Record Reviews

CONRAD BAUER ~ LIVE IM VOLKERSCHLACHTDENKMAL EDEL CONTENT 4029759080565 (Barcode: 4029759080565) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the astounding album by the Avant-Garde East German trombonist / composer Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, which was recorded live at the Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig and which presents Bauer playing solo trombone and performing four original compositions he wrote. The unique sonic environment of the location, which includes a natural delay and echo, create an almost supernatural effect, similar to the famous solo recordings made inside the Taj Mahal by flautist Paul HornFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. Bauer, an absolute virtuoso of the trombone, utilizes the magic environment to create a series of incredible sonic sculptures, which sound like absolutely nothing else in this world. His ability to create such a variety of different sounds from the seemingly limited instrument is simply miraculous and it transforms the trombone in his hands into full fledged improvising instrument by no means inferior to the other brass instruments. Bauer, who was one of the pioneering East German improvisers, recorded with many diverse ensembles, from Jazz-Rock (FezFind albums by this artist) to Improvised Music (SynopsisFind albums by this artist) and others. Following the unification of Germany Bauer continues to be a prominent member of the German Improvised Music scene. In the historic perspective this recording was made a year and a half and released less than a year before the Berlin Wall was finally dismantled, marking the end of the DDR. This means that this was one of the last Jazz albums released in the DDR. In retrospect one just can´t stop wondering how such daring and unconventional music was recorded and released by the most oppressive East European State. This is an absolute essential listening to all trombone players, trombone lovers and of course open-minded listeners who like to take risks in order to make new discoveries. Brilliant stuff! Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 14/05/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

EUROPEAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE ~ 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR KONNEX 5078 (Barcode: 718751297425) ~ GERMANY ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1996 Released: 1997 This is a live recording by the European Jazz EnsembleFind albums by this artist, a collective of European Jazz musicians run by German bassist Ali HaurandFind albums by this artist since 1976, which included in its ranks the absolute crème de la crème of instrumentalists, like German saxophonists Ernst-Ludwig PetrowskyFind albums by this artist and Gerd DudekFind albums by this artist, British saxophonist Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist, Dutch trumpeter Jarmo HoogendijkFind albums by this artist, Danish trumpeter Allan BotschinskyFind albums by this artist, German trumpeter Thomas HebererFind albums by this artist, Dutch pianist Rob van den BroeckFind albums by this artist and British drummer Tony LevinFind albums by this artist. For the 20th anniversary Tour the nonet was expanded by nine additional musicians: American (resident in Europe) saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, German pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, Italian trumpeter Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist, German trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, Czech flautist Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist, German trumpeter Manfred SchoofFind albums by this artist, Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist, Hungarian saxophonist Tony LakatosFind albums by this artist and German clarinetist Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist. Just reading these names should make any Jazz enthusiast dizzy, and I have had the pleasure to know all of them and attend this gig. The album presents just four lengthy tracks, featuring a long series of dazzling solos. The music is kept in the form of a typical at the time European Big Band, which took a basic melodic theme and expended it, allowing many individual solos as well as collective improvisation, which of course was but a breeze for these superb musicians, who could find themselves at any musical environment with ease and elegance, and who respected each other immensely at all time. What could have developed into a cacophonic catastrophe, turned out to be a beautiful, completely well behaved display of Modern Jazz, which inspired all the musicians and the audience alike. Sadly, such meetings of musicians of this scale are hardly possible any more, with the constantly diminishing public support for music in Europe and the decline of the appreciation of Art and Culture and a constant race after basic survival, which many of today’s musicians experience at all time. I have been lucky to live through the 1970s / 1980s / and to some extent 1990s, where public financial support enabled many musical (and other artistic) happenings, like the one captured on this album. Overall, this is a brilliant and quite unique album, which presents an all-star (although nobody felt like a star) Jazz gathering of sublime talent, which produced heavenly music, captured herein. O tempora, o mores! – those were the days and “to se ne vrati…”

Updated: 17/04/2025Posted: 17/04/2025

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FEZ ~ FEZ EDEL CONTENT 4029759080527 (Barcode: 4029759080527) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 - 1977 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the only album by the East German Jazz-Rock Fusion quartet FezFind albums by this artist, which comprised of trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, pianist Hannes ZerbeFind albums by this artist, bassist Christoph NiemannFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter GroningFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, four of which were composed by Bauer and two by Zerbe. Although stylistically Fez belonged clearly to the Jazz-Rock Fusion, it was definitely one of the most unusual representatives of the genre. With trombone and acoustic piano as the lead instruments and a rocking rhythm section the group played a wonderful mixture of Rock oriented but sounding like Jazz tunes, which was completely unique and had no parallels neither in their country nor worldwide. All four members of the group were virtuosic musicians and their interplay and cooperation was always spotless. The original music was based on excellent melodic themes which were then improvised upon at length, as appropriate for Fusion. With a bit of imagination one can "hear" this music as performed by a lead guitar and electric keyboards, but the unusual instrumentation used here turns it into a one of a kind experience. The trombone, a much loved instrument in German Jazz (see the unprecedented work by Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist and others) gets here a wonderful exposure as an all encompassing instrument, capable of bloodcurdling soloing way beyond anybody´s imagination. Bauer´s love of Free Jazz and Improvised Music can be spotted herein as well during some of the more ecstatic displays of his talents. But the three Fez members alongside Bauer also contribute some topnotch moments: Zerbe plays Funky Boogie-woogie passages, which are pure gold; Niemann plays great groves on the electric bass and Groning skillfully adds a series of polyrhythmic barrages, which add a framework to the entire proceedings. In retrospect this music still sounds incredibly fresh and innovative, regardless of the passing time. It is still so unique that it deserves to be taught at music schools as an example of a triumph of mind over body, which Bauer keeps displaying here. The fact that it is available again is a joyful opportunity to be re-discovered by the younger generation of listeners. Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 11/05/2016Posted: 19/03/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ WERKSTATT ORCHESTER ~ AUS TEUTSCHEN LANDEN EDEL CONTENT 4029759080596 (Barcode: 4029759080596) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1972 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the excellent album by the East German Jazz Werkstatt OrchesterFind albums by this artist, an ensemble consisting of thirteen players, which included the best Jazz musicians active at the time, like trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Ernst-Ludwig PetrowskyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Ulrich GumpertFind albums by this artist, drummer Gunter SommerFind albums by this artist and others. The orchestra performed a five-part suite based on German Folk songs, written and arranged by Gumpert. The album was originally released in 1977, five years after this music was recorded, to commemorate a series of concerts called "Jazz In Der Kammer" and to celebrate the 100th concert. The music included here was recorded during the 48th concert of that series. The music is very unique, combining the Big Band tradition, the German Brass Band tradition and folklore and Free Jazz, which was the preferred modus operandi of the ensemble members. Together the resulting music is a phenomenal expression of cross-genre beautiful weirdness. Following the opening statement, which consists of a different folk melody in each of the suite´s parts, the players perform expanded solos, which in turn evolve into spontaneous Free Jazz group improvisations, which are insanely intensive and technically dazzling. There are very few recordings of such kind in existence, which turns this album into a rara avis. The fact that this music was recorded and released in East German is truly amazing and pretty incomprehensible. But despite the political oppression and censorship East Germany managed to produce some of the most amazing early European Jazz, of the Avant-Garde and Improvising Music variety. For connoisseurs of Free Jazz this is an absolute must! Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 11/06/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

SYNOPSIS ~ SYNOPSIS EDEL CONTENT 4029759080480 (Barcode: 4029759080480) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1974 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the album by the East German quartet SynopsisFind albums by this artist, which comprised of legendary pioneers of Free Jazz / Improvised Music in that country: saxophonist Ernst-Ludwig PetrowskyFind albums by this artist, trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, pianist Ulrich GumpertFind albums by this artist and drummer Gunter SommerFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs six pieces, four of which are credited in turn to each of the quartet members, one is a group composition by all four participants and one is based on a Folk tune. A month before recording this music Synopsis recorded another session for the FMPFind albums on this label label based in West Berlin, which was released later on. The music is a stunning example of early East European Avant-Garde, which moves between Free Jazz and Improvised Music, something radically different and highly surprising and in full contrast to what one might expect was happening in Jazz behind the Iron Curtain. Although these musicians had contact with their eastern neighbors in Poland, who were already involved in creating their own Avant-Garde scene at the time, as well as meeting western musicians while performing at Warsaw´s Jazz Jamboree festival, but the fact that such adventurous music was created and than released is completely baffling, considering the fact that East Germany was the most closely censored and culturally limited of all the Eastern Block countries (see Side Note below). Even in retrospect this music sounds poignant and striking, which of course is not that surprising now, as these four musicians have all reached legendary status on the European Improvised Music scene. Each of them has a completely unique voice on a global scale and this early recording should be a revelation to all the listeners who did not hear it at the time it was created. The urgency and unlimited longing for freedom by people living under an oppressive political regime explodes here in full, driving the music to the limits known at the time and beyond. And yet underneath all that havoc there is still the typical German correctness and almost autistic separation from savoir vivre. Overall this a classic of the genre and a first class document of European Jazz history. Since this album had a very limited reach in the first place, the fact that it is available again should make hordes of Improvised Music connoisseurs extremely happy. Not to be missed! Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 18/03/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CECIL TAYLOR ~ MUSIC FROM TWO CONTINENTS FSR 2021/16 (Barcode: 5904441617009) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1984 Released: 2021 This is archival album recorded live in 1984 at the annual Jazz Jamboree festival in Warsaw. It presents an international ensemble led by American pianist / composer Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist and ten additional players, both Americans and Europeans (hence the title), which includes Polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, Italian trumpeter Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist, German trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, American saxophonists Jimmy LyonsFind albums by this artist and Frank Wright Jr.Find albums by this artist, Danish saxophonist John TchicaiFind albums by this artist, American bassoonist Karen LyonsFind albums by this artist, German bass clarinetist / vibraphonist Gunter HampelFind albums by this artist, American bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist and drummer Henry MartinezFind albums by this artist. The album presents one continuous track lasting for almost sixty-two minutes. The music is spontaneously improvised by the eleven members of the ensemble, based on directions / ideas put forward by the leader. It has little variation in tempo and intensity and offers a brilliant example of group improvisation, which in this case is performed by some of the leaders of the genre, all assembled on one stage at the same time. There are many extensive solo fragments performed by individual musicians, supported in the background by the ensemble members, as well as solos played concurrently by several musicians, with Taylor and the rhythm section playing continuously. For listeners not familiar with Free Jazz / Improvised Music all this might of course sound like a complete chaos, which has no meaning whatsoever, but a trained ear is able to hear both the group dynamics and the individual contributions, which are often stellar. Improvised Music requires certain “brainwaves” activity, which only some humans are equipped with. The fact that this music was recorded in Warsaw and that Stanko was invited to take part in the concert speaks volumes about how highly Poland and Polish musicians were regarded at the time by the international scene, despite the fact that it was still deeply behind the Iron Curtain. Stanko of course proves that he is able to stand shoulder to shoulder both with the other Europeans and the Americans. Overall, this is an important document of the genre and the Polish Jazz scene at the time. The music was of course recorded by the Polish Radio, which recorded all Jazz Jamboree concerts, and the fact that it was dug out and released by the FSRFind albums on this label label, means that those radio archives are terribly neglected.

Updated: 31/01/2022Posted: 31/01/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend