Record Reviews

AARDVARK ~ AARDVARK UNIVERSAL JAPAN 9514 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Only album from 1970 by this proto-Prog band. Typical of many bands of the period, they mixed elements of Psychedelia and early Prog. As the band had no guitarist in their ranks, the instrumental emphasis is on the keyboards and therefore their music is compared often to Spring. Some influences are quite clearly evident, like Soft Machine and even early Pink Floyd, but they manage to establish their own identity. The original album is a very rare collector`s item. Limited Edition

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

AARDVARK ~ AARDVARK ESOTERIC 2286 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2011 This is the only album recorded by the obscure British proto-Prog band AardvarkFind albums by this artist, which in retrospect turned out to be one of the greatest early recordings of the genre. Guitar-less, the band was based around the fantastic sound of the Hammond organ, played by Dave WattsFind albums by this artist, and also included bassist / multi-instrumentalist Stanley AldousFind albums by this artist and drummer Frank ClarkFind albums by this artist. The founder and leader of the band was the vocalist / songwriter (who wrote all the music), Dave SkillenFind albums by this artist. The music was a wonderful mixture of adventurous Rock, Psychedelics, early Electronic adventures and some Jazz influences, together creating a unique bland, that was rarely achieved by other groups of the period. Soon after the album was recorded, the group disintegrated into the this air, leaving behind this obscure Gem, that was hidden from the public eye for over two decades and re-discovered in the 1990s as an extra-rare collectors’ item. Today the album is considered an integral part of any serious Prog collection, but is never easy to find. Grab it, if you can find it!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

AARDVARK` ~ TUNTEMATON SOTILADS MELLOW 487 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2004 - 2005 Released: 2006 1st album by Finnish Prog band Aardvark`Find albums by this artist, which continues the splendid tradition of Prog in that country. As it often happens in Finland, the album is based on literary work and has a story behind the music, making it a concept album. The band has a beautiful sound, which emulates successfully the sound of the 1970s, preserving its unique qualities. Interestingly the album was recorded part by part in different locations around the world in such distant locations as New Zealand, Singapore and Finland – all thanks to modern technology. The group is fronted by vocalist Tero ArteliFind albums by this artist and the instrumentalist are guitarist Ari NaappaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Riku LuostariFind albums by this artist, bassist Juha SarkiojaFind albums by this artist and drummer Timo SivulaFind albums by this artist. Layers of heavy organ sound and distinct lead guitar, supported by excellent rhythm section and fronted by impressive vocals all add up to a excellent debut album, which hopefully will be followed by more releases. This is a Prog fan´s delight!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MISHA ALPERIN / ARKADY SHILKLOPER ~ WAVE OF SORROW ECM 1396 (Barcode: 042283962125) ~ RUSSIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1989 Released: 1990 The Soviet Union produced some truly amazing Jazz musicians, including Avant-Garde pioneers and prophetic innovators, who were almost completely unknown outside of the empire´s borders. The fate of the Soviet Jazz is a fascinating chapter in the music´s history. Following the collapse of the Soviet regime, many of the musicians, who were active on the local scene, left the country, including pianist / composer Misha AlperinFind albums by this artist, who now lives in Norway. His recordings for the ECMFind albums on this label label, starting with this album (the first album by Soviet musicians to be released on ECM) brought his wonderful music to the attention of a much wider audience, which of course is well deserved. He is accompanied by his life-long friend and musical partner Arkady ShilkloperFind albums by this artist, who plays French horn and flugelhorn. Alperin´s music is contemplative and deeply moving, complex but also melodic, reminiscent of some contemporary Classical music but with a distinct Jazz connection. It is devilishly difficult to perform and both musicians present here are obviously virtuosi. I can´t imagine any serious music connoisseur not falling in love with this music immediately and if you´re not familiar with it, now is the time!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ARKENSTONE, DAVID ~ ANOTHER STAR IN THE SKY NARADA 62014 ~ USA ~ Electronic & Ambient Beautiful album from 1994 dedicated to Arkenstone`s Mother. As usual the composer also plays all the keyboards and guitars on this album, but the orchestration is supplied by a string ensemble, which adds significant sound depth and beauty. The tracks fall seamlessly into one continuous stream, which results in a lovely musical tapestry. Definitely worth getting into. 1 last copy in stock!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ARKENSTONE, DAVID ~ IN THE WAKE OF THE WIND NARADA 64003 ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Excellent album from 1991 by David Arkenstone, who although associated mostly (and wrongly) with New Age, produces epic concept albums of the scope and beauty similar to Prog masters such as Wakeman, Kitaro and Vangelis. Immensly tallented composer and instrumentalist, Arkenstone manages to combine beautiful mellodies and lush arrangements into spellbinding flow of flawless music.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ARKHAM ~ ARKHAM CUNEIFORM 160 (Barcode: 045775016023) ~ BELGIUM ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2002 Never previously available material by the Belgian trio ArkhamFind albums by this artist, which included Daniel DenisFind albums by this artist and Jean-Luc ManderlierFind albums by this artist. Both of them were to join MagmaFind albums by this artist later on, and of course Denis was to form Univers ZeroFind albums by this artist. These live recordings from the early 70`s show Arkham as a Counterbury influenced outfit playing material similar to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist, EggFind albums by this artist and sometimes the NiceFind albums by this artist. Some really hot playing there!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GUY BARKER ~ SOUNDTRACK PROVOCATEUR 1030 (Barcode: 5038491103028) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2001 Released: 2002 British trumpeter / composer Guy BarkerFind albums by this artist is considered as one of the most prominent representatives of the second generation of British Jazz musicians. A brilliant player and gifted composer, he recorded albums since the 1990s and toured widely with his own groups as well as with other prominent British (including the Colin TownsFind albums by this artist Mask OrchestraFind albums by this artist), European and American Jazz artists. This album, his first on the prestigious ProvocateurFind albums on this label label, continues Barker’s fascination with cinema, as the title suggests. The central piece of the album is an epic suite entitled “Sounds in Black and White” and is homage to classic movies. Performed by a septet consisting of excellent European musicians, the music is a great example of contemporary Jazz, with a strong melodic basis, but with plenty of fascinating twists and turns and diverse enough to keep the listener interested at all times. The level of the performances and improvisations is everything one might expect from a musician of Barker’s statue, and should more than satisfy every Jazz connoisseur. This is worthy addition to any serious Jazz album collection and wholeheartedly recommended.

CD 1 Digipak HDCD Recommend To A Friend

MARKUS BURGER / JAN VON KLEWITZ ~ ACCIDENTAL TOURISTS CHALLENGE 73403 (Barcode: 608917340327) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1993 Released: 2015 This is an album by German pianist / composer Markus BurgerFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / composer Jan von KlewitzFind albums by this artist, which is a lovely tribute to the legendary British trumpeter / composer Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, who also takes part in this project, as does British vocalist Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist, German trombonist Stefan LottermannFind albums by this artist, bassist Martin GjakonovskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Felix AstorFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live and remained unreleased for twenty two years, to be finally released following the lamented passing of Wheeler. The album presents eight original compositions, four each by Burger and von Klewitz, arranged as series of five movements and three codas. The music is quintessential modern European Jazz, which floats between Free Form and more organized / melodic moments, all beautifully performed by the German / British septet. Despite the rather busy setting the music is full of breathing space and offers some spectacular collective improvisations, which are wonderfully ornamented by Winstone´s stunning vocal parts. The album also presents some relaxed, melodic passages, with Winstone singing lyrics, (which she most probably wrote although the album´s liner notes don´t mention this explicitly). The entire eight part suite flows naturally and coherently and offers a fertile ground for the superb soloing by all participants, as well as collective contributions. Wheeler performs several stellar solos, which are pure mastership. Overall this is a highly exciting musical journey and a superb document of the talents of the two composers as much as the spectacular abilities of Wheeler and Winstone. Considering the fact that this music was being hidden in the vault for so long, it is a great pleasure to be able to listen to it, better late than never. The album suffers from imperfect sound quality at times, but this recording was never actually meant to be released commercially, and of course in view of the importance of this document, the sound quality issue becomes secondary. For the many Wheeler / Winstone enthusiasts, this is a must have of course, so spread the word and grab it as long as it is available. Highly recommended!

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: 27/06/2018

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

CLARK HUTCHINSON ~ RETRIBUTION REPERTOIRE 7088 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 2nd album from 1970 by this early UK Prog group which takes its name from the two founding members. As the debut album from one year earlier was mostly devoted to heavy psychedelia, this effort is much more organized with some very interesting compositions and advanced playing with jazz, blues and more psychedelic influences. In retrospect this music is years ahead of its time.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ AT HER MAJESTY`S PLEASURE… REARWARD 137 (Barcode: 8018344021379) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1969 Released: 2010 This is a reissue / remaster of an album recorded by the international / resident in Europe Big Band, co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist. It was originally recorded in Germany in 1969. The album presents seven tracks, parts of a suite composed and brilliantly arranged by Boland. The Big Band includes some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist and many American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPSFind albums on this label label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. Overall, for Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school book example of what Big Band music is all about. Holy Grail!

Updated: 14/06/2025Posted: 14/06/2025

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ EN CONCERT AVEC EUROPE 1 TREMA 3296637104137 (Barcode: 3296637104137) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1969 Released: 1992 This is an archival live album recorded by the international / resident in Europe Big Band, co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist. It was originally recorded in France in 1969 by French TV. The 2CD album presents fourteen tracks, six composed by Boland, two by Clarke, two by other Big Band members and four are standards, all brilliantly arranged by Boland. The sound quality of this release is not perfect, probably since it was originally a live TV broadcast, but the music is exceptional, as always. The Big Band includes some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist, Derek HumbleFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Derek WatkinsFind albums by this artist, drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist, and many American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist, Art FarmerFind albums by this artist and Idrees SuliemanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jimmy WoodeFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPSFind albums on this label label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. Overall, for Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school book example of what Big Band music is all about. Holy Grail!

Updated: 16/06/2025Posted: 16/06/2025

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ FACES MPS 602527593043 (Barcode: 602527593043) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2011 This is a reissue / remaster of an album recorded by the international / resident in Europe Big Band, co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist. It was originally recorded in Germany in 1968 and released on the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label the same year. It was the 4th album by the Big Band on MPS. The album presents four lengthy tracks, parts of a suite composed and brilliantly arranged by Boland. The Big Band includes some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist, drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist and many American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPS label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. Overall, for Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school book example of what Big Band music is all about. Holy Grail! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 31/05/2025Posted: 31/05/2025

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ THREE LATIN ADVENTURES (LATIN KALEIDESCOPE / FELLINI 712) MPS 731452909527 (Barcode: 731452909527) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 1995 This is a reissue / remaster of two albums: “Latin KaleidoscopeFind albums with this title” and “Fellini 712Find albums with this title” recorded by the Big Band co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist, originally recorded in 1968 and released on the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label. The album presents three multi-part Jazz suites: “Latin Kaleidoscope” co-composed by American composer Gary McFarlandFind albums by this artist and Boland, “Cuban Fever” and “Fellini 712” composed by Boland, all arranged by him, which span together the fourteen tracks of the album. The orchestra comprises of some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist and drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist, American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPS label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. The Latin accents, which were very fashionable by the mid-1960s, get a wonderful treatment here, completely eschewing the schmaltzy accents. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. For Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school example of what Big Band music is all about. Brilliant stuff! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 16/03/2025Posted: 10/08/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ TWO ORIGINALS (ALL BLUES / SAX NO END) MPS 731452352521 (Barcode: 731452352521) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 1994 This is a reissue / remaster of two albums: “All BluesFind albums with this title” and “Sax No EndFind albums with this title” recorded by the international / resident in Europe Big Band, co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist. “All Blues” was originally recorded in UK in 1968 and released on the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label in 1969. It was the 2nd album by the Big Band on MPS. “Sax No End” was originally recorded in Germany in 1967 and released on the legendary SABAFind albums on this label (later MPS) label in 1967. It was the 1st album by the Big Band on MPS. This reissue also adds as a bonus one tracks from the “Fellini 712Find albums with this title” album by the Big Band with a corrected mix. The album presents altogether fifteen tracks with both original albums and the bonus, which are mostly original compositions by Boland, including the three-part “All Jazz” suite, all also brilliantly arranged by Boland. The Big Band includes some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist and Shake KeaneFind albums by this artist, drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist and many American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPS label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. Overall, for Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school book example of what Big Band music is all about. Holy Grail! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 16/03/2025Posted: 16/03/2025

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ ALL SMILES MPS 4029759119562 (Barcode: 4029759119562) ~ BELGIUM ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the second album for the MPSFind albums on this label label by international, resident in Europe, Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland Big BandFind albums by this artist. On this album the lineup consists of seventeen musicians, including: British trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist, Swedish trombonist Ake PerssonFind albums by this artist, British saxophonists Derek HumbleFind albums by this artist, Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, American saxophonist / flautist Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist, American vibraphonist Dave PikeFind albums by this artist, Belgian pianist Francy BolandFind albums by this artist, American bassist Jimmy WoodeFind albums by this artist and drummer Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents ten tracks, nine of which are standards and one is based on a John Philip SousaFind albums by this artist march, all of them arranged by Boland. The music is absolutely breathtaking example of the sophistication of the Big Band idiom, achieved when American Big Band tradition meets European aesthetic values and the amalgam erupts with inventiveness, elegance and flair. The brilliant arrangements turn the Big Band into a musical hydra, which has one body but in this case seventeen heads, all working together towards a common goal. The music soars and flows gently, switching moods and emotions and the soloists have plenty of space to make their individual statements. For over a decade the Big Band served as a home for many American Jazz musicians who lived in Europe, sometimes for extended periods of time. It also cemented the European Jazz community, which was developing rapidly during these formative years. It was a fruitful habitat for many ensembles that were established by the Big Band members in years to come. For connoisseurs of Big Band music this is an absolute must have, especially in view of the exquisite recording quality this album offers, which enables each and every instruments to be heard perfectly clearly. They don´t make music like this any more… Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 28/05/2018Posted: 24/02/2018

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ JAZZ IN THE GARDEN HEADS UP 3155 (Barcode: 053361315528) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 What a delight it is to finally hear the veteran Master bassist / composer Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist doing what he does best – play Jazz; even better when he does so in my favorite Jazz format – the piano trio; but wait, it gets even better: Clarke´s companions on this exquisite album are no others that my favorite representative of the young generation of Jazz pianists – Japanese virtuoso Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist and his drummer is no other than an old cohort Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist. Proving me wrong, when I often say: "they don´t play that kind of music any more", this trio just soars from start to finish, playing their heart out, and believe me they all have huge hearts. Apart from the virtuosity and panache, these players have the "feel" like only very few others, turning the piano trio format into an entire orchestra of sounds, rhythms and emotions. I´m especially happy for Stanley, as his solo recording career suffered from many far from brilliant releases and this is the album he deserved for such a long time. Let´s all enjoy this momentous occasion and bask in the wonderful sounds this album is so full of. The music is a mixture of originals by Clarke, and Uehara with a few standards added for good measure. It goes without saying that every piano trio enthusiast simply must have this album, but any music lover will find here the super-rare commodity available these sad (for music) days – great music. Grab it!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ JOURNEY TO LOVE EPIC 468221 (Barcode: 5099746822125) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 3rd album by one of the most important Jazz / Fusion players / composers Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist. A brilliant instrumentalist on both the acoustic and electric basses, Clark first came to the attention of Fusion fans as a member of Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist’s Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist, where he played some of the most innovative bass parts of the genre. His ability to switch between the acoustic and electric bass and his incredible musicality and sense of rhythm made him the world’s leader on his instrument, to be surpassed later only by the mighty Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist (please note Clarke plays fretted bass guitar and Pastorius fretless bass guitar, which are quite different in many ways). This album is considered his best release ever. With a stellar cast including Chick Corea, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist, Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist, George DukeFind albums by this artist, Steve GaddFind albums by this artist and David SanciousFind albums by this artist, Clarke presents a series of brilliant compositions, each one in a different style and instrumentation. The absolute highlight of the album is the acoustic trio (with Corea and McLaughlin) dedicated to John Coltrane. Also the “Concerto For Jazz / Rock Orchestra”, performed with a brass section, is an amazing piece of classic Fusion. This is an absolute must for any Fusion / good music fan.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ LIVE AT THE GREEK EPIC 5099747660221 (Barcode: 5099747660221) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 1993 Released: 1994 This is a live album by American bassist / composer / bandleader Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with guitarist Larry CarltonFind albums by this artist, drummer Billy CobhamFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Jerome Najee RasheedFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. NajeeFind albums by this artist) and keyboardist Deron JohnsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, one each composed by Clarke, Cobham, Carlton and Najee and three standards. The music is a mixture of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Smooth Jazz, with plenty of space for all these professional musicians to show their chops. Although well played, it is completely expected, predictable and unoriginal, which sadly is often representative of American Jazz in general. Despite my deep respect and admiration for Clarke, Cobham and Carlton, who produced some truly innovative music in the 1970s, which expanded the Fusion idiom and produced some classic recordings at the time, records like this one are simply disrespectful to their legendary status. But by the 1990s corporate music industry and commercialism already ruled the American music scene completely, so anything could happen. Overall, this is a completely uneventful recording by great musicians, who should have known better… There are some brilliant moments herein, of course, but those only emphasize the general sad state of affairs.

Updated: 15/08/2024Posted: 15/08/2024

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ NIGHT SCHOOL HEADS UP 7118 (Barcode: 053361711894) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2002 Released: 2007 It’s no secret that Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist is one of my favorite bass players ever. His amazing sensitivity, complete control of both the acoustic and electric versions of the instrument and his innovative approach to music are his trademarks for the last 40 years, rivaled only by Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist, whom he preceded as one of the forefathers of Fusion, when he was a member of Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist’s Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist. Unfortunately Clarke’s recorded legacy as a leader is not really reflective of his true abilities and he has been largely absent from the scene in the last two decades. Therefore having a new document of his amazing talents handy is a joyous occasion. The concert presented here documents Clarke leading a group of over 30 musicians (a list of which reads like a who’s who of jazz and Fusion) in various formations, from solo performances to quartets, quintets and a big band, all fronted by Clarke himself. The concert culminates with a band, including no less than eleven bass players (all taking a solo in turn), jamming over Clarke’s “School Days”. This “bass orgy” is one of the most incredible performances I’ve ever watched / listened to and the entire DVD is an absolute must to any serious Fusion fan anywhere on this planet. The DVD also includes bonus material and interviews. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 120 minutes.

DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS EPIC 714546 (Barcode: 886971454628) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1981 Released: 2007 This excellent Box Set includes five studio albums, recorded between 1974 and 1981 and released on the EpicFind albums on this label label, by the great American bassist Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist: "Stanley ClarkeFind albums with this title", "Journey To LoveFind albums with this title", "School DaysFind albums with this title", "Modern ManFind albums with this title" and "Clarke / Duke ProjectFind albums with this title". Back is one of the greatest Jazz / Fusion / Funk bass players of all times and his performances in the diverse sub-genres of Jazz-Rock Fusion 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!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ THE COMPLETE 1970S EPIC ALBUMS COLLECTION SONY 886979312227 (Barcode: 886979312227) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1979 Released: 2012 American bassist / composer / bandleader Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist is one of the iconic figures of the Jazz-Rock Fusion explosion, which swept the world in the late 1960s / early 1970s. His distinctive and virtuosic bass lines have set standards, which are followed to this very day, with very few bass players being able to play as technically perfect as he always did and even fewer to be as inventive, groundbreaking and innovative. Although primarily associated with Fusion and the electric bass guitar, Clarke always was (and still is) an exceptional acoustic bass player with a superb Jazz technique and sensitivity. Clarke first came to prominence as a member of the first lineup of the legendary Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist´s ensemble Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist, where his bass lines shaped the music as significantly as Corea´s keyboard wizardry. Clarke stayed with the original band for several years and remained a Corea´s friend and collaborator in the decades that followed. In parallel to his work with Return To Forever, Clarke started a solo recording career, which produced some of Fusion´s and later also Funk´s greatest moments. Following the release of his debut solo album on PolydorFind albums on this label, he switched to the NemperorFind albums on this label label (currently owned by SonyFind albums on this label) and later on to the EpicFind albums on this label label (a subsidiary of ColumbiaFind albums on this label). He recorded five albums for Nemperor between 1974 and 1979, the last of which was a live double LP. In the 1980s and early 1990s his albums were released on Epic. This Box Set includes all the five albums released on Nemperor and as a bonus also a live album recorded during Clarke´s band tours in 1976-1977, which was released only in 1991. Of course the list of names of the musicians, who play alongside Clarke on these albums, reads like an encyclopedia of American music of that period. To mention just a few: keyboardists Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, George DukeFind albums by this artist, Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, David SanciousFind albums by this artist and others, guitarists Bill ConnorsFind albums by this artist, Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist and others, drummers Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist, Steve GaddFind albums by this artist, Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist, Gerry BrownFind albums by this artist and others and a myriad of other musicians. Clarke composed almost every note played here, with very few exceptions, and the music is absolutely marvelous and ass-kicking, as it was at the time it was recorded. Clarke was often criticized for utilizing his vocals on some of these albums, which of course was not one of his fortes, but since the vocals are relatively scarce and in retrospect really not that bad, that point of criticism id completely insignificant in view of the majestic content of the music contained herein. Every bass player today, consciously or subconsciously, directly or indirectly is influenced one way or another by what Stanley Clarke played over the years, and this Box Set is a great way to celebrate his talent. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 7 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STANLEY CLARKE ~ THE STANLEY CLARKE BAND HEADS UP 3161 (Barcode: 053361316129) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 The legendary bassist / composer Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, one of the great forefathers of Jazz-Rock Fusion since the early 1970s, obviously has no intention of retiring and his recent wave of hectic activity (the Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist reunion, tours and solo albums) find him at the best form since many years. This energetic and somewhat "youthful" album presents him surrounded by musicians, who are much younger then him, and manage to invigorate his performances significantly. He takes many solos, which of course make all bass players envious and jealous on one hand and respectful on the other. A long list of excellent guest musicians performing on this album promises (and delivers) a lot of diversity, with the brilliant Japanese pianist Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist in the lead. This album is a perfect proof of the fact that age has nothing to do with the passing years. Highly recommended!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CLARK-HUTCHINSON ~ A=MH² (EXPANDED EDITION) SUNBEAM 5048 (Barcode: 5051125504817) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2008 1st album (well not really but more about this later) by UK duo Clark-HutchinsonFind albums by this artist, or Andy ClarkFind albums by this artist and Mick HutchinsonFind albums by this artist, two multi-instrumentalists and prominent figures on London’s late 1960s Psychedelic and Blues scene. Mick, a superb guitarist, plays also some keyboards and Andy plays anything from drums, percussion, keyboards, flute and saxophone. Listening to this extraordinary album it’s really difficult to believe that two musicians, using rather primitive studio technology available at the time, were able to create such massive and complex sound. But sound aside, the music is what makes this album such an extraordinary experience. Based on modal and Indian music and using the slowly developing raga as a model, they create a most amazing amalgam of Jazz, Psychedelic and World Music, which at the time was revolutionary and pioneering. Hutchinson’s lengthy guitar solos are a prime example of jazzy improvisation and one of the first Jazz-World Fusion attempts, which will be later perfected by John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist in ShaktiFind albums by this artist. The overall contemplative nature of the music and the imaginative ornamentation by additional (overdubbed) instruments create a mystical atmosphere, which is seldom found on other album. This expanded edition also includes the real first album by Clark-Hutchinson, recorded just a couple of months earlier, but rejected by their record label, which remained unreleased until now. Although based on Blues as a guiding model (both Andy and Mick loved the Blues), it follows much the same “working model” of the two musicians overdubbing several instruments, although a bass player and a drummer were used on these sessions. The resulting album is at least as good as any other UK Blues album recorded at the time by John MayallFind albums by this artist, Savoy BrownFind albums by this artist, etc., with Mick’s scorching guitar solos providing the icing on the cake. With extensive liner notes and great sound quality this is a well-deserved reissue of one of the most groundbreaking musical projects of the late 1960s. A true blast from the past!

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

COREA, CLARKE & WHITE ~ FOREVER CONCORD 888072326279 (Barcode: 888072326279) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 This album documents the 2009 reunion of the legendary pioneering Fusion group Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist, uniting again three of the band´s core members: pianist / composer / leader Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, bassist Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist and drummer Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist. Of the two CDs included, the first is a series of live recordings by the trio and the second is a series of new studio recordings by the trio with the support from guitarist Bill ConnorsFind albums by this artist (the first RTF guitar player) and French violin virtuoso Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist. Singer Chaka KhanFind albums by this artist adds vocals on two tracks. I don´t need to say more here, as it´s obvious that all RTF fans will grab this one instantly, especially since it is truly amazing. These Master musicians seem to be untouchable by time and their performances are simply divine. A must!

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

ELTON DEAN / MARK HEWINS ~ BAR TORQUE MOONJUNE 001 ~ UK ~ Canterbury Scene This (sax & guitar) duo goes way back to the days when both players were members of Soft HeapFind albums by this artist, a great Canterbury Jazz-Rock outfit which followed in the steps of Soft MachineFind albums by this artist. Here they present a series of long and extended improvisations, very much in the free-jazz vain. Not for everybody, but those who like this style of musical expression will enjoy this one very much. Visitors' Comments Christopher  Brice Recorded live at the Jazz Café 1992, London; remixed & remastered 2000; released 2001

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CLAUDIO FASOLI / KENNY WHEELER / JEAN-FRANCOIS JENNY-CLARK ~ LAND AZZURRA 1328 (Barcode: 8028980739422) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1988 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of a brilliant album by the European Jazz trio consisting of Italian saxophonist Claudio FasoliFind albums by this artist, British trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all composed by Fasoli. By the time this album was recorded, European Jazz had already a distinct, clearly defined character and aesthetics, of which this album is a superb example. The music is based on beautiful melodic themes, but is completely open to enable Free improvisations, complete freedom of expression and as much of an ensemble sound, as a trio setting is able to provide. The performances are all nothing short of stellar and the soloing bloodcurdling, with plenty of amazing saxophone / trumpet unisono passages and duets, supported exquisitely by the sublime bass lines. The intimate drumless trio setting is ideal to make all the individual statements perfectly audible and the sound quality offers a perfect balance between the instruments. Wheeler’s many followers should find his playing on this album to be absolutely amazing, and this recording is one of many of his recordings made with Italian musicians. This is one of Wheeler’s recordings, which remains almost completely obscure and does not appear in most of his discographies. I was very lucky to get it from Kenny’s private collection. Overall, this is a superb European Jazz recording, which sadly is relatively obscure, but remains among the finest examples of the many international collaborations that make European Jazz so interesting. The sophistication, delicacy and amazing level of musicianship present here is absolutely timeless!

Updated: 24/06/2023Posted: 23/06/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION ~ THE GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION WOUNDED BIRD 6025 (Barcode: 664140602526) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 2008 1st album by an ad-hoc US Jazz super-group Griffith Park CollectionFind albums by this artist, which was put together by drummer Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist and included trumpeter Freddie HubbardFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Joe HendersonFind albums by this artist, pianist Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist and bassist Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist – 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 ForeverFind albums by this artist with Corea and Clarke. The quintet is in many respects similar to the V.S.O.P.Find albums by this artist quintet, which in turn was modeled after the famous second Miles DavisFind albums by this artist 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 SwallowFind albums by this artist, 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!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION ~ THE GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION 2 IN CONCERT WOUNDED BIRD 6262 (Barcode: 664140626225) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 2008 2nd album by an ad-hoc US Jazz super-group Griffith Park CollectionFind albums by this artist, which was put together by drummer Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist and included trumpeter Freddie HubbardFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Joe HendersonFind albums by this artist, pianist Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist and bassist Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist – 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 ForeverFind albums by this artist with Corea and Clarke. The quintet is in many respects similar to the V.S.O.P.Find albums by this artist quintet, which in turn was modeled after the famous second Miles DavisFind albums by this artist 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!

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

HAYMARKET SQUARE ~ MAGIC LANTERN GEAR FAB 176 (Barcode: 645270017626) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2001 Only album by US (Chicago) band Haymarket SquareFind albums by this artist, which is a great example of Psychedelic Rock. The band, fronted by a female vocalist, performs some excellent self-penned material with extensive instrumental passages. Three of the six tracks are just under or over ten minutes long. Although obscure, this album is as good as anything recorded at the time and deserves to be re-discovered. Wholeheartedly recommended!

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KEVIN KASTNING / MARK WINGFIELD ~ ELEVEN ROOMS GREYDISC 3528 (Barcode: 888295366441) ~ USA ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the fifth album by a guitar duo comprising of American guitarist / composer Kevin KastningFind albums by this artist and British guitarist / composer Mark WingfieldFind albums by this artist. Kastning, who is also an instrument inventor, plays the 36-string double contraguitar and the 30-string contra-alto guitar in addition to classical guitar and mandolin. Wingfield plays electric guitar. The album presents eleven spontaneous compositions, inspired by the paintings of the great 17th Century Dutch Artist, Johannes VermeerFind albums by this artist. The duo explores the realm of Ambient music, with a lot of sounds and effects, painting sonic vistas on the flow, which contain no melody or logical continuity, and in spite of my openness towards music, leave me completely cold. This might perhaps work in a multimedia setting, such as cinematic soundtrack, visual exhibition or similar environment, but as music meant to be listened to it simply fails to connect the dots for me. I am fully aware of Wingfield´s superb efforts in the Jazz and Fusion fields and I am a huge fun of his work there, but the Ambient setting somehow does not grab me. On the other hand if these two musicians record together for the fifth time, there must be something to make this happen and it´s only me who fails to see / hear it. I´m sure many other listeners might find this music interesting and enjoyable, so don´t take my word for it and explore this album yourself.

Updated: 16/02/2016Posted: 16/02/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JOACHIM KUHN / DANIEL HUMAIR / JEAN-FRANCOIS JENNY-CLARK ~ USUAL CONFUSION LABEL BLEU 6560 (Barcode: 3149025061249) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1993 Released: 1993 This is an album by the brilliant European Jazz trio comprising of German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, Swiss drummer / composer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist and French bassist / composer Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, four composed by Kuhn, one composed by Humair, one a standard and finally one by American saxophonist / composer Jerry BergonziFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely stunning, from start to end and this is definitely one the finest European piano trios in all time. All three players are virtuosi and with decades of experience behind them, they are flying high in the stratosphere of Jazz improvisation, with every note perfectly in the right place and astonishing level of interplay between them. Despite the fact that the music is often intensely improvised, and Kuhn’s arpeggios chase each other head after tail, the result is remarkably melodic and often even serene, which is quite unusual for Kuhn’s recordings. Jenny-Clark and Humair are a perfect, impeccable rhythm section, able to stay within the harmonious flow and tempi, when needed, and support Free improvisation with the same ease and elegance, and listening to the trio is a constant gratification of the highest class. Listening to this album is a true schoolbook example of the perfect balance between melody and improvisation in Jazz, which astoundingly enables this music to be enjoyed in full both by Free Jazz lovers and relatively conventional mainstream Jazz listeners, which perhaps proves that beauty conquers all. This is one of my favorite Joachim Kuhn albums and European piano trio albums. Overall, this is a perfect example of European Jazz, which transforms classic the piano trio platform into a Freely Improvised environment, staying close enough for comfort for mainstream Jazz lovers – a truly brilliant Artistic achievement and a must in any serious Jazz collection.

Updated: 15/04/2025Posted: 15/04/2025

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

MARK LOTZ TRIO ~ THE WROCLAW SESSIONS AUDIO CAVE 2019/006 (Barcode: 5905669566759) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by a trio led by veteran German (resident in Netherlands) flautist / composer Mark Alban LotzFind albums by this artist with Polish bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded during an impromptu recording session, organized while Lotz gave master classes in Wroclaw. The album presents nine tracks, six of which were recorded by the trio and three by a duo of Lotz and Piasecki due to Bulinski´s illness. Two of the tracks are composed / co-composed by Lotz, two others are co-composed by Lotz and Piasecki and five are Jazz / Pop standards. Although by and large based on composed themes, the music is mostly improvised and offers an informal, free spirited atmosphere, which is quite enjoyable in view of the tendency to take Jazz way too seriously and in a cerebral fashion, forgetting about the intrinsic spontaneity it is supposed to be based on. Despite the obvious age and experience differences between Lotz and the two Polish Jazz youngsters, the trio manages to achieve a coherent and quite inventive cooperation and the result is surprisingly pleasing. The flute is a sadly neglected instrument in Jazz and therefore hearing great flute performances is always a joyful experience for yours truly, especially since it happens to be one of my favorite instruments. The album´s liner notes mention the legendary Dutch flautist Chris HinzeFind albums by this artist, one of the great European Jazz pioneers since the late 1960s and a superb player / composer, which of course bring on fond memories. Lotz has an impressive recorded legacy, which sadly I am not all too well familiar with, but his biography and interest in World Music is certainly reflected in the music present on this album. Overall this is a document of a moment captured in the studio, which is definitely worth investigating, even if it does not offer any grandiose revelations. It is honest, well played and interesting Jazz music, spirited and enjoyable, which obviously deserves to be captured for posterity. An absolute must for Jazz flute connoisseurs, obviously!

Updated: 27/04/2019Posted: 27/04/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MARK LOTZ TRIO ~ TURN ON, TUNE IN, DROP OUT! ZENNEZ 2013/019 (Barcode: 9789083321400) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by German (resident in Netherlands) flautist / composer Mark Alban LotzFind albums by this artist with Canadian (also resident in Netherlands) bassist Zack LoberFind albums by this artist and Dutch drummer Jamie PeetFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Lotz. The album’s title more than hints towards Dr. Timothy LearyFind albums by this artist, the American psychologist famous for his advocacy of LSD and author of the book “The Eight-Circuit Model Of Consciousness”, which influenced everybody (well not really but we liked to think so at the time), who lived in the 1960s, like yours truly, and influenced Lotz to name eight of the tunes on this album by the names of those eight circuits. Is the music psychedelic Jazz? Not really but it is definitely great Jazz music. The intimate setting of a trio, with the flute in the center, is already a winner before I even heard the music, but upon hearing it I was completely and easily won over instantly. The trio’s sound, the wonderful compositions and the virtuosic performances by all three musicians are simply magical and irresistible. Peet is the great surprise, as his drumming on this album is nothing short of sensational and I’d advise every drummer I know to listen to what he is able to do herein, being both perfectly melodic and polyrhythmic at the same time. Lober provides the harmonic basis upon which the melody and the improvisations played by the flute can flow freely. Together the trio sounds like a perfect, self-sufficient ensemble, which is able to achieve exactly what it aims for. Overall, this album is a breath of fresh air, a great fun to listen to and a mind expanding (without chemical aid) musical experience, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to all Jazz listeners, regardless of their sub-genre preference. It is so sad to see the flute almost completely absent from the Jazz scene these days and a big thank you to Mark for refreshing our memories and make us realize what we’ve been missing!

Updated: 12/08/2023Posted: 12/08/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

TOMASZ MARKANICZ ~ LADOLOD NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2024 Released: 2025 This is a solo saxophone album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz MarkaniczFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen relatively short tracks, all composed by Markanicz and captured during a field recording in the North-Eastern Polish lake district, where Markanicz hails from, with a beautiful and natural sound ambience. Markanicz recorded a couple of earlier albums with the DiomedeFind albums by this artist ensemble (duo / trio) and this is his debut recording as a leader. The music is based on melodic themes, but offers mainly extensive improvisations, which move between Jazz, Ambient and World influences, and is rather difficult to categorize precisely, which is all for the good. It is somewhat similar to the Nordic / ECMish sound concept, but definitely mostly more adventurous, and as such more ambitious. Some of the tracks are multitracked, combining several of the field recordings placed one on top of another later on in the studio. As most solo recordings, this album requires from the listener his undivided attention, which is not always easy. Several listening sessions are also recommended, as the music might sound differently each time, depending on the listener’s mood. But all things considered, this is a very unusual and moving project, which should be highly rewarding for open-minded music lovers and explorers of new musical experiences. Overall, this is a beautiful, rewarding piece of music, which should grab the attention of Jazz listeners, who are ready to explore uncharted territory and willingly submit their minds to exploring unusual sound vistas. Despite its innovative nature, much of the music is highly melodic and relaxing, and definitely worth being discovered.

Updated: 08/04/2025Posted: 08/04/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MALGORZATA MARKIEWICZ ~ BRING THE LIGHT REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2020/07 ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 Although her career goes back over two decades, this is finally the debut album by Polish vocalist Malgorzata MarkiewiczFind albums by this artist. It was recorded with the vocals supported by a basic trio consisting of keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist. In addition a string quartet, which is 3/4 of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist (Malgorzata´s husband) and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist) and violinist Marta ZalewskaFind albums by this artist takes part in the recording as well as eight other musicians playing / singing on selected tracks. The album presents twelve original songs, nine of which were composed by Markiewicz (two co-composed with others) and three were composed by Gabriela KapczukFind albums by this artist. She also wrote three of the lyrics and co-wrote one with the rest being by different authors. Six of the songs feature lyrics in Polish language and the other six feature lyrics in English. The album is elegantly packaged and offers the lyrics, arty photographs and stylish design. The songs are all typical contemporary Polish Pop, very melodic and solidly written but slightly samey. The album offers a modern production and sound, which I personally don´t appreciate very much. But the instrumental arrangements, with just a tinge of Jazz here and there, and the playing / singing are absolutely perfect and professional. If not for the Polish lyrics, this album might have been mistaken for an American album, which proves that the Poles can beat the Americans at their own Smooth Jazz production game, but as such does not offer much originality. With that said, Markiewicz proves she can write great tunes and sing them with true feeling, even in English, which most of her local vocal colleagues fail at badly. It is obvious that a lot of thought and work was invested into creating this album and the result is highly entertaining and offers a great listening experience, which Pop and Smooth Jazz listeners should enjoy immensely. Overall this is an excellently produced and beautifully performed album, full of great tunes and typical Smooth Jazz feel, which should make aficionados of that genre perfectly happy.

Updated: 09/01/2021Posted: 25/03/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

KLEMENS MARKTL ~ XPERIENCE ATS 1014 (Barcode: 9005216010141) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2024 This is an album by Austrian Jazz drummer / composer Klemens MarktlFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with American saxophonist Tim ArmacostFind albums by this artist, Austrian pianist Alan BartusFind albums by this artist and bassist Stefan BartusFind albums by this artist (son and father). The album presents nine tracks, all original compositions by the leader. The music is an excellent classic mainstream Jazz, made in Europe, being every iota as good as any of the stuff coming from beyond the pond, but without the stale smell. Everything is just perfect here, from the first note to the last, with beautiful melodic compositions and perfect performances from start to finish. The album is beautifully recorded, with just the right balance and ambience, which makes listening to it an unadulterated pleasure to all Jazz lovers the world over. Having said all that, there is nothing innovative or surprising in this music, which means that listeners looking for surprises or unexpected turns and twists will be disappointed. But, many people like their Jazz exactly the way it is played here, and who am I to tell them what to listen to? Overall, this is absolutely classic mainstream Jazz, perfectly put together by gifted and experienced musicians, who prove once again that mainstream European Jazz is every bit as good as anything arriving from the West, buy classier!

Updated: 18/05/2024Posted: 18/05/2024

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TIBOR MARKUS / EQUINOX ~ ARE YOU FREE? BMM 0208 (Barcode: 5998272705097) ~ HUNGARY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002 This is the 3rd album by Hungarian Jazz pianist / composer Tibor MarkusFind albums by this artist and his ensemble EquinoxFind albums by this artist. On this album the core of the ensemble consists of saxophonist Zoltan ZanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Balazs HorvathFind albums by this artist and drummer Gyorgy JeszenszkyFind albums by this artist, and six guest musicians participate on most tracks, including two female singers. Markus is an incredible composer and his beautiful music, typical of Eastern European lyricism and full of musical ingenuity is a true treasure. This album presents a four-part Jazz suite, which is quite incredible. Of course the musicianship of the players and their respective virtuosity is also evident throughout. Stylistically the music is a unique kind of modern European Jazz, mostly very melodic with some tendencies towards freer passages. Altogether this is a great example of the superb music created in places, which are rarely associated with Jazz, but can be very surprising. Warmly recommended!

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

TIBOR MARKUS / EQUINOX ~ ECLECTIC BMM 0403 (Barcode: 5998272706148) ~ HUNGARY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2004 This is the 4th album by Hungarian Jazz pianist / composer Tibor MarkusFind albums by this artist and his ensemble EquinoxFind albums by this artist. On this album the core of the ensemble was expand to a septet, creating a lot of new possibilities and a much richer sound, including vocals. Three guest musicians participate on some tracks. Markus is an incredible composer and his beautiful music, typical of Eastern European lyricism and full of musical ingenuity is a true treasure. This album presents a four-part Jazz suite, which is quite incredible. Of course the musicianship of the players and their respective virtuosity is also evident throughout. Stylistically the music is a unique kind of modern European Jazz, mostly very melodic with some tendencies towards freer passages. Altogether this is a great example of the superb music created in places, which are rarely associated with Jazz, but can be very surprising. Warmly recommended!

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

TIBOR MARKUS / EQUINOX ~ THREE TREES BMM 9903 ~ HUNGARY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1999 Released: 1999 This is the 2nd album by Hungarian Jazz pianist / composer Tibor MarkusFind albums by this artist and his ensemble EquinoxFind albums by this artist. On this album the core of the ensemble consists of saxophonist Imre HederFind albums by this artist, bassist Balazs HorvathFind albums by this artist and drummer Gyorgy JeszenszkyFind albums by this artist, and three guest musicians participate on most tracks. Markus is an incredible composer and his beautiful music, typical of Eastern European lyricism and full of musical ingenuity is a true treasure. Of course the musicianship of the players and their respective virtuosity is also evident throughout. Stylistically the music is a unique kind of modern European Jazz, mostly very melodic with some tendencies towards freer passages. Altogether this is a great example of the superb music created in places, which are rarely associated with Jazz, but can be very surprising. Warmly recommended!

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

MARK MURPHY ~ MIDNIGHT MOOD MPS 4029759124191 (Barcode: 4029759124191) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the only album for the MPSFind albums on this label label by American Jazz vocalist Mark MurphyFind albums by this artist, recorded with a superb octet comprising of members of the fabulous international, resident in Europe, Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland Big BandFind albums by this artist: British trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist, Swedish trombonist Ake PerssonFind albums by this artist, British saxophonists Derek HumbleFind albums by this artist and Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist, American saxophonist / flautist Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist, Belgian pianist Francy BolandFind albums by this artist, American bassist Jimmy WoodeFind albums by this artist and drummer Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, five of which are originals by the octet members, two of which feature lyrics written by Murphy and the remaining five are standards. The album was recorded during the decade when Murphy lived in London. The music is absolutely wonderful, as is Murphy´s extraordinary singing, which lost absolutely nothing of its power and delicate beauty over time, emphasizing the fact that Murphy remains as one of the most underrated Jazz vocalists of all times in spite of his numerous recordings over six decades. The octet provides a comfortable and superbly intelligent accompaniment to Murphy´s vocals, which includes in addition to singing lyrics also excellent vocalese statements. Spiced with short but brilliant instrumental solos, the album is an absolute delight from start to finish, a classic example of male Jazz vocals, which sadly suffer a miserable setback these days. For connoisseurs of classic Jazz vocals of the finest caliber, this album is an absolute must and considering the superb sound quality and "vintage" ambience, it is an exquisite gem! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 28/05/2018Posted: 24/02/2018

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MARK NAUSEEF ~ PERSONAL NOTE CHICKADISC 003 (Barcode: 5901549197792) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1981 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the debut album by the American drummer Mark NauseefFind albums by this artist, originally released on the legendary German CMPFind albums on this label label. It features an incredible team of musicians, which includes the German pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, Indian percussionist Trilok GurtuFind albums by this artist, German keyboardist George KochbeckFind albums by this artist and guest stars: Dutch guitarist Jan AkkermanFind albums by this artist, German bassist Detlev BeierFind albums by this artist and British vocalist / bassist Phil LynottFind albums by this artist of Thin LizzyFind albums by this artist fame. The album presents six original compositions, most of which were composed or co-composed by Kuhn, except one percussion duet which is credited to Nauseef and Gurtu. The music presents a wide variety of styles, from Rock, via Jazz-Rock Fusion, Jazz-World Fusion and up to Improvised Music, which is completely unpredictable but always fascinating. There are definitely composed parts, but most of the music is improvised, using a plethora of instruments, both acoustic and electronic, producing a sound which was way ahead of its time. In retrospect this music sounds as innovative today as it was at the time of its recording, completely free of any stylistic constrains and instrumental conceptions. The strong rhythmic layer of drums / percussion adds a feeling of vitality and urgency and the piano / saxophone parts by Kuhn are absolutely stunning, catching him at his very best. Overall this is a blast from the past, which is most welcome to be back in circulation after a very long period of absence. For true Fusion connoisseurs this album is a Holy Grail which should be a part of any serious music collection. As usual the remastered music and excellent liner notes make this reissue a must have. The ChickadiscFind albums on this label label is a subsidiary of the excellent Polish GADFind albums on this label Records, which by now is a trademark of quality.

Updated: 06/02/2018Posted: 06/02/2018

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MAGGIE NICOLS / MATILDA ROLFSSON / MARK WASTELL ~ SEMIOTIC DRIFT CONFRONT 37 ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Improvising Music trio comprising of British vocalist Maggie NicolsFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist Mark WastellFind albums by this artist and Swedish percussionist Matilda RolfssonFind albums by this artist. The album presents one track of improvised music lasting for about thirty-five minutes. The album was released by ConfrontFind albums on this label Recordings, owned by Wastell, which is dedicated almost exclusively to the Improvised Music scene. The music evolves around the vocal expressionism by Nicols, one of the few British Improvised Music vocalists, active since the late 1960’s as one of the pioneers of the genre, with Spontaneous Music EnsembleFind albums by this artist, Keith TippettFind albums by this artist’s CentipedeFind albums by this artist and others. Her recorded legacy is sadly rather limited, which is a great pity, as she is definitely one of the most individual voices of the European Improvised Music scene. The music is as Avant-Garde as one might expect, completely free spirited and unconventional, going back to the first forms of expression available to humans, which were voice and percussive tools. Obviously this is mostly for the highly dedicated audience of Avant-Garde explorations, but the human voice enthusiasts should find this very interesting. Overall, this is a fascinating opportunity to hear Nicols again, which is always a great adventure, and the Improvised Music buffs should be very happy to have this album in their collection. Wastell’s dedication to promote adventurous and uncompromising music is truly admirable.

Updated: 30/06/2025Posted: 30/06/2025

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OKUDEN: MAT WALERIAN / MATTHEW SHIPP / WILLIAM PARKER / HAMID DRAKE ~ EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY BUT IT DOESN`T MATTER BECAUSE FAT CAT IS GETTING FATTER ESP 5037 (Barcode: 825481503723) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2018 Released: 2020 This is the fourth album by Polish (resident in NY) Jazz multi-instrumentalist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, released by the reanimated legendary NY ESPFind albums on this label label. The lineup, under the OkudenFind albums by this artist moniker, is expanded to a quartet and includes all three musicians who took part in the three previous recordings: pianist Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist, bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist and drummer Hamid DrakeFind albums by this artist – icons of the American Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene. The 2CD album presents six (one a three-part piece) original compositions, all by Walerian. The music, recorded during one session, is an archetypal example of a metaphysical conversation between experienced musicians, which moves freely from subject to subject, in perfect coherence and mutual respect. Although Walerian sets the tone and direction, ever so gently, moving between the saxophone, clarinets and flute, the rest of the quartet follows suit fluidly and the musicians add their input to the conversation with elegance and remarkable aptitude. Despite the “usual” aggressive atmosphere associated with Improvised Music, this recording offers a completely calm and orderly fashion of mutual exchange and development of ideas, relaxed cooperation and as strange as it might sound results in “pleasant” aural vistas, certainly not what one would expect from these musicians. Walerian proves to be not only an excellent catalyst, but also an anodyne. As a result, the music offers a remarkable calmness and ease, without any compromise whatsoever of the complexity and quality of the music. Overall this is definitely the strongest and most mature statement by Walerian so far and brings on a true satisfaction to see a Polish Jazz musician perform with esteemed American partners without any inferiority complex. It must be said that as far as Shipp, Parker and Drake are concerned, this is also some of the best work they recorded, and they all have an extensive recording legacy to their credit. In many respects this album is much better and more interesting than many Free Jazz / Improvising Music albums released in Poland lately, where this idiom seems to be lost wondering in the desert and devoid of clear musical / spiritual leadership, with many of the original Avant-Gardists being no longer with us. This album is warmly recommended to all listeners of Free Spirited Jazz music anywhere and definitely worth the effort of searching out a copy, which will be rewarded by a couple of hours of highly aesthetic and spiritual experience.

Updated: 07/03/2021Posted: 07/03/2021

CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

PARKER / TRZASKA / EDWARDS / SANDERS ~ CITY FALL FSR 2016/04 (Barcode: 5905279364097) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is a live recording by a Free Jazz / Improvising Music quartet, which comprises of three British musicians: legendary saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist, bassist John EdwardsFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark SandersFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist / clarinetist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs just three lengthy improvisations, the first of which resides on the first CD and the other two reside on the second CD of this 2CD set. All music is credited, as appropriate in such circumstances, to all four members of the quartet. The music was recorded during a concert in London´s Café OTO. Anybody familiar with the British Free Jazz scene will recognize the names of the British musicians as top representative of the genre and the same applies of course of people familiar with the parallel Polish scene, where Trzaska is considered as a unique phenomenon not only as Free Jazz player / leader but also as one of the most important contemporary composers of cinematic music. The music captured on this album testifies as to the immediate rapport between the players, especially so between Evans (born 1944) and Trzaska (born 1966), who keep exchanging licks, phrases and vast amounts of energy between them for the entire duration of the concert, which often sounds superhuman in its intensity. The age difference seems to be completely inconsequential, which of course does not surprise me at all as my pairing of Trzaska with the Israeli clarinetist Harold RubinFind albums by this artist (born 1932) was similarly successful. In fact the saxophone duets, performed without the rhythm section, are some of the most fascinating moments on this album and I´d love to hear more of those. As far as live albums of Free Jazz / Improvised Music are concerned, my opinion usually is that the music was primarily intended for those people who attended the concert and in recorded form the music loses most of its authenticity, energy and spirit, and becomes significantly less relevant. This album is one of the relatively few exceptions, probably due to the class of the musicians involved and the comradeship between them, and as a result hearing the music in recorded form is still very emotionally involving and aesthetically pleasing. Of course this music is strictly for connoisseurs of this specific idiom and people who seek entertainment in their musical escapades should avoid this music at all cost. Those brave hearted few who enjoy the organized madness should have a most wonderful time while this music lasts, especially since meetings like these are usually a one time only events. Strong stuff!

Updated: 03/01/2017Posted: 03/01/2017

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EVAN PARKER / RGG ~ LIVE @ ALCHEMIA FSR 2017/01 (Barcode: 5905279364172) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is a live recording by the legendary British saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist performing together with one of the top Polish Jazz trios RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. Together the ad hoc quartet performs four spontaneously composed pieces, credited to all four members of the quartet. The music was recorded at the celebrated Krakow´s Alchemia club, which since many years is associated with the Polish and international Improvised Music scene. The courageous experiment of combining forces between Parker and RGG seems, at least in theory, quite unexpected to say the least. Based on their recording history one might contemplate how the music of Parker, which always symbolized the extreme Avant-Garde and total freedom of expression, might be combined with the music of RGG, which although featured some elements of freedom, was always strongly melody based and full of typical Polish lyricism and Romanticism. Apparently, music is able to unite most stylistic gaps and in this particular case simply emerges victorious. As a result we have some of the most "melodic" and relaxed Parker performances ever put on record and the most free oriented music ever recorded by RGG, both wholly amalgamated into a new form of expression. In spite of the age difference between Parker and the RGG members, there seems to be a complete and profound understanding and mutual respect between the musicians, which allows the music to flow and flourish uninhibited and overwhelmingly moving. As usual in such musical circumstances, the music requires attentive and open-minded listening, but its quality assures a most wonderful aesthetic experience. The personal performances are all, as expected, exhilarating and the challenge of playing with a legend mobilized the RGG members to give absolutely everything they had to give that night. There is no doubt that this is one of the most challenging and daring Polish Jazz recording lately and a superb way to start 2017, which promises to be as exciting as the incredibly intense 2016. Maciej KarlowskiFind albums by this artist deserves kudos for putting this experiment together and turning his FSRFind albums on this label label into an important player on the Polish record scene. Thanks also to the man with the biggest ears in Poland, Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, for the wonderful mix and mastering, which result in a superb sound quality this album offers to the listener. Well done!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/02/2017

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MIKE PARKER / TRIO THEORY ~ ALIVE OUT THERE NOT ON LABEL ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the third album by American bassist / composer Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist, who spends much of his time in Eastern Europe playing and recording with Polish Jazz musicians, as documented on his previous album. This album, recorded live in Czech Republic and Serbia, documents a tour by Parker´s trio, which also includes Polish Jazz saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and American (resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. Together they perform six compositions, four by Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist, one co-composed by him and Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist and one composed by Bryson BarnesFind albums by this artist. The music is mostly improvised, except for short melodic intros which immediately develop into a frantic Free Form extended blowing sessions. Pezda, who is definitely one of the most impressive young Lions among the Polish Jazz saxophone players, performs incredibly on this album; even more remarkably than on several earlier recordings he participated in. The intimate setting and the live atmosphere, as well as the excellent work of the rhythm section, allow him to soar and shine, which he does from start to finish. But of course this is a trio effort and the overall result is successful thanks to the interplay and mutual respect these three players share among them. Saxophone trios are an extremely difficult environment to create impressive music, but this trio is definitely blessed with the ability to make it work. If course Parker´s music also adds to the success of this music. Although seemingly aggressive and certainly very intensive, this music displays a lot of elegance and intrinsic beauty. The "beast" is definitely tamed and the improvisations and far out excursions are apparently well planed ahead. The wonderful tension between the intensity of this music and its underlying structure is one of the strongest assets. This is definitely one of the strongest statements I have had the pleasure to listen to in the last months and it truly deserves to be discovered by as many Jazz lovers as possible. A strange thought passed through my head; since this great album was created by two American practically living in Poland and a Pole, playing in Eastern Europe, perhaps the only way to save American Jazz before it disintegrates completely is to move it to Eastern Europe?

Updated: 30/05/2016Posted: 27/05/2016

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MIKE PARKER / TRIO THEORY ~ SHINY OBJECTS, DARK PLACES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the fourth album by American (partly resident in Poland) bassist Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist and his second album with the Trio TheoryFind albums by this artist, which also includes Polish saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and American (also partly resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Mike Parker. The music is melody based modern Jazz, which in contrast to the preceding album with the trio, which was recorded live and presented mostly Free Jazz approach, is much more organized and structured. Of course there is still plenty of improvisation herein, which dominates Pezda´s superb performances, but the overall approach is much more relaxed and "disciplined". The album develops on two separate planes: the energetic and highly complex improvised saxophone parts and the hypnotic rhythmic background created by bass and drums. When combined, these two planes overlap splendidly and the resulting music amalgamates rhythm and melody into one cohesive unity, which is highly emotional and moving. All three players demonstrate highly developed technical skills and understanding of the Jazz idiom. The rhythm section is mostly very powerful and carries the strong beat in a manner closely related to rhythms originating in African Cultures. Pezda is naturally more related to the European approach but his saxophone playing is also strongly related to early Free Jazz Masters like Albert AylerFind albums by this artist and Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist. He certainly emerges on this recording as one of the leading Polish Jazz saxophonists of the young generation. The music on this album is quite different from most other Polish Jazz recordings, which mostly follow a much mellower, melancholic and lyrical trends, whereas here the main tendency is more raw and penetrating, facing the listener right in his face rather than appealing to his intellectual antennae. Mike Parker deserves praise for the wonderful compositions he created for the trio. Overall this is a splendid outing, which is definitely worth being discovered and admired and an important step in the career of the musicians involved. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 14/12/2018Posted: 14/12/2018

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MIKE PARKER / UNIFIED THEORY ~ EMBRACE THE WILD NOT ON LABEL ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 American bassist / composer Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist spent a period of a year and a half living in Krakow and playing with local young Polish Jazz musicians. He was a member of the NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist, together with trumpeter Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, recording with them their excellent eponymous debut album. In parallel and with the addition of the saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist they also recorded this album, Parker´s second recording as a leader so far, which is released only now. It presents eight original compositions, all by Parker (except one co-composed with Prucnal), three of which are parts of a suite. As already mentioned in my review of the NSI Quartet album, Parker had a huge influence on his Polish cohorts, taking them away from the European Jazz idiom into more traditional American approach. On this album this is even more perceptible, as the band is playing Parker´s compositions and not those by the Polish players, like on the a.m. album. Parker´s music is a great example of modern American Jazz, which keeps up with the changes happening in the music and manages to get itself free from the stagnation that characterizes most American mainstream. His compositions are all well structured and include melodic statements, which then are improvised on, but the freedom and breathing space present in the music allow the musicians to take off and express their individuality, before returning to the compositional structure. All of his pieces are a pleasure to listen to, and the three-part suite that concludes the album is a profound and very moving composition that proves his great talent as a composer. Of course Parker also plays some tasteful bass parts and his Polish colleagues, all of them superb musicians as well, make this music to come alive in its full splendor. These are after all some of the young lions that will represent the European Jazz scene in a few years. Overall an excellent effort, in every respect, definitely worth listening to, so get it ASAP and help Parker to move on and create some more great music for all of us to enjoy!

CD-R 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

QUESTION MARK ~ EXSESSIONS RG 105 (Barcode: 002018111112) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion group Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, which also includes violinist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen compositions, six of which are main extended pieces and the other seven are shorter connecting pieces, which are intertwined around the main pieces and together they all present a musical continuum. The music was co-composed by the group members (five of the main pieces), or co-composed by Raatz and Bielak (six of the connecting pieces) and the remaining two pieces were composed by Raatz. The album is beautifully packaged in an elegant metal case. The music is different from the earlier material recorded by the group and has a distinct industrial / minimalist / ambient sound and feel, where the extended improvisations are developing over a steady drone like rhythmic pattern and the guitar and violin sound more like a synthesizers. The metamorphosis is quite dramatic and if not for the name on the packaging, the connection to the earlier recordings would have been difficult to recognize. Regardless of the change of direction, the music is again very impressive and fascinating. The improvisations are well structured and enable the listener to enter a trance like state of intensive listening. It is rare to see a group to undertake such a bold direction change and keep the level of musicianship unchanged, achieving such a thrilling result. With this new direction the music might find a new audience, perhaps a bit younger, than the traditional Prog / Fusion fans, which are sadly mostly quite advanced in their years. But all open-minded music connoisseurs should be able to develop an affinity to this music, as it as much challenging as it is rewarding. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 17/02/2019Posted: 17/02/2019

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QUESTION MARK ~ LA TERRA ROSA QM 003 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion group Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, which also includes violinist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist, Russian keyboardist Michael OgorodovFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. Flautist Timothy SanfordFind albums by this artist guests on a couple of tracks and vocalist Jaroslaw PijarowskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents a fourteen-part suite, composed by the participating musicians. The music is beautifully put together, combining superb melodic themes with Funk, Groove and World Music, which overwhelms the listener with its passionate execution. The consecutive parts of the suite are intertwined by solo violin parts called "impressions", creating a wonderful flow of the entire piece, which has no dull moments whatsoever. The group uses a rich palette of sounds and instruments to create an ever-changing tapestry of sound, which is coherent and perfectly balanced. All the musicians involved are first rate instrumentalist of superb technical skills, but Raatz manages to create a barrage of guitar virtuosity which should leave the listeners completely stunned. His proficiency and technique are truly extraordinary and his musicality is profound. He manages to shun all gimmickry and show off, simply playing his heart out. The rhythm section kicks ass and has a great feel of pulse. The violinist pulls some virtuosic stunts of his own. Together they simply fly! Overall this is an amazing album, which was sadly overlooked at the time of its release. With contemporary Prog and Fusion being almost completely lifeless, this album shows that not everything is lost yet. Both Prog and Fusion connoisseurs should be able to enjoy this album to the max and hopefully it will be discovered worldwide, as the group honestly deserves to be heard. Guitar freaks – prepare to weep!

Updated: 17/02/2019Posted: 17/02/2019

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QUESTION MARK ~ LABORATORY QM 002 (Barcode: 5901448276925) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion trio Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist and including also bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. Violinist / guitarist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist guests on most of the tracks and the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents twelve original instrumental compositions by the trio members, three of which are three-part mini suites. The music introduces some basic themes, which are then used as basis for extended instrumental improvisations, mostly by guitar and violin. The violin improvisations are more Jazz / Fusion oriented and the guitar improvisations are more Prog oriented, so the album is overall quite diverse and multifaceted. The rhythm section is very Rock oriented, which sets the rhythmic patters somewhat towards Heavy Rock, but not overwhelmingly so, which still leaves the instrumental improvisation to be the center of this music. The track with Przybielski is of course outstanding and one can only regret that the entire album was not recorder with him, which would have turned it into a remarkable album. But at least we can hear the amazing trumpet work on one track, which of course is good enough reason to have this album. Przybielski had the chameleonic ability to feel completely at ease in any musical environment, from extreme Avant-Garde to commercial Pop, and Fusion / Rock suited him as well as anything else, which is evident here. The violin work is also quite impressive and people interested in Fusion violin sound should find this album fascinating as well. This album is pretty obscure even on the Polish scene, so perhaps people reading these lines will make an effort to look it up now, as it is definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 07/11/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

SUN RA / INTERGALACTIC RESEARCH ARKESTRA ~ IT`S AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD MPS 4029759097440 (Barcode: 4029759097440) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1970 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of a little known album by American keyboardist / composer / bandleader Sun RaFind albums by this artist, one of the most idiosyncratic, prophetic and theatrical personalities which populated the Jazz Planet (Earth or elsewhere). The album was recorded live in Germany during the 1970 Donaueschingen and Berlin Festivals for the MPSFind albums on this label label and produced by Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. It presents five tracks, all of which are original composition by Sun Ra, which are performed by an orchestra which includes twenty one additional players. Some of the more familiar names of the orchestra members include among others saxophonists John GilmoreFind albums by this artist and Marshall AllenFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan SilvaFind albums by this artist, and drummer Lex HumphriesFind albums by this artist. The music, although pre-conceived and structured, is mostly freely improvised by the orchestra members, who play lengthy solos and engage in group improvisations. It is very dramatic and of course creates a kind of "space" ambience, which seems to be unattached to anything "earthly". I have seen and heard Sun Ra live many times over the years and this recording presents him at his most experimental stage of his musical "philosophy", which in many respects was also the most fascinating in retrospect. If we ignore the hype and theatrics, this is one of the earliest examples of large scale collective improvisations, and as such is an important historic document of the development of Jazz and Improvised Music. The fact that these German festivals welcomed this extravagant music documents the openness and spirit of exploration that characterized the European Jazz scene at the time, often accepting American Jazz musicians, who were personae non gratae in their homeland. This forgotten little gem is definitely worth being discovered! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 27/05/2016

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MARKUS REUTER / OCULUS ~ NOTHING IS SACRED MOONJUNE 105 (Barcode: 692287910525) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by German touch guitarist / composer Markus ReuterFind albums by this artist, recorded with a group of musicians associated with the MoonJuneFind albums on this label label and the producer Leonardo PavkovicFind albums by this artist as well as his cohorts from other projects like Stick MenFind albums by this artist: Israeli drummer Asaf SirkisFind albums by this artist, Italian bassist Fabio TrentiniFind albums by this artist, British violinist David CrossFind albums by this artist and guitarist Mark WingfieldFind albums by this artist and American Ambient composer / keyboardist Robert RichFind albums by this artist, collectively known as OculusFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the usual "crime location", i.e. Spanish studio La Casa Murada, by Reuter, Sirkis, Trentini and Cross and later overdubbed by Wingfield and Rich. The album presents five extended pieces, all more than ten minutes in duration, which are not credited and assumed to be co-credited to the participating musicians. The music, although mostly improvised, is based on strictly pre-designed structures created by Reuter, which the musicians had to follow in order to create a coherent development of the music. However, for the listener the music offers a flux, which can be individually interpreted, and the listener´s perception is in fact a crucial ingredient in the music itself. Ambient vistas, supported by leading bass lines and rhythmic structures created by the drums take the listener on a journey, which can only be enjoyed under a total submission to the music, without involving intellectual analytic processes. The music manages successfully to avoid genre limitations and attempts to be categorized. Each listener can find whatever he sees fit in this music, from Avant-Garde electronic music, via Improvised Jazz and Rock Music or Fusion and Progressive Rock. It is an excellent example of contemporary music, which basically ridicules genre classification, which music criticism suffers from constantly, and proposes an opportunity to accept it for what it is: simply music. Of course there are plenty of superb individual statements by all the participants, and again each listener will probably enjoy certain aspects of the music that others might overlook, but this is exactly the point. Like all great Art, music is completely individual (not subjective, as is often wrongly stated). The beauty of Humanity is all in our individualism, which makes us what we really are, of which the perception of music is just one facet. This music, as I have repeatedly stated, comes with a price tag ;) It is not for a casual listener nor can it be enjoyed without a considerable emotional effort, which if often way too much to ask from people these days. Oh well, c´est la vie!

Updated: 24/09/2020Posted: 24/09/2020

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ZESPOL INSTRUMENTALNY MARKA SEWENA ~ KSIEZYC NA TAHITI GAD 100 (Barcode: 5903068120398) ~ POLAND ~ Lounge Music Recorded: 1969 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of a rather unusual instrumental album, which proves that American form of orchestral popular music known as Lounge Music, which was extremely trendy during the 1950s and to less extent in the 1960s managed to penetrate the Irion Curtain as effectively as other forms of Western propaganda. Polish composer / arranger / conductor Marek SewenFind albums by this artist imported it into Poland after spending some time in the US, and although over a decade later it appeared to be equally popular with some Polish folks as well. The album presents twelve easy-listening melodies, half of which are traditional folk tunes (exotic Hawaiian style at the helm), one is an original by Sewen and the rest come form various sources. The music is performed by an orchestra and several soloists, including a whistler and the Hammond organ player Piotr FigielFind albums by this artist, and was arranged by Sewen. In retrospect the music is as ridiculous as it was at the time, no less than kitsch incarnate, but as these thing go, it is so bad that it is good, especially as a sociological exercise. A curio at best, but what fun ;)

Updated: 08/03/2020Posted: 08/03/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STARK BAND ~ STARK BAND NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 9008798181506) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Slovak Funk / Soul ensemble called Stark BandFind albums by this artist, which is an octet fronted by female vocalist Katarina DemskaFind albums by this artist and featuring a brass section: Tomas JavnickyFind albums by this artist on saxophone, Frantisek BabcakFind albums by this artist on trumpet and Ivan KopecekFind albums by this artist on trombone, and a smoking rhythm section: guitarist Juraj KovacFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Peter TelepcakFind albums by this artist, bassist Peter KocisFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukas KorchnakFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, eight of which feature vocals (in English and Slovak), most of which were co-composed by Kovac and Telepcak with lyrics by Kovac or Demska and Kovac. Telepcak was in charge of the brass arrangements. Why on earth would I write about this album? Well life is a series of coincidences and this album landing in my lap (so to speak) is one of them. About a month ago I stayed in the beautiful Slovak town of Kosice and Stark Band played a concert in a pub just across the street of my hotel. I was completely knocked out by the energy and talent of these young musicians and asked them if they already made an album, which they did – this is it. Ergo it´s been playing in my car and at my home ever since. Stark Band creates a wonderful combination of vintage Funk / Soul, somewhat similar to the Earth, Wind & FireFind albums by this artist idiom, with contemporary Pop sound, all spiced with vitality, elegance and good taste. The songs are all incredibly catchy and yet sophisticated melodically and harmonically, immediately placing the music on a much higher plane that most contemporary Pop music. The Jazzy brass arrangements add flavor and flair to the tunes, as do the scorching guitar solos and the Funky rhythm section keeps the tunes moving forward and the listeners moving their heaps and feet to the pulse. Demska has a fine soulful voice and even manages to get away safely with the English lyrics. Some bands like Stark Band work only live and their recordings are quite pale in comparison with the on stage performances, but this album manages to preserve the band´s spirit quite well. Considering the fact that it was self produced by the band, it really is a superb calling card and a most impressive debut. Of course I already look forward to hear their sophomore outing. This kind of music should not be overanalyzed – it is meant to give the audience a good time and at the same time convey an artistic message – this album does both of these tasks admirably. I am definitely happy that out paths have crossed and hope they will cross again in the future. Thanks for the music!

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STARK NAKED ~ STARK NAKED FALLOUT 2012 (Barcode: 5051125201211) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2007 Only album by the obscure US proto-Prog band Stark NakedFind albums by this artist, which managed to record this little gem before disappearing from the scene. Fronted by female singer Lyne BunnFind albums by this artist, the band included also five excellent players, like guitarist Richard BelskyFind albums by this artist and keyboards player Paul VenierFind albums by this artist, who was also responsible for writing the bulk of the band’s material, which was all original. The music is a strange mixture of Heavy Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, with plenty of interesting instrumental passages, especially by Belsky. The tunes are all quite well written and arranged, with nice vocal harmonies. Definitely worth digging out from the archives and be heard again, as it’s one more example of the multitude of great music that was created at the time.

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CLARK TERRY ~ CLARK AFTER DARK MPS 4029759115700 (Barcode: 4029759115700) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 Released: 2016 This is a reissue of an album by American trumpeter / composer and flugelhorn pioneer Clark TerryFind albums by this artist, which was his second of two albums for MPSFind albums on this label and which was produced by the British music critic / producer Mike HennesseyFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten Jazz ballads, nine of which are standards and one, which was written especially for this album by the German trombonist / bandleader / arranger / composer Peter HerbolzheimerFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in London and features a mind-blowing huge orchestra, which includes the absolute crème de la crème of the British Jazz musicians, which does not appear on any other recording, and as such is absolutely unique. Some of the names include trumpeters: Derek WatkinsFind albums by this artist, Tony FisherFind albums by this artist and Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, trombonists: Dave HorlerFind albums by this artist and Nat PeckFind albums by this artist, reed players: Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist, Tony CoeFind albums by this artist and Ronnie RossFind albums by this artist, pianist Gordon BeckFind albums by this artist, guitarist Martin KershawFind albums by this artist, bassist Chris LaurenceFind albums by this artist and many others. The music is definitely on the lighter side of Jazz, but Terry´s brilliant technique and enormous feel are definitely worth hearing. But the real hidden gem on this album is the brilliant performance by the orchestra and the superb arrangements. It is an exceptional example of the artistry of orchestration and of course the actual execution of the sophisticated arrangements by a group of immensely talented players. For British Jazz connoisseurs this is a rare gem, which is know by very few members of the proud community. As usual with reissues, it is great to have this gem back in circulation, for new generation of fans to discover and for those who lost the copy of the original vinyl issue to re-discover past pleasures. May the Force be with you! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 28/05/2018Posted: 23/12/2016

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KEITH TIPPETT ~ THE MONK WATCHES THE EAGLE DISCUS 102 (Barcode: 5051078984025) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2004 Released: 2020 This is a sensational archive album by British Jazz pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, which presents a live recording of his composition for large choir, solo voice and a two saxophone quartets, with lyrics by Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist. The work was commissioned for the 2004 edition of the Norwich and Norfolk Festival and was premiered that year at the Norwich Cathedral where it was also recorded for broadcast by the BBC. Tippett conducted the performance, which included Julie Tippetts on solo vocals, the BBC SingersFind albums by this artist choir, an improvising saxophone quartet comprising of Paul DunmallFind albums by this artist, Kevin FigesFind albums by this artist, Ben WaghornFind albums by this artist and Chris BiscoeFind albums by this artist, and also the Apollo Saxophone QuartetFind albums by this artist. The music is every bit as innovative, far-reaching and groundbreaking as the rest of Tippett´s musical legacy and this posthumous release expands even further the scope of his musical vision, which encompassed enormous variety of works between solo piano music to extremely large ensembles like CentipedeFind albums by this artist or smaller ensembles like ArkFind albums by this artist, and stylistically spanning various Avant-Garde sub-genres between Improvised Music, via Free Jazz to contemporary Classical Music, rubbing shoulders with Progressive Jazz and Art Pop. Most of the body of this work is performed by the choir, which often sounds like an instrument rather than a choir, resembling choral works of 20th Century Classical composers like Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist, György LigetiFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist to mention just the most audacious ones. When accompanied by the saxophone quartets, one supporting the music harmoniously and the other spicing the proceeding with intensive improvisations, the music offers several climaxes, which mark the transitions between the consecutive sections of the entire composition. It is not surprising to see Julie Tippetts taking a major part in this project, like she did in so many of his endeavors over the years. Her vocal performances are the focal point of this music and her improvised soloing should remind everybody of her incredible abilities from the first moment she arrived on the music scene as a Pop star and throughout her transformation as a highly idiosyncratic Avant-Gardist. The presence of Dunmall and Biscoe, two of the British Jazz most significant veteran saxophonists, adds additional quality to the rich tapestry of sounds and aural stimuli. Overall this album is an absolutely essential piece of the puzzle, which Tippett managed to create during his lifetime, and perhaps even one of the most inspired of his works. As usual Martin ArcherFind albums by this artist and his DiscusFind albums on this label label manage to bring an essential piece of the British Culture back to life, saving it from the imprisonment in the darkness of the BBC vaults (God bless them for recording the music), with a lot of help from Julie. This album is an absolutely essential piece of music in any serious music collection!

Updated: 13/11/2020Posted: 13/11/2020

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JULIE TIPPETTS / MARK WASTELL ~ UNRAVELLING THE WATERFALL CONFRONT 02 (Barcode: 5055300397638) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a live album by the duo comprising of British Improvising Music vocalist / multi-instrumentalist Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist Mark WastellFind albums by this artist, captured live at the legendary London’s Café OTO. The album presents one track of spontaneous improvisation by the duo, lasting just over half an hour. The album was released on Wastell’s ConfrontFind albums on this label label, dedicated to the British Avant-Garde / Improvised Music scene. The music is exactly what one might expect from such intimate meeting, featuring primarily Julie’s vocalese, accompanied by a plethora of percussion and other instruments. The tribal chanting is mesmerizing and hypnotizing, as always, and the two musicians complement each other perfectly in every sense. This is obviously a minimalist exercise in patience and open-mindedness, which requires total submission to the moment captured on record, which might prove to be beyond the attention span of some listeners, but those able to immerse themselves in this sonic experience will be richly rewarded. Overall, as every recording involving Julie proves to be uniquely attention-grabbing, this album is no exception. It took me a while to find a copy as it seems to have disappeared from the market pretty quickly, but it is proudly a part of my collection now. Of course, it is wholeheartedly recommended to all her many admirers and all Improvised Music buffs. Thanks again to Mark for capturing such moments for posterity.

Updated: 09/06/2023Posted: 09/06/2023

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TOXIC: MAT WALERIAN / MATTHEW SHIPP / WILLIAM PARKER ~ THIS IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE WE ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ESP 5011 (Barcode: 825481501125) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is the third album by Polish (resident in NY) Jazz multi-instrumentalist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, released by the reanimated legendary NY ESPFind albums on this label label. As on both previous recordings, he is in the great company of pianist / composer Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist and for the first time also the legendary Avant-Garde bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist. The trio chose the ToxicFind albums by this artist moniker for this album, which presents five original compositions, two by Walerian, two co-composed by all three trio members and one co-composed by Walerian and Parker. Walerian seems to have found a niche on the NY Avant-Garde scene, where he is respected by fellow American musicians, who take part in his projects. His obvious talents and diverse musical facets, which Walerian presents while playing an array of instruments, allow him to create minimalistic introvert music, which is rich in its sound palette and emotional scale, like very few other contemporary Avant-Garde projects. Whether he plays flute, clarinets or saxophone, Walerian is always beautifully focused and intrinsically melodic, which enables him to develop a very tight interaction with his listeners, being completely nonaggressive and always profoundly focused. From the first notes on this album, which starts with a flute / shakuhachi (played by Parker) duet, the meditative nature of the music is set forward, and although later on it does become more expressive and emotional, it stays within the same frame of mind. The album features a constantly changing lineup of solo, duo and trio parts, which follow each other naturally as the music develops. Although the music does not follow concrete melody lines as such, the improvisations are full of melody fragments, spontaneously created on the fly. The level of interplay between the trio members is phenomenal and they often function like one body / one mind in spite of their individual personalities. All three musicians get plenty of opportunity to solo extensively, but it is the communal effort, which is truly the focus of this music. Walerian plays fluently, as always, with great technical skill on all the instruments, but more importantly he is able to create a constant musical plane, which is then stretched and supported by his cohorts. This is Improvised Music at its best, which can be listened to time and time again, every time with new discoveries at hand. I have actually listened to this music three times in a row, each time concentrating my attention on one player, and only later listened to it as a whole; quite a journey of discovery it was. It is great to have a Polish expatriate at the heart of the NY Avant-Garde scene and I hope more Polish musicians will follow in that direction, not only to learn, but perhaps even more importantly to teach other musicians what Avant-Garde really means. This is definitely another triumphant achievement by Walerian and his partners. Both Shipp and Parker have of course prolific careers of their own, but hopefully they will find time in the future to rejoin Walerian in another project. As usual, I am already waiting for more!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 30/05/2017

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TRACEY, CLARK ~ STABILITY LINN 159 ~ UK ~ Jazz Clark Tracey is the son of Stan Tracey, one of the most important UK jazz musicians. He follows his dad`s tradition extremely well and is considered one of the best young drummers in jazz today. For this record Clark gathered a small big band comprising of the creme de la creme of UK jazz players and the result is spectacular. Fresh and sophisticated this is jazz at its best

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STAN TRACEY / EVAN PARKER ~ CREVULATIONS PSI 05.04 (Barcode: 5030243050420) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005 This is a live album by the duo of British Improvising Music Giants, pianist Stan TraceyFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist. The album presents four tracks, all extended improvisations credited by default to both musicians. The music is surprisingly well behaved and relatively serene, which is rather unusual for the Avant-Garde milieu, and as such sounds less outlandish and startling to a less experienced listener, who might come across it by chance. The music’s progression is coherent and often even somewhat melodic, and for Improvising Music connoisseurs absolutely thrilling, displaying a superb telepathic cooperation between the two musicians, in the spirit of the “Art of the Duo” idiom. As an avid follower of Tracey’s recordings, I have always admired his incredible diversity, flexibility and out of the box approach to music. It is almost incomprehensible that the same musicians can play a highly melodic, swinging, almost mainstream (but never quite mainstream) music and at the same time take part in the British Avant-Garde scene, alongside musicians like Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, Mike OsborneFind albums by this artist or John SurmanFind albums by this artist, all with the same enthusiasm, dedication and most surprisingly perfect accomplishment. This makes Stan Tracey probably the most unique and universal British Jazz Giant, who was always able to create aesthetics rather than try to copy it. This album is a natural companion to another duo album the duo recorded a year earlier, called “Suspensions And AnticipationsFind albums with this title”. For people familiar with Evan Parker’s music, this album might be as well quite surprising, as he sounds here beautifully melodic, even romantic at times, completely devoid of his usual rather angry / almost aggressive attitude, not to mention some of his most accomplished saxophone performances ever. Overall, this is a brilliant Improvised Music album, awe-inspiring by its ingenuity and beauty, and one of the few albums in that genre, that can be listened to repeatedly over time, always discovering new layers of Artistry. Jazz lovers, who might be nervous about Improvised Music, will be well advised to give this amazing album a try.

Updated: 13/09/2024Posted: 13/09/2024

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KEN VANDERMARK / OLES BROTHERS ~ IDEAS NOT TWO 765 (Barcode: 5907589871654) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005 This is a an album by American saxophonist / clarinetist / composer Ken VandermarkFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with Polish rhythm section comprising of bassist / composer Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer / composer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist, collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all co-composed by all three members of the trio. Vandermark enjoyed enormous popularity in the Polish Free Jazz circles, playing often in Poland with his American ensembles and groups featuring local musicians and recording dozens of albums over time, which were consequently released in Poland. That popularity was certainly way beyond the popularity Vandermark enjoyed in his home base in Chicago or in the US in general and remains an anomaly in the Polish Jazz history, the only explanation of which is the notorious Polish inferiority complex, which awards to American musicians the rank of God, which in most cases is completely mislead. This particular recording is definitely one of the best recordings by Vandermark made in Poland, which has to be credited to the wonderful contributions made by the Oles Brothers herein, which manage to tame Vandermark´s often chaotic statements and achieve a melancholic and deeply moving statement by the trio. Both the saxophone and clarinet statements are subdued and introvert, superbly supported by the sensitive, elegant and highly aesthetic performances by the rhythm section. The rhythm section is by no means constrained to provide the rhythmic patterns, but actually performs on the same level with the soloist, in perfect conceptual unison. Although the music is credited to the trio, listeners familiar with the work of Oles Brothers will surely recognize their compositional patterns in most of the compositions present here, with Vandermark´s contribution being less detectable. Overall this is an excellent contemporary Jazz with some Free and Improvised Music elements but on the whole completely accessible by most Jazz connoisseurs. This is definitely not a very typical Vandermark statement, which of course works for the best. Highly recommended and I urge everybody to get a copy before this gem gets out of print.

Updated: 01/05/2017Posted: 01/05/2017

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MARK WINGFIELD ~ PROOF OF LIGHT MOONJUNE 071 (Barcode: 692287907129) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This excellent album by British guitarist / composer Mark WingfieldFind albums by this artist is another proof of his well earned position as one of the most interesting guitar players on the Isles, which he is consistently establishing since the turn of the Century. His prolific discography includes many gems and this new album proudly joins the list. Recorded in a trio setting with two Israeli (resident in UK) musicians, bassist Yaron StaviFind albums by this artist and drummer Asaf SirkisFind albums by this artist, the album presents nine original compositions, all by Wingfield. The music is a unique variety of Fusion, with Wingfield´s whining guitar and forceful rhythm section driving the tunes firmly, but at the time subtly and intelligently. Wingfield manages to create his own guitar sound, which is phenomenally rare these days and displays a highly personal style of expression, which is full of quirky phrases and twists and turns, which keep the listener´s ears erect at all times. The compositions are all very solid, with great melody lines and intrinsic complexity, which makes it impossible to guest what comes next, which of course is highly engaging. Although Wingfield is obviously the leader, the album is above all a trio effort. Stavi and Sirkis are both Master instrumentalists and their virtuosic support turns this album into a group effort, which is definitely more than the sum of its parts. Stavi supplies the steady bass lines, which keep the music flowing, which frees Sirkis to stretch and develop his rhythmic frenzy, so typical of his personal style. The Stavi / Sirkis rhythm section is obviously an ideal Fusion vehicle one can ask for and Wingfield definitely made the right decision taking them on board. Overall this is an adventurous Fusion (and beyond) album featuring virtuosi performances by all the trio members, which should make every connoisseur of the genre ecstatically happy. Considering how trivial most Fusion albums released these days are, this is a rare gem indeed, definitely worthy of repeated listening sessions. Well done Gentlemen!

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ROY YARKONI ~ THE BEST OF WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF POOKH 200215 ~ ISRAEL ~ Progressive Rock Roy Yarkoni belongs to the new generation of Israeli musicians who are not afraid to explore uncharted teritorries. As a member of the RIO group Ahvak he plays contemorary avantgarde on the same level that other musicians play it around the world. This, his first solo album, is dedicated more to his compositional and performance skills. He mixes modern rhythms, ambient atmospheric music and complex structures with grace and obvious talent. Definitely worth a listen!

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ZOLDAR AND CLARK ~ THE GHOST OF WAY OXFORD CIRKUS 005 (Barcode: 796873054034) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1976 Released: 2008 This fantastic album is really a bunch of surprises! The origins of the recording and the people involved are quite mysterious and apparently it was recorded by a group called Jasper WrathFind albums by this artist, which included (among others) the keyboardist Jeff CannataFind albums by this artist, who is responsible for this reissue on his Oxford CircusFind albums on this label label. Apparently the group recorded enough material for two albums, which were released separately, one under the Zoldar And ClarkFind albums by this artist moniker and the other as Arden HouseFind albums by this artist. This new edition brings all the material recorded originally for the first time and it is an amazing collection of Prog at its best – richly melodic, complex and witty, almost too good to be true and certainly not sounding as made in the US, as the sound and musical approach are deeply rooted in the classic UK Prog tradition, almost Canterbury. Great keyboards and mellotron, quirky guitars and unusual time signatures, all the ingredient for great Prog music are here for all of us to savor finally. This is as good as Prog gets and this new edition is surely the reissue of 2008, bringing to life some of the best memories of the glorious past. Essential!

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