Record Reviews

GUSTAV BROM ~ 100 LET INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 563 (Barcode: 8595026665637) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1960 - 1991 Released: 2021 This is a wonderful archival album, which collects the recordings by the legendary Czech clarinetist / arranger / composer / bandleader Gustav BromFind albums by this artist and his Gustav Brom OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The 4CD album presents sixty-eight tracks, recorded over three decades, during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Brom died in 1995 and this album celebrates his 100th Birth Anniversary. Brom was one of the Godfathers of Czech Jazz scene and one of the few musicians from behind the Iron Curtain, who managed to achieve recognition also in Western Europe. Under his direction the Big Band / Orchestra gradually moved stylistically from Dixieland, via Swing and into modern European Jazz and even Jazz-Classical Fusion / Third Stream excursions. Over the years many of the crème de la crème musicians of Czech Jazz scene appeared as guests along the regular members of his band, including Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist, Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist, Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and many others. Especially interesting is the Jazz-Classical material on CD1, composed by trumpeter / composer Jaromir HnilickaFind albums by this artist, a member of the orchestra from day one, brilliantly performed by pianist Josef BlahaFind albums by this artist, who died tragically in 1973 aged just thirty. But of course everything on this album is interesting. This album offers an incredible volume of superb music, which is diverse stylistically but at all times superbly arranged and performed, and all previously unreleased, which makes it a magnificent find. Everything is meticulously described in the accompanying documentation with dates and lineups, sadly all in Czech language only. Overall, this is an absolute must to all collectors of Eastern European Jazz recordings, which arrives again thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, whom I thank for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! Side Note Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles. The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market. However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material. The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.

Updated: 30/09/2025Posted: 30/09/2025

CD 4 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ PIANO JAZZ IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA JAZZHUS 7643 (Barcode: 4714816786435) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of an album originally released by the Czechoslovak SupraphonFind albums on this label label in 1968. It presents six Czech and Slovak pianists, who shaped the Czechoslovak Jazz scene in the 1960s: Jan HammerFind albums by this artist (before he left for the US), Ladislav GerhardtFind albums by this artist, Rudolf RoklFind albums by this artist, Josef BlahaFind albums by this artist, Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist and Ludek SvabenskyFind albums by this artist. Each of them presents two tracks, recorded in a classic piano trio format, except Rokl, who presents just one track (together eleven tracks). The Ruzicka tracks are recorded in a quartet setting. The music is a mixture of original compositions and Jazz standards. All the tracks were recorded in 1967, except the Rokl track, recorded in 1965. The original album was produced and includes liner notes by my dear late Friend Antonin MatznerFind albums by this artist. The remastered edition offers brilliant sound quality, considering the music was recorded almost sixty years ago. The music is a splendid document of the incredibly high level of the Eastern European Jazz scene behind the Iron Curtain, at that time. Czechoslovak Jazz musicians were producing brilliant albums, which still sound incredible today and every bit as advanced musically as anything happening on the Western side of Europe, being an integral part of the exploding European Jazz emancipation. The musicians featured here were to produce many more excellent recordings in the future as leaders or members of other ensembles. Overall, this is a brilliant time capsule, which offers a unique glimpse on the Czechoslovak Jazz scene at the time. Considering that these tracks were recorded spatially for this compilation, this album is a must for collectors of East European Jazz albums and of course Jazz piano trio lovers :)

Updated: 14/12/2024Posted: 14/12/2024

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend