Jazzis Web Shop News 09/2007

PERSONAL

Back from my trip to Poland. I had a great time there visiting the familiar places and especially meeting many old friends. Many hours of conversation with people, mostly remembering the old times, people who are no longer with us, discussing the changes the country is going through, etc. Quite a few surprises (about these later) and a lot of highly emotional moments, especially the visit to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, which is always deeply moving and extremely daunting for me. Many new and renewed contacts with people, which are always the most fascinating aspect of any visit abroad. After joining the EU, Poland is going through many changes, but these are happening much slowed than I expected (or hoped for), as the country’s infrastructure (especially the roads) is in pretty bad shape and it’s politics a true havoc. A very intense experience.

ALBUM

Today’s addition is the first of the new batch of John Mayall’s expanded editions of his early albums, all of which are absolutely wonderful examples of British blues.

4^th album by John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers and the 3^rd album Mayall recorded in 1967 (with another double live album also recorded later in the year), which positions this appropriately titled release as part of his tireless crusade to spread the blues with all his might. Considering the fact that during the year that preceded the recording Mayall lost two of the greatest blues guitar players (Eric Clapton and Peter Green) as his front men, his remarkable ability to recreate to group is truly legendary. The new lead guitarist stepping in the footsteps of the departing legends was the young Mick Taylor, who turned out to be not only an appropriate replacement, but also a true revelation. His extraordinary technique and superb feel for the blues made him an ideal partner for Mayall. Taylor would stay with Mayall for about two years, which turned out to be very productive and result in a series of excellent albums. Later on he’s leave Mayall to join the Rolling Stones as a replacement for the tragically departed Brian Jones. The revamped Bluesbreakers included also the legendary John McVie (of Fleetwood Mac fame), the extremely talented drummer Keef Hartley and a brass section consisting of Chris Mercer (tenor sax) and Rip Kant (baritone sax). The entire album was recorded in just one day (except for the bonus material), proving how professional and talented these wonderful musicians really were. Mayall wrote the bulk of the material, and a few blues standards are also used. In retrospect this is one of the formative British blues albums and a prime example of the genre. Essential listening material for every blues fan.

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is the next of the new batch of John Mayall’s expanded editions of his early albums, all of which are absolutely wonderful examples of British blues.

8^th album by John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers, and his most ambitious project by far. The Bluesbreakers’ lineup was extended to a septet and included Mick Taylor on guitar, Tony Reeves on bass, Jon Hiseman on drums and a brass section which included Chris Mercer on tenor and baritone saxes, Dick Heckstall-Smith on tenor and soprano saxes and Henry Lowther on cornet and violin. The entire first side of the LP was dedicated to an extended blues suite (first of its kind ever), with strong jazz influences, hence this album is often quoted as one of the earliest examples of the Jazz-Rock genre. The quality of the songwriting and the performances on this album are truly astounding and to this day it remains as a classic icon of the era. However soon after the album was recorded Mayall decided to disband the Bluesbreakers and opt for an intimate quartet for his new project, retaining only the services of Mick Taylor. Three of the band members (Reeves, Hiseman and Heckstall-Smith) decided to form the legendary Colosseum, joining forces with keyboards player Dave Greenslade and guitarist James Litherland and the rest is history. So now you know that Colosseum was actually a Bluesbreakers offspring. As for the album, it’s an absolute must for every blues fan and for most lovers of the early Jazz-Rock and Prog genres. Essential!

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Today’s addition is an album I was involved in producing and even took part in the performance 22 years ago. During my recent visit to Poland I saw (to my complete surprise) that the album was finally released:

The tale of “The Book Of Job” project originates in 1981, when a group of Polish jazz musicians, actors and other intellectuals decided to stage a production based on one of the most dramatic biblical stories – the story of the sufferings God decided to put on Job to test his faith. To understand the context, one has to remember that at that time Poland was being torn apart by political and social upheaval, led by the “Solidarnosc” movement, in protest against the socialist regime. The political struggle included many strikes and demonstrations, some of which led to violent clashes with the police and people being shot or beaten to death. The biblical story of Job’s suffering seemed to many Poles as an allegory reflecting their situation. The project involved a musical suite written especially for the project and performed by top Polish jazz musicians, with fragments of text from the Book of Job being recited by actors. The premiere performance was presented during the 1981 Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, with further performances scheduled all over Poland. However, on December 13, 1981 the Martial Law was announced in Poland as a last resort to save the regime from crumbling and all art activities were put on hold, with tanks occupying the streets of Warsaw. It seemed that the project was dead after just one performance. The Martial Law was finally lifted in 1983 and it was only a question of time when the Soviet Block was about to disintegrate, but the socialist government stayed in power till the end of the decade. In 1985 I received a call from some musician friends in Warsaw, inviting me to come over and co-produce a recording of “The Book Of Job” as well as take part in the expanded multi-lingual version of the project, by reciting the text in Hebrew (in addition to Polish, German and English). As much as I understood the Polish background and circumstances surrounding the project, my interior motives to take part in the project were quite different. I always considered the Book of Job as the closest biblical allegory to the fate of the Jewish People with the Holocaust symbolizing Job’s sufferings and the birth of the State of Israel as the outcome. Therefore realizing this project in Poland, where most of the Holocaust took place seemed more that appropriate to me. I was very excited by the prospect, but the possibility to actually undertake the venture seemed utterly impossible. I left Poland in 1967 and never visited the country since. My Polish citizenship was taken away when I left Poland, and at the time (1985) Poland and Israel had no diplomatic relationships. Poland and all other Socialist countries severed they diplomatic ties with Israel following the 1967 Six Days War, which meant there was no Polish Embassy in Israel, where I could get a Polish visa. In general no Polish visas were issued to Israeli citizens, especially those of Polish origin. My Polish friends started to thread the winding path of Polish bureaucracy and for some strange and completely incomprehensive reasons the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to grant me a visa for a few days, which I had to collect in Germany, something that was completely unheard off at the time. Finally in the bitterly cold late autumn (October) of 1985 I made the trip to Warsaw via Frankfurt and stepped on Polish soil for the first time in 18 years. I still remember the face of the Polish border police officer when I presented my Israeli passport at the Warsaw airport. I was of course a total nerve wreck, considering the fact that Poland was still very much a police state at that time, and constantly imagined that I could get arrested under any pretext at any given moment. For a few days I never stopped looking around trying to figure out if I’m being followed. Eventually the nervousness disappeared, mostly due to the warm reception I received from my friends, old and new alike. I flew to Krakow, where the production team and the musicians and actors assembled and we started rehearsing and then recording the music and the recitations. The recordings were done in a well-equipped studio, which was located behind the stage of the “Teatr Stu”. Everything went pretty smoothly and I stayed on for a couple of days to mix the tapes for the final master. After the production was over I went for a few days to visit Silesia, the southern, coal-mining part of Poland were I was born, and later on returned to Warsaw. I couldn’t take the master tapes with me, as these would surely be confiscated as illegal political unauthorized contraband, but I was promised they would be sent to me, as I planned to release them on my own Jazzis label, which I planned to start soon after. The producers also promised to release the album in Poland. A few days later I was back home in Israel and although I visited Poland many times later, I never heard about the project again. I lost contact with my Polish co-producers and although the tapes did land in my lap many years later, I left them untouched. Imagine my surprise when upon my recent visit to Poland a friend told me that the album was finally released just a few days before I arrived and even some reviews appeared in Polish papers (mentioning me) on the day I arrived. I was flabbergasted, angry for about 10 seconds (for not being consulted about this) and of course ecstatically happy to see this baby finally being born, after a 22 years long pregnancy. Especially so when I saw that the album was beautifully packaged in book format with splendid historical photographs (mine included, looking much younger of course). So much about the background of this album, and as to the contents, listening to it for the first time in so many years I must admit I’m more than proud to be associated with its creation. The music, performed by a wonderful septet of Polish jazz musicians, including Krzysztof Zgraja – flute and piano, Andrzej Przybielski – trumpet, Zbigniew Wegehaupt – bass, Janusz Trzcinski – drums, Mieczyslaw Litwinski – sitar, Milo Kurtis – percussion, Jew’s harp and trombita and Andrzej Mitan – vocals, resembles in spirit the Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew sessions, with plenty of space for solos performed over spacey / funky rhythmic patterns. The recitations are used as overlays, switching between the various languages, creating a dramatic collage effect over the music. Quite ambitious and far reaching in any respect and considering the fact that it was done 22 years ago, I’d say it was well ahead of its time. I suppose not everybody can enjoy this kind of creation as much as I do, but nevertheless it is a momentous piece of intellectual significance, cutting deeply into the listener’s soul, if listened to carefully and attentively.

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is a new and fabulous edition of the classic Fairport Convention album:

4^th album by Fairport Convention, Britain’s greatest Folk-Rock protagonists of all times, considered as an absolute classic of the genre and recently voted as the most important Folk-Rock album of all times. This was their 3^rd album on the Island label and also the 3^rd album to be released the same year (1969) – a remarkable achievement by any standards. The group included six of the greatest Folk-Rock musicians ever playing together in one band: Sandy Denny – vocals, Ashley Hutchings – bass, Dave Mattacks – drums, Simon Nicol – guitar, Dave Swarbrick – violin and Richard Thompson – guitar. Their unique interpretation of folk material as well as original songs kept in the spirit of traditional folk are truly exceptional. Denny’s extraordinary vocal talent and the vocal harmonies, as well as the instrumental performances are all just perfect and in retrospect lose absolutely nothing of their freshness and originality over the years. This new addition adds an entire second CD full of never before released material, including studio outtakes and BBC live performances. Absolutely Essential!

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

Stock Clearing Sale – 20 % discount on all items. The economic reality forces me to announce another sale in an attempt to keep the business alive.

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is the 1^st of the 4 new additional remasters of Peter Hammill’s splendid legacy:

10^th album by Peter Hammill and his first true 1980s release. In contrast to the convoluted “A Black Box”, Hammill decided to take a more direct and concise approach to his songwriting on this album. He also adapted the new 1980s technology, using synthesized sounds and studio trickery. Old Van Der Graaf Generator mates: Guy Evans (drums) and David Jackson (sax) take part in the recording on several tracks. In retrospect this is still a very strong album, with many memorable songs Hammill will continue to perform over the years. His unique approach to songwriting and the dramatic, theatrical performances remain effective, losing nothing of their power over the years. Although somewhat neglected in comparison to his earlier work, this is still classic Hammill, something none of his many fans should miss in their collection.

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is the 3^rd of the 4 new additional remasters of Peter Hammill’s splendid legacy:

12^th album by Peter Hammill and by far one of his more interesting releases, although criticized severely due to the extensive use of MIDI and sequencers, which give the album a distinctive 1980s “New Wave” sound. On the album Hammill returns to a group format, using old Van Der Graaf Generator mates Guy Evans and David Jackson on all tracks along with several other musicians. In a sense this might be considered a VDGG album of sorts. The music is mostly up-tempo and rocky, but Hammill’s clever lyrics and his unique vocal approach set it apart from other contemporary albums. The overall impression is quite similar to the work David Bowie was doing at the time, but of course it is still very much Hammill. I haven’t listened to this album for a very long time, but hearing it again now made me realize how alive and fresh it still sounds. This is classic Hammill, something none of his many fans should miss in their collection.

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is a reissue of a great Israeli classic album:

Only album by the Israeli vocal trio, which included Arik Einstein, Shmulik Kraus and Josie Katz, and which is considered as the first original Israeli Pop album ever recorded. Strongly influenced by the Beatles and other (then) contemporary Pop and Rock groups, the High Windows recorded a superb set of songs in Hebrew (all written by Kraus), using vocal harmonies and instrumental arrangements, which were completely revolutionary at the time. Israeli music up to that point was based mainly on East-European melodies and folksy approach and this was the first attempt to create a local scene modeled after Western Pop. The musical “establishment” at the time received this music with harsh criticism (The Beatles were not allowed to play in Israel to avoid the “bad” influence on local youth) and some of the songs were banned by the censor from being played on the radio. But the public loved the songs and the album soon became one of the most popular Israeli albums of all times. It had a crucial influence on the local scene and soon after an entire new generation of local musicians would start to create original Israeli Pop and Rock, including Progressive Rock. It is interesting to notice that the instrumental work and arrangements on this album were done by a brilliant piano player Ziggy Skarbnik, a legendary figure of the early days of both Israeli Rock and Jazz, who unfortunately died of cancer at an incredibly young age. The drummer was no other than Zohar Levy, another legendary figure. Listening to this album 40 years after it was recorded can be quite revealing and the realization of how brilliant this stuff was and still is becomes inevitable. A must! This expanded edition (marking the albums 40^th anniversary) adds a whole second CD of bonus material, which is insanely rare and most of it never saw the light of day. These include live material recorded at the Paris Olympia hall, French and UK singles (in French and English) released in Europe, in short some of the rarest Israeli archival material.

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

I managed today to get an order from Castle / Sanctuary – probably the last ever. As some of you might already know, the Sanctuary catalog was sold out to Universal, which announced that they intend to drop all the reissues from their catalog. Considering some of the greatest musical moments from the 1960s and 1970s are beautifully released on those labels, this is a true blow. The Castle / Sanctuary catalog is therefore in practice out of print right now so be smart and get it while it lasts. Here is a direct link to the labels:

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is a classic Brian Auger album, which for some strange reason I missed so far:

4^th album by Brian Auger’s group Oblivion Express, recorded after his decision to cross the Atlantic and settle in the US. Following this move most of the players in the band left to go back to UK and Auger (with bass player Barry Dean, who decided to stay) added three new players: Jack Mills on guitar, Godfrey Maclean on drums and Lennox Laington on congas. The album features Auger on vocals (although scarce) in addition to his exceptional keyboard work (organ, electric piano, moog and string machine). Auger contributed most of the wonderful material with just two tunes coming from outside the band (one by Marvin Gaye). The music is, as usual, a mixture of jazz, rock, rhythm and blues and soul with plenty of space for the musicians to express their ability and improvise. Auger’s jazzy keyboard solos are simply remarkable. For the many Auger’s fans this is a most welcome addition to the reissue program as these editions are far superior to the earlier One Way or Disconforme editions.

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

Following yesterday’s announcement about the Castle / Sanctuary albums (see below) most of my stock of these items is now sold out. Please do yourself a favor and get these beauties before they are gone to oblivion.

I managed today to get an order from Castle / Sanctuary – probably the last ever. As some of you might already know, the Sanctuary catalog was sold out to Universal, which announced that they intend to drop all the reissues from their catalog. Considering some of the greatest musical moments from the 1960s and 1970s are beautifully released on those labels, this is a true blow. The Castle / Sanctuary catalog is therefore in practice out of print right now so be smart and get it while it lasts. Here is a direct link to the labels:

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ALBUM

Today’s addition is a great blues release recently uncovered from the vaults:

This wonderful, never before released live recording documents the tour, which was organized in support of the comeback Grammy Award winning Muddy Waters’ album “Hard Again”. It features the same musicians that participated in the recording of the album and puts the three blues Giants together on one stage. They all do what they know best: Muddy Waters plays guitar and sings with a great voice, Johnny Winter plays some wonderful solos and sings and James Cotton plays his harmonica and sings. The vocals are divides more or less equally between the three of them, which of course is great as we get to hear them all, each at his best. The supporting band is also excellent and includes some of the best veteran musicians: Bob Margolin (guitar), Pinetop Perkins (piano), Willie Smith (drums) and Charles Calmese (bass). This is superb electric blues, as raw, authentic and enjoyable as it ever gets. I can’t think of a blues fan, which would like to miss this album in his collection. Warmly recommended!

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

My stock of the Castle / Sanctuary albums is almost completely sold out. There are a few classics still there, like some of the Nice, Brian Auger, Yes and Colosseum albums. Please do yourself a favor and get these beauties before they are gone to oblivion.

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