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The Samurai of Prog
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The Samurai of Prog (in fact a nickname of Marco) started as a project participating in Finnish Progressive Association Colossus's tribute box-sets produced by Marco. TSOP performed for the first time in Tuonen Tytär II in 2008. But, to be precise, TSOP got its final form shortly after that when Marco asked Kimmo to step in for the Italian Marillion-tribute recording. It was not many months before Steve was asked to join – and the permanent Finnish-Italian-US line-up was complete. Read more.
The Samurai of Prog: The Spaghetti Epic 4
To be released in 2022
The Samurai of Prog: The Anthem to the Phoenix Sun
To be released in 2022. Featuring Marco Grieco.
The Samurai of Prog: Omnibus 2 - The Middle Years
"Indeed the Samurai Of Prog, TSOP for connoisseurs, release in a sumptuous box a reissue of their albums published between 2017 and 2020, namely On We sail, Archiviarum, Toki No Kaze and Beyond The Wardrobe ...The concept: a top trio made up of Marco Bernard, Kimmo Pörsti, Steve Unruh, supplemented by a well-rounded and very cosmopolitan list of top musicians, has completely continued with the success that we know. All this makes TSOP over the years and albums, a leading musical company and obviously an essential reference in contemporary progressive rock. The other great success is the choice to entrust the composition of the repertoire to as many musicians, while maintaining perfect unity and coherence." - Pierre / Progcritique (English Google translation).
The Samurai of Prog: The White Snake
"This work continues the musical discourse started in the first chapter, with the difference that the tracks are of longer duration, and in my opinion falling into the category of the masterpiece. These artists and their guests deserve great applause for what they have proposed in these two albums, among the best listened to in recent years. A must listening for all Progressive sounds lovers, expectations have not only been met but also exceeded for me. Congratulations you have made me spend over 57 minutes of pure emotions, those who love music know what I mean, listen to believe." - Jacopo Vigezzi / Prog Rock Journal
"The White Snake And Other Grimm Tales II wholesales in outstanding performances and adventurous symphonic compositions, all delivered with a stunning musical maturity and depth. It's a succession of highlights, in which especially title track generates a masterly impression that leaves you wanting more. Much more. Having pulled out all the stops The White Snake And Other Grimm Tales II is the perfect consolidation of The Lady & The Lion's, already brilliant outcome and I cherish the thought of what will follow hereafter." - Jan Buddenberg / DPRP
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The Samurai of Prog: The Lady and the Lion
"As always, when hearing a new album from The Samurai of Prog, we enjoyed ourselves. No weak beat, the enchantment is prfesent on each track and the albums spins at crazy speed to stop almost suddenly. And as it is rich in various interventions and instrumental lights, we press the play button a second time to better appreciate it. A gem!" - Didier Gonzales / Highlands magazine (google translation)
"A (first) album dedicated to the tales of the Grimm brothers, inexhaustible linguists and great compilers of tales and legends, many of which are famous......And like always the listener is entitled to an abundance of musical ideas and musicians, that the triumvirate - Marco, Kimmo, Steve - coordinates and agencies with efficiency formidable, just for our pleasure!" - Pierre / Progcritique (google translation)
The Samurai of Prog: Beyond the Wardrobe
"This record is simply beautiful. It is alwways difficult to have a group made up of guests who change from album to album. Not only have The Samurai of Prog been able to maintain a high quality and contant level of quality with this formula, their music is homogeneous, dense and above all...beautiful." - Stéphane Mayère / Koid9
The Samurai of Prog: Toki no Kaze
(The Winds of Time)
The Samurai of Prog return with a new album of originals inspired by Miyazaki’s films. From pastorale to epic, this is symphonic progressive rock of a cinematic scope. 75 minutes of lush orchestration (including violin, flute, saxophone, horns, trumpets and a multitude of keyboard and guitar tones), with ringing Rickenbacker bass and wide dynamic range drums providing backbone throughout.
Featuring compositions and guest performances by Oliviero Lacagnina (Latte e Miele), Octavio Stampalía (Jinetes Negros), Elisa Montaldo (Il Tempio delle Clessidre), Luca Scherani (La Coscienza di Zeno), Michele Mutti (La Torre dell’Alchimista), Yuko Tomiyama, plus many more.
Mixed by the Samurai’s own Kimmo Pörsti, with a lush package designed by Ed
Unitsky. Quite possibly the band’s best album to date.
The Samurai of Prog: Omnibus
A limited edition 4CD Box-Set including:
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Undercover (2011)
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Secrets of Disguise 2CD (2013)
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The Imperial Hotel (2014)
The Box-set contains 38 tracks; 5 hours of music – including almost one hour of previously unreleased bonus tracks - mostly new material.
”Undercover” and ”Secrets of Disguise” have been re-mixed. Moreover, some of the tracks have been reworked or extended.
Besides old guests such as Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) and Jon Davison (Yes) there are new ones like Steve Babb (Glass Hammer), Stefano Galifi (Museo Rosenbach) and Oliviero Lacagnina (Latte e Miele). Altogether there are over 60 guests musicians joining Marco Bernard, Kimmo Pörsti and Steve Unruh.
Presented in a special package by Ed Unitsky including 32-page booklet
(original artwork of Undercover and Secrets of Disguise by Davide Guidoni).
The Samurai of Prog: Archiviarum
The Samurai of Prog: Archiviarum - a collection of rarities and special recordings
It is not a "Best of" - album. None of the tracks have been released in The Samurai of Prog-album previously. It is a collection of special recordings which have appeared in different projects that the band has been involved in. Only three of the tracks of the album have been released. However, there are also 4 new original tracks that are prepared for this album only.
Moreover, you can find two covers there, too. They both have a special reason why they have been recorded and included here - explained in the album booklet.
Also in Archiviarum there are featured a bunch of guests from around the world,
for example Oliviero Lacagnina (Latte e Miele), Lalo Huber (Nexus) and Stefano "Lupo" Galifi (Museo Rosenbach).
The Samurai of Prog: On We Sail
”The listener also hears something new or something different with every listen due to the multiple instruments and melodic layers”.... ”I like how the band always leave breathing room for the listener to absorb and digest every album according to their individual personalities. The Samurai Of Prog also prove there is still a market for organic uncompressed traditional progressive rock.” - The Power of Prog
”The lyrics and storyline for this fantastic water–themed adventure are perfect and tell some magical tales. Buy this album and enjoy a journey into the way progressive music used to sound at the height of its popularity.”
- Professor Mark / The Progressive Aspect”
The Samurai of Prog: Lost and Found
”All of the six tracks on this double album are of a very high level music wise. Therefore the highest rating of five stars a second time around is very well in place. This release is a must have for everybody who is into retro progressive rock. Highly recommended to those who like the music made by Rick Wakeman, Yes, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Supertramp, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Steve Hackett and Yes back in the good old seventies.” - Henri Strik / Background magazine
”The second disc is composed of just one piece, the fifty-seven minute "The Demise". It is a breathtaking piece of music that fully captures what is/was so special about '70s progressive rock”… ”The Samurai Of Prog will appeal to fans of classic '70s progressive rock like King Crimson, Yes, Gentle Giant and the aforementioned ELP. Really, what's not to like? Lost And Found is quite simply a fantastic album that will be treasured by this reviewer for many years to come.”
- Jon Neudorf / Sea of Tranquility