CD

 

Here are several new Israeli additions, covering everything from early Rock, Ethnic and Jazz music:

 

 

3^rd and 4^th albums by the great Israeli ensemble Natural Gathering, which was the first Israeli group to create cultural cross-over music, combining folkloristic elements (Indian, Middle Eastern, Sephardic African Jewish) with Rock and Jazz. Formed in 1977 by Shlomo Bar, a Moroccan-born singer, songwriter and percussionist, the ensemble created a completely new musical universe, which at the time was completely revolutionary and sadly misunderstood by most of the Israeli listeners. Bar, an outspoken advocate of proper appreciation of non-western music, was often ridiculed and rejected by narrow-minded music critics and the ensemble's music was almost never played on the radio. It took over two decades for Bar and the Natural Gathering to get recognized by the musical mainstream, a process that left Bar bitter and disenchanted. The group's albums are all minor masterpieces of cross-over ethnic Fusion, with excellent compositions and superb musicianship, especially the virtuoso violin parts (often improvised) by Samson Khamkar. Bar keeps changing the ensemble's lineup frequently, always looking for young and talented instrumentalists, who can play folklore instruments from all over the world. It is important to remember that Bar created this music before and away from any trends and fashions, out of his completely boundless belief in its quality and intrinsic values, rather than in pursuit of fame and fortune (which he did not achieve to this very day). Therefore his work remains true to the spirit of the music and is devoid of all plagiarism and commercialism. These two early albums are absolute classics of the genre and remain to this day as milestones of the Israeli music heritage. A must for anybody who loves cross-over ethnic Fusion!

 

 

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Here are several new Israeli additions, covering everything from early Rock, Ethnic and Jazz music:

 

 

Israeli singer Gidi Gov is in a lucky position where he needs to prove nothing to anybody anymore; he's done it all: Rock, Pop, Jazz, always perfectly and always with charm and talent. Gov feels completely at ease in any musical setting and his personality elegantly adds that special flair to everything he touches. This new album is a perfect example of his abilities – a great selection of songs, superb meaningful and intelligent lyrics, fantastic players (the cream of the crop of Israeli session players) and his husky / sexy voice - the result is just perfect, as always. As usual the songs are deeply personal, touching upon a wide spectrum of subjects, conflicts and reflections. The songs were beautifully arranged by Gov's old friend (from the days of Kaveret) Alon Oleartchik, who also contributes several of his compositions. There is little need to add anything more about this album – it is world class, as good if not better, that anything recorded by any of the leading recording artists anywhere, which of course makes me proud. Even the packaging is stunning. Go get it now!

 

 

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Here are several new Israeli additions, covering everything from early Rock, Ethnic and Jazz music:

 

 

This album collects the entire recording output by the legendary Israeli ensemble The Roosters (HaTarnegolim in Hebrew), which was the absolute "super-group" of the first generation of the Israeli entertainment scene in the early 1960s. The group was directed by Naomi Polani, a strict and tyrannical but highly professional and talented artistic director, who managed to bring the ensemble to incredible tightness, with perfect vocal harmonies and theatrical presentation of their repertoire, which was years ahead of its time and far better and more ambitious that anything else created in the country at the time. The songs performed by the group were composed by the best Israel songwriters at the lime, like Moshe Vilenski and Alexander Argov, and in time became an integral part of the Israeli cultural Pantheon. The ensemble had two lineups, each recording just one album, both are included here. The list of the ensemble members reads like the who's who of the Israeli entertainment history and includes also their accordion player Tuval Peter, an incredibly talented musician, who singlehandedly accompanied the singers during their performances. The music is very hard to categorize, as it is truly a uniquely Israeli mixture of Eastern European song motifs, French chansonette, Middle Eastern melancholy and many other influences. These were the days when the country of Israel, the Israeli Nation and Israeli culture were being created, from scratch. The ensemble and its music had an enormous influence on the future of Israeli music, which was lucky to have such firm ground to learn from and emulate. This is timeless music of course, which lost absolutely nothing of its beauty, perfection and strength over the years. A classic!

 

 

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PERSONAL

 

Today my dear wife Rody and I celebrate our 34^th Wedding Anniversary. Time certainly flies by and the two of us ventured through many a rough moment together, with the bondage never weakening – my "better half" certainly deserves all the credit and eternal gratitude for standing always by my side. My God grant us many more years together!

 

CD

 

Here are several new Israeli additions, covering everything from early Rock, Ethnic and Jazz music:

 

 

This album is perhaps the most important historical document from the early days of Israeli Rock. Recorded live in Tel-Aviv, it documents the first ever Israeli Rock festival, organized in 1968 by the left-wing radical "HaOlam HaZeh" ("This World" in Hebrew) weekly newspaper, owned and edited by Uri Avnery. Avnery, always a visionary, was among the first Israeli figures to recognize the culture of the new Israeli generation, including the new Israeli Rock, which was in its infancy at the time. The many Pop / Rock groups active at the time were completely ignored by the "cultural" establishment and operated in complete "underground", playing small clubs in the southern (poor and neglected) suburbs of Tel Aviv, as well as in the cities of Lod and Ramleh (also poor and neglected). The entire "club" scene was vibrant and immensely creative, but had little chance to reach wider audiences as the groups never got opportunity to record and their songs were not played on the radio. Therefore the Beat Music Festival was a first of its kind presentation of this new music to a wider audience and the album, capturing some of the evening's performances, was the first recording done by the participating groups. Although only a very few of these groups managed to record full length LPs (The Churchills, who do not appear here, were a rare exception, recording their debut album in 1968 and Uzi And The Styles, who do appear, recorded their debut album only in 1970), the album's bonus tracks bring a selection of singles recorded by the participating groups shortly after the festival, such as the Fats & Thins, the Blue Stars, the Styles, Uzi And The Styles, and the New Blue Stars (their tracks are fantastic examples of early Psychedelic / proto-Prog efforts). Although some of the music sounds a bit dated, others are absolutely brilliant. The overall sound quality is not perfect, nevertheless as a document of the era this album has no competition and therefore stands out as a beacon and a rare window to Israel's musical past, way beyond simple nostalgia. A blast from the past!

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the fabulous Promising Music label, which is reissuing the legendary MPS catalog:

 

 

3^rd (out of 4) albums recorded by US keyboardists / composer Stu Goldberg for the legendary German MPS label, on which he also recorded several other albums as a sideman. This is his most ambitious project for the label, recorded with an expanded ensemble of nine musicians – a Jazz quintet and a string quartet – allowing him to present his original compositions in a broader musical landscape and with lush arrangements. Playing only the acoustic piano (in contrast to his usual use of keyboards), Goldberg performs his music with grace, sensitivity and obvious love, which fit the often romantic music perfectly. All the musicians are obviously highly skilled and dedicated, creating a perfect (perhaps a bit too perfect?) musical landscape. There is little musical innovation here, with the music flowing "pleasantly" even during the up-tempo numbers, thus being suitable for a wider (well beyond Jazz only) audience. Goldberg is clearly a great instrumentalist, running arpeggios up and down the scale with ease and elegance, but the format he chose to pursue here is dangerously close to being somewhat banal (never actually becoming so). As usual with the Promising Music the remastering, sound quality, packaging and extensive liner notes are beyond reproach.

 

 

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CD

 

Here are three new releases on the fabulous Promising Music label, which is reissuing the legendary MPS catalog:

 

 

In the early 1970s the name of US drummer Alphonse Mouzon was almost synonymous with Jazz-Rock Fusion as one of its most prominent drummers, rivaled only by Billy Cobham. His stints with Weather Report and Larry Coryell's Eleventh House are prime examples of his extraordinary abilities and technique. But Mouzon could play modern Jazz as well as Fusion, and he played with the best, including McCoy Tyner and many other "conventional" Jazz musicians. This album is a brainchild of the legendary producer Joachim Berendt, who was a great fan of Mouzon's playing and invited him to record for the legendary MPS label twice, before recording this one with him as a leader. For the album Mouzon assembled quite an unusual quartet, incorporating one of the greatest (and often underappreciated) saxophonist Gary Bartz, which seemed truly inappropriate, as Bartz was more then anything a player in the Coltrane tradition, which was hardly "in place" in a Funk / Fusion setting. The result of course proves that all fears were completely unfounded and the quartet works like a dream. Completed by keyboardist Stu Goldberg (a frequent guest on the MPS label), whose feel for Fusion and Funk was beyond reproach, and bassist Welton Gite (a legendary bass player, who was a member of Steppenwolf! and played with a plethora of Rock, Pop and Jazz acts) the quartet performs a set of compositions composed by Mouzon, playing their ass off from start to finish, producing one of the most energetic and brilliant Fusion albums with no weak moments whatsoever. Mouzon is of course brilliant, a monster rhythmic (and polyrhythmic) driving power at all times. Both Goldberg and Bartz get plenty of solo space and the overall result is a Fusion orgy of unearthly proportions. Although this album is rarely mentioned as a Fusion "classic", it definitely deserves the status, which anybody listening to it should easily recognize. We should be grateful to Promising Music for reissuing this classic treasure! As usual, the remastering, sound quality, packaging and extensive liner notes are beyond reproach. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the fabulous Promising Music label, which is reissuing the legendary MPS catalog:

 

 

1^st album by Czech pianist / composer Jan Hammer, who would later become one of the cornerstone musicians of US Jazz-Rock Fusion movement as a member of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, as well as leader of his own groups. This live recording at the legendary Munich Domicile club, a meeting place of German and European Jazz scene for many years, is in many ways quite accidental. Hammer and his compatriot bassist George Mraz (Jiri in Czech) were in Munich "in transit" actually heading for the US to join the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where they both received a scholarship. Of course they had been warmly received in Munich and gigged extensively waiting for the US trip to finalize. While there, the Soviet Block armies invaded their homeland in the infamous 1968 abrupt end of the "Czech Spring", one of the darkest moments of the Eastern-European history. Hammer and Mraz made the decision not to look back and moved to the US permanently, joining many other famous Czech musicians who were destined to build their career there, like Miroslav Vitous for example. This recording is Hammer's debut, presenting him on acoustic piano and organ, playing a set of his original compositions in a trio format with Mraz on electric bass and resident Domicile drummer (originally from Netherlands, but mostly active in Germany) Cees See on drums. The most striking effect of this recording is not hearing the "early" Hammer, already a highly accomplished pianist at the time with extensive classical training, but his Jazzy approach, which in years was about to move to the background of his output, which I personally see as a great shame. The music is also very interesting, with Hammer combining many Eastern-European motifs with Jazz, like many other Eastern-European musicians did at the time, creating some of the most memorable tunes in the process (see parallel work of Polish Jazz musicians). This is definitely a great historical document of the era and one can only be grateful to Promising Music for unearthing and reissuing this lovely musical glimpse into the past. As usual, the remastering, sound quality, packaging and extensive liner notes are beyond reproach. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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DVD

 

Here is a great DVD my Master pianist Herbie Hancock:

 

 

Master pianist / composer Herbie Hancock needs no introduction to any Jazz fan and his 5^th decade of continuously splendid musical creation continues (thank God) uninterrupted to this very day. Although Hancock's recorded output is enormous, finding his work on film / DVD is another matter, therefore this excellently filmed / recorded concert is quite a find. Produced by the BET on Jazz (and released in the US as "The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock"), the concert captures Hancock playing acoustic piano with a sextet, which includes Eli Degibri on sax (great young Israeli player), Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Ira Coleman on bass, Terri Lynne Carrington on drums and Cyro Baptista on percussion. The music includes a nice mixture of standards and Hancock's own excellent compositions, which by now are also recognized as standards, all played with the usual (or rather unusual) brilliant and highly sensitive touch, which is so rare and precious. All the musicians are first class players (Carrington's drumming is a true marvel) and they get plenty of opportunity to solo, which is always welcome. Overall this is a great opportunity to watch (and hear) the great master at work, captured here for posterity. The DVD also includes an interview with Hancock, which is always a welcome addition. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS, 105 minutes.

 

 

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Here are the rest of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there). Well this one is not really from South America, but it is connected:

 

 

5^th album by the excellent Swiss ensemble Strings, led by bassist Stephan Kurmann, which is a nonet with a Jazz quintet (saxophone, trombone, bass, drums and percussion) and a string quartet. The ensemble has a history of recording works of the highest quality, usually thematic, and this album is no exception. The entire album is dedicated to the music of the great Brazilian Master Hermeto Pascoal, whose music is featured here exclusively. The arrangements were made by a long time Pascoal's associate musician, Jovino Santos Neto, and Pascoal himself adds a guest appearance on one track. Pascoal's music has been always one of my big favorites, but this new approach to the music adds a completely new angle and makes it even more fascinating. This is perfect marriage between the European, African and South / North American musical traditions, mixing Classical, Jazz and Samba / Bossa at their most glorious and eloquent epiphanies. I can hardly describe the thrill this music send down my spine, I guess experiencing it is the only way to go about it. If you love challenging, intelligent, far-reaching and unusual music, do yourself a favor and grab this beauty – satisfaction guaranteed!

 

 

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Here are the rest of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there):

 

 

3^rd album by Brazilian guitarist Felipe Avila (member of the excellent group Percussônica), who explores his own compositions this time, accompanied by an excellent group of fellow Brazilian musicians, including keyboardist Lelo Nazario, saxophonist Vinicius Dorin, drummer Nenê and many other great players. The music is very diverse, moving between straight-forward Jazz (with Brazilian flavor of course), atmospheric pieces and even freely improvised passages, all very elegantly performed and consistently absorbing. This is undoubtedly Avila's best effort so far and a superb example of contemporary Jazz-World Fusion, which is by far the most interesting facet of modern Jazz these days. This music is uplifting and energetic, but always carefully held back before it becomes to obviously folkloristic, definitely not an easy task. For listeners, who enjoy cross-cultural excursions, this is a gem well worth investigating. Recommended!

 

 

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CD

 

Here are the rest of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there):

 

 

1^st album by brilliant Brazilian group Raiz De Pedra, which combines Prog, Jazz and Brazilian elements into a unique experience, rarely achieved by others, released now for the first time on CD. Influenced by a wide scope of music from King Crimson to Jan Garbarek and of course Brazilian Masters like Egberto Gismonti and Hermeto Pascoal, their music could be compared to some of the experiments by European RIO groups, but overall they are just completely in their own world, which of course is great. All the ban members are splendid instrumentalists but the reeds player Márcio Tubino is simply phenomenal. The original album is expanded here with one early (pre album) track and live material taken from their 2^nd (recorded live) album "Ao Vivo", which is sadly out of print now. I can wholeheartedly recommend this album to any Prog / RIO/ Jazz-Rock fan, as they will surely not only enjoy it, but also discover a new world of music, which surely deserves to be heard.

 

 

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CD

 

Here are the rest of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there):

 

 

This fantastic album collects together all the material recorded by Brazilian saxophonist Ivo Perelman for the small independent US label Ibeji Records, which were released on two separate albums: “Soccer Land” (1994) and “Tapeba Songs” (1996), adding unreleased material and celebrating Perelman's 20th anniversary as a recording artist. Perelman is one of Brazil's top saxophonist, and one of relatively few avant-garde players, who continues the tradition of and incorporates influences from Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp and Peter Brötzmann, among others. He is a very prolific composer and player, releasing over 30 albums, mostly in the US, where he now resides, but this music was recorded when he was still in Brazil, with many other top Brazilian Jazz artists, including brothers Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums) and Lelo Nazario (keyboards), presenting a wonderful amalgam of Free Jazz with strong Brazilian influences. The power of Perelman's expression and his virtuosity are rare and deserve a much wider attention than he actually gets, a fate shared by so many visionary artists. Any Free / Avant-Garde Jazz fan will definitely have a field day with this splendid album, just give it a chance!

 

 

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DVD

 

Here are the rest of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there):

 

 

Following five absolutely brilliant albums, the titles of which can be found in the DVD's title; the Chilean group Tryo finally release their first DVD, which was filmed in Brazil closely following the release of their last album. Since I've already written extensively about this band, there is no need to expand here, just to remind everybody that this is probably one of the top 3 most interesting contemporary bands on our planet, playing music that is transcendent and far beyond anything else done today, crossing genres, styles and making any effort to label and classify completely useless. Hearing – and seeing in this case – is believing. How these three musicians manage to create this wonderful world of music is beyond anybody's comprehension, but seeing it being done live leaves no doubts as to their abilities. People not familiar with the band's recorded output can find here a great entry point; those who are already hooked need no prompting to grab this without a moment's hesitation. A modern masterpiece! Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 120 minutes. <B>NTSC</B>

 

 

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CD

 

Here is the first of several new South American additions, as usual all brilliant (music is really happening there):

 

 

3^rd album by the brilliant Brazilian Symphonic Prog Band Tempus Fugit, recorded over a period of 6 years and released a decade after their last opus, which proves that the band takes its music very seriously and has patience to release it only after it was perfected. Anybody familiar with the band's two previous releases will not be disappointed for sure, as they continue the same path of extended, mostly instrumental suites, with lush melody lines, plenty of keyboard and guitar solos and solid support by the rhythm section. This is classic Symphonic Prog, which continues from where the original genre achieved its peak in the mid-1970s. Anybody worried about the Neo-Prog controversy and lack of inspiration can easily put their worries away – this music stands up easily to the best examples from the past and people thirsty for new Prog music will find this album delightful. Go for it!

 

 

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DVD

 

Here is a classic DVD by one of the greatest heroes of my youth:

 

 

Although short-lived, British super-trio Cream is undoubtedly one of the greatest Rock phenomena in all times, influencing generation after generation of Rockers, decades after the last chord they played went silent forever. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker created a complete new level of Rock expression, building upon the Blues tradition, turning the volume knob to the max and most importantly adding the element of improvisation, enabling them to extend the 3 minutes song format into half an hour epics. The combined talents of the trio amalgamated into a foray of ideas, mostly on the instrumental plateau. Bruce also contributed his extraordinary songwriting skills, which combined with the lyrics provided by poet Pete Brown resulted in many Rock anthems, unsurpassed to this very day. Sadly on November 26th, 1968 Cream played their last concert together, announcing their intentions to disband shortly beforehand. The concert took place at London's Royal Albert Hall with the BBC commissioning the filming of the event by director Tony Palmer. The result is an essential piece of music history, which every Rock fan on earth should see at least once, to comprehend the might and glory of this music. An edited version of the film was broadcasted on TV, but this DVD includes both the TV version and the full unedited version of the film. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 80 minutes.

 

 

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CD

 

Here is the last Robert Wyatt album still missing on my site, finally completing his entire output:

 

 

This beautiful box set includes all five EPs by Robert Wyatt, which includes material recorded over a long period of time from mid 1970s to late 1990s. None of this material was included on any of Wyatt's original albums; instead it was partly released as EPs, a shorter and less "formal" form of release. That does not mean of course that the material is any less important or brilliant, it simply falls outside of the main flow of his albums. The first three EPs (subtitled "Bits", "Pieces" and "Work In Progress") include mostly material not written by Wyatt himself, but interpreted and accordingly altered by him. The fourth brings the soundtrack of the avant-garde film "The Animals' Farm", a gruesome exposure of human cruelty towards animals. The fifth is a series of remixes taken from the original masters for the "Shleep" album. Together they present Wyatt as an Artist who answers only to his heart's call, ignoring trends and fashions, speaking out his mind and showing deep feelings. Some of this music is definitely not easy listening, but anybody familiar with Wyatt's work over the years is quite used to his experimentation and bizarre musical methods. Nevertheless this is a powerful statement and an absolute must for any Wyatt fan, especially in view of the fact that most of these tracks are not available in any other form. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a series of new additions on the fabulous UK reissue label BGO:

 

 

1^st and 2^nd albums by UK group Piblokto, led by poet / musician Pete Brown. Brown was one of the most colorful and interesting figures on the UK scene in the 1960s, a part of a larger group of friends, which included Jazz, Rock and Avant-Garde musicians like Graham Bond, Jack Bruce, Dick Heckstall-Smith and even John McLaughlin. He took active part in the Jazz & Poetry experimental movement leading a group called First Real Poetry Band, which was combining elements of Blues, Avant-Garde Rock, Jazz and Jazz-Rock. Of course Brown is mostly remembered for his co-writing of many songs with Jack Bruce, which were part of the Cream repertoire, as well as on Jack's early solo albums. Brown continued his musical adventured by forming the band Battered Ornaments, and later on when the band kicked him out, he formed Piblokto, recording two albums with that group. The band included guitarist Jim Mullen, organist Dave Thompson, bassist Roger Bunn (later replaced by Steve Glover) and drummer Laurie Allen (later replaced by Rob Tait). The group was popular mostly in Europe (France especially), where they toured extensively. The music is absolutely superb, a mixture of Jazz, Rock, and Psychedelic influences, being a great example of the early UK Jazz-Rock, which is completely different of course from the later Jazz-Rock Fusion that most US bands pursued. Together these two albums are a must to any fan of the early British Jazz-Rock scene and include some of the most ingenious music ever made. A must!

 

 

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BOOK

 

 

This book is a brilliant account of the Record Industry form the late 1970s and up to 2008, focusing on the Major (Universal, Sony BMG, Warner & EMI) record labels' demise in the age of digital media. The book is excellently researched and brings endless quotes from the industry's leading personalities and experts, backed by facts and figures, all showing how greed, stupidity and narrow-mindedness ruined the goose that laid the golden eggs for decades. Internal wars, personality clashes, scandalous salaries and ego trips are all there, as are many fascinating stories about the invention of the CD, Napster, iTunes and a myriad other terms relevant to the story. Although many of the basic facts are well known, collecting them together in a coherent, step-by-step history / analysis is an eye-opener, even for people well acquainted with the background, like myself. Once I started reading this book I just couldn't stop, swallowing it page by page in a marathon reading session, something which didn't happen to me in a long time. I'm not sure I agree with the author about the last chapter of his book, which states that although the Record Industry is dead the Music Industry is alive and kicking. He also doesn't touch the subject of the influence of the Digital Age upon Music (the Art of) itself, but perhaps that is something another book will cover, although it might be still too early for this. In any case this is a must read for anybody interested in the "behind the scenes" of the Record Industry, Business in general and social implications of change.

 

CD

 

Here is a series of new additions on the fabulous UK reissue label BGO:

 

 

1^st and 2^nd albums by UK group Battered Ornaments, led (on the first album only) by poet / musician Pete Brown. Brown was one of the most colorful and interesting figures on the UK scene in the 1960s, a part of a larger group of friends, which included Jazz, Rock and Avant-Garde musicians like Graham Bond, Jack Bruce, Dick Heckstall-Smith and even John McLaughlin. He took active part in the Jazz & Poetry experimental movement leading a group called First Real Poetry Band, which was combining elements of Blues, Avant-Garde Rock, Jazz and Jazz-Rock. Of course Brown is mostly remembered for his co-writing of many songs with Jack Bruce, which were part of the Cream repertoire, as well as on Jack's early solo albums. Brown continued his musical adventured by forming the band Battered Ornaments with George Khan on saxophone, Chris Spedding on guitar, Charlie Hart on organ and a great Jazzy rhythm section. The band recorded just one, absolutely brilliant album (the first of the two presented here), with Brown singing the lead vocals, something he tried to avoid but did anyway, and Heckstall-Smith playing on two tracks. The music is absolutely stunning, a great example of the early UK Jazz-Rock, which is completely different of course from the later Jazz-Rock Fusion that most US bands pursued. After recording the first album the personality clash and rivalry between Brown and Spedding resulted in Brown leaving the band (and forming immediately a new one called Piblokto). The band, now led by Spedding, recorded a second album, using material written by Spedding and Brown earlier. Although not as brilliant as the first, it is still a great example of early Jazz-Rock and includes basically the same lineup as the first album less Brown and Hart. Together these two albums are a must to any fan of the early British Jazz-Rock scene and include some of the most ingenious music ever made. A must!

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a series of new additions on the fabulous UK reissue label BGO:

 

 

1^st and 2^nd albums by UK trio May Blitz, led by drummer Tony Newman with singer / guitarist James Black and bassist Reid Hudson, which appeared briefly on the scene in the early 1970s and disappeared without a trace after releasing these two albums. The albums are remembered chiefly for the fact that both were released on the legendary Vertigo label and in time became highly sought after collector's items, but the music is also quite excellent, with many proto-Prog elements and early Heavy Rock characteristics, good songwriting (all original material) and solid instrumental work. In fact it is rather surprising, in retrospect, that the group did not become a popular act, as they have all the potential to do so, continuing the "power trio" tradition of Cream and many other vastly more successful groups. Of the three group's members, Newman (who was already a veteran and previously member of the Sounds Incorporated and Jeff Beck's group, continued to reappear on the many recordings made throughout the 1970s. The other two simply vanished from the scene. In retrospect, these two albums are still very much worth investigating, especially for early Prog fans.

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a series of new additions on the fabulous UK reissue label BGO:

 

 

US singer / songwriter / guitarist and Rock icon Stephen Stills needs no introduction to any 1960s / 1970s music fan. His many landmark performances with the Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Crosby, Still, Nash & Young are all milestones of Rock music and are widely known. However, his solo output in the years following the early 1970s peak of popularity is much lesser known and often sadly forgotten. This album collects together three of his solo albums recorded in the mid / late1970s for the Columbia label, all of which have been out of print for ages. The cast of characters taking part in the recording reads like the who's who of the US music scene at the time and Stills' songwriting is as strong as ever. Although these albums had limited commercial success, they are great examples of his abilities and remarkable talents, which surely deserve to be remembered. I haven't listened to this music in ages and hearing it now, over 30 years later, not only brings back many memories, but also reaffirms Stills' status as one of the most memorable US music makers of the 20^th Century. Definitely worth investigating!

 

 

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CD

 

Here are three new releases on the wonderful Reel Recordings label from Canada:

 

 

Harry Miller brought over from his native South Africa a whole universe of music, which he and several of his South African musical cohorts injected into the British Jazz scene at a time of its greatest glory, not only musically but also socially, when it opened its arms and embraced any worthy influence, be it from India, Middle East, Far East or any other part of the crumbling Empire. Harry was always one of the most revered Masters of the bass and the warm tone and full body of his instrument ornamented countless recordings made by British bandleaders in the 1970s. However, Harry's heart was always warmest to the amalgam of Free Improvised Jazz based on South African roots. His performances with the Brotherhood Of Breath and with his own roots ensemble Isipingo are clear evidence of the fact. Sadly Isipingo recorded just one album and therefore this new release, which presents a set of wonderful (mostly studio) recordings, all previously unissued, is a true delight to every one of the many Harry's fans around the globe. Made in cooperation with the Miller family label Ogun Records, run by his wife Hazel, this album is a heaven on earth in every respect – the music is delightful, the sound quality excellent and the historical value immeasurable. The lineup of the sextet changes slightly on the tracks present here, including saxophonist Mike Osborne, trumpeters Mark Charig and Mongezi Feza, trombonists Nick Evans, Malcolm Griffiths and Paul Neiman, pianists Stan Tracey, Keith Tippett and Frank Roberts, Miller on bass and drummer Louis Moholo. The music, all composed by Miller, charges full steam ahead indeed, preserving absolutely all of its vitality and high spirited energy. This album deserves a well respected place in any serious British Jazz album collection and hopefully will be discovered by many new listeners, who missed this wonderful music when it was performed live, being one more testimony to the fact that Harry's untimely death in 1983 was a tremendous loss for all music lovers.

 

 

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CD

 

Here are three new releases on the wonderful Reel Recordings label from Canada:

 

 

British flautist / saxophonist / composer Bob Downes and his Open Music ensemble (a constantly changing group of musical cohorts) were always one of the most interesting acts on the British Jazz scene in the late 1960s / 1970s. Downes participated in many of the pivotal recording made at the time by other bandleaders, but in parallel always led his own ensemble which played the music he composed. His ability to combine melody and Free Improvisation into a unique amalgam was always his forte and his recordings are great examples of the limitless musical efforts, which are typical of the period. This release presents an album, previously unreleased, featuring compositions inspired by a 1973 South American tour, recorded several years later with a great cast of musicians: guitarist Brian Godding, trombonist Paul Rutherford, bassists Barry Guy, Mark Meggido and Paul Bridge and drummers Dennis Smith and John Stevens – all of which are exemplary representatives of the British Jazz scene at its peak. Considering the fact that this music is previously unheard, it seems such a shame it laid hidden from our ears for so long, but as usual all is well that ends well, so here it is finally for us to savor. Downes' fans need no encouragement to grab this album instantly, but British Jazz fans not familiar with his output should definitely investigate, especially in view of the fact that the melody lines and his amazing flute virtuosity make the improvised passages "easier on the ear" for less experienced listeners.

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

Normal activity.

 

HAVE FUN!

CD

 

Here are three new releases on the wonderful Reel Recordings label from Canada:

 

 

This album is a great example of what the Canadian Reel Recordings label is all about: unearthing recorded documents of the British Jazz / Avant-Garde scene dating back to the 1960s, which have been so far completely lost and (sadly) often forgotten. Considering the fact that the Golden Decade (1965-1975) was Britain's most illustrious contribution to music, any recorded document from that period has an immense historical value and therefore the work done by this label is truly a quest worth following. The music contained herein was recorded with the intention to be released as a double album, presenting the Art of spontaneous improvisation, performed by a collective of young (at the time) but experienced British players, who spearheaded the local Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene and certainly deserved the "stardom" status in spite of the oxymoron such epithet might imply: pianist Keith Tippett, saxophonist Elton Dean, trombonist Nick Evans, trumpeter Mark Charig, bassists Harry Miller and Johnny Dyani and drummer Keith Bailey. These musicians often played with each other in various ensembles, of which they were members, but never collectively as one group, hence the one-time opportunity to hear them improvise collectively is so attractive. Unfortunately, as it often happened at the time, even with Jazz labels as the one for which these recordings were made, the label found this music to be "too much to swallow" and the project was discarded, including whipping out the original master tapes (a crime, without a doubt). Fortunately two copies of the original four reels were recently discovered by Evans and here we are being able to finally listen to this music. The music itself need little elucidation to people familiar with the recorded output of the protagonists – it is what they always did best, play whatever their hearts dictated at the moment, carefully listening to each other and together creating a whole, which is much bigger than its parts. The album also includes two tracks recorded later the same year (for the BBC? as the recording premises might suggest) by a sextet including Dean, Evans and Charig with guitarist Jeff Green, bassist Neville Whitehead and drummer Louis Moholo. This is a true "blast from the past" and an absolute must for any British Jazz / Avant-Garde fan, wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

Normal activity.

 

HAVE FUN!