Progman 2002 by Glass & Friends

Tracks 1-5 are a suite called "Dedicated to Mike (but we can't find you)." Mike Ratledge was invited to the Progam Cometh Festivals but politely declined, saying he no longer even played. That broke our hearts.

Track 6, originally entitled "Miles, Monk and Mom," was written with a horn part for somebody "along the lines of Elton Dean." When the chance came at Progman Cometh to actually record it with the REAL Elton Dean, well, my life was complete.

Tracks 7-9 are a suite called "The Catch."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progman_Cometh


“Progman Cometh”, Seattle, USA, 2002
sometimes referred to as “Canterburied in Seattle”

How could this actually have happened, how did this come to be?
answers & comments 01/19/2025 from concert promoter Jerry Cook, drummer for “Glass”

I have been asked this question often. Many an answer has been provided by others,
with no comprehensive response from myself. I would like to say, that the concert was completely organic and just happened naturally, like music itself does for me, though I would be more inclined to just say it was “karma”. In reality, either description is accurate, along with joyous, time consuming, hard work.

So, how do I keep this as short yet as concise as possible? And, how can I possibly sort through all of the hundreds of moments, stories, emotions, friendships made, and now, friends lost by their passings, (each living on through their music and our memories). Memories like; a little soccer in the front yard at my house with Hugh and Phil, dinner talks with everyone, “sitting in” on rehearsal sessions, outings around Seattle, many things shared, to say nothing of the years reconnecting and collaborations which have transpired since.

You could say it all began in 1968 when first exposed to Soft Machine at a concert in Seattle, where they were the opening act for “Hendrix” (“Jimi“, of course). “Soft Machine”, Ratledge, Ayers & Wyatt, with Hopper (the roadie) literally holding up the amps as the revolving stage turned. - Seattle Center Colosseum - Center revolving stage, - 360 degree visuals, Wyatt ‘s vocals, - heart pounding irregular rhythmic time signatures, - swirling audible melodies.

I thought to myself, “someday”. Years of music later, “someday” was here.

We (Glass) had just finished playing a 3 day music festival in Mexico, (Baja Prog). I was driving the 1,500 miles back home, thinking… why don’t I set up a 3 day music festival in Seattle and book who I’d like to perform with. First to come to mind, Soft Machine, (no longer together).

With plenty of “drive think time”, the organic seeds were sown. Humm… get them back together, don’t know any of them, no problem, figure it out, you know…“six degrees of separation”, less among musicians, applied logistics, is that all this takes? “I’ve never done anything like this before”. I’d been organizing construction sites & projects for years, can’t be much different right! (“sarcastically”).

Longtime friend Erik (“live” sound man for “Glass”) was riding along with me, trying to make sense of all thoughts, which just kept flowing out. The seeds from years ago had grown without my knowledge, and unknown to me at the time, I could be the missing link in motivating their return, complete with a new recording release.

“Time to get the band back together”.
Within the span of a few of weeks, I had been performing in Mexico, driving back to Seattle, making phone calls, mixing at RLS studios in Seattle, with flights here & there, ending up in “L A” (Los Angeles). Note: bandmate Jeff Sherman had been casually corresponding with Hugh Hopper, who was working at a retail record store in England at the time. (“imagine that”).

The 1st degree of separation was already in place.
Now, conversations are in the real world, not just “out of my mind”.
While sitting in a hotel room in “L A” with my wife, (a big supporter for me, married 47 years as I write this down), I got a call from the acting manager for Soft Machine (Leonardo Pavkovic, owner of “MoonJune” records). We talked and the deal was made for their first performance in so, so many years. This, the latest (at that time) rendition of Soft Machine. I know, “Soft Ware”, “Soft Works”, we all know they were “Soft Machine”!
John Marshall, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean & Allan Holdsworth.
Then, the whirlwind really began. I secured the venue, the Moore Theater, partner venue of the Paramount Theater, STG. With the help of my band mates Jeff & Greg Sherman, and sound man & photographer Erik Poulsen, I began adding artists, Pip Pyle with his band “Pip’s Pyle’s Bash”, “Caveman -Shoestore”, in this case “Hughscore” featuring Hugh Hopper, a couple of bands from the last gig in Mexico (Azigza & Kopecky), another from Denver (Hamster Theatre), all to try to compliment the play bill as best I could.

Next, to my surprise came Richard Sinclair “the man with the golden voice” and piano man extraordinaire David Rees Williams, then added was Daevid Allen “Mr original Soft Machine”, (Daevid’s group was “University of Errors”), and, Kevin Ayers (whom I last saw back in 68), My thoughts & emotions were, “Wow”. Then, a request from Phil Miller of all people, “any room for my band”? “In Cahoots”, To which I replied, “really?… of course”. Lastly, a couple of local bands (Phreeworld & Stinkhorn).

There was a band booked from Chile, “Akineton Retard”, but they were unable to get visas in time. Additionally, a guest performer (and longtime friend) Pete Pendras (Red Dress & others), was introduced as back up musician for my band “Glass”. Other guest musicians with Glass were; Elton Dean, Bill (William) Kopecky & Paul Kopecky. “Truly organic, no rehearsals for this”.

Note: Conversations with Mike Ratledge and Robert Wyatt couldn’t bring them in as performers, nor even as guests (I tried, the conversations are memorable though).

There were however other notable attendees including author Aymeric Leroy, premier authority of “all things” Soft Machine (and prog classic musicians in general), Steven Feigenbaum of Cuneiform Records, and Robert Carlberg a longtime friend and fan/historian of “all things Glass”.
I began to compile equipment lists, back line, front of house, live mixing & live recording equipment needed! (“why not record, can’t let this go by”), microphones, cords, the baby grand from my house… a couple of hundred “K” later… oh yea what about airline tickets, hotels, food.

Then an “epiphany”, why not take my wife and fly to England & France to meet everyone “Canterbury”, hand deliver their tickets & itineraries, make it personal not just transactional.

“Off to Canterbury”

What a trip, yes some basic hotel stay but, dinner with and an overnight at Pip’s place, a couple of nights at Richard’s house, some train transport, crazy car/van rides. Sitting in the garden at Phil’s home, long walks around Kent Canterbury, narration & stories provided by Richard, (at times through bursts of vocal melody). We were welcomed into an all-night music party by the sea, with former members of Caravan and others. Meeting everyone’s spouses / partners was especially rewarding, as was meeting members of each band and other musicians in general.

Ah, then there was a “in the studio” with the wife, during tracking sessions of Soft Machine’s comeback LP Abracadabra, (with a little hands on mixing for me to boot).

When we got back, I decided to rent the Moore theater for the week before the gig as well, to use as additional rehearsal space/time for some of the main acts, as well as our band. As the festival concert dates came closer my wife thought we should get a limo for ground transport of performers as they arrive, so we bought one from her father who had an old “Caddy-Limo” he wasn’t using any longer. One of my daughters and her partner printed up some “amazing” playbill booklets.

Our photographer Erik put together a website www.twomonkeyfinger.com , and took hundreds of pictures. I’ll tell the story behind the name “TwoMonkeyFinger” another time,
(on the web site), might even get into all of my nicknames through the years, (like anyone cares). There are some interesting interactions to recount, some serious, others humorous.

Enjoy. We’re posting a bunch of pictures later this year, and many untold stories from those days and everything those days led to. Send us your related stories, pictures, and videos, so we can add them to the experience.

Like I stated a few paragraphs earlier, many people have given their side or view of things, some far more eloquently than I.

Karma, logistics, joy, hard work, “it’s all organic”. Everyhing took on a life of its’s own and became music for my/our ears and forever will live in my heart.

“long live music”
- Jerry Cook, 7 February 2025

Glass is the leading progressive symphonic rock band to come out of the Pacific Northwest.

https://gregsherman.bandcamp.com
https://jeffreysherman.bandcamp.com

https://www.guitarnoise.com/blog/glass-interview/

http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue21/glass02.html

rpursuit.com
en.wikipedia.org
classicrockrevisited.com
progarchives.com
discogs.com