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ENERGIT ~ ENERGIT / PIKNIK (CZECHOSLOVAK JAZZ-ROCK EXPANDED EDITION)
INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 626 (Barcode: 8595026662629) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion

Recorded: 1973 - 1978 Released: 2008

This wonderful reissue collects all the recordings by the Czechoslovak ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist. It is a brilliant document of the music scene, which thrived in Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain, in all the so-called "Socialist" countries, and was every bit as interesting, groundbreaking and visionary as anything else happening at the same time in Western Europe or the USA. In spite of political pressures, artistic censorship and economic hardships, with very limited access to recordings from the West, decent equipment or proper recording facilities, these young and ambitious musicians were exploding with ideas and boldly exploring new territories. The resulting music created at the time remains completely relevant today and should be rediscovered by young audiences, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power and intellectual quality.

Energit was formed by the brilliant guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, after he left the legendary Jazz QFind albums by this artist ensemble, joining forces with two excellent young musicians from another legendary ensemble SHQFind albums by this artist: keyboardist Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist. The lineup was completed by bassist Jan VytrhlikFind albums by this artist and drummer Karel JencikFind albums by this artist. Andrst wrote most of the all-original material performed by the ensemble, which although Blues influenced, was at the time centered on the Jazz-Rock idiom, similar in sound to the early Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist.

For the second album Viklicky was replaced by Milan SvobodaFind albums by this artist, who also wrote the brass arrangement used on that album, and Jencik was replaced by Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist.

The bonus material includes an ultra-rare EP, a track released previously on a compilation album and some archival live recordings. In retrospect this is some of the best Eastern European Jazz-Rock, which should not be missed by any connoisseur of the genre. A must!
Side Note
Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles.

The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market.

However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material.

The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.
Updated: 28/02/2020Posted: CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

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