Record Reviews

CELLULA INTERNATIONAL ~ JAZZISSIMO INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 632 (Barcode: 8595026663220) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1981 Released: 2008 Trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist is one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovak Jazz. He has been active on the local scene since the 1960s, leading many excellent ensembles, which included the best local players and often also guest from abroad. The names of his ensemble changed often, usually being a variation on the Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist motif (like Jazz CelulaFind albums by this artist, Cellula InternationalFind albums by this artist, etc.). This album presents the ensemble in a quintet format, with two guest musicians from the USA: trombonist Sonny CostanzoFind albums by this artist and drummer Dave WecklFind albums by this artist (before his rise to fame) and two Czech players: guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist and bassist Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist. This is a live recording in a Prague Jazz club. They perform three original compositions, two of which are by the leader, and two standards. The performances are excellent from start to finish and this is a first-rate document of the Jazz behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended! 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: 28/02/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CZECHOSLOVAK RADIO JAZZ ORCHESTRA ~ JAZZ FROM STUDIO `A` GAD 057 (Barcode: 5901549197754) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1976 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the superb Big Band / Orchestral Jazz album recorded by the Czechoslovak Radio Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which for many years managed to record orchestral Jazz music played by the best Czechoslovak Jazz musicians, such as trumpeter Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VojevodaFind albums by this artist and many, many others. The orchestra was directed by Kamil HalaFind albums by this artist, who contributed most of its material, both as a composer and arranger. The album was recorded "live in the studio". This remastered edition expands the album by adding three tracks originating from a radio session to the eight original tracks. The music is a superb example of European Big Band / Orchestral Jazz, which is much more complex and sophisticated than parallel (in time) American recordings. The tunes are much more diverse and often multi-part and the arrangements display the full dynamic of the orchestra, with a wonderful balance between the rhythm section and the rest of the instruments in the band. Rhythmically and stylistically the music is much closer to the then current Jazz-Rock Fusion than to Swing, which dominates most American Big Bands. It is very educational to compare this album to the other Big Band / Orchestral Jazz album "PolymelomodusFind albums with this title" recorded in the same year by the Gustav Brom OrchestraFind albums by this artist, another legendary representative of the Czechoslovak orchestral Jazz. Both albums reissued by the GADFind albums on this label Records label have many similarities and both are brilliant examples of what is possible to achieve with a great orchestra under a direction of an open minded leader. I have had the vinyl version of this album since the day it was originally released and over the years it was always one of my favorite Big Band albums. This new reissue with the improved sound and bonus tracks makes it even more desirable. Absolutely not to be missed by European Jazz connoisseurs, especially of course by fans of the big orchestral sound – nothing compares to this! Phenomenal stuff!

Updated: 19/07/2017Posted: 19/07/2017

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

LACO DECZI / CELLULA NEW YORK ~ GADULA ISLAND ARTA 10102 (Barcode: 8595017410222) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000 This is a great album by the Czech trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, recorded with his US quartet, which also includes keyboardist Bryan CharetteFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve ClarckFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrea ValentiniFind albums by this artist. Deczi, who´s been active on the local scene since the 1960s, is one of the veterans of Czech Jazz and has recorded many excellent albums over the years. This recording presents ten original compositions, seven by Deczi and three by other band members. The music is fresh and quite superb, performed excellently by the quartet. Deczi´s trumpet still sounds strong and remarkably articulate and he´s losing nothing of his virtuosity over time. His lyricism is especially apparent in the ballads, but even in up-tempo pieces his playing is quite remarkable. There are very few contemporary trumpeters with a tone that comes even close to his. For trumpet lover this album is a true gem, which will give them many unexpected surprises, all for the good of course. Although quite mainstream and conventional, this is excellent intelligent Jazz, of the highest quality, which should gratify every Jazz lover. Recommended!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

LACO DECZI / CELLULA NEW YORK ~ LIVE IN VSENORY LOTOS 8594002280567 (Barcode: 8594002280567) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1995 Released: 1996 This is a live album by Slovak trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, recorded with his US quintet Cellula New YorkFind albums by this artist, which comprised of saxophonist Fred ScerboFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bryan P. KlarmanFind albums by this artist, bassist Gene HeiterFind albums by this artist and drummer Dean KoschFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded during the quintet’s European tour, captured at the Vsenory resort near Prague. The album presents ten tracks, all original compositions by Deczi. After being one of the Godfathers of the Czechoslovak Jazz scene since the 1960s, Deczi escaped to the West in 1985, settling in the US. After the Socialist regime was over, he returned regularity to perform in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, always warmly embraced by his old and new fans. The album presents Deczi and his quintet at full power, playing with vigor and obviously having a lot of fun at it. His trumpet playing is absolutely sensational and I personally love his incredible tone and feel, which has very few competitors worldwide. The music is much Funkier than the recordings made before his departure to the US, which was mostly within the Jazz tradition, and as such sounds much more contemporary. All the quintet members are excellent musicians and the live show flows briskly and sparks with energy. Overall, this is a great memory capsule of Deczi’s great talent, and although the sound quality of this live recording is not ideal, the music is superb for the entire duration. For Jazz trumpet lovers this is heaven on earth.

Updated: 17/02/2025Posted: 17/02/2025

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

LACO DECZI / ZDENEK DVORAK ~ DUO SUPRAPHON 5450 (Barcode: 099925545024) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1080 - 1981 Released: 2003 This is the only album recorded by the wonderful Czechoslovak duo of trumpeter / composer Laco DecziFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist. This remarkably bold statement by such an unusual pairing of instruments is one of my favorite East European Jazz recordings and a superb example of how advanced and pioneering Jazz often was there. This reissue comprises of the LP the duo recorded in 1981 (seven tracks) and an earlier EP (four tracks), all beautifully remastered and sounding just spectacular. Of all the tracks only two are standards and all the others are original by Deczi and Dvorak. The music is simply outstanding, contemplative and full of wonderful spaces and incredible soloing as well as two-way playing. Deczi has an incredible tone, rarely paralleled by others and Dvorak´s highly complex phrasing is simply astounding. Together they achieve an overall effect, which is much more impressive that the sum of its parts. This music requires attentive listening as there is so much happening herein that it takes a very skilled listener to grasp all the details of the performance. Although basically melodic, there is a lot of freedom and unusual ventures in this music to make it fascinating from start to finish. It is quite possible that for most Jazz listeners this will be one of the most unusual and pleasantly surprising albums they ever came across. This album is a splendid piece of Czechoslovak Jazz history and a most welcome reissue effort, which enables listeners worldwide to get familiar with this obscure treasure. A must to all East European Jazz connoisseurs!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

LACO DECZI / JAZZ CELLULA ~ PIETOSO INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 629 (Barcode: 8595026662926) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2008 This is a wonderful early album by trumpeter Laco DecziFind albums by this artist and his Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist ensemble, which includes the best Czechoslovak Jazz musicians of that period: saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, bassist Pavel GreifonerFind albums by this artist and drummer Laco TroppFind albums by this artist. Deczi, one of the forefathers of modern Czechoslovak Jazz, made a most significant contribution to the local scene over the years and is still active today. The album, which is a classic Jazz quintet setting, presents eight compositions, four of which are originals (by Deczi and Kral) and the other four are Jazz standards. The overall atmosphere, as the title suggests, is deeply lyrical and melancholic, which is hardly surprising as the album was recorded just a few months following the brutal suppression of the Prague Spring movement, culminating with the military occupation of the country by the Warsaw Pact forces in August of 1968, which has shaken the fabric of the Czechoslovak society beyond recognition. The Czech intellectuals and artist bravely continued their activities, often risking personal retributions and even jail sentences, and had to wait for over two more decades to win their freedom from the Socialist regime, reaching some amazing Cultural accomplishment during those dark years. Deczi and his cohorts perform beautifully, delivering some impressive solos and cooperating wonderfully as a unit. Deczi´s trumpet virtuosity is simply astounding, with a modern sound and tonal approach equal to the most advanced parallel output of American and West European trumpeters of the day. The album as a whole is an excellent example of East European Jazz at its best, and similar to many recordings of Polish Jazz made at the same period. This reissue of the album, which has been unavailable for almost forty years, is a celebration of the Czechoslovak Jazz history and a most welcome reminder of how good and the music was at the time. It is an absolute must for all East European Jazz connoisseurs! 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: 28/02/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ CELLULA ~ LACO DECZI INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 631 (Barcode: 8595026663121) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 Released: 2008 Trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist is one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovak Jazz. He has been active on the local scene since the 1960s, leading many excellent ensembles, which included the best local players and often also guest from abroad. The names of his ensemble changed often, usually being a variation on the Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist motif (like Jazz CelulaFind albums by this artist, Cellula InternationalFind albums by this artist, etc.). This album presents the ensemble in a septet format, same as the one which recorded their previous album "Ohen Az PozarFind albums with this title", with superb lineup including saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, trombonist Svatopluk KosvanecFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist. They perform seven original compositions, three of which are by the leader, and all are quite excellent with a slight Fusion / Latin tinge, as appropriate for the period of the recording. The performances are excellent from start to finish and this is a first-rate document of the Jazz behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended! 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: 28/02/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ CELULA ~ OHEN AZ POZAR INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 630 (Barcode: 8595026663022) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2008 Trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist is one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovak Jazz. He has been active on the local scene since the 1960s, leading many excellent ensembles, which included the best local players and often also guest from abroad. The names of his ensemble changed often, usually being a variation on the Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist motif (like Jazz CelulaFind albums by this artist, Cellula InternationalFind albums by this artist, etc.). This album presents the ensemble in a septet format, with superb lineup including saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, trombonist Svatopluk KosvanecFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist. They perform eight original compositions, three of which are by the leader, and all are quite excellent with a slight Fusion tinge, as appropriate for the period of the recording. The performances are excellent from start to finish and this is a first-rate document of the Jazz behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended! 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: 28/02/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KAREL RUZICKA ~ GARDEN OF SILENCE ANIMAL MUSIC 086 (Barcode: 8594155998739) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2020 This is a solo piano album by Czech pianist / composer / educator Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, which sadly is the last recorded evidence of his career, recorded six years before his untimely passing in 2016 and released posthumously ten years after the recording. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Ruzicka. Ruzicka was one of the Godfathers of the Czech Jazz scene, active for over five decades first during the early days of the modern Czechoslovak Jazz, as member of the Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist´s SHQFind albums by this artist, Laco DecziFind albums by this artist´s Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist and many others. He debuted in 1972 with the excellent "Karel Ruzicka + 9Find albums with this title" album and followed with several notable recordings over the years, the most relevant in this context being his debut solo piano album "Pleasure Garden" from 1981. These two albums, recorded almost three decades apart, form a beautiful continuance that portrays Ruzicka´s career and the most significant characteristics of his music: incredible sense of melody, typical elegance and great respect of European Classical tradition, which were always the "pillar of fire" of his approach to composing music. In many respects this album is a superb closure to his career, offering some of his deepest and most profound compositions, a serenity that comes only with age, and his deep love of the European musical aesthetics. Although the compositions on the albums offer stylistic diversity, the music is unified by the composer´s coherency and idiosyncratic vocabulary. Combined with the superb execution the music soars and vibrates the listener´s soul strings. I have been fortunate to meat Karel Ruzicka several times over the years and listen to his performances live, which was always a profoundly moving experience. Ruzicka was one of the most important Jazz educators in the Czech Republic in the last decades of his life and he is definitely "responsible" for the incredible flux of greatly talented young Czech musicians, who are truly "making waves" on the European scene in the last decade or so. This album is a beautiful tribute to this great Master! For solo piano Jazz music lovers this album is a true revelation and obviously a wholehearted recommendation. European Jazz connoisseurs in general are also in for a rare treat!

Updated: 19/10/2020Posted: 19/10/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

SHQ ~ [S+H]Q + FRIENDS INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 731 (Barcode: 8595026673120) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1965 Released: 2016 This is the fourth of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during three recording sessions from November 1964. The eight tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as the second SHQ LP, shortly after the release of the debut. The SHQ lineup on these sessions included the basic quintet with Velebny, who played vibraphone and piano, tenor / baritone saxophonist / flautist Jan KonopasekFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, bassist Jan ArnetFind albums by this artist and drummer Laco TroppFind albums by this artist, which was extended by a plethora of other musicians to form lineups varying from a septet to a thirteen piece band, which included: guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Zdenek PulecFind albums by this artist, bassist Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. George MrazFind albums by this artist), East German (at the time) pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and many others. The bonus tracks include three rare recording from 1965 of a short-lived SHQ quartet lineup comprising of Velebny, Dasek, Mraz and drummer Milan MadarFind albums by this artist and one track recorded in 1964 by the quintet lineup above, all released on a Various Artist compilation LP or a SHQ compilation LP. The music, similarly to the debut album, includes mostly American standards, with just two original compositions (one each by Dasek and Velebny), but this time the large ensemble arrangements take the music quite away from its Bebop origins, and shows more sophisticated approach to orchestration and harmonic structures, bringing back the music to its European base. The bonus tracks are in contrast mostly original and point towards future development of the SHQ identity. As expected the performances are phenomenal and with the presence of the formidable guests the music shows a much wider scope of local Czechoslovak talent and beyond. In retrospect the list of the names is a sad indication of the tragic fate of Czechoslovak Jazz, which resulted in many of its finest musicians fleeing their homeland. For example both Konopasek and Mraz fled to US, Kuhn fled to West Germany to join his older brother Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist and additional famous Czech musicians like Miroslav VitousFind albums by this artist, Jan HammerFind albums by this artist and others did the same, before the "Velvet Revolution" finally freed Czechoslovakia from the Socialist shackles. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, 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: 26/02/2020Posted: 26/02/2020

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

SHQ ~ SH / JAZZ QUINTET INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 730 (Barcode: 8595026673021) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 Released: 2016 This is the third of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during three recording sessions from 1964. The first eight of the ten tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as the first full SHQ LP. Of the two remaining tracks, which are added here as bonus tracks, one was released as part of a Various Artists compilation LP and another one was a part of an EP release. The SHQ lineup on these sessions included Velebny, who played tenor saxophone and piano, tenor / baritone saxophonist / flautist Jan KonopasekFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, bassist Jan ArnetFind albums by this artist and drummer Laco TroppFind albums by this artist. On five tracks the lineup was extended to a sextet with the addition of trombonist Zdenek PulecFind albums by this artist. The music, surprisingly and with the exception of one track composed by Velebny, includes nine American Jazz standards, which contrasts with the direction preferred so far by SHQ to play almost exclusively original material. It is difficult to analyze in retrospect what let to this decision; probably the fact the SHQ started to play abroad and wanted to present more familiar material to their audiences there. My dear Friend and Mentor, Lubomir DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, in his review of the album published in 1965, also wanders about the choice of the repertoire, which after all is not really challenging, being just a collection of Bebop tunes, which by that time were already a bit dated. However, SHQ being already a formidable ensemble at that time, plays this material with such professionalism and vengeance, that it easily stands up to any American combo active at the time. If anything, this material proves that European musicians at the time, even those separated from the West by the Iron Curtain, were truly up to date not only with American Music but also with the latest Jazz techniques and trends, and were able to perform them without any inferiority complex. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, 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: 29/12/2023Posted: 26/02/2020

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

FRANTISEK UHLIR ~ BASS DEVOTION / BASSSAGA MULTISONIC 310808 (Barcode: 741941080828) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1984 - 2010 Released: 2010 This 2CD set presents two quite different recordings by Czech bassist / composer Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist, one of the veterans of the local scene with a splendid career behind him. From his early days as a member of the legendary SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by the Godfather of Czech Jazz vibraphonist Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist, and consistently over the years, Uhlir established his position as the perfect bass player suitable to support any ensemble, take part in any recording, as well as lead his own groups. His incredible technique, superb feel for melody, perfect timing and beautiful tone place him among the world’s top Jazz bassists, stylistically comparable to Scott LaFaroFind albums by this artist and Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist. Needless to say he has been one of my favorite bass players ever since I heard him first in the 1970s and I followed his career as much as I could. Uhlir performed with the best players on the local scene, such as pianists Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist and Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist and many others. He also accompanied many visiting Jazz luminaries at their Prague concerts as well as toured abroad. The first album in this set presents is a live recording of Uhlir with his recent ensemble, called Frantisek Uhlir TeamFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist David VrobelFind albums by this artist, guitarist Adam TvrdyFind albums by this artist and veteran drummer Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist. They perform seven compositions, five of which are Uhlir’s originals and two are standards. The performances are excellent and highly spirited, with the leader soloing frequently, sometimes also playing arco (using the bow), which is rarely heard today. Uhlir’s compositions are great vehicles for the players to show their skills and are examples of great modern Jazz, which is not trying to be over pretentious. The second album is a most welcome reissue of Uhlir’s debut album as a leader, recorded in 1984, which presents seven of his original compositions performed by an all-star lineup with vibraphonist Karel Velebny, pianist Emil Viklicky, drummer Tony NaharFind albums by this artist, guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist, percussionist Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and a string quartet. Beautifully arranged and exquisitely performed, this is a dream of an album, which every bass lover on this planet should listen to, given the opportunity. It’s delightful to have this music finally available on CD. Overall this set is a sizeable portion of superb modern mainstream Jazz with virtuosic bass performances, which are exciting, elegant and highly intelligent. Charming stuff!

Updated: 16/03/2022Posted:

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

KAREL VELEBNY ~ ZTRATA NALEZENEHO SYNA INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 732 (Barcode: 8595026673229) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 - 1967 Released: 2016 This is the fifth of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during two recording sessions from April and September 1966. The seven tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as a Various Artist compilation LP, with the two lineups that recorded this music enigmatically named "All Stars" and "Jazz Soloists" respectively, with the SHQ moniker being omitted, but with Velebny present. The different lineups on these sessions included Velebny, who played vibraphone, saxophone and piano, trumpeters Jaromir HnilickaFind albums by this artist and Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, Milan UlrichFind albums by this artist and Evzen JegorovFind albums by this artist, trombonist Zdenek PulecFind albums by this artist, clarinetist Karel KrautgartnerFind albums by this artist, flautist Zdenek ZikaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist, pianists Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist and Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist and drummer Milan MaderFind albums by this artist, altogether a gathering definitely deserving the "All Stars" description. All the music is original with Velebny contributing three compositions and Krautgartner, Hnilicka, Mraz and Ruzicka each contributing one composition. Additionally this album also includes one side (ten tracks) of a LP dedicated to a Jazz & Poetry project, which features SHQ (Velebny, saxophonist Miroslav KryslFind albums by this artist, Pulec, Dasek, bassist Petr MarcolFind albums by this artist and Mader) accompanying actor Jan TriskaFind albums by this artist who recites fables by Vaclav HrabeFind albums by this artist, the most important representative of the Czech Beat Generation, who died tragically at the ridiculous age of twenty four. All the music was composed by Velebny. The music is all original and a giant step forward as far as Modern European Jazz is concerned, very advanced and complex, already using elements close to Free Jazz, multi-theme extended compositions, rapidly changing tempi and eschewing conventions, which dominated American Bebop. Although recorded just over a year of so after the second SHQ album was recorded, this music sounds as if coming from a different planet, being very similar to the revolutionary Polish Jazz, which was also exploding at the time in the "neighborhood". All the performances are simply stellar and this music sounds absolutely as fresh as it did at the time it was recorded and in retrospect one can but wonder how such a revolutionary music was allowed to be performed and recorded during some of the darkest hours of the Socialist regime and the Prague Spring and Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia being just around the corner. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, 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: 28/02/2020Posted: 27/02/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend