Record Reviews

JAROMIR HONZAK ~ A QUESTION TO ALL YOUR ANSWERS ANIMAL MUSIC 005 (Barcode: 8594155996551) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the fourth album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and his first release on the excellent Czech label Animal MusicFind albums on this label. The album was recorded by a Czech / Polish quartet which also included Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist, both of which played with him on this album´s predecessor "Present PastFind albums with this title". Clarinetist Tomas CisteckyFind albums by this artist, flautist Lucie CisteckaFind albums by this artist and pianist Vojtech ProchazkaFind albums by this artist appear as guests. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Honzak. Seven of the tracks were recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The last track was recorded at the Czech Radio and features the a.m. guests. Honzak, whom I have been watching closely since many years, proudly continues the Czech Jazz Bass tradition, established by internationally known bassists like George MrazFind albums by this artist (really Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist) and Miroslav VitousFind albums by this artist, but also less known outside of their homeland like Ludek HulanFind albums by this artist, Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist, Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist, Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and others. His beautifully round notes and chronometric pulsations are always a guarantee of a perfect rhythm section anchor in the numerous recording he took part in. But on this album Honzak great forte are his wonderful compositions, which are beautifully woven, versatile and most importantly open enough to be stretched and explored by the quartet members, often towards unexpected directions. As a result this album is a superb ride into the unforeseen, with each track taking the listener on a new adventure. Not losing the sense of melody and coherence, the music has so much freedom and breathing space that the flexibility is endless. Of course the leader gets fantastic support from the quartet members; Doruzka, here fourteen years younger than today, is already a bright star on the European scale, while Tokaj and Zyta, despite their relatively young age at the time were already seasoned veterans, capable of playing virtually anything. Together the quartet sounds like an organic unit and in retrospect I´d love to hear this experience repeated again. Overall this is a brilliant album from start to finish, a perfect reflection of 21st Century European Jazz at its best. Fourteen years later it still sounds perfectly fresh and sparkling with ingenuity, like a gem it is. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 14/11/2020Posted: 28/08/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ CELLULA ~ LACO DECZI INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 631 (Barcode: 8595026663121) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 Released: 2008 Trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist is one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovak Jazz. He has been active on the local scene since the 1960s, leading many excellent ensembles, which included the best local players and often also guest from abroad. The names of his ensemble changed often, usually being a variation on the Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist motif (like Jazz CelulaFind albums by this artist, Cellula InternationalFind albums by this artist, etc.). This album presents the ensemble in a septet format, same as the one which recorded their previous album "Ohen Az PozarFind albums with this title", with superb lineup including saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, trombonist Svatopluk KosvanecFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist. They perform seven original compositions, three of which are by the leader, and all are quite excellent with a slight Fusion / Latin tinge, as appropriate for the period of the recording. The performances are excellent from start to finish and this is a first-rate document of the Jazz behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended! 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 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JAZZ CELULA ~ OHEN AZ POZAR INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 630 (Barcode: 8595026663022) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2008 Trumpeter / composer / bandleader Laco DecziFind albums by this artist is one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovak Jazz. He has been active on the local scene since the 1960s, leading many excellent ensembles, which included the best local players and often also guest from abroad. The names of his ensemble changed often, usually being a variation on the Jazz CellulaFind albums by this artist motif (like Jazz CelulaFind albums by this artist, Cellula InternationalFind albums by this artist, etc.). This album presents the ensemble in a septet format, with superb lineup including saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, trombonist Svatopluk KosvanecFind albums by this artist, pianist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Zdenek DvorakFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist. They perform eight original compositions, three of which are by the leader, and all are quite excellent with a slight Fusion tinge, as appropriate for the period of the recording. The performances are excellent from start to finish and this is a first-rate document of the Jazz behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended! 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 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GABRIEL JONAS ~ IMPRESIE / GENTLE RAIN OPUS 91 0125 (Barcode: 8584019012527) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1978 - 1990 Released: 2010 This wonderful reissue brings back to life two albums by the excellent Slovak pianist / composer Gabriel JonasFind albums by this artist. Jonas was active on the Czechoslovak scene and recorded his debut album with top Czech players at the time: saxophonist Petr KralFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jiri TomekFind albums by this artist. The album, which contains all (but one, which is by the bass player) original compositions is most impressive and truly beautiful and ranks among the best Jazz albums recorded in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s. The second album, recorded twelve years later, is a solo piano recording, but uses also two overdubbed pianos, creating a piano duet effect. On that album Jonas plays mostly standards, except for two original compositions. His virtuosity and highly melodic approach are also clearly evident on this recordings. Together this set contains truly wonderful piano playing, which should delight Jazz connoisseurs all over the world.

CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KAREL RUZICKA ~ KAREL RUZICKA + 9 GALEN 19 144 (Barcode: 8594042901538) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of the superb debut album by the Czech keyboardist / composer / bandleader Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, recorded with nine additional top Czech musicians active at the time: flautists / saxophonists Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist and Jiri ValekFind albums by this artist, trombonists Svatopluk KosvanecFind albums by this artist and Zdenek PulecFind albums by this artist, French horn player Milos PetrFind albums by this artist, tuba player Petr FleischerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist. Together they play nine original compositions four composed by Ruzicka, two each by Valek and Dasek and one by Vejvoda. The music is all mainstream Jazz oriented, based on melodic compositions and wonderfully arranged for the large ensemble. It swings brilliantly and showcases the individual musicians soloing extensively. Ruzicka plays piano and organ with the same proficiency and effectiveness. One of the tracks is a beautiful quartet piece (flute / guitar / bass / percussion), which offers a haunting melody line and typical Eastern European melancholy, being one of the highlights of the album. Ruzicka recorded many wonderful albums which followed this debut and was an important figure on the Czech scene until his death in 2016. This album is an important part of his recorded legacy and reflects the excellent level of Jazz that flourished behind the Iron Curtain. This remastered edition is the first time this album appears on CD and it is great to see it back in circulation. For the followers of East European Jazz scene this is a highly recommended piece of the puzzle, worth investigating. Side Note The Czech publishing house and record label GalenFind albums on this label, run by Lubomir HoudekFind albums by this artist, is another player on the local scene, reissuing historical recordings from the deep vaults of the SupraphonFind albums on this label / PantonFind albums on this label labels, supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture. This commendable initiative is a wonderful example of the preservation of Cultural heritage. Hopefully the label's future releases will include information in English in the album's booklets, so that Jazz enthusiasts around the world might be allowed to share the knowledge. For more reissues of Czechoslovak Jazz (and Rock) see also the releases by Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records.

Updated: 09/06/2020Posted: 09/06/2020

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

SHQ ~ JAZZ NON-FABLES INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 735 (Barcode: 8595026673526) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016 This is the last of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during recording sessions in June 1972 by a quintet version of SHQ, which included Velebny playing vibraphone and saxophone, saxophonist Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist (future member of the legendary Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist), keyboardist Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, bassist Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist. The ten tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as a LP and included only original compositions, two each by the quintet members. The music is stunningly beautiful, full of great melodic themes and a rather mystic atmosphere, The sound of the ensemble is clearly influenced by the Jazz-Rock Fusion, which was a very strong influence on the East European Jazz at the time, although the instruments, except for the electric piano and bass, are still acoustic. It is the somewhat Rocky rhythmic direction that takes this music towards Fusion. In retrospect this album is often mentioned as one of the most important recordings of Czechoslovak Jazz and remains a milestone recording of the Eastern European Jazz in the 1970, firmly belonging to the same holy grail category as the best albums released at the time in Poland, as part of the "Polish Jazz" series. The fact that this music remained unreleased on CD for so long was a Cultural crime. His later recordings from the 1980s are rather incidental or compilations of archival material. This is also sadly the last important album recorded by Velebny and his SHQ, since he gradually retired from recording and concentrated on Jazz pedagogy, of which he was a great pioneer, and work with theatre as writer, actor and activist. He died in 1989, sadly before the "Velvet Revolution" freed the country from the Socialist regime, a freedom he was not allowed to enjoy. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! 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: 28/02/2020

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

SHQ ~ KAREL VELEBNY & COMPANY RADIOSERVIS 0398 (Barcode: 8590236039827) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1963 - 1976 Released: 2008 The legendary multi-instrumentalist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist is universally recognized as the Godfather of post-WWII Czechoslovak Jazz. His ceaseless activity as a player, bandleader and educator resulted in raising generations of Jazz players in the country, many of which continued to become leaders of their own later on. His ensembles, usually called SHQFind albums by this artist, incorporated over the years the absolute who´s who of the Czechoslovak (and later Czech) scene. His contributions as a teacher and educator were also invaluable. This compilation by the Czech Broadcasting Corporation presents a series of radio recordings by Velebny´s SHQ ensemble in the 1960s and 1970s, all previously unreleased, which of course is a great treat to lovers of Czechoslovak Jazz. The names of the participating musicians include flautist / saxophonist Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist and Petr KralFind albums by this artist, pianists Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist and Emil ViklickyFind albums by this artist, bassists Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist, Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist, drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist and many more. Most of the music is original with just four standards out of the thirteen tracks on this album. This is a Jazz history treasure and any fan of Czechoslovak Jazz will find this album as indispensable. A must!

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

SHQ ~ MOTUS INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 734 (Barcode: 8595026673427) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1971 Released: 2016 This is the seventh of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during recording sessions in February and March 1971 by a quartet version of SHQ, which included Velebny playing exclusively the vibraphone, saxophonist Rudolf TichacekFind albums by this artist (future member of the legendary Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble EnergitFind albums by this artist), bassists Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist or Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist. The eleven tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as a LP and included only original compositions, five by Velebny, three by Josef Vejvoda, two by Tichacek and one by Korinek. The music is absolutely brilliant and presents the epitome of East European Jazz, full of the Slavic lyricism and melancholy that characterize Jazz originating from that part of the Old Continent. The tunes, although melody based, offer sophisticated harmonic structures and quirky rhythmic patterns, which keep changing frequently and keep the listener on edge. The fact that Velebny concentrates on playing the vibraphone creates a solid, unified sound and feel throughout the album, in spite of its diverse musical content. Since the vibraphone is relatively rarely used as the main instrument, in addition to Velebny´s idiosyncratic style, create perhaps the most focused showcase ever recorded of his vibraphone playing. In retrospect this album is a milestone recording of the Eastern European Jazz in the 1970, and firmly belongs to the same holy grail category as the best albums released at the time in Poland, as part of the "Polish Jazz" series. The fact that this music remained unreleased on CD for so long was a Cultural crime. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! 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: 28/02/2020

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend