Record Reviews

IRA KRIS ~ JAZZANOVA MPS 4029759097402 (Barcode: 4029759097402) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of a little known album by American guitarist / composer Ira KrisFind albums by this artist. This album was recorded in Munich, Germany where Kris worked at the time, like many of his compatriots, and features also the Venezuelan guitarist Juan RomeroFind albums by this artist and Americans: flautist Frank St. PeterFind albums by this artist, bassist Jimmy WoodeFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony InzalacoFind albums by this artist. Together the quintet plays eight tunes, six of which classic Brazilian Bossa Nova pieces and two are originals, one each by Kris and St. Peter. Brazilian music took the Jazz world by storm with the Bossa Nova explosion in the mid-1960s and although the intensity of its presence faded out in time, it was incorporated into the genre for good, being one of the first Jazz-World Fusion trends. The music on this album is more Jazz oriented than the Samba / Bossa Nova recordings done in America and presents a Jazzier attitude with many exciting solos by Kris and St, Peters. Overall, as all recordings incorporating Brazilian music, this is definitely the "lighter" and more accessible facet of the genre, which has many fans all over the world. Nevertheless the music is excellently performed and lost nothing of its charm over time. Combined with the fine sound quality that all MPSFind albums on this label productions share, this is still a very fine album, worth having in one´s collection. 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: 04/06/2016

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend