CD

 

Here is a new sensational release of an archival British Jazz recording:

 

 

The Canadian Reel Recordings label does it again! Following a series of splendid British Jazz archival releases, which expose many previously unheard musical creations during the Golden Age of British Jazz, this addition to its catalogue is perhaps the most sensational and revealing. Obviously the feverish activity, that characterized this unprecedented period, produced a vast amount of groundbreaking music, which unfortunately was only partially captured on tape. Therefore unearthing another piece of that wonderful puzzle is always exciting and educational. The Splinters collective is truly unique in every sense, but the most striking trait of this ensemble is the meeting of generations, united by the inner urge to express their musical ideas as expressively and unrestrictedly as humanly possible. Three of the protagonists of this session, recorded live at the legendary 100 Club, London's primary Jazz dungeon for many years, pianist Stan Tracey (b. 1926), drummer Phil Seamen (b. 1926) and saxophonist Tubby Hayes (b. 1935) were already British Jazz legends at the time of this recording, with years of experience and established careers to their credit. All were immensely influential on the then growing up generation of the British New Wave of rebellious young players, who wished to emancipate the music they played from the restrictions of strict Jazz forms, patterns and rhythmical uniformity established since the genre's conception and developed during its first half century in the USA. Tracey, Seamen and Hayes were the necessary missing link between the Jazz tradition and the gradual but revolutionary development that occurred in British Jazz from the mid-1960s on. Surprisingly, Tracey and Seamen, both older than Hayes, proved to be the more adventurous, shunning from nothing and keeping their sensitivity completely up to date. Tracey fully embraced Free Jazz and Improvised Music and Seamen was active not only in the Jazz area, but also took part in early Jazz-Rock, Rock and even early World-Jazz activities, mainly through his faithful pupil and protégé Ginger Baker. Hayes remained somewhat more "conventional", expanding his Bebop approach with some freedom, but remaining firmly within the established parameters. Perhaps the future might have proved differently, but Hayes died prematurely just a year after this music was recorded. The rest of the "crew" captured here: saxophonist Trevor Watts (b. 1939), who taped this music and was the initiator behind Splinters, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler (b. 1930), bassist Jeff Clyne (b. 1937) and drummer John Stevens (b. 1940), were the (not necessarily chronologically, but definitely spiritually) young Lions spearheading British Jazz into a new direction. The idea behind this session was to provide an open and most importantly completely free of any pre-conceptions environment for the musicians to express their ideas. As with much contemporary Jazz at the time, the idea of free flow and mutual respectful listening is the core of creation here. The music consists of two long (47 and 30 minutes) improvised pieces, with no strict melody lines, but full of very "melodic" playing, which makes perfect sense musically. This is group improvisation at its best, full of musical interplay and mutual inspiration respectful of each other's "moment" and bearing at each particular instant. In many respects this is a classic "textbook" recording, which could be used as a perfect demonstration of what group improvisation really is. As someone must have said sometime: "you can't plan lovemaking", this music, although unplanned, is a pure work of love. Beyond essential!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

3^rd album by the British Classic Pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, one of the most prominent hit makers in the mid to late 1960s, which with many other contemporary British Pop acts shaped the sound of the music of that decade. Although mostly known for their contributions to the hit parade. They were in fact excellent musicians and singers and listening to their albums in retrospect reveals a whole world of music, which is mostly forgotten, but certainly deservers to be remembered. Most of the music the group played was penned by the pair of excellent songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who also wrote songs for other British acts. This album continues to follow their development, with the music becoming quite ambitious and the orchestrations and arrangements sophisticated and complex, including Psychedelic influences and even proto-Prog moments. The material is superbly performed and sung, with vocal harmonies easily rivaling those of the Beatles or the Beach Boys and many other acts of the time. The bonus material (which doubles the volume of the original content) includes the early hit singles by the group. People, who love the wonderful sound of the 1960s and the intelligent and clever British Pop, will find here quite a surprising wealth of memorable material to delight in. Most warmly recommended!

 

 

 

5th album by the Incredible String Band, one of Britain's most idiosyncratic representatives of the Folk-Rock and Psychedelic movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed by two ex-folkies Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, the band started out as an acoustic duo performing traditional Folk material, gradually developing their own style and musical approach, which incorporated World Music influences from the Far East, improvisation, mysticism and psychedelia. After recording three albums, the lineup was expanded to include the founders' girlfriends Rose Simpson and Licorice McKechnie and the band used occasional additional musicians at times. In retrospect it's obvious that the band's music was way ahead of its time and its very existence was only possible due to the openness prevailing during the Golden Decade. This album (originally a double LP) is unusual even in the broad standards set by the band and it documents the soundtrack of an ambitious stage production ("A Surreal Parable in Song and Dance") put up by the band with pantomimist Malcolm LeMaistre and his theatrical group Stone Monkey, an innovative performance involving multimedia, definitely way ahead of its time. The album was recorded shortly after the show was presented on stage in London and New York. The music is truly up to the task and holds water on its own, although if the stage production would have been ever filmed, the resulting (potential) DVD would be sensational. Although not easy listening, this is exceptional music, which loses none of its inspiration and quality over time. Highly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

2^nd album by the British Classic Pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, one of the most prominent hit makers in the mid to late 1960s, which with many other contemporary British Pop acts shaped the sound of the music of that decade. Although mostly known for their contributions to the hit parade. They were in fact excellent musicians and singers and listening to their albums in retrospect reveals a whole world of music, which is mostly forgotten, but certainly deservers to be remembered. Most of the music the group played was penned by the pair of excellent songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who also wrote songs for other British acts. This album continues to follow their development, with the music being more sophisticated, full of wonderful melodies and lots of typical British humor. The material is superbly performed and sung, with vocal harmonies easily rivaling those of the Beatles or the Beach Boys and many other acts of the time. The bonus material (which doubles the volume of the original content) includes the early hit singles by the group. People, who love the wonderful sound of the 1960s and the intelligent and clever British Pop, will find here quite a surprising wealth of memorable material to delight in. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

5th and 6th albums by the Incredible String Band, one of Britain's most idiosyncratic representatives of the Folk-Rock and Psychedelic movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed by two ex-folkies Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, the band started out as an acoustic duo performing traditional Folk material, gradually developing their own style and musical approach, which incorporated World Music influences from the Far East, improvisation, mysticism and psychedelia. After recording three albums, the lineup was expanded to include the founders' girlfriends Rose Simpson and Licorice McKechnie and the band used occasional additional musicians at times. In retrospect it's obvious that the band's music was way ahead of its time and its very existence was only possible due to the openness prevailing during the Golden Decade. These two albums originate from the band's most experimental period, where traditional songwriting was almost completely abandoned in favor of lengthy (four of the tracks here click well over 10 minutes) improvised pieces. Although not easy listening, this is exceptional music, which loses none of its inspiration and quality over time. Highly recommended!

 

 

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CD

 

It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

1^st album by the British Classic Pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, one of the most prominent hit makers in the mid to late 1960s, which with many other contemporary British Pop acts shaped the sound of the music of that decade. Although mostly known for their contributions to the hit parade. They were in fact excellent musicians and singers and listening to their albums in retrospect reveals a whole world of music, which is mostly forgotten, but certainly deservers to be remembered. Most of the music the group played was penned by the pair of excellent songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who also wrote songs for other British acts. Their debut album includes a typical mid-1960s British Pop, full of wonderful melodies and lots of typical British humor. The material is superbly performed and sung, with vocal harmonies easily rivaling those of the Beatles or the Beach Boys and many other acts of the time. The bonus material (which doubles the volume of the original content) includes the early hit singles by the group. People, who love the wonderful sound of the 1960s and the intelligent and clever British Pop, will find here quite a surprising wealth of memorable material to delight in. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

1^st and 2^nd albums by the excellent US group H.P. Lovecraft, one of the most important American bands which flourished in the late 1960s on the West Coast scene (although formed in Chicago, the band moved to California in the early days of their career). Based on the American Folk tradition, the band's sound was similar to that of the early Jefferson Airplane, featuring beautiful vocal harmonies by the group's two founders: guitarist George Edwards and keyboardist Dave Michaels, playing a mixture of self-penned material and covers. They epitomize the American psychedelia probably better than most of their contemporaries both in the instrumental approach, which included atmospheric keyboards, tasty guitar solos and some orchestral arrangements, and the vocal approach, based on perfect, multilayered vocal harmonies. Unfortunately the group fell apart after recording only these two splendid albums. A later incarnation, called just Lovecraft, released two more albums, but these were nowhere near the original greatness. Fortunately, in the 1990s a live recording of the group surfaced on CD ("Live May 11, 1968") showing them in full splendor. This is absolutely classic stuff, essential listening to Classic Rock enthusiasts and Psychedelic heads. Superb stuff!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

1^st and only album by the Anglo-American super-group Beck, Bogart & Appice, comprising of British guitar hero Jeff Beck and American rhythm section giants, bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice. This threesome suffered from bad karma even before it was actually formed: following the demise of the great American group Vanilla Fudge, founding members Bogart and Appice suggested to Beck, who just disbanded his own British band at the time, to join them in forming a next band together. Although Beck agreed, a nasty car crash took him out of circulation for a while and Bogart and Appice formed the splendid Cactus instead. In 1972, when Cactus broke up as did The Jeff Beck Group, finally the missed earlier opportunity arose again, this time to be consummated. Potentially the trio had everything one might hope for: a virtuoso guitar genius, superb bass player and one of the best Rock drummers, but all the talent didn't prevent the band from falling victim to personality clashes between the trio members, leading to a breakdown before the band reached its second anniversary. They did manage however to record one album, which shows their potential in full (a second album was attempted, but never finalized). Great guitar licks, tasty bass and driving drumming are the basic elements behind this recording, which also includes support from a bunch of musician friends. The music is mostly written by the trio, with some adaptations of tunes from other sources. The only drawback of the album is the absence of a strong lead vocalist, but it is nevertheless a true Classic Rock memento. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

3^rd album by the excellent US group Electric Prunes, one of the most important precursors of the American Psychedelic movement, which is full of bold musical statements and unprecedented studio techniques, and which paved the way for many other groups following in their steps in years to come. Distorted guitars, backward loops, early electronic sounds and other pioneering sound effects incorporated into the band's songs was their trademark and considering it was all done way ahead of others. But with studio wizardry aside, the band also wrote great tunes and performed them with passion and flare, which still sound charming. This album presents the band's most famous magnum opus, a religious mass especially written for the band by composer David Axelrod. Sung in Latin and performed by the group augmented by brass and string ensembles, it is a very experimental and unprecedented attempt to combine Contemporary Music and Rock, which somehow miraculously works, in spite of being probably the first of its kind attempt to do so. Although not directly "in line" with the band's earlier material, they remain committed to the task and their performance is brilliant. In retrospect this album still remains one of the most interesting moments in American Rock and is a timeless classic. Unfortunately, following the recording of this album the group disbanded, making it the last entry in their great legacy. Although a couple of albums were released under the Electric Prunes moniker, they had nothing to do with the original group. This album is a minor masterpiece, making it essential listening!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

1^st album by Canadian vocalist David Clayton-Thomas, famous for his role as lead singer of the great American Jazz-Rock pioneers Blood, Sweat & Tears. Clayton-Thomas left Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1971 to pursue solo career, of which the recording of this album was the first step. Three albums later, he returned to front and lead Blood, Sweat & Tears from 1975 on, touring and occasionally recording with them as well as recording solo albums in the decades since. In many respects this debut solo album was a continuation of the work Clayton-Thomas did with Blood, Seat & Tears, utilizing his superb vocal powers to express his sensitive delivery to the max. The album includes an excellent selection of beautiful songs, both ballads and up-tempo numbers, all tastefully arranged with orchestral and brass sections comprising of the best available studio musicians and sung brilliantly. For me Clayton-Thomas always possessed one of the most distinct and magnificent voices ever and I could never get enough of his singing, although some critics have often ridiculed him cruelly – well as usual, most critics are completely deaf anyway. For people who love Blood, Sweat & Tears this is an absolute must, others might perhaps discover a gem they have been missing in their life? Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

 

2^nd album by the excellent US group Electric Prunes, one of the most important precursors of the American Psychedelic movement, which is full of bold musical statements and unprecedented studio techniques, and which paved the way for many other groups following in their steps in years to come. Distorted guitars, backward loops, early electronic sounds and other pioneering sound effects incorporated into the band's songs was their trademark and considering it was all done way ahead of others. But with studio wizardry aside, the band also wrote great tunes and performed them with passion and flare, which still sound charming. This album presents the band in the fully blossomed form, performing their best material, which is truly excellent. Connoisseurs of Classic Pop will definitely find this great album worth listening to and include in their collection. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

3^rd album by seminal British Prog band Gentle Giant, which was their first attempt to create a concept album around a story about three childhood friends drifting apart in time, resulting in one of Prog's timeless masterpieces. The group's unique approach to writing, singing, performing and arranging their music set then apart from all the rest of Prog movement, which was at its peak at the time. Packed with incredible talent and unorthodox stylistic idiosyncrasies, Gentle Giant were giants indeed and they managed to change the face of music and influence generations of contemporary and future musicians. At the time of this recording the group consisted of all three Shulman brothers: vocalist Derek Shulman, bassist / violinist / vocalist Ray Shulman and saxophonist / vocalist Philip Shulman with guitarist Gary Green, keyboardist Kerry Minnear and drummer Malcolm Mortimore. The sextet was capable of producing a complex instrumental sound and incredible vocal pyrotechnics, based on madrigal-like choir techniques. Musically they also used unusual chord structures and strangely odd meters, crating stunning pieces of unparalleled intricacy. The result is absolutely unsurpassed by any other Prog outfit active at a time and each of their early albums, this one included, is an absolutely timeless masterpiece. Absolutely essential!

 

 

 

1^st album by the excellent US group Electric Prunes, one of the most important precursors of the American Psychedelic movement, which is full of bold musical statements and unprecedented studio techniques, and which paved the way for many other groups following in their steps in years to come. Distorted guitars, backward loops, early electronic sounds and other pioneering sound effects incorporated into the band's songs was their trademark and considering the time of the recording it was all done way ahead of others. But with studio wizardry aside, the band also wrote great tunes and performed them with passion and flare, which still sound charming. This debut album includes early efforts, which are all superb examples of garage psychedelia at its best and although mostly forgotten, truly deserves to be heard and appreciated. Connoisseurs of Classic Pop will definitely find this charming album worth listening to and include in their collection. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

6^th album by superb British Rock band Spooky Tooth, which is also the second recording by the re-united lineup of the group, now including the original drummer Mike Kellie, who rejoined the group by that time. This is another strong effort by the band, with another set of great composition by Gary Wright, superb vocals by leader Mike Harrison and excellent instrumental work. Early Spooky Tooth fans will find this album in par to their earlier work and this is definitely great Classic Rock, which lost nothing of its luster over the years. After this album was released, Harrison left the band again, this time for good. The remaining band members managed to record one more album, called "The Mirror", on which another great British musician Mike Patto replaced Harrison on lead vocals, after which the band gave up and disbanded, leaving behind a great legacy of Classic British Rock recordings of the highest quality and merit. Although mostly underappreciated, Spooky Tooth earned their place in the Pantheon of Rock with honors. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

5^th album by the excellent US Pop group Association, a sextet of gifted songwriters, players and most importantly singers, who brought the art of vocal harmony to the highest levels known in popular music. The group enjoyed some success on the US charts in the late 1960s, but they were way more sophisticated and creative to be considered just as hit makers. Over the years the group released a series of excellent albums, each and every one of them full of great songs, superbly performed and sung. The fact that most of their material was self penned, self played and self arranged the collective talent and ingenuity of the band members is beyond doubt. Their vocal harmonies, firmly based in the American Folk vocal tradition but cleverly adapted to the Pop / Rock climate, are a model revered and copied to this very day. There are hardly any weak songs on any of their albums and with six songwriters in the band they were never short of material. This album is quite an oddity in their recorded legacy, as the band's songs appearing here were commissioned to serve as part of a soundtrack to the "Goodbye Columbus" movie. The Association songs constitute only a part of the soundtrack (the rest is accidental music composed by Charles Fox, who would become a most successful Hollywood film composer), therefore the album is mostly for collectors, but the music is still great.

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

5^th album by superb British Rock band Spooky Tooth, recorded by the second re-united lineup of the group, after the split two years earlier. Vocalist / keyboardist Mike Harrison and vocalist / keyboardist Gary Wright re-vamped the group, adding guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Chris Stewart and drummer Bryson Graham, creating another extremely tight musical unit. With renewed enthusiasm and Wright's exceptional songwriting back in the band, they had no trouble to create another strong album, full of great performances, excellent melodies and highly proficient instrumental work. Harrison's vocals are in top form and the overall result is top notch. Unfortunately by that time the band's fame and success were already behind them, and they never recaptured the attention of the audiences, in spite of the fact that they still were one of the best bands around. Early Spooky Tooth fans will find this album in par to their earlier work and this is definitely great Classic Rock, which lost nothing of its luster over the years. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

2^nd album by the excellent US Pop group Association, a sextet of gifted songwriters, players and most importantly singers, who brought the art of vocal harmony to the highest levels known in popular music. The group enjoyed some success on the US charts in the late 1960s, (this album didn't produce any of these), but they were way more sophisticated and creative to be considered just as hit makers. Over the years the group released a series of excellent albums, each and every one of them full of great songs, superbly performed and sung. The fact that most of their material was self penned, self played and self arranged the collective talent and ingenuity of the band members is beyond doubt. Their vocal harmonies, firmly based in the American Folk vocal tradition but cleverly adapted to the Pop / Rock climate, are a model revered and copied to this very day. There are hardly any weak songs on any of their albums, this one being no exceptions, and with six songwriters in the band they were never short of material. This is classic Pop, which still sounds perfect today! Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Collectors' Choice label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

4^th album by superb British Rock band Spooky Tooth, led by vocalist / pianist Mike Harrison, which was the last recording by the original lineup of the band, soon to be disbanded. Following the recording of the band's previous album, the bold and ground-breaking "Ceremony", a Rock Mass recorded with French Electronic Music composer Pierre Henry, which turned out to be a source of major controversy among the band's members, the original superb lineup of the band started to break up, with bassist Greg Ridley leaving to join another epic British band Humble Pie and vocalist / organist Gary Wright (who was the band's main songwriter) leaving to start a solo career. Harrison brought aboard three excellent British musicians, who were previously the core of Joe Cocker's support band The Grease Band: multi-instrumentalist Chris Stainton, guitarist Henry McCullough and bassist Alan Spencer in order to expand the lineup, and these musicians participated in the recording sessions that resulted in this release. Since there was no resident songwriter aboard, Harrison decided to record a series of arrangements / adaptations of existing Rock repertoire. His choice of material is impeccable and the bands interpretations truly inspired, resulting in an excellent piece of music, different from the original incarnation of Spooky Tooth, but nevertheless highly satisfactory and worth listening to. The overall sound is quite similar to the band's previous incarnation and any Spooky Tooth fan will find this album most enjoyable. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

1^st album by the excellent US Pop group Association, a sextet of gifted songwriters, players and most importantly singers, who brought the art of vocal harmony to the highest levels known in popular music. The group enjoyed some success on the US charts in the late 1960s and two of their first hits are included on this album ("Along Comes Mary" / "Cherish"), but they were way more sophisticated and creative to be considered just as hit makers. Over the years the group released a series of excellent albums, each and every one of them full of great songs, superbly performed and sung. The fact that most of their material was self penned, self played and self arranged the collective talent and ingenuity of the band members is beyond doubt. Their vocal harmonies, firmly based in the American Folk vocal tradition but cleverly adapted to the Pop / Rock climate, are a model revered and copied to this very day. There are hardly any weak songs on any of their albums, this one being no exceptions, and with six songwriters in the band they were never short of material. This is classic Pop, which still sounds perfect today! Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label, one of the best reissue labels around, and a great new Israeli Jazz album:

 

 

2^nd album by superb British Rock band Spooky Tooth, which comprised of four British musicians: vocalist / pianist Mike Harrison, guitarist Luther Grosvenor, bassist Greg Ridley and drummer Mike Kellie and American vocalist / organist Gary Wright, who lived in UK at the time. By the time they recorded this album, the band was at the peak of its powers, following extensive touring and polishing of their act. The experience, combined with the incredible amount of talent the band members possessed turned their second recording session into a magical ride, which produced one the greatest Rock albums of all times. The material, mostly written by Wright, is wonderfully consistent and the heavy sound of whaling organ and screaming guitar behind Harrison's incredible vocal excursions is absolutely stunning. Although rarely mentioned in Rock encyclopedias and other sources, this album epitomizes everything that was great and unique in British Rock at the time – complete artistic freedom, unlimited talent, great production and that sound, which unfortunately is now lost forever. There is not a dull moment anywhere on this album, with one exciting peak chasing another, a complete roller-coaster of musical rush. Sadly enough, this monumental achievement was not to be repeated again, although the remaining future output of the band is incredibly solid right to the very end. It's unimaginable for any true Classic Rock fan to miss this masterpiece in their collection. Absolutely essential!

 

 

 

2^nd album by superb Israeli guitarist Michel Sajrawy, and a commendable follow up to his sensational debut recording, which exposed him to worldwide audiences. Sajrawy is one of very few Israeli Arabs, who play Jazz and the first to truly incorporate the traditional elements of Arabic music and the Jazz idiom. This album is much closer to modern Jazz and less Fusion influenced than his debut album, recorded in a classic quartet setting with a piano trio: Franck Dhersin on piano, Valeri Lipets on bass and Ameen Atrash / Evgeni Maistrovski on drums. Sajrawy composed all the music, which again is closely related to Jazz, with the Oriental elements being much more subtle and distinguishable mostly in his guitar phrasing. His tone and fluency are truly amazing, displaying all the elements that distinguish the best guitar players from the countless others, who play the instrument. The rhythm section is also excellent all the way, providing a solid foundation for the expanded improvisations by the leader. The pianist has an excellent touch and sensitivity to provide just the right amount of harmonic background to make the music flow effortlessly and his solos, although brief, are right on the money. Sajrawy truly deserves to break the barrier of relative anonymity and play on the biggest stages worldwide, as there are very few players who deserve it as much as he does. If you don't believe me, just listen to this music and eat your hat ;) In this case the saying: "hearing is believing" seems suitable more that ever! This is an essential album for every guitar lover on this planet, not that I have any illusions as to this happening in reality, but I just have to do my part here. Buy or die!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

1^st album by superb British Rock band Spooky Tooth, which comprised of four British musicians: vocalist / pianist Mike Harrison, guitarist Luther Grosvenor, bassist Greg Ridley and drummer Mike Kellie and American vocalist / organist Gary Wright, who lived in UK at the time. Together they possessed an incredible amount of talent, which turned then instantly into one of the best Rock acts on the British Isles at the end of the 1960s. Their material, mostly written by Wright, was a mixture of Rock, Blues and proto-Prog with Psychedelic influences, performed with a dense heavy sound dominated by Wright's organ, somewhere between Procol Harum and Led Zeppelin. Grosvenor played some fantastic guitar licks and the rhythm section was second to none with Ridley's heavy but virtuosic pulsations and Kellie's spectacular pyrotechnics. Together with Harrison's incredible vocal abilities, which combined the forces of everything from Robert Plant, via Rod Stewart to Roger Chapman, the band had the ability to outshine any if its contemporaries, and they certainly did a fantastic job on their debut album, which is an incredible blast of energy and ingenuity, turning it into an instant classic. Although slightly patchy stylistically, since the band was still searching for its own unique approach, the variety of styles works well here and adds to the album's appeal. This is definitely one of the strongest debut albums of Classic Rock and a diamond in any serious record collection. Essential listening experience!

 

 

 

When this little gem was finally released by the adventurous Vortex label (a subsidiary of Atlantic), after being recorded a few years earlier, US vibraphonist Dave Pike had already moved to Europe, following the footsteps of many US Jazz players who felt stifled by the local scene, which was nonresponsive to innovation and outright hostile to forward musical ideas. In Europe Pike formed the wonderful Dave Pike Set and recorded a series of superb albums for the legendary MPS label. This is the last album he recorded before leaving for Europe and it is weird in every sense as much as it is revolutionary. The use of electronic effects and studio trickery, overlaid on top of straightforward (more or less) Jazz playing was surely quite innovative at the time. He assembled a wonderful team of musicians with saxophonist Lee Konitz, saxophonist / clarinetist Eddie Daniels, pianist Don Friedman, bassist Chuck Israel and drummer Arnie Wise. Pike wrote all the music performed here, which is quite diverse, including (among others) early Jazz-Rock attempts, improvised moments and ballads – all quite excellent and interesting. Although quite obscure, this is a great album, highly worth investigating, which will probably surprise even the most knowledgeable Jazz freaks.

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

US release of the 4^th album by the superb British Jazz-Rock ensemble If, partly parallel to the UK release called "If 4". This album includes some material released on that album and additional material recorded by the band after some personnel changes made just before the group disbanded. Leaving keyboardist John Mealing, bassist Jim Richardson and drummer Dennis Elliot, who were with the group from its inception, were replaced by bassist Dave Wintour and drummer Cliff Davies, turning If into a sextet. This new lineup lasted just for a few months, but recorded the alternative material for this US release. Even though some of the material present here is duplicated, it is of course worth having both "If 4" and this album, as every note ever recorded by this band is beyond precious. This is British Jazz-Rock at its best!

 

 

 

2^nd album by an ad-hoc US Jazz super-group Griffith Park Collection, which was put together by drummer Lenny White and included trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Chick Corea and bassist Stanley Clarke – all Masters of the trade and veteran American Jazz Giants. White is the link between all these players, as he previously played in Henderson's and Hubbard's bands and of course he was a member of Return To Forever with Corea and Clarke. The quintet is in many respects similar to the VSOP quintet, which in turn was modeled after the famous second Miles Davis quintet. They play modern Jazz, strongly based on the Bebop tradition, but pushing the boundaries into modal and sometimes Free Form. Following the recording of their only studio album, the band performed several concerts, which produced these live recordings, which are more relaxed and much expanded, with fearsome long solos. The music is all original by the quintet members except for two standards, performed superbly with flair and breathtaking virtuosity, as expected from these great musicians. This album was unavailable for almost two decades and it's great to have it back in circulation. A must for modern Jazz lovers!

 

 

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CD

 

It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

4^th album by the superb British Jazz-Rock ensemble If, recorded "live in the studio" and unfortunately the last recording by the original lineup of the group. In spite of intensive touring in the US and Europe, the band never had a chance to record live (which was almost compulsory then) and this was their attempt to recreate the atmosphere of their gigs. Although recorded in a studio, it is live in every respect, i.e. a large crowd was present in the studio during the recording and no overdubs or other studio trickery were used in the recording. The resident band composers came up with a great set of new tunes, rehearsed on the road before the actual recording captured here. This recording is closer in spirit to the first two albums the band recorded, full of spontaneity and superb extended soloing. The guitar work by Terry Smith is absolutely outlandish and the other players follow suit. The 10+ minutes opening track is alone worth the price of any album and a superb example of the Jazz-Rock at its best in every respect. Unfortunately shortly after this session and a brief personal change the band fell apart as a result of Dick Morrissey's illness. Although Morrissey revamped the band later on, which recorded three more albums using the If moniker, those were far apart from the glorious material recorded by the original group. For various management and contractual reasons this album was not released in the US in its entirety (as were the first three albums); instead the "Waterfall" album released in the US included some of the material present here with the addition of different material recorded for that particular release. This is an essential Jazz-Rock recording of the highest musical quality and an indispensible item in any serious music collection.

 

 

 

1^st album by an ad-hoc US Jazz super-group Griffith Park Collection, which was put together by drummer Lenny White and included trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Chick Corea and bassist Stanley Clarke – all Masters of the trade and veteran American Jazz Giants. White is the link between all these players, as he previously played in Henderson's and Hubbard's bands and of course he was a member of Return To Forever with Corea and Clarke. The quintet is in many respects similar to the VSOP quintet, which in turn was modeled after the famous second Miles Davis quintet. They play modern Jazz, strongly based on the Bebop tradition, but pushing the boundaries into modal and sometimes Free Form. The music is all original by the quintet members except one composition by Steve Swallow, performed superbly with flair and breathtaking virtuosity, as expected from these great musicians. This album was unavailable for almost two decades and it's great to have it back in circulation. A must for modern Jazz lovers!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

3^rd album by the superb British Jazz-Rock ensemble If, recorded in London following a grueling touring schedule in the US and Europe in the months before the recording. Although worn out by touring, the band was tighter and more experienced than ever, keeping the same lineup from the very start, which is evident by their playing on this album (although they were brilliant from day one). They also had more time to work on new material, which proved to be as inspiring as always, but more focused on melody and arrangements rather than the display of extended instrumental improvisations. In many respects this is the most "perfect" If album, closest in spirit to great British Jazz-Rock essence. Most of the music here was composed by saxophonist / flautist Dave Quincy, with two more compositions by keyboardist John Mealing and one each by guitarist Terry Smith and saxophonist / flautist Dick Morrissey. The vocals by J. W. Hodgkinson are particularly lyrical and moving here, placing his abilities in par with the instrumental wizardry of the other band members. Although tamer and less spontaneous than its two predecessors, this is still an essential Jazz-Rock recording of the highest musical quality and an indispensible item in any serious music collection.

 

 

 

5^th album by German Jazz-Rock Fusion band Passport, founded and led by reedman / composer Klaus Doldinger, recorded live with a long list of guest artist. Along with Passport members: saxophonist Doldinger, keyboardist Kristian Schultze, bassist Wolfgang Schmid and drummer Curt Cress, the guest include British organist extraordinaire Brian Auger, drummer Pete York and guitarist Alexis Korner, American (resident in Europe at the time) saxophone giant Johnny Griffin and virtuoso German guitarist Volker Kriegel – definitely an awe-inspiring superstar lineup. The music is mostly written by Doldinger with just one Jazz standard used to showcase Auger's exceptional organ playing and a Blues standard for everybody to jam along. The live recording showcases the extraordinary instrumental abilities of all the musicians involved and is a great example of the European Jazz-Rock Fusion at the time. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

2^nd album by the superb British Jazz-Rock ensemble If, recorded in late 1970 in New York's Hit Factory studios while they were on tour in the USA. This album is a direct continuation of the splendid job they started on their eponymous debut album just a few months earlier; same lineup and same great music, performed brilliantly from start to finish. The group toured the US and Europe at a frantic paste, which left little time to develop new material, but due to the presence of several great composers in the band they managed to come up with another set of brilliant compositions, performing them with zest and their usual intensity. The American studio didn't manage to bungle the British sound of the band, which is most fortunate, setting them apart form their American counterparts (see the notes about the debut album on that subject). Despite their extensive touring and exposure, somehow If never achieved the success they so much deserved, neither in the US nor at home. In retrospect the reason might have been simply that they were just too good to "make it" commercially. Fortunately we have their recorded legacy to enjoy, and enjoy we will. This is an absolute essential Jazz-Rock recording of the highest musical quality and an indispensible item in any serious music collection.

 

 

 

2^nd album by one of the most important European Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles, German band Passport, founded and led by reedman / composer Klaus Doldinger. By the early 1970s the German Jazz scene was bursting with talent and excitement with the new generation of players slowly taking their place among the veteran musicians. The European Jazz, which went through a process of rapid development in the previous decade, freeing itself form the rigid constrains of American Jazz tradition, created a completely new universe of music. With the entry to the new decade many of the European musicians crossed over from modern and Free Jazz into Jazz-Rock Fusion, with s feverish rush of activity in that field. Passport was one of many German bands appearing for the first time on the scene at the time, but it proved to be one of the most inventive and in retrospect most influential band of the era, lasting for decades with many personnel changes, but always inventive and musically fulfilling. This album, recorded by the second lineup of the band, includes Doldinger on saxophones and keyboards with British keyboardist John Mealing (a former If member), German bassist Wolfgang Schmidt and British drummer Bryan Spring. The music, all written by Doldinger, is a superb example of the European strain of Jazz-Rock Fusion, with strong melody lines and excellent lengthy improvisations by the band members. Both stylistically and sound-wise it is quite similar to the great British Jazz-Rock band If. Definitely one of the great classic recordings of the genre and an essential item in any serious Jazz-Rock collection!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

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CD

 

It's time to introduce a series of new additions from the German Repertoire label and the US Wounded Bird label, two of the best reissue labels around:

 

 

1^st album by the superb British Jazz-Rock ensemble If, formed in 1969 by three representatives of the burgeoning British Jazz scene, which was experiencing an unprecedented surge of creativity and revolutionizing the Jazz form at the time. Although partly inspired by American Jazz-Rock pioneers like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, which were gaining wide popularity at the time, If was quintessentially different from its American counterparts. Essentially Jazz-Rock was "invented" in Britain several years earlier by musicians like Graham Bond and others, creating a distinctive "sound and feel", which was quite different from the development of the genre on the other side of the pond. The Americans based their bands on the rich "brass" tradition, which was perfected over the years by countless Big Bands and Brass bands, adding an aggressive rock backbeat to the music, whereas the British used a different approach, which basically left the Jazz environment intact, rejuvenating it with modern rhythmic approach and electric instruments (and in some cases adding Rock vocals), but remaining faithful to the Jazz idiom. In short where the American Jazz-Rock mainly rocked, the British Jazz-Rock mainly swung. If were a great example of these differences and although short-lived, the band produced some of the most exquisite examples of British Jazz-Rock ever recorded. The core of the band comprised of the extraordinary guitarist Terry Smith, saxophonist / flautist Dick Morrissey and another saxophonist / flautist Dave Quincy (please note the absence of trumpeters). All three musicians had behind them several years of playing Jazz in various ensembles and were amongst the most gifted young British players at the time. Supported by a great and versatile rhythm section: keyboardist John Mealing, bassist Jim Richardson and drummer Dennis Elliot and fronted by unusually gifted and able vocalist J. W. Hodgkinson, If were an absolutely perfect combination of talent and abilities, which actually worked. This, combined with the abilities of the "in house" composers (mostly Morrissey and Quincy), who crafted incredible melodies; crispy, complex and intelligent yet "easy" on the ear, made If a lean and mean music making machine of staggering proportions. All three main instrumental soloist were wonderful musicians, which is evident on this album from start to finish, but the most incredible work was surely performed by guitarist Terry Smith, who uses every trick in the book and beyond, always fresh and unconventional. It is most interesting to compare Smith's work with Chicago guitarist Terry Kath (what a coincidence – both named Terry), who also was the most gifted instrumentalist in his band. Smith's adaptation of Jazz guitar techniques into Rock as opposed to Kath's improvised Rock guitar playing again emphasize the differences between the two bands. Words of praise should also go to If's vocalist, who demonstrated exceptional feel on top of his wide range and clear, effortless treatment of even the trickiest challenges. To summarize, If in general and this, their debut album in particular, are superb examples of what great music is all about. Although mostly forgotten and rarely mentioned in most references, this album is as essential to every Jazz-Rock fan as the air he breathes. Ignoring it would constitute an act of criminal negligence, not to mention the complete void in one's musical education. Did I say essential?

 

 

 

1^st album by one of the most important European Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles, German band Passport, founded and led by reedman / composer Klaus Doldinger. By the early 1970s the German Jazz scene was bursting with talent and excitement with the new generation of players slowly taking their place among the veteran musicians. The European Jazz, which went through a process of rapid development in the previous decade, freeing itself form the rigid constrains of American Jazz tradition, created a completely new universe of music. With the entry to the new decade many of the European musicians crossed over from modern and Free Jazz into Jazz-Rock Fusion, with s feverish rush of activity in that field. Passport was one of many German bands appearing for the first time on the scene at the time, but it proved to be one of the most inventive and in retrospect most influential band of the era, lasting for decades with many personnel changes, but always inventive and musically fulfilling. This album, recorded by the first lineup of the band, includes Doldinger on saxophones and keyboards with another saxophonist / flautist Olaf Kübler, organist Jimmy Jackson, bassist Lothar Meid and drummer Udo Lindenberg. The music, all written by Doldinger, is a superb example of the European strain of Jazz-Rock Fusion, with strong melody lines and excellent lengthy improvisations by the band members. Both stylistically and sound-wise it is quite similar to the great British Jazz-Rock band If. Definitely one of the great classic recordings of the genre and an essential item in any serious Jazz-Rock collection!

 

 

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CD

 

Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them and some new releases on the wonderful Wounded Bird label:

 

 

1^st album by Japanese musician Hikaru Sekine, who works under the Fossil moniker, composed and performed entirely by him. The mostly acoustic instrumentation includes many guitars and flutes and the music is a Prog / Ambient suite, rich in textures and beautiful melodies. The repetitive themes are reminiscent of Mike Oldfield's approach to composition, but the music is more spiritual and meditative, partly based on Japanese folklore. This kind of music is ideal for relaxing and people who are after excitement and instant gratification might find this music perhaps tedious, but those who are willing to engulf themselves in the sound and flow with it are in for quite a trip. Recommended to more advanced and patient listeners.

 

 

 

2^nd album by this magnificent guitar duo: American Larry Coryell and Belgian Philip Catherine, both established virtuosi with impressive record, who cooperate here to combine their talents in order to create a whole, which is even greater than the sum of its parts. Although both guitarists are mostly known for their activity in Jazz-Rock Fusion, this album presents them in a Jazz setting, partly acoustic and partly electric. The result is a beautiful conversation of two Masters, both technically and aesthetically awe inspiring. The music on this album was written by Coryell and Catherine, but they also play one Astor Piazzolla composition (on this track the German piano giant Joachim Kühn appears as a guest) and a striking version of a Django Reinhardt tune. Guitar enthusiasts will find this album essential listening, but it is most interesting to every Jazz lover. This album was unavailable for so many years and seeing it back in circulation is a great pleasure. This is surely one of the most essential guitar albums out there!

 

 

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CD

 

Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them and some new releases on the wonderful Wounded Bird label:

 

 

1^st album by Japanese instrumental trio Cichla Temensis fronted by wonderful flautist Haruna Fukazawa, with bassist / guitarist / keyboardist Takumi Kokubu (who also wrote all the music) and drummer Masahiko Noguchi. They play beautifully melodic material in Jazzy rhythms, mostly serene and well crafted, with the flute engulfing the listener in continuous bliss. The flautist is truly a great player, incorporating in his playing both the centuries-long tradition of Japanese flute playing and Western Jazz improvisation technique. For flute lovers, this is an absolute delight from start to finish and Jazz fans will find this also interesting. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

1^st album by this magnificent guitar duo: American Larry Coryell and Belgian Philip Catherine, both established virtuosi with impressive record, who cooperate here to combine their talents in order to create a whole, which is even greater than the sum of its parts. Although both guitarists are mostly known for their activity in Jazz-Rock Fusion, this album presents them in completely acoustic setting, exchanging riffs, chords and ideas. The result is a beautiful conversation of two Masters, both technically and aesthetically awe inspiring. The music on this album was mostly written by Catherine, but they also play one Keith Jarrett composition and a striking version of a Django Reinhardt tune. Guitar enthusiasts will find this album essential listening, but it is interesting to every Jazz lover. This album was unavailable for so many years and seeing it back in circulation is a great pleasure. Enjoy!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

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CD

 

Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them:

 

 

1^st album by Japanese instrumental trio Cichla Temensis fronted by wonderful flautist Haruna Fukazawa, with bassist / guitarist / keyboardist Takumi Kokubu (who also wrote all the music) and drummer Masahiko Noguchi. They play beautifully melodic material in Jazzy rhythms, mostly serene and well crafted, with the flute engulfing the listener in continuous bliss. The flautist is truly a great player, incorporating in his playing both the centuries-long tradition of Japanese flute playing and Western Jazz improvisation technique. For flute lovers, this is an absolute delight from start to finish and Jazz fans will find this also interesting. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

Virtuoso German keyboardist Joachim Kühn is one of the greatest representatives of European Jazz and his illustrious career and numerous recordings are a source of inspiration for any true music lover. Strongly influenced by his older brother Rolf Kühn, an exquisite clarinetist, Joachim started to play Jazz professionally in the 1960s and was one of the founding fathers of the great modern German Jazz scene. In his early days Kühn played mostly modern Free Jazz. But by the 1970s he flirted extensively with Jazz-Rock Fusion recording a series of wonderful albums in that genre first for the legendary MPS label and later for Atlantic. This album finds Kühn in a quintet setting with two guitarists: the brilliant Dutch Jan Akkerman and American Ray Gomez, bassist Tony Newton and drummer Glenn Symmonds. All the music was written by Kühn and it is absolutely stunning, this time more Rock influenced that his previous releases, but as always, performed with passion and exquisite taste by all the musicians. Kühn's extended acoustic piano solos are breathtaking, as are the solos by the guitar players and the entire album is an absolute must to any serious Jazz-Rock Fusion fan, especially those open to the European branch of the genre. Essential stuff!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

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CD

 

Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them and some new releases on the wonderful Wounded Bird label:

 

 

2^nd album by Japanese instrumental trio Cichla Temensis fronted by wonderful flautist Haruna Fukazawa, with bassist / guitarist / keyboardist Takumi Kokubu (who also wrote all the music) and drummer Masahiko Noguchi. They play beautifully melodic material in Jazzy rhythms, mostly serene and well crafted, with the flute engulfing the listener in continuous bliss. The flautist is truly a great player, incorporating in his playing both the centuries-long tradition of Japanese flute playing and Western Jazz improvisation technique. For flute lovers, this is an absolute delight from start to finish and Jazz fans will find this also interesting. Warmly recommended!

 

 

 

Virtuoso German keyboardist Joachim Kühn is one of the greatest representatives of European Jazz and his illustrious career and numerous recordings are a source of inspiration for any true music lover. Strongly influenced by his older brother Rolf Kühn, an exquisite clarinetist, Joachim started to play Jazz professionally in the 1960s and was one of the founding fathers of the great modern German Jazz scene. In his early days Kühn played mostly modern Free Jazz. But by the 1970s he flirted extensively with Jazz-Rock Fusion recording a series of wonderful albums in that genre first for the legendary MPS label and later for Atlantic. This album finds Kühn in a quartet setting with brilliant Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine, bassist John Lee and drummer Gerald Brown. Polish virtuoso violinist Zbigniew Seifert guest on several tracks. All the music was written by Kühn and it is absolutely stunning, with strong Jazz and Classical influences, performed with passion and exquisite taste by all the musicians. Kühn's extended acoustic piano solos are breathtaking and the entire album is an absolute must to any serious Jazz-Rock Fusion fan, especially those open to the European branch of the genre. Essential stuff!

 

 

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Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them and some new releases on the wonderful Wounded Bird label:

 

 

1^st album by Japanese Prog / Fusion instrumental quartet Pentagram recorded live and intended as a demo of their abilities rather than a full-fledged release. Led by guitarist Tsutomu Tamura (who also wrote all the music), with keyboardist Kozo Tsuji, bassist Takashi Morita and drummer Satoshi Izutani, the band plays around the guitarist, who is the main soloist. The music is pretty standard Fusion material, with shifting tempi and perhaps a bit to complex, sometimes losing focus. But overall there are plenty of interesting moments and the band members certainly have the potential to develop into a serious Fusion act, given the opportunity and time. Fusion fans, who are always looking for new material, should give this one a listen.

 

 

 

1^st and only album by a one-time recording project organized by the brilliant Polish Jazz musician Michal Urbaniak and his wife Urszula Dudziak, following their move to the USA and after recording of several exquisite albums for the Columbia label. The album is to a large extent a cheek-in-tongue joke by Urbaniak in response to the "accusations" by his fellow American colleagues, that Eastern European musicians are not "funky". Here we have a proof that Urbaniak and his cohorts can play Funk as well as any American musician, and perhaps even better, as his Funk is so much more sophisticated and multilayered than anything else recorded in that style. Together with Urbaniak and Dudziak a couple of two other talented Polish musicians also take part in this project: virtuoso keyboardist Wlodek Gulgowski and singer Bernard Kafka, founder and leader of the superb Polish vocal group Novi Singers. In addition to the four Poles, a sensational American rhythm section was assembled, with bassists Anthony Jackson and Tony Levin, drummers Steve Gadd and Gerald Brown and guitarists Barry Finnerty and John Abercrombie. Urbaniak burns his electric violin with the usual passion and virtuosity and Dudziak performs magic with her voice. The music was all written by Urbaniak, Gulgowski and Kafka, so here we have Polish Funk, which funks away all that's funky. Although completely obscure, this is a great album, which hopefully can now be discovered by a wider audience after being reissued on CD. A must for all Polish Jazz enthusiasts!

 

 

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Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them:

 

 

1^st album by brilliant Japanese quintet Head Pop Up, which includes two keyboard players Hiro Wada and Michi Mayangayi (who also doubles on accordion), guitarist Atsushi Iwasawa, bassist Teruro Mikami and drummer Hisashi Abe. Each of these players is an excellent instrumentalist and they all know their stuff, which makes this group a true marvel. The music is absolutely soaked in keyboards, moving swiftly between Prog, Fusion and Jazz, with vengeance. Emerson, Lake & Palmer sound like kindergarten kids compared to these guys, I kid you not. Blessed also with a keen sense for great melody and dynamic arrangements, this album is a Prog heaven and I wonder why so few people know about this album. This is an absolute must for any keyboards Prog / Fusion fan.

 

 

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Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them:

 

 

1^st album by Japanese ensemble TEE, recorded live and mainly a demo album made by the band in pursue of a recording contract. Fronted by the excellent flautist Kenji Imai, the quintet plays classic Symphonic Prog. All the music is composed by the leader, keyboardist Ryuji Yonekura, who was a member of the great band Interpose before forming TEE. The band faithfully reconstructs the Symphonic Prog feel of the style's golden Era in the 1970s, but adds a slight edge with Fusion inspired instrumentation. Fans of Symphonic Prog should enjoy this stuff outright, and the band's studio album, which followed this release, enjoyed a warm reception worldwide.

 

 

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Here are some more Japanese releases, great stuff all of them:

 

 

1^st album by excellent Japanese ensemble Minoke?, who play some of the most invigorating Jazz-Rock I've heard in a while. Fronted by wonderful reeds player Kosei Kayama, with keyboardist Kunihiko Sekido, bassist Yasushi Kawaguchi and drummer Katsunori Takahashi, they play original music, which mixes Jazz, ethnic influences and avant-garde improvisation, creating an amazingly coherent and intelligent musical experience. The melodies are very well developed and the improvisations (mostly by Kayama) well structured, with everything falling into place just right. Even if completely obscure in the meantime, the band surely deserves to be heard, as they have so much to say. Jazz buffs should search out this little gem and give it a listen ASAP. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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Here is an album by a great Hungarian band Kampec Dolores:

 

 

7^th album by excellent Hungarian group Kampec Dolores, which spearheads the East European Avant Rock / Prog movement for many years. The bands two founding members are vocalist Gabi Kenderesi, and guitarist / composer Csaba Hajnoczy, with the other members of the band changing from time to time, many of which come from the ranks of Hungarian Jazz players. They play a wonderfully weird mixture of Avant Rock / RIO / Prog, mixed with ethnic elements, Jazz improvisation and Contemporary Classical tools. This music is impossible to describe verbally, as each tune takes the listener to a different sonic landscape. The overall surreal atmosphere is fascinating and mesmerizing, sometime quite difficult for the untrained ear, but there is no dull moment anywhere. This stuff is heavenly for more advanced listeners open to new musical vistas, but might prove to complex for an inexperienced listener. Definitely an ear opener and worth investigating!

 

 

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Here is a series of releases on the US reissues label Friday Music:

 

 

American guitarist and fiddler Charlie Daniels and his band were champions of the early Southern Rock all through the 1970s and recorded a long series of excellent albums. Much of their work is parallel to the Allman Brothers Band, but is less influenced by the Blues and incorporates more Country elements. By the late 1970s, when this album was recorded, the group was looking to expand their musical background into other musical grounds, like Prog and Art Rock. The fans and critics hated it of course and the album was received coldly, but in retrospect it is a great piece of Classic Rock. One track from the album, called "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", scored a major international hit for the band, but other that that the albums passed into obscurity, leaving a sour taste. Fortunately this reissue enables us to reexamine the album from a new perspective and perhaps even grow to like it. Definitely worth exploring!

 

 

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Here is a series of releases on the US reissues label Friday Music:

 

 

The great Blues and Rock guitar hero Johnny Winter never truly achieved the recognition he deserves as one of the world's best players ever. Anybody following his career for the last 40 years is surely convinced by now that there are very few guitar players who equal Johnny's incredible talent and especially his feel for the Blues. This fourth installment in the series of releases of his live and unofficial recordings is as thrilling as its predecessors, presenting Johnny at his best, which he always is on stage. Here in a trio format with Jon Paris on bass and Tom Compton on drums, he delivers his stunning guitar licks with the usual consistency an proficiency, singing along with his wonderful throaty voice. The material includes several Blues standards and some of Johnny's own compositions. I guess there's little need to expand any further here; anybody who loves Johnny will grab this album instantly and those who don't know him, well, they already lost a lifetime of thrilling music. A must!

 

 

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Here is a series of releases on the US reissues label Friday Music:

 

 

By the late 1970s the great British Prog group Renaissance, which dominated the scene for the last decade (although quietly and never reaching the popularity of the Big 5) and released a series of absolute classic albums, was reaching the end of the line, as all it's contemporaries. The musical atmosphere was changing and artistic and intelligent music was rapidly loosing ground to more primitive music forms. With slight personal changes over the years the group reached a stage of perfect professionalism and stunning delivery, which marked the pinnacle of their musical path. Fronted by the vocal diva Annie Haslam, whose angelic voice had no competition whatsoever and with great players on board, the band was capable to produce a truly spectacular sound on stage, as documented by this recording. John Tout on keyboards, Michael Dunford on guitar, Jon Camp on bass and Terrence Sullivan on drums produce a stunning instrumental background for Annie's heartbreaking vocals. The material includes some of the band's most ambitious compositions, including a 14 and a half minutes long version of "Can You Hear Me". The music was recorded at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia, a town where the band had quite a following and played in often enough. Every new document of the band's performances is of course most welcome and the many fans will jump upon the occasion to hear some more of their eternal music. Although the music was not recorded with the intension of being released and therefore suffers from some technical imperfections, the overall strength of the performance makes is an absolute must for any fan of the band. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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Here is a series of releases on the US reissues label Friday Music:

 

 

2^nd album by singer / songwriter Arthur Lee, mostly known as the charismatic leader of the legendary US band Love, which revolutionized the US Rock scene in the mid to late 1960s, recorded with members of the late 1970s incarnation of the band. In spite of Lee's extraordinary talent as songwriter, his career following the breakdown of the original lineup of Love, as well as his personal life, was a troubled and tragic affair. The collection of songs on this album, mostly written by Lee, show his enormous potential and spark of genius, but sadly lack a focus and production effort, which would turn them into such gems as his early work. Nevertheless the material is surely worth listening to and the many fans of Love will find here plenty of interesting moments.

 

 

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Here is a series of releases on the US reissues label Friday Music:

 

 

Ten years after the original lineup of the legendary US band Love fell apart, mainly as a result of personality clash between the band's charismatic leader / singer / songwriter Arthur Lee and the second singer / songwriter in the band Bryan MacLean, the two protagonists agreed to a short reunion of the band in 1978. This album is the only document of this reunion, recorded at the legendary "Whisky A Go-Go" club and although the quality of the recording is no better that your average bootleg, the historic importance of this meeting overshadows the technical shortcomings. The band plays three of the songs from their revolutionary epic "Forever Changes" and other material, composed all by Lee and MacLean, except one cover. The informal atmosphere of the gig and authenticity of the setting bring the listener back to times, when great music could be heard in clubs any day of the week. Any fan of Love will surely love to put his hands on this album.

 

 

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