Record Reviews

HANS KOLLER ~ KOLLER PLAYS KOVAC EMARCY 013961 ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz This is a reissue of an ultra-rare 1957 LP released on the Austrian Amadeo label by Hans Koller and his New Jazz Stars, recorded live in 1955. By the time this material was recorded, Koller was already world famous, with his 1952 release on the US Discovery label receiving a five star rating in “down beat”, an unprecedented event for an European recording, considering the fact that European jazz was “non-existent” to most American critics (and still is to this very day to some extent). Following the departure of German pianist Jutta HippFind albums by this artist from Koller’s quintet, she was replaced by the Austrian composer / arranger / pianist Roland KovacFind albums by this artist, who was to become the source of most of the material the new quintet would play – hence the name of the album. The quintet perfected the “cool” jazz idiom, which was influenced by American players like Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist, Chet BakerFind albums by this artist and Gerry MulliganFind albums by this artist (Kovac played with them all when they visited Europe) and expanded it by adding classically influenced compositions and European scales and harmonies. This “transfigured“ cool jazz should be fascinating to true connoisseurs of the genre and the album is a most important document of the development of European jazz in general.

Updated: 28/05/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

ROLAND KOVAC ~ TRIP TO THE MARS MPS 4029759097419 (Barcode: 4029759097419) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of a little known album by Austrian keyboardist / composer / arranger / bandleader Roland KovacFind albums by this artist, one of the early pioneers of European Jazz and a most prolific composer of Jazz pieces but also of cinematic soundtracks and even advertising spots. This album was recorded in Munich, Germany where Kovac worked for many years producing his masterpieces, and originally released on the SABAFind albums on this label label. The orchestra, which recorded this album, never performed live and existed only within the recording studio. It included many European and American musicians, who lived at the time in Munich, like Belgian pianist Francis CoppietersFind albums by this artist, British trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist, trombonist Cliff HardyFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Derek HumbleFind albums by this artist and many others. The music consists of seventeen short Big Band pieces, all composed and arranged by Kovac, which are all pearls of Big Band writing, arranging and performances – simply brilliant. Somewhat similar to the work of Henry ManciniFind albums by this artist, but more daring and experimental, Kovac´s pieces are completely unique and fascinating, with very little competition from any other Big Band / Orchestra leader then and since. The space exploration, which was very popular at the time this album was recorded, inspired its title and the titles of the separate pieces, like it did numerous other albums at the time. People familiar with the early James Bond instrumental movie scores will find this music sounding very similar. Although melodic and seemingly easy on the ear, this music is extremely sophisticated and astonishing in its minute details and tricks of the trade. Kovac remains as one of the best European Jazz composers and his music refuses to get outdated. This forgotten little gem is definitely worth being discovered! 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: 27/05/2018Posted: 28/05/2016

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend