Record Reviews

ENERGIT ~ ENERGIT (EXPANDED EDITION) GAD 220 (Barcode: 5903068123283) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1976 Released: 2022 This is a 2CD reissue of the debut album by the Czechoslovak Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist. It is a brilliant document of the music scene, which thrived in Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain, in all the so-called "Socialist" countries, and was every bit as interesting, groundbreaking and visionary as anything else happening at the same time in Western Europe or the USA. In spite of political pressures, artistic censorship and economic hardships, with very limited access to recordings from the West, decent equipment or proper recording facilities, these young and ambitious musicians were exploding with ideas and boldly exploring new territories. The resulting music created at the time remains completely relevant today and should be rediscovered by young audiences, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power and intellectual quality. Energit was formed by the brilliant guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, after he left the legendary Jazz QFind albums by this artist ensemble, joining forces with two excellent young musicians from another legendary ensemble SHQFind albums by this artist: keyboardist Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist. The lineup was completed by bassist Jan VytrhlikFind albums by this artist and alternating drummers: Karel JencikFind albums by this artist, Anatoli KohoutFind albums by this artist and Josef VojevodaFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. Andrst wrote all of the original material performed by the ensemble, which although Blues influenced, was at the time centered on the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom, similar in sound and obviously influenced mostly by Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, but also by Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist or Weather ReportFind albums by this artist. The first CD presents the original album, which offers five tracks, with the opening 17+ minutes long and the closing tracks being parts of a suite. The second CD presents seven tracks of bonus material, two recorded live, four originating from a radio broadcast and one from a TV broadcast, from which four are previously unreleased. The reissue is accompanied by extensive bi-lingual liner notes, as usual with the superb GADFind albums on this label Record releases, which cover the group’s history and other background information. Overall, this is some of the best Eastern European Jazz-Rock Fusion, which should not be missed by any connoisseur of the genre, especially those interested in music originating from behind the Iron Curtain. A must!

Updated: 23/12/2022Posted: 23/12/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ENERGIT ~ ENERGIT / PIKNIK (CZECHOSLOVAK JAZZ-ROCK EXPANDED EDITION) INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 626 (Barcode: 8595026662629) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 - 1978 Released: 2008 This wonderful reissue collects all the recordings by the Czechoslovak ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist. It is a brilliant document of the music scene, which thrived in Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain, in all the so-called "Socialist" countries, and was every bit as interesting, groundbreaking and visionary as anything else happening at the same time in Western Europe or the USA. In spite of political pressures, artistic censorship and economic hardships, with very limited access to recordings from the West, decent equipment or proper recording facilities, these young and ambitious musicians were exploding with ideas and boldly exploring new territories. The resulting music created at the time remains completely relevant today and should be rediscovered by young audiences, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power and intellectual quality. Energit was formed by the brilliant guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, after he left the legendary Jazz QFind albums by this artist ensemble, joining forces with two excellent young musicians from another legendary ensemble SHQFind albums by this artist: keyboardist Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist. The lineup was completed by bassist Jan VytrhlikFind albums by this artist and drummer Karel JencikFind albums by this artist. Andrst wrote most of the all-original material performed by the ensemble, which although Blues influenced, was at the time centered on the Jazz-Rock idiom, similar in sound to the early Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist. For the second album Viklicky was replaced by Milan SvobodaFind albums by this artist, who also wrote the brass arrangement used on that album, and Jencik was replaced by Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist. The bonus material includes an ultra-rare EP, a track released previously on a compilation album and some archival live recordings. In retrospect this is some of the best Eastern European Jazz-Rock, which should not be missed by any connoisseur of the genre. A must! Side Note Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles. The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market. However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material. The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.

Updated: 28/02/2020Posted:

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ Q ~ JAZZ Q (EXPANDED EDITION BOX SET) SUPRAPHON 5872 (Barcode: 099925587222) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 - 1986 Released: 2007 This wonderful reissue Box Set collects all the recordings by the Czechoslovak ensemble Jazz QFind 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 Pact 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 Jazz Q being the best and most important representative of that phenomenon. It was formed by the legendary keyboardist / composer Martin KratochvilFind albums by this artist and during the decade of its activity included in its ranks a long list of superb Czech musicians, like guitarists Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist and Frantisek FranclFind albums by this artist, bassists Vladimir PadrunekFind albums by this artist and Premysl FauknerFind albums by this artist, drummers Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist and Pavol KozmaFind albums by this artist and many others. The British vocalist Joan DugganFind albums by this artist (wife of Frantisek Francl), who lived in Czechoslovakia at the time was also a member of the group as was the Czech vocalist Jana KoubkovaFind albums by this artist. Kratochvil wrote most of the fantastic music played by Jazz Q, although some of the material came from various band members. In their live performances the ensemble also included standards. This Box Set includes all six studio albums recorded by Jazz Q, an archival live album released only in the 1990s and a whole CD of bonus material. In retrospect this is some of the best Eastern European Jazz-Rock, which should not be missed by any connoisseur of the genre. An essential piece of music history!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 8 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ Q ~ PORI JAZZ 72 GAD 130 (Barcode: 5903068121074) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2020 This is an archival release presenting a live performance by Czechoslovak Jazz-Rock Fusion group Jazz QFind albums by this artist during the 1972 Pori Jazz Festival, excellently recorded by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company). The group founded and led by keyboardist / composer Martin KratochvilFind albums by this artist included also guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, bassist Vladimir PadrunekFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal VrbovecFind albums by this artist. The album presents four original extended pieces, one by Kratochvil, two by Andrst and one co-composed by Andrst and Padrunek. One of the pieces was composed for the planned Pori performance another for a planned trip to Tunis, that never materialized and two were written for the group second album "Pozorovatelna (The Watch-Tower)Find albums with this title", which was recorded a few months later. The music is every bit as brilliant as one might expect; soaring, highly energetic Fusion, superbly executed and splendidly composed, easily matching everything in that was happening within the genre in Western Europe and the US at the time. The "Pori 72" mini-suite demonstrates the sophistication of Jazz Q, both on the compositional level and power of execution, which features impressive guitar and electric piano parts as well as virtuosic support by the rhythm section. But the rest of the pieces is equally impressive, and shows the incredibly high level of musical ingenuity present on the Czechoslovak scene at the time, which I wrote extensively about in my numerous reviews of albums released there at the early 1970s. This album is a wonderful addition to the recorded legacy of Jazz Q, and the fact that the music was recorded almost fifty years before it was released is truly astonishing, since the music sounds completely fresh and contemporary. As usual the YLE vaults prove to be a fountain of youth for hidden treasures, and GADFind albums on this label Records again demonstrates its justification as a crucial factor in preserving and exploring East European Culture at its best. A shining gem!

Updated: 01/11/2020Posted: 01/11/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

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

JAZZ Q ~ ZVESTI (TIDINGS) (EXPANDED EDITION) GAD 283 (Barcode: 5903068125218) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1978 Released: 2024 This is a reissue of the 5th album by the original incarnation of the seminal Czechoslovak Jazz QFind albums by this artist ensemble, founded and led by keyboardist / composer Martin KratochvilFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded by a quartet version of the ensemble, which also included guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Premysl FauknerFind albums by this artist and drummer Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Jan MartinecFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents eight tracks, all original compositions by Kratochvil. The music was recorded in 1977 and released on LP by SupraphonFind albums on this label in 1979. This remastered and expanded edition of the album includes an entire second CD of bonus material, presenting nineteen tracks of studio recordings made between 1974 and 1978, by various lineups, all but two previously unreleased, including two lengthy suites, eleven-part and four-part respectively. As usual with GADFind albums on this label releases, the album includes informative in-depth (bi-lingual) liner notes, photographs and detailed information about dates and places of recording. The music is, as always with Kratochvil´s work, absolutely brilliant. Although dominated by his keyboards, which include newly available synthesizers, there is plenty of space left for some blood-curdling guitar work by Andrst and superb rhythm section work by Faukner, and the new drummer Helesic. The compositions are amongst the finest ever of all Kratochvil’s legacy, realized after crystalizing his experiences as the leader / composer of the group’s material since its inception, and he is one the greatest musical tension builders, as reflected by his hypnotic compositions, which the group performs exquisitely. The music was strongly influenced by Kratochvil’s stay at the Berklee Collage of Music in Boston, where he was exposed to the then current American Fusion influences. The Jazz Q material firmly belongs to the finest Eastern European Jazz-Rock Fusion material ever recorded, which sounds today every bit as brilliant as it did at the time it was created. The incredible reissues by GAD Records bring this legacy back to life and give an opportunity to younger generation of music lovers to get familiar with these treasures. Overall, this is an absolute must for all Fusion lovers the world over, but lovers of Jazz created behind the iron curtain should find this especially interesting. Not to be missed!

Updated: 13/01/2025Posted: 13/01/2025

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

EMIL VIKLICKY ~ IN HOLOMOC TOWN (EXPANDED EDITION) SUPRAPHON 6089 (Barcode: 099925608927) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 - 1984 Released: 2012 This long overdue reissue presents the debut album recorded by the Czech pianist / composer Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist, who in time became one of the leading Jazz (and not only) musicians in his country. It includes nine original compositions by Viklicky and is performed by a splendid quintet, which also includes violinist Jan BeranekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Lubos AndrstFind albums by this artist, bassist Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist and drummer Milan VitochFind albums by this artist, who played with Viklicky previously in such groups like the Fusion ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist or the legendary SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble led by Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist. The music is truly remarkable and beautifully crafted, combining many different influences but being predominantly Viklicky´s own creation. Although incorporating the Jazz tradition, it is very European in every respect: the melodic lyricism, the usage of Folk motifs and Classical harmonies and the sophisticated chord changes. In retrospect it is even more remarkable considering fresh it sounds today, 35 years later, losing nothing of its charm and elegance. The performances are also extraordinary: Viklicky´s virtuosity as a pianist was already an established fact by the time this album was recorded, but his partners, and especially the brilliant Uhlir, match his abilities perfectly. I distinctly remember listening to this album when it was first released, which was quite a revelation. Both Viklicky and Uhlir remain among my favorite musicians to this very day, and I owe them many happy musical moments. The album was released at the time in two versions; one for the local Czechoslovak market (with the original title) and one for export with an alternative title: "The Folk-Inspired Jazz PianoFind albums with this title". The State-owned Supraphon label, which at the time was a controlled and censored monopoly, emphasized the Folk influence (in this case Moravian Folk music), which was a very old trick used in all East European countries during the Socialist regime, to enable Jazz albums to be recorded under the pretext of preserving National cultural heritage. In retrospect (again) whatever the excuse, the music was recorded for posterity and music lovers are able to enjoy it again. This expanded edition adds to the original contents of the album five solo piano pieces recorded in 1984, which constitute a Suite for piano, originally released as the B-side of the LP "DoorFind albums with this title" (see also the recently reissued album "Window & DoorFind albums with this title"). This is a beautiful, sensitive, delightful album, which should be enjoyed by as many Jazz connoisseurs as possible. Wholeheartedly recommended!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend