Record Reviews

KOLBE / ILLENBERGER ~ EMOTIONS - LIVE IN BREMEN 1978 MIG 02542 (Barcode: 885513025425) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2021 This is an archival live album by the German Jazz guitar duo of Martin KolbeFind albums by this artist and Ralf IllenbergerFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded by Radio Bremen a few months after the releases of the duo’s debut album “WavesFind albums with this title” on the legendary MoodFind albums on this label Records label. The album presents sixteen tracks, several of which originate from the debut album. All the music was co-composed by the duo, except one track by each of them and two tracks that are Rock standards. The album offers a wonderful sound quality, which again testifies as to the superb sound engineering by the German Radio / TV stations and their deep vaults with many gems from the past. Both Kolbe and Illenberger were highly skilled guitarist, who played amplified acoustic guitars. They improvised extensively and wrote excellent melody lines, which were perfect vehicles for their improvisations. Their music had touches of Rock, Country, Pop and other influences, but were always strongly Jazz oriented, as this album amply proves. The duo recorded also a couple of albums as a trio with German pianist / composer Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, which was known under the KIDFind albums by this artist moniker. The album includes several pieces, that never made it to their studio albums, and therefore offers the only opportunity to hear them, which is a surprising benefit of this album. Overall, this is a delightful album of guitar music, which should make guitar enthusiasts extremely happy, but all Jazz lovers, who enjoy the gentler, more melodic side if improvised music should enjoy this album in full.

Updated: 26/06/2025Posted: 26/06/2025

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KOLBE / ILLENBERGER / DAUNER ~ KID - SECOND STEP MOOD 33.601 ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1985 Released: 1985 This is the 2nd album by the German Jazz trio comprising of guitarists / composers Martin KolbeFind albums by this artist and Ralf IllenbergerFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist. Kolbe and Illenberger worked together as a duo, before adding Dauner and forming the trio, which appeared also under the KIDFind albums by this artist moniker. The album presents eight tracks, all original compositions, five by Kolbe & Illenberger and three by Downer. The music is a mixture of Rock and Jazz, based on beautiful melodic themes and featuring extensive guitar improvisations on both acoustic and electric guitars. They released several albums on the MoodFind albums on this label Records label before joining with Dauner to form the trio, which released two albums. Dauner’s piano / keyboards work expanded the sound and capacity of the duo and enabled to create a more complex set of compositions, all staying strictly within the highly melodic / lyrical setting. Overall, this is another wonderful cooperation between Dauner and other musicians, which showcases his universal talents. The beautiful music was very popular among Jazz-Rock Fusion fans and is sadly little known beyond the German scene, but although recorded four decades ago, lost nothing of its value and is still a very solid example of the talents of the musicians involved. Definitely worth being re-discovered or re-visited! Side Note MoodFind albums on this label Records, established in 1977 and based in Germany, was a small independent record label founded by European Jazz musicians: German Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist and Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist and Dutch Ack van RooyenFind albums by this artist. The label was active between 1977 and 2006 and released 78 albums, first on vinyl and later on CD. In 2010 the label released 11 2CD albums with reissues of early vinyl albums. The label was the home label of the four founders, as well as the United Jazz + Rock EnsembleFind albums by this artist, Ian CarrFind albums by this artist’s NucleusFind albums by this artist and many other, mostly European musicians. The total output of the label is a superb document of the European Jazz scene between the late 1970s and mid-2000s. Some of these albums are absolutely essential.

Updated: 26/06/2025Posted: 22/02/2025

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