Record Reviews

CHARLY ANTOLINI ~ DRUM BEAT MPS 602498081914 (Barcode: 602498081914) ~ SWITZERLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 Released: 2003 This is a reissue / remaster of the debut album as a leader by the Swiss drummer Charly AntoliniFind albums by this artist, who was the “house drummer” for the MPSFind albums on this label label in the mid-1960s. The album was recorded in an octet setting, with German Jazz musicians, including keyboardist Dieter ReithFind albums by this artist, bassist Peter WitteFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Bernd FischerFind albums by this artist, Joki FreundFind albums by this artist and Johnny FeiglFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Conny JackelFind albums by this artist and trombonist Gerhard LachmannFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, three composed by Reith, one co-composed by Jackel and Antolini and two standards. The music swings brilliantly, and offers the drummer a superb platform to display his abilities. The arrangements offer a small Big Band environment, featuring soli by all the musicians, all done with great taste and typical European Jazz approach. For lovers of drums, this album is a true dream come true, especially in view of the fact that albums with such extensive exposure of drums, which are the focal point of the music, are very rare. Overall, this is wonderful reminder of the German Jazz scene in the mid-1960s, as well as an expose of Antolini’s drumming virtuosity and a rare Jazz recording, which features the drums as the main soloist. This music lost nothing of its charm over time. 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: 24/07/2025Posted: 24/07/2025

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