Record Reviews

PSI ~ HORIZONTE CHICKADISC 002 (Barcode: 5901549197716) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2017 This is a reissue, first time on CD, of the only album recorded by the German Fusion band PSIFind albums by this artist, which consisted of keyboardist / composer Matthias FreyFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wilfried KunklerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Volkmar ZimmermannFind albums by this artist, bassist Bodo FeldmannFind albums by this artist and drummer Robert JahnFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Frey. The music is a superb example of German Fusion, which developed in West Germany in the 1970s and was a leading European scene for the genre, competing fiercely with the British Fusion scene at the time. Based on vivacious exchanges between the keyboards and the guitar, the music includes also some Psychedelic and Progressive Rock elements, which was typical of the German vein of Fusion. The music is full of quirky melodies, unexpected rhythmic shifts and wonderful inventiveness, which sadly is nowhere to be found today. The album is captivating from start to finish and has no weak moments, which of course makes the fact that it was the only recording by the group even more daunting. Although the musicians had relatively little experience and musical education, these performances are all inspired and sound as good today as they did at the time of the recording. This is an absolute must to all connoisseurs of Fusion, most of which probably never heard about this group or this wonderful album. As usual the credit and thanks for bringing this wonder back to circulation goes to the owners of GADFind albums on this label Records label, of which ChickadiskFind albums on this label is a subsidiary label.

Updated: 15/04/2017Posted: 15/04/2017

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SYNOPSIS ~ SYNOPSIS EDEL CONTENT 4029759080480 (Barcode: 4029759080480) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1974 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the album by the East German quartet SynopsisFind albums by this artist, which comprised of legendary pioneers of Free Jazz / Improvised Music in that country: saxophonist Ernst-Ludwig PetrowskyFind albums by this artist, trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, pianist Ulrich GumpertFind albums by this artist and drummer Gunter SommerFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs six pieces, four of which are credited in turn to each of the quartet members, one is a group composition by all four participants and one is based on a Folk tune. A month before recording this music Synopsis recorded another session for the FMPFind albums on this label label based in West Berlin, which was released later on. The music is a stunning example of early East European Avant-Garde, which moves between Free Jazz and Improvised Music, something radically different and highly surprising and in full contrast to what one might expect was happening in Jazz behind the Iron Curtain. Although these musicians had contact with their eastern neighbors in Poland, who were already involved in creating their own Avant-Garde scene at the time, as well as meeting western musicians while performing at Warsaw´s Jazz Jamboree festival, but the fact that such adventurous music was created and than released is completely baffling, considering the fact that East Germany was the most closely censored and culturally limited of all the Eastern Block countries (see Side Note below). Even in retrospect this music sounds poignant and striking, which of course is not that surprising now, as these four musicians have all reached legendary status on the European Improvised Music scene. Each of them has a completely unique voice on a global scale and this early recording should be a revelation to all the listeners who did not hear it at the time it was created. The urgency and unlimited longing for freedom by people living under an oppressive political regime explodes here in full, driving the music to the limits known at the time and beyond. And yet underneath all that havoc there is still the typical German correctness and almost autistic separation from savoir vivre. Overall this a classic of the genre and a first class document of European Jazz history. Since this album had a very limited reach in the first place, the fact that it is available again should make hordes of Improvised Music connoisseurs extremely happy. Not to be missed! Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 18/03/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend