although inconclusive, this brief association with Gabriel dramatically increased the band's profile, and the contract offered by Arista - a five-year, multi-album deal - certainly reflected that. The label's boss, former CBS Records executive Clive Davis, seemed to understand that Happy The Man was bound to remain a marginal, if not cult phenomenon, although he was also convinced that a big break could come from the film industry - their music's cinematic quality, he thought, would be the perfect match for a science-fiction movie, and he tried to get HTM to do the soundtrack to Steven Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', then in the production stage. Although Arista eventually unceremoniously dropped the band, they did initially believe in its potential, investing a quarter of a million dollars in the production of its two albums.

was recorded at A&M Studios towards the end of 1976, with Ken Scott assuming production duties. The band had all admired his groundbreaking work with such luminaries as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Supertramp and David Bowie, and invited him to attend one of their live performances at the Cellar Door. Scott was hooked, and spent a lot of time, in the weeks prior to the sessions, listening to tapes of the band's music to think of production ideas and tricks (such as recording guitar and synth solos at half speed and/or multi-tracking them, as evidenced in what Whitaker referred to as his 'cartoon music' pieces, and , or the introduction to ) that could help showcasing the full extent of their talent. His commitment to the project was all the more welcome as Happy The Man's experience of studio technology was thus far confined to a four-track demo session...

Although Scott's perfectionism - he would often get the band to do 20-30 takes of any given section to get it perfectly right - may have ended up taking some intensity and life out of the performances in certain cases, it did however ensure that the exceptional sophistication of Happy The Man's unique arrangements and sound was captured in all its futuristic glory. This was particularly true of the more ethereal sections, based on dreamy and floating textures created by sustained strings and arpeggiated Rhodes piano, and enhanced with sophisticated harmonic and melodic writing, not to mention the frequent use of irregular meters and rhythmic syncopation.

The album is largely intrumental, with Stanley Whitaker taking the lead vocal on the two number that do feature lyrics, penned by Frank Wyatt. Although he later pursued solo and band ventures that showcased his vocal talents, Whitaker was initially reluctant to sing, which accounts in part for the low amount of singing on HTM's Arista albums. In fact, the closing number on the album, , initially featured vocals, but those were subsequently removed in favour of a completely instrumental version. This conceptual mini-suite was for the most part mentally composed by Wyatt on the Staten Island ferry, while visiting New York City and staying on the Island with some of the dancers from the troupe. Its plot - the story of a man waking from a dream state to the roar of the city - is probably the best description of what the listener experiences after the last notes of the album have evaporated. Reality after listening to a Happy The Man album can only be disappointing.

-Aymeric Leroy









Happy the Man



Happy the Man (1976)
Crafty Hands (1978)
3rd: Better Late... (Archival, Recorded 1979, Released 1990)
Beginnings (Archival 1990)
Live (Recorded 1978, Released 1994)
Death's Crown (Archival, Recorded 1974-1976, Released 1999)

County Of Origin: USA
Established: 1973
Styles: Symphonic


Biography

Happy the Man were one of, if not the greatest American prog band, and made a name for themselves in the rather paltry American progressive scene in the late 70s. Taking a page from the Canterbury school, they combined lush melodies, great complex interplay and a slightly jazzy touch with occasional vocals. Most often compared to Camel for their evocative melodic approach, Happy the Man successfully fused frenetic and exciting jams with lush and mellow symphonic passages into a completely unique sound. Being superb musicians didn't hurt either, as they made very complex pieces sound like second nature. Their first two albums, the self titled Happy the Man and Crafty Hands are classic albums of the highest order, and are considered by the band to be the definitive releases in their catalogue. These are must haves.

The band reformed in late 1999, in time for an awesome performance at NEARfest 2000 with original members Stan Whitaker, Frank Wyatt, and Rick Kennell, along with Crafty Hands drummer Ron Riddle and new keyboardist David Rosenthal. The band recently headlined ProgDay 2002, and work on a new album is underway, and is anticipated to arrive in the near future. - Mike Prete [September 2002]

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Happy The Man (1977)

This has to be one of the most amazing albums I've heard. Happy the Man's self titled debut contains all the elements that would come to define their sound; Kit Watkins' amazing, yet subtle keyboard work, great compositional skills and intricate playing. The band, while complex, was never pretentious, as evidenced by such humorous titles as "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest" and "Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo". The band is comprised of some truly virtuoso musicians who can play at breakneck speeds, and change tempo on a dime.

The music usually falls into three categories, ethereal symphonic pieces, playful fusion-ish workouts and a combination of both. This album has a somewhat wider palette of sounds than its follow up Crafty Hands, which seems a bit more subdued to me. This debut has a tendency for a slightly more ominous tone in some of the songs, as well as more aggressive guitar playing from Whitaker. The pieces thrive on the layered textures created by the group, especially Watkins and Wyatt's various keyboards and woodwinds. Bassist Rick Kennell stands out in the mix more than on Crafty Hands, adding another element to the sound.

Every piece on the album is excellent, from the beautiful "Starborne" and "Hidden Moods", to the playful Canterbury-esque "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest". There are two vocal tracks here, "Upon the Rainbow" and "On Time as a Helix of Precious Laughs". I've heard complaints about Whitaker's vocals, but I find them competent at the least. "Carousel" is a great ominous track, with great keyboards and more aggressive guitar. The highlight of the album is the high energy "Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo", which has some amazing Mini-Moog work, along with a great horn sound from Wyatt. The dueling solos between Whitaker and Watkins are some of the best I've ever heard, feeding off each other to great heights. Exquisite. There isn't much more I can say about this album but to pick it up as soon as you can if you don't already own it. Additionally, the sound quality is excellent, as it has recently been remastered by Kit Watkins. - Mike Prete [February 2001]

1. Starborne
2. Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest
3. Upon the Rainbow [Befrost]
4. Mr. Mirror's Reflection on Dreams
5. Carousel
6. Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo
7. On Time as a Helix of Precious Laughs
8. Hidden Moods
9. New York Dream's Suite

Mike Beck - Drums, Percussion
Stanley Whitaker - Vocals, Guitar
Frank Wyatt - Vocals, Wind, Flute, Keyboards, Piano, Saxophone
Rick Kennell - Bass, Electric Guitar
Kit Watkins - Clavinet, Flute, Keyboards, Marimbas, Mini Moog, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer

One Way Records - OW 34546 - 1999
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Crafty Hands (1978)

Crafty Hands is the second piece of perfection to be produced by Happy the Man, before they broke up soon after. Crafty Hands expands upon the instrumental prowess of the first album, containing only one vocal track. The compositions here are all top-notch, Watkins, Whitaker and Wyatt being fine songwriters, and complimenting each other's styles greatly with a mixture of serene, playful and epic pieces. The playing is just as masterful, as the band is able to create complex pieces that are never short in melody or emotion. In a way, HtM could be considered the Spinal Tap of the prog world, having had a different drummer for every release. This time around, Ron Riddle makes an excellent addition to the lineup.

The songs follow the usual HtM format, beautiful symphonic pieces such as "Morning Sun", "Open Book" and "The Moon I Sing" are lush and mellow, providing a wonderful contrast to the more upbeat portions of the album. "Open Book" is a great example of how the band is able to play complex pieces in odd time signatures and pull it off with out it sound forced. This is a great medieval tinged piece, with Wyatt's harpsichord and Watkins' recorder stealing the show.

As always, there are the upbeat playful songs, tinged with fusion, that make this band truly unique. "Steaming Pipes" and "I Forgot To Push It" are instantly recognizable, with Wyatt's sax honking and great drum work from Riddle, not to mention the usually flawless playing of the rest of the band. It's usually Watkins that steals the show, with the best Mini-Moog playing I've ever heard drenching the album. "Ibby It Is" and "Wind Up Doll Day Wind" are two of the standout pieces of the album, combining mellow symphonic flourishes and frenetic energy with epic results. "Wind Up..." is the only vocal piece on the album, with Wyatt's great poetic lyrics delivered competently by Whitaker. Just as with the first album, I discover something new to love with this album after every listen. Not owning this album is inexcusable. Go pick it up, post-haste. - Mike Prete [February 2001]


1. Service with a Smile
2. Morning Sun
3. Ibby It Is
4. Steaming Pipes
5. Wind Up Doll Day Wind
6. Open Book
7. I Forgot to Push It
8. Moon, I Sing (Nossuri)

Ron Riddle - Drums, Percussion
Stanley Whitaker - Vocals, Guitar
Frank Wyatt - Vocals, Wind, Flute, Keyboards, Piano, Saxophone
Rick Kennell - Bass, Electric Guitar
Kit Watkins - Clavinet, Flute, Keyboards, Marimbas, Mini Moog, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer

One Way Records - OW 34547 - 1999
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3rd Better Late... (1979)

From the liner notes: "This is the final demo tape made by Happy the Man. It was recorded in February, 1979 at the band house in Reston, Virginia, using a Teac 3340 4-track recorder. Basic tracks were recorded live by all members. Flute, sax, vocals, and some solos were overdubbed. Final mixes were made on a Revox A-77 half-track at 1 1/2 ips. Tape hiss and minor amounts of distortion were inevitable with the equipment available at the time."

This is yet another posthumous release from Happy the Man. Comprised of the demos for what would have been their third album, 3rd Better Late... stands as a document of the band during their last year together. As can be expected with a demo, the sound quality is not up to par with the previous albums, but the majority of the songs were remixed by Kit Watkins in 1989.

The songs here showcase the mellow, symphonic side of the band much more than on previous releases. There is also an 'easy listening' vibe present in some places that tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth. The album also features a much larger vocal presence, present on four tracks. The first six songs (with the exception of "While Chrome Yellow Shine") tend to drag along in search of ideas, and fail to reach out and grab you. The album starts to kick into gear with "Run into the Ground" which is a return to the form of the more fast paced and high energy songs. "Labyrinth" is the most successful fusion of these extremes, mellow and upbeat, into one track.

When all's said and done, this album should obviously be judged on its demo nature. By the time these songs would have seen their way to a record, there would inevitably have been changes. For those of you who enjoy the first two albums and need more HtM, this is the next logical step. Just don't expect a classic. - Mike Prete [February 2001]


1. Eye Of The Storm - 3:58
2. The Falcon - 6:09
3. At The Edge Of This Thought - 5:16
4. While Chrome Yellow Shine - 6:10
5. Who's In Charge Here? - 5:39
6. Shadow Shaping - 4:25
7. Run Into The Ground - 5:02
8. Footwork - 4:19
9. Labyrinth - 7:29
10. Such A Warm Breeze - 5:08

Kit Watkins - Flute, Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, Remixing
Coco Roussel - Percussion, Drums
Rick Kennell - Bass
Stanley Whitaker - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Frank Wyatt - Flute, Piano (Electric), Sax (Alto), Lyricist

Cuneiform Records - 55001 - 1990
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Beginnings (1990)

From The Liner Notes: This recording is a collection of music from Happy the Man's first two years - 1974 and 1975: Tracks 4 and 5 recorded live at the first band house, Rockbridge Circle, Harrisonburg, Virginia, February 1974 with two mikes onto 2-track tape. Additional processing and transfer to DAT by Kit Watkins, 1990. Tracks 2 and 3 recorded at Mennonite Broadcasting, Harrisonburg, April 1974 onto 4 track tape, engineered by Abe Ritenhouse. Re-mixed by Kit Watkins onto DAT, 1989. Tracks 1, 6, and 7 recorded live at the band's "warehouse" in Harrisonburg, July 1975 with 2 mikes onto 2-track tape. Additional processing and transfer to DAT by Kit Watkins, 1989.

First off, it must be said that these tracks are basically demos, with the sound quality to match. Considering what they used to record this material though, this is still a very listenable affair which gives an early glimpse at what would become America's greatest progressive rock band. The core of the band that would go on to produce the classics Happy the Man and Crafty Hands is intact here and it shows. The songs are well crafted and competently played, while lacking the same punch the band would later attain. However, this is to be expected considering these are the very first recordings they made. There is a much lager reliance on vocals here, which are handled well by Cliff Fortney. The music is sparser and more laid back, including more atmospheric keyboard work. There are a lot of nice extra percussive elements such as chimes used to compliment the quieter pieces. The band does let loose in places, and the last few minutes of "Gretchen's Garden" is one of the more successful examples of this. "Partly the State" is the strongest song overall, with nice shifts in dynamics, interesting vocal work and great percussion.

Taken for what it is, this is a nice collection of songs that shows the roots of a sound that would be perfected on later releases. An interesting addition for fans of the band's other albums, but if you don't have them, there's no need for this one, yet. - Mike Prete [February 2001]


1. Leave That Kitten Alone, Armone - 9:16
2. Passion's Passing - 8:40
3. Don't Look to The Running Sun - 9:52
4. Gretchen's Garden - 11:04
5. Partly The State - 9:20
6. Broken Waves - 5:49
7. Portrait of a Waterfall - 6:45

Mike Beck - Drums, percussion
Cliff Fortney - Lead vocals, flute, Rhodes (2-5)
Rick Kennell - Bass
Kit Watkins - Multi-keyboards, vocals
Stanley Whitaker - Electric guitar, vocals
Frank Wyatt - Keyboards, Alto Sax, Flute, Vocals

Cuneiform Records - WMAS 3 - 1990
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Death's Crown (1999)

Death's Crown is an archival release originally recorded by the band in 1974. The piece was the musical part of a multimedia event comprised of dancers, actors, a light show and slides. This recording was made in the band's rehearsal room. In comparison to the songs on Beginnings, which were recorded around the same time, Death's Crown is much more mature and experimental. Like Beginnings, this release also leaves much to be desired where sound quality is concerned, but is to be expected due to the demo nature of the tapes. For the most part, the instrumental parts are very clean sounding. It's the vocals that get lost and distorted, making them hard to decipher and listen to.

"Death's Crown" is a 38 minute suite made up of eleven parts that flow together nicely. The music here is very similar to what would be the band's classic sound from their first two albums, well composed and arranged, with plenty of great melodies. Like their other work, the evocative instrumental sound easily carries the music through the story. I find it amazing that such a great piece was written during the band's first year together. "Part 5" will be familiar to those you who have heard their later albums, as it re-appears as "Open Book" on Crafty Hands. The two bonus tracks feature an early recording of "New York Dreams Suite" with vocal overdubs from Owen and some differing parts from the final version which would appear on their debut album. "Merlin of the High Places" is a beautiful piece in the typical HTM vein.

Despite its raw sound, Death's Crown is a wonderful document from this great band. It has been such a treat for HtM fans that Cuneiform has released all this archive material as a companion to the two major albums. For those of you who enjoy the first two Arista albums, this one should not disappoint. - Mike Prete [February 2001]


1. Death's Crown Pt. 1 - 3:04
2. Death's Crown Pt. 2 - :48
3. Death's Crown Pt. 3 - 5:55
4. Death's Crown Pt. 4 - 6:47
5. Death's Crown Pt. 5 - 4:57
6. Death's Crown Pt. 6 - 3:11
7. Death's Crown Pt. 7 - 5:24
8. Death's Crown Pt. 8 - 1:28
9. Death's Crown Pt. 9 - :44
10. Death's Crown Pt. 10 - 2:35
11. Death's Crown Pt. 11 - 3:01
12. New York Dreams Suite - 8:45
13. Merlin Of The High Places - 7:10

Kit Watkins - Organ, Flute, Recorder, Sound Effects, Clavinet, Digital Editing, Mastering, String Ensemble
Rick Kennell - Bass
Dan Owen - Bass, Percussion, Vocals, Guitar (Classical)
Stanley Whitaker - Guitar, Recorder
Frank Wyatt - Piano (Electric), Vocals
Mike Beck - Drums, Percussion

Cuneiform Records - 55015 - 1999






Happy The Man - Happy the Man

Member: progfellow

It would be difficult for me to decide whether I enjoy this self-titled debut or the follow-up, Crafty Hands, more. Hopefully I'll never have to decide.

For those unfamiliar with the group, Happy the Man are primarily instrumental (though not always) and consist of the usual drums/bass/guitar and keys but also have an additional member who takes on woodwinds and more keys. They are generally one of the most respected US progressive outfits of the seventies.

As is made clear now that two albums of previously unreleased pre-debut album material have surfaced in the nineties, their self-titled album is actually the product of a well-rehearsed and tight band. I won't compare them to any of the well-known UK bands because I think their sound is uniquely their own. They are rock-based with a very heavy dose of jazz and some classical and have a very pleasing sense of melody and atmosphere, but their biggest strength lies in their ability to create very intricate and enjoyable rythms, often employing interesting time signatures.

Many of these characteristics might seem common to progressive bands, but HtM does it with a certain wit that really makes it fun to listen to. This is really shown in songs such as "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker In Stencil Forest" or "Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo". Imagine instrumental music that could match such titles- this is it. Other songs have more of a dreamlike quality to them and acheive the effect New Age aims at but without being washed out or boring. And then one song, "Carousel"- a nightmarish amusement park soundtrack- offers some emotional contrast to these.

2 of the 9 songs contain vocals, which are often cited as HtMs weakest trait. I must admit to agreeing with this to a certain extent- Stan's voice is somewhat throaty and dry. Some people skip these tracks, but I think the songs themselves are good enough that I enjoy them despite this problem.

I'm always excited to listen to this debut release one more time. HtM are often called "the greatest US prog band", and this album definately helps to support that statement.