Hi,

Believe it or not, this was one of the first albums of KJ that I got, and right after it I went after Jan Garbarek, which I enjoyed a lot, even though it felt like it had a spirit that was way out there and I'm not sure that it was jazz, but some sort of free form something or other, and it wasn't until his time with Charlie Haden and Egberto Gismonti that Garbarek "mellowed out" and started his experimental period of which "EVENTYR" is a phenomenal album and should be mentioned here, however, things in there are not exactly jazz, opening with "Soria Maria" a very stunning piece that was also used in a film that ended up getting the Foreign Film Oscar award, and had this piece, and some by Terje Rypdal as well.

While KJ stuck to his jazz abilities and experimentations, in the end, I seemed to feel that he should have been writing some things for orchestra as well, with one slight problem ... orchestras are notoriously bad about new things, because it takes rehearsal and attention and above all ... time ... for which they would not get paid to make sure their part was better ... but nowadays, with keyboards being able to replace an orchestra his one hand ability should help define music very well, unless he has completely let go of his left hand musical ability, and even in his mind, without the left hand he can not hear, or feel what he is composing ... something like that.

But i between, I think he has given us some amazing material and music ... and some solo piano which makes his THE American piano player of the 20th Century, second to probably none other even though jazz in America has some outstanding piano players. But KJ's freedom with the music is the difference.

BTW, if you have not seen it, there are many little interviews and specials that he talks about music ... and his take? Yep ... you got it ... forget it all except what you see! And education? Blurppppp! I say that stuff all the time ... music is not about notes and chords ... it's about your heart and your own inner vision ... and without that the music has no soul ... let it be chords and notes so we forget it faster yet ... 

Some of the best choir work of all time, and very meditative. I think it was even sampled by Kendrick Lamar!

This track is from the 1979 album "Ručni rad" by Macedonian band Leb i Sol, which is not only their best studio album but also, dare I say, one of the best European jazz-rock albums ever made. The arrangements and performances of the songs are just amazing. The entire record exudes a deep sense of vitality and delicate southern European sensibility. It's essential! The album features one of the most dreamy pieces from the thriving European jazz-rock scene of the late 1970s, "Verni Pas," a delicate tune with a poignant saxophone solo and beautiful keyboards that altogether, with a wordless chorus and brief acoustic guitar solo at the end, fit the bill perfectly.

The strange fate of the Serbian band 37°C is tied to their unusual album, "Sidarta." All of the recording and mixing of the material took place at Gooseberry Studio in London in the early spring of 1979. However, the finished product was rejected as "uncommercial" by Belgrade's major label, PGP, which, despite covering all of the recording expenses, never released the album in 1979. The content has been all but forgotten since then, and while it was available as a self-published cassette album on Belgrade's bootleg market, it wasn't until 2017 that the Discom label officially released it as a vinyl LP.

The title track, which was named after and influenced by Herman Hesse's Siddhartha novel, opens the album. This eighteen-minute epic, which is jazzy, trippy, experimental, and spacey, seems to fit the bill. 

The amazing musical composition features a variety of sounds and textures, including captivating synths, a catchy bass line, and expressive guitar; the drums appear only towards the end of a song following vocal improvisation using wordless vocables, saxophones, and flutes, all of which have the purpose of evoking daydreams. 

The gradation of the arrangement is also fascinating, especially in the way some instruments are presented. The plot of Hesse's work is really portrayed in the song's arrangement: Siddhartha, the main character, first views perfection as "Brahman," but he soon abandons this idea to pursue his own route of self-discovery. The band members use every bit of their musical knowledge to build up the energy to the point where faultless performances explode throughout the song. One might find that a quite meditative approach.

The 1974 album "Haiku" by Don Ellis is a singular piece of jazz. The ten tracks composed by Ellis are based on Japanese haiku poems and include violins, violas, cellos, and harps in addition to the trumpet, which serves as the main instrument.

The harmonic smoothness of Ellis's own arrangements is superb. Additionally included on "Haiku" are guitarists, keyboardists, and a rhythm section, although their contributions are minimal. The music on the album is incredibly tranquil, calming, and meditative.

"Water Jewels" is highly recommended for anyone who values contemplative melody, mellowness, and the sounds of the trumpet, harp, and softly played strings. Very lovely music to calm your thoughts and induce a dreamlike state.

Camel - Selva