Band: Quivira | Album: Quivira | Genre: Progressive rock | Year: 2026
From: Topeka, USA | Label: Melodic Revolution Records
For fans of: Kansas, Marillion
Quivira is a Topeka-based trio, and while this might be their first album, all three members have extensive resumes in progressive rock. The mastermind behind this project is composer and keyboardist Lisa LaRue. She is joined by guitarist John Baker and vocalist Jake Livgren. Livgren is the brother of Kansas guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder Kerry Livgren. Jake Livgren is also a member of Proto-Kaw, an offshoot of Kansas, which actually predates it. (Kansas had a confusing early history, and I’ll dig into more if I ever do a Deep Dive on them.)
LaRue is a member of the Cherokee Nation, and her heritage is reflected in the story of the album. Though not about the Cherokee, this album tells the story of the encounter of the expedition of the conquistador Vasquez de Coronado with the native people of Quivira, in modern-day central Kansas. Quivira was likely populated by the Wichita people, and Coronado was searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold.
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