Record Reviews

JAZZ Q ~ POZOROVATELNA (THE WATCH-TOWER) (EXPANDED EDITION) GAD 068 (Barcode: 5901549197914) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of the 2nd album (but really a debut as the earlier album was recorded with another group called Blue EffectFind albums by this artist) by seminal Czechoslovak Jazz-Rock Fusion band Jazz QFind albums by this artist, led by keyboardist / composer Martin KratochvilFind albums by this artist, which at the time also included the legendary guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, bassist Vladimir PadrunekFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal VrbovecFind albums by this artist. British, resident in Czechoslovakia at the time, vocalist Joan DugganFind albums by this artist, guests on one track and violinist Rudolf ChalupskiFind albums by this artist guests on another. This remastered 2CD edition includes the original album on the first CD and bonus material, which includes early versions of the compositions, radio and live recordings, mostly previously unreleased, on the second CD. Except for one tune, all the music is original and was composed mostly by Kratochvil and the other members of the band. Forty five years after this music was recorded it still sounds remarkably fresh and powerful, standing shoulder to shoulder with the best early Jazz-Rock Fusion albums recorded at the time anywhere on the globe. In many respects this music managed to stay more relevant than many of the most influential albums recorded beyond the Iron Curtain, that are still considered classic of the genre today. The music on the original album presents a coherent ambience, full of mystery and suspension, quite minimalistic in many respects, especially in view of other Fusion albums. The melodic content is moody and subdued, and the instrumentalist perform with great delicacy and reserve, almost unheard of in the Fusion idiom. The overall result is that of a magic journey through space and time, which is fascinating and completely absorbing. In spite of the minimalistic approach the four members of the band present plenty of their virtuosic abilities, with Andrst simply tearing the space-time continuum to shreds. His incredible Blues feel, although not dominant here, is absolutely Godly. The bonus tracks reveal other facets of the quartet, with more vibrant and energetic material, all of which offers a superb sonic quality, which bonus tracks often lack. The material is quite mixed and offers a diverse stylistic ambience, with Jazz, Blues and Fusion pieces all present and which allow the players to show more of their excellent capabilities. As a result these bonus tracks are all worth being present here and listened to and are the antidote of the "filler" approach that so many reissues suffer from. Overall this is one of the greatest albums recorded by Eastern European musicians ever, not only within the Jazz-Rock idiom, but generally. Every second of this music counts and having it back in circulation is an absolute delight. This is an absolutely essential piece of musical history and a must have item in any decent music collection. Congrats to GADFind albums on this label Records again for the splendid and dedicated work of love!

Updated: 13/01/2025Posted: 13/04/2018

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend