Record Reviews

FREE ORBIT ~ FREE JAZZ GOES UNDERGROUND MPS 4029759097433 (Barcode: 4029759097433) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of a little known album by German Jazz-Rock ensemble Free OrbitFind albums by this artist, formed in Hamburg by vocalist / drummer Udo LindenbergFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Fred ChristmannFind albums by this artist and American saxophonist Frank St. PeterFind albums by this artist. The final lineup, which recorded this album, also included vocalist Mike BrooksFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Heinz HabermannFind albums by this artist, trombonist Peter HerbolzheimerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Emil WursterFind albums by this artist and bassists Hans HartmannFind albums by this artist (who also played the sitar) and Reiner VogeleiFind albums by this artist. There are also guitar parts and female vocals present on the album, but their contributors remain anonymous. The album presents ten original songs, all written or composed or co-composed by Lindenberg and feature lyrics in English. Contrary to the ensemble´s name or the album´s title, the music has absolutely nothing to do with Free Jazz and is all Jazz-Rock Fusion / Brass Rock with a touch of Psychedelics and Funk, quite delightful and nostalgic. The brass arrangements (by St. Peters) are all excellent and a bit a la Blood, Sweat & Tears. In retrospect this is a delightful gem, almost completely forgotten and definitely worth discovering. Apart from some British Brass Rock ensembles, Free Orbit was one of the very few representatives of the genre in Europe. European early Jazz-Rock Fusion and Brass Rock fans should not miss this little gem in their collections. 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: 14/07/2016

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

PASSPORT ~ PASSPORT WOUNDED BIRD 0299 (Barcode: 664140029927) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2008 1st album by one of the most important European Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles, German band PassportFind albums by this artist, founded and led by reedman / composer Klaus DoldingerFind albums by this artist. By the early 1970s the German Jazz scene was bursting with talent and excitement with the new generation of players slowly taking their place among the veteran musicians. The European Jazz, which went through a process of rapid development in the previous decade, freeing itself form the rigid constrains of American Jazz tradition, created a completely new universe of music. With the entry to the new decade many of the European musicians crossed over from modern and Free Jazz into Jazz-Rock Fusion, with s feverish rush of activity in that field. Passport was one of many German bands appearing for the first time on the scene at the time, but it proved to be one of the most inventive and in retrospect most influential band of the era, lasting for decades with many personnel changes, but always inventive and musically fulfilling. This album, recorded by the first lineup of the band, includes Doldinger on saxophones and keyboards with another saxophonist / flautist Olaf KüblerFind albums by this artist, organist Jimmy JacksonFind albums by this artist, bassist Lothar MeidFind albums by this artist and drummer Udo LindenbergFind albums by this artist. The music, all written by Doldinger, is a superb example of the European strain of Jazz-Rock Fusion, with strong melody lines and excellent lengthy improvisations by the band members. Both stylistically and sound-wise it is quite similar to the great British Jazz-Rock band IfFind albums by this artist. Definitely one of the great classic recordings of the genre and an essential item in any serious Jazz-Rock collection!

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend