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Debut album by Israeli Jazz pianist / composer Ofir Shwartz and his trio with bassist Amitai Ladin and drummer Elad Aizikowitz, recorded after they played together for about three years. I found listening to this album a heartwarming experience for several reasons; the fact that the piano trio is my favorite Jazz trip is already well known to my fiends and foes alike, but the fact that three young Israeli musicians are capable of playing with such elegance, eloquence and maturity is truly astounding. Combined with the depth of the pianist's compositions (all the music on this album, except one track, was composed by him), which are mostly lyrical and introvert, the overall impression is deeply moving. The music is much closer to European Jazz than to its American roots, reminiscent of Nordic and East European schools of Jazz composition. Mostly quite precise and well organized; the music sometimes glides into freely improvised passages, which albeit being brief, put it in an entirely new context. The rhythm section gives a perfectly solid support to the soloist, filling in the blanks and complimenting his performances without being intrusive. The interplay between the three musicians is perfectly balanced and respectful, which is a basis of every great piano trio. Shwartz isn't trying to be overtly virtuosic in his performance, preferring subtlety and subtext to flashy, but meaningless glissandos and arpeggios. Every keystroke is precisely where it belongs, both musically and rhythmically, which is of course the way good music is supposed to be. Beautifully recorded, with a clear and warm resonance and perfect sonic balance between the instruments, this is an album every Jazz connoisseur should enjoy in full. The fact that it comes from our petite country is definitely a source of pride and joy for people like me, who care about our culture. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Following the 1994 reunion, which proved to be extremely successful, both artistically and commercially, the pioneering British Jazz-Rock Fusion band Colosseum, one of the greatest band ever in the genre's history, decided to keep the reunited band together for further concerts and even recorded a couple of new albums, of which this is the first one. In retrospect, with the tragic death of saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith in 2004, this album was destined to be one before the last recording by the original band, which of course included also vocalist Chris Farlowe, keyboardist Dave Greenslade, guitarist Clem Clempson, bassist Mark Clarke and drummer Jon Hiseman. The album includes eleven original compositions by the band members, performed brilliantly, as always. None of the players seem to have lost any of their passion for music or the ability to perform, which is evident, every step of the way. It seems an appropriate way to say goodbye to the numerous fans around the world and although seals the era, emphasizes what a glorious era it was. A must!

 

 

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2^nd album by the great Irish Prog group Horslips, great precursors of Celtic Rock in general and Celtic Prog in particular. Firmly based in Irish Folk music and the Celtic tradition, the band incorporated these themes with Prog, creating exciting and outstanding music, which withstands the tides of time beautifully. The band included guitarist John Fean, multi—instrumentalist Charles O`Connor, keyboardist Jim Lockhart, bassist Barry Devlin and drummer Eamon Carr. All five musicians contributed their musical ideas as composers and four of them (except the drummer) shared the vocal duties. This release is a concept album based on Irish mythology and works very well in that scenario. This newly remastered edition includes bonus tracks and is exquisitely packaged. A must for all Prog fans!

 

 

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3^rd album by the great Irish Prog group Horslips, great precursors of Celtic Rock in general and Celtic Prog in particular. Firmly based in Irish Folk music and the Celtic tradition, the band incorporated these themes with Prog, creating exciting and outstanding music, which withstands the tides of time beautifully. The band included guitarist John Fean, multi—instrumentalist Charles O`Connor, keyboardist Jim Lockhart, bassist Barry Devlin and drummer Eamon Carr. All five musicians contributed their musical ideas as composers and four of them (except the drummer) shared the vocal duties. This release is closer to the Folk tradition than their other albums, moody and atmospheric, but always beautiful. This newly remastered edition includes bonus tracks and is exquisitely packaged. A must for all Prog fans!

 

 

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6^th album by the great Irish Prog group Horslips, great precursors of Celtic Rock in general and Celtic Prog in particular. Firmly based in Irish Folk music and the Celtic tradition, the band incorporated these themes with Prog, creating exciting and outstanding music, which withstands the tides of time beautifully. The band included guitarist John Fean, multi—instrumentalist Charles O`Connor, keyboardist Jim Lockhart, bassist Barry Devlin and drummer Eamon Carr. All five musicians contributed their musical ideas as composers and four of them (except the drummer) shared the vocal duties. This release is their most eloquent fusion of traditional material and Prog, with a truly symphonic Prog sound, often considered their best album. This newly remastered edition includes bonus tracks and is exquisitely packaged. A must for all Prog fans!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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2^nd album by the excellent instrumental US Jazz-Rock Fusion nonet Matrix, which continued the tradition of early 1970s brass influenced Fusion bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Dreams and Chase. Led by keyboardist John Harmon, who wrote and arranged most of the band's material, the band also included trumpeters Larry Darling, Kurt Dietrich, Mike Hale and Jeff Pietragelo, saxophonist John Kirchberger, trombonist Brad McDougall, superb bassist Randy Tico and drummer Mike Murphy. They played very interesting composition, elegantly arranged for the brass section, which was supported by a brilliant rhythm section. The band never received the appropriate exposure at the time, and therefore their recordings true hidden gems of the genre. This reissue brings them back to life, which is a great opportunity to get familiar with their output, as it is definitely some of the 1970s Fusion ever made. Most warmly recommended!

 

 

CD

 

 

3^rd album by the excellent instrumental US Jazz-Rock Fusion nonet Matrix, which continued the tradition of early 1970s brass influenced Fusion bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Dreams and Chase. Led by keyboardist John Harmon, who wrote and arranged most of the band's material, the band also included trumpeters Larry Darling, Kurt Dietrich, Mike Hale and Jeff Pietragelo, saxophonist John Kirchberger, trombonist Brad McDougall, superb bassist Randy Tico and drummer Mike Murphy. They played very interesting composition, elegantly arranged for the brass section, which was supported by a brilliant rhythm section. The band never received the appropriate exposure at the time, and therefore their recordings true hidden gems of the genre. This reissue brings them back to life, which is a great opportunity to get familiar with their output, as it is definitely some of the 1970s Fusion ever made. Most warmly recommended!

 

 

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This obscure gem from the late 1960s is the only album by Jeremy & The Satyrs and is also the first recording by three future Jazz starts: flautist Jeremy Steig, keyboardist Warren Bernhardt and bassist Eddie Gomez playing here in a quintet with guitarist Adrian Guillery and drummer Donald McDonald. They play quite an interesting mixture of Blues, Jazz and Rock which falls completely outside any genre specifications, but remains interesting after all these years. These are all brilliant instrumentalist of course and hearing their early efforts brings on a lot of nostalgia. This album is definitely worth further investigation, both by people familiar with these players as well as fans of the wonderfully weird 1960s music. Recommended!

 

 

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This obscure little gem is the only album by UK group Absolute Elsewhere, led by keyboardist / composer Paul Fishmann. The group also included guitarist Philip Saatchi, bassist Jon Astrop and the great Bill Bruford on drums. This is a concept album based on the books by Erich von Daniken, who proposed a theory of earthly intelligence being of alien origin – a concept quite popular at the time. The music is atmospheric and moody, but has all the basic ingredients of Prog, which makes it appropriate both for Prog and Ambient fans. Definitely worth investigating!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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This excellent box set includes four studio albums and one live album, recorded between 1969 and 1974 and released on the Columbia label, by the great US Blues-Rock guitarist Johnny Winter: "Johnny Winter", "Second Winter", "And Live", "Still Alive And Well" and "Saints & Sinners". Winter is one of the greatest Blues and Blues-Rock guitarist of all times and these early recordings are superb examples of his talent. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Essential!

 

 

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This excellent box set includes the first five studio albums, recorded between 1968 and 1976 and released on the Columbia label, by the great US Singer / songwriter Laura Nyro: "Eli And The Thirteenth Confession", "New York Tendaberry", "Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat", "Gonna Take A Miracle" and "Smile". Nyro is one the America's most sensible and talented songwriters and a great singer herself, but her songs were performed by a plethora of other artists, winning them many chart hits. The material is gorgeous and everlasting. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Essential!

 

 

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This excellent box set includes the first five studio albums, recorded between 1968 and 1972 and released on the Epic label, by the great US Prog group Spirit: "Spirit", "The Family That Plays Together", "Clear", "Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus" and "Feedback". Spirit was one America's best early Psychedelic Rock / Prog groups with great songwriting talents and excellent players on board. These albums have lost absolutely nothing of their beauty and sophistication over the years. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Essential!

 

 

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This excellent box set includes five studio albums, recorded between 1980 and 2000 and released on the Epic label, by the great British Rock guitarist Jeff Beck: "There And Back", "Flash", "Jeff Beck`s Guitar Shop", "Who Else!" and "You Had It Coming". Back is one of the greatest Rock guitar players / composers of all times and his performances in the diverse sub-genres of Rock are always ingenious and brilliant. Although often criticized and misunderstood, his technique is star quality as is his unique feel for his music. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Highly recommended!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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Only album by legendary lyricist / producer Peter Sinfield, the man behind the first four landmark King Crimson albums, where he lurked in the shadows as an informal virtual member of the band. His lyrics and production were an integral part of the magic of these milestone Prog recordings. Once Sinfield and King Crimson terminated their cooperation, he turned into a successful producer for other bands and finally found time to record his only album, which in many ways is a continuation of the work done by King Crimson Mk I. Supported by an assemblage of Prog and Jazz stars, Sinfield created another masterpiece, which although initially callously received by fans and critics alike, in retrospect sounds great today and does not lose ground to the King Crimson recordings. The supporting musicians include Greg Lake, Mel Collins, John Wetton, Ian Wallace, Keith Tippet and numerous other illustrious musicians. The material is often atmospheric and introspective, but some heavier moments are also present. The original album was released on the Manticore label, owned by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and the new edition adds a plethora of previously unheard alternate tracks and mixes, obviously to the delight of the fans. A must for all Prog-heads!

 

 

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This album presents a previously unreleased live material by the legendary Blues-Rock genius guitarist Johnny Winter with his group, which featured Rick Derringer. Recorded shortly after the release of Winter's third Columbia album "Johnny Winter And", this live concert includes a couple of numbers from the new album with the rest being drown from his two previous albums for the label. Although there is little new to be discovered here, the sheer virtuosity and raw energy displayed by Winter's guitar playing and vocal delivery make it a good enough reason to listen to this music time after time and I'm sure that if anything else from that period will be discovered in the future, it will be sensational as well. Winter's fans need no encouragement to grab this beauty instantly and those heretics still unfamiliar with his gospel should definitely jump on the wagon this time. They surely don't make that kind of music these days, so get going! Brilliant stuff!

 

 

CD + DVD

 

 

This incredible collection of 17 tracks, which were (all except one) recorded by Jimi Hendrix during the months shortly preceding his tragic and untimely death in September 1970, are a best possible reconstruction of the next double LP Jimi planned to release under this title as the follow up to "Electric Ladyland". Most of the work on these tracks was done in the newly constructed Electric Lady studio, which was Jimi's brainchild and dream. Engineered by Eddie Kremer, the same sound engineer who recorded all Jimi's studio material, these songs were never finished and polished to perfection the way Hendrix would have probably made them as their final versions, but we'll never know how that would have turned out. But under these circumstances, whatever is here in whatever shape or stage of completion, is surely important and essential enough to be cherished and remembered, as is every note Hendrix played during his short life. The music is performed by the usual Hendrix trio Mk II with Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums, with several other artists appearing on various tracks. Stylistically the music is quite different from the early Jimi Hendrix Experience material, with Jimi pushing constantly to cover more ground away from the Blues influences into more Rhythm And Blues and even Soul influenced music, in a way coming back full circle to the music he used to play in his formative years. But of course his genus guitar work and vocal delivery make whatever style he was playing in less significant, since anything he touched was, and always will be, first and foremost Jimi Hendrix. All these songs were previously released on three posthumous Hendrix albums in; 1971 ("The Cry Of Love" and "Rainbow Bridge") and 1972 ("War Heroes"), but grouped together here they are the first proper treatment of this material. This new edition, newly remastered, adds a specially filmed DVD, which explores the process of creating this music. Essential stuff for body and soul!

 

 

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This excellent box set includes the first five studio albums, recorded between 1970 and 1974 and released on the Columbia label, by the great US Rock group Mountain: "Climbing!", "Nantucket Sleighride", "Flowers Of Evil", "Twin Peaks" and "Avalanche". Mountain was the American answer to the British super-group Cream. The band's bassist Felix Pappalardi was the producer of Cream's albums. The band's guitarist Leslie West is one of the greatest Rock and Rock-Blues players of all times. The albums are remastered and packaged in album replicas (mini-sleeves), housed in a cardboard box, and with the price tag of a double album this is a tremendous bargain as well. Essential!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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Only album by one of Britain's most eclectic and often misunderstood recording artist, singer Arthur Brown and his first outfit appropriately called The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, which to this day remains as one of the greatest early Prog / Psychedelic albums ever recorded. The group was basically a trio and included the brilliant organist Vincent Crane and drummer Drachen Theaker, Bassist Sean Nicholas was used during the recording of the album, which also included brilliant orchestral arrangements done by Crane. One of the tracks of the album called "Fire" was released as a single and achieved an unexpected chart success both in UK and USA, bringing Brown and his mates a brief stardom status, but the band fell apart shortly after the album was recorded, sadly never realizing its full potential, which was truly amazing. Dominated by Brown's frantic, but beautifully dramatic and virtuosic vocal delivery and Crane's superb organ playing, based on Jazz influenced improvisations, the band sounded unlike no other band at the time. The music, written mostly by Crane with the exception of a couple Rock classics, is absolutely astounding and fits Brown's lyrics perfectly. Brown's delivery is theatrical and manic at times, but always sensitive and of outstanding quality. The album is a relic of the era and an absolutely essential listening experience. This deluxe edition adds a plethora of bonus tracks, many previously never released on record. An absolute masterpiece!

 

 

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1^st album by brilliant British Prog band Kingdom Come led by singer Arthur Brown. Following the collapse of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (soon after drummer Drachen Theaker was fired and replaced for a brief time by Carl Palmer, who together with Vincent Crane left the band to start the great Atomic Rooster) Brown started to put together his new band. Eventually he was joined by guitarist Andrew Dalby, keyboardists Julian Brown and Michael Harris, bassist Desmond Fisher and drummer Martin Steer, creating a superb outfit capable of playing outstanding music. Combining elements of Art-Rock, Prog, Psychedelia, avant-garde, Jazz and even Classical, this was music eons ahead of its time. This music is revolutionary and outrageous, intelligent and funny, full of complex compositions with frequent rhythm shifts and multi-melodic themes; in short dazzling every step of the way. Brown's unique vocal delivery adds another dimension to the already multifaceted package. Sadly the music was not appreciated at the time of its release and only decades later discovered as a true gem, as rightly deserved. Brilliant stuff and a must for every Prog fan!

 

 

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2^nd album by brilliant British Prog band Kingdom Come led by singer Arthur Brown. Following the release of the debut album, the band's personnel shifted slightly and Brown was joined by guitarist Andrew Dalby, keyboardist Michael Harris, bassist Phil Shutt and drummer Martin Steer, creating a superb outfit capable of playing outstanding music. Combining elements of Art-Rock, Prog, Psychedelia, avant-garde, Jazz and even Classical, this was music eons ahead of its time. This music is revolutionary and outrageous, intelligent and funny, full of complex compositions with frequent rhythm shifts and multi-melodic themes; in short dazzling every step of the way. Brown's unique vocal delivery adds another dimension to the already multifaceted package. Sadly the music was not appreciated at the time of its release and only decades later discovered as a true gem, as rightly deserved. Brilliant stuff and a must for every Prog fan!

 

 

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3^rd and last album by brilliant British Prog band Kingdom Come led by singer Arthur Brown. Following the release of the second album, the band's personnel shifted slightly and Brown was joined by guitarist Andrew Dalby, keyboardist Victor Periano and bassist Phil Shutt, creating a superb outfit capable of playing outstanding music in spite of the fact that they had no drummer and used electronic drums for the job – the first band ever to do so. Combining elements of Art-Rock, Prog, Psychedelia, avant-garde, Jazz and even Classical, this was music eons ahead of its time. This music is revolutionary and outrageous, intelligent and funny, full of complex compositions with frequent rhythm shifts and multi-melodic themes; in short dazzling every step of the way. Brown's unique vocal delivery adds another dimension to the already multifaceted package. Sadly the music was not appreciated at the time of its release and only decades later discovered as a true gem, as rightly deserved. Brilliant stuff and a must for every Prog fan!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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6^th album by Finnish Prog band Wigwam, the most famous Prog act from that country, which marks a new phase in the group's history. Following the departure of two founding members bassist Pekka Pohjola and organist Jukka Gustavson, who gave Wigwam its distinctive sound and musical direction, the band had to reorganize and recruit new members, which of course also influenced their musical direction. The remaining founding members: vocalist Jim Pembroke and drummer Ronnie Osterberg recruited guitarist Pekka Rechardt and bassist Mosse Groundstroem to join the band and invited brilliant Jazz / Fusion keyboardist Esa Kotilainen to take part in the recording of their next album. The result proved to be their most commercially successful release in their career and a flagship for Finnish Prog worldwide. Although less complex and sophisticated that the recordings by Wigwam Mk I, the album includes plenty of superb melodies and excellent musicianship, which are effective and memorable, accounting for its popularity and legendary status among Prog fans. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the Virgin label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary Love label. A must for Prog fans!

 

 

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7^th album by Finnish Prog band Wigwam, the most famous Prog act from that country, which is the second recording by Wigwam Mk II. Following the departure of two founding members bassist Pekka Pohjola and organist Jukka Gustavson, who gave Wigwam its distinctive sound and musical direction, the band had to reorganize and recruit new members, which of course also influenced their musical direction. The remaining founding members: vocalist Jim Pembroke and drummer Ronnie Osterberg recruited guitarist Pekka Rechardt and bassist Mosse Groundstroem to join the band for the previous album, and added a fifth member, keyboardist Hessu Hietanen by the time this album was recorded. The revamped Wigwam, more Pop / Rock oriented than the original incarnation of the band, was still a formidable ensemble able of producing excellent music, and the album includes plenty of superb melodies and excellent musicianship, which are effective and memorable. Although initially the album was criticized for being overly commercial, in retrospect it is every bit as good as the other albums the band recorded, being simply different. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the Virgin label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary Love label. A must for Prog fans!

 

 

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This beautiful album by bassist / composer Jack Bruce, one of the most eclectic and exceptional figures in music history has been a hidden jewel for most music lovers until the recent reissue. Recorded in the early 1980s, when Jack's career reached a crossroad as far as his future musical direction was concerned, he chose a brave approach of taking some time to reflect and recorded this, perhaps his most personal album ever. Recently introduced to the new computer-aided music making technology Bruce decided to record a solo project on which he would play all the instruments himself and put the music together using the computer. The resulting album, released initially on LP only on the German market, includes some of the most wonderful songs Bruce has written during his long career, which are similar to the stuff recorded on his early solo albums. His unique and always astounding voice is heard here more vividly and up front that on many other recordings, which, of course, allows the listener to enjoy it in full. The instrumental work (bass, keyboards, harmonica, etc.) is also exceptional, as always in his case. The fact that this is the first time this music appears on CD is an act of criminal negligence, now finally rectified by this edition. An absolute must for all Jack Bruce fans!

 

 

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5^th and last album by the excellent British Prog band Rare Bird, which went through a significant personnel changes by the time this album was recorded. Founding members: keyboardist Dave Kaffinetti and vocalist / guitarist Steve Gould, were joined by bassist Andy Rae and drummer Fred Kelly. The band keeps up with the tradition set up by the earlier recordings, which is characterized by superb melodies and brilliant instrumental work, which unfortunately never brought them the recognition they so richly deserved. Being unavailable for many years, this CD reissue brings back this gem into circulation, saving it from being forgotten. Warmly recommended!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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British singer / songwriter Arthur Brown, a marvelous maverick and eccentric who constantly pushed the limits of avant-garde Rock, was also one of the first artist to embrace the new computer technology, which arrived on the music-making scene in the early 1980s. Following the unexpected success Brown enjoyed in the late 1960s with his hit song "Fire", he later founded the excellent Kingdom Come, one of the best British progressive bands of the early 1970s. By the early 1980s Brown relocated for a while to the USA, where he recorded these two albums with the help of two legendary local producers Craig Leon and Earle Mankey, both pioneers of the computer-aided studio work. Although I can be hardly considered a fan of the dreadful 1980s computerized sound, which eventually emerged from the pioneering efforts, these two albums are quite unique and remain interesting 30 years later. Brown's mesmerizing vocals and weirdly wonderful lyrics are still unsurpassed and the use of computer sounds and drum machines is truly groundbreaking here. These two albums were reissued on CD in the early 1990s, but have disappeared again soon after. This new edition, expanded with bonus tracks, is a proper tribute to one of Britain's true musical visionaries. Not for everybody, but Brown's fans will surely love to see this material available again. Recommended!

 

 

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This magnificent piece of music by British pianist / composer / bandleader Mike Westbrook is an iconic recording in the history of modern British Jazz. The huge band, which recorded this music, includes absolutely everybody who was anybody on the scene at the time: saxophonists John Surman, Mike Osborne and Alan Skidmore, trumpeters Kenny Wheeler and Henry Lowther, trombonists Malcolm Griffith and Paul Rutherford, bassists Harry Miller and Barre Philips, drummers Alan Jackson and John Marshal; these being only some of the 30 participants. The music is an extended suite (originally released on 2 LPs) with the main theme being an anti-war protest, as appropriate at the time when the Vietnam was in the center of everybody's attention. The music was composed almost entirely by Westbrook, with a few sections composed by Surman. There is no point in explaining the significance of this music and its pioneering nature (which I have already done many times here), suffice to say that this is an absolute masterpiece in every respect and no decent Jazz record collection should exclude this historical milestone. Absolutely essential!

 

 

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2^nd album by Finnish bassist / composer Pekka Pohjola, one of the greatest Prog musicians of all times, who was a founding member of the legendary Finnish Prog band Wigwam. Accompanied by the top Finnish Jazz and Prog players of the time: saxophonists Eero Koivistoinen, Pekka Poyry and Paroni Paakkunainen, trumpeter Bertil Lofgren, guitarist Coste Apetrea and drummer Tomi Parkkonen, the band performs music composed by Pohjola, which stylistically moves between Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pohjola's extraordinary talent, both as a bassist and especially as a composer, were already magnificent at the time and would accompany him throughout his entire life, resulting in magnificent achievements, cut short only by his premature and tragic death in 2008. In retrospect this early effort is a milestone for European Prog and firmly establishes the superb Finnish contribution to the genre. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the Virgin label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary Love label. Absolutely essential!

 

 

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3^rd album by Finnish bassist / composer Pekka Pohjola, one of the greatest Prog musicians of all times, who was a founding member of the legendary Finnish Prog band Wigwam. Accompanied by the top European Jazz and Prog players of the time: Swedish guitarist Georg Wadenius, Polish keyboardist Wlodek Gulkowski, French drummer Pierre Moerlen, Finnish drummer Vesa Aaltonen and of course British guitarist Mike Oldfield and his sister singer Sally Oldfield, the band performs music composed by Pohjola, which stylistically moves between Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pohjola's extraordinary talent, both as a bassist and especially as a composer, were already magnificent at the time and would accompany him throughout his entire life, resulting in magnificent achievements, cut short only by his premature and tragic death in 2008. In retrospect this early effort is a milestone for European Prog and firmly establishes the superb Finnish contribution to the genre. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the Virgin label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary Love label. Absolutely essential!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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5^th album by British Prog group Karnataka and their first release after six long years of silence, following the collapse of the original incarnation of the band in 2004. The band's leader bassist / keyboardist / composer Ian Jones managed to revive the band with a completely new lineup, maintaining the sound and stylistic approach of the original band, including the leading female vocals, which are now handled by Lisa Fury, who turns out to be up for the job and sings beautifully. The other three band members are: guitarist Enrico Pinna, keyboardist Gonzalo Carrera and drummer Ian Harris. A couple of guest musicians and a string quartet are also used to expand the band's sound beyond the usual guitar / keyboards dominated Prog efforts, and the overall effect is truly quite formidable. With lengthy tracks, beautiful melodies, elegant performances and interesting buildup and arrangements, this actually id one of the best Neo-Prog albums I've heard in a long time. Good to have them back! The numerous faithful fans of the band need no recommendation to grab this immediately, but other Prog enthusiast should definitely check it out!

 

 

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7^th  album by the superb British Jazz / Improvised Music ensemble Amalgam, one of the precursors of British / European Free Jazz scene in the late 1960s and 1970s, founded by saxophonist Trevor Watts. On this album the lineup is a quartet, including guitarist Dave Cole, bassists Harry Miller and drummer Liam Genockey, which marks the second phase of Amalgam, characterized by the dual saxophone – guitar frontline. The music is written entirely by Watts. This album was originally released on the tiny German independent Vinyl label, and was unavailable for many years, which is now rectified by this CD issue. With the guitar and double electric bass the sound of the band becomes even more close to Fusion, but the extended improvisations and the virtuosity of the performers are still the same as always. This is again quite an accessible Amalgam album ever and easily enjoyed both by Jazz and Fusion adventurous music fans. This is still a classic and brilliant stuff as always!

 

 

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The Austrian modern Big Band / ensemble Vienna Art Orchestra is probably the most ambitious gathering of European Jazz musicians ever attempted and one of the most (probably the most) successful effort of this kind. Led by composer / arranger / bandleader Mathias Rüegg, who writes most of the music performed by the orchestra, is a Master of his craft and the amount of music done by him in the last three decades amounts to a gigantic body of work unparalleled by any other of his contemporaries. The orchestra members are all top Austrian Jazz players, as well as many guest musicians from other European countries. This live recording captures one of the most interesting periods of the band, which included the incredible vocals by Lauren Newton, in addition to numerous superb musicians, such as saxophonists Harry Sokal, Roman Schwaller, trumpeter Herbert Joos and many others. The music is absolutely breathtaking and brilliant from start to finish; every moment catches the listener completely unprepared and leaves him absolutely stunned when the album is over. This is an utmost case in point of the European way to do things, which places all American Big Bands miles in the rear. An absolute must to any serious Jazz listener and an everlasting example of musical ingenuity. Essential!

 

 

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This is a long overdue reissue of the delightful album by a great trio comprising of saxophonist John Zorn, trombonist George Lewis and guitarist Bill Frisell, musicians who are usually associated with the Free Jazz / avant-garde US scene, but on this album reexamine their roots and play their brilliant interpretations of Bop Jazz, composed by four great musicians / composers, who were active in the 1950s and 1960s: trumpeter Kenny Dorham and pianists Hank Mobley, Freddie Redd and Sonny Clark. This is a second album they recorded together, all of it captured live, as opposed to the first meeting, which was mostly recorded in the studio. Although truly unusual as far as instrumentation is concerned, this trio sounds just brilliantly and their redemption of these wonderful but mostly forgotten tunes composed decades earlier is remarkable and sounds fresh and innovative in every respect. Add to this the exceptional ability of the trio members and their phenomenal interplay and you get a brilliant album from start to finish. Listeners familiar with the work of these three iconic musicians will be delighted to hear them in this setting and people unfamiliar with them can hear this without fear of heavy intellectual struggle with the music, as it is accessible and melodic as much as it is brilliant!

 

 

HAVE FUN!

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Polish violin virtuoso Zbigniew Seifert passed on the firmament of the Polish Jazz scene like a bright comet before dying from cancer in 1979 at the ridiculous age of 32. Today, decades later, he is considered as one of the greatest Jazz talents that ever lived and every piece of music recorded by him during his short career achieved a legendary status. Strongly influenced by the music and musical philosophy of John Coltrane, Seifert is often called "the Coltrane of violin", mainly because of his exceptional improvisational power, brilliant technique and a totally integrated approach to Jazz, pushing the boundaries with every note uttered from his instrument. Seifert's compositions, although rooted in European music, provide him with a perfect vehicle for his ambitious explorations and are all timeless masterpieces. This album (and its companion Vol.2) presents a live recording at his home town (Krakow) famous Jazz club "Pod Jaszczurami", made less than a year before his tragic death with a great group consisting of the best players on the local scene: guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, keyboardist Janusz Grzywacz, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Mieczyslaw Gorka. The music includes two original compositions by Seifert, including the extended piece which gave the album its title. The third piece is a tribute to Seifert's mentor John Coltrane in the form of Coltrane's famous composition "Impressions". This is exceptional music, which should be revered by every Jazz enthusiast on this planet with no exception. Absolutely essential!

 

 

 

Polish violin virtuoso Zbigniew Seifert passed on the firmament of the Polish Jazz scene like a bright comet before dying from cancer in 1979 at the ridiculous age of 32. Today, decades later, he is considered as one of the greatest Jazz talents that ever lived and every piece of music recorded by him during his short career achieved a legendary status. Strongly influenced by the music and musical philosophy of John Coltrane, Seifert is often called "the Coltrane of violin", mainly because of his exceptional improvisational power, brilliant technique and a totally integrated approach to Jazz, pushing the boundaries with every note uttered from his instrument. Seifert's compositions, although rooted in European music, provide him with a perfect vehicle for his ambitious explorations and are all timeless masterpieces. This album (and its companion Vol.1) presents a live recording at his home town (Krakow) famous Jazz club "Pod Jaszczurami", made less than a year before his tragic death with a great group consisting of the best players on the local scene: guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, keyboardist Janusz Grzywacz, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Mieczyslaw Gorka. The music includes two original compositions by Seifert. In addition an extensive interview with Seifert (in Polish) is also included, providing a glimpse at his personality and musical ideology. This is exceptional music, which should be revered by every Jazz enthusiast on this planet with no exception. Absolutely essential!

 

 

 

Polish bassist / composer Zbigniew Wegehaupt has been a pillar of the Polish Jazz scene for the last three decades, proving time after time his role as a versatile and virtuoso player and a steady anchor for almost all Jazz ensemble leaders in his country. His compositional skills however, although exceptional as well, are rarely documented, which is a great pity. This album, his debut recording as a leader, is the first glimpse of these splendid tunes, recorded with a superb lineup of Polish Jazz musicians, both veterans and members of his age group: saxophonists Andrzej Olejniczak and Henryk Miskiewicz, pianist Janusz Skowron and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. The album features six beautiful compositions, prime examples of modern Jazz writing based in the Jazz tradition, but expanding it with the European influence, which adds many new dimensions to the music. Connoisseurs of the art of bass playing will be delighted with recording, but every Jazz enthusiast should find it exceptionally satisfying. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

 

This album by Polish group Breakout is one of the most influential albums, not only in Poland but in the entire Easter European music scene. Separated from the West by the Iron Curtain, Eastern European musicians and fans alike had little opportunity to hear album released "on the other side" and therefore relied primarily on whatever was available to them. Poland led the way in music in the 1960s and 1970s not only in Jazz, which flourished there, but also in Rock and Blues-Rock, as well as early Progressive Rock. Albums by Niemen, Poland's most influential Rock / Prog / Jazz-Rock Fusion figure and later on also this album, served as the "musical bible" for generations of Eastern European musicians to study, copy and be inspired by. Breakout, led by vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Tadeusz Nalepa, included also lead guitarist Dariusz Kozakiewicz, harmonica player Tadeusz Trzcinski, bassist Jerzy Goleniewski and drummer Józef Hajdasz. The lyrics were written by Polish poet Bogdan Loebl, who was the band's resident lyricist. This album is a superb example of Blues-Rock, with absolutely stunning guitar work by Kozakiewicz, which resulted in it being referred to as the Polish version of the legendary John Mayall's "Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton" album, being surely as influential as that seminal release. In retrospect the album lost absolutely nothing of its power and beauty and hopefully some Rock-Blues enthusiasts around the world will discover it eventually. Absolutely essential!

 

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Polish violinist Krzesimir Debski is the third figure on the Polish Jazz-scene to excel on the rather unusual instrument, following in the footsteps of the great Michal Urbaniak and Zbigniew Seifert. Debski, a well seasoned musician with extensive education in Classical music chose the Jazz idiom to express his abilities as performer and composer, although in parallel he is active in many different fields of music. In the early 1980s Debski formed the excellent ensemble String Connection, which soon became the most interesting group on the Polish Jazz scene in that decade. On this, the ensembles debut album, he's supported by some of the best Jazz musicians of the Polish new generation: saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, keyboardist Janusz Skowron, bassist Krzysztof Scieranski and drummer Zbigniew Lewandowski. The music written by the leader and keyboardist is a great example of modern Jazz, with strong roots in the tradition but incorporating many novel ideas and influenced by many structures originating outside of the strict Jazz sphere. The performances are of course excellent all the way through and overall this is an exceptionally strong debut recording by any standard. Not to be missed!

 

 

 

2^nd album by the Polish Jazz-Ensemble String Connection, led by violinist Krzesimir Debski with saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, keyboardist Janusz Skowron, bassist Krzysztof Scieranski and drummer Krzysztof Przybylowicz. Similar in style to the debut album, the band plays a set of excellent compositions by the leader (with the exception of one tune by the bassist). The music is sophisticated and elegant, and is performed brilliantly by all the musicians involved, proving again that the band was definitely the best on the scene at the time. Considering the fact that the use of the violin in Jazz is relatively rare, Debski and his band are of particular interest. Highly recommended!

 

 

 

5^th and last album by the Polish Jazz-Ensemble String Connection, led by violinist Krzesimir Debski with keyboardist Andrzej Jagodzinski, bassist Zbigniew Wrombel and drummer Krzysztof Przybylowicz. This is a live recording done at one of the Warsaw Jazz clubs and marks the last performance by this band, with the leader moving into other activities, among them writing music for theatre and cinema. The music is sophisticated and elegant, and is performed brilliantly by all the musicians involved, proving again that the band was definitely the best on the scene at the time. Considering the fact that the use of the violin in Jazz is relatively rare, Debski and his band are of particular interest. Highly recommended!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki, bassist Jan Cichy and drummer Benedykt Radecki. Smietana and Sendecki wrote the material for this, their debut album, which is truly outstanding in every sense. The melodies are complex and well developed, covering a wide range of cultural influences, both from the Jazz tradition and from other sources like folklore and European Classical music and Rock. The level of musicianship is amazingly high, definitely well beyond what one might expect from people in their twenties. Smietana's superb guitar licks will amaze every Fusion fan, who was never exposed to his performances and Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is simply astounding. This is an excellent album, which all Fusion lovers on this planet should be proud to have in their collections. An absolute must!

 

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak and keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki. Following the departure of Olejniczak and Sendecki in 1978 to form Sun Ship, the leader re-vamped the band twice with a complete new lineup, this time including trumpeter Adam Kawonczyk (who also became the band's second active composer), keyboardist Wojciech Groborz, bassist Antoni Debski and drummer Marian Bronikowski. Veteran Polish saxophonist Janusz Muniak guests on the album as well. Stylistically this album marks a somewhat less Rocky side of Fusion with more traditional Jazz elements, but is excellent in every sense, as everything the band recorded. An absolute must!

 

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak and keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki. Following the departure of Olejniczak and Sendecki in 1978 to form Sun Ship, the leader re-vamped the band with a complete new lineup, which included saxophonist Jerzy Glowczewski, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt (who also contributes one composition on this album) and drummer Marian Bronikowski. Saxophonists Jerzy Jarosik and Eugeniusz Okoniewski guest on the album as well. Stylistically this album marks a somewhat less Rocky side of Fusion with more traditional Jazz elements, but is excellent in every sense, as everything the band recorded. An absolute must!

 

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak and keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki. Although the band practically ceased to perform and record by the end of the 1970s, Smietana organized an ad-hoc lineup for the recording of this, the last album by the legendary band, recorded live at the Warsaw Aquarium Jazz club. The lineup includes trumpeter Adam Kawonczyk and bassist Antoni Debski from the last active incarnation of the band, with drummer Jacek Pelc and Cuban percussionist Jose Torres, who lives in Poland. Saxophonist Henry Miskiewicz and conga player Adam Kawonczyk guest on the album. Stylistically this album marks a more percussive approach to music mixed with traditional Jazz elements, but is excellent in every sense, as everything the band recorded. An absolute must!

 

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki, bassist Jan Cichy and drummer Benedykt Radecki. These live performances are the last recording by the original lineup, except for drummer Marek Stach, who replaced Radecki. Recorded live at the Warsaw Aquarium Jazz club, this is an amazing performance with a band at their highest peak, but torn internally as to the musical direction, which led to their demise soon after, with Sendecki and Olejniczak forming Sun Ship. The inclusion of two Jazz standards clearly points out the tendency of some band members to return to the more traditional Jazz forms rather that continue the Fusion path. Smietana's superb guitar licks will amaze every Fusion fan, who was never exposed to his performances and Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is simply astounding. This is an excellent album, which all Fusion lovers on this planet should be proud to have in their collections. An absolute must!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Laboratorium was one of several great Polish bands (Extra Ball for example) playing in that vein during the 1970s and 1980s. Founded by keyboardist Janusz Grzywacz, the band's founding members included also saxophonist / vocalist Marek Stryszowski and drummer Mieczyslaw Gorka. After an initial period of trying to find a musical identity, the band was joined by brothers Pawel Scieranski on guitar and Krzysztof Scieranski on bass (one of the greatest Polish bass players) and settled into the Fusion genre, with a musical approach and sound not far away from Weather Report. This, their debut recording, presents them already in their full power and the recording is quite stunning in its sophistication and instrumental aptitude. The music includes the 20 minutes long suite in five parts, which gives the album its title and a few shorter pieces, all composed or co-composed by the leader. As opposed to most American Fusion at the time, which was mostly based on simplistic melodies and endless instrumental doodling, this music is atmospheric, intelligent, sophisticated, well developed and coherent, clearly well rooted in the European musical tradition. Fusion fans are well advised to try this out and explore this wonderful music, which is expanding the genre's limitations to the max. Superb stuff!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Polish saxophonist / composer Leszek Zadlo is undoubtedly one of the greatest Jazz musicians born in that country. A brilliant player and improviser, Zadlo continues the John Coltrane legacy of playing the saxophone as if his life depended on it, with total devotion and sublime natural talent. Of course he is also my close personal friend, so don't expect any objectivity here. This is his debut recording with an ensemble comprising of some fellow Austrian players whom he met during his musical studies in Austria. Following his studies Zadlo settled in Germany, where he lives since the early 1970s, returning often to Poland to partake in the country's many different Jazz activities, like festivals, workshops, etc. He teaches Jazz and performs vigorously with several groups, recording his works (including on my Jazzis label). This beautiful album is a glimpse of a young, but already mature player; performing music he composed in modern / Free Jazz setting, full of virtuoso performances and uplifting strength. The album was originally released under the title "Inner Silence". Anybody interested in Easter European Jazz should find this album fascinating and I can only recommend it wholeheartedly.

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

One of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski, remained firmly in the position of the leading Jazz figure in his country for several generations. Starting in the early 1960s as member of the legendary Krzysztof Komeda quintet and later leading his own groups, Namyslowski kept his ears open constantly to follow the developments on the ever changing worldwide Jazz scene and his groups always included young talented players, who became his disciples. The group Air Condition included the immensely talented keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki, guitarist Dariusz Kozakiewicz, bassist Krzysztof Scieranski and an extended percussion section, and played a kind of Jazz-Funk, which could move an elephant's ass, not falling behind any of the US groups playing in the same vein. This album was intended for the US market, where it was released (along with several other Polish Jazz albums) by the Inner City label, admittedly without much commercial success. As usual, Americans were simply not ready to recognize any kind of Jazz happening outside of their home turf. In retrospect, this album is still a lot of fun and as Funky as they get. Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is stunning, as always, and the leader plays plenty of nasty sax chops. Recommended!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Excellent live recording in the legendary Warsaw Jazz club "Aquarium" by the Polish Jazz quartet Sun Ship, formed by keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki following his departure from the great Fusion band Extra Ball, which he also co-founded some years earlier. Sendecki, as well as his three companions: saxophonist Zbigniew Jaremko, bassist Witold Szczurek and drummer Marek Stach are all representatives of the second generation of the Polish Jazz scene, well educated and experienced musicians, who grew up in the shadow of their mentors like Krzysztof Komeda, Tomasz Stanko, Zbigniew Namyslowski and others, carrying the great tradition of Polish Jazz further into the future. Somewhat tired of playing Fusion, which was the predominant style of the early 1970s, Sun Ship returns to modern Jazz based on solid melodic compositions and improvisational skill of the band members. The use of synthesizers in addition to the acoustic piano is the only "leftover" from the Fusion days, and most of the music is acoustic. Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is plainly obvious and his fluid technique and great sense of melody are truly exquisite. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

This is the most famous Polish album of all times, an extraordinary musical achievement revered all over the world in spite the fact that it is sung in Polish, which makes the lyrics accessible only to people speaking that language. The apparent power of the music crosses language barriers with its awe-inspiring intensity and expressiveness, similar to the music of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel and other famous troubadours, balladeers and chansonniers. The music, written by famous Polish composer Zygmunt Konieczny, one of the most important composers in post WWII Poland, is absolutely marvelous, combining many different European music traditions, both of Western and Eastern European origin, providing a perfect match to the poetry, which serves as the song's lyrics. The poetry is mostly modern, written by the country's most talented and expressive minds, including my favorite Polish poet Julian Tuwim. Outstanding Polish singer Ewa Demarczyk performs these songs with such transcendent power and skill, theatrical dynamics and incredible vocal quality, that each and every one of them becomes an instant classic, all marvelous and brilliant. Combined together on one album they create a musical masterpiece rarely paralleled elsewhere, proving again that great music can be created outside of the mainstream, both musically and geographically. In the 43 years that passed since this album was recorded it lost absolutely nothing of its beauty, excellence and power and perhaps serves as yet another piece of evidence about the decadence and loss of direction we experience in music in recent times. This expanded edition of the original album includes a second CD with similar material recorded by Demarczyk four years earlier and issued as a single, which today is one of that rarest collector's items in the Polish discography. Absolutely essential listening!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Since the day this album was released I've always cherished it as one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Undoubtedly my Polish background, my love of the Polish Culture and my ability to understand the lyrics / poetry has something to do with the fact that this album is so meaningful to me, but honestly I believe that any music connoisseur in the world should be moved by this extraordinary music and performances. The music, composed by pianist / composer Andrzej Kurylewicz, one of Poland's musical icons and a precursor of Polish Jazz, was originally written for theatre and television and is presented here in a special arrangement for a string orchestra and Jazz combo, featuring two of Poland's most extraordinary vocal talents: Wanda Warska and Niemen. The Jazz combo consists of the composer on piano, trumpeter Andrzej Przybielski, bassist Jacek Bednarek and drummer Wladyslaw Jagiello. The lyrics are all based on Polish poetry, mainly works of the great Polish poet Cyprian Kamil Norwid. Warska, the leading interpreter of Polish poetry and faithful performer of the music composed by Kurylewicz, is a superbly sensitive singer blessed by an angelic voice and extraordinary theatrical sensitivity. Niemen is of course Poland's all time greatest musical genius known worldwide for his achievements, but his appearance on this album is one of the highlights of his career. Niemen's "obsession" with Norwid's poetry comes here to an ideal fruition and his vocal parts are simply breathtaking. Although not strictly a Jazz album, the album's music has a distinct Jazzy character and falls easily into the extended definition of the genre. Overall this is a masterpiece of rare beauty, perfect in every sense, everlasting and always inspiring. An absolute must in every respect!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Two icons of Polish Jazz: pianist / composer Andrzej Kurylewicz and trumpeter / composer Tomasz Stanko combine forces on this superb album presenting an unusual setting of piano / trumpet duets. This intimate meeting of Giants is full of beautiful interplays and intelligent music, effortlessly overcoming the limitations of the absence of a rhythm section. The music, although pre-composed is basically improvised on the spot, based mostly on the intimate dialog between these two outstanding musicians. The album requires attentive listening and probably repeated listening sessions to be completely understood, but after all this is typical of all great music. Enthusiasts of Polish Jazz will find this album an integral part of their collection and all lovers of modern Jazz should definitely try it out. Superb stuff!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Brilliant early album by Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz Stanko, one of the founding fathers of modern Polish and European Jazz and one of the most important Jazz pioneers in music today. The album was recorded in Germany and originally released on LP by the tiny private Calig label, being unavailable for 35 years, so this reissue is a true blessing. The album was recorded by Stanko's quintet, which comprises of the violin virtuoso Zbigniew Seifert, saxophonist Janusz Muniak, German bassist Hans Hartmann and drummer Janusz Stefanski, and is a superb example of revolutionary modern European Free Jazz. The album is full of brilliant solos and telepathic group interplay with endless climaxes which go right down the listener's spine. This is European Jazz at its best, with intelligent music and virtuosity predominant at every step of the way. I can't imagine any serious fan of modern / Free Jazz not wanting this album in their collection. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here comes a long series of brilliant Polish Jazz releases, which I finally managed to put my hands on:

 

 

Brilliant album by Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz Stanko, one of the founding fathers of modern Polish and European Jazz and one of the most important Jazz pioneers in music today. The album includes just two lengthy compositions, the first performed by Stanko's quintet, which comprises of the violin virtuoso Zbigniew Seifert, saxophonist Janusz Muniak, bassist Bronislaw Suchanek and drummer Janusz Stefanski, and the second a solo trumpet performance, which is a rarity in his repertoire and a stunning display of his craftsmanship. The album is full of brilliant solos and telepathic group interplay with endless climaxes which go right down the listener's spine. This is European Jazz at its best, with intelligent music and virtuosity predominant at every step of the way. I can't imagine any serious fan of modern / Free Jazz not wanting this album in their collection. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the fantastic French Soleil Zeuhl label:

 

 

1^st album of the fantastic instrumental French band One Shot, which finally gets the long overdue reissue treatment with the addition of one great bonus track. This is another superb release by the tiny, but consistently excellent Soleil Zeuhl label. One Shot comprises of three ex-Magma members: guitarist Jack Mac Graw, keyboardist Emanuel Borghi and bassist Philippe Buissonnet with the addition of drummer Daniel Jeand`heur. Their music is immensely intensive and merges basic Zeuhl influences with Fusion, played to the extreme. Prog, Fusion and Zeuhl fans will find this album indispensible, since very few other bands ever managed to achieve the same level of excellence and execution in that particular niche, although the album should be of interest to all open-minded music enthusiasts, especially those interested in Jazzy improvisations and complex Fusion. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the fantastic French Soleil Zeuhl label:

 

 

1^st album by excellent French instrumental trio Xing Sa, which comprises of three members of the band Setna. The band is led by keyboardist Nicolas Goulay, who also composed all the music, and also includes bassist Christophe Blondel and drummer Nicolas Candé. They are helped by a few guest musicians from the Zeuhl circle and together create some incredible music, which although close in spirit to the Zeuhl influences, ventures beyond the obvious mostly into the Fusion. Goulay's electric piano (his main instrument) sounds like a token of the 1970s, with that great vintage feel and his improvisations are excellent all way through. The lengthy tracks are often quite atmospheric, but never boring. Altogether this is an excellent debut, which hopefully will be followed by more such excellent music. Not to be missed!

 

 

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Here are three new releases on the fantastic French Soleil Zeuhl label:

 

 

1^st album of the fantastic French Zeuhl band Eskaton, which finally gets the long overdue reissue treatment (remastered by the Israeli sound wizard Udi Koomran) with the addition of some great bonus tracks. This is another great release by the tiny, but consistently superb Soleil Zeuhl label. Eskaton continues and expands the music of Magma, the precursor / inventor of the Zeuhl movement, but adds a distinctive style of its own and eschews many of the elements (like droning and endless repetition) that make Magma often difficult to swallow. Led by pianist Marc Rozenberg, who also composed all of the band's music, and featuring a double female vocals chants by Paule Kleynnaert and Amara Tahir, the band managed to create a remarkable body of music as documented on their three albums (and a fourth unreleased one). Both Prog and Zeuhl fans will find this album indispensible, since no other band ever managed to achieve the same level of excellence and execution in that particular niche, although the album should be of interest to all open-minded music enthusiasts, especially those interested in Jazzy improvisations and complex Fusion. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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