Record Reviews

BLUE EFFECT ~ 1969-1989 (EXPANDED EDITION BOX SET) SUPRAPHON 5990 (Barcode: 099925599027) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 - 1989 Released: 2009 This wonderful reissue Box Set collects all the recordings by the legendary Czechoslovak ensemble Blue EffectFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Modry EffectFind albums by this artist). It is a brilliant document of the music scene, which thrived in Czechoslovakia (and other so-called "Socialist" Eastern European countries behind the Iron Curtain) following the 1968 Prague Spring, cut short by the brutal invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pack armies. Although the liberalization and reform that the Czechoslovak People yearned for was crushed by force and had to wait for two more decades to be finally achieved, the spirit of the Prague Spring lived on in People´s hearts and Arts were one of the areas where these feelings could be manifested, albeit carefully in view of the censorship and persecution. Jazz was an escape route to many Eastern European musicians, as it was tolerated and even supported by the Socialist regime (for reasons, which are beyond the scope of this review) and by the early 1970s many Rock musicians collaborated with their Jazz colleagues in order to avoid the scrutiny, which "decadent" Rock suffered from, in contrast to the relative liberal approach to Jazz. This strengthened the Jazz-Rock movement, which at the time was gaining worldwide popularity, with many Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles active on the Czech music scene from the early 1970s to mid 1980s, with Blue Effect being the best and most important representative of that phenomenon as well as the first Czechoslovak Progressive Rock act. It was formed by guitarist / composer Radim HladikFind albums by this artist, bassist Jiri KozelFind albums by this artist and drummer Vlado CechFind albums by this artist. Both Hladik and Cech remained as the group´s core founding members for the entire duration of their activity. The group was basically a Progressive Rock outfit, but its innovative approach and cooperation with Jazz musicians, like the ensemble Jazz QFind albums by this artist and the Jazz Orchestra Of Czechoslovak Broadcasting CorporationFind albums by this artist were revolutionary at the time and way ahead of their time. This Box Set includes all eight studio albums recorded by Blue Effect and a whole CD of bonus material, which includes an EP, singles and other bonus tracks. In retrospect this is some of the best Eastern European Jazz-Rock / Prog, which should not be missed by any connoisseur of the genre. An essential piece of music history!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 9 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend