Record Reviews
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  | ROLF + JOACHIM KUHN QUINTET ~ TRANSFIGURATION
MPS 602527224787 (Barcode: 602527224787) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009
This is a reissue / remaster of the legendary album by the German Kuhn Brothers, clarinetists / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist. The quintet includes also German vibraphonist Karl BergerFind albums by this artist, French bassist Bernard GuerinFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist. The instrumentation mimics the classic lineup of the Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist quintet, but the music is of course from another musical sphere. The album was conceived and produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, and was the first recording by the Kuhn Brothers following their unification in West Germany, but their third album overall, following the no less legendary “SolariusFind albums with this title” album recorded in 1964 and released in DDR on the AmigaFind albums on this label label and the “Re-Union In BerlinFind albums with this title” album recorded in 1965 and released in West Germany on the CBSFind albums on this label label. The album presents four tracks, three composed by Joachim Kuhn, and one co-composed by both brothers.
The album is an outstanding example of early European Free Jazz / Improvised Music, of the absolutely highest standard and imagination, which took the seeds of American Free Jazz of the period and took them to another plane, way more sophisticated, Artistic and imaginative. The performances are blood-chilling and absolutely unique, in many ways probably exposing the very peak of the Jazz creativity, which to be honest never managed to climb much higher than what can be heard here.
Although Joachim Kuhn is the focal figure of this album, and the music itself, Rolf Kuhn is for me the true hero of this session, considering the fact that he is deeply rooted in American Swing and Mainstream, playing in the US for many years, and yet manged to detach himself from that tradition in such a radical way, which is way more difficult than plunging into Improvising Music straight on, like his younger brother. Rolf’s death almost two years ago (2022) was a huge personal loss for me, since we have been Friends for so many years and I truly admired his talent and wisdom.
Overall, this is one of the most pivotal Jazz albums in European Jazz, despite the fact that it is only known by relatively very few Jazz listeners. I have owned a copy since day one and listened to this album countless times in the almost sixty years since it was released, and each and every time I managed to discover something new in the music. I can only hope some more listeners will discover it one day, although admittedly it is quite difficult to find a copy.
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: 08/07/2024Posted: 24/06/2024 | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALBERT MANGELSDORFF ~ AND HIS FRIENDS
MPS 4029759119616 (Barcode: 4029759119616) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2017
This is a reissue of the MPSFind albums on this label album by legendary German Jazz trombonist / composer Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist. It presents six improvised duos, each with another Jazz player, which are: Americans - trumpeter Don CherryFind albums by this artist, drummer Elvin JonesFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist, Hungarian born resident in US guitarist Attila ZollerFind albums by this artist and German born resident in US vibraphonist Karl BergerFind albums by this artist and finally German pianist Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist. Four of the compositions are credited to the members of the duo performing them and two are credited to Mangelsdorff.
Mangelsdorff was one of the Father figures of the German and then European jazz for decades. Since the late 1940’s he and his older brother Emil MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist led numerous ensembles, always on the vanguard of the ever-changing Jazz scene. He was one of the greatest trombone players in the history and single-handedly changed the status of this instrument from a background / support role to the front line position, proving that when in hands of a virtuoso player the trombone can be as fascinating any other instrument.
By the end of the 1960’s Mangelsdorff gradually moved towards Free Jazz and concentrated on playing in intimate settings like the duo and later even on completely solo performances. His revolutionary solo trombone album “TrombirdsFind albums with this title” (recorded 1972) was the first solo trombone album. Albert Mangelsdorff died in 2005 at the age of 77, leaving a tremendous legacy of recorded music, as revolutionary and groundbreaking as one can only expect from a true Jazz Master.
This album, recorded between 1967 and 1969, presents the early Mangelsdorff duo recordings with some of the most important Jazz musicians of the period. Each and every one of these duo performances is completely different and yet they all create a cohesive musical vision of a genius. Not for a casual Jazz listener, but a delight for connoisseurs with a refined Jazz ear, this album also brought forth the "Art of the Duo" idiom, often used to describe European Jazz duo recordings of the highest class.
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: 02/04/2025Posted: 22/02/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALBERT MANGELSDORFF ~ AND HIS FRIENDS
MPS 044006737522 (Barcode: 044006737522) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2003
German trombonist Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist was one of the Father figures of the German and then European jazz for decades. Since the late 1940’s he and his older brother Emil MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist led numerous ensembles, always on the vanguard of the ever-changing jazz scene.
He was one of the greatest trombone players in the history and single-handedly changed the status of this instrument from a background / support role to the front line position, proving that when in hands of a virtuoso player the trombone can be as fascinating any other instrument. By the end of the 1960’s Mangelsdorff gradually moved towards free jazz and concentrated on playing in intimate settings like the duo and later even on completely solo performances. His revolutionary solo trombone album “Trombirds” (recorded 1971) was the first solo trombone album. Albert Mangelsdorff died in 2005 at the age of 77, leaving a tremendous legacy of recorded music, as revolutionary and groundbreaking as one can only expect from a jazz Master.
This album, recorded between 1967 and 1969, presents the early Mangelsdorff duo recordings with some of the most important jazz musicians of the period: Don CherryFind albums by this artist (trumpet), Elvin JonesFind albums by this artist (drums), Karl BergerFind albums by this artist (vibraphone), Attila ZollerFind albums by this artist (guitar), Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist (alto sax) and Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist (piano). Each and every one of these duo performances is completely different and yet they all create a cohesive musical vision of a genius. Not for a casual jazz listener, but a delight for connoisseurs with a refined jazz ear.
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: 28/05/2025Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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