jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten (13 kommenttia)

One Israeli new addition today:

MELECHET ~ IN BETWEEN

The Israeli Prog scene enjoys a kind of renaissance in early 2006 with the release of several excellent debut albums by young groups (see Double Space, Sympozion, Sussita & Solstice Coil), each and every one of them surprisingly excellent and refreshing. The debut album by the group Melechet is perhaps the most ambitious of them all, presenting an entire new rock-opera rather than a collection of individual songs. The music, arrangements and orchestration (including a string quartet) are definitely worthy of comparison to similar projects attempted in the 1970's. The four members of the group play a wide selection of instruments and strengthened by additional players and vocalists they manage quite successfully to achieve a grandiose production. The Hebrew vocals make it difficult for a non-Hebrew speaking listener to follow the plot, but how many opera lovers speak fluent Italian? Every Prog fan should be able to enjoy this music without reservations. Considering how young these
musicians are, there are bright days ahead for Israeli Prog!

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pinulk kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
there are bright days ahead for Israeli Prog!


Can you tell us something about the Palestinian prog scene?


jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Unfortunately there is none...

Some nice Arabic music of course, and some local pop, but nothing really on the international level.

The best one is probably my own release (see my site) of the group Shatea, which was the first Palestinian Prog group ever.


jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
A new wave of South American excellent stuff arrived here, so here are the first two:

NAZARIO, LELO ~ "SE."

3rd album (recorded 1987) by the superb Brazilian keyboards player Lelo Nazario, who ranks among the most distinguished Brazilian musicians of the new generation. Apart from his solo work he is also a member of Brazilian groups Um and Pau Brasil. With his older brother / drummer Zé Eduardo he also leads the trio Percussônica (see their fantastic album on this site). Lelo's first "boss" was the legendary Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, when Lelo played, alongside his brother again, in his group in the 1970's. He is not only an extraordinary virtuoso, but also a great composer with profound understanding of jazz and contemporary classical music. This album is a true landmark of modern music, mixing jazz, electronic sounds and contemporary classical motifs with some Brazilian folklore - an irresistible stream of musical ideas brilliantly performed. All the other players on this album are superbly accomplished with deep sensitivity for this music. This edition is a release of the original LP with bonus tracks recorded in the 1990's. I can hardly think of an album I enjoyed more than this one in a long while. A must!

AKINETÓN RETARD ~ AKINETÓN AO VIVO

4th album (recorded live in Chile and Brazil in 2004) by this exquisite Chilean band, which is probably the most eloquent South American representative of RIO, but taking the original RIO musical ideology far and out beyond any preconceived notions. The music is as "crazy" as it gets, incorporating the freedom and virtuosity of European RIO groups, traces of Magma (including linguistic mambo-jumbo), free jazz and you name it - completely far out but so breathtakingly good and absorbing that you feel completely drenched after an attentive listening session. Definitely not recommended for the weak-hearted, but compulsory for the adventurous listener with wide musical horizons. The album presents music taken from the three studio albums the band recorded and adds new material heard here for the first time. As usual in a live recording, there is much more space for extended soloing, which of course is always welcome. Any attempt to describe this music any further would be completely useless - just grab this and have a time of your life!

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Please note that many items are back in stock, including (unfortunately) a few copies of the Tryo "Crudo" album so many people wanted and the Hungarian After Crying and You And I albums.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Two more South American albums added today:

NAZARIO, LELO ~ SIMPLES

4th album (recorded between 1995 and 1998) by the outstanding Brazilian keyboards player / composer Lelo Nazario. As usual, Nazario uses some of the best Brazilian musicians to help him out, including saxophonist Teco Cardoso, legendary singer Marlui Miranda and American Master drummer Peter Erskine as a guest. He composed all the music, which is excellent all the way and includes a mixture of jazz, Brazilian motifs and contemporary classical influences. This album is Nazario's homage to many fellow musicians from Brazil and the US he admires. The atmosphere is much more relaxed and serene than what he plays on the more Jazz-Rock oriented recordings and there is much more space for his own exquisite playing to be showcased. A most enjoyable musical experience.

DIAS, SÉRGIO / JAZZ MANIA ~ LIVE

Recorded live in 1986, this album presents the fusion oriented performances by the legendary Brazilian guitarist / composer Sérgio Dias and his group. Dias was the leader of the legendary Brazilian group Os Mutantes, which was the most important Brazilian Rock group in the late 1960's and early 1970's. After the group disbanded at the end of the 1970's, Dias left for the US, where he pursued mostly Jazz / Fusion music, playing extensively with his Brazilian expatriates Airto and Flora Purim and with such giants as John McLaughlin and Jaco Pastorious. Upon his return to Brazil in the mid-1980's he formed the group Jazz Mania with some of the best local players at the time, which is documented on this album and heard for the first time after almost 20 years. The music and the performances are excellent and any Fusion fan will have a feast listening to this album, which easily compares to the work of Pat Metheny of Weather Report.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Another Brazilian title added today and an Italian Classic:

RAIZ DE PEDRA ~ AO VIVO

Recorded live in 1987, this album presents one of the most interesting South American groups - the instrumental quintet Raiz De Pedra from Brazil. Although often referred to as a jazz group, they play a completely original type of music, with a lot of jazzy influences but very far from conventional jazz. In fact they are much closer to RIO groups, like Univers Zero, than to any mainstream jazz. Fronted by the excellent reeds and flute player Márcio Tubino, they play their "far out" music with ease and elegance. The compositions are very unconventional, with offbeat rhythms and tempos. The guitar and keyboards (when not soloing) often support the saxophone by creating layers of electronic sounds and the rhythm section (strengthened by a guest percussionist) provides a polyrhythmic drive. In short this is one of those uncanny albums that make your ears stand up when you hear it for the first time and tempt you to return to it time after time to really get it all. Warmly recommended.

EZRA WINSTON ~ ANCIENT AFTERNOONS

2nd album (recorded 1990) by this superb Italian Symphonic Prog band, which is universally accepted as one of the best Italian Prog bands in all times and equaled with past giants, such as PFM. The album ranks among Prog fans as one of the best Prog albums in all times. Although recorded in the 1990's, it is never considered as Neo-Prog, as it truly preserves the original approach and sound of the 1970's. With beautiful melodies, serene atmosphere, rich instrumentation and long well developed compositions (one of which is 26+ minutes long), the album truly holds everything dear to a Symphonic Prog fan. This edition is the CD reissue of the original LP and has one bonus track. Essential!

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Two great new additions today:

JOPLIN, JANIS ~ PEARL (LEGACY EDITION)

It is truly tragic that America's greatest female Blues / Rock singer left this earthly plane with just a couple of albums to her name. Even if we count the two earlier albums she recorded with Big Brother And The Holding Company that comes up to four albums! That is a terrible waste of talent and a shame. Fortunately some live recordings appeared over the time (both with Big Brother and later groups), which expand her available recorded legacy, but that is just a limited solace. Therefore every time some new material by Janis becomes available, my heart jumps with joy and anticipation - I truly can't get enough of her amazing talent. "Pearl" was of course Joplin's second and last solo album, recorded in September 1970 and released posthumously (she died just a month later). Janis was persuaded (by Columbia executives) to dump her original band (Big Brother) in order to play with "better" musicians. Such bullshit was very common at that time, when record companies had the power of "life and death" over their artists. It took a while until her final band crystallized and became the Full Tilt Boogie, heard on these recording. The Kozmic Blues Band, which recorded with her the first solo album ("I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!") had still ties to Big Brother via guitarist Sam Andrew. When he was gone, it was a complete new situation, which perhaps reflected better musicianship (technically), but lacked the power, passion and "street wisdom" of Big Brother, not to mention the years of experience of playing together with Janis. Nevertheless, whatever was missing on the part of the musicians, who played with Janis in her last months, was amply compensated by her own talent, virtuosity and heartbreaking musical honesty. "Pearl" presents a more mature, slightly more relaxed and contemplative Janis, who rather than screaming and crying her heart out about her distress (and there is plenty of distress there), addresses her pain with sadness and sarcasm. Her performance is, as usual, beyond reproach. The unaccompanied vocal treatment of "Mercedes Benz" is perhaps the absolute climax of the album, and perhaps of her entire career, or even life. After all everybody dies alone. This new edition does unearth some studio outtakes, previously unheard, which are fabulous. In addition the second album of the set present Janis and her band during the Canadian tour in June / July 1970, when the band finally came together as a well oiled unit and Janis was flying high in the stratosphere, as always, at the top of her artistic power. She was, after all, primarily a performer and a live concert situation was her natural habitat. The title "Legacy Edition" was never more appropriate for an album than this time. Nobody on this earth should die before hearing this album.

BOYD, EDDIE ~ THE COMPLETE BLUE HORIZON SESSIONS

US Blues Giant Eddie Boyd hails from the Mississippi Delta. Like many of his Blues companions, he left the South and settled in Chicago in the early 1940's, where he developed his original style as pianist and singer, but mostly as a gifted composer of many Blues standards, universally performed all over the world today. In 1965 Boyd decided to leave the US, deeply disenchanted by the segregation and racism still prominent there at the time, and settled in Europe, first in Belgium and then in Finland, where he died in 1994. While in Europe, his career flourished both as a performer and a recording artist. Among his many recordings, the sessions he recorded in 1967-1968 for the UK label Blue Horizon (owned and headed by one of the most important Blues producers Mike Vernon) stand out as truly remarkable. At that time the greatest UK Blues band Fleetwood Mac was practically the Blue Horizon "hose" band and accompanied many musicians on their recording sessions. So here it is - some outstanding blues music performed by the Master Eddie Boyd on piano / vocals and Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green - guitar, John McVie - bass and Mick Fleetwood - drums) supporting him with passion and vigor. For a Blues fan it does not get much better.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
BEST PASSOVER / EASTER WISHES!

Two new items added today:

ANDERSON, IAN ~ THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS

This is Ian Anderson's 3rd solo album (recorded 2000), although many of the latest Jethro Tull albums are considered to a large extent his solo works as well, as he writes all the music and selects the musicians at will. Nevertheless Anderson made the distinction to release this one under his name, and rightly so, as it is significantly different from the traditional Tull material in many ways. Although the basic sound is of course similar (with Anderson's voice, flute and guitar strongly present), the "subject matter" is different, with the music embracing widely ethnic influences. Of course with Jethro Tull Anderson used British folk, medieval and Celtic motifs, but here he expands the circle to include many more ethnic influences, including Indian, Slavic, and Far-Eastern themes. These new elements add a beautiful flavor to the music and enable him to make his music even more enchanting. Anderson was always one of the most "well cultured" and intelligent Rock lyricists, and this combined with his natural sense to weave beautiful melodies make him a most significant Master of the trade. The album is wonderfully consistent, with no weak spots or dull moments - pure joy and definitely some of his best work to date. This enhanced CD includes a video interview with Anderson, who talks about making of the album and plays some music. A must for all Anderson / Tull fans.

ANDERSON, IAN ~ RUPI`S DANCE

4th solo album (recorded 2003) by Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson, who continues the flow of his previous solo effort ("The Secret Language Of Birds") with a set of new and wonderful tunes. Recorded around the same period as Tull's "Christmas Album", it differs from Anderson's work with the group mainly in the inclusion of ethnic influences, which are intelligently and smoothly interwoven into his enchanting melodies. The entire set works like a charm, consistently excellent and fascinating, with vocal and instrumental tracks combined into a flawless, inspired musical tapestry. There is really little I should add here, considering the lifetime achievements by Anderson and his consistency as an Artist. It seems he is still at the peak of his creative power with age enhancing his abilities. Anderson might not be leaping around the stage on one leg, as he used to, but he is still a Master in every inch of his body. Superb!

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Happy Passover / Easter!

Two very nice items added today:

PASTORIUS, JACO / BIG BAND ~ WORD OF MOUTH REVISITED

1st album (recorded 2003) by this Big Band, conducted and led by Peter Graves. Graves was the leader of the Big Band, in which Pastorius played for five years (1970-1975) and where he perfected his chops, before leaving to record his eponymous debut album and then joining Weather Report, where he stayed for another five years (1976-1981). Pastorius revolutionized the way bass guitar would be played from his days onward and earned a momentous respect for the instrument, placing it alongside the leading instruments in any musical setting. He died in tragic circumstances in 1987. Graves collected some of the original Big Band members, added many superb contemporary players and invited the best bass players on the scene (Marcus Miller, Jimmy Haslip, Gerald Veasley, Victor Bailey, and others) to create this tribute recording. The music includes tunes from the early Big Band days, Jaco's solo albums and Weather Report albums. The band swings like hell, the bassists fly and soar and the music is exceptional all the way through. Between the music tracks there are inserts of Jaco's spoken commentary during the recording sessions of his albums, which enhance the atmosphere and make this recording even more special. For any Pastorius or / and bass guitar fan this is a wet dream come true - an absolute must! This enhanced CD includes bonus material and a link to video clips documenting the recording session.

PASTORIUS, JACO / BIG BAND ~ THE WORD IS OUT!

2nd album (recorded 2005) by the Jaco Pastorius tribute Big Band, expanding the idea of the debut album recorded a couple of years earlier. The concept remains the same, i.e. to feature Jaco's compositions and the best bass guitar players on the scene to pay tribute to his genius as a composer and instrumentalist. The Big Band this time is strengthened by the presence of a huge selection of exceptional jazz musicians, all Masters of their respective instruments: Randy Brecker, Mark Egan, Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer, Arturo Sandoval and many more. With a band of such distinguished and able players the music is just perfect in every sense. Of course Pastorius deserves all of it, considering his enormous contribution to the development of jazz and fusion. There is no need to explain any further - if you like Pastorius and bass guitar, you will love this album to bits.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
This is the last addition before the Passover Holidays here, which start tomorrow. I wish all my Israeli customers a Healthy and Kosher Passover.

WHITE FLAG ~ EXILE

This is surely a first of its kind Palestinian-Israeli rock group. The members of White Flag are five Israeli musicians (Gani Tamir - vocals, Mark Smulian - bass and guitar, Katya Cooper - percussion, Sasha Shlain - keyboards and Shy Miara - drums) and four Palestinians from refugee camps in Gaza Strip (Yasin Hussen - vocals, Shadi Alhaj - keyboards, Zaher Abed Al-Jawad - oud and violin and Saleh Awad - darbuka). The group was formed in 1998 and performed all over Israel and Palestine. However, after the violent events, which started in 2000, they were no longer able to meet and perform, when the passage between Israel and the Gaza Strip was practically sealed off. The only way they could meet and play together again was outside of their countries. This happened in mid-2005, when the group was invited by the Swiss city of Lucerne for a period of three months, where they performed, rehearsed and finally recorded this - their debut album. A film by Swiss TV was also made to commemorate this event. The music of White Flag is a fantastic mixture of instruments, styles, influences and languages. The vocals are in Arabic, Hebrew and English and an amalgam of Eastern and Western music is created, which works splendidly. It is really impossible to describe in words how this music sounds, but and music-loving person is sure to enjoy it immensely. White Flag is not about politics - it is all about making music and the human experiences involved in meeting of different cultures and backgrounds. Hopefully cultural bridges of that kind will eventually achieve what the politicians failed to achieve in so many years in our complex region.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
One new item added today:

AKKERMAN, JAN ~ A TOUCH OF CLASS

Dutch guitar virtuoso Jan Akkerman is most widely known as the co-leader of the legendary band Focus. However, after leaving Focus, Akkerman developed a splendid solo career, which now spans over 30 years of activity. As a soloist, Akkerman proved to be a most versatile musician, playing both acoustic guitar (and many other acoustic guitar-related instruments) and electric guitar, all this in different genres, from classical music, early music, blues, jazz and fusion. His exceptional technique and highly developed musical taste place him in a class of his own. This excellent DVD brings to light some archival material not seen in many years. The main part of the DVD includes a 1983 TV special, filmed in London for the BBC. It includes his then current group performing material from Jan's albums: "Can't Stand Noise" and "Tabernakel", interviews with Akkerman and BBC footage of Focus from 1973. The bonus material includes footage filmed 18 month later and capturing a rare performance of Akkerman using the guitar synthesizer. For many Akkerman / Focus fans this is an absolute must and a most enjoyable musical experience. NTSC

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MANY items back in stock, including the Crimson Jazz Trio and Renaisant!

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The Spring Sale continues - 5 more days left. The discount was upgraded to 12 % - see Sale announcement.

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
One new addition today:

ECHOLYN ~ A LITTLE NONSENSE: NOW AND THEN

This beautiful Box Set brings back to life (and circulation) a huge chunk of the material recorded during the 1990's by the best US Prog band ever. Echolyn might not have reached the level of recognition and appreciation they deserve (partly due to the fact that their albums remained unavailable for many years), but that does not mean of course that they don't deserve it. Very few bands did manage to produce such consistently excellent musical output - complex and intelligent and yet highly melodic and moving. Their songs are always perfectly crafted and executed with passion and flair. This set includes the band's debut self-titled album from 1991, the 3rd album (EP) ".And Every Blossom" from 1993 and the 5th album "When The Sweet Turns Sour" from 1996 - all these on two CDs. In addition a third CD includes bonus material, which consists of live and unreleased material as well as re-recorded new versions of older songs. The whole set is exquisitely packaged and sure to become a collector's item. An absolute must, not only for the many Echolyn fans but also for any Prog fan on earth.

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The Spring Sale continues until the end of the week - just 4 days left! Although very many people already took advantage of the 12 % discount on all items, there are quite a few others who are asleep at the wheel?

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Two excellent new additions today:

UNIVERS ZERO ~ LIVE

10th album (recorded 2005) and the first ever UZ live recording. The complexity of UZ music seems like an insurmountable challenge when recording their music live, but the stable line-up and numerous performances made even this task viable. This beautiful recording catches the perhaps most important contemporary music group at their full glory. The music, which is mostly new arrangements of their previously recorded studio material, emphasizes both the immense talents behind the compositions and the incredibly high standard of musicianship. It is now almost 30 years since UZ appeared on the European musical scene and in all these years they found almost no competition as far and groundbreaking music creation is concerned. Always on the forefront of the avant-garde Rock and Contemporary Music scene, UZ remains a beacon of extraordinary strength, pointing towards the musical Mount Olympus. I am not even going to try to recommend this album to anybody - it is so far beyond recommendations.

RUSSELL, RAY ~ GOODBYE SVENGALI

Ray Russell is one of the most interesting figures on the UK music scene. He is responsible for some pioneering guitar work in the late 1960's / early 1970's in several proto-Prog and early Jazz-Rock groups (see Rock Workshop) and later fusion innovations with his group RMS during the 1980's. While in RMS, Russell met the legendary arranger Gil Evans, who also performed and recorded with the group. This album is inspired and dedicated to Gil Evans ("Svengali" was his nickname in the jazz circles). The material includes one historical recording with Gil Evans from 1988, which is believed to be Gil's final recording session (he died soon after). The rest of the album includes compositions inspired by Evans and performed by a mighty set of musicians, including Simon Phillips and Mo Foster from RMS, Gary Husband and many others. Ray displays his guitar pyrotechnics all along, proving once again that he is far from retirement.

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The Spring Sale continues - last 3 days left!!!

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jazzis kirjoitti noin 19 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
One item added today:

RUBIN, HAROLD ~ ONE VOICE

If it wasn't for the fact that Harold Rubin (musician, painter and poet) lives and creates music in Israel, I'm pretty sure that he would have become one of the best-known icons of avant-garde jazz worldwide. Since I "discovered" Harold 20 years ago, he never ceased to amaze me every time I hear him play live or hear any of his recorded music. His absolutely unique approach to his instrument - the clarinet - and to music in general is phenomenal and in spite of his advanced age he is (to me) one of the most vigorous, adventurous and daring musicians on this planet. Although usually described as a free jazz player, his music can be movingly lyrical at times. He is able to express the entire range of human emotions, from peace and bliss to frenzy and rage. I really hope more people will discover his wonderful music in time. This 2002 recording captures Harold completely on his own for the first time (He usually plays in a trio / quartet setting and sometimes in duos). There is nothing else here but the man and his clarinet - the ultimate intimacy. Harold composed all the music included here, including the five part suite "A Quiet Place for Mr. K. K." dedicated to King Kong, which he describes as follows: "It relates to a psychotic King Kong living in our now world, where brutality has become a way of life and fragile fragments of joy alleviate a terrifying sense of sadness". I hope Harold's music will become your "fragments of joy" forever.

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The Spring sale continues till the end of April due to "public demand". Well I hope you'll all take advantage of it.

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