Record Reviews

GORDON BECK ~ JAZZ TRIO ART OF LIFE 1017 (Barcode: 804640101727) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2005 Pianist / composer Gordon BeckFind albums by this artist is one of the key figures in the history of British Jazz and this album is a great document of his vital input as one of the pioneers of modern European Jazz. Recorded quite spontaneously during an Italian tour of the last version of the European Rhythm MachineFind albums by this artist, of which Beck and the other two musicians present here: British bassist Ron MathewsonFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist, were members together with US saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, who was living in France at the time. The entire recording session took just a few short hours and captures Beck and his colleagues performing two extended compositions, each of which occupied an entire side of the original LP. The first, written by Beck, is a Jazz suite in three parts with the opening and closing sections being relatively “straightforward” and the middle section open up to free group improvisation. The second was a completely improvised piece of Free Jazz, co-composed by the trio. The music is simply breathtaking, full if incredible interplay and magic moments, with virtuosi performances. This is Beck’s most advanced venture into Free Jazz (although only partially so), previously attempted only on the fabulous “GyroscopeFind albums with this title” album, and therefore of immense historical importance. Although Beck usually stayed inside a more “conventional” Jazz framework throughout his career, his improvisational power is beyond reproach and his ability to operate in the Free Jazz realm is well proven by this album. Unfortunately this recording was know only to a very limited group of listeners, even the most dedicated Beck’s followers, so the CD reissue is most welcome. I’ve had this album for 36 years now and always regarded it as one of my favorite European Jazz releases, now others can also enjoy it. Brilliant stuff! Side Note: The original LP was released on a small Italian Jazz label called DireFind albums on this label Records, owned by Tito FontanaFind albums by this artist. Fontana owned a recording studio in Milan, called Studio 7 (or studio Fontana), which was famous for producing soundtracks for the burgeoning Italian film industry. Tito was a dedicated Jazz buff and had a great taste and vision in Jazz. His produced and released some of the most incredible European Jazz albums in the early 1970s, which (as far as I know) were not reissued on CD so far (except this album), which is a great pity and a true tragedy. Italian Jazz fans should note that the legendary pianist Guido ManusardiFind albums by this artist recorded for the label, as did Claudio FasoliFind albums by this artist and other great Italian Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz fans should note that both Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist also made albums for the label. I remember visiting Tito in Milan in 1974 and spending a few lovely days with him, talking Jazz day and night, drinking Italian wines and coffee and eating some incredible food. He was a gentle, highly intelligent person with a rare and boundless love for the music, which we both shared.

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EUROPEAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE ~ 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2006 KONNEX 5225 (Barcode: 4017867031876) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2009 The European Jazz EnsembleFind albums by this artist is a "cooperative" group of top European Jazz musicians, which tours and records together for the last 30 years. Over time, an incredible parade of talent passed through the ranks of this group, each of the musicians being a leader and acknowledged instrumentalist / composer of the highest statue. The list of the players on this album, for example, is truly scary for anyone familiar with European Jazz: Alan SkidmoreFind albums by this artist, Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist, Gerd DudekFind albums by this artist and Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist (the only non-European by birth but very much so by spirit) on saxophone, Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist on flute, Manfred SchoofFind albums by this artist and Pino MinafraFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist on piano, Ali HaurandFind albums by this artist on bass, and Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist and Tony LevinFind albums by this artist on drums. These brilliant musicians perform a set of no less brilliant compositions, with predictably brilliant arrangements – what can I say, the album is just one nasty piece of superb music, kicking badly from start to finish. Although basically the performances are by a big band, in truth the individual soloist are given plenty of opportunity to stretch out, backed up only by the rhythm section, which makes this album likeable even for people, who have a slight adversity to big band albums (God only knows why). Regardless of ones specific likes and dislikes might be, this is a kind of recording that any true Jazz fan can not ignore. The subtle musical trickery, known only by the European Jazzers, is so obvious here, that I´d recommend this album to every American big band fan, to learn what really can be achieved with such potent "instrument". Brilliant! (Oh yes, I already said so…).

Updated: 18/07/2020Posted:

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JIM HALL ~ IT`S NICE TO BE WITH YOU MPS 4029759097303 (Barcode: 4029759097303) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1969 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of a little known album by legendary American guitarist Jim HallFind albums by this artist and his trio, which included American (resident in Europe) bassist Jimmy WoodeFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in Germany for the MPSFind albums on this label label and produced by Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. It presents eight tracks, three of which are original compositions by Hall, one is by his wife and the remaining four are standards. Considered the guitarists´ guitarist, Hall was one of the great pioneers of Jazz guitar and often described as the last of the classic Jazz guitar Masters. His recording career started rather slowly and this album is one of the few albums recorded before 1970. The accompanying trio plays along with the complex phrases, providing a most amicable backing the guitarist might have hoped for. The music, although mainstream, is very interesting, mostly due to the very unique way Hall is playing, using both single notes and chords in a very unusual way, setting him apart from all other Jazz guitar players at the time. In many ways his playing was more "European" than his American counterparts, putting elegance and restraint before speed and showmanship. The overall atmosphere of this album is all about intimacy, virtuosity and sharing the love of music between the musicians and the listeners. Obviously it sounds perfectly contemporary almost five decades later and still pretty amazing today. 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: 23/05/2016

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JOACHIM KUHN ~ BIRTHDAY EDITION ACT 6017 (Barcode: 614427601728) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1987 - 1995 Released: 2014 This album celebrates the 70th Birthday of the German Jazz pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist. The first album of this 2CD set presents recordings by the Kuhn trio with French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist, recorded live at the Jazzfest Berlin in 1987 and 1995. The second album is a re-edition of the brilliant Jazz symphony "EuropeanaFind albums with this title", composed by the renowned British composer Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist and performed by a dream team of European Jazz musicians, including Kuhn´s trio with Jenny-Clark and Norwegian drummer Jon ChristensenFind albums by this artist and many soloists like German trombonist Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist, French accordionist Richard GallianoFind albums by this artist and others, with the NDR Philharmonic Orchestra. This album was originally recorded in 1994 and released in 1995. Kuhn, who left East Germany in 1966 to join his older brother Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, who was already living in West Germany, became in time one of the most prolific and influential German and European Jazz musicians. Kuhn, who started as an avant-gardist and Free Jazz enthusiast went through a Jazz-Rock Fusion phase during the 1970s, being one of the pioneers of that genre at the time, returned to advanced Jazz explorations later on, and is to this day considered as one of the top European Jazz artists. The piano trio album is a superb example of the modern approach to this seemingly simple setting, which treats the instruments on an absolutely equal level, giving them the same opportunity to express their ideas. Of course every trio is only as good as the cooperation between its members, and this particular trio has very few competitors in that department. Of the six pieces the trio plays, four are originals by Kuhn, one is a Humair / Kuhn collaboration and one was composed by the great French Jazz clarinetist Michel PortalFind albums by this artist. It is fascinating to see how the music, which was recorded eight years apart, appears to be as if recorded during the same concert. Such level of perfect integration and telepathic interplay is only achieved by the very best musicians out there and it´s great that ACTFind albums on this label released these live recordings as they are simply too good to be forgotten. The Jazz symphony is of course as different form the trio recordings as the Jazz idiom permits; from an intimate trio into a symphonic grandeur. It is no secret that I have been a loyal follower of the works by Michael Gibbs ever since he appeared on the British scene, and in retrospect his orchestral works have been some of my fondest experiences not only as Jazz pieces, but as examples of grand music in general. The concept of this extraordinary work is to take a musical tour of Western Europe, from the northern Scandinavian countries, via central Europe and then south west to Spain. The symphony is divided into thirteen separate fragments, each one featuring different soloists, which are loosely connected to specific European countries but overall present the diversity of the Continent´s Cultural heritage and aesthetic values as expressed by music. Although these two albums have seemingly almost nothing in common on the surface, they do represent simply a different facets of the same Cultural attitude, based on tradition and grooming as many new ideas as possible, ignoring incompatibilities and obstacles. Gibbs proves again that his exquisite melodies are perfect vehicles for Jazz improvisations, and the superb team gathered to perform this music stands up to the challenge with flying colors. Overall this is a great tribute to the life and music of Joachim Kuhn, but includes also many other aspects of the music we love so much. Even if one already has a copy of "Europeana", it´s still worth to get a copy of this set just for the trio album, which will probably lead to another listening of the Gibbs work as well. Great stuff!

Updated: 13/08/2016Posted: 05/04/2016

CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO ~ BEAUTY & TRUTH ACT 9816 (Barcode: 614427981622) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his new trio with Canadian (resident in Paris) bassist Chris JenningsFind albums by this artist (born 1978) and German drummer Eric SchaeferFind albums by this artist (born 1976), which continues the classic Jazz trio setting Kuhn shared for over three decades with French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve relatively short pieces, four of which are original compositions by Kuhn, five are Jazz standards (two by Polish Jazz composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, see below), two are Rock standards (by The DoorsFind albums by this artist) and one is a contemporary Pop song (by Stand High PatrolFind albums by this artist). The trio featuring musicians separated from the leader (born 1944) by a whole generation and more results in a much invigorated approach to the idiom, which seems to present to him no great challenge at all. During his entire career Kuhn had no problem with cross-style / country / age differences, being one of the most diverse and adaptive European musician of all times. For Jazz piano trio lovers this album is, as expected, an absolute must, since Kuhn´s playing remains one of the most illustrious examples of this High Art, and supported respectfully and amicably by excellent younger, but already highly experienced players, Kuhn is ably to stretch his wings and soar to celestial spheres. As to the "Polish angle", the fact that Kuhn decided to include two compositions by Komeda is not accidental. While still living in East Germany and before moving to West Germany, Kuhn spent several months in 1964 living in Prague and in 1965 living in Warsaw, where he met the top Polish Jazz musicians active at the time. He was present as the studio session that produced Komeda´s iconic "AstigmaticFind albums with this title" album and met Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which resulted in the recording of the legendary "Live At Kosmos, BerlinFind albums with this title" album. Kuhn took part in Warsaw´s Jazz Jamboree Festivals in 1964 and 1965. Overall this is a classic Jazz piano trio album, and another superb addition to the wonderful recording legacy of the Great European Jazz Master. Highly recommended!

Updated: 18/07/2020Posted: 18/07/2020

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JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO ~ LOVE & PEACE ACT 9861 (Barcode: 614427986122) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the second album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his new trio with Canadian (resident in Paris) bassist Chris JenningsFind albums by this artist and German drummer Eric SchaeferFind albums by this artist, which continues the classic Jazz piano trio setting Kuhn shared for over three decades with French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven relatively short pieces, six of which are original compositions by Kuhn, one each is by Jennings and Schaefer, one is a Jazz standard, one is a Rock standards (by The DoorsFind albums by this artist) and finally one is an arrangement of a Classical piece. Musically this album is an obvious follow up to the debut, continuing the formula of mixing original compositions with up-to-date arrangements of older pieces, concentrating on the more settled, lyrical facet of Jazz without compromising the inquisitive nature of Kuhn´s playing and his approach to improvisation. The trio, featuring musicians separated from the leader by a whole generation and more, results in a much invigorated circumstances as far as Kuhn is concerned, which seems to present to him no great challenge at all. During his entire career Kuhn had no problem with cross-style / country / age differences, being one of the most diverse and adaptive European musician of all times. For Jazz piano trio lovers this album is, as expected, an absolute must, since Kuhn´s playing remains one of the most illustrious examples of this High Art, and supported respectfully and amicably by excellent younger, but already highly experienced players, Kuhn is ably to stretch his wings and soar to celestial spheres. Overall this is a classic Jazz piano trio album, and another superb addition to the wonderful recording legacy of the Great European Jazz Master. Highly recommended!

Updated: 23/07/2020Posted: 23/07/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ROLF KUHN GROUP ~ TOTAL SPACE MPS 602527224794 (Barcode: 602527224794) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2009 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by the German clarinetists / composer / bandleader Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, recorded with an octet, which includes some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like his younger brother pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Gerd DudekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist, Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist, Danish bassist Bo StiefFind albums by this artist, Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Kasper WindingFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, four composed by Rolf Kuhn and one by Mangelsdorff. The album is an outstanding example of European Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion and with the powerful sound created by the octet with the double drums and the brass instruments overdubbed to create what Rolf Kuhn describes as a “Brass Band”, the entire album offers an orchestral effect, full of blood-chilling and absolutely unique results, in many ways probably exposing the very peak of the Fusion creativity, which are amongst the most interesting ever recorded. This album is in fact a close companion to the other Rolf Kuhn orchestral Fusion album “Symphonic SwampfireFind albums with this title”. The music is based on strong melodic themes, wonderfully arranged for the orchestral environment, multilayered and even multi-rhythmic, emphasizing the complex sound of the orchestra as a complete music-making unit, rather than mostly just accompanying the soloists. By the time this music was recorded, European Jazz was heavily involved with Fusion, which is superbly incorporated within the orchestral sound, with electric guitar and keyboards being an integral part of the ambience. For guitar lovers, this is one of the finest albums featuring the brilliant guitar artistry of Catherine, as well as the electric side of Joachim Kuhn. Rolf Kuhn emerges here as a brilliant composer and arranger of orchestral Jazz, as well as a musician able to develop in time and embrace new trends and expand his horizons constantly, which characterized him for his entire lifetime, which I was lucky to follow for many years during our friendship. Overall, this is one of the most interesting orchestral 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 fifty 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: 31/07/2024Posted: 31/07/2024

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NEW TRIO ~ PERPENDICULAR REALITIES TMP 004 (Barcode: 5903292104850) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the second album by the New TrioFind albums by this artist ensemble, which consists of Polish brothers: Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays Hammond organ and composed most of the music herein and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays violin and is completed by Russian drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. The album includes twelve original compositions, seven of which were composed by Jan and the remaining five are credited to all the trio members. Aesthetically the music continues exactly from the point where their stunning debut left off and presents more of the same unique sound, which exists only within the particular Hammond / violin / drums setting and which has but a few predecessors, most of which are French, where the violin has a firm position as a leading Jazz instrument. The superb Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist / Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist / Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist trio immediately comes to mind as a point of reference. The same "retro" atmosphere, which characterized the debut album, is maintained here as well. The result however losses the surprise effect, that exemplified the reaction to the debut. But surprised or not, the listeners will find here all the ingredients that make music great and worth listening to: superb compositions and first-class performances. Although well within the Jazz mainstream this music keeps the listener on edge, never being obvious or overtly predictable, with intellectual and emotional approaches intertwined. The diverse tempi enable showcases of different compositional tools, which work out very effectively. As for performances, this album is full of exceptional playing with the violin work by Mateusz being simply virtuosic from start to finish. He is quickly establishing himself as one of the leading violinist not only in Poland, but now also on a worldwide scale and is surely destined to get far. But both Jan and Alex don´t fall far behind and their contributions are first-rate every step of the way. Overall this is a splendid piece of music and a commendable follow up to their debut effort. Having passed the dreaded "second album" trial with flying colors, they now have a carte blanche to continue this path as far as I´m concerned. Both Jazz violin and Hammond organ connoisseurs will absolutely love this album from start to finish and it is wholeheartedly recommended to every Jazz enthusiast. We must not forget also the fact that Jan Smoczynski is not only a great musician, but also one of the top (if not the top) sound engineers in Poland and his legendary Studio Tokarnia, where this album was recorded, is one of the best in Europe and produced a myriad of albums of extraordinary sound quality. Hats off!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

NEW TRIO ~ SIMULTANEOUS ABSTRACTIONS TMP 003 (Barcode: 5905912558340) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is one of those unexpected albums, which fall on your head like a sledgehammer… The album was recorded by a Polish trio, which calls itself rather ambiguously New TrioFind albums by this artist, and consists of brothers: Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – violin and Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – Hammond organ and drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. I admit being a little puzzled by the "new" part of their name, but a couple of minutes into the music made everything abundantly clear; they are a new / updated version of the fabulous 1960s French trio, which included violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, organist Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. That revolutionary trio, one of the great precursors of European Jazz, which combined the art of improvisation with the great European music tradition, serves as a model for New Trio, not only in its instrumental lineup, but also stylistically and sonically, as the album presents a wonderful "retro" sound, typical of the great 1960s recordings. Of course the music is all new and almost entirely original, composed mostly by the organist, with a couple of tracks being co-composed by all three members and one standard – a breathtaking redemption of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s "Naima". The music is absolutely brilliant, admittedly not very adventurous, but with great melody lines, well developed themes and interesting rhythmic variations. The performances are excellent as well, with all three musicians being obvious virtuosi on their respective instruments and the trio being blessed with great rapport and telepathic mind-reading between its members. Of course the sound of violin is capable of melting even the iciest of hearts, and is used here with passion but also with great taste, not "overdoing it" on the sentimental side. The Hammond, one of my most beloved instruments, is the basis of all this music and with slightly enhanced sonic capabilities proves its vitality and enormous rage of possibilities, which should be envied by any of the modern / electronic keyboard super-machines. The drums bear an enormous responsibility in this music, providing both the rhythmic backbone and the wonderful ornamentation, without being overzealous. In short, this music is just perfect the way it is, which happens unfortunately quite rarely. Of course there is also the "Polish connection" in the background, especially the Polish Jazz violin tradition, which must have had its influence here. Therefore an attentive listener will be able to catch glimpses of Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist in this music, but only symbolically and never used overtly as plagiarisms. I urge every Jazz lover to get hold of this wonderful album pronto, especially those of you who love violin and / or the Hammond organ. This is an invigorating, intelligent and beautiful piece of music, which should be enjoyed by as many music lovers as possible. A must!

Updated: 24/05/2017Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JEAN-LUC PONTY ~ SUNDAY WALK MPS 4029759171379 (Barcode: 4029759171379) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2021 This is a reissue / remaster on an early album by French violinist / composer Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with a European quartet, which also included German pianist Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, Danish bassist Niels-Henning Orsted PedersenFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, one each by Ponty, Dauner and Humair, one by American composer Denny Zeitlin and one standard. The recording was initiated by my Friend and Mentor, the producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, who wrote the liner notes for the original album, which are respectfully included in this album’s artwork. At this early stage of his career, Ponty was already recognized as a great talent and continuator of the French violin Jazz school, following in the footsteps of Stephane GrappelliFind albums by this artist. But Ponty was not a mere keeper of the tradition, as his improvisation was close to John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and his musical path was about to include stints with Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist and other pioneers of Jazz-Rock Fusion, who established the genre. The three partners Ponty selected to accompany him on this album were also, despite their young age, already amongst Europe’s most seasoned and talented young musicians. The immediate perfect rapport between the quartet members is evident from the very onset of the music and lasts unbroken till the very last note. The original material is certainly as good, and in fact better than any standard the quartet might have picked to perform together, and the talents of all three composers was about to flourish for years to come. Although Orsted Pederson died in 2005 and Dauner in 2020, Ponty and Humair continue their brilliant careers now, fifty-five years after this classic gem was recorded. Overall, this is one of the greatest gems of early European modern Jazz and a classic album in every respect, which has but a few equals over time. The fact that it is finally available on CD should make countless fans of violin Jazz ecstatically happy. This is an absolute must in every serious Jazz record collection. 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: 25/03/2024Posted: 05/04/2022

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHEL PORTAL ~ ANY WAY LABEL BLEU 6544 (Barcode: 3149025057877) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1991 - 1992 Released: 1993 This is an album by legendary French bass clarinetist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Michel PortalFind albums by this artist, recorded with a large gathering of international Jazz musicians, which includes French violinist Didier LockwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist, percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist and guitarist Nguyen LeFind albums by this artist, British trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, American keyboardist Gil GoldsteinFind albums by this artist and bassist Victor BaileyFind albums by this artist, Indian percussionist Trilok GurtuFind albums by this artist, Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents six lengthy tracks, five of which are original compositions by Portal and one is by Cinelu. The music is based on beautiful composed themes, on which the participants improvise with obvious skill and imagination. There are strong World Music influences and excellent group improvisations. The leader plays mostly the bass clarinet, and his fame as one of the greatest virtuosi of that instrument is of course fully justified. The solo by Wheeler on the last racks is alone worth having this album in one’s collection. There is an atmosphere of mutual respect and great fun, and the musicians are obviously jamming and enjoying themselves, which is felt in the resulting music, mixing the Jazz elements with Funk and Ethnic drumming, which is very effective. Overall, this is a very unusual album, which creates an amalgam of European Jazz and Ethnic / World percussive elements, and offers some extraordinary improvised parts by some of the best musicians on this planet. A true joy!

Updated: 04/02/2025Posted: 04/02/2025

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.30 POLSKIE RADIO 2063 (Barcode: 5907812244026) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 Released: 2017 This is the thirtieth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The tracks presented here were recorded live in October 1966 during the ninth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the second volume of a collection of tracks from that event. The first ten tracks present the legendary French vocal group The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, led by Ward SwingleFind albums by this artist (an American in Paris) and including seven more vocalists. The vocal octet is accompanied by bassist Guy PedersenFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. In contrast to the earlier iconic French vocal ensemble Les Double SixFind albums by this artist (which included several of the Swingle Singers members earlier on), which sung vocal versions of Jazz standards, The Swingle Singers performed mostly vocal Jazz arrangements of Classical Music pieces, by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist and others. The tracks present here are all in this particular idiom. The next two tracks present a trio led by American organist Lou BennettFind albums by this artist, who moved to Paris in 1960. The other members of the trio are: Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Franco ManzecchiFind albums by this artist. These tracks are of interest as early examples of Catherine´s playing before he started his illustrious solo career. The last track presents a Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform an original composition by Namyslowski, recorded on his debut Polish album by the same lineup. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

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

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PHIL WOODS / EUROPEAN RHYTHM MACHINE ~ ALIVE AND WELL IN PARIS EMI 724353965426 (Barcode: 724353965426) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2002 This is a reissue / remaster of the debut album by the great American saxophonist / composer / bandleader Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, recorded with his European rhythm section under the moniker European Rhythm MachineFind albums by this artist, which includes Swiss pianist George GruntzFind albums by this artist, French bassist Henri TexierFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, two of which are originals by Woods and three are standards. Woods was one of the first American musicians, who discovered Europe as a source of brilliant Jazz musicians, and he toured and recorded in Europe extensively in the late 1960s and early 1970s, after he moved to Paris, where he stayed between 1968 and 1972. Although the music is pretty straightforward mainstream Jazz / Bebop, Woods’s incredible fluency and beautiful tone, and the superb performances by the rhythm section, make this an example of what swinging is all about, leaving everything that happened on the other side of the pond far behind. Gruntz, Texier and Humair are all leaders of the European scene, which was just exploding at the time this album was recorded, and stayed as pillars of the Jazz activity for many years, recording hundreds of brilliant albums in the process. Overall, this is one of the best possible marriages between American and European Bebop ever as are all the albums recorded by this quartet, and all of them lost absolutely nothing of its vitality and pure genius over time. A timeless classic!

Updated: 05/07/2024Posted: 05/07/2024

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend