Record Reviews

JAN HAMMER ~ MALINY MALINY PROMISING MUSIC 44109 (Barcode: 602517845954) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2009 1st album by Czech pianist / composer Jan HammerFind albums by this artist, who would later become one of the cornerstone musicians of US Jazz-Rock Fusion movement as a member of John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist´s Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, as well as leader of his own groups. This live recording at the legendary Munich Domicile club, a meeting place of German and European Jazz scene for many years, is in many ways quite accidental. Hammer and his compatriot bassist George MrazFind albums by this artist (Jiri in Czech) were in Munich "in transit" actually heading for the US to join the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where they both received a scholarship. Of course they had been warmly received in Munich and gigged extensively waiting for the US trip to finalize. While there, the Soviet Block armies invaded their homeland in the infamous 1968 abrupt end of the "Czech Spring", one of the darkest moments of the Eastern-European history. Hammer and Mraz made the decision not to look back and moved to the US permanently, joining many other famous Czech musicians who were destined to build their career there, like Miroslav VitousFind albums by this artist for example. This recording is Hammer´s debut, presenting him on acoustic piano and organ, playing a set of his original compositions in a trio format with Mraz on electric bass and resident Domicile drummer (originally from Netherlands, but mostly active in Germany) Cees SeeFind albums by this artist on drums. The most striking effect of this recording is not hearing the "early" Hammer, already a highly accomplished pianist at the time with extensive classical training, but his Jazzy approach, which in years was about to move to the background of his output, which I personally see as a great shame. The music is also very interesting, with Hammer combining many Eastern-European motifs with Jazz, like many other Eastern-European musicians did at the time, creating some of the most memorable tunes in the process (see parallel work of Polish Jazz musicians). This is definitely a great historical document of the era and one can only be grateful to Promising MusicFind albums on this label for unearthing and reissuing this lovely musical glimpse into the past. As usual, the remastering, sound quality, packaging and extensive liner notes are beyond reproach. Warmly recommended!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VOLKER KRIEGEL ~ INSIDE: MISSING LINK MPS 4029759178699 (Barcode: 4029759178699) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2023 This is a reissue / remaster of the iconic double album by the German guitarist / composer / bandleader Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist, which was his third album as a leader and the second release on the MPSFind albums on this label label. Although recorded during the same session, the material was split into two parts, each on one LP (and now CD). CD1 was recorded by an octet and features a brass section. It includes three prominent British Jazz musicians: saxophonist Alan SkidmoreFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and drummer John MarshallFind albums by this artist. The other players are German Jazz musicians: trombonist Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Heinz SauerFind albums by this artist and bassist Eberhard WeberFind albums by this artist. Dutch percussionist Cees SeeFind albums by this artist completes the lineup. The CD presents four tracks, three of which are original compositions by Kriegel and one is an arrangement of a tune by Brazilian composer Edu LoboFind albums by this artist. Three of the tracks last for over ten minutes and the music is strongly Jazz oriented, including some Free Jazz accents. CD2 was recorded by a quintet, without the brass and including Taylor, Weber, See and German drummer Peter BaumeisterFind albums by this artist. This CD presents eight tracks, six of which are original compositions by Kriegel, one is by Weber and one by Brazilian composer Caetano VelosoFind albums by this artist. The music is more Fusion oriented and the tracks are much shorter, with only one crossing the ten minutes in duration. In retrospect this is definitely one of the fines examples of European Jazz-Rock Fusion, with a stellar lineup and absolutely brilliant musicianship and compositions. Kriegel was sadly underappreciated at the time, but his complete discography, including several excellent posthumous releases, definitely points out that he was a pivotal figure in European Jazz and Fusion. Overall, this an absolute must have for every Fusion connoisseur, and one of the most important albums of the genre. Combining the best players from the leading European Fusion scenes at the time: Germany and UK, the music spark with inventiveness, virtuosity and innovation, completely absent from the current Fusion scene. This long awaited reissue fills a major gap in the European Fusion discography and the recorded legacy of Volker Kriegel. 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: 18/11/2023Posted: 18/11/2023

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VOLKER KRIEGEL ~ LIFT! MPS 602527148595 (Barcode: 602527148595) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2011 This is a reissue of the fourth album by German guitarist / composer / bandleader Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist. It was recorded with a team of top European Jazz musicians at the time, which include British saxophonist Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and drummer John MarshallFind albums by this artist, Polish violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, German bassist Eberhard WeberFind albums by this artist and Dutch percussionist Cees SeeFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, five by Kriegel and three by Weber. The music is brilliant, as expected, and the album is a great opportunity to hear the atmosphere of musical camaraderie that swept Europe at the time this album was recorded, which resulted in many international projects like this one. For Polish Jazz enthusiasts this is a rare opportunity to hear Seifert on the verge of his tragically short international career before his death. It also shows the central role of MPSFind albums on this label Records in cementing the European Jazz idiom at the time, with a wide bridge between UK, Western and Eastern Europe, bringing musicians together to create and inspire each other. Of course producer / journalist and my Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist had a huge role in creating this scene in his capacity as producer for MPS Records and director of several German Jazz festivals. Stylistically the music is a mixture of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Free Jazz, with highly expressive soloing by Sulzmann, Seifert and Kriegel and excellent support by the expanded rhythm section. Excellently recorded, as all MPS projects, this music lost nothing of its relevance over time and sounds absolutely fresh today. Kriegel’s many fans will of course find his unique guitar playing style at its full exposure here, and his role as one of the central figures of European Jazz in the 1970s is also fully confirmed here. Overall this is a definite “blast from the past”, which deserves to be heard, although it’s pretty tough to find a copy of this album today. Surely worth the effort of trying! 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: 20/07/2021Posted: 20/07/2021

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VOLKER KRIEGEL ~ SPECTRUM MPS 4029759124139 (Barcode: 4029759124139) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the second album (and his first release on the MPSFind albums on this label label) by legendary German guitarist / composer Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded with a dreamy quintet, which also includes British pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist, German bassist Peter TrunkFind albums by this artist, Dutch percussionist Cees SeeFind albums by this artist and German drummer Peter BaumeisterFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, all by Kriegel. It is truly tragic that so many of the greatest musicians in this world are totally unknown to the vast majority of the listeners. Kriegel is one of those undiscovered geniuses, who reached only scarcely few listeners outside of his native country. He begun to play jazz in the early 1960’s on the burgeoning (at that time) Frankfurt jazz scene led by the Mangelsdorff brothers (Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist and Emil MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist). At the time this music was recorded European Jazz was already enjoying its fully developed individual voice and the burgeoning German scene was one of its epicenters. Kriegel is credited as the father of the German Jazz-Rock Fusion due to his abundant activities from the late 1960’s on, when his guitar work and incredible compositions made him a leader in that field. He was the guitarist of the Dave Pike SetFind albums by this artist, the quartet led by the US Avant-Garde vibraphone player who lived in Germany at that time and later he recorded a series of groundbreaking solo albums as well as albums with his group Mild Maniac OrchestraFind albums by this artist, all recorded for the MPS label. In 1976 Kriegel was one of the co-founders of the United Jazz + Rock EnsembleFind albums by this artist – Europe’s most important Jazz-Rock outfit for years to come. Kriegel died in 2003 at the age of 59. "SpectrumFind albums with this title" is in retrospect is a monster achievement – surely one of the best Jazz-Rock Fusion albums ever. It also offers a lot of freedom at the improvisational layer. Although incredibly advanced in his musical concepts, Kriegel´s guitar playing is always melodic and crystal clear, even if he flies all over the guitar neck with the speed of lightning. He gets excellent support from his fellow musicians, especially from the superb Taylor, whose work on the electric piano here is simply mind-blowing. Add to this his gorgeous compositions and you have in your hands an album that after you hear it you’ll wander how come you never discovered it earlier? Well, surely better late than never! 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: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/02/2018

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VOLKER KRIEGEL ~ WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ART OF GROOVE 80192 (Barcode: 885513801920) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1968 Released: 2013 This is a reissue of the debut album by the German Jazz / Fusion guitar virtuoso / composer Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist. The original album featured Kriegel in a trio setting with bassist Peter TrunkFind albums by this artist and Dutch drummer Cees SeeFind albums by this artist on side A of the LP, and in a quartet setting with Brazilian born resident in Germany vibraphonist Claudio SzenkarFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LenzFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter BaumeisterFind albums by this artist on side B of the LP. The original album was expanded for this reissue with the addition of seven live tracks recorded at the same period as the studio recording, featuring additional musicians active on the German scene at the time, like American (living in Europe) clarinetist Tony ScottFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Gustl MayerFind albums by this artist, drummer Ralf HubnerFind albums by this artist and a few others. The original album includes four original compositions by Kriegel, a couple of Beatles songs arrangements and one traditional piece. Kriegel emerges as an extraordinary guitar player, who despite his young age presents a refined stylistic approach well beyond the ordinary. Although still very much rooted in the Jazz tradition, Kriegel moves away from the mainstream rigidity and pushes into a new territory, pioneering the emerging Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom, which for him is not yet completely crystallized at the time, but already shows highly advanced forward thinking about harmony and rhythmic patterns. As future was about to reveal, these early ideas were about to develop rapidly and Kriegel was about to create some of the most noteworthy European Jazz / Fusion moments in the years to follow. Already at this early stage Kriegel shows his affinity towards the vibraphone, which would become a faithful partner to his guitar throughout his career. The clearly defined sound of the vibraphone is undoubtedly a perfect partner to the precise sounds Kriegel produces on his guitar, using no sound effects or vibrato, with every note being absolutely crystal clear and perfectly articulated. The guitar / vibraphone collaborations Kriegel recorded later on were an integral part of his unique sound, which still remains unmatched decades later. The original compositions show Kriegel´s talent as a composer, which was no less spectacular than his performing abilities. Incorporating ethnic scales, odd meters and unusual melody twists, his music remained distinctive and idiosyncratic till his tragically premature death. He was an intellectual and was nor ashamed to admit it, and a multi-talented artist, which his later life was about to expose, and his music was always both highly emotional and deeply intellectual, with an advanced aesthetic sense of beauty. This is a most welcome reissue initiative, bringing back to life a little know gem of early European Fusion, which surely deserves to be heard by the new generation of music lovers. Although not specified on the albums packaging, the original master tapes were probably remastered, as the sound quality is nothing short of spectacular. Obviously this album is a highly recommended piece of music history, which still bites stronger than most other music made today. Not to be missed!

Updated: 22/04/2016Posted: 22/04/2016

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

OLAF KUBLER & JAN HAMMER TRIO ~ TURTLES ENJA 9512 (Barcode: 063757951223) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2007 This is an archival live album by German saxophonist Olaf KublerFind albums by this artist recorded with two young (at the time) Czech Jazz musicians, who just escaped from Czechoslovakia following the Soviet Pact invasion of the country, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist and bassist Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. George MrazFind albums by this artist) and Dutch drummer Cees SeeFind albums by this artist. German drummer Michael DennertFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. The music was recorded at the legendary Munich’s Jazz Club “The Domicile”, which was an epicenter of the German / European Jazz and a mecca for international Jazz between 1965 and 1981. The two Czech refugees lived in the musician’s rooms above the club for several months, before they emigrated to the US. The album presents ten tracks, two of which are originals by Kubler, three are originals by Mraz, one an original by Hammer and the remaining four are standards. The music is typical modern European Jazz of the late 1960s, mostly Bebop based but featuring original compositions. Although pretty young at the time, both Czechs prove to be excellent players already, which explains their smooth and immediate integration into to top US scene, following their arrival there. The original compositions are all as strong as the standards. But of course the album is first and foremost a genuine piece of Jazz history of the turbulent, but highly interesting times. Personally it immediately strikes the fabulous memories of the many nights I had the opportunity to spend at “The Domicile”, watching the modern European Jazz during its formative years. Considering the fact that the music was recorded at rather Spartan conditions, the sound quality / clarity is quite remarkable, and the remastering presents all the nuances of the music in perfect condition. Overall, this is a remarkable document of the European Jazz history in one of the epicenters of its development. For people familiar with Hammer’s Fusion explorations, his acoustic piano work here should be a revelation. Mraz was already a great bassist then, and remains so to this very day. This is a great little gem, sadly often overlooked and definitely worth an honorable place in any serious record collection.

Updated: 30/05/2023Posted: 30/05/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ROLF KUHN ~ ROLF KUHN FEATURING KLAUS DOLDINGER (MOST PERFECT SOUND EDITION) UNIVERSAL 602527224770 (Barcode: 602527224770) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1962 Released: 2009 This is a reissue of a fabulous album recorded by German clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist upon his return to Germany from his stint in the US, where he achieved his international recognition. He is joined by another upcoming (at the time) German Jazz musician, saxophonist Klaus DoldingerFind albums by this artist, who like Kuhn would be playing one of the leading roles on the German Jazz scene in the years to come. The two soloists are accompanied by German organist Ingfried HoffmannFind albums by this artist and a Dutch rhythm section comprising of bassist Hermann SchoonderwaltFind albums by this artist and drummer Cees SeeFind albums by this artist. Together the quintet performs twelve tunes, one of which is an original composition by Kuhn and the rest are compositions by German Jazz composers (no American standards are used). The music is almost completely within the Swing idiom, which Kuhn perfected during the years he played in the US, but the sound is somewhat different from the American model: the improvisations are less constrained to the basic melody lines and the combined sound of the clarinet, saxophone and organ is more modern than the sound of typical American Swing combos at the time. There are traces of Bebop on one hand and Rhythm And Blues on the other, and the overall feel of the quintet is fresh and wonderfully sparkling. Although recorded well over half a Century ago, this music lost absolutely nothing of its charm and intrinsic beauty. The performances are perfect in every way and the wonderful melodies are evergreens, which withstand the passing of time effortlessly. This album is an extraordinary document of the time of its making, beautifully preserved and even enhanced by today´s remastering techniques. Overall this album is a superb piece of music, which documents the early days of German / European Jazz and enables the listeners to discover the early work of Rolf Kuhn and Klaus Doldinger, two of the brightest European Jazz stars, who made an enormous contribution to the genre over the years. This album is a must for all Kuhn fans and listeners interested in the history of European Jazz, not to mention of course Swing lovers, many if which are still among us, even if they don´t admit it.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 10/01/2017

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend